“We stayed a bit too long.”
After watching the planes from the airport observation deck for a while, the surroundings were already wrapped in total darkness.
Kanade, who had been delightedly saying the colorful LEDs shining on the runway were beautiful like Christmas lights, also seemed a little tired.
“Should we head back soon?”
“Before that, want to eat dinner at the airport?”
Kanade suggested.
“Hmm. But the restaurants at the airport are pretty expensive.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. ...For a high schooler's wallet, it's a bit tough.”
“I see. That's a shame.”
Kanade looked down, seeming a bit disappointed.
“...Ak-kun.”
However, she immediately looked up.
“Then, can we make one more stop before going home?”
Where on earth did Kanade want to go?
“Sure.”
Without a reason to refuse, I honestly accepted Kanade's suggestion.
“Then, let's go.”
“Yeah.”
We left the observation deck and headed inside the airport.
Sandwiched between foreigners carrying large trunks, we headed toward the international departure floor.
The international departure floor is very spacious, perhaps because this airport handles many international flights.
Just walking from one end to the other would make someone lacking exercise a bit out of breath.
“...Where are you planning to go?”
“Fufu. I was thinking of eloping with Ak-kun now.”
Kanade cracked a joke in high spirits.
Of course, since we didn't have airline tickets, we couldn't board a plane or head toward security.
“...This is...”
While I was smiling at Kanade's joke, she stopped walking... I checked the place we had arrived at.
“Ak-kun, do you remember where this is?”
Kanade asked.
...The place where we were currently standing was in front of the international departure gate.
I knew what kind of place this was. Of course, I remembered.
...I had never forgotten.
『...Bye-bye』
This was the place where I had once seen Kanade off as she departed for France.
“I wonder if Ak-kun remembers. Right before passing through this gate, our mothers said their farewells.”
“...I remember.”
“Then, do you also remember what they said to us after that?”
“Of course.”
...Our parents had encouraged each other as they parted, as if praising each other's efforts.
And then, seeing us, who had remained silent before the separation...
『Look, you two as well』
...They told us to say our goodbyes.
“Do you remember the conversation from then?”
“...Yeah.”
...Even now, if I close my eyes, I can remember it.
“...Ak-kun.”
Kanade spoke first.
“Ak-kun, have you ever been to France?”
And then, she said the same thing as that day.
“...No.”
“I see.”
Kanade smiled.
“I have.”
“...I know.”
“Yeah. If you asked me if it was... really fun, I'd be lying.”
“...Did you visit the tourist spots?”
“Yeah. ...I visited them.”
...Her voice was trembling.
“If possible, I wanted to visit them together with Ak-kun.”
Kanade cast her eyes downward.
“...That was my only regret.”
From the eyes of the downward-looking Kanade... droplets dripped down.
...Seeing her like that, only one thing came to mind that I should say.
“Then, let's go together next time.”
I smiled.
“Kanade, do you remember our last conversation that day?”
“...Yeah.”
“『Work hard』. I encouraged you like that, but in the end, you never gave me an answer, did you?”
“............Yeah.”
“...I thought that you probably realized it. That we would likely never see each other again.”
“...”
“So, I thought you didn't answer so as not to give me strange expectations.”
“...Not giving an answer. I regretted it later.”
Kanade began to pour out her heart bit by bit.
“At the moment you said it, it was just as Ak-kun said. I was afraid that by saying something half-baked, it would end up as if I had betrayed you. That's why I couldn't say anything. But... the fact that I couldn't say anything that day led to deep regret later on.”
“...”
“I thought it would have been better to just be honest than to feel like that. To say, 『I'm sorry. I don't think it's possible.』”
“...”
“But because I didn't say it... it became painful. I started to think.”
“...About what?”
“What would have been the correct answer that day?”
“...”
“How would Ak-kun have replied that day?”
“............”
“And what should I say to Ak-kun if we could reunite?”
The airport entrance.
Cheerful people speaking foreign languages from different countries.
People who looked fed up, perhaps going abroad for work.
A scene similar to before unfolded before my eyes.
But there were also parts that were clearly different.
A restaurant I didn't know had opened in the entrance area.
Airlines that weren't there before had entered the market.
...And our heights had grown quite a bit, too.
“...What were you thinking of saying?”
She had become very beautiful.
“I'm home.”
Before I knew it, I was captivated by Kanade's smile.
“I'm home, Ak-kun.”
...Seeing Kanade smiling while tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.
“Welcome home, Kanade.”
I also smiled.
“──!”
Suddenly, a shock ran through my chest.
Before I realized it, Kanade, overcome with emotion, had leapt into my chest.
“...It hurts.”
“Sorry. I'm sorry...”
Kanade buried her face in my chest.
“...Ak-kun.”
And then, she whispered.
“Ak-kun, you're... really kind.”
With her face still buried in my chest, Kanade continued.
“Because Ak-kun is so kind... I don't want to let you go anymore.”
This is the end of Chapter 4. I was worried that a development centered on yandere antics might feel like it was narrowing down, but then the protagonist also revealed his own heavy feelings. However, while writing, I regularly feel like something important is missing. I don't really know what that is. Please rate, bookmark, and leave your reviews!