Love Story in College

Chapter 14

Tada Banri is walking.

Accompanied by Yanagisawa Mitsuo, he walked cross paths.

The traffic light lit up, the two of them messed up like dogs, jokingly laughing, "Review!" "Run run!" when they run. Each of them had a plastic supermarket bag in both hands, swinging heavily.

"…Wait…"

For me, though, it,

"… Wait for me, Banri …"

Already, no more words came out.

Not completely finished crossing when the lights turned red, I crouched down in the middle of the road. The cars started to light up, passing through one after another. Without me raising my head, I was hit and shot. No one stepped on the brakes for me.

And then, I couldn't scream. The voice shouted "Please stop!", "Please help me!" won't come out.

That's vivid. Because I'm dead.

Banri walked forward, not even looking at me. Even though I called out "wait", she couldn't hear me. He didn't even notice.

Although there are things to say, this voice reaches no one and no one in this world knows that I am here.

No matter how much I cry and scream, "I'm here!" no one noticed.

I never knew such loneliness before. I understand it as a blessing. It was my intention to give myself up completely. I thought that I would accept this fate calmly, refusing his approach to be futile. I'm watching Tada Banri. In my own way, I even imagine that even with the passing of decades, until the time Banri dies, I will still do this.

But at that moment, when Linda was crying, I understood. In Banri's room, Linda laughed, but in her heart she cried. I don't understand that because I'm a ghost. I always listened carefully to Linda's voice. So I understand.

I made an appointment. If Linda cries, I'll really run. So I thought, "I wish I could be next to him." I kept my promise, unchanged. I want the strength to approach the crying Linda. To reach out to him, talk to him. To try and touch with those fingers his shoulders, back, his hair, over and over again.

And I finally realized it.

I can't touch Linda anymore.

This voice will never reach him again.

There was no point in being a ghost by her side, her whereabouts unknown from the start, and besides, Linda had completely given up on me.

Try another time …

"… Banri .. please wait …"

No one understands me anymore. Why do I have to go through such things so calmly? That's not good. There's no way that's okay. Ever since I died, my thoughts have seemed to become strange: crying, screaming, going berserk. Sticking to Banri, biting him, yelling at you who live to do something. Do something for me. But nothing has changed. No one noticed me.

I think I'm afraid of disappearing.

But now, I fear things will never end.

He wondered if he could take it if things stayed like this forever. If there is no end. If I have to continue to exist forever, like my present self, it has nothing to do with life and death, forever. If my parents die, and Banri, Linda, and everyone I've ever known dies, and there's no end.

"… Hey you, wait!"

Wiping the tears flowing from my cheeks with my hands, I stood up desperately. Chasing after Banri who was gone, I cried loudly as I ran unsteadily. I've been trying so hard so far. But I don't want to be sidelined. I don't want to be left alone in a place like that.

When I ran, I realized. Banri is more than a year farther away from me in life.

* * *

In front of the entrance of the apartment there was a tall figure, easily recognizable from a distance,

"Sorry, Two Dimensions, are you waiting !?"

As Banri and Mitsuo rushed over, he turned towards them.

"Hmm, you're late! I've been waiting!"

His face was suddenly similar to a toad, puffed up. He's twisting around the waist. No matter how Two Dimensions are his sidekick, when he's disgusting he's disgusting. They automatically exchanged looks without a word, and he tried to cross over as if he was a stranger, but, he was,

"Isn't this set for 6 o'clock !? It's been fifteen minutes!"

From the shadow of that tall figure suddenly, and with the same tone,

"If you go shopping for us, then you can at least meet us at the supermarket!"

A beautiful white face appeared.

"… You must be kidding. Really, I'm not angry at all. If I can see Tada-kun's face, then 15 minutes or an hour makes no difference. Just get to meet him, I'm happy."

With four steps he closed the Banri, clinging to his left arm like a baby monkey. That, of course, was Kaga Kouko, whom he did not remember calling him. Mumbled "Hmm !?" he looked at his face. Responding to "Ufu!" Kouko tilted her head, staring back into her eyes.

The two Dimensions took four pigeon steps and clung to Mitsuo as well,

"Being able to meet Yana-ssan, I was also happy."

Reject him with everything he has, "Kii!" he shook himself hysterically to let go. "The "kii" was, perhaps, a "kii" of disgust.

Be surprised! Kouko's eyes sparkled, but no, she was completely shocked. Banri thought he was just calling out the Two Dimensions for this "gathering-collection to comfort Yanagisawa Mitsuo @ my place." He even sent an SMS to Kouko who told him not to worry about it.

"Ke, why? Why is Kaga-san here?"

However, didn't he even completely change? Even her hairstyle was different from how it was during the day. On top of a tight-colored sleeveless blouse, she wore a large necklace, knee-length trousers, and her long hair bangs were raised with beaded hair ribbons. Like a bright lemon-yellow toy, the small bag hung quietly in the middle of her back, and, exposing her beautiful legs even more, she wore gladiatorial high-heeled shoes that could kick them to death, if they were sheep.

"You're happy, aren't you? Didn't you say you were happy?"

Wearing a style for drinking at home, Kouko hung all her weight on Banri's left arm, licking it.

"Ah, of course …"

"I'm happy, I'm happy! I'm so happy to see Kaga-san!"

"Hmm ... hear that, I'm happy …"

He rubbed his round forehead happily onto Banri's shoulder, like a truly adorable beast. She's beautiful, but that was it, and this is it. Pull a little, though,

"No, seriously, why did you come …?"

Asked again by Banri, Kouko replied, "Stop, what are you saying?" slightly irritated. Only his eyebrows were raised,

"Don't you see? Am I not your girlfriend? Can't I come see you if I want to? Isn't it obvious?"

"Right!?" Turning around, Kouko looked at the Two Dimensions. The two Dimensions shrugged slightly and laughed. Saying, "Hey, that makes sense," he turned towards Banri.

"Although I thought even Tada-kun understood it, if he didn't know it, now he knows. When I want to see her, I'll go see her. Since I'm your girlfriend, that's only natural. Get ready, 365 days, 24 hours a day. OK? OK, right? Got it? You understand, right? "

"Pretty good."

He didn't let her say anything more. And he pressed his index finger firmly against Banri's lips. Doing so, Kouko chuckled, and brought her face closer,

"Actually, I've been staying here since about five o'clock. I wondered if I should go home. Then Two Dimensions appeared, and when I called him, he told me about the drinking party. "It's been decided I'll be in things like that? I mean, I want to hear why I can't .. Why don't you call me?"

His face suddenly became serious.

He examined her, but her finger still sealed her lips. Banri who was unable to even try and answer, from his side Mitsuo raised his hand in response.

"Hasn't it been decided !? Because today's get-together is to cheer me up! That's because I won't be happy with you there!"

"I'm not asking your opinion."

Ignoring such comments with a snort, Kouko looked at Banri without moving, as if he was making fun of him.

"Hey, Tada-kun. … No, 'password Tada'. Her answer? And who am I?"

"… 'Tiffany Kaga' …"

Banri answered.

Incidentally, the Two Dimensions 'are' Kilobyte Satou '— who made three names of their pact.

With a simple vow "if any of us go to a drinking party, we will all attend without fail" the three have tied themselves up. If any of them broke their vows, something important would be lost for them.

"Yes, right? So, according to our vows, it is my right to participate in this drinking party. Didn't we? It's not like that, is it?" And so, the one who shouldn't be here … "

Lifting the pose like a model, Kouko, pointed towards Mitsuo and lightly stuck out her chin,

"Mitsuoh. Chez toi."

