The Spicy Omega
Translator: Katie
Editor: Derpy
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
The Second New Year’s Day
This story occurs exactly one year after their New Year’s Day together in chapter 16.
My breaths turned white and dissipated into the air.
It amused me for some strange reason, so I kept puffing meaninglessly and watched the white mist float away.
“It’s cold.”
“Yeah, it sure is.”
Ren was walking by my side, rubbing his gloved hands together and exhaling on them.
Every winter, the Japanese archipelago was assaulted by cold waves, but this year, from the end of the year till the start of the New Year, there was a cold spell known as the “Great Cold Wave,” and it was especially cold around New Year’s Day.
Normally, I was the kind of guy who wanted to save as much money on heating as possible, so I would get out of the thick comforter in bed as late as possible, or hide in the kotatsu and try to get by with just that, but this winter was so cold that I didn’t hesitate to turn on the heat.
It was probably partly due to the fact that my roommate was picky about the temperature.
We made our way to the shrine for our first shrine visit of this year much later than the three days after last New Year’s Day.
It was the shrine we went to while Ren and I were still students taking college entrance exams. I had only now remembered that I had not reported my success in passing the entrance exam for my top choice nor shown my gratitude.
There was a shrine just a few minutes walk from my current residence, and Ren said it would be fine if I just paid my first visit there, but I wanted to make things right, so I insisted on it.
“As expected, there are no worshippers at all during this time.”
The spacious precinct and magnificent shrine pavilions were still the same, and a clear tranquility pervaded the area.
I liked this air of serenity that made me feel like I entered a divine realm.
The first thing I did after moving into my current apartment was to take a walk around the neighborhood, during which I visited all of the nearby shrines to greet the people and show my face to the neighbors.
Ren didn’t have that kind of custom, so he was surprised by my actions.
I had no pressing matters, so I slowly completed my visit to the temple.
The bulletin board next to the shrine building was overflowing with wooden tablets, most of which were filled with the spirits and grudges of students preparing for the exams.
I remembered I was here last year too, desperately praying to the gods to increase the pass rate by even just 1%.
“It was only one year ago, but it somehow feels nostalgic.”
“A lot of things happened in that one year after all.”
“Yeah…”
I stole a glance at Ren’s profile as he stared off into the distance, perhaps reflecting on what had happened so far.
If I told the me from one year ago that we’d come here again like this, he probably wouldn’t have believed me. Even now, I was still amazed at the miracle that allowed me to stand by Ren’s side.
“Oh right, I marked you right here.”
“You mean where you dragged me to.”
“I don’t like the way you said that, it makes it sound like I committed a crime…”
“Weren’t you going to do something so indecent that it would’ve been a crime?”
“That’s just your imagination!”
When I laughed at Ren, who shook his head in denial with all his might, he turned away with his cheeks puffed up as if he didn’t like being teased. He seemed so childish at times like this.
“We bought charms here, right?”
“The one that was full of my love.”
“It was so full of blessings from the gods and the priests that I don’t think there was room for yours.”
“No no no, the gods’ blessing didn’t do much, it was my love that helped you pass.”
“You… How could you say that on holy grounds?”
We had a very silly conversation as we slowly approached the shrine booths.
The shrine office was deserted after the busy season, with only an elderly woman who appeared to be stationed there permanently.
“Hey, why don’t we buy some charms again? We just returned the ones from last year anyway.”
“I guess… let’s buy them this year too.”
We were told that the charms were only good for about a year, so we both put last year’s in a collection box near the entrance of the site. They will be dealt with appropriately after this.
Last year, the only charm that caught my eye was the “academic success” amulet, but the counter was lined with colorful amulets that were pleasing to the eye.
“Hold on, do you think I forgot what you did to me last year? How could you lie and say you didn’t see anything else?”
“You passed the exam with plenty of time to spare even without the good luck charm for academic success… I think the prayer for good health was just right for you.”
“The one full of your love, right…?”
“I didn’t put any of my love in it.”
“That’s unfair!”
Last year, when we bought charms to exchange with each other, I secretly bought him a charm for good health instead of one for academic success. It seemed like he still held a grudge.
He said he didn’t like it but it was swinging around on his bag for the whole year. He was surprisingly sentimental.
I called out to the lady in the back of the shrine booth, pointed at the black pouch lined up with the rest, and bought it.
“Here.”
“Huh? You’re giving it to me?”
“Yeah.”
I handed it to Ren as it was, without having it wrapped in a paper bag.
The amulet in a black pouch had a large “Ward off evil” embroidered in gold thread.
“So that no ‘annoying pests’ will grab onto you.”1
After I said that, I whipped my head away because I felt as though I was talking like the jealous lovers often seen in dramas.
I said it without thinking, but it was very embarrassing, wasn’t it?
As I desperately tried to keep my cheeks from turning red, I saw that Ren had also bought some kind of charm. When I hesitantly turned my gaze in his direction, I met Ren’s eyes. He had a big smile on his face, as if elated.
“Shinya, I’m so happy. I didn’t think you’d ever get jealous.”
“I’m not jealous of anyone!”
“Here, this is from me to my beloved Shinya.”
The amulet sachet handed to me, bare of wrappings, was neither blue, white, nor black.
It was a slightly reddish pink, definitely not the type of color that a male college student would wear on his bag, and like the others, it was embroidered with large letters in gold thread.
“You’re going to need it from now on, and I’ve packed it with lots of love.”
“I-I-I don’t need it at all! Return it! Ma’am, we’re returning this!!”
“You can’t do that Shinya. Don’t cause the gods’ people any trouble.”
“Wait, stop this!”
He held me by the waist, grabbed me, and forcibly pulled me away from the booth.
The saleswoman waved her hand with a smile as if saying, “Oh my, they get along well.”
No, ma’am! I want to return this!
“You did something similar to me a year ago, Shinya.”
“I bought one wishing for good health, not something cute like this! If I, as a man, wore a charm like this, it’s like I’m walking around announcing that I’m an omega…!”
“So you were going to wear this charm?”
“I’m not! I definitely wouldn’t wear something like this!!”
“Hehe, then how about this in exchange?”
A small object dangled in front of my eyes, and for a moment my eyes were unfocused.
Pulling back a little, there was a familiar white amulet hanging between Ren’s fingertips.
“You–you bought two from the beginning…”
“I thought that if you liked that one, then I’d wear this one.”
“Who would like that one?! Give it!”
I shoved the pink charm at Ren and snatched the white sachet away.
I could tell that the man standing next to me was definitely grinning, so I didn’t look at his face.
What do you mean I’m going to need it from now on…? It was supposed to be a type of charm I wouldn’t need forever…!
“Shinya, your face is bright red, you know?”
“Shut up, whose fault do you think this is…!”
“My fault? Hehe, what an honor.”
“Ah, stop it already!”
I walked as fast as possible to keep my distance, but I was caught from behind around the torii gate at the edge of the shrine. He used my momentum to flip me around and lightly kissed me.
I really didn’t trust him because he often does this kind of thing in a place where people might pass by at any moment.
“I don’t know you! I’m going back alone!”
“You’re so shy~ Ahh, Shinya wait, you’re too fast~”
I didn’t know this risky and insolent man!
My face was red because of the cold. The cold wave and nothing else.
I pulled my scarf up to my mouth and walked as fast as I could to the station.
Later, Ren showed off his school bag with a pink amulet on it to go along with the black one I gave him, and for the first time in my life, I gave a flying kick to a stranger.
