Chapter 15: Something unexpected
Translator: Soafp
[Haruka Pov]
Several years had passed since then.
I had taken a job at a company affiliated with Narimiya in the next prefecture. It was the maximum concession I could get from my father, as I had refused to marry and had moved out of my parents’ house.
“Narimiya-san, what should I do about this place…”
“Oh, this huh, if you do it this way…you see…”
“Thank you very much! I knew I could count on you! You should learn from her, Harada-senpai!”
Having a cute junior colleague, she was devoting herself to her work in her own way.
“Why, I taught you well! Right, Narimiya.”
“Fufu. Yes, you taught her properly. If you listen to Koizumi-san properly, you will definitely understand. Okay?”
“Yess”
“What’s with that attitude! Just because Narimiya is so nice to you…”
Harada-kun, a fellow colleague of mine, glances at me. His attitude toward me has not changed since he was a small child.
Only Toki-kun was straight forward.
“Ah, dressing up in front of Narimiya-senpai again. Well, please do your best.”
“Such a thing…right, Narimiya?”
“..Eh? What is it?”
“Kusu kusu. Narumiya-senpai has a fiancee. Give up.”
“Hey, Narimiya… how about tonight? Dinner.”
“No…I’m sorry. I feel bad for my fiancé.”
“Right~Haa…let’s go to work.”
I don’t have a fiance. It became hard for me to say no over and over again, so that’s what I did.
After Toki-kun became happy.
That’s what I had decided. I told my father everything and got him to understand why I was leaving home and why I couldn’t get married yet.
I made my parents look very sad.
But I wanted to make it happen even if I had to, it was my ego.
However, living alone was unexpectedly lonely, and I would fool myself by looking at pictures of Toki-kun from elementary school.
I wonder what happened with the girlfriend of that time. We only met in person and talked about one thing.
Scars, I hope it hasn’t widened…
When Toki-kun had made good friends and junior staff, and had become a member of society in his own way, Toki-kun learned that his father had become seriously ill.
Moreover, Toki-kun was going to join my father’s company to take care of him.
I felt indescribable.
I want to go visit Seiji. But I couldn’t see Toki-kun.
When I went back to my parents’ house to hide in agony, I heard their voices laughing next to each other.
The closest and the farthest distance between me and him.
I felt like crying.
A few months have passed since then. I had returned to my parents’ house again. I used to go home once every two months, but now it’s about once every two weeks.
“Haruka-chan, over here.”
One day after dinner, my mother handed me a piece of paper. Was she talking about a marriage proposal again? There was no mention of the sender.
“It is from Toki-san.”
“…I don’t want it”
I can’t accept it. I want to see it, but I can’t. It has a definite future in it. It contains a sharp scythe that will cut off my unresolved feelings.
“Really? Then let’s throw it away.”
“Eh? Oh, don’t!”
Watching her go to throw it in the trash, I hurriedly snatch the letter away from her. Sometimes my mother’s jokes go too far. What kind of a thing to do to a precious letter out of the blue.
“Ah, mou! You crumpled it up!”
“Fufu… Read it properly.”
“Suwako-san…”
“Ara, I have done my job well.”
“……,Right….”
My father was taken aback by my mother saying that with her chest puffed out. After all this time, I still think they make a good couple.
I didn’t see anything.
I didn’t dare look at the letter at my parents’ house, so I brought it back to my house where I lived alone.
For some reason or another, I had stretched to break the seal.
I’ve been thinking about it since the day I graduated from high school. …… Yes, I was scared.
No, I won’t bat an eye. Right. I’m not going to close my eyes. I have to properly accept Toki-kun’s thoughts.
But…what will he say to me now?
Is it abuse…maybe he has found someone good…maybe…an invitation…to the wedding…or something?
I suppress my trembling hands and read the letter.
Ah, it brings back memories…Toki-kun’s handwriting. It’s real.
“…Wha….”
But there was something written there that I never expected.
Noctis
January 30, 2023 at 2:29 amThanks for the chapter!
Bet he wants to talk to maybe get some closure, just hope he doesn’t take her back.
riotpls
January 30, 2023 at 3:30 amAs interesting as this story is, this author must have a sadistic streak with all of these cliffhangers and suddenly switching POVs. …Definitely a sadist.
STandre
January 30, 2023 at 6:15 pmI really really really hope this is not a ‘and then after crap after crap, they reunited with eachother because twu wuv’ story… And that Haruka’s ‘little talk’ didn’t screw up Toki’s relationship with that girl, even if we already know it didn’t work out.
Like always, thanks for the translation.