The next day was a Saturday.
Ookuma was absent. She’d called in sick.
All her history classes were changed to self-study periods.
✦ ✦ ✦
At last, it was Sunday, the one day we got off during the summer lessons.
Kurumi and I slept in, so our breakfast was also lunch.
After eating, we did the dishes and swept the floors, then we killed the afternoon in front of the TV.
We sat across from each other at the dining table, flipping channels whenever bad news came on, mostly watching passable variety shows. Neither one of us had left the house all day.
Since we had the day off, we could have gone out somewhere, but neither of us were in the mood.
The weather wasn’t being very cooperative, either. High winds had kept the house rattling all day. The clouds were thick as pea soup and looked ready to dump on us at any second.
At one point while channel surfing, we’d heard someone on a news show say a typhoon was approaching. Then again, it was August—the season for such things.
I had a headache, and I was pretty sure the drop in barometric pressure had caused it.
“…Guess we’d better take the laundry inside,” Kurumi said, putting the remote down and standing up.
“Yeah, I’ll help.”
“Will you, now? Sure you don’t just wanna scope out my underwear? Perv!”
“I make an offer out of the kindness of my heart and get this in return.”
We were smiling. We were used to this sort of banter. But our hearts weren’t in it today.
Couldn’t we at least get some clear skies?
Kurumi started toward the laundry lines in the backyard, then froze, with one hand on the window.
The doorbell had rung.
“Who could that be? At a time like this…” Kurumi swung around and headed for the front door.
It was her job to handle visitors, no matter what. This wasn’t just simple division of labor, it was to avoid anyone finding out about me.
I was only staying because Kurumi said I could. The actual owner of this house—Kurumi’s aunt—didn’t know I was here. Most grown-ups would have an issue with two teenagers living together, and we didn’t want to deal with that.
As it turned out, our precautions had been justified.
“Kurumi, I know you’re here! Open up!”
When she heard a woman’s voice from outside, Kurumi gulped.
As I stood there wondering why, she tiptoed to the door, then hurried back. She had my shoes in one hand and was clearly freaking out.
“N-Natsume, grab these and hide!”
“Huh? Why? Who is it?”
“My mom…! Get out of here! Now! If she finds out we’re living together, God knows what she’ll say!”
“Oh, I see the door isn’t locked. Didn’t I warn you about that? I’m coming in!”
I had no time, and I couldn’t afford to make a sound.
Kurumi shoved the shoes into my hands, and I dived into a nearby closet.
Instantly, I was enveloped in dusty darkness. I curled up in the fetal position and somehow managed to fit. Breathing quietly, I heard the floor creak through the closet’s sliding door.
“Oh, it’s actually pretty clean in here. I thought you’d be messier.”
“God, Mom. Why’d you just burst in? Why are you here at all?”
“I saw the news about the typhoon and brought you some food.”
“I’ve got plenty! I stocked up.”
It was clear from their exchange that her mom hadn’t spotted me.
It was a close call. Kurumi was well aware of how risky our living situation was, and she’d had me keep my things in another room. That saved our bacon.
Totally ignorant of my presence, Kurumi’s mom started chatting, catching up with her daughter.
“There was a mandatory day this week, right? How was it? You went?”
“…Yeah.”
“I’m glad you had second thoughts about dropping out, but I don’t want to force you into anything. I put you in the summer program just in case, but you don’t have to go if you’re not up to it.”
“I know that.”
“Your brother went to a fine college, but that’s got nothing to do with you.”
“……”
Kurumi has a brother? Oh yeah. She mentioned it in her Notes on Revenge.
Nothing to do with her, huh? Kurumi’s mom sounded like she was being nice, but was she? Arguably, even bringing it up was like comparing the two of them.
What did Kurumi’s silence signify?
I wasn’t really sure. I’d never had a mother look after me, let alone compare me to my sibling.
“Argh, Kurumi! Why do you look so gloomy? I keep telling you it’s fine!”
“……”
“When you were little, he was quite the rebel. Far more trouble than you are now. Always calling me names! Compared to that…”
“…I get it, he’s the best. Just leave,” Kurumi snapped, cutting her off.
“What? I didn’t say anything like that.”
“You’re always saying it.”
“I’m trying to encourage you! No matter how nice I am, it doesn’t do any good if you take it the wrong way.”
“I know! Just go away! I’ll put the food in the fridge.”
“I’m just worried about you. Why are you always so grumpy?”
“This is hardly the time for that! I’m fine! Come on, go home.”
I heard footsteps moving away. Kurumi must have been pushing her mom toward the door.
“Are you eating properly? You can’t survive on instant noodles!”
“I know! I’m cooking!”
“School’s starting up again soon. You’ll have to come home soon. Don’t leave packing to the last second. I’ll bring the car around to pick you up.”
“…I know.”
With that, the front door closed.
I slid the closet open a notch and listened for the sound of a car driving away.
Kurumi had successfully sent her mom packing, and without getting caught.
I emerged from the closet and dusted myself off.
“Sorry about that, Natsume.”
“No big deal. Glad we weren’t discovered.”
“…Yeah.” Kurumi looked even more downcast now. “Summer’s almost over,” she said, heading for the back porch, eyes on the view outside.
The sky was dark. There was a light drizzle, and the laundry was getting damp. I went out and started taking it down, still at a loss.
What should we do now?
We had sympathy for Ookuma’s predicament. But nothing our resistance had done up until now was actually bad.
We needed to figure out if Kanae Ookuma was like us or not, to determine if we were right to feel sorry for her, or if there was no need.
As summer wrapped up, where were we headed?
After hearing Kurumi and her mom talk about practicalities, my concerns felt especially hollow.