Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093092067930254/episodes/16818093093890347471
“Yamanashi.”
In the classroom after school, I called out bluntly to Yamanashi, who seemed to be alone in her thoughts. Although she had met Miyabi during lunch break, Yamanashi had been showing signs of being troubled by something until now.
Yamanashi did not seem to notice my call, and it took her a few more times to notice me.
“…… oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something.”
“Is this about Miyabi?”
I finally asked directly, numbly. Yamanashi nodded silently. I had never seen Yamanashi get upset at the sight of another person before, so my curiosity kept getting the better of me.
“…… where did you and her meet?”
“I can’t …… say it out loud, but we met at a certain park. I was asked to help her because she was a person with a lot of behavioral problems.”
“…… I see.”
She replied, sounding as if she was not convinced at all. I decided to dig a little deeper into the still-simmering reaction.
“You seemed to mistake her for someone else, but did you know anyone who looked like her?”
“……I haven’t told you about that yet, Sendo-kun. Why do I have a hard time talking to people?”
She looks uncharacteristically weak. she kept my head down and started talking in small bursts.
“As you may know from ……, I’ve been modeling since middle school. Thankfully, I was popular even then and belonged to an agency. I was always shy and didn’t like to talk to people. It was rare for me to make friends. I even stood out in the office. I was …… but then a girl came to me.”
“……That’s the person you mistook for?”
“…… Nanamori Misuzu. She was a model the same age as me. I met her through a certain job, and she actively talked to me. an impressive child with a carefree smile.”
The melancholy in her profile, as if to say that all of that is a thing of the past.
The Yamanashi I remember is basically acting stoutheartedly. The reason why she started to show her weakness in this way is probably due to the deepening of our relationship.
“She is the only person I have ever met who could talk to me without concern. She always had a cloudless smile, talked to me about trivial things, and I enjoyed spending time with her.”
“But it didn’t last long?”
“……yeah. At the time, I was one of the more successful people in the office. I was one of the best sellers in the office at the time. In contrast, Misuzu was a sluggish performer. According to some people’s view, it could be said that she was trying to flatter me. It wasn’t long before she got a bad reputation.”
The somber tone of her voice directly expressed Yamanashi’s state of mind. Relationships are more likely to go wrong than not. When it comes to girls, it is even more troublesome. They are more insidious than boys, and they force us to deal with many more complicated issues.
“In the end, I pushed her away. It was painful, but it was the best I could do.”
“…… I see. So? What is she doing now?”
“After I pushed him away, our reunion was surprisingly quick. She was in a …… coffin, though.”
“I’m… I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’ll forgive you with a kiss later. ……The cause of death was asphyxiation. The manager, impatient with the situation, got mad and strangled her. If I had been nearby, I could have stopped it.”
Her choked voice was filled with remorse and regret. The fact that she could have solved the problem if she had wanted to probably tormented Yamanashi.
It’s better not to mention other people’s past failures. It usually doesn’t end well. However, when I saw Yamanashi looking so depressed in front of me, I found myself wondering if there was anything I could do to help.
“I know so painfully that she is no longer with us, but I can’t help but put a shadow of Misuzu on her just because of the resemblance. Even though her hair color and eye color are different”
“You did what you could, didn’t you? If this was the result of that, I’m sorry to say it, but it can’t be helped. ……You did well in the face of hard choices.”
“…… Fufu, I don’t feel bad about being praised.”
Looking at Yamanashi, who relaxed her mouth a little, I felt that I could help her a little.
She lives on the front lines of a world different from our own. The hardships she must be going through are immeasurable. If there is anything I can do to help her, I want to help her. I’m a nosy guy myself for feeling that way.
“I’m done with the mushy talk now. Let’s go home.”
“I guess so. Let’s go home quietly today. …… So, what’s for dinner tonight?”
“Why are you so eager to come over to my place? …… hmm?”
Just as I was about to stop talking about dark things and go home, my smartphone shook in my pocket. What was displayed on the screen was a message from Miyabi.
[Help]
A shuddering shock pushed me to my feet.
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