He declared to everyone, his eyes cold. Shooting, from the temple area Mitsuo heard the sound of something breaking, and,

"…"

Still still, he took off his boots, ready to use them to hit Kouko. "Wait, wait!" Banri protects Kouko behind her back, but Kouko takes off her gladiator and brandishes it,

"There's no way your Red Wings will beat my Jimmy Choos!"

"Aren't you going to say anything about that shit that was stepped on last week's sol !?"

"There's nothing! I got stud here!"

"Idi-ot, idi-ot! The woman who was shunned!"

"Omong empty!"

"You even use a shiny yellow bag like a kind of kindergarten kid's bag! Are you trying to look sweet !?"

"Huh !? What are you saying !? Isn't that Celine !? Ah, is that really true? Is your head really messed up from being dumped so much that you don't even know what Celine is !? Mitsuo, you are so pathetic! "

"Who's pathetic, you pruning face !?"

"Perm free! The cheap perm solution kills your hair all the way to the roots!"

"Butt chin!"

"Are you ready to say 'bye-bye' to your hair for good?"

Banri is stuck in the street, in the middle of an unnatural shoe battle that takes place between his two childhood friends: shutting off the left nonsense, and off the right button. Both are scary to the same degree.

"eeek! Two Dimensions, please do something! Two Dimensions!"

"Eh, wait a minute. Phone."

But Two Dimensions certainly lives in another dimension, ignoring everything, playing with its iPhones, he said,

"Is there anything coming out of the phone !? Really, separate these people!"

"I mean .. it's Oka-chan. Incoming call. Should I answer? Should I answer?"

Hearing his voice like that, the boots fell down from Mitsuo's hands. Kouko also stopped moving, and exchanged glances with Banri.

"… Oh. He hung up the phone."

No one said anything for a moment, the fragile silence continued for a few seconds. From all the time now, at a time like this, the phone rings with Oka Chinami —

Kouko, seeing Mitsuo's loss of fighting spirit, casually caught Banri while he put his gladiator back on, but Mitsuo stood there like an idiot, one foot still barefoot.

"Eh, uh, uh, what …? In other words …? Two Dimensions are close enough to Chinami that she shared her phone number? Eh? Whahuh? Hows it? A-at what time …? No, I mean, not because I care the most .. I don't ... no … "

And he muttered.

There is no way that sadness. Two Dimensions, filling his iPhone in his pocket with a slightly impatient look,

"No, not at all! He said it wasn't anything special! One day we both just spent some time, and that's when we exchanged numbers! That's all! I mean, that was the first time he called me! "

Banri. That "time-killing" opportunity must have been when Banri ran away from Linda.

For now, they should get an explanation of how the Two Dimensional and Chinami "suddenly became close." He thought the explanation sounded very far-fetched, but he let it go without doing any special investigation of the two.

Of course it would seem strange, wouldn't it? With his current gaze, Banri understood again. However, explaining that would take a very long time.

"… Haha. Ha. … Laughs."

Mitsuo placed a hand on Kouko's shoulder. "Don't touch me so easily" said Kouko, quickly greeting her,

"Do you not want to laugh at my shame? Its alright. Go ahead and laugh. Laugh at me. It's okay, everything you want, be satisfied with my awkwardness …"

Seeing Mitsuo like himself, exhausted and forcing a miserable laugh, a sad expression appeared on his face. Turning back then as if troubled, he looked into Banri's eyes. 'What should we do?' the eyes asked him.

If you see that face — or rather, he already knew from the beginning. In the various things he said, Kouko was really worried about Mitsuo. Unsatisfied with the message Banri sent, he, without hesitation, came to see Mitsuo's condition with his own eyes. But since he could not come to Mitsuo's apartment, for the time being he tried to come to Banri's place.

Because he knew that, Banri had no choice but to speak up for Kouko, who could not speak very cleverly for himself.

"Come, now .. Yana-ssan. Kaga-san is really worried about you. There's nothing I can say to someone like that."

— Even though he's my girlfriend! Who only cares about that guy! That sucks! It's frustrating! After all, isn't there no future left there !? What are you thinking!? Just because Oka-chan dumped her and she is alone now !? If that's the case, me, me, me .. arrrghhh! I will put aside such thoughts, now.

"Is that so?"

"… Especially, me,"

In particular, just because I'm worried about you, don't get me wrong! Hmph! For some reason behind Kouko, Two Dimensions used a template to add a soundtrack to it all, but for now he ignores it.

"Ka-ga-san"

"…"

Asked by Banri if he would listen once again, well, "Yes ...," Kouko nodded meekly. Suddenly she seemed to be a shy little girl, hiding herself half behind Banri's shoulder. Seeing Kouko like that, Mitsuo took a breath as well. He sighed, as if his breath and energy were leaving him, almost as if his cheeks were offended.

"Kaga-san, if you want to be part of the drinking party today, then please don't fight with your shoes. Will you partake well, have fun for Yana-ssan? If you can, then it's okay for you to be with us. "

"… Understand"

"You too, Yana-ssan. Are you good with that?"

"…Yes.Yes."

While answering briefly, Mitsuo stepped aside, closer to the Two Dimensions. He muttered, "Sorry to bore you," so softly that Banri didn't even hear it. The two Dimensional laughed softly and started walking towards Banri's room.

Banri held Kouko's hand casually as Mitsuo and the Two Dimensional entered in front of them like ordinary guests. He could really get used to doing this, he thought. He was sure such a feeling came to him because he believed in Kaga-san. Because he believed that he was kind to Mitsuo not because of the remaining affection. As if wrapping her slender fingers, they walked shoulder to shoulder. But Kouko, flick that hand, he said,

"…"

Whooshing sound…

Pretending not to notice, and still not saying anything, he took his hands back as quickly as possible, braiding their fingers deeply, to the point where their palms were glued together. They always laugh together when holding hands, calling it "Vacuum grips ~" and "Proof of a very dear dovey ~." For some reason, they chose to use the voice of the old Doraemon on such occasions. Kouko did the best she could, but could not rival the "Nobuyo Voice" she remembered, and Banri chuckled. As if not raising her voice as well, Kouko looked down and just laughed inside her throat.

"Hey guys, aren't you very close !? You should consider Yana-ssan's broken heart!"

Looking at the two Dimensions within the elevator, they moved quickly, as if they were forced apart by karate cutters.

"It's okay, it's okay …"

Mitsuo was alone on the wall, trying to hold his left hand with his right hand, as if it was crowded.

"I'm quite an expert by myself .. look, like this even …"

"I have some shocking news for you, Kaga-san."

"What?"

Removing his gladiator at the entrance, Kouko who asked back suddenly was four inches shorter. She wears slippers, a beautiful pink rose design, especially for its use. From the Olympics, 980 yen.

"Although I just found out about my neighbor as well. That's NANA-senpai's place."

"Eh !?"

Of course no one had sandals, not even Banri, the head of the house. Mitsuo went straight to the fridge, saying, "I want ice!" and the Two Dimensions went straight to the facility, saying, "I borrowed the bathroom!" They were all barefoot apart from socks.

"He was that weird guy the other day. Remember that? We get into the elevator, and we wonder who that guy who's all dressed in black. That's NANA-senpai."

"Are you kidding? That's someone completely different!"

Kouko's expression was truly shocking, she looked at the wall behind the kitchen. So, it seemed like that person was living on the other side of that wall.

"That was a huge surprise. But it seems NANA-senpai realized long ago that a freshman at the same university lived next door. So it looks like he invited us to a live show … "

"Ba, Banri ~~~ …"

Since the bathroom was separated from them only by the door, the sad voice of Two Dimensions echoed painfully.

"Small background music, please ~~~ …"

Hearing that, Banri grabs the television remote and presses the 'on' button'. He raised the volume a little. That is the rule in small apartments when visitors use the bathroom.

