It’s fine if Yuuji comes. If he doesn’t, that’s fine, too, Une thought.
Une had no interest in forcing things to happen. She always went with the flow. Nevertheless, she still believed he would come, no matter what. Perhaps Yuuji hadn’t realized it yet, but he was like a loyal dog who followed Une wherever she went.
I’m always so rude with my comparisons…
She laughed to herself.
Une didn’t look like a mean person on the outside. She was wearing a thick blue-gray cotton suit, perfect for late summer, and a straw hat in hand. She was average height but looked tall because of her good posture. She had bushy brownish hair that was naturally a shade lighter than most and fair skin to match. Freckles appeared on her cheeks whenever she got a tan, making her look more domestic than anything else. Une always had the subtlest of smiles on her face, and her eyes held a quiet strength.
But it wasn’t easy to pick up on her strong-willed, sadistic intentions. Even Yuuji believed she was nothing more than his sweet, friendly aunt who never got mad at him when he needed attention.
That was why he always wanted to be around her, never realizing that the real reason was because he was attracted to her sexually. Une thought he was like a dog drawn to an enticing smell he couldn’t get enough of.
All that being said, it wasn’t like Une hated Yuuji. In fact, she found him to be very likable. She had both a loving and a cold side to her. She adored this nineteen-year-old, but at the same time, she loved picking on him as well. She was always laughing at him deep down whenever he came to her as if he was expecting or wanting something. And yet he was the apple of her eye.
“Yuuji, have you ever even kissed a girl before?”
That was the kind of question she liked to tease him with.
“I have,” he defensively replied. “In elementary school.”
“That was forever ago. What about recently?”
“Why do you care? If you think I’m lying, then how about we try so you can see for yourself?”
“Adults kiss differently than kids. You wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“Dammit. You’re just making fun of me, aren’t you?”
“Don’t worry. We can give it a try one day when you’re ready.”
“Yeah, yeah! You wish!”
Would Yuuji come to the hotel at Mount Rokko?
Une decided to go to Mount Rokko by car. She figured she could savor the drive along the way, then enjoy a relaxing four-to-five-day vacation and wear several new outfits, which was why she had packed a lot in her suitcase. Une used her car for work as well, so she always kept a spare pair of shoes and an easy-to-slip-on sweater inside. She’d had this little red vehicle for many years now and had grown accustomed to it. Une loved that tiny car; she called it her music box.
Her apartment’s garage was on the basement level, so when the elevator finally came, it was already completely full with mothers and their children. Summer vacation had started four or five days ago, and it seemed that kids who were in kindergarten were on break as well. The children were talking their little yellow hats off while the mothers were conversing among themselves. Une was apathetic about children (and of course, their mothers), and while she would greet them with a nod since they were neighbors, she would never say a word to them.
After they got off at the first floor, the kids scattered, filling up the lobby as they ran around. There were far more than a few people with small children living in this apartment complex, and it was like they had tunnel vision when it came to their kids. Une was almost knocked over and trampled on, simply for being on the first floor at the wrong time. It was as if the children’s parents couldn’t even see her.
Une believed there was something very egotistical about having kids—an opinion she wouldn’t dare speak aloud. The twenty-nine-year-old never said more than needed to be said. Nor did she let any extraneous feelings show on her face. As the elevator descended, she thought about how annoying and awful children were, but she wouldn’t breathe a single word of it. She simply held her tongue with an emotionless expression.
She wasn’t that way at work, though. She had spent the past seven years working at a furniture store that sold products using textiles made by a major company. She was an interior designer who provided consultations to customers, showing them samples and providing price quotes. Remodeling apartments was also a big part of her work. She would carry around a large sample book (hence why Une was pretty strong) along with a catalogue of doorknobs, light fixtures, chairs, and tables to show the customers. Sometimes these endless consultations touched on household topics like family living and personal preferences, in which cases Une always came across as good with children.
“Hey, little guy. How old are you? What’s your name?” she would say, bending over to meet the child’s eye. It came more or less naturally to her, and she didn’t hate it, either. She didn’t talk to her customers’ kids because she was trying to put on a show for their parents. She was genuinely curious about them, which surprised even her. Perhaps it was an aftereffect of being so keyed up at work, which required her to be aggressive and competitive. Whenever she put in the effort, she was very approachable, cheerful, and dependable, which was why many customers would ask for her by name. She had a very natural and charming affect to her when she said things like, “Hey, little guy. How old are you? We’re gonna make you the coolest room in the whole world.”
I guess that means…, Une vaguely thought as she started up the car, …I really do have a split personality.
Her ex-husband had told her she had a split personality to insult her during their divorce four years ago, but now she found the humor in his comment and even admitted it wasn’t totally off the mark.
He’s got a point. I can’t blame him. Both personalities are the real me.
Sakimura, her ex, had once pointed out that she acted and looked completely different when she was talking to him compared to his mother. She hadn’t thought about it until he brought it up, but she more or less agreed. They used to live with his mother when they were married, and Une would always do her best to be smiling and cheerful around her mother-in-law to get her to like her.
Meanwhile, Une was completely herself with her husband. She would say exactly what was on her mind and make it obvious when she was bored or not in a good mood. Une wasn’t exactly worried about whether she really did have a split personality. She was more taken aback by the weight of the words.
“You’re always so rude to me when we’re fighting, but the second my mom calls for you, you turn into a different person, all smiley and eager to help. Just seeing you like that makes me sick. It’s like you have a split personality.”
The coldness of his accusation really hurt her. This wasn’t a bit of lighthearted banter—it was purely malicious. She could tell that her husband didn’t love her. It had finally all made sense. She’d realized what had been bothering her and why their relationship didn’t seem to be working. After a year and a half of marriage, Une learned that her husband still hadn’t ended a relationship with another woman, which was what led to their divorce.
Une decided to drive through the mountains. Rather than cut straight through town via the highway, she preferred taking the meandering local roads among the foothills, since she enjoyed the fresh air and view. The summertime heat was still in full swing, something she noticed as a warm breeze blew through the car windows, carrying dust along with it. Regardless, this was Une’s vacation and hers alone. She didn’t need to worry about her hair getting messed up or getting dirty. She just went wherever the wind blew.
Yuuji had been surprised when he showed up at her place last night.