March 27 (Sunday) Yuta Asamura

● March

27

Sunday

Yuta Asamura stood up from the living room sofa. He shifted his gaze from the university schedule laid out on the glass table to the view outside the window.

It was a late afternoon at the end of March. The blue sky was lightly veiled with a thin white haze, and a couple of fluffy clouds floated by, reminiscent of soft bread rolls. The scenery before his eyes was completely spring.

It was tranquil. So tranquil and leisurely that, as he gazed, a yawn almost escaped him.

The temperature was expected to rise to 16°C today.

The kotatsu had been put away a few days ago.

Everything was awakening for spring. Birds were singing, butterflies were fluttering, and even the animals that had been hibernating beneath the ground were coming out. It felt as if all of nature was reveling in this season.

…And yet, there was someone here who couldn’t sing the praises of spring.

“I guess it’s tough without the night shift…”

A sigh slipped out. It was disappointing, but there was nothing to be done. He reached for his smartphone on the glass table and dialed a familiar number.

“—Yes. That’s right. I’ll primarily be on the night shift. The schedule will be… when I have my next shift.”

After hanging up, he stretched. Should he get something to drink? Just as he thought that, he heard the sound of the door opening, and Ayase-san entered the living room.

“Are you feeling a bit tired?”

Ah, here we go, he thought, switching his mind to English mode.

“I’m fine. I’m not tired.”

He replied with “I’m okay.” This was all part of his preparation for university. They continued their conversation in English for a while.

“I was just calling my part-time job. I thought the evening shift would be tough, especially since my classes end late. …What about you, Ayase-san?”

“Yeah, it’s quite far, 70 minutes one way. I did reach out, though.”

At that point, Ayase-san paused for a moment, switching from English to Japanese.

“But I’m not sure yet if I’ll continue working there.”

Could it be that she found something else she wanted to do?

“Will you wait until you can tell me?”

Of course, he replied. Something she wants to do, huh? It always seemed like Ayase-san found her goals before he did.

“Oh, it’s almost snack time. I’ll prepare something.”

Then I’ll get the tea ready, he thought, following Ayase-san.

Outside the window, the carefree white clouds were hurriedly drifting away in the spring breeze.