I Hope You’re Still Alive When Tomorrow Comes - 35 (END)

Chapter 35: (Final Episode) You and Tomorrow

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There were many people on the beach, unlike that day. Of course, there were no people swimming. The temperature was too cold for a swim after all. However, quite a few people were frolicking in the waves, barefoot. Some were dipping their feet into the ocean. 

Seeing this, Kiho was eager to copy them. She carried her sneakers in both hands and walked along the water’s edge. 

“Hiwatari-kun once told me…”

“What did he say?”

“She said Nanami-san is jealous of me. She said I’m so smart and good at studying.”

“…Oh.”

That definitely sounded like something Nanami would say. She had always been unabashedly vocal about her admiration towards people who excelled in something. I had heard similar things from Nanami too. She would often say,”Kan-chan is so smart~ Must be nice to be you~” or… “You’re so good at sport, how nice~ I want to be like you too..” So she said with eyes full of admiration and envy, so I didn’t feel bad about it. Instead, she just fueled my sense of superiority.

“When I heard that, I… I couldn’t stop myself from feeling furious with her.”

She looked down, obscuring her face from my view as she dipped her toes into the water. 

“I’m good at studying because that’s all I ever do all this time. I’ve been working my ass off studying hard. I’ve always been bad at socializing. I couldn’t get along well with my peers both in elementary school and middle school. But, because I could study a little better than other kids, I decided to focus on that. Then eventually, I became the best one at studying in my year. I started to think what a fool I was, worrying about not getting along with the other kids, worrying whether I would be able to make friends… Things like that. Because I got the best grade in my year, because I can study better than anyone else… I started to stop caring about the fact that I can’t get along with the other kids around me. I started to consider them not on the same level as me, that they were not worth worrying about.”

I stood a little behind Kiho, listening to her words intently. With each sentence she spoke, I realized her shoulders started to tremble ever so slightly. 

“Studying has been my lifeline. It’s always been. That’s the only thing I have to keep my pride. The only thing that can keep me going, but…”

Kiho trailed. She tilted her head slightly toward the sky. The waves lapped up, wetting her ankles.

“While Nanami-san… She never had to worry about such a thing. After all, even if she wasn’t good at studying, she would be forgiven for everything. She has Tsuchiya-kun… Hiwatari-kun, her family and her friends… Just by existing, just by living… Just by smiling, everyone already cherishes her and loves her.”

Kiho said softly. Her voice sounded a bit hoarse.

“She was able to get the things I’m dying to get without doing anything. And yet, she doesn’t appreciate what she has. That’s why… I couldn’t forgive her for being able to easily throw those things away as if it was nothing. I thought of wanting to see her in despair after taking away something important to her.”

Kiho said in one breath. She then exhaled heavily. Unable to see her expression from behind, I walked to her.

“Kiho, you-“

As I approached her, I could see her toenails, which were painted in a faint purple, shimmering against the sunlight. The waves lapped again, dampening the tips of my sneakers. 

“You already have what Nanami is dying to have. I think.”

Ignoring the water seeping into my sneakers, I stood next to Kiho without any hesitation. She then slowly lifted her face to look at me. 

“That’s why…”

I met her gaze head-on.

“That plan.. Just stop it.”

I recalled seeing Nanami crying through the bus window.

“…The plan.”

“Yes, the plan to take Hiwatari away from Nanami.”

I continued on. My voice sounded desperate, surprising even myself. 

“…I just don’t want to see Nanami crying anymore.”

Kiho said nothing. She just stared at my face. Her expressionless face, however, seemed oddly serene. 

Eventually, she shifted her gaze back to the sea, squinting against the sunlight. 

“…Okay.”

She murmured quietly before she suddenly placed her sneakers on the beach.

She then lightly lifted the hem of the white pleated skirt she was wearing and started walking along the shore again. She went a bit deeper, careful not to get her skirt wet. 

“That’s why…”

I called out from behind her back. 

“I really think you should go back to your original hair color too.”

“My original hair color?”

“Yeah, back to brown.”

As I said so, I suddenly remembered the day when I first talked to Kiho on the train in April. At that time, her hair was black. 

“…Wait? Your hair was black in April?”

“Ah, yes. I dyed my hair before transferring to Tsuchiya-kun’s high school. I thought that hair color would suit Tsuchiya-kun’s preferences.”

“My preferences?”

“Because Tsuchiya-kun seemed like the playboy type, I thought you might prefer a lighter, more casual look than a neat and tidy one.”

“….I look like a playboy?”

“Well, you know… You suddenly talked to a girl you didn’t know on the train after all…”

Feeling a bit embarrassed at Kiho’s teasing tone, I retorted. 

