Chapter 362 - No Matter How Many Years Pass
(1)
"Good morning, Toya-kun~ It's morning~"
"Good morning, Airi."
November.
The year was finally drawing to a close.The temperature was dropping, and it was around the time the winter winds began to blow.Today was the annual leaf-peeping trip for the Watanabe group.After eating breakfast, I got ready and changed clothes.I waited for Airi to get ready, then we moved to the meeting spot.When I tried to turn on the FM radio, Airi groaned, "Ugh..."I played a CD she liked instead.It took about 20 minutes by car to reach the convenience store near the Hazama Interchange, our meeting point.When we arrived, Haruto and the others were already there.
"Haruna stayed over at my place last night."
It seemed they stayed over at each other's places quite often.
"Don't your parents say anything?"
Airi asked.
"Mine don't say anything."
"I think my parents see him as my future husband too, so..."
When Shiratori-san said that, Haruto laughed.
"It's strange, isn't it? He hasn't even proposed to me yet."
"Yeah, I wish he'd hurry up."
I wonder if that included Airi's own wish?Watanabe-kun and the others arrived.
"You guys are as early as ever."
Watanabe-kun said.Among those who arrived one after another, the latecomers were, as usual, the Tadas, the Kiritanis, and Kisaragi-kun with Asakura-san.I was already used to these six people's habit of being late.But there was one thing they all had in common. No, maybe the Nakajimas too. All the women were in a bad mood.Asakura-san looked kind of fed up, though.The reason was probably the same as why Airi disliked the FM radio.As proof, the songs coming from each of their cars were the same.
"♪~Wonderland~"
It was the debut song "Wonderland" by the local underground idol group ALICE, which was popular recently.You could only buy CDs of underground idols by going to events or live shows, but ALICE's songs sold like hotcakes, so apparently some record stores carried them.I was a little puzzled as to why it was a record store when they only sold CDs these days, but that aside, it seemed the women didn't like that they were listening to it on repeat.When they thought they were tired of it and would switch to another song, they'd start listening to the coupling track "Mirror Land."That seemed to be unpopular with the women.I didn't really care what music was playing, so I left it up to Airi.I was driving and talking with Airi anyway, so I wasn't really listening to the songs.The others were probably the same.Sometimes, a somber enka song would come from Watanabe-kun's car.It seemed only the four women disliked it.Anyway, complaining wouldn't get us anywhere, so we finished shopping at the convenience store and headed to the destination.We went to a convenience store near the Kujū Interchange.Watanabe-kun explained that we should message each other if we needed to stop for a restroom break, etc.Then, everyone headed for the Hazama Interchange all at once.Once on the highway, it seemed everyone's blood got pumping.They all started overtaking and being overtaken, each trying to be first.
"They still haven't learned, have they?"
Airi was in a bad mood.The local highway had surprisingly many uphills, downhills, tunnels, and curves, so I didn't want to speed much.Maintaining a constant speed was much harder.Of course, it was important to match the flow of traffic and keep a safe distance.
"Kyah!"
When I kept my distance, a car would occasionally cut in recklessly.If they used their turn signal, I'd slow down, but some cars would change lanes suddenly without signaling.Even when I explained how dangerous it was to drive fast in those conditions, it seemed some people just didn't get it.Doing that naturally meant I was always the last to arrive.When I got to the convenience store, everyone was already there.
"Toya, you're slow!"
"Sorry, sorry."
Airi seemed to be in a particularly bad mood.
"It's because Makoto-kun and the others were speeding recklessly, trying to be first! Toya-kun would never do something like that!"
When Airi complained, the other women chimed in one after another.The men were getting fed up with it.
"W-well, Tosaka-san, why don't you go buy some drinks or something. No more breaks from here to the Yume Otsuribashi."
Watanabe-kun said.
"Yeah, let's go, Airi?"
"Ugh..."
We went into the convenience store and bought some drinks.
"Water is fine for you, right, Airi?"
"Mm..."
She seemed off. What was wrong?Once we finished shopping, it was finally time to climb up to Kyusuikei.I thought no one would speed here, but then a car recklessly pulled into the oncoming lane to overtake.It was Kiritani-kun...
"Ugh..."
