Ch.259Epilogue. Like a Cat (7)

The light novel never ends.

Well, that’s just a joke. Honestly, at this point, suggesting this is “just a story in a novel” would be nonsensical.

A novel is merely text, and naturally, it doesn’t describe everything in the world. Those undescribed parts are simply “empty spaces” in the novel.

Readers can only imagine those empty spaces as they read.

The world I live in isn’t like that.

News constantly flows with stories about world affairs, there are over 6 billion people on this planet I don’t know, and each grain of sand on the beach has its own physical existence.

The only part that resembled a light novel was the character relationships.

In that sense, even if this world’s initial conditions were exactly the same as a light novel, I don’t think it would have unfolded exactly like the original work.

After all, when numerical values from a game become reality, the story changes completely. The same would be true for novels.

Nevertheless, that first encounter was like a light novel, and because of that, I’ve continued living this light novel-like life for years now.

Even this current situation feels like something I’ve read before. It could have been a light novel, a manga, or maybe even an original animation.

Oh, or perhaps it’s a sitcom?

Friends all living in the same apartment building and interacting with each other—that’s the very definition of a youth drama setting.

Knock, knock, knock.

About three hours before dinner time, someone was knocking cheerfully at the door.

With a feeling that I knew who it was, I opened the door to find Harumi standing there.

Even after becoming a college student, Harumi still maintained her playful personality and that unique mischievous atmosphere, though her hairstyle had changed.

She must have graduated from her one-sided ponytail style, as these days she just wears her hair straight and long.

Instead of a sailor uniform, she was wearing tight jeans and a white t-shirt that slightly revealed her navel.

It could easily pass for “mid-2000s attire,” but thinking about it, such outfits were quite common in Seoul in the mid-2020s too. I’m not sure if this style is a timeless classic that’s always in fashion, or if trends have simply come full circle.

One thing is certain: regardless, the outfit doesn’t look outdated at all and suits her well.

She really is beautiful.

Considering how much she yearns for a boyfriend yet still doesn’t have one, she must either just be saying that without actually being interested, or her standards are incredibly high.

“Kotone!”

Harumi recognized me immediately.

“How did you know it was me?”

“After seeing you for a few years, I can tell. Everyone around you can probably recognize you both.”

Even Souta? Well, I suppose that might be true.

Come to think of it, I meet Shii regularly, but I’ve hardly seen Souta. He went to the same university as Nanami, and I wonder how their relationship is going.

Since I occasionally meet Hana too… could it be that he still hasn’t found love? Though I doubt he’s two-timing.

“The two of you have a… subtle difference in atmosphere. Even when you’re both quiet, there’s a subtle distinction. I can’t explain exactly what it is.”

While Harumi was explaining, Koko peeked her head out from behind me.

“Koko!”

“Wow!”

When Harumi extended both hands toward Koko, Koko also reached out and high-fived her.

“See? You don’t shout with excitement like that when you see me. That’s the difference.”

Apparently, this difference is visible even when we’re silent.

I think I understand what she means. Koko generally has a smiling face, while I’m so expressionless that people think I’m a ghost when I’m not showing emotion.

I nodded and said:

“So?”

“What do you mean ‘so’?”

“…Didn’t you come here because you had something to say?”

“Do I need a reason to visit? We’re friends, aren’t we? I’m hurt.”

Harumi said this with an expression that showed no hurt whatsoever.

Mako remained Mako even after coming here. She lived alone but acted calmly and composedly, and already knew how to cook. Though we often gathered for meals, there wasn’t really anything we needed to help her with.

Yuu and Harumi, on the other hand, didn’t know much about living alone, so we had to help them with various things. Come to think of it, Mako’s living standards were probably similar. I wonder if she studied on her own before coming here?

Oh, right. About Mako’s father—he seems to be doing well now.

The injuries from that time still remain, and his physical abilities can’t return to what they were before the accident, but apparently he can now live naturally without a cane in his daily life.

Perhaps because of his connection with us, he still works there.

I think Mako probably didn’t plan to live independently right away, but she couldn’t resist the temptation of living in the same apartment as her high school friends. Mako does have that personality where she commits fully once she sets her mind on something.

“We just saw each other 30 minutes ago.”

That’s right.

Kagami had gone out briefly for some household matters. I asked if I should go help, but following Kagami’s advice to rest well during the break, I chose to stay home with Koko.

With nothing particular to do, Koko and I visited each apartment in the building one by one, and somehow ended up bringing Yuu, Harumi, and Yuka to Mako’s place to hang out.

And we returned just 30 minutes ago.

Yuka had also gone back to her room, so the three of them must have been talking and come up with some idea.

Thinking back, I did hear the sound of someone excitedly running to the door before knocking. It must have been Harumi running happily.

“Yes, that’s right. During those 30 minutes, we had a little chat.”

Harumi said with a bright smile.

“Kagami said she’ll be late today. She told us to eat dinner first. So, want to go out for some meat?”

“Meat!”

Koko’s eyes sparkled.

It feels a bit awkward to say this about Kagami, but no matter how much she acts like she’s our age, a mother is still a mother. When we go out to eat, Kagami is almost always the one who pays. To be honest, given her position, she has to be the one paying.

It’s burdensome for my friends to keep hanging out together, and around the time I became a high school senior, Kagami probably thought we had made enough memories and gradually returned to being a “mom.”

We attend the same university but different departments… well, that might have been Kagami’s choice, but I arbitrarily thought there was some consideration mixed in there.

She wouldn’t scold us for going out to eat while she’s away.

In fact, since we’re living independently in the same apartment building, this kind of thing happened often. Days when we leave a note saying “Going out to hang with friends.” You know how it is.

“Sure, let’s go.”

“Great, I’m getting ready. Oh, I’ll tell Yuka.”

Harumi left those words and ran toward the room at the end of the corridor.

“Koko, let’s get ready.”

“Yes!”

Koko nodded vigorously at my words and shouted.

“Meow.”

Perhaps understanding the word “meat,” Kuro also responded to my words, but I answered by giving him a treat instead.

*

As we returned after dinner, Kagami’s car was just parking, perfectly timed.

After the kids exchanged greetings, I approached Kagami as she finished parking and got out of the car.

“Did you eat something delicious?”

“Yes.”

“Meat!”

Koko shouted, raising both arms high, making Kagami laugh.

Kagami’s laughter was very natural. It was a completely different kind of laugh from the somewhat artificial one she had at first.

Clunk.

Kagami closed the door and turned toward us.

It was summer, and it wasn’t particularly cold even at night. If anything, it was humid and hot.

“Did work go well?”

“Yes, it went well. I’ll need to manage it regularly going forward.”

We looked at each other for a while.

I’m not sure why we didn’t immediately go back home.

We just… just stood there looking at each other.

Kagami turned her head first to look at the apartment building.

The apartment where I’ve been living since coming to this world.

“…Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Yes. I’m having fun. Very much.”

“Huh?”

Confused by the sudden change in atmosphere, Koko tilted her head. Seeing this, Kagami and I burst into laughter simultaneously.

“Mom, are you enjoying yourself?”

“I’m living happily.”

Kagami smiled at me.

“Perhaps I’m enjoying life more leisurely than ever before. After all, I’m doing everything I want to do.”

“…I see.”

At those words, I felt my chest tighten. It wasn’t a bad feeling. How should I put it—like being embraced with words? A bit embarrassing.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Kagami, Koko, and I turned with slightly smiling faces.

Always, and probably forever, it will be here.

Our home that we can always return to.

A precious place now filled to the brim with things we can’t give up.

Our slow footsteps felt warm and comforting.