Chapter 36 - Anniversary
(1)
"Good morning, Toya-kun."
"..."
He was like a mere corpse, giving no answer.
And there was no way she would let it end there.
"Honestly! Wake up!!"
With that, the duvet was snatched away.
C-Cold.
"Have you gotten slack now that it's the third term, Toya-kun?"
Airi said this with a laugh.
Airi has been in a great mood since the new year began.
To be precise, perhaps since last year's Christmas.
Well, it's better than her being in a bad mood.
"Go on down first."
"Oka~y."
The usual exchange.
After changing and heading downstairs, Kanna and Airi were waiting.
"Yo. Still as slovenly as ever, huh."
Kanna greeted me energetically.
I was surprised at the start of the year.
Her hair was a bit longer now, but she had cut it to about shoulder length.
"What happened!?"
I recall Airi being surprised.
After that, I heard she had gotten back together with Makoto.
Hmm...
I felt somewhat conflicted.
No, I can't. I mustn't waver.
I'll only make Airi sad again.
...Maybe I should cut my hair too?
But it's winter and cold, so I feel like I'd catch a cold.
...I'll pass.
While thinking about such things, I ate my meal and got ready.
"Come to think of it, you aren't dyeing your hair, are you, Kanna?"
"Eh, you thought so, Airi?"
"Eh. You dyed it?"
"Just a little, to a degree where it's not noticeable."
While the two of them had that exchange, I hurried to finish getting ready.
"I'm done!"
When I said that and returned to the living room, the two of them stood up.
"Well, shall we go?"
"Yeah."
This exchange was always the same.
And as usual, Airi linked her arm with mine.
Kanna followed behind, fiddling with her smartphone.
I wonder if she's messaging Makoto?
"Kanna, what are you doing for Valentine's?"
"Eh?"
When Airi asked Kanna, Kanna hurriedly put away her phone.
"I mean, who are you giving chocolates to!?"
"...What do you want knowing that?"
"I don't want anything in particular, but was I not supposed to ask?"
"No, it's fine. Makoto and Toya, I guess... I don't really know about anyone else."
"Hmm..."
"What about you, Airi?"
"I guess Makoto-kun and Toya-kun for me too."
Come to think of it, there's a little over a week left.
Usually, I get depressed around this time every year, but these past two years... hm? These past two years?
"Ah!!"
I had spoken aloud.
The two of them looked surprised.
"What's wrong, Toya?"
"What happened, Toya-kun?"
"N-No, it's nothing much."
I was clearly agitated.
"Hiding something again?"
"It's not like that."
"You said we'd speak our true feelings, right?"
She remembered.
But I can't say this much.
"Sorry, but it's nothing strange."
"Which means you are hiding something!"
I was pressed for an answer.
"Well, just look forward to it."
"?"
"Isn't it usually the opposite? You're the one who should be looking forward to it, Toya, right?"
Kanna joined in, but I didn't answer.
(2)
One week later.
"Good morning, Toya-kun!"
"..."
The usual exchange.
When I went downstairs, there was a present from Airi.
"Here, I made it yesterday."
With those words, chocolates were handed to me.
They say White Day is a three-fold return.
How should I calculate it in the case of handmade ones?
By the way, making sweets by hand is out of the question.
I received some from Kanna as well.
"Well, they're handmade, for what it's worth."
Kanna handed them over bashfully.
"Thanks."
I said as I accepted them.
"If you don't get ready quickly, you'll be late,"
Airi said.
I put the two chocolates in the refrigerator and returned to getting ready.
On the way to school, I said to the two of them.
"Sorry, I'm passing on today's study group!"
I apologized with my hands pressed together.
"Eh? Why?"
"What happened!? The tests just finished, but..."
"I have an appointment today that I absolutely cannot miss."
"Whaaaat? An appointment?"
Ugh!
"You've been strange for a while now, Toya-kun."
...It seems she hasn't noticed.
It's true that I've been absent-minded this past week.
The test results were also disastrous.
"You promised not to hide things, right?"
"It's not a bad thing."
"Isn't making me angry a bad thing?"
"I'll apologize properly later."
"Enough already!"
This is bad; it seems I've made Airi even angrier.
But... wouldn't it be okay if she noticed?
"I'll tell you everything tomorrow!"
Damn! It slipped out.
I hurriedly covered my mouth.
But it was already too late.
"What is happening tomorrow!?"
Whether it's because the blood has rushed to her head or not, she doesn't seem to notice at all.
"It's meaningless if I tell you now."
"That's why, why!?"
If it's come to this...
I hugged Airi.
