Episode 62: Bonus - I Want to Know More

I managed to get all sorts of things out of Mai.

Takizawa’s birthday, her likes and dislikes, the things she enjoys, her hobbies, and so on.

However, apart from the fact that Takizawa’s birthday is 26 March, there wasn’t much else of use.

‘Hina, why did you suddenly start asking about Hoshizora?’
‘Well, I just wanted to get on better with Takizawa. I’d planned to ask her all sorts of things at the Christmas party, but I didn’t get the chance.’
I decided to brush it off with that.

I use the Christmas present Takizawa gave me every day.

It made me so happy.

Everything I receive from Takizawa fills me with warmth.

　The yellow handkerchief I received when I first met Takizawa, the pencil case, the handkerchief she made by hand, and the scarf she gave me for Christmas.

Each one is a treasure more precious to me than anything else.

I want to give her something in return, at the very least.
I thought long and hard about a birthday present, but nothing good came to mind. I don’t even know what sort of birthday celebration would make Takizawa happy.
I don’t know anything about her.

　Come to think of it, when we went to the summer festival last year, I seem to recall she was absolutely delighted with the Labrador soft toy. Perhaps Takizawa likes animals.

With that in mind, I decided we should visit the zoo together on her birthday.

The zoo was absolutely the right choice.

　Takizawa is smiling constantly.
She looks like she’s having a lovely time.
She’s chatting away to me.

I planned the day for Takizawa’s sake, yet I feel as though I’m the one receiving the present.

As we were walking through the zoo, feeling happy, Takizawa suddenly disappeared. I hurried to look for her and found her clumsily trying to comfort a child.

When I asked what had happened, it seems she’d found a lost child and couldn’t just leave them be.

　That’s so typical of Takizawa.

Even at a time like this, she’d rather help a child in trouble than enjoy himself. Takizawa may be a bit clumsy, but she has a wonderfully kind heart, and I know that better than anyone.

I decided to help Takizawa.
She was giving the lost child, a girl called Hana-chan, ride on her shoulders to keep her entertained.

Watching her like that, I couldn’t help but smile.

　The more time I spend with Takizawa, the more wonderful qualities I discover in her.
I found several more today.
Takizawa is nothing but wonderful.

It really gets on my nerves.

There were times when I resolved to keep my distance from Takizawa to suppress my feelings for her, but my feelings for her never changed.

If anything, they’ve only grown stronger.

　So I’ve come to think that I might as well just be myself around Takizawa and spend time with her.

That’s why I came to the zoo today.

It felt as though the time I spent avoiding Takizawa had never happened; we were able to talk so naturally.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m talking so naturally, or if the zoo is just that much fun, but Takizawa is speaking to me in a more relaxed manner than usual.

It’s just that simple, yet it makes me happy.

　Hana-chan’s parents have been found safely, and Takizawa is relieved. Whenever I tell Takizawa she’s ‘kind’, she always says it’s only natural.

Even though that ‘natural’ isn’t actually natural at all, I can’t help but feel deeply that Takizawa is truly an amazing person for being able to do it so effortlessly.

　The polar bear was absolutely adorable.
Takizawa, standing right next to it, was even cuter.
Takizawa is smiling.
So cute.
I want her to keep that expression forever, yet I also don’t want anyone else to see it.

I moved a little further away so Takizawa wouldn’t notice, pretending to take a photo of the polar bear whilst capturing her in the frame too.

　I want to remember today’s memories and today’s Takizawa forever. With that thought in mind, I pressed the camera shutter.

After we’d seen the whole zoo, we bought some sweets at the souvenir shop.

The cute polar bear from earlier was there as a keyring, staring right at me.

It was so cute I really wanted it, but I was a bit embarrassed that if I bought it, Takizawa might think I was being childish, so I decided not to buy it.

　Once we’d finished shopping, Takizawa pulled the polar bear keyring I’d seen earlier out of her pocket.

I was quite taken aback, to say the least.

When I asked her why, it turned out she’d bought it for me.
That alone was enough to make me happy, but just as I was hesitating to accept it, another identical keyring appeared.

‘I’ll wear one too, so you won’t feel embarrassed, will you?’

Saying that, she handed the keyring to me.

That’s a bit cheeky of her.

Takizawa is probably just acting out of kindness, but from my perspective, there’s no gift that could make me happier, and it’s bound to give me the wrong idea.

I’ve ended up with something I wanted to share with Takizawa. Seeing her with the keyring on her bag, I put mine on too.

　The polar bear on my bag is really cute.

I came to the zoo today hoping Takizawa would enjoy her birthday, but I feel like I’m the one who’s been getting all the presents.

Perhaps she was tired on the train home, because she rested her head on my shoulder and fell asleep.

I could feel Takizawa’s body heat through my shoulder.

That warmth felt so comforting that I wished this moment could last forever.

I want to know more about Takizawa.

　If I asked her, would she answer?

Or would she run away, just like the rabbit that bolted when I tried to touch it earlier today? Either way, the fact remains that I want to know more about Takizawa.

From now on, I’ll take my time and get to know Takizawa little by little.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes.
I want to be the one who knows Takizawa best.

As the train swayed gently back and forth, those were the thoughts running through my mind.