Ch.120Chapter 19. Memories (1)

# Emotional Reunions Are Nice

They’re nice… but the problem is what comes after.

The fact that this emotional reunion took place in a bar.

If it had been just an ordinary neighborhood bar, it wouldn’t have mattered. It might sell alcohol, but essentially it’s no different from a café or restaurant.

But this place isn’t your typical neighborhood izakaya—it’s an establishment where young women wear revealing outfits and pour drinks for men.

While the establishment itself isn’t a brothel, it would be naive to think “so it’s perfectly fine to work at a place like this.” At the very least, people who work at cafés or restaurants would be offended if compared to those working here.

Plus, Miki’s outfit is a tight-fitting dress with a plunging neckline and covered in sequins.

“……”

I understand why the two of them, after embracing tightly and then separating slightly, are now awkwardly avoiding each other’s eyes.

Maybe I should have arranged for them to meet somewhere else?

I silently walked over and sat down.

Kagami wordlessly placed a glass of orange juice in front of me.

For reference, Koko had already arrived earlier and was drinking milk. Since I’d decided to introduce the manager to Miki, I figured we’d be getting home much later than usual. I’d asked her to come ahead and wait, and it seems Koko had arrived quite a bit earlier than I expected.

Kagami still moved very awkwardly around Koko. Still, it was much better than when they first met. At least her expression when looking at Koko wasn’t extremely uncomfortable anymore—like she was looking at something that appeared human but wasn’t.

“…Would you mind telling me what this is about?”

After hearing I was coming, Kagami had thankfully not taken many customers. The bar was completely empty.

“It’s nothing special.”

I put my lips to the straw in my glass and took a sip. The characteristic sour and bitter taste of orange juice lingered on my tongue.

“I just thought the story about a sister that my café manager told me overlapped with the sister Miki mentioned.”

Thinking about it now, I should have confirmed it more carefully.

But what could I do? The manager said it was possible and immediately offered to come with me. There would have been no point in refusing further.

“That’s… quite a coincidence.”

“…A real coincidence.”

When Kagami stared at me while saying that, I frowned and replied.

But her gaze didn’t waver, so I just drank more juice.

“Woo?”

Seeing my complicated expression, Koko tilted her head.

To be honest, I do understand the manager’s feelings. I had a younger sister too. Though my sister was old enough for university, making her older than Miki is now.

No, if we’re counting by years, it’s 20 years ago now, so her actual age… well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.

Whether it’s the 2020s I experienced or now, to me it’s all just “the present.”

Anyway, to continue—if someone told me my sister, whom I thought was dead, had returned alive… well, I’d be overjoyed. Very much so.

But if the place where I reunited with that sister was a bar like this, honestly, my feelings would be complicated. They say there’s no high or low status in occupations, but it’s not easy to be completely free of prejudice.

I turned slightly to look at them again.

The two were standing a bit apart, looking at each other—then they turned toward me. Yikes.

I quickly turned back toward my juice. I put my lips to the straw and sipped very, very slowly. If I look like I’m eating something, maybe they won’t ask me questions? Yes, this was quite irresponsible behavior for someone who created this situation.

“…But is it okay for them to be sitting in a bar like this?”

The manager, who had taken a seat not right next to me but one seat over, asked me.

“…It’s juice.”

“Milk.”

As I slightly lifted my glass to show him, Koko in the seat next to me copied my action exactly and answered.

The manager looked at both of us and his expression became even more complicated.

His gaze shifted to Kagami.

“…You could say she’s my mother.”

“Woo.”

“……”

Kagami glared at each of us in turn as we said that.

I couldn’t tell if it was an act or sincere.

“If you want to take that child, there’s something you need to give me.”

And I couldn’t tell if that statement was sincere either.

One thing for sure is that even if it wasn’t sincere, it was an extremely embarrassing thing to say to me, who had just referred to Kagami as “mother.”

Kagami, with a face as impassive as if it were made of titanium, wiped an empty glass with a cloth and said:

“I paid her room rent.”

…Not her salary?

“I’ve been deducting a little from her wages, but she’s still far from paying it all back.”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Kagami.

While Kagami treated me leniently in many ways, when dealing with others, it was confusing which side was the real Kagami.

Of course, I’m using an important sacred object in social interactions, and Koko knows her true identity, so she can’t treat us carelessly.

“And there’s plenty of other money I’ve lent her.”

I glanced at the manager’s expression.

The manager’s expression was complicated in many ways.

First, his feelings toward Kagami probably weren’t very positive. Looking at my and Koko’s situation, Kagami couldn’t be called a good parent.

Plus, having Miki work in a place like this…

But at the same time, Kagami was also the person protecting Miki. At least, it didn’t seem like Kagami had done anything bad to Miki. If she had, Miki wouldn’t have been able to show such a relaxed attitude when dealing with Kagami.

One could say she was being deceived, but…

Since I didn’t know what was really going on behind the scenes, I had nothing to say yet.

However.

“Manager.”

“Yes?”

When I suddenly joined the conversation, the manager looked at me.

His expression was still confused.

“…How old is Miki?”

“…The same age as you.”

