A Story About a Girl Who Took Life for Granted and Fell in Love With a Kind and Introverted Boy - Chapter 23.1

…An apartment with a single six-tatami room and a small kitchen. I lived here with my mom.

“…”

After finishing a phone call with Kana, I stared at the dark screen of my phone for a while. Then, letting out a small sigh, I slipped it back into my pocket.

“…Kenji? What’s wrong?”

My mom, lying down on a futon spread out on the tatami, asked me.

“Oh, sorry, Mom, did I wake you? I was just talking with a friend.”

“I see. It’s already late at night, so don’t stay up too long, alright?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s over now, so it’s fine.”

Then, I took tofu, radish, green onions, and miso out from the small fridge by the kitchen, setting them on the cutting board to prepare miso soup. This was for tomorrow morning; if I didn’t prepare it now, there’d be nothing for Mom to eat at home.

“Hey! I told you not to come into my room! Get out, you hag!”

“Waaah! Mammaaa! Mammaaa!”

“Oh! Yes, got it! Riichi, one-shot tsumo, three colors with a Dora, Haneman!”

The voices of other residents echoed as if they were right next to us. There was a delinquent yelling at his mother, a child crying and calling for her mom, and college students shouting as they played mahjong.

“Did you have fun at school today, Kenji?” my mom asked, blending her voice into the chaos around us.

“Of course, today was fun too.”

“That’s nice to hear.”

“We’re preparing for the school festival, so we’re working on a play. The phone call I just had was about that.”

“Oh, so you’re in the play, Kenji? Are you playing a role?”

“Yes, I’m playing Giovanni in Night on the Galactic Railroad.”

As I chopped green onions with a rhythmic ton-ton, I also set a pot of water on the stove to boil.

“…Night on the Galactic Railroad, hmm?”

There was a slight tremble in my mom’s voice. Sensing something was wrong, I cautiously asked, “What’s wrong?”

“…I don’t like Night on the Galactic Railroad.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It was a favorite book of ‘that man’.”

“…”

The man she mentioned was…her ex-husband, my father.

“Really…why did I ever marry a man like that? If only I’d known he was a cheater, I’d never have married him…”

“…”

“Kenji, don’t ever become a man like that. A man who hurts people.”

“…”

“And choose a partner who’s sincere with you, someone who won’t lie, someone honest.”

I stopped chopping the onions and quietly said, “Alright.” The soft bubbling sound from the pot echoed quietly in the room.

—

The next day, I headed to school as usual.

The summer heat had completely faded, replaced by the cool breezes of autumn. The sun’s rays were gentle now, no longer searingly hot.

(The festival is in two days…I’ve got to do my best again today!)

The responsibility of playing the lead role filled me with determination as I entered the classroom.

When the school festival approaches, even the teachers are more understanding. Some allow us to use class time to prepare instead of holding regular lessons.

Gratefully, I used this time to practice the play. We gathered in the classroom, putting on our costumes and rehearsing the scenes.

“Giovanni, do you think that river is illuminated by moonlight?”

“No, Campanella, it’s not moonlight. It glows because it’s the Milky Way.”

In the center of the classroom, we acted out Night on the Galactic Railroad. Just yesterday and today, we’d rehearsed so many times that I’d lost count.

Even though Kana didn’t know much about Night on the Galactic Railroad, she put her own spin on Campanella.

“I want to be Campanella.”

“…”

Her words from that day kept echoing in my ears.

I couldn’t help but wonder about her intentions. No matter how much I thought about it, I wouldn’t know the answer unless I asked her directly. Yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Ding-dong, ding-dong

The bell signaling a break rang, and we took a short rest.

Some went to the restroom, others went to get drinks, and others started chatting with friends.

“…Soon, we’ll arrive at the Swan Station. I love watching swans. Even if they’re flying far away by the river, I can still see them…”

Kana was sitting alone, staring at her script, her lips moving slightly as she murmured her lines. She didn’t look well today, her face paler than usual. She blinked several times and occasionally rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

(Is she alright…? Should I say something?)

I felt an urge to approach her, but before I could, a classmate spoke up.

“Kana, are you okay? You look pale.”

“Hm…I’m just a bit sleep-deprived.”

“Really? What were you doing all night?”

“I was practicing my lines…I haven’t slept since yesterday.”

“Whoa!? You pulled an all-nighter? You should take care of yourself!”

“But there’s not much time before the festival…I want to be able to play Campanella properly.”

She returned to her script.

I stood by, quietly watching her.

—

That evening, after another late rehearsal, I walked home, gazing at the dimly lit street beneath the streetlights.

(Kana…)

I hadn’t known she’d been practicing all night. The fact that she’d even called me about it showed her seriousness, but…

(I just hope she takes care of herself too. With the change in seasons, I don’t want her to overdo it…)

I found myself worrying about her.

Realizing this, I let out a small sigh.

(I really am…hopeless. Every day, it’s like she’s all I think about. Day after day, there’s not a moment I don’t think about her…)

I felt frustrated with my own indecisiveness.

I wanted to keep liking her, yet at the same time, I wanted to move on. These conflicting feelings kept swirling inside me.

I wanted to end this turmoil, to find a solution, to move forward.

But how…?

“…Kenji?”

Someone called my name.

Looking up, I saw a figure standing by a utility pole. It was a man in a suit, slightly taller than me.

“Hey, it’s really you, Kenji. Finally, I got to see you.”

“…”

“Must be tough, being out this late as a student.”

“…”

The man speaking to me so familiarly was…

My father.

“Dad…”

“Kenji, could I have a little of your time?”

“Time…?”

“Just a bit. I just want to talk.”

He smiled softly.

—

“…Excuse me, two coffees, please.”

Dad ordered as a nearby waitress came over.

We were now sitting in a quiet café with no other customers. Sitting across from each other, he looked at my face, while I stared at the knot of his tie.

“It’s been five years…Kenji, you’ve grown up so much.”

As he reminisced, I replied lightly, “I guess so.”

“How’s Yuriko? Is she doing well?”

“…Mom’s alright, I guess. She almost ended up in the hospital recently, but she seems to be recovering.”

“I see, that’s good to hear.”

“…”

“How’s school going? You’ve always been smart, so I bet your grades are great, right?”

“…”

“By the way, have you been reading any books lately? I found one that you might really enjoy…”

“Dad, what did you want to talk about?”