What I should be saying to Komachi was not some attempt to shift responsibility to her, like Just do what you want or You should decide yourself, and of course not something so babyish and lacking self-respect as I want you to continue the Service Club. It was something else.
With that realization, I let out a long, deep sigh. It was a feeling like a fish bone dislodging itself from my throat.
“Thanks,” I muttered from the corner of my mouth.
Yukinoshita swished her hair back and smiled. “You’re welcome. Though I don’t know what you’re thanking me for.”
I wasn’t sure if she actually did understand or not, but if she would do me the favor of pretending she didn’t get it, then I would play along. “Oh, I mean about that present. I was just thinking, that’s a worry off my shoulders for the celebration.”
“I see. That’s good.” With a cool smile, she brought her royal milk tea to her lips. I did the same, sipping at my cold coffee.
But that calm lasted for only a moment.
Gradually, Yukinoshita’s eyes started to shift around. Then she nodded like she’d steeled herself and reached into the bag she’d been rustling around inside before. Clearing her throat with a cough, she began, “…Talking about celebrating reminded me…,” and then she pulled out a cellophane-wrapped package. She let her head drop in a bow, then held it out to me cautiously, like she was feeding a lion.
“Here…,” she muttered, voice trembling a little along with her hands. The shaking made it hard to tell, but it appeared the package was homemade cookies or something.
When I timidly accepted it, I found inside the bag checkerboard cookies, star-shaped cookies, and heart-shaped cookies, oh my! So many different types.
“As a celebration, or maybe anniversary, I suppose… But it’s not a huge occasion, so I thought it might be the wrong idea to get something too expensive, so I considered lots of things…” Relative to her words per minute, the volume of information was just about zero.
So what is it, in the end? I get that the vibe here isn’t asking me to taste-test or something (if nothing else), but this feels weirdly meaningful… It’s not like it’s my birthday, Halloween, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day. There shouldn’t be any special reason for me to get cookies…
When I stared at Yukinoshita like Huh? What? she sneaked her gaze away, brushing her bangs aside with her fingers, and continued in a hesitant murmur. “It’s a little late, but…it’s been…one month… As an anniversary,” she said, and she flicked me an examining look.
“I see,” I answered instantly and sharply with a serious expression, but in reality, my brain was gunning its engine.
This is the kind of thing where you can’t ask what anniversary. No, this is the kind of thing where you must not ask… The only anniversary I know is Gundam’s fortieth anniversary, but the one month should be a hint.
Hmmg, I considered as I stared at Yukinoshita, searching for that answer.
………It’s so cute when she tries to hide her shyness.
But such impressions flew right out the window when I realized the answer. I mentally blanched in panic.
When I reflected on the past month or so, there weren’t many events to commemorate between Yukinoshita and me—however, the relative paucity of moments meant there was definitely one that stood out.
Tie that one event to the words one month, and the answer emerged on its own.
—This is what they call the “one-month anniversary.”
Oh man…
So she’s the type to do this stuff? Come on, tell me earlier! This is one of those things that will definitely lead to a fight if you forget. Like where you flee to a pachinko parlor and kill some time calming yourself down, then you have to buy her some makeup before you go back and apologize.
“…I didn’t get you anything, though,” I told her honestly. Even if I made some bad attempt at covering it, she’d see right through me anyway.
Yukinoshita shook her head. “I’m just doing it because I want to.”
“Oh, okay… Well, that’s still kinda like…” Reciprocity is a thing, y’know? It makes me feel like I have to shape up, too, y’know?
Seeing me flustered, Yukinoshita giggled teasingly. “You really don’t have to worry about it. Oh, I know—so then let’s say you’ll do something for me next time.”
“Next time… Oh yeah, next time, huh, next time…” Muttering “Next time, next time…” like I was in a delirium, I suddenly realized something. “When’s the next time after one month? What interval do you do this at?”
I have no idea about this stuff… Will it come up if I Google it? Or would it be faster to look up a something-or-other anniversary sort of hashtag on Insta? But then I feel like you’d get a bunch of posts acting like every day is a special salad anniversary.
As I was worrying about this, it seemed Yukinoshita was also at a bit of a loss. “I’m not sure… I think any time is fine, though… But if you’re going to do it, then perhaps a one-year anniversary is a solid choice?”
“One year…” Ah man, I just can’t imagine it at all. Even saying it out loud, it doesn’t feel real.
In one year, I would have graduated from high school and be right in the middle of a new lifestyle, but that scenario didn’t quite click with me. Actually, by that time I would have managed to pass university entrance exams. If I failed, I think my future self would have come and killed me right here and now.
My future seemed so vague and distant, I couldn’t even say anything. Yukinoshita must have taking that silence as bewilderment, or a rejection, as she hastily added, “I-is that too soon? Then maybe a…t-ten-year anniversary?’
“Te…” I stuttered on the exact same syllable that had momentarily caught Yukinoshita. Whoa there, ten years… Not even pro baseball players hear about contracts that long-term most of the time.
Even Yukinoshita must have thought it was too long a wait, as she immediately corrected herself. “Honestly, any time is fine… Don’t worry about it too much…” Then she covered her bright-red cheeks and peeked out between her fingers.
The moment our eyes met, I held my head in my hands to hide my own cheeks.
Honestly, look… Is she for real…? Give me a break, honestly… Never mind ten years—I won’t be able to forget this for decades… Are you okay? Are you alive, mental faculties? Hello? Brain? Hello?