Chapter 2
“Ah.”
“Ah!”
Morning.
As I left my apartment room to head to work, I bumped into Minase right away.
Minase was on the second floor corridor of the apartment, seeing off a girl with a backpack—Airi—who was down below.
After Minase sent Airi off with a gentle smile and wave, she glanced over at me.
“Good morning. Are you heading to work?”
“Ah, well, yeah. Are you also… heading to work, Minase?”
“Well, something like that. Let’s both do our best today then.”
Minase showed a radiant smile and gave a small wave before returning to her room.
Watching her go, I let out a small sigh.
It’s been more than three days since I learned that Minase lives next door.
But it seems like it’ll take much more time to get used to it.
I’ve run into her several times like today during commuting hours or when taking out the trash, and each time my chest feels unsettled.
This is probably some kind of aftereffect from high school days. Time should resolve it.
I was honestly surprised that my former classmate whom I liked in high school has a daughter, but thinking about it calmly, it makes sense. Other guys wouldn’t have left such a beautiful classmate alone.
But I hadn’t seen Minase’s husband at all.
At first, I was even worried that her husband might complain about me barging into Minase’s house uninvited, but I haven’t even caught a glimpse of him.
Maybe they have different living habits, or perhaps he’s on a work assignment away from home.
However, I had no intention of asking her directly about it.
Minase may indeed be a former classmate, but now she’s just the neighbor next door.
Unless we had some relationship after high school, Minase and I are like strangers who met for the first time in ten years.
It would be strange for such a [stranger] to ask out of curiosity.
That’s exactly how I saw the current relationship between Minase and me.
And so, a week passed.
It feels like I met Minase just yesterday. That’s how fast time passes for working adults. Before I know it, I’ll probably be facing retirement.
High school days feel like they were just a few years ago too.
Mentally, I’ve hardly changed from back then. And every year, learning the birth year of new employees gives me a small dose of despair. After all, people born in the 2000s becoming working adults was just recently. …I’m sure I’ll despair when people born in the Reiwa era start joining the workforce soon too.
That’s why I was having drinks on Friday night on my apartment balcony with a can of beer.
I can’t do this in winter, but the cool breeze is pleasant in early summer. If I keep the air conditioning on all the time, the electricity bill becomes ridiculous. These small savings are important in the end.
As I was leaning against the balcony railing, lost in thought at twilight…
“Hey.”
Minase was somehow relaxing on the adjacent balcony in the same way.
She was wearing the same outfit I’d seen before—a white T-shirt and light jeans. In her hand was a plastic bottle containing carbonated water. It was one of those famous carbonated water brands that’s been around for decades, with the logo printed on the label.
“Are you having drinks too, Horikoshi-kun?”
“Well, yeah. Is that… your idea of having drinks, Minase?”
Is it actually alcohol instead of carbonated water?
“No, it’s just carbonated water. But I feel like I’m having drinks, so I just call it that.”
“I see.”
“Ever since I started living with Airi, I don’t really drink alcohol anymore.”
Because you never know what might happen, Minase said matter-of-factly.
Those words felt strangely troubling, though it wasn’t hard to imagine.
I’ve never had children of my own, but I can understand the anxiety of not knowing what might happen to a small child at any time.
To be ready for anything, drinking opportunities would naturally decrease.
Of course, it depends on living circumstances and the individual.
“But that Minase being a parent, huh…”
Those words somehow slipped out.
Immediately, she shot me a look that was both joking and sharp.
“What? Is it strange that I’m a parent?”
“No, that’s not what I meant, but…”
At our age, being a parent isn’t unusual at all. Twenty-eight is that kind of age.
However, when I think of Minase Ayana as a parent, what comes to mind first is…
“…Well, you know, Minase was… um, sloppy.”
Yes. The school’s greatest beauty. The ace of the track team. Friendly to everyone, a sacred and inviolable idol—her only weakness was that.
This wasn’t widely known in school, but guys who were close to Minase generally knew about it.
