Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093152263860/episodes/16818622170980386016
My hands stopped. The more I get curious, the more I start to get curious. There are no posters, no photos, no magazine clippings, no sign of him at all.
…… I’m supposed to be at Asahina’s house, but there’s no trace of her as a child actress at all. I think Asahina has a personality that can’t throw things away, since she even left behind a flyer from last year’s cultural festival. ……
“Asahina.”
“What?”
Asahina looks back at me as she arranges her stuffed animals.
“The old ……, that stuff you used to work with, do you have any more of it?”
At my words, Asahina looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded a small “ah”.
“I threw it all away.”
“Eh?”
“Before I moved out, I packed everything up in cardboard boxes and threw it all away. Photos, scripts, costumes, autographs, everything.”
I didn’t know what to say to her. I don’t know why, but it made me extremely sad, even though I had nothing to do with it.
“By the way, why?”
I impulsively asked. Asahina looked a little annoyed, but also somewhat relieved.
“Well, I thought it would be easier if I let go of it. It’s not very dignified to feel like you’re clinging to the past.”
“That’s …….”
The words “What a waste” almost came to my mouth, but I managed to swallow them. If that was her decision, then it was probably the best choice for her. But maybe…
“But you know, I’ve been feeling a little regretful lately.”
“Regret?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have thrown everything away. Thanks to Kuga-kun, I’ve come to think that both the me of today and the me of the past are Asahina Touka.”
“…..”
Asahina hugged the stuffed toys she had been arranging in both hands and bowed her head. My heart skipped a beat. I was so happy to hear this lazy, troublesome, yet somehow lovable girl blurt out her true feelings.
“I’m sorry, I asked you something weird.”
“No, don’t worry about it.”
Asahina stroked the head of the stuffed toy as if to soothe her own feelings. We both fell silent, but the atmosphere there wasn’t oppressive.
I wonder if there is something …… that happened to cause this to happen. I somehow thought of that too.
As I continued to clean up, the time passed quickly.
“Haaa, I’m tired!”
Before I knew it, it was almost one o’clock in the afternoon. I had been working all morning, and I was getting hungry.
“Asahina, what are you going to do for lunch?”
“I can cook. Shall I pour hot water into a cup of ramen?”
“Don’t immediately jump to conclusions! That’s not cooking!”
What a shame…! My heart started beating a little faster at the thought of being able to eat Asahina’s home cooking. But even so, this is really heading straight for ill health. Just looking at this mountain of trash, it’s obvious that Asahina’s eating habits are not good.
“Asahina, do you eat cup noodles all the time?”
“Of course not! I even eat proper convenience store lunches!”
“What are you proud of? You’re using the word “proper” incorrectly!”
This isn’t good. At this rate it might only be a matter of time before she gets sick. Asahina already gives the impression of being quite slim.
“If it’s okay with you, Asahina, I’ll make you lunch from the next school day?”
“Hee?”
“I make lunch for my sister every day too. It doesn’t take much more effort to make lunch for two or three people.”
Asahina blinks at my suggestion. She looks at me with a surprised look on her face.
“Can you cook, Kuga kun?”
“I can cook as well as anyone else.”
“I mean, Kuga kun, you have a younger sister. I thought that was why you were so good at taking care of me”
“Really? Well, I do have a responsibility to retrain Asahina.”
Asahina looked away from me and gave a soft laugh.
“C-Can I ask you a favor…?”
“Of course.”
“Then, well, I’m sorry, but I’m going to ask you to do it. ……”
“I’ll tell you what, I’m making it up as I go along, so don’t complain.”
“Of course not! But I don’t like green peppers! And I don’t really like onions! And I don’t like parsley!”
“Yes, yes.”
I was relieved at the exchange with Asahina, but also a little bewildered again. There must have been a lot of adults around Asahina. I wonder where they are now and what they are doing. I wonder if anyone is complaining about Asahina’s life here.
“I can’t repay you for all you’ve done for me today.”
“Then, give me your autograph.”
“Yes?”
“Give me Asahina Touka’s autograph. I’ll treasure it.”
“You want something that’s worthless?”
“Don’t make what I want worthless without my permission.”
Asahina looked at me with a blank look on her face. I was a little embarrassed, but there was no lie in it. I was originally a fan of Asahina’s, after all.
“Are you sure you want the current me, and not the old me? Do you want a sign that your training was a failure…?”
Asahina looked so surprised that she might have seen a ghost. It was as if she never thought that someone would choose her.
“That’s why I want your autograph, Asahina! I’ll put it up in the entrance.”
“Kuga-kun, do you like me that much?!”
“Guha?!”
I blew up. In an instant, I could see that my face had turned red. I feel like my face is hot and even my ears are red.
“Oh, you are embarrassed.”
“That’s because Asahina said something weird!”
“Sign …… later? I’ll practice.”
“Eh? Do you need to practice?”
“Because I want to write well anyway!”
Saying that, Asahina showed me a big smile like the sun while smiling.
（Ah)
It was a smile that was so glaring that I shouldn’t have seen it. Yes, this is the SSR smile of Asahina Toka that attracted everyone.
“Kuga-kun, Kuga-kun.”
“W-What?”
“I’m going to miss the timing, so I’ll give it to you now.”
“Hand it over? What?”
“Today’s reward.”
Asahina is coming from the kitchen with a paper bag wrapped with a ribbon.
“Here you go.”
She places the bag in my hand with a pop.
“What’s this?”
“I told you at the beginning, didn’t I? Sweets to beat your hands with.”
“Hee?”
“I made chocolate for the first time. I can’t guarantee the taste.”
“Please, please.”
“By the way, it’s just melted and hardened.”
“You don’t have to tell me everything.”
“It was my first time, so the sink was a big mess. ……”
“Haha, we’ll clean it up together later.”
Asahina was talking fast. Could it be that she had gone to the trouble of making handmade chocolates to say thank you? I don’t really know why she wanted chocolate, but I was happy.
“Thanks for today, Kuga-kun. Please continue to look after me.”
“O-Okay.”
I was told by Asahina that it was like a confession. Her chocolate was slightly bitter, but still very sweet.
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