Burnable Garbage Day

I wake up with a sensation of something dripping onto my cheeks.

Opening my eyes, I see her there, the one who gave birth to me… my deceased mother.

Instinctively, all my emotions overflow, and I cling to her.

“Mom! Mom! I’m sorry…! It’s my fault!! But… I’ve always wanted to see you! I wanted to apologize! I’m sorry! I… I!!… I’m being bullied by Dad and my sisters…! I… I!” I blurt out incoherently, like a child.

But then, “Aoi-kun!! W-Wait, it’s me…!!” I snapped back to reality at her voice.

What am I saying…? Mom is dead.

Looking up, instead of my mother, I see Marin-chan.

“Marin-chan… I’m sorry…”

“It’s… it’s me who should apologize… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” she said, tears streaming down her face.

No. That’s not the face I want to see. I want to see Marin-chan smiling.

I wiped away her tears. 

“Marin-chan… you don’t look good with that face.”

“I’m sorry…! I…! I’m just thinking about myself!!”

“No… I’m the one who should apologize… for not facing my feelings properly…”

“It’s okay! I don’t mind…!”

“I’m sorry… I’m feeling a bit… unwell…” I lay back down on the bed and fell asleep again.

At that moment, I feel like I was dreaming about something, but I forget it when I wake up.

◇ Next morning

I struggled to get up from my unwell state and went to see Marin-chan off.

“Are you okay…? Maybe I should stay home too?”

“I’m fine… really…”

“You don’t look fine at all… Anyway, if anything happens, let me know!”

“Yeah… Thank you.”

“Well then… I’m off, okay?”

“Take care…”

Left behind, I lie down on the living room sofa.

…

Thinking back on what happened yesterday, I started to blush.

I hugged her so tightly… and called her mom…

Ah… so embarrassing.

Lost in these thoughts, I gradually succumb to drowsiness.

◇

“…I can’t do it! Is that so! ” I woke up to the faint sound of a TV, playing some show.

Slowly opening my eyes, I realized there’s a blanket covering me, which should be on the bed.

“Oh, you’re awake? Sorry about that.”

Standing there was… Kanade-san.

As usual, her handsome appearance almost makes me want to add a “-san” to her name.

“What are you doing here?”

“Asking ‘What are you doing here?’ isn’t how you greet someone, you know. Even though I came to visit you while you’re sick. It’s not polite to treat a girl like that.”

“… “

“You probably didn’t think of me as a girl just now.”

“…No, cough…”

“Your condition seems pretty bad. Aren’t you going to the hospital?”

“….I don’t like hospitals.”

“Yeah, well, nobody really likes hospitals, do they? Anyway, you should eat the porridge I made and rest for a bit,” he says, pointing to the plate.

On it… was… black… black… trash?

“Today’s the day for burnable trash, right?”

“Bringing that up now… feels like you’re implying something? Well, I’m really bad at cooking, you see. But hey, there’s no poison in it, so it should be fine.”

The best medicine tastes bitter, or even if it looks like poison, it could still be delicious.

No, no… but sometimes even poison could taste good.

Besides, it’s not good to waste someone’s kindness. Yeah.

I convince myself it’s something tasty and hastily put it in my mouth.

“Oooooouggghhhhhhoooooo!!

10 minutes later…

“I never expected your condition to be so bad that you’d vomit…”

…I didn’t vomit because my condition was bad.

However, I felt a silent pressure from her eyes, warning me not to say anything.

“While I appreciate you coming to visit, are you sure everything is fine with school?”

“I don’t attend school, so it’s fine.”

“… “

“You’re making a face like you heard something unpleasant, but there’s no need to worry. My father is the CEO. Taking over the family business was decided since I was born. That’s why I didn’t go to high school.”

“Oh… I see.”

It makes sense now, considering she was wearing a black suit instead of a school uniform last time.

“So? Are you enjoying your newlywed life?”

“Well… it’s okay, I guess.”

“I see. Well, it’s cruel to ask someone who’s feeling unwell so many questions. I’ll let you rest until Marin comes back.”

“… Take your time.”

Huh? I’m not think at all that I was just fed garbage. I’m not thinking that I was just fed garbage after all. Yep.