“Red books” were a familiar sight to anyone who’d taken university entrance exams in Japan. They were called “red books” because of their red covers, and they contained collections of past exam questions for each university’s various departments.
Most students bought such books after first deciding which school they wanted to attend, but the ones our parents had purchased were for the standard exams. They’d gotten us each a set of five, mostly for our problem subjects.
Frankly, I appreciated the gift. If I’d bought them myself, it would have cost me the equivalent of at least three hardcover books. I was genuinely grateful to my parents for contributing to my studies. It was just that…
“…These don’t really feel like a birthday present.”
“Once you come of age, we won’t say anything about how you live your life, but since you seem to be planning on going to college, we thought we’d help you out.”
“Good luck,” Akiko said with a smile.
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.” Ayase bowed.
Ayase and I were a bit deflated after this unexpectedly practical present, and we didn’t stop to think about why Dad and Akiko kept exchanging meaningful glances.
Meanwhile, on the TV, a child successfully thwarted a burglar and let out a loud cheer.
That night, I was in bed asleep when a slight noise woke me up.
I opened my eyes in the dark but didn’t see anything unusual. To tell the truth, I couldn’t see much of anything.
I grabbed my phone, still connected to its charger, and checked the time.
It was 12:38 AM. I hadn’t been asleep for long, and the next day was the start of winter break, so I didn’t have to worry too much about losing sleep.
Turning the phone over, I used its display to illuminate the door. In front of it, I saw a small box that hadn’t been there before.
What could it be?
It was too far away to reach. I’d have to get out of bed to look at it…but in the end, curiosity won out.
Shivering as I peeled off the covers, I wrapped my arms around my body. I turned off the heater when I went to bed, and I regretted stepping out into the cold.
By the door, I stooped over and picked up the box, then carried it back to my bed and turned on my bedside lamp.
When I retrieved it, I’d noticed it had a ribbon around it, and I could see it was wrapped up in Christmas-colored paper. It was clearly a gift.
Santa Claus? The thought crossed my mind briefly, then I dismissed it. No way. I’m not a kid.
It had been years since anyone had given me a present in secret like this.
This must be my real present, huh?
Getting a set of red books as a combined Christmas-birthday present had come as quite a surprise. While I’d been grateful, part of me had been a little disappointed. Now it occurred to me: They must have been a red herring to make our real gifts more of a surprise.
It seemed a bit mischievous for Dad. Could this be Akiko’s influence?
I wondered if Ayase had received something, too.
I peeled off the wrapping paper and pulled out the gift. As I did, something fluttered to the floor.
“…A note?”
A note, too? This is way too fancy.
I’d assumed it would be a simple Merry Christmas or Happy Birthday, but it turned out to be pretty lengthy. I sat down on the edge of my bed and took my time reading it.
It began, “Dear Yuuta. You’ll be coming of age next year.”
Dad had written that my gift was a thank-you for everything I’d done for him and Akiko, and a celebration of my becoming an adult. He figured next year would be really hectic for me, so he’d decided to give it to me early.
“I guess I’ll be pretty busy with entrance exams and all…”
For a high school senior, the end of the year was when the pressure really amped up, and you started to get stomach cramps. He must have wanted to avoid adding to my stress.
I set down the letter and examined what was in the box.
“It’s a watch… And wow…”
I wasn’t very familiar with brand names, but even I recognized this one. You rarely saw high school students wearing anything this nice. Secondhand or not, it must have been expensive. I would have never been able to afford it. It felt like something you got to commemorate your first real job. Wasn’t this a little early?
“Dear Yuuta. You’ll be coming of age next year.”
Now that I’d seen the gift, the message seemed to take on more weight. Next year, I would be eighteen. Old enough to get married and start living on my own. Until this moment, I hadn’t even thought about such things.
Soon, I’d enter society and join the workforce. It still didn’t feel real to me. If things went smoothly and I got into college, I’d be getting a job in five or six years. Hold on. It’s not so easy to get a job these days. I’d be lucky to find work, and if I couldn’t support myself, I couldn’t live on my own or get married…
I shook my head and tried to clear out my thoughts. There was no need to dwell on what kind of future awaited me.
I took the watch out of the box and put it on. The brand-new silver belt looked green in the dim light.
It wasn’t as heavy as I’d imagined, and it felt comfortable on my wrist. I was about to undo the clasp and return it to the box when I changed my mind and placed it on my pillow.
One day, I wanted to earn enough to feel good wearing this watch every day. I needed to keep doing my best at all sorts of things.
I pulled up my covers and settled into bed.
Even after I turned off the light, the watch’s silver shine remained in my mind for some time.