Chapter 11
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Before I knew it, I found myself standing in a darkened classroom.
Outside the window, a storm raged as if the world were ending.
In front of me stood her, covering her face with her hands.
“…This can’t be happening, right?”
“…”
“Why?”
“…”
“How come?”
“…”
She didn’t answer any of my questions. She just trembled, her faint sobs barely audible.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the classroom.
She had removed her hands from her face at some point.
Yet, I still couldn’t see her face clearly. I only felt her eyes filled with resentment staring at me.
Through the thunder and rain, she seemed to be saying something.
“What did you say?”
I couldn’t make out her words.
But I remember those words.
I remember them, but—
“You were the one who betrayed me first, Hikaru!”
—I still don’t understand their meaning.
“Mayuko, what are you talking about?”
“…”
She remained silent.
Instead, she gradually began to fade.
Until she was completely white…
Ah, it was just a dream.
I checked the clock as I turned off the alarm: it was 8 a.m.
Bright sunlight filtered through the thin curtains.
Without that dream, it might have been a pleasant morning.
Suddenly, the smartphone by my pillow vibrated.
The screen showed a barrage of messages from Mishima.
…Starting the week with such a depressing series of events is really too much.
For now, I’ll ignore Mishima’s messages and go wash my face. That should clear my head a bit.
After changing and washing up, I headed to the living room.
As usual, Tsubaki, in her polo shirt and navy skirt, was setting the table for breakfast.
“Good morning.”
“…Good morning.”
She turned around and bowed deeply, her face expressionless as ever.
Still, it’s much better than her looking at me with resentment like in my dream…
“Kawakami-san? Is something wrong?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
“But… you seem troubled…”
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t troubled.
But telling Tsubaki wouldn’t change anything.
“Well, I guess this is just the face of an adult at the start of the week.”
“Is that so…”
“Yeah. So, today’s breakfast is ham and eggs with toast?”
“Yes, and I also made some salad and soup.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll bring it over, so please have a seat.”
Tsubaki lightly bowed and headed to the kitchen.
…Seems I managed to brush it off, so let’s just focus on breakfast.
After a simple conversation about today’s plans, we finished breakfast.
As usual, Tsubaki cleaned up and then started studying in the living room, while I went back to my bedroom-slash-office and powered up my laptop.
My inbox was flooded with emails from work and clients.
…Checking all these feels daunting, but I can’t ignore them.
At least working from home is some consolation.
I’ll smoke a cigarette and get started.
Exhaling the menthol-flavored smoke, I continued checking and replying to emails.
So far, only scheduling meetings and checking deadlines, no urgent issues.
Hopefully, I can move on to my actual programming work soon.
“Knock, knock.”
“Kawakami-san…”
A hesitant knock and voice came from behind me.
“Could I have a moment of your time?”
Tsubaki wants to talk to me?
She’s never interrupted me while I was working before…
“If you’re busy, I can come back later…”
I’m not too busy yet, so I should hear her out.
Ignoring it might only distract me further.
“No, it’s fine.”
After extinguishing my umpteenth cigarette, I responded, and a small “Thank you” came from the other side.
“Excuse me…”
Tsubaki entered the room, holding her smartphone.
…I have a bad feeling about this—
“I just got a message from my father…”
“…Your father?”
“Yes, he said it’s been a week since I came here, so he wants to talk properly…”
—My bad feeling was spot on.
“I see.”
“But if you’re too busy, I can tell him to reschedule…”
“No, I’ll handle it now.”
I don’t know what he wants, but I can’t have him storming in here demanding his daughter back.
…Though, if he were the type to do that, she wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
“Then… please.”
Her hand, holding the smartphone, trembled slightly…
“Alright, this might take a while, so you should go to the living room.”
“…”
Tsubaki nodded silently and left the room, looking down.
I felt a bit guilty for sending her away.
But it’s better than having her here.
It’s probably not something a daughter would enjoy listening to, a conversation between her father and her mother’s ex-girlfriend.