This was bad.My phone rang.Airi answered it.
"Airi, I'm sorry! Apologize to Katagiri-kun for me too!"
It seemed to be from Ai-san.
"Toya-kun, don't you get angry?! Don't you get mad when someone does something so dangerous?!"
"Getting angry while driving just causes accidents, right? I can't do something that dangerous with my wife in the car."
"Would you do it if I wasn't in the car?"
"Isn't it pointless to think about that?"
"Why?"
"Driving without you in the car is unthinkable now, right?"
"That's true, but..."
But?
"For example, what will you do when you start working?"
"I'll move somewhere close to the company. Then even a sleepyhead like me will be fine, right?"
"Don't worry about being a sleepyhead. I'll make sure to wake you up properly~"
"Really? Then there's no problem."
I patted Airi's head.
"Hehe~"
It seemed Airi was in a better mood now.
"But it's beautiful whenever we come here, isn't it~"
"Yeah, it is."
"Are you looking properly, Toya-kun?"
If I was looking, that would be a problem, wouldn't it?Well, not really. If we went higher, we'd get caught in traffic and have to stop anyway. I could enjoy the scenery then.Airi was taking pictures during that time too.By the time we reached the big suspension bridge at the top, it was past noon.Airi was talking with everyone.What was going on?She came back.
"Let's go?"
Airi walked in the opposite direction of the suspension bridge. What was she doing?Airi went to the Yume Burger stand.
"Which one are you getting, Toya-kun?"
"Dream. What about you, Airi?"
"Hmm, it looks hard to eat..."
Airi was thinking.
"I'll get the Ladies' set. Excuse me, one Dream and one Ladies' set~"
When the order came, we sat at a table and ate.It was a burger that was a bit hard to take a big bite out of.Even the Ladies' set seemed to be a struggle for Airi.
"Ugh... Toya-kun, eat this♪"
"Sure."
After finishing my own, I tried to take hers to eat it, but Airi seemed dissatisfied.Oh, well.I opened my mouth.
"Here, say ah~"
Munch
"Is it good?"
"Yeah, it's delicious."
Satisfied, Airi handed me the burger.After I finished eating it, it was about time to head to the bridge.
"We haven't had soft serve yet, you know?"
Huh?
"Which one are you getting, Toya-kun?"
Saying that, she ordered two different kinds of soft serve.As I ate, Airi stared intently at me.
"...Want some?"
Airi smiled brightly and nodded.I fed her some of mine.
"Toya-kun, you can have some of mine too."
Airi fed me some of hers.After we finished, she said she wanted to look around the souvenir shops.
"Is that okay, Airi? Not crossing the bridge?"
"Do you want to cross it, Toya-kun?"
"No, I thought you might want to see the view."
"Hmm, after we buy souvenirs, let's get one more soft serve, okay?"
It was rare for Airi to say I could eat.We looked at the souvenirs, bought a few things, then bought some soft serve and sat on a bench, talking while waiting for everyone to come back.
"Airi, what's gotten into you today? You're not like yourself."
"Toya-kun, you let me do what I want, right? On our dates."
"Well, yeah, I guess."
"You take me where I want to go and let me do what I like."
"?"
"So I did what I wanted to do. Eat with you and look around the souvenir shops."
Airi said she'd already crossed the bridge three times and wanted to do something memorable with me.
"Do you think we looked like a lovey-dovey couple?"
"Probably."
"Yay~"
Even just walking arm in arm like this probably made us look like a lovey-dovey couple.Thinking that, I looked around and spotted Kitamura-san and the others.
"You didn't cross the bridge?"
"Misato is afraid of suspension bridges, so we gave up. We went to see the waterfall instead."
I see.
"Hey, hey, I never got a chance to ask. Did Misato manage to kiss?"
Airi was as direct as ever.
"We did."
He answered normally.
"Did Kuribayashi-kun let you off with just a kiss?"
What kind of question was that, Airi?
"He seems like a serious guy, so nothing beyond that. He even hesitates to sleep together."
"Katagiri-senpai, how was it for you? The first time."
Kuribayashi-kun asked.Airi was laughing.
"I didn't know what to do."
