Chapter 5 - Determination (Part 3)

This is a dream. I know it must be a dream.

The scene is in the city. Cars are driving down the street and people are walking on the sidewalk. A very normal scene.

Like the ghost in the background, I was looking at my junior high school self when I stopped because my shoelace was untied.

"I'll go first, Onii-chan!"

"You have a younger sibling. If the older sibling stops, the younger sibling should wait for him."

 .....I spoke in a strange way. Maybe it's because I'm influenced by some anime characters.

Then my younger brother who was walking in front of me said, "What the hell, wleek! He stuck him tongue out at me and ignored me.

My mom and dad were giggling and laughing happily as they walked with my younger brother.

Not knowing what was going to happen, I started tying my shoelaces in a huff.

When I finished tying my shoes, I got up and started walking again.

However, a car hit my parents and my younger brother at high speed.

My family members were tossed around like a joke.

It was no longer a human mass. It was like an object of light.

In a moment that felt like an eternity, my family fell to the ground.

Their bodies didn't move.

The neighborhood started making noise.

Hoshimiya's parents and he got out of the car.

"────Ah, ugh!"

With a bang, the upper part of my body rose up. In an instant, the realization dawned.

"............"

The room was pitch black with dim lights. The time was midnight.

I woke up in bed and realized that cold sweat was pouring out of my body.

The pajamas I was wearing stuck to my skin and made me feel uncomfortable.

"......Riku-chan?"

"Yono...."

Yono, who was sleeping right next to me, woke up and sat up to talk to me.

"You dreamt about it ...... again, right?"

"............ Yes."

I started having nightmares every night. It was probably because my memories had returned.

"Come here, Riku-chan."

Yono, who radiated a gentle motherly aura, opened her arms and invited me to come closer.

Without saying a word, I gently buried my face in Yono's chest.

Then she gently hugged me and I began to calm down.

"Please sleep like this, Riku-chan."

I lay down with Yono holding me and slowly closed my eyes.

Without thinking, I let everything fall into that warmth....

Will it be okay?

I ignored myself when I asked this question.

***

The summer vacation passed without incident. Yono and I spent time together every day, both at home and at school.

Peaceful days with nothing special or ...... different for me.

The only special thing was that I didn't see Hoshimiya even once.

Hoshimiya didn't come to school until the summer vacation.

"...... What am I going to do?"

After a long time alone, I lay down on the sofa in the living room and stared at the ceiling in a daze.

It was late at night. I was alone because Yono had gone home after being called by his mother. Well, she'll be back in the evening....

When I'm alone, I can't help but think about things. Especially the negative ones.

"............"

I opened the refrigerator to get some ice cream.

There was frozen food in there, but no ice cream.

"Let's go buy...."

I took my wallet and decided to go to the grocery store.

***

I bought ice cream in a random cup and left the convenience store near my house.

As I walked out, I felt a current of heat flow through my body. Although it was late, it was hot outside.

I was wearing a shirt and shorts, but I could still feel the heat.

The people coming and going in the city were also wearing clothes that showed their skin.

"The ice cream is melting!"

I bought one for Yono as well. Let's go home before it melts.

And just as I was about to leave.

"Ah, isn't that Kuromine?!"

I ran into Kana by chance. She was wearing loose, casual clothes, so she must have gone out to the grocery store as well.

"How fresh."

"Huh, what?"

"So this is what Kana looks like outside of her school uniform"

"Iyuh, disgusting. I thought about it for a long time, but it turns out that Kuromine is a pervert. You even called me by my name."

"Sorry, I don't know Kana's last name."

"Uh, if that's the case, you should have said, "I have no choice." ......Eh, but, you really don't know my last name?"

I nodded silently as Kana asked, her expression filled with astonishment.

"Uh, umm, ah. Well, I guess we're the same. I don't know ...... your last name either."

"No, you just called me Kuromine, right?"

"Heh, you must have misunderstood. I said Riku."

"What a joke... if you don't mind, tell me your last name."

"I really don't know."

"Really?........"

"I won't tell you even if you make me. In fact, I really don't want to tell you."

Kana, who was really showing off her navel, crossed her arms and turned her face away from me with an "hmph". Compared to Yono and Hoshimiya, she was more excited or something... .......

Judging that the conversation was over, I walked past Kana and tried to go home.

"Wait a minute."

"What else?"

She stopped me, so I stopped and turned around.

When I turned around, Kana was looking at me with a very serious expression.

"After this... can we talk for a while?"

***

Kana invited me to a small park nearby.

We were the only people there, so it was easy to talk.

I hope we can finish this ...... conversation as soon as possible. If we talked too long, the ice cream would have melted.

"Sit down."

