![[LN] Matchinguapuri de Moto Koibito to Saikai Shita - Volume 1 - Chapter 6](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTGs2i6xSRVC70T7Vi7pP2C7K54orl5QQsv0hnmEMhrA299Ko3j4n8dcVQkrCIwoCezAisoBJEdd-kTmxvIzg0_lMM1lA31s9-OrtoUCnT4pfAilX4lC6TIVBq8ABh41mUY8cgJ5pww1zi56TeEWhn3tQMraXzTTyv80xSILb5lPmpIy-zE6d7X0jCg/w675/20221024_144646.jpg "[LN] Matchinguapuri de Moto Koibito to Saikai Shita - Volume 1 - Chapter 6")
[LN] Matchinguapuri de Moto Koibito to Saikai Shita - Volume 1 - Chapter 6
Chapter 6 - Cancel? No Problem
Concrete walls, ornamental plants as tall as me.
The room is decorated in monotonous black, white, and gray, similar to the café where I work, and has a mature atmosphere that makes it hard to believe that a college student lives here.
"Why do we have different interiors when we're in the same apartment?"
"But we have the same layout, right?"
"Yes, but my room has plain white walls."
"That's just wallpaper. I put it up myself."
"So pretentious......"
"Sho-chan cooks by herself, right? That's 10 thousand a month and 120 thousand a year. I'd rather spend that kind of money on clothes and interior design."
Enji smiled as he served fragrant tea made in an expensive-looking pot.
"This please."
"Cooking by yourself, huh....."
When was the last time I cooked for myself?
I never cooked at all when I was in high school.
But when I became a student and started living on my own, I cooked for myself a few times, but it didn't last long.
--- "Do you have a specialty?"
--- "Curry, maybe."
--- "Oh, you can make it?"
--- "Of course, just brew it, how hard can it be?"
--- "That's not cooking!"
I recalled that conversation with Hikari.
"Hey, Sho-chan..."
"Hm?"
"What about your ex-boyfriend?"
"What are you talking about?!"
I haven't seen Hikari again.
There's no reason for me to see her, and if I do, I'm sure I'll feel the regret inside me become even stronger.
Hikari already has someone new.
There was no room for me, and I had no intention of joining her.
"You still have regrets, right?"
"No!"
"It's even more suspicious because you get angry every time you're asked."
"Shut up!"
Enji, who was working on a college project in front of me, laughed like a fool.
I opened my computer and tried to do the same, but my hand stopped.
I had no motivation.
At first, I wanted to do it alone, but Enji invited me to do it with him.
But my room only had a counter table, and it was a table for one person, so we couldn't work together there.
It was inconvenient, but I knew there was no point in refusing him, so I decided to come to Enji's room.
I noticed that Enji had also lost his motivation and was communicating with someone on his cell phone.
"Hey, aren't you going to do your assignment? If not, I'm going home, okay?"
"Sho-chan didn't do it either, right?
"I did my homework this morning, so I have a lot of free time."
"Cheater! Then do mine too!"
"No way!"
She was very engrossed in her phone during our conversation and seemed to be smirking slightly.
"Are you chatting with someone?"
"Sho-chan is curious."
"Unclean. Don't do that again, it's disgusting."
"Hehe, actually, there's a girl I like these days."
That was a rare thing.
He was always passive in his relationships, always saying that he was dating a girl just because she confessed to him.
But there was never a girl who caught his interest.
That's why his relationships never lasted long, and he was worried about that.
"I thought you could never really like someone, so that's good."
"Yeah. There are even some days where I wonder if I like guys?"
"......"
"Hey, I'm not going to do anything, so stop covering your ass hole!"
Even if that was the case, I thought Enji might be too easy to fight, so I patted my cheeks and wondered what I had just imagined.
"Oh yeah, Sho-chan. On Friday, let's have dinner at Sannomiya?"
"What? Why? There are many restaurants around here."
"Come on! There's a restaurant in Sannomiya that I want to visit."
I didn't usually eat out with a lot of people, but I often did with Enji. Since we lived close together, all we did was go to the gyudon restaurants around here.
Since I didn't dare to go to a gyudon restaurant or a family restaurant alone, there was no harm in me doing it with Enji, especially since he was the one who followed me without permission, so I guess it was fine.
