Chapter 5
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After having a light meal at the café, I had another smoke and then returned home.
After that, everything was as usual. While I lounged on the sofa, Tsubaki quietly continued studying beside me.
When dinner time came, Tsubaki prepared the meal, and we ate together, engaging in a bit of conversation. The night grew late, and it was now 10:00 PM.
This was the time Tsubaki always went to bed.
“Well, I’m heading back to my room. Sleep whenever you like.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Tsubaki bowed deeply, then lay down on the sofa, wrapping herself in a towel blanket.
… It’s better than being sleep-deprived, but it’s quite an early bedtime for a high school student.
When I was her age, Mayuko and I used to exchange messages late into the night.
――Buzz buzz
Suddenly, the smartphone in my pocket vibrated. The screen displayed a message notification from Mishima.
“Good job today! By the way, when are you going to make up for ditching me?”
…Is it really necessary to make up for turning down a sudden invitation?
Well, it’d be a hassle if she got sulky, so I should just respond appropriately.
“I’ll let you know when I have time.”
The message was marked as read, and an illustration of a smiling dog giving a thumbs-up came back. This should keep her from getting upset.
When I lifted my gaze from the smartphone, I saw the urn on the shelf.
Mayuko and I used to message each other often, but her texts were never as pushy as Mishima’s…
They were always about silly things like interesting manga, TV shows, or small complaints about school and family.
Yet, they were fun, and I thought that those conversations would continue forever…
Before I realized it, I had moved to stand in front of the urn.
Closing my eyes, I could see Mayuko’s smile.
The smile from Tsubaki earlier in the day overlapped with it.
A smile with a hint of childhood innocence…
She really does resemble her.
Since breaking up with Mayuko, I’ve dated a fair number of women and men, some of whom even looked similar to her.
But none of them had such an enchanting smile as she did.
As I reminisced about Mayuko, my eyes naturally opened.
Turning my gaze away from the urn, I noticed that Tsubaki was sleeping peacefully.
Upon closer inspection, her face seemed more innocent than when she was awake.
…My chest felt tight.
The person lying here isn’t her.
Even telling myself that didn’t ease the tightness in my chest.