Ch.245Epilogue. Hello (6)

When Kagami, Koko, and I appeared in our kimonos, Yuka’s grandfather and father gave wry smiles.

Yuka wasn’t wearing her shrine maiden outfit. It seemed her statement about “quitting” was true, as she wasn’t working as a shrine maiden this year.

She had already changed into traditional clothes and was waiting for the three of us, apparently deliberately waiting without praying.

Yuka also gave a slight wry smile when she saw Kagami between me and Koko, but she didn’t seem intent on completely disrupting the family outing on New Year’s Day, as she quietly prayed with us afterward.

Both Koko and Kagami were praying with quite serious expressions, so I decided to go along with it.

This year’s prayer was much more comfortable than previous years. Now I don’t have to… how should I put it, risk my life anymore.

This year’s prayer, yes. Let’s make it something lighter than last year, something anyone would pray for.

As a student preparing for exams, I pray to study hard so I can get into the same university as Yuka and Koko.

I haven’t decided whether to aim for the same department yet, but being at the same university would be enough to see each other regularly.

And if possible, I hope a few more of our friends end up at the same university.

…

Hmm, is that asking too much? It’s not life-threatening, but it seems like I’m wishing for a lot.

Well, they say dreams should be big. That’s how at least some of them come true.

“…”

I opened my eyes slightly, but everyone was still praying earnestly with their eyes closed, so I closed mine again.

Hmm…

Right. Since I have time left, I’ll make an additional wish.

I hope Izumi and Kaoru do well on their exams and get into the universities they want.

After making that wish, I smiled slightly.

Yes. This should be enough.

This much.

*

“Starting this year, we’re exam students too.”

Yuka said.

“Yeah. We need to study hard this year.”

Actually, I’ve been working pretty hard until now.

In my first year, I had too many other things on my mind to concentrate, but since entering second year, I’ve been studying quite diligently.

My ranking, which was quite far below Koko’s, has gradually risen to just slightly below hers now. If I maintain at least my current level, getting into the same university as Yuka or Koko shouldn’t be too difficult.

I’m a bit concerned about having missed school many times. But that couldn’t be helped. Still, I haven’t been absent or left early even once during my second year. I plan to keep it that way in my third year too, so I’m not too worried about that.

I’m sure Ms. Suzuki, our homeroom teacher, won’t write anything negative in my school records either.

Yuka and I sat leisurely on a bench, watching Koko and Kagami.

The two of them were walking slightly ahead of us. The sidewalk was narrow, and four people walking side by side would block the path too much.

Besides, it being New Year’s, the streets were crowded with people. I heard it’s a very important holiday in Japan. Well, what country doesn’t take the first day of the year seriously, though in Korea, the Lunar New Year carries more weight than the Solar New Year.

“It feels strange, you know? Next year we’ll be university students. Adults.”

Yuka tilted her head as she spoke.

Well, from my perspective, Yuka seems to have become an adult earlier than most.

…No, that sounds weird when I put it that way. What I mean is that she’s somewhat mature because she’s been through so much at a young age.

“It doesn’t feel real.”

“You probably won’t feel real even after several years.”

That’s what I said.

Even as I age, I still feel like a child. This year’s me doesn’t seem that different from last year’s me, yet people keep telling me I’ve changed.

Slowly, childhood innocence gets washed away by the tides of life, and even as the smell of the world’s weariness clings to your rain-soaked body, you yourself hardly notice it.

Then suddenly, there comes a moment when you think, “I didn’t use to be like this when I was younger.”

When you’re lying alone in your room doing nothing. When you’ve become an adult and have piled up games and books you couldn’t afford as a child, but end up just lying there looking at your phone because you can’t muster the energy to enjoy them.

When you meet an old friend after a long time, and they talk about their job, or debt, or buying a car.

But even while feeling those changes, I still felt like a child who hadn’t fully grown up.

It’s probably the same here too.

“You talk like you’ve lived that long.”

Yuka laughed, finding it amusing.

I didn’t bother responding to that.

“Are you thinking about living on your own?”

“If I said I was moving out, Kagami would probably be shocked.”

It would be fortunate if she didn’t buy the apartment next door and move in. Kagami still needed time with me and Koko. I sometimes forget because we’ve been so close this past year, but it’s still a few months before Kagami, Koko, and I will have lived together for a full year.

“That’s true. Koko would definitely follow you without question.”

“Why? To hang out at my place?”

“Well… that’s probably what would have happened if you had moved out.”

Yuka thought for a moment before speaking.

“Then, should I live on my own?”

“But if your goal is to attend a university in Tokyo, is there really a reason to move out?”

My question seemed to hit a fundamental point she hadn’t considered, as Yuka flinched.

Yuka’s family is quite well-off, so it wouldn’t be a huge financial burden. Besides, knowing what kind of person Yuka is, she’d probably get a part-time job the moment she becomes an adult and insist on paying her own living expenses.

She’d probably do fine living alone… but if she can commute to university from home in under an hour, wouldn’t it be better to just stay at home?

“No, well, I just wanted to try it…”

Yuka was always a girl who longed for a normal life, so I could understand her feelings.

She doesn’t want to go far away. She wants to stay somewhere where she can meet her friends often.

But she wants to experience living on her own.

I can understand that.

“If no one objects, it might be nice. Living near the university instead of being squeezed among commuters every morning doesn’t sound bad.”

“Right?”

When I went along with her mood, Yuka smiled brightly and said:

“If I live on my own, will you come visit often?”

“That would be fun.”

My answer made Yuka smile even more broadly.

Yes, when we become adults, we’ll be able to drink alcohol too.

Right now, the places we can go are somewhat limited, but once we have money and get driver’s licenses, we’ll have more options for entertainment.

We could all gather at an izakaya, or go to a yakitori place, pile up mountains of skewers, and gulp down drinks.

“…That really would be fun.”

“Right?”

Yuka asked again when I muttered to myself after imagining the scene.

I don’t particularly romanticize living alone. I lived by myself for a long time in my previous life, and I’ve lived alone for quite a while in this world too. Right now, I prefer living with family.

…That’s what I’ve wanted more. Ever since my previous life. I lived longing for the family I had lost.

But still, it might be nice to step away from the routine occasionally.

Going to school, stopping by a convenience store with Yuka and Koko to buy a few cans of beer, picking up some yakitori or karaage, and carrying it all back to an apartment.

Isn’t that the quintessential college experience?

“I need to study hard.”

“Yes, we should. Since we promised to go to the same school.”

The promise we made that day, when Yuka had no choice but to stab me.

Yuka hadn’t forgotten any of that promise.

Neither had I. How could I forget?

At the time, I thought it was a promise that couldn’t be fulfilled, but now that I have another chance.

I had no intention of taking back the sincere feelings I had desperately poured out in those final moments.

One by one, slowly.

In the flow of time, I’ll fold them like paper boats and let them sail away.

So that colorful memories will follow slowly in the wake of our passage.

The sky was perfectly clear. There was no sign of rain or snow on the first day of the new year. Well, Tokyo doesn’t get much snow in winter anyway.

It was an exceptionally ordinary first day of the year since coming to this world.

It’s only my second one here, but, well, no one would say anything if I called it that.

Suddenly Koko looked back at us. Following her, Kagami also turned around.

The two of them waved at us. Looking again, I realized our pace had slowed during our conversation, and the distance between us had widened.

At their beckoning, Yuka and I quickened our steps.