"That's troublesome."
"Sho-chan, I switched shifts with you the other day, right?"
"Ah!"
"I'm sure Sho-chan must have been procrastinating her duties. Does she no longer have time to work part-time anymore...?"
"I'm also planning to go to Sannomiya on Friday!"
So that's how you do it, you sneaky bastard.
It takes about 30 minutes to get to Sannomiya even if you take the train from the nearest station. To me, that distance is already a trip.
"Good, I won't tell the manager later..."
"You devil ......"
***
And then on Friday.
At 15:00 after class.
It's still too early for dinner.
And Enji finished a little early and went to his part-time job. He said he would be done by 18:00.
That means I have to spend 3 hours alone.
My phone was only 30 percent charged, which wasn't much, and I didn't have enough energy to do the 3-hour mission of staying away from my phone.
"Enji, you invited me but you made me wait......."
I wish I was on shift right now if this was how it went.
But what can I do?
I decided to walk around aimlessly for now.
My feet naturally led me to a park bench shaped like a large staircase, where most couples make out here at night.
I came here, alone, lost in thought.
I have no interest in this place, but it reminds me that I once came here with Hikari.
I didn't come here to make out, but back then I was sitting next to her, holding hands. As a result, people around probably thought we were making out.
Nowadays, when we meet, we don't even hold hands, but instead, exchange fists.
The next stop was Don Quipote, a royal road to pass the time.
Passing the sign with the slogan, "The Hall of Fame of Cheapness", I passed the grocery store on the 1st floor, going up to the 2nd floor.
On the 2nd floor, there were household items. Detergents and hair styling products cluttered the smell of the room.
I don't even know what it is, but it smells good.
Hikari and I have been here before. She sniffed a fabric softener tester she didn't buy and complained, "It smells different!"
How could she make a statement like that, huh?
I picked up a random tester and sniffed it, and it smelled just like the one we both smelled before.
"Not bad."
The 3rd floor was filled with everything from electronics to party goods.
--- "Hey, try this."
It was a cosplay bunny that she offered me.
Even though she knew that I couldn't wear it.
Hikari held back her laughter the whole time, imagining me wearing it.
I never entered this place because I was afraid to go to the 4th floor since it was a floor that sold high-end branded goods.
But Hikari pulled me in and said, "I just want to take a look."
--- "Hey, isn't that a very reasonable price? Look, this bag is only 30,000 yen!"
--- "You forgot one zero."
--- "Ah."
I haven't been to the 4th floor since then.
I'll probably never go in there again.
After leaving Don Quipote, I walked for a while and came to Ikuta Shrine, which is famous for its promise of love fulfillment.
Hikari and I visited Ikuta Shrine once.
We came to Ikuta Shrine several times, including for the annual Hatsumode (New Year's visit) and before we took our university entrance exams.
As a result, I was accepted into university, but we broke up.
I went to the shrine for love and academic success, but my girlfriend and I broke up. After all, you never know what you'll get in life.
If you pass the shrine and climb the hill, you will find yourself in Kitano, a very stylish place in the fashionable city of Kobe.
There are rows of Ijinkan-gai (foreign residences) and cafes that are often seen on Instagram as representatives of Kobe.
Hikari and I always come here together. The last time we came here was over a year ago before we went our separate ways.
Many tourists come here, but be careful when you come here, the slope is quite deep and steep.
In the middle of summer, there is a risk of death, this is no joke.
Hikari kept complaining about it.
--- "It's so hot, carry me on your back."
--- "How old do you think you are?"
There was a cafe that Hikari wanted to visit.
I told her to stay hydrated, but she insisted that it would taste better if she drank it after the hike.
I ended up taking her to the front of the cafe, and I was the only one sweating and holding back embarrassment.
On my back, he said, "Good job, my car!" which pissed me off.
Just by walking around the city, the memories of Hikari came back fresh in my mind.
No, I have to cut off my feelings for Hikari.
I've already made my decision. So there's no way I'm going to reverse it.
For example, even if Hikari still had unresolved feelings for me, there would still be no future for either of us if we couldn't be honest with each other.
***
I walked alone for 3 hours.
Finally, it was 18:00, and it was time for Enji to call me to tell me that he had finished his part-time job.
