Chapter 57: My weakness.

Reading Settings

Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you're close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it's cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one's older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

---

Hareta Kou’s POV

As the bus came to a stop, Miki and Kokomi each headed toward Michiru and Takatsuki, respectively. There was a sense of some unspoken intent in their actions. Perhaps, like me, they were making a request of Takatsuki.

However, learning the details would feel unfair. More importantly, I knew Takatsuki wouldn't reveal anything.

So, I decided not to ask or to pretend I hadn't noticed. Choosing to intentionally overlook their motives was a first for me.

“Hey, Kanae. Can I ask you something?”

“That's rare. What is it?”

“When I was absent from school, what did Michiru tell everyone?”

Kanae's outfit—a blouse, a light sweater, shorts, and black tights—gave her a boyish and unisex charm. Yet, her smile carried an oddly melancholic air.

I didn't have the experience or intellect to deduce the reason for that, but one thing was certain: Takatsuki had to be involved. After all, what else could it possibly be?

“Are you asking about the reason she got closer to you during the rainy season?”

“…I see.”

Kanae wasn't lying, but she wasn't telling me everything either. What I really wanted to know was why Michiru experienced heartbreak and why Takatsuki refused to accept her.

If I could uncover that reason, I might understand what separated me from Takatsuki. I wanted to know about him in order to find answers.

As the bus came to a stop, Miki and Kokomi each headed toward Michiru and Takatsuki, respectively. There was a sense of some unspoken intent in their actions. Perhaps, like me, they were making a request of Takatsuki.

However, learning the details would feel unfair. More importantly, I knew Takatsuki wouldn't reveal anything.

So, I decided not to ask or to pretend I hadn't noticed. Choosing to intentionally overlook their motives was a first for me.

“Hey, Kanae. Can I ask you something?”

“That's rare. What is it?”

“When I was absent from school, what did Michiru tell everyone?”

Kanae's outfit—a blouse, a light sweater, shorts, and black tights—gave her a boyish and unisex charm. Yet, her smile carried an oddly melancholic air.

I didn't have the experience or intellect to deduce the reason for that, but one thing was certain: Takatsuki had to be involved. After all, what else could it possibly be?

“Are you asking about the reason she got closer to you during the rainy season?”

“…I see.”

Kanae wasn't lying, but she wasn't telling me everything either. What I really wanted to know was why Michiru experienced heartbreak and why Takatsuki refused to accept her.

If I could uncover that reason, I might understand what separated me from Takatsuki. I wanted to know about him in order to find answers.

“Are you still unable to forget Michiru?”

“Hm? Oh, no, not at all. Actually, I'm surprised at how clear-headed I feel.”

“W-why?”

As she asked, I gazed at the mountains outside the window, their peaks reflected in the pond. I wasn't avoiding eye contact for any particular reason.

“Because I was able to properly face my heartbreak. I said everything I wanted to, and I asked everything I needed to. Michiru and I shared it all.”

“I see…”

Kanae murmured, her voice barely audible, as though drawing the words from deep within herself. When I looked at her, she forced a smile and looked up at me.

“So, what kind of place is Arashiyama, where we're going next? Do you know, Kou?”

“Yeah, a little. The main attraction is Togetsu Bridge, which spans the Ōi River. I don't know the exact boundaries, but the name ‘Arashiyama' refers to not just the mountains but the whole area around them.”

“Wow, really? You know a lot about this stuff.”

“It's just something I picked up from the leader of the kids' club back in the day. But I really enjoyed the rapids on the Hozugawa River. The boat ride felt like a roller coaster.”

As I spoke, a memory of Kaito came to mind. Back then, Shizuku, Kaito, and I had laughed, saying life on the river was so much more fun than life at the temple. Kaito, in particular, had been full of curiosity, peppering the boatman with questions.

“Oh, right.”

That must have been when he became enamored with boats.

“What's up?” Kanae asked.

“Oh, nothing—”

No, it wasn't nothing.

I'd decided to stop saying things like that, hadn't I? As frustrating as it was, I couldn't deny that I admired Takatsuki deeply. That's why I resolved to move forward.

“Kou?”

“Yeah. I was just reminiscing about an old friend.”

“What's this, another girl?”

“No, a guy. Probably my only male friend. We haven't been in touch for ages, but now I feel like seeing him again.”

“…Oh, I see. That's… well, I don't know how to put it.”

Kanae's forced smile twisted slightly, revealing a hint of sadness.

“Sounds nice. A male friend, huh? I can't imagine what a friend of yours would even be like, Kou.”

“From now on, I'll make more friends like that. I'm starting to get along with Yamakawa and the others.”

“They're all really kind. What about Takatsuki?”

“Him? No way! There's no chance of us ever getting along!”

“Ahaha! That's a relief!”

I wished she'd stop joking like that—it genuinely startled me. Even if the earth were revealed to rest on the back of a giant elephant, the idea of Takatsuki and me being buddies was impossible.

“Speaking of which, Kanae, who do you hang out with besides us?”

“Huh? Um, well, I'm always with you guys, so I'm not really part of any other group.”

“Not even in middle school?”

It seemed I'd asked something I shouldn't have.

Now that I thought about it, Takatsuki once mentioned that the girls had their own rules. He told me to figure it out for myself and wouldn't elaborate. If I'd just stepped on a landmine, those rules might be the key.

“Sorry, forget it. Never mind—”

“Do you want to know?”

Kanae's gaze was serious and unwavering. Her eyes carried a genuine intensity I had always avoided. There was no way I could pretend not to hear her now.

“…If you can tell me here and now, then maybe you wouldn't have fallen for me in the first place.”

After a few moments, Kanae broke into a radiant smile—a smile as bright as a giant sunflower, one she'd never shown me before.

“You really have changed, Kou. You've become so cool.”

From then on, she only chatted about trivial things—how good the drama last night was, or how lucky we were to visit Kyoto during the best season. Nothing connected to her past.

But was this really okay?

I loathed the weakness in myself that couldn't bring me to say, “I want to know.”

---

Thank you for reading! Feel free to comment your opinions below!

Also, if you enjoyed my translation and would like to feed my caffeine addiction, click on the button below and graciously give me my fix—I mean, a cup of coffee.