The room was still just like when he left it when he left because of Kouko's phone call.

The floor where Linda walked in her socks, the window glass where she had her forehead pressed. The rug Linda occupied. Everything was still like when Banri cried in front of Linda's eyes.

Banri and Linda's picture is still on the table where she left it. It was there facing down, and no one had seen it yet. Banri took it casually, and instead of putting it on a bookshelf, he placed it in the middle of a cheap shelf rack.

Then, in order for them to get ventilation from the two windows, he opened the two wide. Kouko saw nothing, staring strangely at the wall next to the next apartment.

"I wonder, did 'NANA-senpai' say her surname?"

"Who knows? He hasn't put up a sign. But we know that he's from Warabi."

Eeehhh .. while nodding seriously, Kouko went to take the plastic grocery bag that the Two Dimensional left on the floor to the kitchen. In a hurry to reach, Banri lifted a heavy bag.

"This is a side dish that Two Dimensional bought in his hometown. He said it was croquettes, menchi, and potato salad. If I know we're having a drinking party, then I'll buy some stuff too. "

"Now. Wow, it's still warm. Moreover, the smell was very good .. dangerous, the overweight aura scratched its way out."

"Tada-kun, what did you guys buy?"

"Well, we bought some sake, some snacks and some side dishes. Macaroni salad, karaage, (wow!) Mayonnaise and some heavenly fried food ... then what? Hey, Yana-ssan!"

Mitsuo pulled his head out of the fridge,

"Pickles, sausages, and fried rice. Oh, and because Kouko is also part of the head count …"

Although she replied, Kouko said, "You know, in other words."

"Great. There are no vegetables at all. I felt like a vegetable all along, but didn't see anything."

"Huh? Of course there are vegetables. Potato salad, macaroni salad, pickles. I mean, Banri, is it okay to take some of this, like Ajipon, out for a while? Like that, everything won't fit. Don't you want to cool the sake? "

Mitsuo took out some condiment containers and stuffed the sake cans into the open space. Banri lifted up the one bag left in the kitchen, which was,

"Although I think for now, this area is my job. Even you shouldn't be here."

Kouko glanced at the contents quickly.

They buy highball shochu cans, cocktails, alongside beer, ginger beer, alcohol-free cocktail style juices, and drinks like beer.

"God…"

"I was really upset yesterday. Saying, can't they hurry? There's lots of tea and stuff."

Kouko shrugged, looking a little bored, her cute and cute eyes popped out.

"… But, just a little bit is okay, right? Just one bribe. Just the first cup. … Only one can. Can't do? For Mitsuo? See, isn't the most important thing about a party drinking a festive atmosphere !? "

He attached himself to Banri.

"After all, even if I'm not drunk, I'm the kind of person who can get excited if there's a need."

"I'm not ~!"

"Regarding that, is the talk of a 'china butt' real?"

So much so. Going to sit next to him and rub the front of his tapered chin with his finger, he prepared to run away immediately. Lightly sitting on his favorite chair, he said, "Everyone's chin is split open. Because that's where the left and right sides of the jaw join together," and show his cheek. Banri laughed, and took down all the glasses he had off the kitchen shelf.

"Haa .. Finally! That's nice!"

Two Dimensions came out of the bathroom, his expression carefree, wiping his glasses with the hem of his clothes.

"All right then! Talk about the devil, I got a message from Oka-chan! It has something to do with Yana-ssan! My bowel movements are in very good condition!"

Proud of himself, he puts himself on Banri's bed. He turned towards Mitsuo enthusiastically.

"Ap, what kind !?"

"Do you want to know, Yana-san?"

"I want to know!"

"It's a bit damp, has a lot of volume, and in some ways is aromatic."

"Not that. I wonder what that text says!"

"You're wondering."

He put his glasses back on. Ignoring Kouko who asked, "Two Dimensions sent a message from the bathroom …?" with a doubtful voice and a funny expression on his face,

"'The last call I made was because I was worried about Yana.'"

With a terrible-sounding falsetto (he might try to imitate Chinami's voice), he began to read the contents of the text message. With that voice alone, Banri, Kouko and Mitsuo took root there and,

"'Have you seen Yana around this afternoon? Even though we took the third period together she didn't come to college, and even though I marked the attendance list for her, I was worried that maybe she had a problem or something else. Sorry, that's all I wanted to ask. As it is, it's hard to get Yana. Catch it later! " There are three signatures. "

"Sorry Oka-chan, I've already made your text public," Two Dimensions looked into space and put his hands together.

Mitsuo, who seemed to be deep in thought, stopped moving. Banri casually closed the open refrigerator door.

"Oh my goodness …"

Kouko.

"He went as far as calling her, no, he was hanging out for Mitsuo's sake. Ultrasonic went a step further to mark the present list for him. He threw it away, but then did something good for her."

That's a devil's trick, isn't it? Perfect. Saying that, sitting on the bench and swinging his legs, he looked at Mitsuo without moving, his eyes a little dangerous.

"Sure, you'll ignore it, right?"

"…"

"Talking to him, meeting him, isn't it useless? If that's the case, then you just ignore things like that. You ignore him forever, have nothing to do with him forever. Isn't that how it happened? ? "

"M, I …!"

Mitsuo shrugged and turned towards Kouko's white face, but his forced expression only appeared depressed. Breathe, pant a little, comb her hair, and,

"I, ... b, b …"

Who knew where the energy he had when fighting Kouko earlier was? His face was just like a nervous child. Like that, he muttered and stuttered.

Seeing him in such a condition, Kouko finally let out a long sigh. And then, getting up from his chair and saying "loan me", he snatched the iPhone from the hands of Two Dimension. Slipping his fingertips into his ears, he ignored "what the hell is this?"

"… Hello, it's me. Since the Two Dimensional and Mitsuo are here at Tada-kun's drinking place, you also come along. Although I don't want you to come, for Mitsuo's sake I'm reluctant to call you," Mitsuo felt sad and he whined! … Huh !? What do you mean, shut up! Questions are not allowed! Yes !? I don't know, so shut up and listen! Address, … "

There was a callback at lightning speed. Of course it was so haughty that it could pierce through the sky,

"If you don't come, it's okay! But I don't think Mitsuo would like it! Hmphh!"

Take that! He hung up. Restore iPhone to Two Dimensions with a smile and a thank you note,

"Gosh, how much trouble are you?"

He turned to Mitsuo the face of a cold-hearted childhood friend. Banri runs away to the kitchen, apparently unhappy with things,

"And again ~ I finally got nice for Mitsuo ~. Refill ~"

Phew .. Tilting his head like a goose, he pressed his cheek against Banri's shoulder. Oh, it's okay, Banri automatically stroked his back.

"… Why, that ... what are you doing, calling Chinami !?"

Finally, with the veins on his head nearly ruptured and his eyes lit up brightly, Mitsuo approached, dragged his knees and stuttered while shouting towards Kouko. Kouko, completely like a pet cat, breaks away from Banri,

"Shut up, you're making a fuss. You look like an environmental disturbance. Besides, a neighbor is someone we know. Consider it. What better do you do? You say 'I, I, ' I can't ' "I don't know what you want to say. I don't have time to wander around and decipher your screams, even living not long enough for it. The same goes for Tada-kun. And Two Dimensions, even." Whether or not Ultrasonic came is a good question, but for now, I am calling. If you want to go home, why not? "

Mitsuo listened to all of that with a horrifying expression on his face. As if frozen in a kneeling position, he did not move or even breathe.

Pulling casually but firmly at the end of his clothes, Banri spoke.

"As Kaga-san said, you can come back as well. You can go back to spending your days awkwardly spending time. Or you can stay here and have a chance to make things right."

