Chapter 27: Incoming call 2

Translator: Soafp

June 10th. Monday. 9:55 AM. I'm sixteen years old.

I took out my white smartphone. It's a well-worn device that I've been using for five years now. I know my friends have been urging me to upgrade, but this was the first real phone I got when I was in fifth grade.

More than anything else, it still holds the last words of Kai-chan. I can't bring myself to change it. It's covered in scratches, the screen protector is cracked from all the times I've dropped it, but for someone as battered as me, this phone fits perfectly.

Using that beat-up phone, I searched for the hospital. Tama South Regional Hospital… It showed up in the search results. “Tama South Regional Hospital – Directions.”

It looks like there's a bus from Keio Tama Center Station. I got off at the lively station, where Sanrio characters welcomed me, and headed to the bus stop under the artificial ground. I searched for the bus stop. “Tama South Regional Hospital”… there it was.

I boarded the dark blue Keio bus that was just waiting there. Beep. I tapped my transportation card and sat at the very back.

…Phew. I tilted my head back and exhaled deeply. I felt a bit tired. But I decided to take this time to sort out everything that's happened over the past few days.

First, Thursday. Rick-kun confessed to me. What was I doing at that time? Oh, that's right. I was about to jump off the school building.

The 2-C classroom is on the second floor, but I thought maybe things would feel just a little easier if I did it.

Then, I worked my part-time job that day and the next… Saturday, June 8th, was Kai-chan's death anniversary. I remember my mom wasn't doing well, so I came home in the evening… I think she handed me the key.

Then, I got into a fight with my aunt, ran out, and Kai-chan was there. I chased after him all the way to Kodaira… and found Rik-kun's house.

Um… now that I think about it, why does Rik-kun go to Hashimoto, the opposite direction, when he has a house in Kodaira? I wonder if there's something in Hashimoto.

…Well, whatever. I found a letter. Inside was a photo sticker of Rik-kun with someone… and when I looked at it earlier, the phone rang… It sounded like Kai-chan's voice. It was definitely Kai-chan. Then, a girl fell. Her name is Misora Shirasagi. And now, I'm on my way to a hospital to see this girl I don't even know.

…That's right. I turned on my phone and opened my contacts. I looked at the call history.

…Just as I thought.

“Kai-chan.”

There it was, a record of a call from my little brother.