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
Airi was laughing.Kuribayashi-kun and Kitamura-san had the same reaction.Yeah, literally, I didn't know what to do.I was surprised when Airi suddenly took off her clothes.Getting into bed was fine, but I didn't know what to do, so Airi poked me.I told them that.They were both dumbfounded.Well, I guess that's how it would be.
"Junichi-san, there's no need to rush."
"Yeah, you're right."
After talking for a while, everyone came back.
"It's getting pretty late, what does everyone want to do?"
Watanabe-kun said.
"How about the usual place?"
I answered.
"Then let's head to the usual place. We'll go slowly, so follow me. Absolutely no overtaking, okay?"
Watanabe-kun said.I wonder if something happened over there.
(2)
We talked while crossing the bridge.
"But Toya's a lucky guy. Airi said, 'Toya-kun probably isn't interested in the bridge, so we'll pass,' and skipped it. She's probably just going along with him."
Mika said.
"Yeah, it's almost strange those two aren't even living together yet."
They were living together, though.
"That's not all. Katagiri-kun cares about Airi too. He drives safely, even though he's an amazing driver."
Ai-san said.
"He's probably still keeping the promise we made. The promise to seal away Toya the street racer."
"Even as a street racer, Toya drove carefully with Airi in the car, thinking about her. He's a genius."
Mika said.
"On the other hand, Eita suddenly overtakes Katagiri-kun. 'I just passed him because he was dawdling,' he says. Haven't those guys learned their lesson yet?"
Good grief...
"Masashi, you need to lay down the law. You're the leader of the Watanabe group, right?"
"Yeah..."
After we crossed the bridge, I gathered everyone together.
"Ah, since Toya and the others aren't here, I'll say it. Raise your hand if you started a race on the highway."
The ones who raised their hands were Nakajima-kun, Eita, Hiyama-senpai, Kimoto-senpai, Kisaragi-kun, and Takatsuki-kun.
"Hey, didn't you guys reflect on your actions?!"
Ai-san was angry.
"Ryuji-kun, you too! Haven't you learned your lesson?!"
Honoka-san seemed angry too.
"Alright, who started it?"
I asked. No one raised their hand.
"It's useless to hide it, Eita! It started after you passed Kisaragi-kun, didn't it?!"
"I couldn't help it! The passing lane was empty, and the road in front of Kisaragi-kun was wide open. Anyone would want to pass!"
Eita and Ai started arguing. Again...
"Sho-chan, it's not good to chase after him just because you're provoked."
"You have to answer a challenge when it's thrown at you, that's normal!"
Asakura-san and Kisaragi-san started arguing too.
"So you two started competing, and the rest just jumped on the bandwagon."
When I said that, Satomi-san spoke up.
"Takumi wasn't competing, but he was flooring it too. At least he passed Katagiri-kun."
"C-come on, it's a highway! It's unreasonable to expect us to maintain 80 km/h!"
"But Katagiri-kun was doing it, wasn't he?"
"No, he wasn't. He must have been doing at least 100 km/h."
Mizushima-kun said.
"He was just matching the speed of the traffic around him. He wasn't doing anything reckless like 180 km/h like the rest of you."
Sakura-san argued back.
"Eita, I heard you passed Toya again even after getting off on the national highway?"
I asked Eita.
"Toya was just driving along leisurely even though there was nothing ahead! Anyone would want to pass him!"
"Liar! There was a sign for a one-way section ahead, wasn't there?! Anyone else would have crashed!"
"Were you even listening to Toya?! He said it over and over, public roads are full of dangers, so you can't speed!"
"But if you look at it the other way, it means it's fine to go as fast as Toya, right?!"
"What's the point of passing that Toya, you idiot!"
Ai, Eita, and Kanna-san were arguing, while Makoto-kun watched silently.I asked Makoto-kun.
"Makoto-kun, you didn't join the race?"
"I don't have any more chances... If I cause another problem, I'll really get divorced."
I see.But how was I supposed to settle this commotion...?
"Takatsuki-kun, aren't you forgetting that you're an athlete? Your body is your capital, right? Didn't you learn that when you injured your leg?"
I started by trying to convince Takatsuki-kun.
"W-well, yes, but after you get off the highway, the feeling of speed lingers, doesn't it? So..."
