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The grove of evergreens stayed lush even in winter, flickering with the dappled light filtering through the canopy. Piccolo turned around, shaking the water from his hands after rinsing them in the spring, and immediately gave me a dubious look. Expecting this reaction, I spoke up before he could say a word.
"My eyesight has gotten quite bad... I finally had to get glasses."
A trail of water glistened, running from his damp lips down to his neck. Contrary to my expectation that he might scold me, Piccolo nodded quietly.
"It is because you have been so devoted to your studies."
"Until recently, I managed to get by with the naked eye, but..."
Only after getting these glasses did I realize how much my vision had truly faded. And only after putting them on did I remember how sharp and vivid the world was meant to be. I saw, with startling clarity, just how beautiful this man’s eyes were.
Suddenly, a shadow of perplexity crossed Piccolo's face.
"But... having such a thing on your face, I imagine it must get in the way sometimes."
"In the way? No, it’s surprisingly unnoticeable."
"Not that. I mean... in certain situations."
Piccolo fell silent, his words faltering as he averted his gaze. He closed his mouth as if searching for a different way to phrase whatever he had intended to say.
Ah, I see. Since he usually acts so aloof, he must find it difficult to say it out loud—that they’ll get in the way when we kiss! Thrilled by the thought, I clung to his arm. Even though I pinned the arm he was about to fold across his chest, he no longer tried to shake me off.
Perhaps he had been deep in meditation; his skin, exposed to the north wind, felt cool to the touch. Looking up at him, the familiar face beyond my lenses seemed to be contemplating something with unexpected seriousness.
"It’s okay. If they're in the way, I can take them off. I can still see, even if it's a bit blurry."
"Is 'blurry' enough? Don't you make predictions based on eye movements and breathing?"
"Well, that’s true..."
As we spoke, a sudden wave of worry hit me. When we were this close, it was fine, but at a normal conversational distance, I wouldn't be able to catch the fine details of his expressions. In dim light, I’d see nothing more than an outline. The thought of the awkward, chilling atmosphere of "missing" a kiss because I couldn't see... I hated the idea. If possible, I wanted to keep this clarity.
"True, if I take them off, I can't see your face clearly... but if I wear them, they're in the way... I might need a solution."
"My face?"
Piccolo looked down at me, puzzled, tilting his head.
"Why would you need to look at my face?"
Pulling his arm free from my grasp, Piccolo reached for his mantle draped over the roots of an oak tree. The sunlight painted patterns across the white fabric.
"That's why, like this..."
I stepped toward him again, facing him directly, and rested my hands on the nape of his neck. Thanks to the lenses, everything was perfectly clear.
"When we kiss... it’s a problem if I can't see, but the glasses get in the way, don't they?"
For a split second, Piccolo was silent. Then, he looked me straight in the eye through the lenses and finally let out a low, melodic chuckle.
"You fool. I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about when you fight. Wouldn't they be a hindrance then?"
I stood there stunned for a moment, then felt all the tension leave my body as I laughed along with him.
"When we fight? Then why did you look so hesitant to say it?"
"You've been so peacefully devoted to your academics; I thought it might be in poor taste to bring up battle."
"I wasted so much effort overthinking it. But it's true that they're in the way when we kiss. And if I take them off, I'll be in trouble because I won't be able to see you."
I looked up at him, my hands still lingering at his neck. It was incredible how much I hadn't been seeing until I put this tiny piece of glass between us.
Our eyes met, and suddenly, Piccolo snatched the glasses from my face. My vision blurred instantly. Looking back now, it was a wonder I had lived with such a sight for so long. Since we were in a bright spot, I could see vaguely, but...
"See... it's a problem."
"It is not."
I was about to protest when my lips were softly sealed by his. The shock of the surprise attack, combined with the sweet heat spreading through me, made my fingers tingle. I tried to pull him closer with the hands still at his neck, wanting to hold him there, but Piccolo pulled away first. The warmth departed as quickly as it had come, leaving only a faint trace of sensuality behind.
"...I can see you perfectly fine, so it is no problem."
His voice was a mere rasp, a whisper. Wanting to see exactly what kind of expression he was making, I grabbed his arm to take my glasses back. But before I could, his hand moved and slid them back onto my face. The blurred world snapped back into focus.
"...Does that mean you'll always be the one to initiate it, Piccolo-san?"
"That depends on you."
The man I saw through the lenses was the same Piccolo as always. Nevertheless, the faint smile at the end of my newfound focus was more than enough to make my heart tremble.