What's under Kamiyama-san's paper bag? - 26 - Chapter 24

What’s under Kamiyama-san’s paper bag?

Chapter 24 Kamiyama-san looks up at the sky.

I hear the sound of rain hitting the vinyl umbrella in my ears. The four of us from the conversation club, walking without a specific destination, practicing conversation on a rainy day. We have the purpose of learning to appreciate the rain, but now that we’re outside, we can’t seem to find any good topics.

It seems the others are experiencing the same dilemma. Arai walks with a smile but remains silent, while Harusame talks to a rain-soaked and worn-out panel of a magical girl. As for Kamiyama-san, despite using an umbrella, she is completely drenched.

In this situation, as the one who proposed the topic of the rainy season, I feel like I should provide a topic of conversation. That’s what I think. So, I decided to bring up a topic that could serve as a starting point for conversation.

“Ah… it has been raining since morning. I wonder if there’s anything good about the rain?”

Arai reacts to my suggestion.

“What’s good about the rain? Well, one thing that comes to mind is that if it didn’t rain, all living organisms on Earth wouldn’t have water to drink,” Arai gives her typical exemplary answer. I nod in agreement with her opinion and expand on the conversation.

“You always look at things from a broader perspective. But you’re right. So, is there something more relatable to us that we can think of?” I ask. Arai’s smile disappears, and she responds with that unfathomable expression, as if looking into the distance, that she showed earlier.

“What are you talking about, Kominato? Water is closely related to our daily lives—”

I quickly interrupt her, “Y-Yeah! That’s right! Water is important! Yes, water is essential, that’s for sure! Ah… besides water, can you think of anything else?”

I glance sideways and see that Arai has returned to her usual smiling face. Rainy days with Arai are so eerie.

In response to my question, Harusame speaks up, “Well… I feel like on rainy days, the grass and flowers by the roadside seem to be happy… I guess. When I see that, it makes me feel a little happy too…”

Harusame smiles while looking at the hydrangeas growing by the roadside. It was such an adorable answer that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Once again, that’s such a girly answer,” I say with a laugh, and Harusame’s face turns to a look of realization as she hurriedly corrects herself.

“You, you, you idiot! There’s no way I would say something so girly! That’s not it! The… the… goats! Yes, it’s the goats, the goats that eat the grass! Those goats… they’re poor goats destined to be sacrifices… um, um… the grass for the goats’ last supper is happy… happily…”

“Once again, your thinking is sick.”

“It’s for offering the goats as sacrifices!”

“To whom?”

“…T-To A-chan…?”

“A-chan must be a demon… Alright, calm down a little.”

Harusame’s face turns bright red as she stammers in a panic.

In the continuing drizzle, I further expand on Harusame’s opinion.

“Well, maybe there is something to the idea of plants and flowers being happy. I can understand the feeling of being healed when observing nature.”

“Really…?”

Harusame looks up at me with her eyes slightly raised. I nod, and she smiles sweetly.

Kamiyama-san, who had been listening to our conversation, speaks up.

“On rainy days…”

“Oh, did you think of something too, Kamiyama-san?”

“Yes… uhm… on rainy days… it feels like we don’t have to try so hard… right?”

“Don’t have to try so hard? What do you mean?”

Arai reacts to my words.

“I think I understand that a little too. On sunny days, you feel like you have to give it your all and strive, but on rainy days, it’s okay to take it easy and even take breaks. It’s like being allowed to do that. Does that make sense?”

Kamiyama-san nodded as a droplet of sweat fell from the paper bag protected by a plastic bag.

“Yes… I always feel like I have to try my best… but even when I do, I always end up failing… But on rainy days, it feels like the sky is telling me that I don’t have to try so hard… That’s how it feels.”

Kamiyama-san said that and looked up at the sky with the white plastic bag covering her head.

Not having to try so hard on rainy days, huh? It’s a typical answer from Kamiyama-san, who is always so diligent, I thought.

“Have you ever thought that way, Kominato…?”

Kamiyama-san asked, tilting their head with the plastic bag. From the hole in the bag, their bright black eyes were looking at me.

I shifted my gaze from Kamiyama-san’s eyes to the gray sky and answered.

“I’ve never really thought about it that way before. But now that you mention it, it might be true. Always striving can be tiring, and on rainy days, it’s okay to rest a bit, so to speak. It makes me feel like I could come to like the rain a little.”

The rain that had been falling since morning gradually subsided, and a patch of clear sky appeared in the eastern horizon.

Harusame suddenly exclaimed in a loud voice.

“Oh, look!” “What’s wrong, did you see a demon or something?”

“No, not that, you idiot Kominato! Look!”

Harusame pointed to the sky, and we simultaneously shifted our gaze to where Harusame’s finger was pointing. There, there was… —There was a beautiful rainbow stretching across the sky.

We were all rendered speechless at the same time and remained in that posture for a while, gazing up at the sky. While looking up at the sky, Kamiyama-san spoke.

“Even on rainy days… spending time with everyone like this… might be a good thing, right?”

I looked at Kamiyama-san, who was looking up at the sky with a slightly dazzled expression. Today, Kamiyama-san seemed to be initiating more conversations than usual. Perhaps they were getting more accustomed to conversations. It seems that the activities of the Conversation Club are proving to be helpful.

Kamiyama-san, who had been gazing at the rainbow in the sky, noticed my gaze and our eyes met suddenly. Kamiyama-san became embarrassed and quickly averted her gaze. A drop of sweat fell from the hem of their skirt, making a splashing sound as it landed in a puddle at her feet.

Well, this shy side of her won’t be cured for a while, I suppose.

Mondays are gloomy, and if it’s raining, even more so… However, gazing at the rainbow together with everyone is something special.

Thanks to Kamiyama-san, I’ve come to like the rain and Mondays, even if just a little.