"W-Wait, Toya-kun!?"
It drew the attention of those around us, but I didn't care. Or rather, I've stopped caring much.
Then, I whispered in her ear.
"I'll tell you everything tomorrow, so please be patient and wait until then. Please."
I don't know if she understood, or if she calmed down because I held her.
"I understand... but you'd better tell me properly tomorrow."
When school ended, I didn't go home and instead headed to the shopping mall.
There was still a chocolate sale area.
Without giving it a glance, I headed to a general goods store.
In the general goods store... there it was!
I had it wrapped when I bought it.
I took it and went home.
Kanna was standing in front of the house.
"...Yo."
Noticing me, Kanna waved.
"What are you doing here at this hour?"
"For now, walk with me. If we talk here, Airi will misunderstand again."
Saying that, I started walking.
"So, what the hell is it?"
Kanna cut to the chase.
"It has nothing to do with you, Kanna."
"Nothing to do with me?"
It seemed to have grated on Kanna's nerves.
"Airi is a precious friend! How can you say that after making that friend cry! You don't know, do you! After you left quickly without saying a word, Airi was crying!"
"I didn't do anything to make her cry!"
"I don't know what you were doing, but she was crying. Were you so absorbed in something that you couldn't even say 'I'm going home first'!?"
This is bad. Kanna is seriously angry.
"You're probably thinking of surprising her with some kind of surprise, but if you're making Airi cry because of it, it's meaningless."
"...Sorry."
"If you're going to apologize, apologize to Airi, not me!"
"I get it, I'll apologize tomorrow."
"You'll talk to her properly tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, what's the reason it has to be tomorrow?"
"That is..."
I told Kanna the reason.
Kanna would understand.
She wouldn't tattle to Airi.
"...That's the reason?"
Kanna looked dumbfounded.
Eh? Was it not that important?
I put quite a bit of thought into it.
I'm a little shocked.
Kanna started laughing.
Don't laugh.
"Airi is a lucky one."
"I'm telling you, as for Airi..."
"I know, but make sure you apologize by tonight, okay? I'll follow up from my end too."
"Yeah."
"So, when are you going to tell her?"
I thought it would be better if the time was closer.
"Maybe after we get home from school?"
"Then tomorrow's study group is off."
"Sorry."
"It's fine, you two spend some time together slowly... shall we do the previous one?"
"...You use it."
"Wh... I haven't gone that far with Makoto yet!"
"Yet"... huh.
Well, it can't be helped.
Since I chose Airi, Kanna would look for someone else sooner or later.
It just happened to be Makoto.
Speaking of which...
"Hey, can I ask a question too?"
"What?"
"I've been wondering for a while. Why did you get back together with Makoto?"
"He said he'd wait for me."
"For what?"
"For Toya to disappear from my head. He said he'd make me forget, and make me feel happier than when I'm with Toya."
"I see."
"He's a weird guy, isn't he? Saying 'I hate things being half-hearted' and then ending up like this,"
Kanna said while laughing.
How should I answer?
Should I just say normally that I'm glad?
I feel like apologizing would be wrong.
"Don't worry about it. It's a problem between Makoto and me."
"And if Kanna is okay with that..."
"Like hell I'm okay with it!"
Saying that, she flicked my forehead.
"The best outcome would be 'Toya and I dating,' though."
She said with a laugh.
Kanna, sorry.
"The fact that you're thinking this way proves you're hopeless."
Kanna laughed, saying that.
I arrived home.
"Well, make sure you apologize properly when you get home!"
Kanna waved, saying that.
I went inside the house.
Kanna, sorry.
I'm always just hurting someone...
(3)
I was slumped over my desk, sobbing.
Toya-kun is hiding something.
Today, he went home quickly without saying anything again.
But when I stopped by his house, they said he hadn't returned yet.
Even though we promised.
That we'd be together forever.
That we wouldn't hide things.
That we'd speak our true feelings.
Did I do something wrong?
What is happening tomorrow?
Even though I gave him chocolate, he didn't seem that happy.
Is he still clumsy?
Even if he just smiled a little, it would be enough.
He was completely thinking about something else.
I remember the first time I gave him chocolate.
...The first time I gave him chocolate?
Startled, I looked at the calendar.
Tomorrow... is the 15th.
Obviously.
Eh? Toya-kun, could it be... that's what it is?
A message arrived.
"Toya is fine, don't worry."
It was from Kanna.
Did she talk to Toya-kun?
The tears had stopped.
Instead, my heart was pounding.
No way! I haven't prepared anything.
The phone rang.
This time it was from Toya-kun.
"...Hello?"