I had been waiting all this time, but I wondered how long it would take him to get here after he finished.
I figured it would take 30 minutes to get here....
I headed to Sannomiya station, which had been promised, even though she hadn't arrived yet.
Just when I arrived at the station, I received a message from Enji.
[I'll be there in 30 minutes...]
A stamp of a dog doing a hula hoop with its arms raised in the air is attached to the dialog.
Why are you playing hula hoop while I wait for you in the cold?
I've been waiting all this time, so 30 minutes is nothing. I just need to stand there and wait.
However, when Enji comes, I hope he'll let me hit him at least once.
A wave of people came out of the ticket gates. It's rush hour, and there are students, employees, and all sorts of people.
Yes, there are all kinds of people.
There must be people who look like someone I know. So the people I see now are just people who look like him.
But as she got closer, the picture became clearer and clearer. My suspicion turned into certainty.
"Why are you here?"
Unmistakably, it was Hikari who came out of the ticket gate.
I had seen her for a long time, there was no way I could mistake her for someone else.
"What, why are you here ......?"
Hikari was alone, and it seemed like she hadn't come straight from her college. She was dressed up.
"That question is more suitable for you. ....."
"No, I'm having dinner with a friend here...."
He stood beside me, about a meter away.
"Me too, are we the same.....?"
"I didn't expect that the lowest ranked result in today's horoscope would appear here...."
"I don't know if they hate me at the lowest level of the horoscope ranking. When I see it in the morning, I feel depressed all day."
"Oh, you noticed, Dad. Yes, I'm also very depressed right now."
"I think being your ex makes me much better than all the guys out there."
"No, it's just the opposite. Because you've become an ex, it makes you the lowest of the low."
"Isn't that too much?"
The verbal abuse started as soon as we met.
If I hadn't been so emotional when looking back at my memories of Hikari, this would have been a bloodbath. I'd let it slide, so she should be grateful.
"What time is your appointment?"
"18:30."
"Oh, we're the same."
"Huh?"
I was very surprised to hear that.
But not because we had the same meeting time.
"Why did you arrive 30 minutes early?!"
"None of your business."
I've been dating Hikari for 3 years and 3 months.
And we always met exactly at the appointed time.
Except for when I overslept, Hikari was never more than 30 minutes before me at the appointment.
"Is that a guy or ------?"
"None of your business!"
Maybe that person was someone she met on a dating app. When I hear it like this, I feel a little uncomfortable.
"You're not the type to go to dinner at Sannomiya with just a friend, are you? You're a woman, you know?"
"Well, I am."
In reality, he was just a casual friend, but since Hikari was going out with her new partner, I didn't want to say anything about having dinner with a man because I felt that I was losing out.
"Hmm, did everything go well?"
"Yes, everything went well."
"A woman who thinks a man like you is good must be blind, right?"
"That means you're blind too, right?"
"I was blind from birth until a year ago, that's why I can't see you."
"They say love is blind. I didn't know you were so crazy about me."
"What? Don't you dare turn it into something weird, Dad!"
"Aw, okay, okay, stop beating me up."
After much arguing and bickering, I realized that it was time for our appointment.
But neither of us had visitors......
"The girl you were supposed to date must have come to her senses. She must have wondered why she had to date a guy like you, and she must have thought about it some more and decided to cancel your date."
"Maybe it's the guy who found a better girl and abandoned you."
Our phones rang simultaneously as we glared at each other, and we both immediately checked our respective phones to see if it was from the person we were waiting for.
I thought I could beat Hikari by proving that this was a message from the other party to tell her that she was late.
But in fact, that didn't work
[Sho-chan, sorry! Tanaka-san suddenly couldn't come and asked me to replace her! Therefore, I'm sorry, I'll buy you something next time, I'm sorry!"]
In other words, it's a slap in the face, just like Hikari said.
If I said the content of the message was "I'm on my way!" I wouldn't be able to prove it to Hikari.
Because the sender is Enji, and the name registered on LINE is "Enji-kun".
I can't tell her, because I just made it look good and played around with a woman's shadow.
He should have been born with a more feminine name. But unfortunately, he has a masculine name.
Now, what should I do......?
I looked sideways at Hikari next to me to make sure she wasn't looking at me, but she was looking at her cell phone.