"…"

Slowly, Mitsuo stared at Banri's face. He decides if he wants to do what Banri says.

"The way Kaga-san does things is a bit rude, but, well, can we call it 'strong medicine'? You can ask, 'Are you going to live, or are you going to die?'"

In the corner of his mind, a strange thought flashed through his mind. He realized that he had seen someone administering a powerful medicine recently. For Mitsuo's sake, Kouko makes a quick call to Chinami. For Linda's sake, NANA-senpai made a fake phone call to Banri. The two are completely different, but still, they are,

And then her, well, whatever.

"Does it seem like I'm staying here for Yana-ssan's sake?"

Although he could not use powerful medicine like the two, then he could at least give a careful dose of something like herbal medicine. Since he thought so, he tried to say it as if he was happy with it.

Mitsuo, looking very embarrassed, looked at Banri but soon sighed and stood up. Saying, "Wait," Banri quickly got up and tried to follow him, but Mitsuo did not turn to the door.

He stood in the kitchen and washed his hands violently, as if he was angry. Then turn around,

"… These sausages, can they be boiled?"

* * *

At about half-seven, he received a phone call with a tearful voice, "Banri ~, come here ~."

"You left the main street at the pet store? That's all, you turned around. We're exactly the opposite direction from the station. I think there's a convenience store? Youunderstand? I'm going straight out to meet you, so just wait. "

As soon as he hung up the phone,

"Is that Chinami …? He made it close to this?"

Practically Mitsuo trembled as he asked. Answer yes! Banri stuffed his phone and locked it in his pocket and stood up.

After deciding to stay here, Mitsuo was obviously still nervous. He barely touched the side dishes, and had been drinking sake only for some time now. Drunk relaxed, his face paler than usual. It seems to be caused more by stress than alcohol.

After deciding to stay here, Mitsuo was obviously still nervous. He barely touched the side dishes, and had been drinking sake only for some time now. Drunk relaxed, his face paler than usual. It seems to be caused more by stress than alcohol.

It was from here to the next thing, but, even Banri could not save the day. He won't be able to do it alone.

"It looks like Oka-chan is lost. I have to go and bring him back. And while I'm doing it, is there something I should take?"

"Sake ... more for sake," Mitsuo said. "Carbohydrates! Stomach belly!" two Dimensional Word. Kouko said, "Alright, if Ultrasonic is going to make a sound, then pack a tape and a piece of rope," and such, look up at the table as he speaks.

"Kaga-san, let's go together."

"I'm leaving!"

When he reached out to her, she smiled at once. Soaring to his feet, carrying his little bag over his shoulder, he followed behind Banri to the door.

"Ho, ho, wait a minute! Baner! What should I do !? What am I going to do with this terrible and terrible tension? How am I going to handle this wait !?"

"You should be fine if you like potato salad."

"Potato salad !? The two Dimensions just finished eating everything!"

"You …?"

The two Dimensions looked back at Mitsuo, his mouth filled with the last potato salad.

"Sh, shall I show …?"

"It's okay! Ah, you don't need to show the inside of your mouth, idiot! Aan, aa ~ n! Now there's no more potato salad, and I don't know what to do!"

Scrub what was said before. As expected, he was already quite drunk. He rolled around on the carpet on his back, threw himself roughly like a turtle throwing a tantrum, and started banging his head against the butt of Two Dimension.

With a shocked expression, Kouko took off the gladiator she had just worn.

"He seems to be dying. Wait a minute, Tada-kun."

Wanted to know what he'd do back, though,

"Mitsuoh. Since I can't just see more sadness, I'll lend you specifically to you."

From her own hair, carefully styling her hair by hand, she extracted a sparkling ribbon of rhinestone-studded hair.

"Excellent hair-band strength. This, by itself, flips the switch. In a surge of power, your entire body goes into GOGO mode. A coward jumps up and turns into his strongest self. Beautiful and tough, I turned into my perfect self. But pierced earrings will be a bit difficult, don't you think? If you have the chance, then a necklace too. Wearing too many things without thinking, without style and without preparation is not good. You need to remember. "

He held it respectfully in his hand, as if it was a queen tiara. Then, crouch down and grab his fallen childhood friend,

"OKAY? When you wear it, you are perfect. You won't be something scary. And, tonight, who would be more beautiful and tough than the others? Mitsuo will be."

She put it into her fluffy hair as if to hold her hair off her forehead.

"M, I …?"

"Yes, for you. … Look! It suits you! Isn't that right !?"

"That suits you! It fits!" Banri and the Two Dimensions also clapped in unison with Kouko. A shiny hairband lifts its bangs, like a young girl, or maybe like some guy in a flashy way from the past. Mitsuo was still staring blankly in astonishment, his white forehead shining smoothly.

"Am I perfect?"

Placing his hands to his chest, he tried to make a radiant expression.

Laughing from seeing that, Banri and Kouko left the room. Seeing them off with waves, the Two Dimensional exclaimed, "Be careful!"

Taking the elevator to the first floor, the two of them pushed open the heavy door. Stepping next instant,

"Wow!"

The sound of Banri rises automatically.

The night outside was very warm and humid, soaking wet. As if moisture was falling on them, it was completely windless. Not too hot, but the humidity is very high. It seemed that if he stood still, the water droplets would stick to him.

"What's wrong with this, this horrible feeling of sweating .. it hurts to breathe!"

"It's already rainy season. Will it rain in the coming days? It's nice for me to be around places like this, because my skin is dry. Now, where's Supersonic gonna be?"

"He said he'd stand by the pet store in Sunkus .. Wow, it's not even summer yet. If this gets wet now, how will Tokyo end up? I don't like it when I sweat so much."

"Summer here is terrible, to a degree that is truly life threatening. But we're going through it. With Grande Frappuchino."

"Better than that, let's go to the sea. Or the pool."

Or the river, which he realized of course he could not say. So much so. How is he going to talk about playing casually where he almost died? Even though he can't remember. Kouko smiled open and innocent.

"No way, I really want to go! Go to the sea with Tada-kun! That or the pool! What we're gonna do, it's gonna be so much fun! Let it get hot!"

Kouko looked at the sky cutely as if giving orders, and Banri laughed.

"I mean, why is Ultrasonic in such a place? Pet shops are not just on the other side of the station. Can't he find it on the map?"

Both of them walk under street lights. Kouko's high heels are heard, klak klak.

There were a lot of people coming and going in the neighborhood. Women in suits looked like they were coming home from work, women with bags of things they bought, parents with children as well, and there were still children hanging around in their school uniforms. They proceeded to the station, and as they entered the shopping district, there were more and more people there.

"Do you think he didn't hear you well when you gave him the address? But Oka-chan heard the people she invited to the party were pretty good."

Saying "I'm not bad," he shrugged and took Kouko's hand, they walked as if they were crashing into a flowing wave of humanity. As they walked hand in hand like that, Banri remembered what Mitsuo had said.

Although for me Chinami is 'the only one', for Chinami I am just 'one of them.' Someone who doesn't need to worry. Slow, doubt.

"… Something for someone that is nothing to worry about, being called out specifically, suddenly, and not showing up."

Banri thinks like that.

"Will he come out for the sake of others? He is a charitable soul. 'Ultrasonic' doesn't seem to like it that way. It's more like a love of humanity. Kind of like 'Ecology, Love, and Peace!'"

While she laughed a little at the way Kouko spoke, she looked towards him. Because of their heels, there is almost no difference in their height, and they are practically in the same line of sight. When they talk about Chinami, she always seems to be pouting, a beautiful woman with an angry look in her eyes.