"That's not an excuse. You were speeding on the highway too. Was it a lie when you said you wouldn't drive in a way that scares me?"
When Takatsuki-kun spoke, Chitose-san argued back.
"This is basic stuff, but especially for those of you who are married, haven't you forgotten that this isn't just about you?"
When I said that, everyone fell silent.
"For better or worse, Makoto has changed. He's started putting me first."
Kanna-san said.
"Those of you who are speeding, aren't you forgetting that you have someone important in the passenger seat?"
When I said that, no one said anything.
"But Watanabe-kun, it's okay for someone at Toya's level to speed, right?"
When Eita said that, I answered.
"If you can manage it, sure. But let me tell you, I've never heard of him driving recklessly on the highway."
Eita fell silent.
"...How about a training camp?"
I said.
"A training camp for what?"
"For driving. Like renting a racetrack."
"I'm against that. I definitely don't want to ride in the passenger seat of someone who plays such reckless games."
Mika said.
"How about go-karts?"
Emi-san said.
"There's an unused go-kart track in Shonai. Go-karts have a limited top speed, so..."
"It's the same thing, Emi. They'll just try to do in a car what they can do in a go-kart. We need to change things from a more fundamental level."
Akira-san said.
"Even a training camp would be the same! They'll just forget and start speeding again soon anyway."
"Yeah~... There's no cure for stupidity."
Honoka-san and Sakura-san said.
"Understood... I'll discuss it with Toya later. Anyway, men, please be more considerate of the women when you drive."
Toya would probably know more about this kind of thing.
"We might be keeping Toya and the others waiting. Let's head back soon."
When I said that, everyone started to head back.
(3)
"...So that's the situation."
Watanabe-kun said.I see.I thought about it while eating my steak.People possessed by speed probably won't understand until they have an accident.But that didn't seem to be the case. Hiyama-senpai was still captivated by it.At my table were eight people: Airi, the Watanabes, the Ishiharas, and the Tadas.I could have just had the Tadas and Ishiharas, but the Watanabes said they wanted to consult about something, so we sat at an eight-person table.The people whose names were mentioned were staring intently at our table.Fortunately, most of the people in this restaurant were from our Watanabe group.First, let's start with Makoto.
"Makoto, why didn't you join the race?"
"W-well, I was thinking about Kanna?"
"In other words, you didn't want to get yelled at by Kanna?"
"W-what are you saying? I was thinking about Kanna's safety."
Makoto was sweating even though the heater wasn't that strong.Same as always, huh.
"Kanna, how was the drive with Makoto today?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you have any impressions? Like whether it was fun or boring?"
"If you're asking about that, then yes, it was fun. I was happy."
"S-see, Makoto?"
"But what does that have to do with anything?"
Kanna asked.
"Airi, explain it to her."
"Huh?"
"It's what you're always saying."
"Oh, that's what you mean."
Airi smiled brightly.
"Kanna, you're happy, right? A leisurely drive lets you talk happily, enjoy music or the radio, look for the way together... I like that kind of driving from Toya-kun."
"I understand what Airi is saying. Before, he used to concentrate so hard it was like he was telling me not to talk to him. Even if I talked to him, he was spaced out. It was nerve-wracking."
Kanna answered.
"So that's how it is, Makoto. Isn't it great that you've found a new common hobby? It's fun, isn't it? Like washing the car together."
"Right~ Even a simple shopping trip can turn into a fun date."
Airi said.
"Don't the rest of you think so too? Isn't there something more important than driving skill? Even while driving, it's a date, right? If you're absorbed in something else during a date, your girlfriend will get angry."
"What Katagiri-kun and Airi say is right. It's no fun being driven around in a scary way and not getting a response when you talk to them."
When Ai-san said that, everyone nodded.
"But that doesn't mean you can go driving alone either. Everyone here should know that. You've been told many times. You're not alone. Kimoto-senpai, Hiyama-senpai, Nakajima-kun, Kiritani-kun, this is something you especially mustn't forget."
"Katagiri-senpai, it's useless saying anything to these guys~ No matter how many times you tell them, they never learn~"
"Makoto understands, Sakura-san."
"Yeah, I get what Toya is saying. You might think just driving is boring, but Kanna keeps me company. It's a fun date time."
