Chapter 375 - The Cat in the Box
(1)
"Airi, we have to hurry."
"It is fine even if you do not panic."
Why does Toya-san always panic when boarding a plane?
Even though we are in time for the scheduled departure.
Even if he panics that much, we will just be made to wait at the baggage inspection anyway.
A three-day, two-night trip to Hokkaido starting today.
The destinations this time are Sapporo, Hakodate, and Wakkanai.
Toya-san chose them for us.
We are waiting in the lobby, waiting for the boarding announcement to be broadcast.
When the announcement is broadcast, we board the plane.
This time, unfortunately, we have middle seats.
I am reading a book while listening to the in-flight broadcast.
Toya-san has nothing to do and is acting restless.
It looks unsightly if you do not calm down.
It cannot be helped, I guess~.
I took off my earphones and spoke to Toya-san.
"It has been a while, hasn't it, Hokkaido?"
"That is true."
"Is your target ramen again?"
"Hmm, Airi, is there nothing you want to eat?"
"Hmm, I think it is surely the same as Toya-san."
With my poor knowledge, nothing specific comes to mind.
"Soup curry and Ishikari nabe are also hard to discard, aren't they?"
In Toya-san's head, Hokkaido must be a treasure trove of food.
"Is Toya-san's purpose for Hokkaido only food?"
"Eh? No, there are other things too."
He was saying things like wanting to see the northernmost point of Japan, or wanting to see the night view of Hakodate.
It seems we started taking off while we were talking.
Once the plane takes off, the use of game consoles is permitted.
Toya-san starts touching his portable game console.
Geez! Pay some attention to me.
I peer into the game console Toya-san is holding.
A game where a rugged person defeats monsters.
"Airi, are you interested in this kind of thing?"
"I am not very good at operating it myself..."
"It is easy once you get used to it."
I am not peering because I am interested in the game.
I am peering because I am interested in the heart of Toya-san who is playing the game.
The plane lands at Haneda, and we transfer to New Chitose.
There is nearly an hour until the connecting flight.
During that time, we finish our meal.
The shops inside the airport are all expensive.
Once we finish our meal, the boarding procedure begins.
And then we head toward New Chitose.
I enjoy the sky journey leisurely while talking with Toya-san.
Perhaps Toya-san also noticed my feelings, as he stopped his game and became absorbed in the conversation.
And so, we set foot on the land of Hokkaido once again.
(2)
Today as well, the usual five of us were talking.
From silly conversations to complaints about husbands.
It cannot be helped even if we do nothing but complain.
The topic turns to Misato.
"Misato, have you finished packing your bags yet?"
I was asking Misato.
It seems Misato is starting to live together with Kuribayashi-kun starting next month.
It seems they are moving before entering the new school term.
"For now, I have put together the things that need to be put together."
"Does it look like Kuribayashi-kun will find a part-time job?"
"He should be desperately searching right about now."
It seems he is going to Hello Work today as well.
With his personality, he will probably be able to work at a good place.
"Until when are Sakai-senpai and Honoka-senpai working here?"
"Until the end of this month."
"I plan to do so as well."
Sakai-senpai and Honoka-senpai said.
"Sakai-senpai, it would have been nice if you quit a little earlier and went on a trip with your wife."
If it is me, I am already fine, you know?
"Well, we are going on a trip with everyone anyway, so I thought it would be fine."
"How about you follow Katagiri-kun's example a little? You have too little consideration for your own wife."
When Sakai-senpai spoke, Honoka-senpai said.
"Certainly, men other than Katagiri-kun and Watanabe-kun are no good. Their handling of women is rough. My husband is like that too, though."
Emi-senpai said.
Our Yuma also lacks that kind of consideration. Ah, did we have a trip where he pushed himself, though?
I wonder if Nakajima-senpai is also like that?
"How is it for Honoka-senpai?"
"My husband is the same. He doesn't even do part-time work and just sleeps at home. Saying that his work will start soon anyway."
"How about Kana-chan?"
Emi-senpai was asking Kana-senpai.
"For me, my husband is working. And he plays basketball on his days off."
Kana-senpai said so and let out a sigh.
"Everyone has it rough, don't they?"
Misato said.
"Misato-chan, it is not someone else's business for you either. Because once you start living together, men change."
"You can say that again. Or perhaps it is better to say they show their true colors."
Emi-senpai and Akira-senpai said.
Sakai-senpai is pretending not to hear.
Showing their true colors, huh.
If so, Yuma might still be on the better side.
But, he has to fix his habit of pushing himself too hard. He really seems like he might collapse one of these days.
"True colors... I am interested in that."
Misato said.
"You will be shown them whether you like it or not. If you live together, that is."
Emi-senpai said.
"How is it at Saki's place? Takemoto-kun seems serious, though."
Akira-senpai asked.
"He is serious, he is too serious and conversely it makes me anxious."
I answered.
"That's a fair point. Or perhaps it is better to say they have no greed."
Emi-senpai said.
Everyone is carrying worries, I see.
"Even so, it is boring."
"Should we also look for a place to work? Thinking that days like this will continue every day makes me shudder."
Emi-senpai and Akira-senpai said.
"I am thinking of having a child soon, but since my husband is in that state..."
Kana-senpai said so and let out a sigh.
"That is what they call anxiety about child-rearing, right?"
"Yes..."
"The cat in the box, huh..."
I muttered so.
"What is that?"
Kana-senpai asked.
"A theory that if you put a cat inside a box under certain special conditions for one hour, the probability of it being alive and the probability of it being dead are equal."