Banri said, "Even though I don't think it's like that. As for me, I think it was because Oka-chan, as expected, had some special feelings regarding Yana-ssan, she paid a lot of attention. Even in dumping him like that, that time. Besides, for whom would he save his strength? "

"Maybe he did it with his mysterious vitality. They say Ultrasonic is not unusually powerful. He seems to have about 500 million times my strength! But doing such things for the sake of others was certainly impossible for me. Of course I have hands full with just loving you. "

"Certainly that?"

"Right, right, right."

"And despite all that, you are kind to Yana-ssan. You even crowned her with GOGO hair-items that gave your life."

Hearing those words, spoken jokingly, Kouko said without thinking, "Eh?" and turning towards Banri, his eyes widened.

"But, that's not what you said, Tada-kun! You said 'it's okay to be nice to Yana-ssan so she stays at the drinking party!'"

Of course he remembers. But he didn't say it seriously. … Well, maybe just a little nuanced, some seriousness mixed in, and yet. After all, the surprise on Kouko's face was adorable,

"Maybe it makes me a little jealous."

What's he trying to say?

"But a man's heart is a complicated thing ..Even when his head understands, his feelings can easily become …"

"Tada-kun ~!"

"My heart .. has been hurt …"

"Sorry, sorry, I said I'm sorry!"

Kouko tried to walk quickly, and while holding on tightly to Banri's arm, she blinked her long lashes and looked at him.

"If you forgive me, I'll do anything ~!"

"Alright, let me verify your ass."

He obediently stuck out his chin. When she touched it with the widest part of her thumb, Kouko's elegant chin tapered completely apart.

"Whoa ... this is completely split …!"

"Are you done with that?"

"Not yet! How did Yana-ssan find out about these mysterious buttocks !? Speak up!"

He moved right to the tip of his nose, but Kouko still did not fight back, looking very sad, she said,

"All the children we are in contact with know. Because in my second year the suspicion of high school plastic surgery surfaced, and to prove I didn't do anything I let everyone touch my nose and my chin …"

And then he spoke. When he tried to imagine 'the face of Kaga Kouko being touched like crazy' it became very funny, and Banri involuntarily laughed out loud. Spouting here and there all over his face,

"… Hey! Enough's enough! I'm mad!"

This time Kouko moved quickly and stepped out in front of Banri. "But I'm kidding!" "I can't hear you!" "Sorry!" "You're not forgiven!" "Are you having plastic surgery !?" "No, I don't!" … naturally in the end the two laughed together loudly as they slipped through the gaps in the crowd. They walked as fast as if racing against each other, hands intertwined together, then separated, bumping into people and then holding on together again.

While they were playing around, they passed through the station, heading to the convenience store where Chinami was supposed to be waiting.

From Banri's place, it must have been about fifteen minutes. Leaving the main street and down some dark and desolate streets, there was their landmark, a suspicious-looking pet shop among some random shops.

He thought he would be inside reading the magazine, but Chinami stood in front. Banri called out to him, but he did not raise his sad face. A white earphone cord could be seen in the corner of her hair, and it seemed like she was listening to music.

Going to call once again, Banri hesitated.

She doesn't seem to be a cute girl friend with the voice of the anime, Oka-chan, but she looks like a girl she doesn't know. Words make him fail. He could be someone from another country.

The full length black hair that spilled down, that white profile saw nothing in particular. He did not even look up and called back to her. Her all-black dress blends into the night streets completely. His handbag had rows of beads stuck there. On her delicate ankles were simple sandals. From his short arms stretched out slender arms. Without a shadow he stood on the night path, his body more than ever seemed to be broken, and a feeling of uneasiness came at him.

His figure appeared on the verge of disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Having the feeling that he shouldn't haphazardly interfere, Banri instinctively freezes in place, but,

"Hey you!"

"… Whoa"

That's Kaga Kouko's way, of course.

Even without noticing Banri's hesitation, he quickly closed Chinami in high heels and sharply pulled out his ears. Chinami raised her surprised face (it would be surprising), though,

"You, you surprised me, I didn't pay attention …! Even you came out to greet me? Sorry, and thank you."

That voice, the normal anime voice. It was the same old Chinami.

She laughed, and when she focused on him, she saw that around her eyes and cheeks, her skin was like a baby: transparent, pale and soft. But his eyes floated here and there, his attitude incomprehensible.

"We're sorry too, Oka-chan. Better meet you at the station from the start. Don't you think it's a bit pointless to walk so much?"

"Not a big deal. I mean, I'm just daydreaming. Even though I don't know where I'm going, I keep walking."

Chinami, putting her full black hair on her left shoulder, slightly tilted her head to one side. In the dark it was too white, its neck slender. After looking a little nervous, Banri shifted his gaze in a hurry. Just by not wearing weeds like a normal teacher, Chinami looked very feminine. She was very childlike, listening to the anime sound of her saccharin as the icing on the cake.

"Are you home?"

"Yes. And then suddenly the phone rings. Oh no, I think. This is Yana, I think. At first I said, 'I can't!' … he's very upset. Me either. So look what I brought! "

Opening his bag, Chinami shows the contents to Banri and Kouko. Banri reached out to take it without thinking,

"Now I understand .. it vibrates."

They watch him well. It was two bags of store-bought seimen noodles, with only "Chinese Noodles" written on it. Looking like they had been taken directly from the refrigerator, they still had cold water droplets stuck there. When he said, "Yes!" to the drinking party, maybe that was all he had, so it was unavoidable.

"Two Dimensions may like them. Said he wanted something like noodles."

Kouko picked up one bag as well, and smiled coldly. Then, as if remembering something,

"Oh yeah, what's wrong with you?"

He went straight to Chinami's face. One of his eyebrows shot up and his mouth was still smiling coldly, his pouting face was a pile of poisonous thorns.

"Not content to just play around with Mitsuo's heart, you will wrap your wet and fatty tentacles in Two Dimensions this time around? How dark are you? In your greed, of course, I am also the big picture!"

"Eh? Ap, what?"

"Didn't you call him? Two Dimensions? Do I have to explain it to you?"

"Why, why? He said it was okay for me to call him! And I'm worried about Yana! Besides, wouldn't you be mad if I called Banri?"

"Sure! I would be angry, or rather impossible! So there's no way, it will take you back to your past to where even your birth will be cancelled!"

Suddenly Chinami, turned to face Banri,

"I know it's ~, Banri and Kaga-san go together! I see you, you're holding hands tight."

He pointed at them with both hands.

"Ah, have you seen us !?"

"Of course I saw you!"

Banri lets his face fall and laughs, but Kouko still stares intently at Chinami, not moving an inch. Her arms folded and clamped a bag of noodles, her chin slitting out, her face beautiful like a demon.

"I mean, I'm going to explain it clearly for you right now. You, as far as Mitsuo is concerned, are extremely dangerous. I can't even imagine how much Mitsuo was hurt, troubled and had suffered because of you, Mitsuo is not the same as people like you, he is innocent, doesn't know the way of the world. From now on, don't you go making fun of him playfully. To you what is a playful impulse, because Mitsuo might quite possibly be a fatal blow. Mitsuo was overwhelmed, but he tried his hardest to get back up. From now on, you'll swear not to give him an idea. Here and now. From now on, don't torture him. If you can't do that, then of course don't come. I really don't want to see you have anything to do with Mitsuo anymore. "

"swear?"

His head tilted slightly, Chinami looked back at Kouko's eyes.

"Swow to you? Wh why? I have nothing to do with you."

"Swow to you? Wh why? I have nothing to do with you."

As if surprised, Kouko held her tongue.

Banri was a little jolted as well. The Chinami they knew, if Kouko ever said anything to him, would only laugh as if embarrassed.

