“Keiichi, Keiichi,” Yuuya called out, trying to regain my attention.
“Oh, sorry,” I apologized, realizing my mind had wandered off.
Everyday life resumed after returning to Tokyo. I went to soccer practice and spent my days off with Yuuya, following the same routine as before. It was now late August, and as I found myself caught up in the familiar rhythm of ordinary days, the summer vacation of my second year of high school was coming to an end.
“What are we buying again?” I asked Yuuya, trying to bring my focus back to the present. Today, I was accompanying him on a shopping trip to Shimokitazawa. Sakura’s birthday was approaching, and he wanted to find the perfect gift for her. However, he seemed unsure of what to buy and didn’t want to venture into stores that a man would typically avoid alone. So, he asked me to join him.
“I wouldn’t want to go in alone either,” I admitted, understanding his sentiment.
Initially, I had declined his invitation, but I thought it might be better than leaving Yuuya, who was built like a giant bear, to navigate the stores alone. Besides, I had no other plans, so it could be a good way to pass the time.
As it turned out, my decision was justified. Yuuya seemed incapable of making up his mind or even deciding where to start. We found ourselves wandering aimlessly in front of a colorful miscellaneous goods store, its vibrant items ranging from pink to red. I couldn’t help but think that Sakura would appreciate this shop’s ambiance.
“Sakura always comes here alone,” Yuuya remarked when I mentioned it.
“What do you do while she’s inside?” I asked, curious about his routine.
“I wait outside,” he replied matter-of-factly.
Ah, I could easily envision that scene.
“Is there anything you want to get at this shop?” I inquired.
“I didn’t say I wanted something, but I did say I liked it,” he replied, his cluelessness evident.
“What kind of thing?” I pressed.
“I don’t know,” he admitted sheepishly.
“You didn’t even do any research beforehand?” I chuckled, amazed by his usual clumsiness.
Yuuya stayed silent, seeming to accept my scolding. I thought, If Yuuya doesn’t know, there’s no way I’ll know. Just then, someone called my name.
“Huh? Kei-kun?” I heard a familiar voice and turned toward it.“And… Yuuya?”
Two girls emerged from the store, and I recognized one of them as Sakura.
“O-o-o-o-oh. Hey, Sakura. What a coincidence,” I stammered, laughing and observing Yuuya’s suspicious behavior.
At that moment, I felt an intense gaze directed at my right cheek. When I followed the gaze, I found the other girl beside Sakura staring intently at me. Our eyes met, and she blushed, quickly lowering her gaze while her ears turned crimson.
“Are you okay?” I asked, concerned by her reaction.
“Yeah… I was just taken by surprise,” she replied, her voice slightly shaky.
Sakura and the girl exchanged whispers before the girl peered at me from under her bangs. Our eyes met again; this time, her blush deepened, surpassing its previous intensity. Observing her, a realization dawned upon me.
Could it be that this girl… is the one Sakura mentioned before, the one who harbors feelings for me?
The girl, who kept her gaze down, exuded style and trendiness. Her attire resembled that of a fashion magazine model. Head to toe, she seemed perfectly put together.
Initially, I thought she fit the mold of a typical “girly” girl that I was acquainted with. However, in that moment, my mind projected an image of Saki — a simple T-shirt and jeans, her black hair cascading gracefully around her shoulders, reflecting the moonlight.
Beside her scuffed sneakers were smaller, whiter sneakers that contrasted with mine. Standing by the edge of a spring, she possessed an indescribable beauty, one that captivated me even without any adornment or trend-chasing.
As I woke up each morning, it was akin to discovering a morning glory flower adorned with dewdrops or witnessing the faint light of a star that had traveled hundreds of light years to reach me in the present moment. The enchantment of her presence lingered, even without embellishment or the pursuit of passing trends.
On that summer night in Kyoto, I wondered where the stunning girl who had appeared before me was now. I hoped she’d safely made it to her foster home. I couldn’t help but wonder if she still enjoyed eating tomatoes every night. I hoped she occasionally wore that hair accessory I remembered so vividly.