"Ah, it's me."
"Yeah."
"I'll tell you everything properly on the way home tomorrow. Just wait a little longer."
On the way home—is he even specifying the time?
"Yeah... I'll wait!"
Saying that, I hung up the phone.
And then, the next morning.
"Good morning, Toya-kun!"
I vigorously flipped back the duvet.
It was a morning just like any other.
I ignored the paper bag placed on the desk.
Keep a cool head, keep a cool head.
"Go on down first."
"Oka~y."
Saying that, I went downstairs.
Kanna arrived.
"Yo."
"Good morning."
"?...Did something good happen?"
"No."
"For someone saying that, you look quite happy. You've got a grin on your face."
The good thing is about to happen.
Toya-kun came down.
"Yo, Toya."
"Ah, morning, Kanna."
Then Toya-kun got ready.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes!"
(4)
Airi was in an unusually good mood.
She was smiling even during the commute to school.
Linking arms.
I had stopped worrying about it entirely.
I've grown quite a bit this past year, haven't I?
Now... the problem starts here.
"Um... about what we talked about yesterday... a little more..."
"You'll tell me on the way home, right? That's fine!"
She agreed unusually readily.
...Could it be... she noticed?
And then, the time to go home.
Perhaps she was being considerate.
"I have a place to stop by, so I'll head home first,"
Kanna said, leaving the classroom.
"So, what's the talk about?"
Airi was smiling.
"Shall we go home first?"
"Ehh... I guess I have no choice."
Airi obeyed obediently, though she puffed out her cheeks a little.
Ah, she's noticed.
We arrived home.
"Well, wait for me at home."
"Eh? Instead of me going to Toya-kun's house?"
"Yeah, today the study group is cancelled."
"Even though you cancelled yesterday too?"
"Yeah... is that bad?"
I asked timidly.
"...It's fine."
She was smiling.
It should be okay.
After returning home, I left the house with the present in hand.
Then I went to Airi's house and rang the doorbell.
"Oh my~ Toya-kun~. Airi is waiting for you~."
With those words, I was invited inside.
I headed toward Airi's room.
"Come in."
Airi's voice was bouncy.
When I entered the room, Airi was sitting on the bed.
Should I just sit anywhere... ah.
I sat on the chair of the desk that was still placed by the bed.
Airi smiled, as if satisfied by that action.
"So, what's the talk about?"
"It's the same as two years ago, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"I couldn't say it well back then, but..."
"Yeah."
"Thank you for choosing me."
"That's not it."
"Toya-kun, you chose me."
Saying that, Airi wrapped her arms around my neck.
"You remembered... thank you."
"I kept quiet because I wanted to surprise you, but since you noticed, it can't be helped."
"I had forgotten until yesterday."
"I ended up making you cry again... sorry."
"It's okay! We have the present moment, and when I noticed, I almost cried from happiness. Also, I felt sorry toward Toya-kun. I wondered if I had made Toya-kun suffer again."
"It's okay. Ah, this..."
I handed her the wrapped necklace.
"Wow, it's cute."
She seemed to like it. Thank goodness.
"Hey, have you noticed?"
"Noticed what?"
Oh no! This development is bad!
I panicked, but she smiled and showed her left wrist.
Seeing that, I showed my right wrist.
On both our wrists were the bracelets I had given her on Christmas Eve.
"Hey~? Toya-kun~? Won't you stay for dinner tonight~?"
"Since there's no study group, it's fine, right?"
"Yeah."
Airi shouted as she left the room.
"Rie-chan~! Toya-kun is eating at our house~!"
"Ah, Toya-kun. Wait a bit until dinner is ready."
Saying that, Airi went downstairs.
What's going on?
I also left the room.
"Rie-chan~ I'll help with dinner too~."
"Oh my~ you're having Toya-kun eat here~?"
"Yeah!"
So that's how it is.
Then, taking them up on their kindness, I'll wait in the room.
Two years already, no, more than that.
Airi's room, which I've visited so often.
It's still unsettling, though.
A room that hasn't changed for two years.
But we continue to change.
I wonder what we'll be doing this time next year?
I can imagine that we won't be in a position to be carefree with entrance exam studies.
...Even so, I feel like nothing has changed.
That's the kind of person Airi is.
Always moving at her own pace.
In Airi's room, thinking only of Airi.
I felt that I could overcome any hardship as long as I was with Airi.
At that time, I still believed that.
While I was immersed in such sentimentality, I heard a pitter-patter sound.
"Toya-kun, it's ready~."
Airi arrived along with a delicious scent.
"I got it."
I went downstairs with Airi.