"What I think of Yana, what Yana thinks of me, what might happen between us, it has nothing to do with you. First of all, aren't you and Banri dating each other? What do you get by paying attention to "If I were Banri, I would feel really bad about such a comment. If I think about being forgiven for something, wouldn't that create a misunderstanding from the start? Don't mind your business with other people."

Illuminated by the store's nameplate, Chinami's white face did not appear angry. Making the same beautiful face as usual, her dark eyes glowed, she remained calm. Calmly, he threw hard words at them. It was as if he was pouring even pebbles under their feet on them.

Then,

"I swear. Let's go back."

Turning to Kouko and Banri, who were still silent, he opened his bag and got closer to them. But at that moment, it might be opened too widely, from the bag was heard the sound of both sides tearing, tearing,

"Whaa !?"

It fell at Chinami's feet. All that was left in his hands was a rope. It happened in an instant, as if it was part of a sketch, at that moment his voice roared even to Banri's ears.

Chinami hurriedly crouched down, checking the contents of her bag. Pull out the bag, open the binder, and,

"… Are you kidding me !? I put it in a bag like this ~ of all things ... dude ~ …!"

Apparently, he's very troubled.

Inside the pouch is a Chinami treasure: a small craft. Oka Chinami Camera, or O-Camera for short. Purchased with the money he managed to save from a part-time job, he showed it off at a drinking party one day.

"That doesn't sound too good .. can you turn it on? Shouldn't you check it out?"

Although Banri spoke timidly, Chinami nodded and pressed the power button on the O-Camera. A small red light flashed, and peered through the viewfinder, the,

"It's okay .. It doesn't seem to be broken. Maybe we should record something ... What do you think?"

Chinami stood up, and immediately turned the lens on Banri. Ham, he waved his hand automatically. Without wasting any time, he pretended to be an Olympic athlete chewing on one of the bags of Chinese noodles. Moving the lens to the side, he next focused on Kouko. Kouko, probably still in shock due to Chinami's counterattack and yet to recover, stood there quietly on the road.

"It's Kaga-san. Kouko Kaga. This is his first O-Camera. Hi!"

"…"

While it was being recorded, Kouko, of course, ignored Chinami chatting and turned away from him, but Chinami continued to point the lens at him. With a lens that served clearly as his eyes, it was as if he was still staring straight at him.

"Hey, Kaga-san. It hurt me too. Although you may not be able to see it. But, that's it, really, really. Really am. You understand, because, for Yana,"

Suddenly, his voice was disturbed.

Chinami was still posing, ready to record, though Banri noticed his shoulders shaking. Taking a small breath, Chinami seemed to be trying to stop her trembling. But, as you might expect, can't stand it,

"I've called him twice, will he speak …?"

He lowered the hand that was holding the camera. His white face wrinkled, his big eyes suddenly filled up, Banri stepped towards him with a groan.

Oka-chan crying …

"Don't."

"…"

—Clap!

It was Kouko.

He pushed the bag of Chinese noodles he had in his hand onto Chinami's face as hard as he could.

"Just cry this is so funny and act like a child in front of Tada-kun, in this world only I can do that. Only by stopping crying will I know that you understand."

Pressing the back of his head with one hand, he pushed the noodles with the other. He exerted so much power into it, it was like a human modan-yaki. In the end, sad voices came out from under the noodles.

"Ka, Kaga-san .. You're strangling Oka-chan!"

"… Do you stop crying?"

"Fugu ... gu .. fufufu ... nffu …!"

Kouko checks the situation, making sure Banri can't see. And then, while shaking his head from side to side "not good", he pushed the noodles once again strongly.

"Looks like he needs more."

"You mean, even though he really looks in a sad state …!?"

He tries to free himself from modan-yaki, but Chinami, he,

"Hey, hey .. Banri .. Banri …"

Despite the difficulty of breathing, he called Banri. He is still made into a "face-mein" by Kouko. All he had in his hands was a camera on one, a bag strap on the other. Then,

"I look kind of funny now, don't I?"

Record ... try and record .. he asked. He held out the camera to Banri. So I can see this mess later, he said.

"Oka-chan, really !?"

"… Re, really …"

Banri has no choice but to take the camera and follow Chinami's instructions, and do what remains to be done to record this strange face-mein affair. With simple controls, he immediately knew how to use even zoom. As he waved the camera towards Kouko, the lens faced the smile that was put forward. He gave her a little wink. An officer who happened to pass by turned his face in annoyance, then fled across to the other side of the road running. A group of elementary school kids who returned from school cramming and went to the department store waved to the camera, but the other kids held them back, saying, "Shh." For now, he was left to record even such responses from the world around them.

Not long Chinami, though,

"Hey, can you just let go of your hand just a little bit, Kaga-san …? I don't know why I feel this stable enough."

Slowly, the noodles still stuck to his face, he walked alone. It seemed that because they were pushed too hard, the noodles stuck firmly to the curves of his face and did not fall off. While filming a video of the bag snagging there, leaving nothing behind, Banri felt it was too real. Can I laugh, or not? Really, it was as if he was looking at the noodles with long hair swinging, walking around.

"Should I call it a face ... or a mask, or a noodle?"

Banri said, "The letter is for me, or noodles, right?" but Chinami, it's Chinami,

"disguise."

She suddenly started dancing, just moving her hips so that the noodles on her face would not fall off. The bag looks too silly, Kouko suddenly loses it. Angrily, he hid his mouth, but he laughed. Chinami too, as if she couldn't stand it anymore, laughed out loud, "Fufu .. fufufu hahaha! What am I doing !?" and finally dropped the noodles,

"No, seriously, how could that be the entrance !? Then with Yana there too, maybe we can focus on ourselves by forgiving and forgetting."

He rubbed his eyes as he picked up the bag. Hiding the trace of her tears, the night elf tried to laugh with her normal gentle face.

"It was, of course, too stupid, and he might be offended," they said, quelling the idea. With that, the three of them turned towards where Banri was, however,

"John …"

"Yuko …"

There was excessive stupidity in the face-mein, but in the room they waited naked.

The power-up band-power equipped Mitsuo, along with the Two-Dimensioner, slept without clothes, hugged in Banri's bed. Two Dimensions, with his glasses, for now looks like John. The dashing Mitsuo curled up under his arm. They are in this position for some time, waiting for Banri & Kouko to bring Chinami back to the room. Arguing between the two about whether they came or not.

His bed was contaminated by a naked tramp, Banri blew. Their eyes are contaminated, Kouko and Chinami blow. Reading the atmosphere, Two Dimensions quickly got up, saying, "Well, we can start a drinking party over ...this time with Oka-chan here as well.." and get dressed.

"Yes .. Chinami .. will laugh at it .. we, think …"

Mitsuo, the hairband still attached, looked awkwardly at Chinami. Chinami slowly shook her head from side to side,

"Well, that's not funny at all. That's really disgusting."

Cut in half by one blow. Turning his face away in disgust, Kouko said so to Chinami so gently that even Banri did not hear him.

"Face-mein took the gift."

"Gahaha!" Chinami raised a victory laugh alone. Mitsuo continued to look at him in wonder. "Ah, that must be some kind of noodle," Two Dimensions grabbed the Chinese noodles, and Banri washed his hands in the sink.

Since nothing seems to be happening, they can restart the drinking party.

* * *

Banri tried as hard as he could to open his eyes, and it occurred to him, after I fell asleep, why did nothing pleasant keep me awake?

There is no sake to drink. It's okay if you don't wake up until morning, he thought.

But how many hours do they talk crazy about stupid things, and gobble up on their own any extra food they might buy too much of,

"… Uh …?"

And in the end, it seemed like he fell asleep without even realizing it.

Two Dimensions and Mitsuo murmured things like "Five dimensions seem extraordinary" and "The concept of the universe is larger than the substance," with the characteristic peculiar mood in the middle of the night, and even though they were talking about the storm, and he should have taken part, did he fall naturally?

