Episode 27: An Orange-Lit Report Is Just Too Convenient.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, coming to the grave.”
On the culture festival’s substitute holiday, at a quiet cemetery a short walk from the station, Makina said that, arms full of flowers.
“Last time was New Year’s, I think?”
We walked side by side toward our usual spot.
The grave our families had built together, close to each other, side by side — two adjoining plots — for the two people we lost on the same day.
Once we reached it, Makina swapped out the old flowers and poured water over the stones.
I lit the incense.
Two names, each carved and set side by side.
“…Papa.”
I crouched down and pressed my hands together in front of the grave.
“It’s been a while. Have you been doing okay? There’s something I wanted to tell you.”
A faint breeze brushed gently past my cheek.
“You know, I always thought… that it was my fault. That you and Makina’s mom died.”
Sensing Makina quietly praying beside me, I kept going.
“I wanted to change our plans, so we took that road. That’s why I thought you both died. I could never tell anyone that. Not even Makina.”
The incense smoke drifted slowly upward into the sky.
“But recently, Makina told me something. That she’d said the exact same thing that day too… so it wasn’t just my fault, alone. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was just… an accident.”
The back of my eyes went warm, welling up.
Trying to hold it back, I squeezed my eyes shut, tight.
“I’ve been blaming myself this whole time. I think… it’s okay to stop now, isn’t it?”
I took a deep breath.
“…And, one more thing.”
I glanced beside me, and Makina gave a small nod.
“I’m in love with Makina. Have been, for a long time. And, well… we started dating. …Ha, bet that surprised you, huh, Papa?”
The grave gave no answer.
But somehow, I felt like it was smiling anyway.
“Oh, and, and — did you hear? Next year, Mom’s marrying Makina’s dad. …What do you think, are you a little jealous?”
I let my mouth relax into a small smile.
“But, sorry. This is the path we’ve chosen for ourselves now.”
◇◆◇◆◇
Moving to the neighboring plot, this time it was Makina who crouched down and pressed her hands together.
“Mom, I fell in love with Yotsuka. …She’s the one who made me realize it. We’re going to keep doing our best, the two of us, from here on.”
Makina’s voice was just slightly softer than usual.
“Watch over us, okay?”
After she finished speaking, Makina stayed there a while longer, hands still pressed together, eyes lowered.
She looked like she was about to say something else, then seemed to swallow it back down, bowing her head once more, small and quiet.
For a while, neither of us said anything, just kept our hands pressed together.
The wind picked up again.
Somehow, it felt like a warm wind.
◇◆◇◆◇
“Yotsuka! Makina!”
On the way back from the cemetery, a voice called out from behind us, and when we turned, Ia was walking toward us, pushing her bike along.
“Didn’t expect to run into you two here. …Were you at the graves?”
“Yeah, there was something I wanted to tell them. …Oh, actually, perfect timing — guess I’ll tell you too, Ia.”
“Tell me what?”
Ia tilted her head, looking between the two of us.
“So, actually… Makina and I started dating.”
“…Huh?”
“I said, we’re dating now.”
“Whaaat…”
Ia kept glancing back and forth between me and Makina’s faces for a while.
“Wait, hold on. For real?”
“For real.”
“Finally…? Wait, is that why you weren’t at the after-party…?”
“Shut up.”
“Then I’ll report in too,” Makina added.
“I’ll say it myself — I really am in love with Yotsuka.”
“W-wait, Makina, you don’t need to say that again out loud!”
Ia butted in from the side, grinning.
“Yotsuka, your face is bright red.”
“Shut up, I said!”
Grinning, Ia gave my shoulder a light smack.
“Man, this is great. Really.”
“…Yeah.”
“You finally got your reward.”
Ia’s tone dropped, just a little.
The teasing edge faded, replaced with something gentler.
“I’ve been watching this whole time, you know. Just how long you’ve been pining.”
…I could feel a glance from beside me.
“So you’d already told Ia-chan, huh…?!”
“Y-yeah, that’s… how it is…”
“Yep, yep. Honestly, Yotsuka got so annoying about it, it actually got kind of funny after a while.”
Ia fell in step beside us, still pushing her bike.
The three of us started walking again together.
“Treat me to something to celebrate.”
“Huh? Why would that follow?”
“Come on, it’s a happy occasion, right?”
“Don’t be stingy, Yotsuka.”
“Makina, don’t jump on board with her!”
“Alright, settled! Wonder what I should eat~”
“Whatever’s fine with me, as long as it’s on Yotsuka’s tab.”
“Hey! Why am I the only one paying?!”
The three of us walked on down the evening road.
The sky had already started turning orange.
It had been this same shade of orange on the day of the culture festival too.
But somehow, it looked clearer now than it had back then.
Just the right color for a new beginning.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
Author’s afterword, included in the original post:
We’ve finally reached the point where the two of them are dating!
But it’s not over yet, so I hope you’ll stick with the story a while longer!