If she knew our meeting was completely canceled, I'm sure she'd try to tease me.
That would mean I lost. I didn't want to let that happen. I want to see Hikari meet the person she promised, and then I meet the "girl" I promised. That's the scenario.
If that were the case, it would be impossible for Hikari to leave later and find out that my meeting was canceled. Besides, I would be able to see with my own eyes what kind of man Hikari would meet.
I don't care, but as her ex-boyfriend for over 3 years, I need to make sure that Hikari doesn't get cheated on by a strange man.
After all, we had been together for a long time beside each other's parents.
"When will she be here?"
She asked in a disinterested tone of voice while staring at the cell phone.
This was a question that had to be answered carefully.
For Hikari, this may be a casual conversation, but the "girl" I promised should arrive later than Hikari's partner. However, I don't know when Hikari's partner will arrive.
Originally, we promised to meet at 18:30, but the current time shows 18:44. In other words, the future is unpredictable.
"Well, maybe soon."
"What do you mean, 'soon'? You promised to meet at 6:30 pm, right?"
"I'm sure he's a late bloomer. What about your partner? He didn't call you, did he?"
"What? I'm not like you. I've been contacted by him."
"Me too."
Yes, even about the cancellation.
"So, how long are you going to be here?"
Is it still possible to make it even muddier?
But when I say, "Soon" and my partner doesn't show up, I'll be caught lying. "You said in a minute, how come you didn't show up?" Just thinking about it makes me angry.
"Well, she said she got on the wrong train."
How about this? That way, I won't know when she's coming.
"Hmm, how long did it take for her to get here?"
Oh, shit.
It's so easy to find out the train's travel time.
I lied to Hikari, but it was a mistake.
But I can still get away with it.
Hikari wouldn't be so generous as to wait for a train that would be more than an hour late. In other words, I could tell her that it would take more than an hour.
"I heard she'll get here at 20:00."
"What?! That's too late! Are you planning to wait here the whole time? What a loyal dog!"
"Noisy! What about you?"
"I'm also around that time."
"What? That's too late! You're a loyal dog too, aren't you?! Are you stupid?!"
"Well, I'm a good girl, so I can endure it."
"Even if you are, you're being a "good girl" just for your convenience!"
"Shut up! My partner is supposed to arrive at 20:01. So the one who arrives first is your partner!"
What the hell is ......?!
I said she was supposed to arrive at 20:00. Which means my partner came first.
But of course, he won't show up.
"Oh, she just called me and said she'll be here at 20:02."
"Oh, I just got a message too. He changed the time to 20:03."
""......""
She's a bad woman.
But ...... I finally understood. Maybe Hikari's partner couldn't come for some reason.
It's also possible that she didn't make any promises in the first place, but she wanted to look good, or maybe she had made a promise but couldn't say it now because the word "canceled" that she used to make me uneasy had overridden itself.
Or maybe he found me by accident and was trying to figure out who I was going to meet....
Even if he is an ex-boyfriend who is no longer attached, he is a new person from a person who was loved for more than 3 years. I'm sure anyone would be interested too.
Hikari probably understood the situation, and after a long sigh, she started walking away.
"Hey, are you sure you're just going to leave like that? The person you're going to meet is coming soon, after all."
"It's okay. I already told him that I won't meet him today because he's late."
It seems like she didn't send such a message just now, but I wonder when she did?
No, I don't think she did that, since Hikari's partner would never have come here in the first place.
That means we're the same........
But still, I'll take Hikaru's words, "This time consider it a draw."
"I understand. Me too."
If I say it's a tie, then the shame is on both of us.
"Hey, you haven't eaten yet, right?"
"Well, I'm going to eat now, so..."
"Then come on, I'm in the mood for a drink. Just like you said last time."
Yes. That was the day I returned her umbrella.
That day, we both decided to have a drink if the opportunity arose.
"Come on. ......."
So we walked together again, this time looking for a restaurant in the city center.
To recap our last trip, first, we responded to the catchers by putting ourselves as teenagers with full stomachs.
Secondly, if Hikari wanted to go to a lot of different restaurants, which she certainly would, I would be there to dissuade her.
Third, since I was going with Hikari, who had a big, stupid stomach, I told her, "Since you ate so much, let's go to a cheap place or an all-you-can-eat place."
