KBTBB GREE: Mad Hatter Route Summary and Commentary - Epilogue

Title:『星降る空に願いを込めて』(Hope in the Starry Sky)
Summary:
                The MC and Rion are on a train. Rion is fascinated by the sights outside of the window. He jumps a little when it suddenly goes dark as they enter a tunnel. The MC tells him that there are a lot of tunnels in this area because they are heading into the mountains. A lady with a food cart comes around, and they each choose a bento to eat. He is amazed by all of the things packed tightly in the box, calling it a “microcosm”. He speaks at length about the night sky, showing that he has quite a detailed knowledge bank.
                When they arrive at their stop, they comment on how fresh the air is compared to Tokyo. They hike up a small mountain. As they go, the MC starts to get very tired (even some old people pass her). Rion suggests that they take a break. He hands her a thermos from his backpack. The drink is very sweet, and he reveals that it is caramel tea. She drinks a little, and then he takes the cup and sips some as well. He says that it was a good idea to put some extra sugar in there (for fatigue). He hands the cup back, and his hand covers hers. She says the warmth of the tea and Rion warms her heart. A shooting star soon crosses the night sky. They pack up quickly and run to the summit of the mountain. As they arrive at the summit, they see a beautiful meteor shower. Rion holds her as they gaze at the sight.
                She can’t help but wish on the stars, hoping that this kind of happiness will last forever. Rion asks her if she wished for something. He asks her to tell him, but she says it’s a secret. He is a little disappointed that she won’t tell him. She secretly wants to know if Rion wished for the same thing. He blushes fiercely when she asks him to tell her what he wished for. He then smiles wryly and tells her that he wished ride on a camel traveling down the Silk Road. He starts laughing and admits that he’s lying when she looks shocked. She tells him to tell her the truth, but he says it’s a secret. She prods him again, but he says it won’t come true if he tells her.
                When they head back to the train station, there is a huge problem. A sign is posted saying that there were mechanical issues, and the train is stopped for the night as a result. They ask an attendant how they might get back to Tokyo that night, but he says that there isn’t really any way, and they should stay there for the night. He suggests an inn close by. The MC is worried because she had not planned on staying the night with Rion. Rion asks if there is a hot spring at the inn. The attendant says that there is a hidden spring there. Rion also wants to know if there are any animals there, like monkeys and capybaras. The attendant says there isn’t, and he’s a little disappointed, but he tells the MC that he wants to go anyway.
                They go to take baths in separate outdoor spaces. The MC is thinking about how Rion finds beauty in such trivial things. She hears someone enter the water on the other side of the partition. She almost calls out to him but decides not to. She returns to the room after her bath to find Rion in a yukata on the veranda, looking up at the night sky. She admires his beautiful profile in the moonlight. He hears her footsteps on the tatami and turns around. She notices little drops of water falling from his still wet hair. She takes the towel that was thrown over his shoulder and begins to dry his hair. He is a little annoyed and says that he can do it himself. She says to leave it up to her so he doesn’t stay soaked. He tells her to quit it because he’s not a child. She retorts with, “Bathing and not drying your hair, that’s something a big child would do.” She sees that he has a look of defiance on his face and thinks back to when she interrupted the interviews for the March Hare and Dormouse. She wonders if he had the same expression under all of that makeup then.
                Rion suddenly grabs her wrists and pushes her down onto the tatami. His wet hair touches her cheek, and she cannot move. He smiles wryly and says, “Not a child.” He gives her a flurry of deep, passionate kisses. She can’t catch her breath very well, and he entwines his fingers with hers as he continues. He unexpectedly stops kissing her, then looks her over, saying something to the effect of, “Now I understand why Mitsunari-san (Baba) said that yukata were romantic.” She tries to adjust her disheveled yukata, but he stops her. He whispers in her ear that he likes it that way, and it’s just them now. Rion picks up the MC and takes her to the futon in the back of the room. Instead of two futons, there is only one. Her face flushes, and she can’t get any words out. He wraps her cheeks with both hands and tells her that she’ll melt from that kind of heat. He asks at first if it is because of the hot spring, but then he blushes, wondering if it’s maybe his fault. He looks at her seriously, and she nods in response. They begin kissing deeply again, and their heart beats accelerate. Their yukatas come open, and they can feel the warmth of each other’s skin. Rion whispers that it is a little scary for him. The MC has so much affection that she wants to convey, but it comes out as tears. He is worried that she has started crying, and she apologizes since she knows that he thinks tears are ugly. Rion wipes away her tears and tells her that he lied about that. She is always beautiful to him. He kisses her gently over her eyelids and lips and then to her neck, clavicle, and chest. He tells her that he loves her. He touches the curves of her body with his warm hands, flushing her skin in each spot. He stops at the top of her obi. The story ends here with, “Under the starry sky, I leave everything to Rion, and I gently close my eyes…”

My commentary:
                This story goes from “Aw, he’s like a big kid!” to “Nope, nope – definitely a man!” really quickly. His sense of wonder is at its peak as they are on the train. I thought it was also really adorable when he was pouting as she tried to dry his hair. And then smexy times!!!

Songs to listen to while reading this chapter:
“On the Wing” by Owl City
“Slide” by Goo Goo Dolls
“Rhythm of Love” by Plain White T’s
“Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding
“Night Drive” by Jimmy Eat World
“Uncanny” by Anberlin

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