I knew because I happened to have an opportunity to learn about it.
“Not really. You can be a parent even if you’re sloppy.”
Even in the darkness, I could clearly see Minase’s cheeks flush crimson.
“Well, yeah. But Minase, you were really bad at cooking.”
“Was… was I?”
“In home economics class, you nearly caused an explosion by lighting the stove without noticing the gas leak.”
“Was… was that so?”
“You also exploded eggs in the microwave once.”
“Did… did I?”
“You also exploded chicken in the microwave as some kind of time-saving technique.”
“Why do you remember all this stuff?”
“If someone explodes something every time, you can’t help but remember.”
Minase glared at me with dissatisfied, sharp eyes.
I ignored this and brought the can to my lips.
“…Besides, we were in the same group for home economics. You even made me promise to keep quiet.”
—I’ll treat you to juice. So please, absolutely don’t tell anyone.
I remember it well because Minase pressed me like that.
Though I had almost forgotten about this episode until talking with Minase.
However, Minase came perfectly prepared the following week. As the weeks went by, Minase’s failures gradually disappeared, and I think she was eventually praised by the home economics teacher. That’s her competitive spirit for you.
“…Ugh, the worst. I feel like my dark history from high school is being dug up.”
Minase made a sulky face and chugged her carbonated water.
“That goes both ways. But you’ve overcome it now. You used to say in high school that you’d never be able to cook.”
“You remember such things well.”
“I never thought that Minase would show weakness, so it was memorable.”
It was impressive because she rarely showed weakness.
“Well, that’s true. I’m still bad at showing weakness now too.”
Minase laughed awkwardly, as if having a hidden aspect pointed out.
“But I have to raise Airi by myself, so I couldn’t keep saying things like that. Before I knew it, I’d become somewhat capable.”
“I see… wait, by yourself?”
The words slipped out unintentionally.
In response, Minase grimaced as if regretting her slip of the tongue.
However, after a moment’s pause, she quickly returned her expression to normal.
“Yes, by myself.”
She nodded quietly.
“I see.”
I didn’t pry deeper.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
A former classmate’s circumstances. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t curious, but everyone has one or two things they don’t want others prying into. So I had no intention of asking on my own.
Meanwhile, Minase opened her eyes slightly wider, blinking.
Eventually, she said quietly:
“…You don’t ask.”
“Would it be okay if I did?”
“No, I don’t really want people I don’t know well to ask.”
Minase declared this clearly.
She might never have shown such clear rejection even in high school.
Minase was someone who was friendly to everyone. Or rather, she acted in a way that wouldn’t make enemies with anyone.
So this was the first time she showed me a wall so directly.
But—
“But I guess it’s okay with you, Horikoshi-kun. It’s not really something to hide anyway.”
Besides, we’re neighbors now, Minase added.
Her lips were smiling gently.
And so, Minase began talking about her situation with Airi.
Apparently, Airi is the child of Minase’s older sister.
She’s eight years old. A third-grader. A girl born between Minase’s sister and the man she married. She was showered with love like a precious flower and lived happily.
Naturally, Minase herself doted on her too.
After work, she would head straight to their home in the Tokyo suburbs and play with Airi. Her brother-in-law was also a generous person who welcomed Minase warmly. It seemed they had built a warm family.
But all of that crumbled last year.
Minase’s sister and her husband apparently had jobs that required frequent overseas business trips.
The two of them happened to have overlapping overseas assignments. And they chose to leave Airi with Minase and go on their business trips.
Depending on company customs, going on overseas business trips can sometimes affect promotions. In some cases, not going on trips can lead to being ostracized. So the choice to go on the business trip wasn’t incomprehensible.
However, what was unexpected was that neither of them came back.
The two went missing at their destination.
Minase waited with Airi.
One day, one week, one month—but no matter how long they waited, they never returned.
I’ve heard from others that normally, if someone is missing for seven years, they’re treated as deceased.
But Minase’s relatives regarded them as dead.
And so, an ugly dispute began within the family over who would take in Airi.