Recalling her smile, her presence, the way her hair flowed, and her voice, my chest began to warm, making it difficult to catch my breath. But my thoughts were interrupted by Sakura’s voice.
“Kei-kun?”
Sakura’s voice brought me back to reality, and I realized that Yuuya, standing beside her, was giving me a stern glare. It was as if he was silently warning me not to say anything that might hurt Sakura, reminding me of my criminal record.
I took in the weight of his unspoken message and responded calmly, “What?”
“Have you had lunch yet?” Sakura asked.
“Not yet, but…” I started to reply, but Yuuya’s intense gaze made me falter.
“Then, let’s eat together,” he suggested firmly.
Yuuya’s gaze was so intense that I couldn’t help but nod in agreement.
We walked along a residential alley and stumbled upon a small, stylish, and cute café that would appeal to girls.
“How about this place?” Sakura asked.
“Sure,” Yuuya replied, and we entered the shop. We decided to order the four recommended lunches.
As I looked at the cute food on unnecessarily large plates, I couldn’t help but think I just wanted a simple bowl of rice. Maybe I should have suggested a beef bowl for lunch instead. However, I kept my thoughts to myself, knowing Yuuya would disapprove.
I never expected Yuuya, who was an even bigger eater than me, to be satisfied with such a small portion. But he seemed to be enjoying it. Watching him, I couldn’t help but smile wryly. In the past, I wouldn’t have been able to understand how Yuuya felt.
I’d thought Yuuya was kind for accommodating Sakura’s preferences, but I would still wonder why he go to such lengths? Why wouldn’t he order a beef bowl for himself?
But now, I thought I understood. When you like someone, you want to share and enjoy what they love, even if it’s not your preference. If seeing her smile happily over a lunch like this, which is n’t really my style, is worth it, then it doesn’t feel like a big sacrifice after all.
The emotions that captivated my heart were tied to Saki. I shook my head slightly, realizing there was no continuation of the summer love I had experienced. My one-sided love had ended with the passing of the blue moon. If I continue to dwell on it, it would only bring more pain. So, I had to let go of these feelings soon. I had to forget.
With that determination, I focused on shoveling the food into my mouth. The three of them continued chatting, and I absentmindedly listened while glancing around the café. It was crowded with people, ranging from high school students like us to college students, office ladies, and salarymen. Few people were dining alone, and everyone seemed to be enjoying lunch with someone else while holding their smartphones.
Although this should have been a familiar sight, I felt a sense of discomfort. It was because I’d never seen this kind of scene at the Starbucks by Kamogawa River in Kyoto. No one had a smartphone there. Was it because it was a special café where people could savor the scenery and the breeze from the riverbed? Or perhaps everyone simply valued their time differently. The contrast left me with a lingering sense of unease.
Walking down the covered arcade of Shinkyōgoku, I couldn’t help but notice that almost everyone passing by was using flip phones. I leaned over to whisper to Yuuya, who was sitting next to me, reminiscing about the scenery I had seen in Kyoto.
“Hey, is it always like this?” I asked, pointing at the people around us.
“What do you mean?” Yuuya replied, confused.
“I mean, smartphones,” I clarified.
“Of course, what are you talking about?” he responded nonchalantly.
Right, this is our normal everyday scene.
After lunch, I was invited to hang out with the three of them, but I declined, citing something I had to do. No one scolded me or questioned my decision. I thought it was because of the answer I gave to Sakura’s friend’s question at the café earlier.
“Keiichi, do you have someone you like?” she had asked.
I had taken a deep breath before responding, knowing that my answer would make her blush more than anything else today.
“Yeah, I do,” I admitted.
“I see…” she replied.
“But I recently went through a breakup. I don’t think I’ll be able to fall in love again for a while,” I confessed honestly.
Nobody said anything in response. With a wave of my hand, I bade them farewell, and Yuuya chimed in, “I’ll go back too.” And now, he was walking next to me along the embankment.