When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 36: The Goodbye I Couldn't Say to You

Chapter 36: The Goodbye I Couldn’t Say to You

It was the last class of the morning. Recently, I haven’t been staying up late at night, so I don’t feel sleepy during class anymore. Well, that’s normal and expected of a student, but still, not feeling drowsy like this is somehow a pleasant feeling.

“…Kenichi is hopeless, isn’t he?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I glanced at Kenichi next to me, almost drifting off into dreamland. Of course, it wasn’t just Kenichi who was sleeping or on the verge of it; there were a few others as well. The teacher must have noticed, but whether he’s just overlooking it or is simply resigned, I can’t tell.

That’s when I spotted an unusual sight among my classmates.

(…Arika?)

Arika looked like she was about to fall asleep, just like Kenichi. It was highly unusual for Arika. She never sleeps during class and always behaves in a way that sets an example for other students. With excellent grades and immense trust from the teachers, seeing Arika on the verge of sleep was quite rare.

Arika’s seat was towards the front and easily caught the teacher’s eye, and I could see the teacher’s confusion. That just showed how unusual Arika’s behavior was.

In the end, Arika didn’t lift her head until the class was over, and only when the bell rang did she startle and wake up.

“It’s rare to see Arika sleeping.”

“Ah, haha… Well, I guess it happens sometimes.”

Arika laughed shyly, but there was something that caught my attention. I know from my own experience that when you’re sleepy or have been sleeping, the drowsiness doesn’t easily go away. So usually, you can tell someone is still sleepy from their expression, but Arika didn’t seem to have any of that. She looked so refreshed that I wondered if she really had been sleeping. Maybe she just snapped out of her drowsiness by sleeping briefly.

“Hey, Ren-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to be alone with you. Shall we go to the rooftop?”

I thought there might really be something up. After giving an apologetic glance to Kenichi and the others, who had already finished rearranging their desks, I followed Arika to the rooftop. It was the usual scene, but as usual, it seemed no one else was around – a rarity for this place.

As soon as the door to the rooftop closed behind us with a bang, Arika hugged me from behind. While stroking her arms wrapped around my stomach, I asked her if something had happened. Arika nodded.

“Yes… something did. But it’s okay now, I’ve already said goodbye.”

“Goodbye?”

“Yes.”

Goodbye… I naturally didn’t understand what she meant, but I didn’t ask. I knew it was okay because of Arika’s expression and her words. Being close to Arika like this felt good, but I couldn’t forget our original purpose.

“Thanks, Ren-kun. Now, let’s eat our lunch!”

“Yeah.”

And so, we started eating our bentos together, just like we always did. As time passed and we finished our meals, Arika rested her head on my shoulder.

“Ren-kun, I’m so happy I met you. Truly happy… I never want to be apart from you.”

“I feel the same… but, you know, it sounds like a flag, which is kind of scary.”

“Ahaha, you’re right. It does sound like that.”

There’s always the fear of something dramatic happening, like being hit by a train or dealing with reincarnation. Even trivial words can feel like ominous flags, and it’s frightening. I asked Arika, whose head was resting on my shoulder, to lift it slightly so I could spread my arms and stroke her head.

“…But really, this morning was a shock.”

“Yeah… I felt like someone was watching me even when I was heading home.”

That incident with the trash can being knocked over at the garbage disposal area might have been his doing. The thought was more disturbing than reassuring, even though nothing happened to me when I was alone. It was genuinely creepy.

“Did he go that far? We should tell this to Asami-san.”

“…But, no extreme measures.”

“Fufu, don’t worry♪”

Her smile towards me was beautiful, but Arika’s earlier expression was sinister, almost as if capable of ruining someone. Yet, even such a menacing smile suits her. Arika really can wear any expression.

“Ah, right, Arika.”

“What is it~?”

“It’s almost Nee-san’s birthday. Do you have any plans—”

“Of course, I’ll come!!”

Arika’s expression at that moment was intense. It was sudden, but we ended up discussing arrangements for Nee-san’s birthday shopping, and before we knew it, lunch break was almost over. Despite being in school and under watchful eyes, as soon as the rooftop door closed behind us, Arika wrapped her arms around mine.

“I’ll show everyone. That Ren-kun is the person I love.”

“Then I’ll have to make sure everyone knows Arika is the person I love too.”

With that, we looked at each other and laughed.

On the way, we bumped into the student guidance teacher. Although we didn’t get a good look, Arika’s defiant glare seemed to frighten him away. He left us with a wish for our happiness… Somehow, seeing that usually strict teacher like that made me feel quite guilty.

“…But,”

While walking in step with Arika, a question suddenly struck me. As I stopped, Arika, looking puzzled, turned to me. The doubt I had was about Mikami.

“If the gaze we felt in front of my house was Mikami’s, could he really catch up to us after we got into the car?”

“That is…”

If he had hailed a taxi, that would make sense… But on second thought, the quality of the gaze felt different. The one in front of my house and the one we felt leaving the restaurant… It could be just an overthinking or a misunderstanding, but if it’s not, then the thought of whose gaze that was at my house becomes a scary story.

“Sorry. Maybe I’m thinking too much.”

“…No, I think it’s important to pay attention to such discomfort. It’s better to discuss it now than regret it later if something happens. Shall we talk to Asami-san about this?”

“…Okay.”

…Right, it seems better to be cautious even about a small discomfort. After all, if it’s something I felt in front of my house, it’s not just my problem.

So, here Arika and I were, pondering over this matter, unaware that it would eventually resolve itself without our knowledge.

During the afternoon classes, Arika, with a clear head, not feeling any of the sleepiness from the morning, was looking at the blackboard. As she had told Ren, it was as if she had been sleeping. In fact, she even had dream-like experiences, which were almost certain.

“…Ren-kun,”

Arika thought but didn’t ask him in detail at lunch. She was happy that he had silently stroked her head without saying anything. She herself didn’t know how to convey her feelings, and she recognized that the issue of that dream had already been resolved.

“…It looks like you’re having fun, day after day.”

In the dream, a person who looked remarkably like her beloved had spoken to her. That was when Arika realized – this person was someone she “used to” like. It wasn’t that she felt nothing for the presence before her, nor that she didn’t want to say anything. However, she didn’t attempt to ask about the previous world… she didn’t think he wanted that.

“Yes. Every day is fun. Really fun… I’m so happy.”

When Arika said this, the man in front of her smiled faintly. Arika didn’t know what he thought of her words, but she didn’t call out to him as he turned his back. Watching his receding figure, Arika whispered softly.

“…Goodbye.”

She decided to stop dwelling on the past and walk towards the future that lay before her. She would live desperately in the world she could reach now, not in the one she had once lived in… That must be what Arika needed to do. A person cannot become happy alone, nor can they remain unhappy alone.

“I will walk on. Firmly in this world… together with the people I love.”

Therefore, if he also had a new world, she prayed that he would find happiness just like them. With that prayer, Arika woke up from the dream.

“It’s rare for Arika to sleep.”

“Ah, haha… Well, I guess this happens sometimes.”

She no longer needed to hide her true feelings with a smile… Arika had already found such a place.