3 bar menu

Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 3 Chapter 2 Part 12

「The reason why Kent was so pissed at me was because of how clumsy I am all the time. And when I think that we are going to fight again because of that, it’s hard for me to bring it up again……」

Suffolk kept on looking at the ground awkwardly.

Approaching her while she was looking like that, Belfast said as she put away the bag of whipped cream.

「Actually, I heard all about Kent and yourself from Aurora this morning. Those past few days, Kent was listening very intently every morning to Aurora’s lessons and tried to learn how to take care of the flowers all by herself.」

「Kent is serious about this job…… unlike me.」

「No, it’s not that kind of thing. It’s not about whether someone works hard or not.」

Belfast slowly shook her head at Suffolk’s depressed reply.

「You know what Kent said to me? She said: ‘Once Suffolk’s memory comes back to her, I will have to teach her all of that stuff properly all over again’.」’

Suffolk’s eyes opened wide upon hearing those words.

「But, even if she asked me so suddenly to take care of those flower beds with her, my head got so hunky…… And I was so upset…… That is why ——」

「That’s why, when she asked you about it at that time in the public bath, you accidentally said too much, didn’t you?」

Suffolk raised her head in surprise at Belfast, who spoke as if she could see through everything with those eyes of hers.

「No way…… Were you watching us back then, Belfast-san?」

「‘Don’t make too much noise in the public bath’ is one of the basic rules of the Royal Navy’s Dormitory, isn’t that right?」

Belfast put her index finger on her chin as she chuckled slightly.

Truth to be told, she just so happened to have entered the bath herself when that argumenty of theirs took place. However, Belfast had a lingering premonition that arguments like that as a completely normal thing among close friends like that, and she chose to think nothing of it at the time. And the Head Maid would never actually expect that a silly little argument like that could evolve into an entirely serious matter like that just the very next day.

So, when she went to see how things were going for the time being, and once she received some explanation she could only summarize it as something that she expected to a certain extent ——

「I personally think that Kent is partially at fault here as well for acting so careless, but I’m sure she loves spending time with you even more than anything else. And it’s not like tyou really dislike her overly positive personality, do you?」

Suffolk nodded her head slightly.

「But…… I am always selfish and pushy…… Sometimes even I act in a way that I know I would not be able to stand…… And after fighting like that this time around…… Is it even possible for us to be able to make up properly?」

Even though Belfast knew that everything should be fine between the two of them, Suffolk only shook her head as her uniform’s apron swayed gently.

「…… I don’t even understand it well myself. Unlike usual, I really made Kent angry this time around……」

Then she said so in a trembling voice and bowed her head down some more.

「It’s really scary when I think about going to apologize to her, only to hear that she is not going to forgive me anymore……」

「That’s not true. Not true at all.」

Belfast couldn’t help it but to smile at Suffolk right about now.

「Tomorrow morning, even though you might still be sleepy, please go to the flower beds in the courtyard. If you both care about each other, you should be able to make up no problem ———」

* * *

The next morning.

「Uuuhhh…… I’m so sleepy……」

Suffolk staggered forward with her eyes still feeling pretty much heavy, and stringy.

She let out a huge yawn, and then she peered gently into the top floor of the bunk bed.

Kent was nowhere to be seen. It seems that she got up properly this morning and went to the flower beds as well.

Suffolk immediately started to change out of her pajamas and after she donned her usual maid attire, she decided to head straight into the courtyard.

She was yawning over and over again as she crossed the terrace and came near the flower beds,

Near the flower beds’ location, she could see Kent working hard without turning a blind eye on anything. Even after Suffolk was gone, the flowers were blooming in the flower beds and they were still as beautiful as ever.

「Even if I’m not here…… She’s so serious about her work.」

And even though at that moment Kent felt like she wanted to turn around and go back at once,

「Ah ——」

Suffolk stopped in front of a wooden planter. Just like on that day, a tub full of seeds and bulbs was placed right next to the planter that the two of them were told they could grow as they pleased.

Upon closer inspection, there was one difference to that planter than Suffolk remembered.

「‘Kent & Suffolk’s Garden’」

Before she knew it, a small signboard was stuck in the soil of the planter itself.

「…… My name?」

Suffolk’s heart felt hot for some reason at that very moment.

There were two names there, not one.

「Were you waiting for me this entire time to come back?」

At that moment when she let out her voice like that,

「—— Suffolk?」

He was suddenly called out by her name from behind.

「What happened…… For you to come here so early in the morning?」

When Suffolk turned around, she could see Kent approaching her with a very confused expression painted all over her face.

Suffolk’s voice almost got stuck in her throat at that very moment.

Last night, she secretly practiced it many times, but when she saw Kent right in front of her right now, the words of apology simply did not want to come out right away.

However,

「Kent…… for a week or so, you had to take care of the flower beds all by yourself. For that, I am deeply sorry.」

Suffolk said so in a trembling voice.

「Even though my memory returned to me the day before yesterday, I was still keeping silent about it…… I’m really sorry about that watering can…… And for trying to cut that tree all by myself… and then… Then… Umm……」

Kent’s eyes, which had been staring blankly at Suffolk all this time, gradually started to widen.

「……Suffolk, you…… did you get your memory back?」

Suffolk could only nod her head.

Is Kent going to be angry and yell at her again?

She looked up and then Suffolk asked Kent with a worried look on her face.

「I know that I will probably make you angry again, but…… will you stay with me here, and still be my friend……?」

At that moment, Kent vigorously jumped right into Suffolk’s chest.

「Of course…… Of course I will! Suffolk!」

Large drops of tears started to fall from Suffolk’s eyes at that moment.

「I’m glad…… I’m so glad that you’re back…… Suffolk!!」

「Kent…… I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for everything!」

「No, it’s my fault…… Because I jumped the gun without asking you in the first place!」

Both of them had their faces warped terribly from tears and emotions at that exact moment.

With their faces so drenched in tears like that they hugged each other and cried forever and ever.

When Aurora was staring at the situation from a little bit far away,

「…… It looks like they have managed to reconcile properly.」

Belfast, who arrived a little bit late, called out to her.

Aurora also nodded her head and she swayed her hair behind her ear..

「Seeing just how close the two of them are…… I am not going to lie, I feel a little bit jealous of their relationship.」

「Yes. However, you also have to admit that both of them can be the most troublesome of children out there.」

Belfast looked at the flower beds where Kent and Suffolk were hugging one another tightly.

Beautiful ivy geranium flowers were blooming around the two who had just reconciled after their fierce fight.

In the language of flowers, that particular flower meant: “endless friendship”.

「It’s a very fitting scene for the two of them right now.」

And so, Belfast stared at Kent and Suffolk lovingly hugging one another for a good while.