“…At first, I just thought it was a bit strange. But as I talked with all the relatives, I gradually understood. Ah, these people disliked my sister.”
Minase stared at the nighttime cityscape and spoke quietly with vacant eyes.
“Among our relatives, my sister was treated as a strange person. Probably because they didn’t like the idea of working while raising a child. The female relatives told her it wasn’t that easy and to quit immediately.”
“…………”
“So they couldn’t believe that the two of them went on business trips together. Even though we were discussing who would take in Airi, nobody was really talking about that. Everyone was blaming my sister.”
“So Minase…”
“Right, I took in Airi. Because I didn’t want to hand over my sister’s Airi to those people. …Well, I intended to from the beginning anyway, and not wanting to be separated from Airi, whom I love dearly, was the bigger reason.”
And with that, Minase’s story seemed to end.
I hadn’t actually met or talked with Minase’s relatives. I had no right to comment on those relatives based only on what I’d heard.
So what I was concerned about was something else.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s not exactly comfortable, but the two of us can manage to live somehow, and Airi is reliable—”
“That’s true, but are you okay, Minase?”
Having lost her sister and brother-in-law, there’s no guarantee her mental state is holding up well.
And from what I’d heard, it seemed like she didn’t have reliable relatives to depend on.
That’s why I became worried about Minase.
“…………”
After I asked, the changes in her expression were rapid.
First, she looked surprised.
Then, for just a moment, she pressed her lips together tightly.
Finally, she broke into a radiant smile.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m with Airi now, and every day is fun.”
That smile was a perfect smile with no hint of falseness.
And that’s exactly why it seemed like nothing but a lie.
And at the same time, it was also a declaration of rejection toward me.
“…I see, that’s good then.”
Then I won’t intrude.
If that’s what she wants, ignoring her wishes would be beyond meddlesome—it would just be annoying.
“Oh, it’s already this late. Sorry for keeping you up.”
Despite me being the one who asked, Minase dutifully said this.
This was also an unspoken signal that it was over.
Understanding her intent, I nodded.
“Yeah. Good night.”
“Yeah. Good night, Horikoshi-kun.”
Saying that last word, Minase returned to her room.
“…Sigh, I don’t get it.”
After seeing her off, I let out a small sigh.
She still won’t let me read what she’s thinking.
Just when I think she’s being friendly, she suddenly takes a step back. It was the same in high school.
That’s probably why she was a sacred and inviolable idol that you couldn’t easily approach.
Or maybe that’s just how women’s hearts work.
If so, I’ll never understand it. No way, no way. If I understood that, I wouldn’t have been rejected in college—
“Ah, Horikoshi-kun. Just one more thing.”
Before I knew it, Minase had returned, poking just her face out onto the balcony.
Minase looked straight at me—then looked away slightly and said quietly:
“Um… thank you for worrying about me. That’s all.”
This time Minase really disappeared from the balcony and returned to her room.
Her voice was more matter-of-fact than any of her previous words.
Yet somehow, it felt like her true feelings were mixed in more than any of her previous words.
“…I don’t get it.”
I still don’t understand Minase. Not now, not back then.
I chugged my can and drank down the lukewarm beer.
“Aya-chan, what’s wrong? Was it hot outside?”
When I returned to the room from the balcony, Airi greeted me.
I thought she had fallen asleep earlier… but apparently she woke up.
Airi is my cute, cute angel.
I knelt down to meet Airi’s eye level and hugged her tightly.
“Hmm? Why do you think that?”
“Because Aya-chan’s cheeks are red.”
“…………”
After thinking for a moment, I answered with a smile.
“Yeah, it was a little hot. When you go outside too, Airi, make sure to put on sunscreen properly.”
Visit the request page If there’s a Japanese Light Novel (LN) or Web Novel (WN) you’d like me to translate
When the donation goal progress bar above hit 100% one novel will be chosen for translation
| Table of Contents | Next* |
Support the Author by Buying the Original Books!