Kana told me to sit down on the bench.

After a while, Kana sat down next to me.

"What do you want to talk about? By the way, I won't give you my ice cream."

"I don't want it, okay?"

"What then?"

"It's about Ayana."

"What...?"

I felt as if my heart was being held tightly.

"Kuromi──Riku, are you no longer related to Ayana?"

"No."

"Wait a minute. Can you tell me ...... what happened between the two of you?"

"............"

"I just want to know what happened with Ayana."

"......Sorry."

"......You're really annoying."

Kana frowned and complained when she realized that she couldn't get anything out of me.

But I didn't want to tell you. I want to forget it.

"......One day, you know. I went to Ayana's house."

"............."

I listened to Kana as she began to speak in a quiet voice.

"If you're curious, I'll tell you, but Ayana, she's completely destroyed. ......She cries all the time, her eyes are all red and ....... her hair is a mess too......."

"............"

"She listened to my story and laughed, but she obviously forced herself to laugh."

"What do you mean?"

"...... That night I stayed at Ayana's house. Then Ayana kept apologizing to ...... in her sleep."

"............"

I waited silently for Kana's words, my mind drifting.

"I'm sorry, Kuromine-kun, I'm sorry, Kuromine-kun, I'm sorry ...... she kept apologizing to you while ...... shedding tears."

"───"

"Hey, what's going on? Why is Ayana in so much pain?"

"............"

"You and Ayana had a fight or something, right? Then you unilaterally rejected Ayana and started dating ...... Harukaze..."

"That's not true!"

I unintentionally raised my voice and denied it.

Kana's shoulders shook with a jolt, but she quickly regained her composure and continued the conversation.

"I asked Ayana what happened, but she didn't give me an answer. I don't know what ...... to do anymore."

"......I can't just tell others about it either.........."

"......Oh, so?"

Kana and I turned our faces away from each other and stared at the ground with sad expressions on our faces.

A few seconds of silence. After those few seconds, Kana opened her mouth.

"......Ayana, she moved."

"......Where?"

"To the villaged. She said she's staying with her grandmother's friend."

"I see."

She quit school for the summer anyway.

"Huh?!"

I gasped. Although annoyed, Kana said without hesitation.

"I don't know anything! I don't know what happened to Ayana. But why does Ayana have to suffer like this?"

"That's..."

"I don't know what happened. I think only you can save Ayana now ...... right?"

Kana looked into my eyes and said confidently.

"I can't ...... do anything."

"You don't have to do anything, you just have to be there for Ayana."

"That's not possible."

"......You don't understand."

"............"

"Ayana, she talked about you all the time before you became like this. She said you weren't very nice, you were sloppy, and you said strange things."

"Those are just complaints."

"But she also said this. She said that she loved spending time with Kuromine. She said it with a big smile on her face."

"............"

"Next Saturday. I'm taking the train to Ayana's current residence."

"......Hah?"

"Riku should come too."

"............ What?"

"You should talk to Ayana. I don't know what's going on between you, but it can't go on like this."

Kana said something to me, but I didn't catch it.

"Deal? I already told Ayana that I'll visit her, so the rest is up to Riku..."

"I............"

"Like ......?"

"I don't want to go there anymore!"

"Huh?"

I couldn't hold back my exploding emotions, so I stood up and shouted.

Kana rolled her eyes, but still didn't stop.

"I just want to live ...... happily and peacefully... I don't want to be hurt anymore! I don't want to be hurt...........!"

TL/N: Who hurt you?

"I understand, but..."

"You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know anything! You don't know how much I......!"

Unable to hold back the tears, I wept. Memories of the past came back to me in an instant.

I suddenly lost my family - - being supported by Yono - - being dumped by Yono - - saving Hoshimiya from a convenience store robbery - - being supported by Hoshimiya - - meeting Yono - - saving Hoshimiya from a stalker - - I thought I was going to date Hoshimiya!

I just want to live a more normal and peaceful life.......

"Sorry ....... I guess I was the worst. I pushed Riku into a corner, so I ....... but still, let me say this."

"What?"

"Only Riku can save Ayana."

"Sorry..."

You must know what I mean, right?

I don't want to understand.

"I apologize for saying so many things. But I'm going to Ayana. I don't think I can do anything, but I'm going there anyway....well, I'm going to visit her as a friend."

"............"

"For your information. The train leaves at 6:40 a.m. I'll be waiting for you in front of the station. ......."

"......I'm not going."

"Hand over."

After a brief reply, Kana looked me in the eye once, got up from the bench, turned her back to me, and started to walk away. She walked out of the garden without looking back.

"............"

Only I can save Hoshimiya......?

"I knew that from the beginning."