A Story About a Girl Who Took Life for Granted and Fell in Love With a Kind and Introverted Boy

Our conversation felt both like talking with a friend I’d known for years and like talking to a complete stranger.

“From the very beginning, I really identified with Giovanni. His circumstances felt so similar to mine that he never seemed like a stranger.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. A father who went out to sea and never returned, a mother bedridden with illness, no close friends, and then on top of it all, he’s bullied… I really felt Giovanni’s loneliness. I read it over and over, memorizing lines as if I were studying.”

“……”

“I mean, my parents divorced, and my dad was gone. My mom was sick and always lying down. I didn’t have any friends either. I wasn’t bullied as badly as Giovanni, but people would laugh and call me a loner.”

“……”

“Giovanni, who was so lonely, gets to ride the Galactic Railroad with his beloved friend, Campanella. That part excited me so much. I felt as if I was right there with them on the train. When I read the part where Campanella dies, I cried so hard. I mean, isn’t it cruel? Giovanni loved Campanella so much. Just thinking about Giovanni’s feelings—it tore me apart.”

“……”

“Still… sometimes I find myself envying Giovanni, even though he went through so much sadness.”

“Envy him?”

“Giovanni cared about Campanella more than anyone else. To love someone that much, from the bottom of your heart… that’s something truly beautiful, don’t you think?”

“……”

“So yeah, I envy Giovanni. Campanella made the journey on the Galactic Railroad so much fun. Campanella was Giovanni’s hope.”

“……”

I suddenly realized I’d been talking too much.

After taking a breath, I said, “Sorry, I talked too much,” and apologized to her.

“No, it’s okay. When you talk about something you love, you always get like this… saying so much, about so many things.”

“……”

Her words made me recall the museums and art exhibits we had visited together.

We saw so much, just the two of us. Those times had been truly fun…

(No, stop it. What am I thinking? That was in the past. Dwelling on it is only going to hurt more, so… it’s better to forget.)

Shaking my head to clear the memories of Kana, I picked up my pencil and started drawing again.

“Hey, Saito.”

“What is it?”

“Um… to you…”

“……”

Kana paused before she continued.

“Who is your Campanella?”

I looked up without answering. For the first time, I faced her directly.

Her beautiful eyes, so deep they seemed to pull me in, were staring straight at me.

“……”

The tension in the air was almost unbearable.

In the stillness, I could hear her swallow, her expression taut with nerves.

“……”

But that moment only lasted a second. I quickly looked down and apologized, saying, “Sorry.”

“It’s almost eight.”

“……”

“I think I’ll head home. You should, too. Your mother would worry.”

“… Yeah.”

That was the last word exchanged between us that day.

—

The next morning.

As usual, I was on my way to school.

With only three days left until the cultural festival, it was time to try on costumes and do some serious rehearsing.

“……”

My mind kept going back to yesterday, to Kana’s question.

“Who is your Campanella?”

“……”

I couldn’t answer her.

I didn’t know what to say.

And that uncertainty gnawed at me, leaving an ache like a hollow wind blowing through an empty space in my heart.

(Come on, stop. Stop thinking about Kana. It’s time to move on…)

Giving myself a quick slap on both cheeks, I walked into the classroom.

“Hey, what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. We’ll just have to get replacements…”

It wasn’t even homeroom yet, but the whole class was buzzing.

“What’s going on?” I asked a nearby classmate, who replied in a worried tone.

“Giovanni and Campanella got the flu.”

“What?”

“The flu means at least five days out of school… they won’t be in the play.”

So that’s why everyone was in an uproar—our two lead actors wouldn’t be in the cultural festival.

“What should we do? Who can replace them?”

“Not me; I’m already in a different role.”

“I’m on the lighting crew, so I can’t go on stage.”

“Same here! I’m the only one running the sound.”

Switching roles just before the performance was impossible for most. If it had been a minor role, maybe, but no one wanted to step in for the leads. It would have been challenging even with several days to rehearse, but with only three days left, stepping into the main role took guts.

After a series of back-and-forth refusals, someone finally suggested, “How about someone from the art team?”

“Good idea! The props are all finished, so they’re free on the day of the play.”

“Hey! Anyone from the art team wants to help?”

The whole class turned to look at us on the art team.

But no one wanted to take the lead role on such short notice. It was a lot to ask, and everyone understood that.

“……”

I pressed my lips together, then slowly raised my hand.

“If… if it’s okay with everyone… I’ll do it.”

“Really? You’re okay with it, Saito?”

“I’m not good in front of people, but I know the lines by heart, so… I might be able to manage.”

“Thanks, Saito!”

The class erupted in cheers for me.

I’d read Night on the Galactic Railroad countless times. Compared to someone who didn’t know the story well, I was definitely better suited for the role.

I was terrified, but… I had to try for the class’s sake.

“So, Saito, which role will you take? Giovanni or Campanella?”

“Um, I guess… I’ll do Giovanni. The one with the most lines. Memorizing all the lines in just three days would be really hard for anyone else.”

“Great! Thanks, Saito!”

“Uh, no problem…”

“Now we just need someone for Campanella. Anyone willing to take it on?”

Just as those words echoed through the classroom, I heard a voice.

“I… I’ll do it!”

Everyone turned to look at the girl who spoke.

It was Kana.

“Really? Kana, you’ll play Campanella?”

She nodded.