“It’s not like I do that sort of thing everyday. You looked pale on that day, that’s all. I wouldn’t talk to a girl I didn’t know so nonchalantly like that.”

Besides, just a few days before that day, Nanami collapsed on her way to school. If that hadn’t happened, I probably wouldn’t have called out to Kiho that day. Hence why…

“Far from being a playboy, I’m actually very devoted. A bit too devoted even. Almost overbearing.”

All of my decisions so far had been awfully influenced by Nanami.

“Yes. Indeed. Tsuchiya-kun is surprisingly the loyal type.”

“Right? I even chose this high school just because I wanted to be in the same school as the girl I liked.”

“…Is that so?”

I said self-deprecatingly. I was being nonchalant about it, but, to my surprise, Kiho answered in a serious sounding tone. Taken aback by the sudden chance in her voice, I hesitated a bit before replying. 

“Yeah. I didn’t want to reduce the time I could spend with Nanami, hence why I chose this high school.”

I didn’t even waver. Not even once. 

Everything for Nanami sake. I reasoned. Though… Deep down in my heart, I knew my reason wasn’t as noble as that. I just wanted to be with Nanami. As simple as that. 

“…What’s that…”

Upon hearing my answer, the smile suddenly disappeared from Kiho’s face. As if all strength had left her, Kiho sighed before laughing softly. 

“Did you really choose your high school for such a stupid reason, Tsuchiya-kun?”

“I mean, it’s fine isn’t it ? It’s just a high school.”

“…But you know for me…”

Looking exasperated, Kiho smiled with a hint of tears. 

“I was in despair, you know. I even thought of ending my life. All because of high school.”

Kiho crouched down, but since she looked like she was about to fall down, I instinctively grabbed her hand. 

“That’s stupid.”

I retorted, almost jabbing it at her. 

“Any high school should’ve been fine. A high school is just a stepping stone. It doesn’t matter which high school you go to, what’s important is how hard you can study there.”

“You’re right.”

Kiho murmured with a crooked, weird smile. Her other hand lifted weakly to cover her face. 

“I was so stupid.”

“I mean, yeah, North High School is not a great school academically, but you know, I was thinking of staying at the first place of our grade while I’m here and then just get into a good university later on. Everything will be just fine.”

Kiho nodded in agreement but then, she suddenly looked up as if she had just remembered something. She then chuckled softly. 

“What are you talking about?”

She murmured mischievously.

“Now that I’m here, it’s impossible for Tsuchiya-kun to get first place. In fact, you already lost to me in the last mock exam, remember? Did you forget about that?”

“Shut up… I was slacking off. I will try harder next time. I’ll be sure to get first place then.”

“Unfortunately, I doubt you can get the first place, Tsuchiya-kun. Unlike you, who has been busy daydreaming about love for years, I’ve dedicated my life to studying. Don’t underestimate the nerd ones, okay?”

“Hooo~ I’ll be looking forward to the next test then.”

I said with a laugh, Kiho also chuckled along but then, she suddenly lifted her foot vigorously and splashed the water on me.

“Whoa-!”

The splashing water sprayed me, reaching my legs. Some even got on my stomach. 

“Oi, don’t do childish stuff like that.”

Despite my exasperation, Kiho continued to splash more water on me, laughing heartily. My jeans absorbed the water, causing it to feel heavier. The hem of her long skirt was completely soaked too. 

“Stop it, I didn’t bring any change of clothes today.”

“Me neither. That’s why, I thought of not going home today.”

“Huh?”

“You have money, right?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“You see, I…”

Looking up at my face, Kiho squinted her eyes, seemingly dazzled by the sunlight.

“Today is so much fun. I’ve been looking forward to today. I was determined to keep on living no matter what, all for today.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s why… I don’t want the day to come to an end. I want to continue living the day as long as possible. You know, that’s all I’ve been thinking about since we were on the train.”

“….What’s with that…”

I ended up tightening my grip on her hand without realizing. 

“We can always make another day like today.”

“Huh?”

“We can make another plan and find another place to go, just like today.”

“….I guess you’re right.”

After a brief moment of pause, a smile appeared on Kiho’s face again.

“Then…”

With a slightly crumpled smile that made her to be on the verge of tears, Kiho squeezed my hand back. 

“Let’s look for the next place to go on the train ride back.”

“Yeah.”

“Before today ends, let’s make another promise, so I can keep thinking I want to live on.”

“….Alright.”

In that case, we just needed to keep doing this, forever. There were countless places that I wanted to visit with her anyway. We just needed to keep making promises for as long as we could. On and on to no end, so that she could keep on living. Tomorrow and the next day after too.

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T/N: We still have extra chapters! 6 of them!