A long time ago, I’d read an essay someone wrote about their twentieth birthday. In it, the author claimed that, from that day on, their whole town looked brand-new to them. I decided to test that theory for myself.
“Left, right, left…”
The streets were so empty, I felt no qualms about muttering to myself as I walked. The road to the train station looked no different from yesterday; at most, the comparative lack of clouds made the morning sun seem slightly brighter. No miraculous makeover had breathed new life into my everyday reality. Slowly, the strange feeling of accomplishment I’d experienced back home began to fade.
“Hmmm…”
I checked my phone periodically. There was still no word from Adachi—which was fine, of course. But if possible, I wanted her to remember my birthday without me having to point it out. You can do it, Adachi!
“Am I being high-maintenance…?” I mumbled aloud as I tucked my phone away. But arguably it was her fault I had these expectations. You know, due to her…um…setting me loose. Now I was worlds from my previous self, feeling things that previous self never would’ve dreamed of. And, without Adachi, this town was just a town.
That was when I realized: It wasn’t my age that would change me. For better or for worse, it was Adachi whose ups and downs sent me on a roller-coaster ride. That was the kind of speed she was capable of—though, admittedly, she sometimes lost control and sent us both crashing headfirst into a brick wall.
I was starting to wonder whether there was any point walking around here at all. Nevertheless, my feet carried on through pure inertia, until…
“Well, if it isn’t Shimama-chan!” a voice called from slightly below my line of sight—Sorry, is that rude? I turned to look.
It was Hino. She must’ve turned twenty herself this year, but she was still just as short as in high school. Clad in a red kimono, she gave me a wobbly little wave. I saw her wearing traditional Japanese clothing around town a lot more often these days; maybe it was related to her familial responsibilities, or maybe she simply preferred it. In any case, I walked over to her.
“Got nothing to do today?” she asked.
“That’s the way all weekends should be, in my opinion.” They were meant for resting, after all.
“Fair point.”
Hino rolled up her long sleeves and folded her arms. Her hair was tied up in a bun, which suited her traditional look. She looked at the sky, shifted from side to side, then started slapping my shoulder, suggesting that she was just as bored as I was.
“I was actually gonna go for a walk before I bumped into you, Shimamama-chan,” she explained, casually adding another “ma.”
“Oh, right. Your house is in this neighborhood, isn’t it?”
“It’s only a two-minute walk until you can see it, but it’s a ten-minute walk to reach the front door.”
“Sounds like good exercise.”
As I humored her rich-girl small talk, she turned on her heel. “Since you’re here, wanna come up for a cup of tea?”
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