I explain.
"Ah, I have read about that in a book before."
Emi-senpai said.
You will not know the result of living together or marriage until you try it.
Whether it goes well or ends in a breakup, the possibilities are equal.
We might be at a dead end.
"But compared to those two, we are better off."
Kana-senpai said.
"That is true... Those two do not know how to learn their lesson."
"Though my husband is the same."
Emi-senpai and Honoka-senpai said.
Probably, those two refer to Tada-senpai and Kiritani-senpai, right?
Alcohol, women, and cars... is it still better just because there is no gambling?
"Come to think of it, there is no one who likes gambling in the Watanabe group, is there?"
I tried asking.
"Do you think anyone would want to date a gambling-mad man?"
Emi-senpai said so.
That is also true.
There is no such man in the Watanabe group.
Everyone thought so.
(3)
I quietly take out an envelope from the chest of drawers. And then I try to take out the contents.
"Eita, what are you doing?"
Wh-Why is Ai coming home at this hour!?
I hurriedly hide the envelope and turn around.
"What about you, Ai, what is the matter at this hour?"
"I felt a bit unwell, so I left early. What did you just hide?"
"I-It is nothing!"
"What do you plan to use it for?"
"I-I do not know. There is no way I would lay a hand on the travel expenses! ...Ah."
Oops.
Ai glared at me, approached, and confiscated the envelope from my hand.
"How much did you take out?"
"I have not taken any out yet."
"Liar! It has decreased by some amount, hasn't it! What did you use it for?"
"I-I plan to properly win it back and return it!"
Why do people end up saying unnecessary things when they are cornered?
"Win it back? Don't tell me you..."
Now that it has come to this, there is no choice but to confess.
That I had lost it all in gambling, so I used it as funds to win it back. And that I had lost even that money.
"You idiot!!"
Ai said so and collapsed.
"Ai!? Ai!?"
She has a terrible fever.
She is also sweating heavily.
I take her to our regular hospital by car.
"It is overwork."
I was told by the doctor.
"It is probably either stress accumulating or fatigue accumulating."
Come to think of it, she was pushing herself recently. It is because of the trip.
"We cannot lower the fever with medicine. For now, let her rest quietly."
After receiving the examination, we return home.
"You, what do you plan to do about the missing money..."
I was told by Ai.
"I will try a bit harder. So just a little more..."
"You idiot!"
"Ai, do not get so angry, you were told to rest quietly, right?"
"Who on earth is the one not letting me rest quietly!?"
"...Sorry."
But, if I do not raise the money, we cannot go on the trip.
"Sorry, I am going out for a bit!"
"Eita! I beg you, stop gambling already! Please!"
Ai clings to me painfully.
Even though she seems so weak that even clinging is barely possible.
"It is not gambling! I am just going back to my parents' house for a bit."
"What are you thinking!?"
"I will not gamble, I promise! I am just going out for a bit, so please rest."
"Wait, Eita!"
Shaking off Ai who was trying to stop me, I went back to my parents' house and bowed my head to my parents.
I borrow a little from the money my parents had saved for when I become independent in the future.
When I explained the reason, I was scolded with all their might.
"I have no memory of raising a piece of human trash!"
I was abused like that.
But I endured it.
For the sake of my own warning to never do it again.
Somehow receiving the missing money, I return home.
As expected, I was also scolded by Ai.
"How far down do you have to fall before you are satisfied?"
Ai was crying.
Ai's words pierce my heart.
But I know.
That Ai's heart, which abuses me, hurts even more.
"Go return that money."
Ai says.
But then we will not be able to go on the trip.
"I will fill the hole with the wedding savings we accumulated... so do not do such a foolish thing ever again."
Ai says in a gentle voice.
That is why it hurt.
"I am truly sorry."
"Just go return it."
I went to return the money to my parents' house.
I explained the circumstances.
I was severely scolded.
On the way back, I buy instant ochazuke and return.
"Ai, you can eat ochazuke, right?"
"...Next time, I will have to beat the concept of cooking for yourself into you."
Ai said so and laughed.
After finishing the meal, I nurse her constantly.
Perhaps Ai felt relieved, as she fell asleep immediately.
I decide to sleep too.
If I close my eyelids, Ai's painful cry floats up.
I will never let her feel the same way again.
Thinking so, I fell asleep.
(4)
"It is beautiful, isn't it?"
Airi says so and is taking photos.
I was gazing at such an Airi.
"But it is a bit cold."
Airi says so and is shivering a little.
"Shall we head back soon?"
"Yes."
Once we descend Mount Hakodate, we eat dinner casually and return to the hotel.
I take a shower, and while Airi is in there, I lie down on the bed and relax.
After a while, Airi returns.
I was watching television with Airi.
But tomorrow is also early.
A nine-hour train journey.
It will probably be tiring, so I decided to sleep early.
When I explained to Airi, a reply of "Yes" came.
I get into bed with Airi.
Airi must have also been tired from frolicking.
It seems she fell asleep immediately.
When I stroke such an Airi's head, she reacts with "Toya-san..."
No matter how much I looked at such an Airi, I did not grow tired of it.
I look at my smartphone.
It seems Kiritani-kun did it again.
This time of all times, even the men are silent.
Surely he has learned his lesson this time.
When I put down my smartphone, I also fall asleep.
I want you to be there at the end of my gaze.
So that we can laugh just as much at the beauty of each and every moment, no matter how many years we age.
So that you and I can laugh together again.