Episode 122: The Graduation Ceremony

1 March.

It feels distant now — how heavy-hearted I was when high school first began.

I never imagined my high school life would become this rich. A warmth tickled at my chest, and a smile spilled out before I could stop it.

‘You look happy, Hina.’

　A friend sitting behind me, someone with a face not unlike mine, said that. I tried to listen to the teacher whilst suppressing a grin. Takizawa, sitting next to me, was listening intently to the teacher.

With graduation upon us, the teacher must have been feeling sentimental too — the speech went on and on, and both Mai and I had grown restless.

‘Let’s take loads of photos later, shall we?’
‘Of course.’
‘Make sure you get some with Hoshizora too, just the two of you.’
‘……’

　Come to think of it, even though I’d spent more time with Takizawa than with anyone else at this school, I realised we’d never taken a photo together.

I clenched the handkerchiefs in my pocket.

I’d put the handkerchief with the Labrador embroidered by Takizawa in my pocket every day I went to school, but the yellow handkerchief I’d received on the day I first met Takizawa always stayed at home, waiting on my bed.

　I’m grateful to that yellow handkerchief for bringing us together, so I slipped it into my pocket today, hoping she’d come to my graduation ceremony.

Looking at my uniform pocket, bulging to bursting, I found it funny again and couldn’t help but laugh.

I glanced to the side and caught Takizawa’s eye.

Just making eye contact with Takizawa made my heart pound and left me feeling flustered.

“Stop making that silly face and listen to the speech.”
“That’s very rude to say about my lovely smile.”

I was so happy she’d spoken to me that I covered up my embarrassment with a joke.

“You’re right, Hina’s smile is like an angel’s, isn’t it? Hoshizora, you secretly love Hina’s smile too, don’t you?”

Mai jumped on the bandwagon and started joking around too. Takizawa looked slightly annoyed, but her facial muscles soon relaxed.

‘I suppose I do.’

Takizawa blushed and turned away. Mai’s reaction was even more striking than mine; she gaped with her mouth wide open, and she looked considerably more gobsmacked than either of us. My face was flushing at those words too, so from a distance, it must have looked like the two of us were sitting there with strange expressions on our faces.

Come to think of it, I haven’t told Mai about our relationship. I realised I’d have to have a proper chat with her about it sooner or later.

‘Hey, you there! At least listen to the teacher for the last bit, will you?’

　He wasn’t angry, but the teacher complained with a sad sort of tone. The three of us were told off together, and Takizawa, who couldn’t quite accept it, was glaring at me in shock.

　It might be strange to feel happy about something like that, but even if I get into university, I won’t be at the same school as Takizawa, so this time feels very precious to me.

‘It’s all because of Endo-san that we got told off. Endo-san, you’re being told off by both the teacher and me, yet you’re grinning too much.’

　Takizawa was muttering angrily under her breath. I kept staring at the side of Takizawa’s face, looking so grumpy, until the teacher had finished speaking.

　When the final form period ended, everyone in the class was saying their goodbyes, some crying, others laughing together. As the farewells drew to a close, my classmates gradually filed out, and a sense of desolation hung in the air.

‘Miumi says she wants to see the two of you, so let’s head out to the school grounds! It’s time to say goodbye to this classroom, too.’

　I sat down at my desk one last time and looked around the classroom. I feel we third-years spent a particularly rich and meaningful time together. That was undoubtedly because Takizawa and my best friend Mai were there for us.

A few tears welled up in my eyes. It wasn’t because I was sad. I was simply overcome with emotion as I recalled those happy times.

“I won’t get to see Hoshizora’s cute profile anymore.”
“I know. Truly a loss…”
“You’re both idiots.”

When I locked eyes with Mai, I couldn’t stop laughing. In stark contrast to us, Takizawa’s expression grew grim.

“Shall we be off?”

　Ignoring Takizawa’s sulky mood, I took her hand and led her out of the classroom.

‘Thank you for this happy time.’

　I conveyed my deepest gratitude to her in my heart.

　As we stepped out onto the school grounds, I spotted a junior with tears streaming down her face.

“Mai-senpai~, Hoshizora-sensei~, Hina-senpai~”

　I felt a bit like an afterthought, but Miumi-chan was crying.

“I might not be able to go on living because I’m so lonely.”
“You’re exaggerating!”

Mai patted Miumi-chan gently on the head. It was a heart-warming sight.

