Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817139558660048790/episodes/16818093084058531194
It’s been a while since I left my home. I looked up at the high-rise apartment building that was my home.
The sun was already setting, and if I strained my eyes, I could somehow see twinkling stars in the sky.
It is a building that does not look like it belongs in the countryside.
But I’ve lived here for many years and I’m used to it.
I used to …… not live here when my father was alive.
I used to live in a small apartment with my mom and dad.
We didn’t have as much money at our disposal as we do now, and I think our life was poor, but I remember that we still had fun.
“I don’t know why things turned out the way they did. ……”
I sigh as I sit on the fence of the road in front of the apartment building.
The relationship between me and my mom is terrible right now.
I’m still going home and trying to think of what to say, but I can’t think of a single word.
“What are you doing?”
“───H-Hey, why are you here?”
I looked back toward the direction where the voice was coming from. There was Arase, carrying a large amount of luggage.
“You forgot something. Don’t leave the stuff you bought at home.”
“But that doesn’t mean you brought all of that with you! Did you walk…..?”
“That’s right. That’s why I’m here at this late hour. The teacher told me where it was.”
Arase brought me the clothes I bought a lot yesterday. I felt sorry for bringing so much luggage with me when I was staying at Suika’s house, so I had it stored at Arase’s house.
Sweat is scratching from his forehead, and Arase’s face looks grim.
“….I’m sorry.”
“……, you’re unusually honest in your apologies.”
“I-if I think I’m at fault too, I’ll apologize!”
I didn’t have the energy to make fun of Arase right now.
Maybe Arase knows this too, so he doesn’t particularly tease me back.
“…What about everyone?”
“They went home. Because they are exhausted. Besides, they were worried about Fujibayashi.”
“I see.”
I felt like I had done something wrong. At that time, I was in a bad mood and couldn’t think about what was going on around me.
The atmosphere must have been enjoyable. Old bad habit.
“What’s wrong? I heard you were talking with Kirihara-sensei.”
“……”
“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”
“…… its fine. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You said that before, but you didn’t.”
“—Shut up.”
Arase smiled a small laugh. I laughed a little too, caught up in it.
Thanks to that, my dark feelings were lifted a little.
“That time.”
I then decided to tell Arase what had happened on the second floor of the house.
◇
“Now. Do you know why I’m interviewing you?”
“…. I don’t know.”
Just as I was settling down to work at the café and was about to close, I was told by Kirihara-sensei, Arase’s homeroom teacher, that she needed to talk to me.
I borrowed a room upstairs from Arase and we were going to have a talk. ……
I am not good at this teacher.
Because she is a student advisor, I’ve been on her radar since the first year, and she’s often warned me
“First of all. I don’t like it when you skip remedial classes.”
“Ugh. ……”
I forgot. I had to take remedial classes because I didn’t do so well on my final exam.”
“W-Well, you should have told me before the café started.”
“Because I don’t remember all the students who have to take remedial classes. Besides, I’m in charge of mathematics. There’s no make-up class today.”
To be honest, I don’t feel like going all the way to school to study in this hot weather. Even though I’m running away from home right now.
“Tomorrow I’ll make sure you take it.”
“…… yes”
I can’t keep quiet, so I reply appropriately.
And I immediately start thinking about how I’m going to skip it.
“And one more thing. This one is more important.”
“….. what?”
“Fujibayashi. Your mother called the school. You haven’t been home since yesterday, have you?”
“..”
I was upset by what the teacher said to me.
I didn’t think my mother had contacted the school. She always neglects me.
“Then what is it?”
“Your parents are worried. Go home.”
“No.”
I glared at her, as if repulsed by the teacher’s words. We stared at each other for a few moments without looking away, and then the teacher sighed first.
……I won.
I gloat in my heart.
But the teacher ignored me, took out her phone and started calling.
“Thank you very much for your help. My name is Kirihara from Mizuhara High School. I am calling in regards to the matter you contacted me about yesterday. ……Yes. Yes, that’s right. Please take over right away.”
After saying that, the teacher took her phone away from her ear.
From the conversation, I knew who that caller was.
“It’s your mother. Talk to her firmly. She probably knew that you would not call. She asked me to call her when I saw you. I’m telling you, don’t even think about running away.”
The teacher nailed me, and I gave up and picked up the phone that was offered to me.
Then, after putting it off hold, I answered the phone fearfully.
“….. Hello?”
“Hello? Is it Sana?”
“What do you want? I have to tell you, the tutoring thing—“
“Don’t worry about that, come home right now. Let’s talk about the tutoring then.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I’m telling you, don’t think you can get away with this. You will spend the whole summer studying instead of playing.”
“There is no way I’m going home after being told that.”
“……, you mean you’re not going to do what I say?”
“What then?”
“Then I’ll stop the card you’re using.”
“Haa!? That’s not fair!”
“What’s not fair? Of course it is. The money isn’t just for you to run away from home and spend as you please. If you are a high school student, you already know that.”
“……”
“If you don’t like it, come back. If you still won’t come back, I have an idea.”
“What?”
“I know you’ve been hanging out at a cafe called Casablanca a lot lately.”
“D-Did you look it up?!”
“I think his name is Ito Arase. I’m sure he’s the one who’s been helping you there. I’m sure you’ve been hanging out with him recently.”
My heart jumps at the mention of Arase’s name.
It was the worst. This person has been looking up all of my friends and associates. I knew it intuitively.
“The wholesaler of foodstuffs there is a friend of ours. They have been supplying them at low prices as a courtesy, but recently, with the rise in prices, they have become unprofitable.”
My blood began to boil. This is a threat. She is saying that if I don’t go home, she won’t sell the food to this café.
“What does that have to do with anything?! Why are you talking like that?!”
“I’m just saying that your presence here will cause trouble. You should realize that by now.”
“…..that has nothing to do with the Arase house! Then I’ll go somewhere else—”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just talking business. You’re not doing me any good by sitting there with your stubbornness. Please come back soon when you know. I’ll have dinner with you tonight.”
After the mother finished speaking one-sidedly, the phone went dead.
That’s the worst. Even if it’s just to get me to listen to her, it’s not right to do such a thing.
This is going to cause trouble. It’s my fault …….
“Y-yeah. You know the manager here, don’t you? Then…”
“Fujibayashi. Go home.”
“…..”
“I could hear the conversation on the phone. I don’t like it either, and I don’t like the way it was done. But you can go home. That’s all there is to it.”
“……”
The teacher was right. I’m causing trouble for my own reasons.
My mother’s previous words came back to my mind.
“That’s it, I’m going home. When your head cools down, you can go home too.”
So saying, she picked up her phone and went downstairs.
◇
“That’s why.”
“…….”
When I finished speaking, Arase, who had been listening quietly, fell silent.
I’m causing trouble for the people I live in, so it’s no wonder he doesn’t want to be involved with me anymore.
However, Arase opened his mouth and said something unexpected.
“Hey, can I talk to Fujibayashi’s mother?”
It was an unexpected suggestion.
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