Slowly lifting his body, waking up like a continuation of his dream. He looked around the dark room, illuminated by the first small trail of light. Two Dimensions call this lighting condition "the crack of dawn." "Let's turn on the lights at dawn" he said. Whether it was the so-called around Shitamachi, or it was typical of the language, in both cases it seemed to have a strange taste, and Banri decided to call it the 'break of dawn' the next time.

Banri was half of the mattress that lay on the floor, it looked messy because he was rolling around. Mitsuo fell asleep right in the middle of the mattress, a blanket covering his head. Two Dimensional pitifully, his body curled up under the table, looking cold, a light snoring sound emerged from him.

Chinami is sleeping in bed with Kouko.

She falls asleep first, along with Kouko, who frantically moans in her sleep, "Don't drop make-up .. We can't buy makeup that's gone missing ..." When they go to sleep, they don't drop make-up, at least they look pretty good. They sleep soundly, sharing pillows, Kouko turns towards the wall, hugging the tiny Chinami from behind as if she were a plush toy. Breathing in unison in their sleep, strangely it was funny.

At about ten, Kouko called home. He lies to them, saying that he is staying at a college friend named Oka Chinami's house. In order to gain the trust of his hesitant parents, who asked, "You're not with Tada-kun, are you?" Chinami was put on the phone and introduced. Eh? I'm not an elementary school kid! Eh? My voice is not synthesized! Eh? I don't sniff helium either! … And so on, he spoke for life. Although they had no regrets, it was funny, and the team of guys desperately covered their laughter.

She felt sorry for him for lying, but her conscience did not bother her too much. He thought, "We are students, and something like this is okay." He thought so because they didn't do anything "bad." He still could not see the lights of Paris. Since maintaining a pure relationship is a rare thing nowadays, doing this much should be forgiven. Might as well.

Three mornings.

Alone, Banri involuntarily rubbed his eyes. "… Shoot," he let out a small voice.

The empty room was a mess. Food and sake, and what you might call the scent of youth, have been with the burning heat, put together.

Waking up gently so as not to make a sound with her feet, carefully stepping around the feet of her friends who had rolled onto the floor, she turned towards the closet and quietly took out a few blankets. Used in the spring, it was things that rolled up and removed it without washing in the heat lately, but it did not smell when he sniffed it. Kneeling quietly, Banri draped a blanket over Two Dimensions.

Doing this so that the guest does not get cold, he opens the window to get ventilation. When he did, the wind blew. Banri was sitting by the window, the cool air of the night death was pleasant in his throat due to the many chattering.

He looked at the bed. Groaning "no ..." gently, Kouko buried herself under the blanket. He wondered if he was a little cold by the wind. No longer being able to see his sleeping face, he was extremely disappointed.

— Where is the last love station !?

Dating them is an unusual time. While a drunk Chinami throws herself down and chews on a dried squid, Mitsuo while doing a sit-up yells "Marriage!" in response. "Once that's possible, it'll become a habit! It will live! It will come true!" she said. Two Dimensions said, "Saying that no one can see the path before him in love, a man travels by train .. If it slips, he does not arrive at the station, isn't that just a good expression now? I'm going to use it for something, "note it all at once, it's fiddling with its iPhone.

And then Banri and Kouko, their eyes making contact, their voices in unison, saying, "Paris!"

Hiding their reasoning from Chinami's question of "What is it about?" they pair up, and find out that if you look at it from the outside, they are annoying to the extreme, constantly laughing.

The last station of their love is Paris.

Sleeping under Banri's blanket, Kouko's curves can be faintly seen.

The obsessive side of himself, impatiently said, "I want to go to Paris, I want to go!" and the side of her that seemed to be content with just sitting by the window like this, was comfortable listening to Kouko breathe in her sleep forever, both sides of her were of course there, she said.

Well, if that could really happen, he would rather if Kouko stayed alone.

She wants to try and have a bad relationship that she can't tell her parents, leaving everything else in this apartment in Tokyo. Already, he didn't feel it was a lie.

He also wonders if the others will tease him for approaching the eccentric and sticky Kouko, wondering if they spent time alone together. They will wonder what else is going on. The two of them, muttering sweet words, drew closer to her pretty face, held hands no matter where they were, touched, clung, because it was fine.

He might think that after all, Tada-kun is safe. We are not in Paris, unfortunately. He'll promise that he won't explode, even if he turns on the wick. Banri felt confident about it, as if it was written in fireworks.

But if he was a firecracker, wouldn't lighting a wick usually make him explode? It was a mystery, his trust in the man.

Her feet were hot, she pushed them against the glass.

In the middle of a night like this, a night where all his friends sleep, his girlfriend Kouko also sleeps, and only he himself is completely awake. Feeling sad and thinking about strange things, with no one stopping him from doing it.

"…there's…"

He tried to hold his voice.

"… Does anyone wake up?"

Is there no one? He asked, rolling to the floor. Alone, he stared at the dark ceiling.

Is this a side effect of a pleasant time, from talking continuously, to making a lot of noise? His head that was awakened randomly wide, he could no longer sleep.

He was unusually intense, as if he was left alone.

Other than himself, there might not be anyone else in this world who woke up at a time like this. It came to him just like that, at that very moment.

From somewhere nearby he could hear the sound of a window sash being opened. Is that from the apartment next door? It belongs to NANA-senpai, but maybe —

Almost grumbling, rolling over and getting up, Banri took his phone from the charger. Thinking it might be a problem at such a clock, but strangely he was convinced.

The message he sent was very short. 'Are you awake?' that's all it says.

He pressed the send button, and a few seconds passed. Instead of email, Banri's cell phone vibrated from the incoming call. Cutting it off after just one ring, Banri, saying 'as I expected, ' stood up.

So there would be no sound, he came out on the veranda, quietly closed the door.

Walking barefoot and toe-toe on the cold, rough concrete, he leaned his body against the fence and deftly peered at the shatterproof panel separating him from the neighboring porch.

There, he saw the person he suspected was there. As expected, Banri laughed.

"Linda"

That easy, he called her.

"Linda"

That easy, he called her.

"Banri"

Not denouncing her for having lost her honor, Linda held on to the same staircase, looked at Banri and laughed.

What does one do with a neighbor at three in the morning?

Former classmates, in a place like this.

The situation became very funny, they both spoke and laughed softly. Linda made it seem as if she pressed her arm into her mouth, and Banri, her mouth open but no sound came out, did nothing but laugh.

"A, what are you doing !?"

"You too!"

Speaking quietly in a hoarse voice, they pointed at each other. Really, what are they doing? After getting drunk that night, they were still laughing.

Laughing, Banri thought of something strange. It's okay to talk casually. Rather than calling him Senpai, it was now more natural to call him "Linda", he thought.

He felt as if he remembered it always as it was before, but Banri's breath gasped. Phew, as if feeling relieved, he realized as if a violent tension, tensing his body everywhere, would be released. The cold-night oxygen spread through him pleasantly.

"Beverage drinking?"

While controlling the laughter, he nodded at Linda in response.

"Is NANA-senpai there with you?"

"Yes, that"

Taking a quick breath, Linda combed her bangs. As soon as he set it with his fingers, the night wind messed it up again.

Looking towards him, his eyes were shining brightly.

"My point is, I just remembered. About You. So when your text arrived, I was really surprised. How do you know I'm awake?"

"How am I? I have a hunch."

"The "banri from before was that type of man. There are moments in training camps, away races and so on. There really is, a few times a year. In the middle of the night, seemingly unable to sleep, you went inside the girls room ... walked in and said 'Hey Linda, are you awake?' "

"Hey, I'm not a stalker."

