Episode 67: A Peaceful Day

The bell rings to signal the end of the lesson.
The moment it rings, a loud voice rings out from behind me.

‘Yay! It’s lunchtime!’

Mai immediately spreads out her packed lunch on her desk, which is still strewn with textbooks.

‘Don’t you eat something every single lesson? And you should tidy up first.’

　Endo-san is tidying up for her, laughing as she does so. She’s just like Mai’s mum. Watching her, I pull a chair over to Mai’s desk and eat the bread I bought.

Endo-san has started hanging out with us.

Akari and Nao, who were in the same class as us in Year 2, are now in different classes. At first, they used to come to see Endo-san, but they haven’t been coming lately.

That’s just how it goes when you change classes.

　Still, I find myself quietly glad that Endo-san stays here to eat rather than going to her friends’ classroom.

Endo-san has seemed remarkably cheerful lately.
She’s always smiling.
And it wasn’t the face she used to wear around Akari-san and Nao-san — it was a smile that came from somewhere genuinely happy.

Whilst I’m glad I get to see that every day, for some reason I don’t really like the idea of everyone seeing Endo’s candid expression.

‘Hoshizora? Are you alright? You’re spacing out a bit too much.’
Mai peered at my face with concern.

‘I’m fine. I was just blown away by how delicious the bread was.’
‘That’s definitely a lie, you haven’t even taken a single bite.’
‘Ahaha.’

What on earth am I saying…?

Whenever I think about Endo, I become so foolish it surprises even myself. Realising I need to pull myself together, I focus my attention on reality.

“Shall I make Takizawa’s lunch every day from tomorrow?”
“Eh?”
It was Mai, not me, who reacted.

“Takizawa just eats convenience store rice balls and bread every day. They’re full of additives. I was thinking I’d make lunch for her because it’s bad for her health.”

Once again, it was Mai who jumped at Endo-san’s suggestion.

‘You’re acting like Hoshizora’s mum. If that’s the case, make one for me too!’
‘No way.’
‘It’s not fair that you only make them for Hoshizora, Hoshizora’s mum, make one for me too!’
‘But you bring a delicious packed lunch every day, don’t you?’
‘I just want to try a different flavour once in a while.’

The two of them were bickering like that. Watching them banter, they looked just like a large dog that only warms to its owner and a small dog teasing it.

　It was always a bit heartwarming, so I usually just let them be, but sometimes it turns into a proper row, which can be a bit of a hassle.

I’d love to try Endo-san’s packed lunch, but I know it would be a bother for her, so I’ll keep my true feelings to myself.

As I stood there watching the two of them bicker, a classmate approached me.

‘Someone’s calling for you, Takizawa.’

When I looked down the corridor after being told that, I saw a cute little girl whose uniform was a bit too big for her, looking around nervously.

‘Hoshizora, what’s with that cute little girl who looks like a small animal! I want to have a bit of a go with her.’
‘Don’t say such silly things. Just wait a moment.’
Saying that, I left my seat.

‘Miumi-chan, what’s the matter?’
‘I’ve finally got into the same high school as you, Hoshizora-sensei, so I came to meet you!’

Oh, what a lovely girl.
She’s so honest, it’s quite heart-warming.

‘I made these, so please have some if you’d like. Also, I’d appreciate your help with my studies after school today!’

Miumi-chan handed me some biscuits.
They looked delicious. I thanked her, though I thought she really didn’t need to go to all that trouble.

‘Thanks, I’ll come over after school, see you then. Oh, by the way, which club are you going to join, Miumi-chan?’
‘I played basketball in middle school so I was hoping to join the basketball club, but when I went to watch yesterday, the upperclassmen all seemed flashy and intimidating, so now I’m not sure…’

Oh… I know exactly who you mean…

I couldn’t say that, though, so I gave the standard answer to make sure she could join the club she wanted.

‘I see, I see. I’m not in a club myself, so I’m a bit jealous. Good luck with it.’
‘Yes!’
Miumi-chan walked away looking satisfied.

‘Welcome back, Hoshizora. A friend?’
‘No. A pupil from my tutoring job.’
‘Eh! You’re working part-time, Hoshizora?’
‘Sort of.’

I’m planning to go to university next year. However, rather than the medical school my parents want me to attend, I’m aiming for the Faculty of Education. My older sister arranged this part-time job for me so that I can prepare now to ensure I can go to university, come what may.

‘What’s that in your hand?’
‘She made it, so she told me to eat it.’
“You know, Hoshizora, you’re surprisingly popular. You’re the type who gets spoiled.”
“What are you on about?”
Since Mai was saying something completely nonsensical, I pinched her cheek.

“Ouch! That’s mean! I’m against violence!”
Mai was making a fuss, saying that, but Endo-san had been unusually quiet since a little while ago.
When I looked at her face, she looked a bit sad?

　After school, Endo-san and Mai went for some extra practice, even though they didn’t have any club activities. Apparently, they’re putting a lot of effort into training because their final tournament as third-years is in June.
I had my tutoring job, so I headed over to Miumi-chan’s house.

“Hoshizora-sensei, are you close with that girl with the long, brown hair you were with?”
“Hmm, I suppose we’re just on normal terms.”

I think the ‘girl with the long, brown hair’ Miumi-chan is referring to is Endo-san.

‘So, do you like her?’
‘I suppose we’re just on normal terms.’

I don’t know why Miumi-chan is asking this. I don’t know, but I can’t very well ignore a question from such a cute pupil.

‘I think the girl with the brown hair probably likes you, Hoshizora-sensei.’

Hmm, it’s true that Endo-san is quite attached to me, and the other day when I asked her to be my friend, she accepted straight away, so I don’t think she dislikes me.

“I suppose so.”

Miumi-chan looks at me with an expression that suggests she isn’t convinced by that answer.

“Do you have a crush on anyone, Hoshizora-sensei?”

Why do people always want to know who others have a crush on?
Mai, Endo-san, my older sister and even Hikari have all asked me that.

“No, I don’t. Come on, concentrate on your studies!”
At that, Miumi-chan reluctantly began to focus on her work.

　Time flew by, and the tutoring session came to an end.

‘Hoshizora-sensei, can I come to the classroom again, like today?’
‘You can come, but you’re not allowed to bring anything with you. If you can stick to that, then fine.’

It must take quite a bit of courage to come to a third-year classroom, so I think she’s amazing. My part-time job finished without a hitch today, and I walked along the usual route.

　On my way home, I felt a sudden urge to pop into the park.

The park hadn’t changed a bit since the old days.

I remember Endo-san sitting on that bench, trembling.
I don’t really remember why I spoke to her back then, but thinking that place was where our story began, it feels like a slightly special spot to me now.

‘Hmph… I don’t need any special places.’

Yes, one day this park might disappear too.
If that happened, I’d surely be sad.
It would hurt, at the very least.
To avoid that, I’ve decided not to create anything that’s special to me.

However, no matter how much I try to deny it, Endo-san and I met here, and that fact alone remains unshakeable. When I think that without this park I might never have met her, this park will always remain a special place to me.

　I stop by like this from time to time, wondering if the day will ever come when I can truly think of it as unimportant.

No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I’m simply reaffirming whether I still cherish it.

I gave up on convincing myself that this park wasn’t important and headed home.