Makoto said.
"That's what I'm saying. I told you there are many ways to enjoy a car."
They just need to find that kind of enjoyment.
"But it's impossible if only the men make an effort. The women need to cooperate too. There are various ways, like listening to them or talking to them."
"We all know that~... It's not like we want to feel bad when we're with our husbands."
Sakura-san said.
"In the end, it started with Kiritani-kun, right?"
"Yeah, it's Eita's fault. ...Are you trying to say I'm partly to blame too?"
Ai-san said.
"No, that's not it. Kiritani-kun admitted it himself. He said, 'Kisaragi-kun was slow, and the passing lane was open, so I passed him.'"
And then Kisaragi-kun got provoked and dragged everyone into it.But if Kisaragi-kun hadn't responded, it wouldn't have become a race.
"Everyone, take better care of your cars. Treasure them as much as you treasure your girlfriends. If you did, you wouldn't get provoked and respond like that."
Just listen to her voice. That's all there is to it.
"Toya is right. When we're driving, we leave our wives behind."
Kimoto-senpai said.
"If you still don't understand after hearing this, then there's nothing more I can do. It means you're denying your partner's existence in the first place. I can't believe someone who can't even take care of their car can treasure their lifelong partner."
"Toya is right."
Hiyama-senpai said.
"Sho-chan, I'll do my best not to bore you too. Let's stop this, okay?"
"...Fine."
Kisaragi-kun said.
"But does that mean things go back to how they were? No penalty at all?"
Emi-san said.
"The women won't be satisfied with that, right?"
When I said that, Ai-san and the others nodded.
"Let's test them. On the way back, we'll take the highway from Yufuin Interchange. If they still don't get it after that..."
"Then?"
The women's attention focused on me.
"Airi, do you have any good punishment ideas?"
I asked Airi.
"Ah! I've got a great idea!"
"What is it?"
"Apologize to the car!"
"What do you mean?"
Kanna asked.
"The two of you wash the car together. Say you're sorry for pushing it too hard. Maybe do an inspection too."
"Is that supposed to be a punishment?"
"It'll be a good time to appreciate the importance of your time together, won't it?"
"That's a good idea. Let's go with that."
Watanabe-kun said.
"But what if they don't stick to it? What if they only follow the rule for this one test and then break it afterwards?"
Ai-san said.
"I don't think there's anyone like that. I believe none of us would willingly break the bonds we've built ourselves."
Watanabe-kun said.
"Eita, you understand, right? You're the most dangerous one!"
"I-I know. If I go wild, I have to wash the car, right?"
"That's not the point! Don't decide things assuming you'll go wild!"
"Fine, fine."
"Then I'll drive at the front. Airi will check if anyone passes me."
Watanabe-kun could take the rear.
"Is there anyone here who can't agree with this?"
Watanabe-kun asked. No one raised their hand.
"Alright, this discussion is over. Staying long with this many people is bad for business. Let's head home soon."
We left the restaurant.Then I told Watanabe-kun, Makoto, Kiritani-kun, Emi-san, and Akira-san.
"Let's have dinner at a family restaurant when we get back to town. There's some unfinished business to discuss."
"Do we need to be there too?"
Kiritani-kun and the others asked.
"Yeah, because I don't think you're unrelated."
"You mean that matter?"
When Emi-san said that, I nodded.After that, I took the lead, and everyone started driving slowly.Then we got on the highway from Yufuin. Some, like Haruto, got off at Beppu Interchange, others at Hazama Interchange, and some went further.Fortunately, everyone followed behind me.I checked via messages, and it seemed there was no overtaking.
(4)
"How was it, Kiritani-kun?"
"Well, it wasn't bad. It was fun. But hey, Toya, you could have gone a bit faster."
"I deliberately drove slowly."
"I knew it! I thought that might be the case!"
"Who do you think is responsible for us being in this situation?!"
Ai-san said.
"By the way, Toya. What was it you wanted to talk to us about?"
Watanabe-kun asked.
"I'll explain."
Emi-san said.She took some documents out of her bag.
"It's information on Arisu Shimomura, as Katagiri-kun requested."
"Arisu Shimomura? The one who set Makoto up?! She was with Stinger, right..."
