We walked home silently along the usual route to school. We didn’t speak because there were people around, but even when there weren’t any, we didn’t know what to say to each other. By the time we got off the train, the sun had completely set. The residential streets had few streetlights, making them dimly lit. As I caught sight of Soejima-kun’s charming house, I squinted my eyes.
There was a figure in front of the house.
“Someone is there,” I said aloud, but I wasn’t sure if Soejima-kun could hear my voice.
The boy stopped in his tracks once, then suddenly dashed forward without saying a word.
I hurriedly followed him.
“Kusunoki.”
The figure in front of Soejima-kun’s house was Kusunoki-san. She turned her face toward us and chuckled when she saw Soejima-kun, who was out of breath.
“I brought the kitten.”
Kusunoki-san raised her arm slightly to make the black pet carrier she was holding more visible. A brown checkered scarf was wrapped around it.
The girl’s nose was slightly red. She must have been waiting in front of the house for Soejima-kun to come.
“Why didn’t you call me when you arrived?” Soejima-kun asked, and Kusunoki-san replied with a glimpse of her white teeth as saying, “You know me. I forgot.” Then she turned her gaze toward Soejima-kun’s house, in which no lights were on and asked, “Your grandpa is not here, right?”
“Didn’t you know already? Anyway, it’s cold, so why don’t you come in?”
Kusunoki-san shake her head at Soejima-kun’s words. “It’s fine.”
She was about to stretch her hand with the carrier to him, but, as if remembering something, she crouched down and placed the carrier on the ground instead.
“Take good care of it.”
As Soejima-kun embraced the carrier on the ground, Kusunoki-san showed a refreshing smile. “Well then.” She turned around and started walking back the way we had come.
Soejima-kun kept his gaze on Kusunoki-san’s diminishing figure.
Even when her figure disappeared into the darkness and he couldn’t see her anymore, Soejima-kun continued to stare.
✦ ✦ ✦
Once inside the house, Soejima-kun opened the black pet carrier in the living room. Inside was a curled-up black cat.
“A scab,” Soejima-kun said quietly, looking at my face as we crouched facing each other.
It felt like the silent walk home was a lie as Soejima-kun returned to his usual self. I nodded in relief, acknowledging Soejima-kun’s words.
The black cat I had seen before had a wound on its head. The fur around the scab was slightly shaved, showing signs of treatment. It was still a little swollen, but it seemed to be recovering.
As Soejima-kun reached into the bag, the black cat leaned in, seeking his touch.
“You’re not shy around people, huh?” Soejima-kun lifted the front paws of the black cat with both hands.
“There don’t seem to be any other injuries…”
I also approached the black cat to check. However, the previously docile black cat suddenly bared its fangs at me as if threatening me. Startled, I stepped back. The black cat leaped off from Soejima-kun’s hands and fled toward the sofa in the living room.
Soejima-kun looked at me with wide eyes. Seeing me slightly shocked, he asked, “Why?”
“I-I didn’t mean to… startle it…”
“No, not that.” Soejima-kun pointed to the black cat hiding behind the sofa. “Can that cat see you, Yuu?” he asked, his voice dropping as he slumped.
“Yeah,” I replied casually, and Soejima-kun seemed relieved.
“If you noticed, you should’ve told me earlier. Even small details could be important,” he said.
“Oh, right! Sorry,” I apologized in a fluster, and Soejima-kun chuckled, feeling the tension release.
“You’re completely different from earlier,” Soejima-kun said, looking at me with a sense of relief. “You seemed so distressed at school.”
Memories of my childhood had resurfaced at school, brushing against my mind. Those memories might be important in recalling my own self. I needed to talk about them properly. Opening my mouth to express my thoughts, I hesitated. “…I can’t remember much, so I got a little discouraged…”
But the words that came out were different. Something inside me prevented me from speaking my true feelings. Guilt surged within me as I averted my gaze from Soejima-kun and continued with my fabricated words.
“I’ll walk around inside the school again tomorrow. Maybe there are still things I can remember…”
“I’m not going to school tomorrow,” Soejima-kun interjected.
“Huh?!” I exclaimed, raising my voice, and quickly turned my gaze back to the boy.
“I-Is it okay for you to miss school that much?” The words that came to mind flew out of my mouth. Seeing my concern, Soejima-kun burst into laughter.
“It’s Saturday tomorrow, and the gates will be locked, so I can’t get into school,” he explained.
“S-Saturday,” I muttered, realizing I had completely forgotten about the days of the week.
“You can freely go to school, so it’s fine if you go, but I’m thinking of visiting my grandpa tomorrow,” Soejima-kun said. “I have to bring him a change of clothes, and I thought I’d ask about your presence. We need to pick up even the smallest details…”
His words pained my chest.
The next day, I decided to accompany him on his visit to his grandpa.
I had only seen his grandpa in a distressed state, either collapsing or sleeping with a ventilator, so I wanted to see him awake and in good spirits.
“There’s no need to worry. He’s completely recovered,” Soejima-kun said in a deserted corridor on our way to the hospital room.
His grandpa had been moved to a private room in the general ward.
Soejima-kun, with the paper bag containing his grandpa’s clothes, daily necessities, and newspapers in his free hand, opened the door to the hospital room. Inside, I saw his grandpa sitting up in bed, wearing glasses, and engrossed in a book.
He really looks lively…
Seeing his grandpa, a smile involuntarily formed on my lips.
The old man seemed focused on his reading and didn’t appear to notice Soejima-kun opening the door.
“Grandpa,” Soejima-kun called out at the bed in his usual indifferent tone. His grandpa kept his eyes on the book, raised his hand as if to say, “Wait,” and gestured with his palm.
“Hey, don’t disturb me. I’m at a good part,” his grandpa said without looking up from his book.
Standing next to the bed, Soejima-kun glanced at the book his grandpa was reading. Just as I was about to peek at the page from behind Soejima-kun, I was taken aback.
Soejima-kun forcefully swiped the book his grandpa was reading, sending it flying.
“Damn, geezer…” Soejima-kun muttered in a cold voice, looking down at his grandpa on the bed with a callous expression.
“What the hell are you doing, Hajime?” His grandpa looked up at Soejima-kun with a burst of energy.
“At your age, shamelessly reading something like that…”
There was a quiet anger in Soejima-kun’s voice.
The cover of the book that fell on the floor had the title “Top 10 Masterpieces of Erotica.”
“Men are boys no matter how old they get,” his grandpa said confidently. “You always begged me to read for you, and I would indulge you.”
“It was children’s books. What age were those stories meant for?” Soejima-kun retorted, slamming the paper bag he had brought onto the bed.
I alternated my gaze between his sulking grandpa and Soejima-kun’s cold expression.
“You’re a cold-hearted grandson. You don’t even come to visit properly,” his grandpa complained.
“I came three days ago. Besides, who do you think saved you?” Soejima-kun replied.
“Your grandma in heaven,” his grandpa responded promptly, chuckling mischievously. Soejima-kun, despite his exasperation, had a softened expression on his face. He pulled a chair from beside the bed and sat down.
“Hey, grandpa. What was grandma’s presence like?” Soejima-kun asked.
“Hmm?” his grandpa pondered, placing his hand on his chin as if trying to recall. “However you describe it… It felt like a gentle, airy presence.”
“But you couldn’t see anything, right?”
“What’s with all these questions?” his grandpa asked, looking puzzled. Then, as Soejima-kun took out a white undergarment from the paper bag he had placed on the bed, his grandpa exclaimed, “Hajime! This won’t do!”