"That's good. You know me better than anyone."
"Do you know how long I've been your girlfriend? I know you and your family better than anyone."
"I also know more about you than you know about yourself. Because I'm Hikapedia."
"That's not a cool name."
"Noisy. Let's go. Find a good place to eat."
"You just want to leave it to me, right?"
***
After 15 minutes of walking around at night, we entered a dark yakitori restaurant like a bar.
The smell of charcoal grills wasn't enough to attract my attention, but when I passed by, I was sucked into it.
The atmosphere seemed like a high-end restaurant, but we decided to go there after seeing the price list at the counter.
I thought it would be about 6 thousand yen if we ate and drank together. Well, I hope so.
I held up the cup of beer I had just received and asked Hikari to do the same.
"What are you trying to do to me?"
"A toast."
We have been together for over 3 years, but we only started dating when we were already teenagers.
In other words, this was our first time drinking alcohol together.
I didn't know what Hikari would drink, how much she would drink, the speed at which she would drink, or what would happen to her when she got drunk.
There are many types of drunkenness, from crying to laughing, but in Hikari's case, I think she would be a glutton. Not much different from when she was sober.
"Fuhaa, great!"
The first sip of beer came with that dialog. This is the typical dialog for all beers in this world.
"You're such an old man!"
"Come on, it's good, I can't help it."
"I don't like drinking beer, it's too bitter. I don't know what's good about it."
"That's why you're still a kid."
"Noisy."
"Ouch!"
Hikari kicked me from under the chair. She was angry.
Hikari suddenly played the cute girl role and ordered an orange cassis.
"Orange Cassis is too sweet, I wonder how anyone can drink it. Besides, it's not suitable for a dry woman like you. Sake suits you better."
"Sake doesn't match my appearance, unlike cocktails."
"Don't be so arrogant."
"Speaking of which......"
Hikari took a sip of orange cassis and started talking.
"Why did you start a dating app?"
"Well..."
Because a friend recommended it to me. There was no way I was going to say that.
No, there was no reason for me to be honest from the start.
"Because my friend recommended it. What about you?"
"Hmm, I see. Me too...."
She looked like she wanted to say something, but her words were cut off as she gulped down a clear glass of orange cassis at the back of her throat.
"So, what happened with that guy you were talking about earlier? He's quite a nice and handsome guy, isn't he?"
She put down her glass and started answering my questions.
"Well, at least he's much nicer and fresher than you."
"Is that the kind of person you're going to meet today?"
"Yes, but he canceled."
I was surprised that she admitted that the other party had canceled, even though I already knew.
Seeing that Hikari wasn't so bothered by the fact that she canceled, I felt a little relieved.
Wait, what am I relieved about? I've decided to cut off any lingering feelings.
"I'm honestly trying to enter a new relationship, but I can't seem to fall in love with anyone."
Maybe it was the power of alcohol, but I heard Hikari's true feelings, which I hadn't seen since our reunion.
She ordered a lemon chuhai from a passing waiter and shook the glass that contained only ice.
"What about that college idol of yours?"
Normally, she would have said, "Oh, yeah, so-so." but Hikari revealed the truth instead. It would be unfair if I were the only one who didn't say anything.
"I feel the same way as you. I don't know how to fall in love with someone anymore."
"Wow, I understand that...."
The cause, perhaps, is my inherent attachment to Hikari. That's something I can't put into words.
"Why can't I like that handsome guy, but I can like an unfriendly guy like you?"
"You're so rude."
"Hahaha, I'm so happy when I make fun of you!"
I felt a pleasant atmosphere as if we were still in a relationship.
"Well, it feels good to be with you, and it's not bad to go out for drinks like this once in a while, right?"
It's not bad. But I couldn't judge whether it was right or not to answer back the end of the sentence that seemed to stare at me in silence.
"Well ...... it's not bad."
Unconsciously, I told her my true feelings.
Hikari who didn't smile much in front of me after we met again smiled at me. I was a bit embarrassed and looked away.
"Let me know if you make any further progress. Although I'm lost in my thoughts, I've been dating you for three years, so I'll give you advice."
"You brag too much. But since I'm not a good judge of women, so I'll gladly accept it."
"You make me angry......"
"Lah..."
