“Oh, you found her? What a relief…”
When we arrived home, Asami bolted across the apartment and gave Sayu a big hug.
“Geeeez, you had me so worried!”
“Sorry…and thanks.”
Leaving the two of them to fuss over each other, I walked briskly into the living room and emptied my wallet and phone out of my pocket.
“Thanks for waiting for us, Asami.”
“Sure. It was no big deal,” she answered with a smirk, giving me a thumbs-up. “Still, if I don’t head home soon, the front gates will lock me out and I won’t be able to get in, so I’d better hurry back!”
Asami then dashed into the living room, scooped her open textbook and assorted possessions off the table and into her shoulder bag, and hustled over to the entryway.
“All right, nighty night! See ya!”
“Wait!”
Asami was heading out the door just like usual when Sayu cried out in an extra-loud voice.
“What’s up?”
Asami looked over at Sayu, her eyes wide with surprise. It kind of felt like she was pulling that face on purpose. She must have known what was going on.
“Um… I’m going home tomorrow… And…”
Sayu squirmed, and her eyes darted around the floor as she decided what to say next.
“Well… I owe you so much… So…I wanted to say thank—”
“Sasa!!”
“Yes?!”
Asami called her name so suddenly and so loudly that it had made Sayu jump.
Asami grinned and gently took hold of her hand.
“We’ll see each other again,” she said, her voice full of calm assurance. “We know how to contact each other, and we both have our whole lives ahead of us… So, you know…”
Asami’s gaze drifted upward, and the corners of her mouth turned into a smirk.
“Save your thanks and all that embarrassing crap…for next time we meet.”
I could sense this was her way of being kind, and I felt my chest grow warm.
Sayu must have felt the same way, because after a few sniffles, she confidently replied, “For sure!”
“Okay, then…”
Sayu and Asami locked eyes and both said:
““See you.””
They had spoken at the exact same time.
“I’m turning off the light.”
“Okay.”
Both of us had finished getting ready and settled down for the night. I was sitting on my bed while Sayu sat on her mattress on the floor.
I went to turn off the living room light, then climbed back in bed.
As I tucked myself in, I noticed I felt more restless than usual.
I was painfully aware of why.
This was my last night together with Sayu.
Once she left the next day, she would never come back.
She’d never again be there to wake me up. No breakfast would be ready for me in the morning, and my shirts would no longer be ironed.
I was going to be alone.
It sounded simple when I put it into words, but it still didn’t feel real.
Sayu was going home to Hokkaido the very next day.
“Mr. Yoshida.” Sayu called out to me from her mattress, returning my thoughts to the present.
“What is it?”
My reply was followed by a few seconds of silence.
“Sayu?” I asked again. I heard the rustle of her turning over in bed.
“…Can I come up there?”
My brain froze at her request.
We’d spent months together in this apartment, and yet, this was the first time Sayu had ever asked me that.
“…I guess you can, but why?”
“Why not? It’s our last night together… It’s not like you’re going to assault me or anything. Right, Mr. Yoshida?”
“Well, no… But…”
My answer was vague—not a clear yes or no—but Sayu climbed up from her mattress and got into bed with me anyway.
“Scoot over a little.”
“S-sure…”
She lay down on my left side and let out a deep breath. Now that she was so much closer, I could hear her breathing.
“…We’ve been living together for so long, but this is the first time I’ve ever laid down this close to you,” Sayu said.
“I guess so,” I replied, and she snickered.
“What?”
“Nothing, it just seems weird.”
“What does?” I asked, and she turned and met my gaze.
Now that my eyes had adapted to the lack of light, I was able to see just how close her face was to mine.
“I ended up sleeping next to all those other guys within a few days of meeting them, sometimes right away. We got even closer than this—they were usually right on top of me, actually.”
“Wh-why’re you telling me the gross details all of a sudden? I thought I told you to forget about those guys,” I said, moving toward the wall so I could keep my distance.
Sayu cackled.
“Don’t move away. I won’t do anything creepy. I know you’d throw me out if I tried anything.”
“You got that right. I won’t even wait for you to leave tomorrow.”
“I can’t have that,” she said, giggling again.
Then she rolled over to close the distance I’d put between us. She nuzzled her face into my chest and wrapped her arms around me.
“H-hey…”
“Just for a little while,” she said. “Just let me stay like this for a little while.”
With her body pressed against mine, I could feel her trembling slightly.
“…What’s wrong?” I asked.
Sayu gave me her answer very, very quietly, her face still buried in my chest.
“I’m…really scared.”
“…Oh.”
“I’m scared of leaving a place this kind.”
“…Yeah.”
I was confused at first why she suddenly wanted to get so close—but now, as she lay with her face resting on my chest, I was reminded that she was just a child.
At long last, she’d found a peaceful place to stay. The thought of having to move on confused and frightened her.
“Mr. Yoshida,” she whispered, “if you were my father, I wonder if I would’ve turned out all right.”
Her words were like a vise on my heart.
This was something I’d thought countless times as I listened to Issa and Sayu. If I had been her guardian, I would’ve taken much better care of her. I’d thought that over and over.
But…
“But…I’m not your father, Sayu,” I replied, trying to suppress the pain in my heart.
With her face still pressed against my chest, Sayu hugged me a little tighter.
Then she nodded and said, “Yeah, I know.”
I cautiously ran my hand in circles over Sayu’s back and put my arms around her.
Then I gently embraced her.
“I’m just someone who gave you a place to stay for a while. That’s all.”
“Yeah… And it was the kindest and warmest place I ever could have wished for. It was the best.”
“…I’m happy to hear that,” I said, squeezing her a little tighter. “As proprietor of such a high-class establishment, it’s only natural I send you off with a little something extra.”
“…What?”
Sayu squirmed against my chest and looked up at me.
Now facing each other, our eyes met.
“I’m going to come with you to see your mother.”
“…Huh?”
“You’re scared of going alone, right? Then I’ll take care of you, right until the end.”
“Huh? I-is that why you asked for the time off…?”
I nodded.