“……”

Kagami’s hand froze.

Her expression didn’t change dramatically.

Instead, she looked at me once, then at Miki, then back at the manager.

Then her gaze returned to Miki and stayed fixed there.

Miki twirled her hair with her finger and looked away.

Kagami seemed to finally realize why I had forcibly gotten Miki out of the police station yesterday.

Had she thought I’d just done it on a whim?

“…I’m still going to collect the money.”

That’s what Kagami said.

“……”

The manager seemed to have decided to reserve judgment on that point for now.

“Can I have a drink?”

“……”

Despite being addressed informally, Kagami just shrugged. And without asking what he wanted to drink, she poured some liquor into a small glass. I don’t know what kind of alcohol it was.

After downing it in one go, the manager thought for a moment and then spoke.

“I won’t ask about the details.”

Kagami was tidying up the bar, appearing uninterested, but I got the impression she was listening carefully.

“I can pay back any money that was borrowed.”

The manager must have thought so too, as he spoke to Kagami who gave no response.

“In exchange, I’m taking Miki with me.”

“Sis…”

“I won’t ask what you’ve been through either.”

The manager said to Miki.

“You probably had your circumstances. There were probably things you couldn’t tell me. Is that why you disappeared somewhere else as soon as you got out of juvenile detention?”

Miki hung her head low.

“You don’t have to tell me everything. Later, when you want to talk about it, you can.”

That’s what the manager said.

“But quit working here.”

I looked at Kagami.

Kagami still wasn’t saying anything, but somehow I felt like I saw her head nod.

Was it just my imagination?

“……”

Miki, her previous relaxed demeanor nowhere to be seen, glanced at Kagami.

Kagami snorted.

“I don’t care as long as I get my money back properly. It stings to lose an employee, but still.”

Well, that makes sense.

But that employee is a minor. She herself was speechless for a moment when she heard the age just now.

“…I can provide a place to stay. And there are jobs available too.”

“……”

Nod.

Miki, with her head still bowed low, moved just her head slightly.

The manager downed his drink straight.

Tap.

Putting the glass back on the bar, he spread his fingers.

“One more.”

Kagami silently poured more alcohol into the glass.

*

In the end, the manager left the establishment with Miki before midnight.

Before leaving, he asked if Koko and I, who were still there, wanted to come along, but I said we were fine.

He still looked at Kagami with distrustful eyes, but Kagami just shrugged her shoulders at him.

Whether it was because he had his own family matters to deal with before interfering in others’, or because he judged that Kagami was more normal than he thought, he took Miki and left.

I gestured for him to do so.

“You know what? Because of what just happened, our establishment’s revenue is about to drop.”

“I’m thinking, maybe Miki’s popularity was actually because she was a minor?”

“……”

Kagami frowned and fell into thought for a moment.

“…I don’t think that’s it. Miki thoroughly presented herself as an adult. And she covered her face with makeup and such.”

Well, she did fool even Kagami.

…Should I call it looking mature for her age? She’s pretty, but she looks too adult-like.

Usually, even when high school students try to look adult with makeup, it’s still somewhat obvious, but Miki showed no such signs.

Well, since things worked out well, isn’t this good enough?

I decided to think positively.

“Can I go upstairs?”

“…Go ahead. You even brought a cat, why don’t you just live here?”

Not a bad idea. It’s quite close to school. Of course, I still need to take the subway to get here, but it’s much closer than Saitama.

It would be a plausible suggestion if not for the risk of running into Mr. Fukuda…

But she can’t be serious.

“…Sorry.”

When I said that, understanding her remark as sarcasm, Kagami’s eyes widened a bit.

“What?”

“Huh? Did I say something strange?”

“…No.”

When I asked back, Kagami shook her head.

“No, it wasn’t a strange thing to say.”

Kagami is the one acting strange.

I shrugged once, then went upstairs with Koko.

Ominously, Kagami’s gaze remained fixed on me the entire time I was going up to the second floor.

“Meow!”

When I opened the door, Kuro, whom Koko had brought, leaped at me. I put my hands under the jumping Kuro’s armpits and lifted him up, and Kuro’s face instantly turned sullen again.

Is there a button in his armpits or something?

When I put him down again, Kuro, seemingly not unfamiliar with this place, curled up and lay down on the futon spread on the floor.

I stared at Kuro for a while, then turned to look at Koko.

“Well, let’s rest.”

“Yes.”

Koko’s voice answering my words somehow seemed a bit more composed than usual.

…I may have lied about her having borderline intelligence and such, but in terms of actual intelligence, she’s no different from humans, and her grades are better than mine.

It’s just that her speech pattern makes her seem a bit younger.

Now she even goes around by herself without anyone’s help.

“……”

But why?

Looking at Koko like this makes me feel a bit strange. Unsettled, you might say. I should be happy about it, if anything.

That subtle feeling didn’t completely fade away, even after I washed up and went to bed.

*

“Oh, you’ve written quite a bit!”

The following Monday.

With no part-time job today, I decided to spend the day writing and went to the literary club room.

To be honest, writing wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

However, considering the number of dorayaki I’d eaten here, I thought I should at least help provide a reason for the literary club to continue existing while I was a member.

