Chapter 22

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

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After taking a bite of something sweet, Maaya seemed like a completely different person, all her earlier tension melting away.

“Mm~ so gooood~♪ I'm so happy~♪”

Inside the dessert shop filled with the scent of sweets, Maaya happily stuffed her cheeks with shortcake.

She looked cute, but the way she devoured it, and the fact that she didn't even notice the cream on her lips, made her seem a bit sloppy.

Like I've said before, on the inside she really hasn't changed at all.

It suits her, though.

“Hey, can I have a bite of your chocolate cake too, Reita-kun?”

“…Sure.”

She looked at me with those wanting eyes, so I handed her my untouched cake.

“Thank you~♪”

And then she took a bite that was definitely more than just “one bite.”

I wasn't that hungry anyway, but her greediness—just like before—was kind of amusing.

“Mmm~ this one's good too~♪”

Enjoying the chocolate cake, Maaya smiled happily again.

It was the kind of expression that made you smile just watching her.

…When was the last time I felt like this?

It made me realize just how harsh and bleak the environment I'd been living in was.

“Then, here's my thanks.”

“Hm?”

“Here, say ahh.”

“…Wait.”

I wondered what she meant by “thanks,” and then she held a piece of cake up to my mouth.

Usually, that's something couples do…

I'd forgotten how broken her sense of distance could be.

“Come on, Reita-kun, hurry or it'll fall.”

“…”

I hesitated, but rejecting her awkwardly would just make things uncomfortable again, so I reluctantly took the bite she offered.

“Well? Is it good?”

“…Yeah. It's good.”

“Hehe, I'm glad.”

Even though I was the one eating, she smiled happily.

Sweet… way too sweet…

The atmosphere was so sugary it almost gave me heartburn.

It felt like my frozen heart had suddenly been exposed to spring sunlight.

…Should I even be here?

That thought crossed my mind.

I haven't changed yet. I haven't even apologized to Maaya…

Maybe I should take this chance and apologize.

I'd planned to apologize once I'd fully returned to my old self, but I'll probably be interacting with her from now on anyway.

A big part of this awkwardness comes from that moment, so it'd be better to clear it up sooner.

Maaya already told me she's not angry about what happened back then.

So I should give her the answer I failed to give before.

“Hey, Maaya—”

“Oh, right, Reita-kun.”

Just as I made up my mind, our voices overlapped.

“Um…”

“You go first, Maaya.”

So I decided to listen to her first.

“Okay—um… Reita-kun, you still haven't gotten your memories back, right?”

“…Y-yeah. That's right.”

“So I was thinking… now that it's been four years, maybe if we talk about the past, you might actually remember things?”

That was a pretty bold topic to bring up.

She really does want my memories back…

It made me happy, but at the same time, lying to her gave me a strange sense of guilt.

“What do you think?”

“…I don't see why not.”

It's pointless since I already remember everything, but refusing her here would be strange, so I went along with it.

Besides, talking about old memories isn't a bad thing.

I might even understand what Maaya really feels.

Thinking that, I quietly listened as she began to speak.

---

Our meeting was nothing more than coincidence.

Our parents weren't particularly close, and there wasn't any special connection.

We just happened to stand in front of and behind each other in alphabetical order at our kindergarten entrance ceremony.

Back then, I barely had any awareness of things, but for some reason, I remember that moment clearly.

Overwhelmed by the noise of the ceremony, I was nervous—when Maaya turned around in front of me and our eyes met.

And just like now, she smiled at me, like a flower blooming.

…I think I smiled back too.

After that, since we were always next to each other because of our names, we naturally started spending time together.

Maybe we just got along well, but we never really fought. Whenever we had free time, we were always side by side.

Running around the playground, eating lunch, even during nap time—we'd share the same blanket.

Eventually, we started seeing each other after school and on weekends, and before long, we were close enough to have sleepovers.

Time with Maaya was calm and peaceful, like every day was wrapped in happiness.

For the record, our parents didn't get along that well.

They seemed to keep in contact, but I rarely saw them chatting.

To be honest, I don't know much about Maaya's mother.

From the first time I met her, she had a cold presence. When she looked at me, it made my back stiffen.

Even now, that impression hasn't changed.

Maybe… her home life wasn't very warm.

She was always at my place from morning to night on weekends, and whenever we had sleepovers, it was always at my house.

Even when I occasionally went to her house, it was always when her parents weren't there.

She also never talked much about her family.

I didn't think much of it back then, but now it feels a bit strange.

Anyway, like that, Maaya and I gradually became inseparable…

And by the time we entered elementary school, Rin and Shizuno had joined our circle too.

We already knew them from kindergarten, but being in the same class brought us much closer.

Rin and Maaya quickly became best friends, and before I knew it, Shizuno and I hit it off too.

And like that, as we all slowly grew closer, time quietly passed by.

---

Each word felt like flipping through a dusty old photo album.

As she spoke, Maaya would narrow her eyes again and again. Nostalgia—and a longing for a time that could never return—showed clearly on her face.

“And you know, when we had sleepovers, we used to sleep together, right? Thinking about it now, it's kind of embarrassing. And we even took baths together… and then—”

I remember all of it. Every single thing.

Once again, I realized just how important those memories I lost really were.

At the same time, I was hit with regret—because I was the one who destroyed them.

I never imagined Maaya treasured those memories with me this much.

Could it be… she's felt this way ever since back then? Even after I told her I hated her…

If that's the case, then I—

I have to live up to their expectations.

That resolve only grew stronger.