He immediately gulped down the newly arrived lemon chuhai.
"Excuse me, can I have a plum wine rock, please?"
"You drank too much, didn't you?"
"You keep drinking beer like an old man.
"Noisy."
"Come to think of it, I met you at Connect the other day, and it was very funny. Your characters are too different."
"Hey, you're the same!"
"Hahaha, this first one isn't that different..."
I was so annoyed with Hikari gloating through the phone screen that I opened my conversation with her from Connect to do the same to her.
I was on my way to the first message when my eyes fell on a message from Hikari.
[Why did you break up?]
Hikari, who had been giggling, probably saw the same message. Because I felt her expression darken a little.
"We should be good for each other...."
When I looked back at the message on my phone, Hikari said this and chuckled. I don't know what that expression meant.
Hikari closed her cell phone and drank more of the remaining lemon chuhai....
"Hey, aren't you drinking too fast? It's empty right away even though it was just delivered."
"It's okay, just leave me alone. Now, what should I drink next?"
The drinking tempo was too fast.
Could it be that Hikari was a heavy drinker? Well, it's possible. She eats like an idiot, so her brain or stomach is stupid.
But is it okay to drink at this pace? ......?
When he eats, he will eat without a break, just like when he drinks. He's like a beast showing that he's hungry for everything.
"Hey, hey, I won't take anything from you, so eat slowly."
"Food tastes best when it arrives at the table, so you should eat it at its best before it gets cold."
"I don't care about the food, but are you sure you can drink at that pace? Your face is red from earlier and your eyes are rolling."
"I blush easily. So don't worry about it."
She says she's cute, but she's ambitious, bossy, and competitive at heart.
I'm sure she's pushing herself too hard. If I refill the drink, she'll probably try to beat me.
I can still drink and I'm short on drinks, but after all, she's my ex-lover. I can't leave her alone, knowing that she's like that.
"I can't drink anymore. Sorry, can I have a glass of water?"
I raised my finger to show the waiter, whose eyes met mine, that I wanted two of them.
If I said it out loud, Hikari would complain.
"Hmm, I'm getting sleepy."
"Look, you should stop now."
She was much drunker than I thought.
It seemed that her drinking ability had gotten close to average.
"But I already ordered one more drink earlier, so I'll finish it."
Well, if it was just one it might be okay ....... but before we arrived at the station to part ways, I realized this was a mistake.
Hikari, who had downed her last drink, started drinking the water I gave her, thinking that it was alcohol.
She doesn't even know what it tastes like anymore.
I left Hikari blankly staring at the chair and paid the bill first.
Although it was a cheap place, it was a painful expense for a college student. But Hikari was in that kind of state, so I would send the bill later.
"Come on, let's go home. Can you stand up?"
Hikari stood up, took my hand, and looked at me.
Her cheeks were flushed red and her lips were glistening.
As expected, seeing her from this distance, I was a little embarrassed.
There was nothing to compare between them, but Hikari was just as cute as Kokoro. They were very different types, but even in high school, she was popular with the girls.
She also has a well-defined face, a slender body that makes you want to protect her, and a brightness that even boys don't mind talking about.
"Nee..."
Hikari looked at me and put her hand on my chest as if leaning on me.
"......I'm going to throw up."
"Oi."
I thought it would be more like saying something cute like a heroine, but it's just about vomiting.
Hikari finally ran to the toilet, but didn't seem to vomit, and came out of the toilet limply.
I guess it would have been better if she had just vomited.
"Hey, I'm not feeling well. Carry me."
"Hey, you, at your age, aren't you embarrassed to ask to be carried, huh?"
"I want to be carried!"
"You're such a little kid...."
I'm sure when we get out of here, he'll be so embarrassed by the people watching that he'll say, "Put me down!"
That's what I'm waiting for.
But then....
"Hey, I'm carrying you on my back, but you're breaking out in a cold sweat. You didn't sleep, did you?"
"......"
There was no answer.
All I got was a sobbing, "Spee Spee".
"Haa...."
She didn't wake up when we got to the station, and I couldn't just leave her there. But the train Hikari and I were on was going in the opposite direction....
"Damn, this is troublesome."
I took the ICOCA in the side pocket of Hikari's bag and my ICOCA, and passed through the ticket gates.