I didn’t have the ability to write novels or anything like that, so instead I wrote an observation journal about Kuro.

The content was roughly as follows:

Cat Observation Report (Working Title)

The activity that takes up the largest portion of Kuro’s day is sleeping.

Even on mornings when the sun rises and shines brightly, Kuro’s eyelids are so thick that light doesn’t seem to enter this cat’s eyes.

On weekends, after I wake up and finish preparing breakfast, only when the sound of pouring cat food into Kuro’s bowl is heard does Kuro wake up.

It seems his eardrums aren’t as thick as his eyelids.

…(omitted)…

I don’t know if all cats are like this, or if it’s just Kuro.

In terms of a report, the sample size is insufficient.

However, if one has the luxury, living like a cat doesn’t seem like a bad idea.

Lying leisurely under warm sunshine, nodding off.

The last part was basically copied from what Kuro had told me in my dream.

“That’s good!”

Izumi said with a bright smile.

“This kind of prose is quite common. Especially, your choice of subject matter was good. Hmm.”

Izumi thought for a moment, then,

“How about bringing Kuro to the cultural festival?”

“Would that be okay? What would the school say?”

“As long as he doesn’t make a mess, it might be fine… I’ll have to ask about this.”

So we’d have both the cat observation report and the actual cat?

Well, it might not be bad. There’s also a famous Japanese novel with a cat as the protagonist. And “The Black Cat” is quite famous in America too.

“Yuka’s writing is good too. The journey to school is a subject that only students can easily relate to. And this kind of sensibility is hard to capture if you’re not a student.”

Yuka, who was praised by Izumi, blushed slightly. She looked as if she wasn’t used to such compliments.

“And, Koko…”

Izumi’s face clouded a bit as she looked at Koko’s writing.

Koko looked at Izumi with an expectant expression.

For reference, the title of Koko’s writing was:

[Kotone Observation Report]

It’s obvious she referenced my writing. Of course it is. We spent all of Sunday discussing what to write.

The manager must have had a lot to talk about with Miki, as he closed the shop for an emergency holiday. Thanks to that, we had quite a lot of time yesterday too.

The problem was that Koko’s writing was… a bit much in various ways.

Kotone is amazing.

She knows how to cook delicious meals and knows where to buy ingredients.

She knows where to buy ingredients at the cheapest price. I don’t know how to do that.

She knows how to clean. She knows how to remove dust from places where it accumulates.

She works to pay for living expenses. Koko eats with that money. So does Kuro.

…(omitted)…

Anyway, Kotone is amazing.

Really.

…It was more like one-sided praise than an observation report about me.

The reason Izumi made an awkward expression after reading it—

“Sniff.”

…Huh?

“Sob. Kaoru, look at this…”

“I-I’m looking…”

…

What’s going on?

Why are they crying?

When I came to my senses, I realized that Yuka had also received the paper, read it, and was now in tears.

“……”

What’s happening? Is their sensibility different?

Is it because I lived through the 2020s that my sensibility differs from people of this era?

Or is this a popular style of writing… well, I have no idea.

I looked at Koko.

Koko was standing with her chest puffed out, chin raised, as if very proud of her writing.

I made these people cry! I can control emotions!

Her expression seemed to be shouting something like that.

No, I mean, come on.

Even when praising a North Korean dictator, they wouldn’t praise him for knowing how to clean, would they?

Sniff.

Izumi sniffled again, then said to Koko:

“Still, let’s revise the writing a bit. Yes, we understand what it’s about because we know the circumstances, but people reading it for the first time probably won’t.”

“Ah, wait a moment.”

I hurriedly stopped Izumi.

“Are you planning to include that writing in the anthology?”

“Huh? It’s a good piece, isn’t it?”

Is it a good piece?

Is it because I don’t read books often? Do people who understand pure literature have some special sensibility?

“Of course there are some parts that need polishing. But I can help with that.”

“Um…”

“Especially the parts where names appear, let’s change those.”

I felt somewhat relieved hearing that.

At least it won’t be a piece praising “me” anymore.

“Kotone, you’re working hard.”

Kaoru suddenly patted my shoulder with a reliable expression.

“If you have any difficulties, tell this big sister! I’ll help you!”

Well, I appreciate the sentiment.

“…Kotone.”

“Yes?”

When Yuka called me in a subdued voice, I quickly looked at her.

Was there something in Koko’s writing that might reveal what happened on Friday?

But it seems Yuka wasn’t calling me to blame me for that.

“If you need help, I can help you…”

“Oh, yes.”

“So, I’d like you to not hesitate to tell me…”

No, with that expression, I feel like I should hesitate a bit.

It’s not that I want to hesitate, it’s just that…

I get the feeling that as a human being, I shouldn’t rely on her any more.

She’s much younger than me. Of course, among those helping me are an old man and Yuka’s father, but still.

Plus, I’ve already received a lot of help!

“……”

Somehow I felt that if I said I was fine or that my situation wasn’t that bad—basically, if I said anything like that, it would only make things worse. So I decided to just keep my mouth shut.