When Kanna said that, Emi-san nodded.I looked over the documents.Arisu Shimomura, 18 years old, first-year student at a private university.Her grades weren't particularly good, nor was she athletic.Her looks were as you could see, enough to gather popularity as a member of the underground idol group ALICE.Her family home was local; she was currently living in a dormitory.She joined Stinger to cover her tuition and living expenses, but failed.After that, she was sold to her current entertainment agency.She was struggling financially, paying off that debt and her tuition fees.
"ALICE? That ALICE-chan?!"
"No way, I had no idea."
Kiritani-kun and Makoto were surprised.
"When Katagiri-kun asked me to look into her, I wondered why he wanted me to investigate someone like her, but when I did, I ended up feeling sorry for her."
Emi-san said.
"What are her parents doing?"
"Her father is a salaryman. Her mother works too, apparently. They have three children; the eldest has schizophrenia, and the youngest has a congenital heart condition. Just the medical bills seem to be a huge burden. Arisu is the middle child."
"I see... Is the entertainment agency under the Sudo Group?"
"It's not that prestigious an agency. It's an underground idol agency, you know? Apparently, half of the contract fee was taken by Stinger, and the other half went to her tuition. She's a big name locally now, but it seems she's disliked by the members of WHITE, another group from the same agency."
"Why?"
"She looks that way, but she's a hard worker. When she joined WHITE, she apparently learned the choreography all by herself, desperately. That kind of thing probably annoyed them. She was also quiet and weak-willed by nature."
"Toya, why are you concerning yourself with that woman? And Emi, what kind of nerve do you have to feel sorry for her?! She was an accomplice to fraud!"
Kanna said.
"Leave her alone! She made her own bed!"
"I agree. This time, we're not lending a hand."
Mika-san and Watanabe-kun also said.
"Yeah, you're right."
But I never knew she was in such a harsh situation... Maybe Emi-san was right.
"Katagiri-kun, what are you going to do?"
Emi-san asked.
"I want to help her... She's one of the crying women."
When I said that, Kanna got angry.
"Don't be ridiculous! Do you know what we went through because of her?! It's not just us! Dozens of people were victimized!"
"Calm down, Kanna."
"Calm down? You're out of your mind too. You're a fan of someone like that?! Are you insane?!"
"That's true, but..."
"Eita?! When we get home, I'm throwing away all your goods and CDs! I will never forgive you for being a fan of someone like that!"
"I-I understand."
"You too, Makoto! Don't you dare say her name in front of me!"
"I-I understand, so calm down."
Kiritani-kun and Makoto were desperately trying to placate Ai-san and Kanna.I watched them while eating my hamburger steak.We disbanded, and I went home, took a bath, and cracked open a can as usual.Then I watched TV.There was a special feature on underground idols.The reality was miserable; apparently, there were many pitiful girls who couldn't escape even if they wanted to.The underground idols smiled and danced lightly, covering up that reality.No one knew that behind it all was a harsh reality.
"Ugh..."
"What's wrong, Airi?"
Ah, did she think I was thinking about her?
"Sorry, I left you out again, Airi."
"Huh?"
That wasn't it?
"Ugh, Toya-kun, you don't look at me properly at important times."
"Sorry."
"...I want to know your true feelings, Toya-kun."
"Huh?"
"What do you think about that person, Arisu?"
Oh...
"We can't do anything to help her."
"Right... Because Kanna is there."
"Yeah."
"But I feel sorry for her too. I can't help but think she's pitiful."
"Yeah."
"Isn't there a way to make both sides work out?"
"If we had an excuse..."
"Huh?"
"If we had an excuse to get involved with her, maybe we could do something."
But there's no way something that convenient would happen.
"Ugh..."
I turned off the TV.
"Don't worry about it. Let's just go to sleep for today, okay?"
"...Then give me your arm as a pillow."
"Sure, that's fine."
"Yay~"
Airi fell asleep.She was a low-level member of Stinger.And she was sold to an entertainment production company.The cause was probably us.We had our own justifiable reasons too.A way to save her while keeping Kanna in check.Was there such an idea?One wrong step, and it would lead to a split.I wanted to avoid that.My head understood, but my heart wouldn't accept it.It was the beginning of such a November.