Volume 7-1: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

As soon as I sent the postcard to Kotono, I started to think about it. Even though I sent it out on the spur of the moment, I wasn’t sure if Kotono would even read it if it arrived safely. That girl.

“What is this? You’ve got to be kidding me sending this stupid stuff.”

　And if she tore it up and threw it away, everything would be over.

　The day after I posted the mail, I sent Anna a message asking about Kotono’s condition. However, no reply seemed to be forthcoming. It seems that she has been ordered by Kotono not to make contact with me, so it was difficult for me to get in touch with her. When she did, it was very brief, just something about how she was going to Kyoto or how beautiful the scenery in Switzerland was.

After a day or two, I couldn’t stop worrying that I’d made a terrible mistake. I didn’t think Kotono would forgive me for what I had done.

　If I could, I would run to the collection and delivery office right now and get that postcard back and tear it up with my own hands. But now that the postcard was out of my hands, it was on its way to the aeroplane. I looked at the mailbox at my parents’ house and sighed several times, even though there was no hope of receiving a reply.

“Did you receive any reply from Anna?”

When Mukaishima asked me this in the prep school canteen, I shook my head helplessly.

She was worried that I was too absent-minded, so she asked me to confess that I had had a fight with Kotono over something trivial, and that I had sent a letter of apology to Switzerland. But I didn’t tell her the cause of the fight or what I wrote in the letter.

　Mukoujima raised an eyebrow at my sloppy response.

“Well, I don’t have any idea of the cause, But it seems to me its a mutual thing. You don’t have to feel that you’re the only one to be blamed.”

Mukaishima took a sip of coffee milk from the pack.

“Kotono-san is too soft on you Sasuke-kun”

“I think Kotono-chan is too soft on Sasuke-kun. You need to get away from her a little bit and understand how much she means to you.”

Mukaishima is a very reasonable guy, but at times like this, she was very harsh with things regarding Kotono.

“Our parents are paying for us to go to prep school. Why are you wasting your money like that? Just because you’re worried about something doesn’t mean it’s going to go away, so why don’t you change gears and study properly?”

Mukaishima’s big eyes looked into mine and I nodded. She was right. The situation was not going to get better by dithering. My fate had been shipped off to Switzerland with the postcard, and there was nothing more I could do. Maybe it’s best to forget about it until we know the outcome for sure.

“Yeah. Thanks, Mukaishima.”

“Don’t worry about it. But if you want, I’ll see you tomorrow at …….”

Mukaishima leans forward and was about to say something

“Hello, are you guys busy?”

　Minoya appeared with a cool smile on his face. He was apparently applying to the University of K in the Kansai region, but there was no sign of any urgency in his expression. He retired as head of the tennis club at the end of the first semester, but his juniors, who adore him, have asked him to come and coach them from time to time.

“Oh, you know, there’s a summer festival tomorrow on the main street, and Minoya said he couldn’t make it, so I thought I’d invite you, Sasuke-kun.”

I looked alternately at Minoya-san and Mukoujima, who sat opposite me. To be honest, I felt uncomfortable in front of this picture-perfect couple of beauties. Mukaishima showed her beautiful white teeth.

“Oh, that’s right. I was going to tell you today, Actually, my plans have changed and I can now go. I was going to tell you today, but I guess it’s too late.”

“Oh, I-I see. Then let’s go together, Sorry, Sasuke-kun.”

“Next time, why don’t the three of us go bowling sometime?　Studying is important, but you also need a change of pace.”

“Ah, I see. lets go next time time then.”

“The Harukawa Bowling Alley is located just behind the Harukawa Railway Station. Of course, it is also run by the Harukawa Group. It is the most popular bowling alley in the city and can be reached by a subway from the station”

“I’ve got some free tickets at home that my father gave me. It’s an employee benefit of Harukawa Railway. By the way, have you eaten today’s daily special, gingerbread pork?”

“Yes, I had it. it was good for the price.”

“I think I’ll have that too.”

Minoya-san left his seat to buy a meal ticket. Mukaishima looked back at him.

“He’s a nice guy, isn’t he?”

　Mukaishima said.

“Minoya-san, He seem to be concerned about what he said to you the other day.”

“The other day?”

“You know, when I went to visit you at the school festival. You know what he said about Kotono-chan?　he was wondering if Ihehad done something rude because Sasuke-kun suddenly looked upset.”

