However, I realized what was going on. The tiny bit of my senses that remained allowed me to see it. I couldn’t help but notice her uncharacteristically irresponsible comments and impatient attitude. I have to say something.
“Orihara-san...did you, by any chance, hide the condoms?” As I said this, Orihara-san’s body twitched in surprise. “So, I was right.”
“U-Um...” Orihara-san’s gaze swam for a few seconds, but soon, as if she had given up, she asked, “How could you tell?” and admitted her crime.
“It was clear as day. I mean, the way you’re speaking totally isn’t like you, Orihara-san... Besides, you didn’t seem too panicked or surprised when you found out that there were no condoms.”
“...”
“Also, I definitely made sure that there were condoms there.”
I thought that I mistook the paper inside of the heart-shaped plate for them, but...there was definitely something off. I only caught a glimpse of them, but I made sure to check. I think the chances of me being wrong are slim. The contraceptives were definitely there when I checked, and I believe that was when Orihara-san was taking a shower, which means...
“Did you hide them while I was in the shower?”
“...Yes. I’m sorry,” Orihara-san said in a depressed voice as she lowered head.
“Why did you do this?” I asked her, but the truth was I knew. I had already realized what she was trying to do...
“I thought I should get pregnant...” Orihara-san said, seeming like she could cry at any moment while her voice shook. “I thought that you wouldn’t wear a condom today, we’d do that sort of thing...and if I got pregnant...people would have to accept our relationship.”
Hmm, so that really was what was going on. It appears my instincts were correct, and this answers all my questions. “Why did Orihara-san take me to a love hotel?” and “Why was Orihara-san trying to take our relationship to the next level at a time when we should be coming up with a solution for Kisaki-san finding out about our relationship?” are both questions with a very simple answer.
“You mean...you wanted to have a child with me?”
“Yes... That’s right...” Orihara-san nodded as if she was in pain. The expression on her face was filled with guilt and shame, and it hurt me just to look at her.
She wanted a child, and that’s why she hid the condoms. Her going ahead and taking a shower first was probably a part of her plan too... She got in first so she could hide the condoms while I showered. If she had let me take a shower first, I might have realized there weren’t any condoms and called the hotel for some. And she knew if I showered after her, when I got out, I’d...just kind of get in the mood. And, in fact, I didn’t realize about the condoms until the last second.
If we’d gone a little further... If we’d gotten much more excited... If we had totally lost all sense of reason... I probably would have given into my carnal desires and indulged in pleasure, completely unhindered. I was really at the end of my rope, in more ways than one.
“Our relationship...really is something that people would frown upon,” Orihara-san said like she was speaking to herself. “Lately, I’ve been a little bit carried away, but my sister’s reaction made me face reality again. I probably misread the situation somewhere along the way because your friends and Kaede-san were so kind...”
“...”
“I feel like the way my sister reacted was normal. I think even my parents would be upset if they heard about us... Heck, my sister might be telling them about us right now and they could be furious.” Her shoulders trembled from anxiety and fear.
This entire time, Orihara-san has been shouldering the risks of dating a minor. Risks like the danger of losing her standing in society and the guilt and danger of causing trouble for me and my family.
“My family would definitely be against me dating you,” she continued. “However, if I were to get pregnant with your child, then that might change things. That’s what I thought...”
“...”
“I thought that maybe if I had a child, things would work out like with my sister...”
Orihara Kisaki was going to marry my father in a so-called “shotgun wedding.” Even though they’d just met in June of this year, they were already planning on living together starting next month. Overall, things were proceeding quickly without a hitch. Without a doubt, one of the reasons for that was the pregnancy. Having a child changes things and leaves few options aside from marriage. That was how my sister saw things, for example. It didn’t seem like she was against Kisaki-san and my father getting married to begin with, but once she found out about the pregnancy, it seemed like she’d become more supportive of them. She told me that she was going to prioritize the health of the mother and the child to be born.
What if...What if Orihara-san were to become pregnant with my child?
To be honest, I have no idea what would happen. I’ve never thought about becoming a father at this age. If something like that were to happen, I’m sure we would be frowned upon from all sides. There’s a high possibility that Orihara-san and I would be scorned by both our relatives and society. However, while we’d be bashed from all angles...maybe they’d also lessen their efforts to pull us apart. They’d probably just have to accept it if we had a child.