“I don’t want to stop having Hoshizora-sensei teach me my lessons either.”
“Miumi-chan’s such a hard-working girl; she’ll manage her studies just fine even without me.”

Takizawa said the same thing and patted Miumi-chan on the head.

T-that’s not fair… I want Takizawa to pat my head too… Of course, I couldn’t possibly voice that wish, so it seems I ended up glaring at Miumi-chan without realising it.

“Hina-senpai, that’s a scary face. Make sure you properly make your special someone happy, okay?”

My junior stuck her tongue out at me with a mischievous grin.

This junior of mine…
I felt embarrassed and my face flushed. I really must have a proper chat with Miumi-chan about all sorts of things. Takizawa looked at Miumi-chan with a slightly surprised expression, then glanced at me before looking away.

“Let’s all take a photo together!”

　Mai took a few photos for us with her phone. Looking at the photos, my smile is quite something. I’m grinning far too broadly. Even so, I’m glad we managed to capture this day in photos.

“Mai and Miumi-chan, you two take a photo together.”

　Saying that, I pointed the phone at them and they struck a pose. They were standing close together, looking very close, and I thought it was heartwarming as I got ready to press the shutter button.

‘Say cheese!’

Just as I pressed the shutter, Miumi pressed her lips against Mai’s cheek. Everyone froze in surprise at the sudden turn of events. Mai, who’s usually so cheerful and playful, had turned bright red, which was quite unusual for her.

“So Mai can make a face like that~”

Since I’m always the one being teased, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give her a bit of a hard time for once.

“I’ve been with her for three years and this is the first time I’ve seen her like that. You really do love Miumi, don’t you?”

　Takizawa added fuel to the fire, speaking with a straight face. Mai’s face had turned a shocking shade of red.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake! You two are so noisy!”

　Miumi, standing next to her, was laughing happily. I felt incredibly envious. I still don’t have the courage to do something like that myself.

“Why don’t we take a photo of Hoshizora and Hina too?”

　Hearing that, my heart skipped a beat.
When I looked at Takizawa, she had a very ambiguous expression on her face. she didn’t seem the type who liked photos much, so it was a reaction I could understand.

“We just took one with everyone, didn’t we?”
“It’s fine, really.”

Mai held the camera for us. Since I’d never get a chance like this again, I chanted ‘Let’s do it’ in my mind and stared at Takizawa. After looking a little pensive, she came and stood beside me.

　Click.

‘You’re both way too tense!’

Mai burst out laughing. Looking at the photo, it was true, we were both standing stock-still with deadpan expressions, looking even worse than in ID photos. But thinking that this too would become a memory, the tension naturally drained from my body.

The four of us finished talking and headed toward the school gate. On the way, the cherry tree where I first spotted Takizawa on the day of the entrance ceremony came into view.

　If I hadn’t been reunited with Takizawa here that day, I think I’d still be hiding myself and living a stifling life. The cherry tree in front of me hasn’t blossomed yet, but the buds have swollen, and it’s living its life to the fullest, as if it’s about to burst into bloom any moment.

I captured the buds that hadn’t yet blossomed with my camera.

　Click

　To me, these buds are more beautiful than blossoms in full bloom. They’re storing up all the energy they can right now to bloom beautifully in the future, waiting for the moment they can open.

‘Hina, taking photos of cherry blossoms that haven’t bloomed yet is a bit odd, isn’t it?’
‘Ahaha, I suppose that’s true.’

Mai’s cheerful remark made me realise she was indeed right. However, to me, the buds were beautiful. That’s why I took a photo of them.

Mai and Miumi simply walked off ahead, leaving the cherry tree behind. Only Takizawa remained standing there.

‘Endo-san, what were you taking a photo of?’
‘A photo of the cherry blossom buds.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I thought they were beautiful. More importantly, Takizawa, you were taking photos of the cherry blossoms under that tree on the day of the entrance ceremony, weren’t you?’
‘—I don’t remember.’
‘Is that so… On the day of the entrance ceremony, that’s where I first spotted you, Takizawa.’

I smiled brightly, and I thought I saw Takizawa’s eyes widen before she gave a slight smile.

　Click

Looking towards the sound, I saw Mai and Miumi-chan peering delightedly at a phone.

“Got a great shot.”

Looking at the screen, there I was — smiling from the heart — and beside me, Takizawa, smiling her awkward smile.