TL/N: ICOCA is like an e-card for paying for train rides and so on
The station attendant looked at us with a smiling face, and I could feel the warmth in his eyes, as if he was saying, "You guys are a good couple."
But in fact, we were a cold ex-couple.
I put her on the seat, let her swing on the train, and carried her on my back once more, and she still wouldn't wake up.
I was so upset, it would be best if I just left her here.
We arrived at the station closest to Hikari's house that I used to pass by when we were dating.
I wanted to reminisce after a year, but I didn't have the energy to climb the long stairs with Hikari on my back.
"Wake up!"
Hikari who was asleep on my back said something strange.
I wonder if she's half awake?
He talks too much in his sleep.
"Actually ...... no."
"What are you talking about, anyway......?"
I didn't get an answer to my words. It was because she was talking in her sleep.
It is said that a person's nature often changes when they are drunk, but in reality, it is their true nature and feelings that come out when they are drunk.
This is what Hikari did when she was drunk.
"......Don't say you're sleepy on a date."
"Who are you dating in your dreams?"
"Hey, is this good?"
"What do you mean, after all that food, you're still dreaming about him too?"
I answered her, but as usual, it didn't reach her.
She must have been dreaming of falling into a shallow sleep. I wondered what she was dreaming about, but there was no connection between her dreams and her sleep talk.
"Thank you for always eating everything."
"......"
"Sorry."
"......"
Somehow, these words sound familiar. I always say that I'm sleepy.
I remember being reprimanded many times when I said that while dating Hikari.
Once, Hikari even got depressed because she thought that being with him was boring.
But that's not it.
Instead, I felt comfortable with her.
--- "Hey, is it delicious?"
Hikari always makes me lunch.
My mom was happy that she didn't have to make it for me, and she entertained her whenever she came to our house.
But, I never flattered her.
I was a little embarrassed for lying to Hikari, even though all I had to do was tell her it was delicious.
--- "Actually, I'm a little sloppy, so it might not taste good...."
--- "It's okay, thank you."
I wanted to tell her that it tasted good.
So I thought I should at least show it with my actions, which was to eat it all.
--- "Thank you for always eating everything."
Yes, I remember everything.
They were all said to me in the past.
Except for that one.
--- "Sorry."
That is something that neither of us can say.
I was reminiscing, and when I realized it, I was already in front of Hikari's house.
"Hey, wake up."
"Why? Uwaa."
Hikari jumped down from me.
She was fully awake by now.
I felt relieved, but the impact made me fall to the ground.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Ouch!"
"You drove me all the way here."
"That's because you overslept."
This time, I stood up, taking the hand Hikari extended to me.
Normally I would have said, "Don't do anything unnecessary! Just go straight home!"
"Thanks ....... isn't your house in the opposite direction?"
"Well, yes, but I don't think I can leave you like that alone. I'm not so immoral that I would leave you in that condition."
"Did I say or do anything ...... strange?"
Something strange?
Did she mean what she said in her sleep earlier?
Hikari might want to ask if he said something strange in his sleep because of that dream.
"Yes."
"What's what?"
I had thought about it a lot, but there was no guarantee that what Hikari said in her sleep was what she meant.
And there's no point in telling her what happened honestly either, and I don't want to come across as delusional, so I'll twist it.
""I can't eat everything!" Are you eating in your dreams?"
"What?"
"What's what?"
"Nothing! Thank you for bringing me here. See you soon."
Hikari waved at me.
This would never have happened before.
I guess she feels indebted to me for bringing her back here.
"O-Oh, bye."
I waved my hand in the same way and started walking towards the station.
I rubbed my hands together and took a breath, wondering how cold it would be without the body heat that had been on my back moments before.
"Sho!"
I turned my head when I heard his voice from behind me.
I'm sure he called me "you" the next time we met.
I was also a bit embarrassed to call him by his name, so I called him "you".
I knew Hikari didn't like being called "you" but I couldn't call her by her name.
"What's wrong, Hikari?"
So, for the first time in a year, I consciously called her by her name.
"Be careful on your way home, okay?"
We didn't make eye contact. However, Hikari's cheeks were flushed, probably due to the alcohol still lingering in her system.
Or maybe---
"Yes, thank you. Good night."
Disclaimer :
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