“Oh, no, I didn’t think anything of it.”

“Not at all.”

Mukoujima glanced at Minotani, who was standing in line.

“However, I wonder if Kotono-chan is planning to stay cooped up in the mansion like that forever”

“Hmmm… I don’t know.”

“I still haven’t told you about Sophie-sensei.”

There was this thing going to music department of the T High School for Girls in Tokyo. Sophie-sensi has been advising Kotono about this for a long time, but Kotono has not been able to make up her mind about this.

　It is a prestigious high school with a music department, and a visually impaired violinist has attended there. If Kotono is so motivated, she should be able to pass the exam with her abilities.

“As a matter of fact, I think she’s wasting time. she should have gone to Tokyo”

　I was about to say that’s right, but the words didn’t come out.

　If Kotono goes to a music school in Tokyo, she will undoubtedly develop her talent greatly. A blind violinist of genius. She will have a CD, which will probably sell a million copies.

　Going to Tokyo would be a stepping stone to becoming a star. And deep down, I was the one who feared it the most.

　A beautiful violinist of rare genius and me, a man of no merit. It’s obvious that we live in different worlds.

“Hey, Sasuke-kun. Why don’t you go to the summer festival with me tomorrow?”

　When I came to my senses, Mukaishima’s finger was sticking up in my cheek.

“I can’t bear to look at you at all. You are just going stay at home and wait for Kotono to call you. So lets go, outside.

“But, Minoya-san…”

“I wouldn’t say no if you asked me. We’re going bowling together anyway, aren’t we?”

Just then Mr Minoya, with a tray in his hands, took his seat.

‘Oh, by the way, Sasuke-kun, I hear you’re going to the villa in Hayama.

‘Oh, yeah. I was invited by a friend from my class”

“I heard it from Yoshimi. After all, Yoshimi is your…”

“Well, Sasuke-kun, why don’t we go now?　The next class is about to start.”

　When I stopped him, Mukaishima had already gotten out of his seat and was walking quickly to the exit. I bade Minoya-san goodbye and followed Mukaishima. Minoya smiled and sipped elegantly from a plastic teacup of chilled bancha.

＊　＊　＊　＊

　Thanks to Mukaishima, I think I enjoyed a reasonably good start to August.

　I went to a summer festival on the main street, went bowling and karaoke. On stage at the festival was the usual Edogawa Panorama Island, who sang “Ni sen douka” (two copper coins) and their debut song “Lollii jujo chau” (lewd little chair). The album they are going to release in autumn is called “Lolita Detainee”.

The lyrics were as incomprehensible as ever, but it was nice to not have to think about it. If it had been a song about a sad lost love, I would have been run over by a truck and reincarnated in another world.

　As expected, Minoya-san was good at bowling and karaoke. The average of both me and Mukojima is about 140, but Minoya-san seems to be 190 to 200. He also gave good advice. Moreover, his advice was also very good.

“You have a habit of going a little to the right here. You should be more conscious of the front.”

　and

“Relax your form a bit. You’re overstraining and losing control.”

If you do exactly that, your score will actually increase.

“Minoya-san might be a charismatic tennis trainer in the future.”

　Mukaishima was impressed.

“Well, you know what they say, you can see the worst in people”

　He’s like Kotono Harukawa in that she can do anything. But the difference with Kotono is that he doesn’t blame those who can’t. If I had bowled with Kotono, I would have been chastised for my poor performance by her smug face. Kotono, however, has never played bowling before.

Minoya bought me an ice cream after the game was over. He said it was a way of thanking me for taking the distraction of the exams.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

Looking at the back of Mukaishima’s figure as she left her seat, Minoya smiled at me.

“I’m glad. The other day I said something rude, and I was afraid that if I asked you out you would refuse.”

“Oh, no, that’s not true.”

“Kotono Harukawa is my first love. I met her once when I was still small, at a company’s foundation party, and I fell in love with her at first sight. It’s a distant memory though.”

　Haha.

“So when my father told me about the accident, I was devastated. I think her talent for the violin was given to her by God.”

“Well, could it be?”

　I looked Minoya straight in the face.

“Is it because of Kotono that you want to be friends with me?”

“No way. I’m sorry if I misled you.”.

　Minoya-san narrowed his eyes and looked back at me. I feel a chill in my heart as he stared into my eyes.

I”t’s a personal interest, frankly. I want to know more about you.”

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