"But that's it. You're almost like a stalker. So even though you look really bad, you would nervously say things like 'I can't sleep .. maybe it's because of tomorrow's training race ..' Where would I answer, 'How do you want me to wake you up? And then, we both fell ill on the morning run due to lack of sleep.' "

"I don't think I have any male friends?"

"You did it, you know. You go to every one of them asking 'Hey, you wake up?', and in the end you come to my place."

"Oh, in other words you told me that I decided to become a stalker after I checked to make sure that all the men were asleep ... Isn't that typical of your planned crimes !?"

"More like we're just kids. And still childish, especially you."

"No, that's not true. I understand who I am now. In that behavior, my intentions were completely wrong. I was completely wrong. I'm, guilty."

"Be, really? … Wow, then perhaps, I lost **************, is that really you …?"

"Eh !?"

"Just kidding."

"What's with saying 'I'm guilty' in a 'I'm gay' way'?" Linda doubled the laughter. A long time ago, the fiancee of a famous person in a press conference said such things, and the mean-spirited brats of the time joked and imitated that way of speaking. — Whether talking such things brings back his memories of the past, or it is general information left to him, it does not make a difference to the current Banri.

The sound of her laughter still lingering on her lips, Linda sighed and looked down at the city.

Banri also looked towards where Linda was looking.

The city that night was very quiet, not even a single breeze could be heard. It was like time had stopped. Ever since he first moved here, he knew how loud this area was in the middle of the day, flooded with car noises.

She joins Linda, standing side by side on the veranda, separated by a panel.

Surprisingly, even quietly like this, he did not feel uneasy. Instead, it's comfortable. He felt as if he was accepted, and was freed from all pressure.

It's okay not to talk, even silence, Linda understood she wasn't thinking of anything strange. Everything's fine. Its alright. He could believe it unconditionally. Things like being understood, angering someone, disliking nothing, and he can calm down.

And so was Banri,

"…Something."

Putting herself in the same position as Linda, she placed her chin in her hand, still thinking at her own pace about what she could say.

"Yes, that"

"But it's for a reason."

"What?"

"I thought that in those days I loved you. And at that time, using sleeplessness as an excuse, and seeing that it was time for Linda to fall asleep. For that I'm sorry."

With a big smile, Linda laughed.

"Is that so?"

Seeing Banri on the sidelines, Linda's mouth spun in a strangely evil way. He laughed scornfully.

"… You never think like that?"

"Good…"

"… Why does everyone seem to think I'm a bomb ready to explode …?"

That I'm not safe around me. No one knows when I'm going to explode.

At that moment, Banri noticed an object rising gently in front of his eyes.

The mysterious object, coaxed forward by the wind, rose and fell over and over again like a jellyfish dancing underwater, but then rose and endlessly flew far above.

Will it ever come down to earth again, even in far and high places?

"Whatis that? Plastic bags? … Or what?"

"What's? Which one?"

"That one. Look, over there."

Linda leaned around the panel, and looked towards where Banri was pointing. The two of them, their bodies bent at the same angle, observed for a while as it flew higher and higher.

"… It's a plastic bag, isn't it?"

"I should."

Though it becomes impossible to see, they somehow chase after her with their eyes, and before long Banri's shoulders cling to Linda's body.

He didn't know even why he thought of things like "If I could be like this, I'd be safe."

He could believe for no reason that even if everyone in the world was asleep, if Linda was there, it would be okay.

Banri doesn't even know if it's his current feelings, thinks of Linda as a guardian angel, or if it's a memory of his past, who has spent so much time with Linda.

For now, he remains that way.

So they overcame the lonely man at night, leaving him. They wait for the morning. He must have done this before. So he thought.

"You know, it would be best if we talked normally about the past from the beginning."

Still looking far away, Linda spoke. He said it was close to his ear.

"… Somehow, once you lose the chance to say something, it can quickly turn into poison. Even when you don't talk about such things, but saving them turns dangerous. As time goes by, they become dangerous. No matter how bad they are, it is best to make them say. "

About myself, about my friends. Even about the drinking party today. About being with Linda. In every memory, Banri nodded. Really so. He quite agrees.

However, not everything can be done easily and honestly. The thought crossed Banri's mind that some things were like poison.

Making sure to look at her face, Linda let out a long sigh.

"Among us, from now on, there's nothing we can't talk about. We haven't changed. … I think it's okay if we think like that. The truth is, nothing has changed. With Tada Banri, Hayashida Nana. We live, both of us. We see the same sky. That hasn't changed at all. "

Unable to answer, Banri looked back into Linda's eyes.

He wondered if nothing had changed.

She doesn't know Linda here, lives in Tokyo, lives alone in this room. For Banri, it was clear that things had changed since then. The only thing that doesn't change is their faces. And if one layer of their skin is peeled back, then they will be no more than unrelated and different people.

And still, she wondered if Linda wanted to believe nothing had changed. Banri was Banri, and back then still, of course he wondered if that was what Linda wanted.

Of course, he wondered if he really could not accept this "self" …

"… Banri?"

Someone said, "— That's what it looks like."

I'm the one with Linda.

You weren't there.

"… That's it, right …"

Banri's ears heard what must have been a voice. I heard something, he thought. Answering him with something like a groan, Banri slowly closed his eyes.

He wondered how much longer he would have to wait for the morning that was still far away.

"Mr.Linda .. Senpai."

"…"

He pulled himself off the shoulder he was leaning on. The part of her that had touched Linda until now, was exposed to the wind, too cold.

He opened his eyes, but the world was still night. In the darkness there were spots of light, the lights of the city.

"Do you want to go back to that time? To that place? Do you think you want to go back if you can to the time where I used to be?"

As there was no answer, their conversation went silent.

Linda stood beside Banri, her hands hiding her mouth, only her eyes were facing the dark sky. Shut up for now, he seemed to be thinking of something.

You can't go back already, forever — Banri thinks like that. Returning is impossible. He has become like this, everything has changed, and you cannot turn back time. Accepting reality, in one way or another putting aside things you cannot do, cannot help. Although of course he couldn't get it out of his mouth, he thought repeatedly, "that's the truth."

The words he could not say actually became poisonous. And then they gnawed at his body. It was to blame for the pain in his chest.

He took a breath. Going to say something completely different, Banri opened his mouth and then,

"I want to go back!"

"… Uh …"

— Surprised, he saw his hand.

Linda was shocked too. Bending his body as if it had become stiff, he stared at Banri's hand.

What he said, what he shouted, what he was going to do, he didn't know.

His hand was near Linda's elbow and was about to grab her. He realized it had not moved, aimlessly hanging in the air.

Slowly, he moved his fingers. He brought them close to check it out. Without a doubt, it was his hand. Even though it was his own hand, and even though it was his own voice, it was,

"… What .... did I just say …?"

What he did, he really didn't know. He saw Linda's jaw vibrate for a moment. The panel separating their two porches felt cold on their hips.

Linda's in a minute,

"Wow…"

She said. Eyes blinked in surprise, he looked back towards Banri, looking surprised from the bottom of his heart.

"You asleep? Just got."

"…Sleep…?"

Sure, he nodded and laughed. And push hard into the handle up,

"The two of us should probably have slept. Lack of sleep is not good for you. You will become overly sensitive, and even think of things that you should not do. So they said."

He waved his hand and turned around.

"Good night. Tada Banri's."

Cheerfully closing the door wall to the NANA-senpai residence, Linda quickly returned to the room. Left behind, Banri is still in a daze.

To sleep?

Unsure, unable to fully agree, she still could not return to her apartment. Stepping into the silent world of those sleeping people, he could not calm down and closed his eyes.

I was alone on a lonely night, he thought. I am the only one awake at the moment.