Chapter 3
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After that, without much conversation, noon arrived.
Lunch was prepared by Tsubaki.
It seemed to be a gesture of thanks for breakfast.
I didn’t think I made anything worth thanking, but it was nice not to have to make lunch myself.
Watching her back as she stood in the kitchen, I recalled the events of the morning.
Tsubaki had spent the entire morning with perfect posture, silently working through problem sets.
I had studied with Mayuko a few times, and she was always fidgety, frowning at difficult problems or slumping over the desk…
In contrast, Tsubaki didn’t change her expression or posture at all.
Thinking of her calm demeanor inevitably brought that man’s face to mind…
――Ding dong
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
I hoped it wasn’t another troublesome visitor… but surely, nobody would bring ashes two days in a row.
“I’ll go handle it.”
“Understood. Take care.”
Tsubaki replied without turning around.
Listening to her voice alone, she didn’t resemble anyone.
…No point in dwelling on it, I should just go to the door.
“Yes, sorry to keep you wai…”
“Yo! Kawakami, how’ve you been!?”
As soon as I opened the door, a high-pitched voice pierced my ears.
The voice belonged to a woman in a striped T-shirt and cropped pants with short hair—
“…Oh, it’s Mishima.”
—My friend, Yoshiko Mishima.
“Hey! I came all the way to visit, and that’s how you greet me!?”
Mishima put her hands on her hips and pouted exaggeratedly.
“I always tell you to call before you come over, don’t I?”
“Come on, don’t sweat the small stuff.”
Now she was laughing cheerfully, showing no remorse.
…I’ve known Mishima since elementary school, but no matter how much I remind her, she never changes her one-sided behavior. Still, she’s not a bad person at heart, so we’ve remained friends.
“Anyway, I brought lunch. Want to eat together? You probably haven’t eaten anything decent, right?”
With those words, she handed me a paper bag from a store known for its vegetable dishes.
“Ah, thanks, but… I already have plans today.”
“Plans?”
Mishima tilted her head, and footsteps approached from behind.
Turning around, I saw Tsubaki in an apron, carrying a smartphone.
“Kawakami-san, your phone is ringing.”
“Oh, thanks.”
When I took the phone, I saw it was an 800 number. It was probably a sales call from a life insurance company. Sorry for bringing it over, but I’ll just ignore it.
“…Kawakami, who’s that girl?”
Mishima asked with a puzzled voice.
It was hard to explain, but I should at least try.
“This is Yoshikawa Tsubaki, Mayuko’s daughter.”
“Tsubaki… oh!”
Suddenly, Mishima’s voice pierced my ears again.
“So you’re Tsubaki-chan!”
“…Huh? Mishima, you knew Tsubaki?”
“Yeah! I got a call from Mayuko’s number recently, and it was Tsubaki-chan!”
When Mishima said this, Tsubaki nodded slightly.
“Yes. Thank you for your help at that time.”
“Don’t mention it!”
Mishima smiled at Tsubaki, who bowed deeply.
“I was so surprised. Mayuko’s death was shocking, but she also asked me to tell her Kawakami’s address, so that she could turn hand over the urn (Ashes).”
“…So, Mishima, you told Tsubaki the address?”
“Yes, I did.”
Tsubaki nodded in place of Mishima.
“Your name was registered as a ‘friend’ in my mother’s phone.”
“I see…”
…I didn’t realize Mayuko and Mishima were so close. I hardly ever saw them together when I wasn’t around.
“So, Tsubaki-chan, did you just get here?”
“No. I arrived yesterday evening and stayed overnight.”
“…I see.”
Suddenly, Mishima’s tone lowered.
…Knowing her for so long, I could tell she was annoyed. But I never understood why she got upset so suddenly.
“…Well, I don’t want to intrude, so I’ll leave. Enjoy the food together!”
Mishima handed over the paper bag, causing Tsubaki to look puzzled.
“Is it alright for me to accept this?”
“Yeah! I figured Kawakami would’ve made you cook lunch.”
“…The way you put that is a bit annoying.”
“Come on, Kawakami, every time I visit, you always make me cook lunch!”
…She always just comes over uninvited and cooks on her own, but arguing wouldn’t help. Better to stay quiet.
“Tsubaki-chan, Kawakami probably doesn’t know what you like, so this can be a side dish! See you!”
With that, Mishima left.
Well, she wasn’t wrong that Tsubaki didn’t know my preferences…
“…I don’t really like the food from this place, though.”
“Still, since it was a gift, we should appreciate it.”
“Yeah, you’re right… By the way, what did you make for lunch?”
“There were ingredients in the fridge, so I made yakisoba… Do you dislike it?”
“No, I don’t think there are many people who dislike yakisoba.”
“That’s good to hear. It’s ready, so let’s have lunch.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
With Mishima gone, it was time to eat.
Returning to the room, Tsubaki arranged the vegetable dishes Mishima brought and the yakisoba she made on the table. Her face remained expressionless.
Even though they look nothing alike, I couldn’t help but think of that man.
“Here you go.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“…I’m sorry. Is it not to your liking after all?”
Tsubaki’s expression visibly darkened.
…It’s not good to lash out and make her uneasy.
“No, it’s not that. I was just worried if your family isn’t concerned about you.”
As I tried to explain, Tsubaki’s expression softened a bit.
“I got permission to be out for the entire summer break, so I don’t think they’re worried.”
“…I see.”
While I managed to cover my outburst, it was still a depressing thought. No one worried about a teenage girl leaving home for over a month…
Casually glancing around, I saw the urn. Instantly, Mayuko’s smile flashed in my mind.
“…I work from home often, but if you don’t mind, you can stay here for the summer break.”
Before I knew it, I was saying something foolish. Tsubaki seemed surprised, her eyes widening before blinking slowly.
“Thank you. I’ll take you up on your offer.”
Then, she smiled with relief and bowed deeply.
…If this expression becomes more frequent, maybe this living arrangement won’t be so bad after all.