My Memories Came Back, But I'm Not Telling My Childhood Friends - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

After taking a bite of something sweet, Maa-chan suddenly relaxed like a completely different person from just moments ago.

“Mmm~ So good~ ♪ So happy~ ♪”

Inside the sweets shop filled with the rich aroma of sugar, Maa-chan happily stuffed her cheeks with shortcake.

She looked cute, but she was eating with huge bites, had cream smeared around her mouth without noticing, and was a little sloppy. No matter how many times I say it, her personality inside is exactly the same as back then.

It’s very much like her, so I guess it’s fine.

“Hey, can I have a bite of your chocolate cake too, Reita?”

“…Sure.”

She looked at me with those wanting eyes, so I held out the cake I hadn’t touched yet.

“Thanks a lot~ ♪”

Maa-chan took way more than just one bite. I wasn’t even that hungry, so it was fine, but it was funny how greedy she still was, just like the old days.

“Mmm~ This one’s delicious too~ ♪”

She savored the chocolate cake and smiled again with pure happiness. Just watching her made me smile too.

…When was the last time I felt like this?

It hit me again—I really had been living in a cold, harsh world until now.

“Then here’s my return gift.”

“Huh?”

“Here, say ‘ahh’.”

“…Wait, hold on.”

I wondered what she meant by return gift, and she was already holding out a piece of cake right in front of my mouth. Normally this kind of thing is what couples do…

Right, I’d forgotten she has that weird sense of personal space.

“Come on, Reita, hurry up or it’s gonna fall.”

“…”

I hesitated, but refusing would just make things awkward again, so I reluctantly ate the cake she offered.

“How is it? Delicious?”

“…Yeah. It’s good.”

“Fufu. I’m glad.”

Even though I was the one who ate it, Maa-chan smiled happily.

Sweet… Way too sweet…

The air right now felt so sugary it might give me heartburn. It was like my frozen heart had suddenly been bathed in warm spring sunlight.

Do I even deserve to be in a place like this?

The thought crossed my mind for a moment.

I still haven’t changed at all, and I haven’t even apologized to Maa-chan yet…

Maybe now’s the time to say it.

I had planned to apologize once I got my old self back, but from now on I’ll probably have plenty of chances to see her. Half the awkwardness is probably because of that, so if possible I want to clear it up soon. Since Maa-chan already told me she’s not mad about what happened back then, I need to give her the reply I messed up last time.

“Hey, Asa—”

“Oh right, Reita.”

But the moment I made up my mind, our voices overlapped.

“Uh…”

“Go ahead, Maa-chan, you first.”

No choice but to listen to her first.

“Okay, so… Reita, you still haven’t remembered anything yet, right?”

“…Y-yeah. That’s right.”

“That’s why I was thinking, now that four years have passed, maybe talking about the old days will help you remember some stuff~”

Maa-chan brought up something pretty bold. She really does want my memories back…

It made me simply happy, but because I was lying, a strange guilt twisted inside me.

“What do you think?”

“…Sounds good.”

Since my memories are already back, it doesn’t mean anything, but turning down the suggestion in this flow would be weird, so I had no choice but to go along with it.

Well, sharing old stories itself isn’t a bad idea. Maybe I’ll finally understand what Maa-chan really feels deep down.

With that thought, I slowly started listening to her talk.

◇ ◇ ◇

Our meeting was just pure coincidence.

Our parents weren’t especially close, and there wasn’t any special connection between our families. At the kindergarten entrance ceremony, we just happened to stand next to each other because of name order—that was our only link.

Back then I was still too young to really understand much, but for some reason that scene is strangely clear in my mind.

While I stood there nervous, swallowed up by the noisy ceremony, Maa-chan turned around and our eyes met with a little spark. Then she smiled at me, just like she does now, like a flower blooming open.

I wonder if I smiled back at her then…

After that, because we were always next to each other in name order, we naturally started spending time together.

Maybe our personalities matched well, because we never really fought. Whenever there was free time, we’d be standing side by side. Whether we were running around the playground, eating lunch, or even during nap time, we’d wrap ourselves up together in the same blanket.

Before long we started meeting after kindergarten and on days off too, and eventually we got so close we’d even sleep over at each other’s houses.

The time I spent with Maa-chan was calm and peaceful. Every single day felt wrapped in happiness.

By the way, our parents weren’t that close.

They did keep in touch, but I don’t remember ever seeing our moms chatting and laughing together much.

In fact, I barely knew Maa-chan’s mom.

From the very first time I met her, she had this cold atmosphere. Just having her look at me made my back stiffen up with fear. Even now when I think back, that impression hasn’t changed.

Maybe she didn’t come from a very warm family.

On days off she was always at my house from morning till night, and whenever she stayed over it was always at my place. The few times we went to play at her house, her parents were never there. She hardly ever talked about her family either.

I didn’t think much of it back then, but now it feels a little strange.

And so, little by little, Maa-chan and I became so close we couldn’t be separated…

By the time we entered elementary school, Rin and Soraka had joined our circle too.

We already knew them from kindergarten, but once we were in the same class, we got close really fast. Rin and Maa-chan became best friends right away, and before I knew it Soraka and I were getting along great too.

Like that, we all slowly deepened our bonds while time gently flowed by.

◇ ◇ ◇

Every single word felt like turning the pages of a dusty old photo album.

As she talked, she kept narrowing her eyes. Nostalgia and a tender longing for times that could never come back were clearly showing on her face.

“And then, when we had sleepovers, we’d sleep together, you know? Looking back now it’s kind of embarrassing. Oh, and we used to take baths together too… And after that—”

I already know everything. I’ve remembered it all.

Hearing it again made me realize just how precious those memories really were. At the same time, regret washed over me for having destroyed them.

I never knew Maa-chan had treasured our memories this much. Maybe she’s felt this way ever since back then…? Even after I told her I hated her, she still…

If that’s true, then I—

I really have to live up to their expectations.

That feeling grew even stronger inside me.