When I talk to Kanade, I find myself wanting to think about the definition of the word 'destiny.'
Destiny.
The meaning of that word as I know it refers to the good or bad luck that happens to humans, beyond their own will.
However, the reason she just told me for why she was able to live... no matter how you look at it, it isn't destiny. It's inevitability.
She endured treatment to live.
She took in nutrition to live.
She encountered the necessary people to live. She increased her number of attempts until she met the necessary people.
If you don't call those things inevitability, then what are they?
Moreover, she just said she hates spiritual ways of thinking.
Destiny is a word that also carries a spiritual aspect.
In other words, destiny... is one of the ideologies she dislikes.
Being as clever as she is, there's no doubt she understands that her own statements are full of contradictions.
Despite that, she... Why is Kanade so obsessed with destiny?
"Kanade...!"
"Shall we go buy the present for Takagaki-san soon?"
My question to her was drowned out by the original plan for today's date—buying a present for Takagaki-san.
"...Yeah. Let's go."
"I wonder what kind of thing would make Takagaki-san happy?"
"I think she'd be happy with anything, you know?"
We boarded the train again and headed for the Electric Town.
"Heh, Takagaki-san is so cute, and yet she likes subculture stuff."
The reason we came to the Electric Town was that when we were studying together before, Takagaki-san had told me about her hobbies.
"Yeah. The wallpaper on her phone is a photo of her favorite character, and her account name on the messaging app is apparently 'Favorite's Name x Her Own Name'."
"Heh... Takagaki-san seems like she'd be really popular with the opposite sex, though."
...Kanade hasn't shown any understanding of subculture hobbies for a while now.
In our country, the suppression of speech has been progressing for several years using the word 'diversity' as a weapon... it feels like a somewhat fresh sensation.
"She seems to do cosplay sometimes, and she showed me a photo the other day. It suited her very well."
"Heeeeeeeeee."
I received a long "Hee."
"Ak-kun, do you like looking at girls doing cosplay?"
"No, not particularly. I just looked because she showed it to me."
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."
I received an even longer "Hee."
"Anyway, because of that, I think she'd be happy if we bought some anime goods of her favorite character and gave them to her."
"But don't you usually want to get your favorite character's goods for yourself?"
Whoa, a sudden logic punch.
Does she understand subculture hobbies or not? I don't even know anymore.
"...Well, then, let's just go to the shop first and then decide."
Since the train had arrived at the station with the Electric Town, we decided to get off and examine the presents for now.
"...It's a huge crowd."
The station with the Electric Town was already overflowing with people even before exiting the ticket gates, while walking through the station premises.
"We can't get lost."
"Yeah."
While nodding, I grabbed Kanade's hand. I marveled at myself, thinking it was a rather smooth movement.
We exited the ticket gates.
As we left the gates, there was a cream puff shop on the first floor of the commercial facility in front of us, and the savory smell stimulated my appetite.
"Ak-kun, do you like sweets?"
"Yeah. I like them."
"I see."
...Normally, wouldn't it be 'Oh, really?' here?
Passing through the commercial facility, a game center was right in front of us.
Turning right and walking straight, there were many famous anime goods shops lined up, the kind you see on TV.
"Do you come to this town often, Ak-kun?"
"Hmm. Not really. I don't like places with lots of people."
"Ahaha. That's just like you, Ak-kun."
...I can probably let go of her hand now.
I opened my right hand, which was holding Kanade's left hand.
...But since Kanade was gripping my right hand, our hands didn't separate.
Why?
Thinking that, I looked at Kanade suspiciously... but Kanade seemed to find the shops in the Electric Town curious and didn't seem to be paying attention.
...Reluctantly, I gripped Kanade's hand again.
"Ah, even just entering that shop has a huge line, so it looks like we could see various things, right?"
"You're right."
We decided to head into a reasonable-looking shop.
...The shop we entered at random was built just like a department store, with several stores opened within a building of about ten floors, doing business inside booths.
We went down to the third floor of the building.
"...Wow, figures, posters, and DVDs. There's all sorts of things."
"Yeah."
"...Ak-kun. I've seen this a long time ago."
"Ah—me too."
...I got excited by the nostalgia, but I haven't forgotten the reason we came here: the present for Takagaki-san.
"Maybe I'll buy this."
Actually, it seems Kanade has forgotten.
"Kanade, you should look at the price first."
"Eh? I-It's expensive!"
"...Maybe it's better to save buying that for another time."
"I guess so..."
While spending time like that, we browsed the shops in the building and eventually decided to purchase goods of Takagaki-san's favorite character.
"Ufufu. The price was quite reasonable, so Takagaki-san won't feel it's a burden, right?"
"Yeah."
Now that we've bought the present, there's no need to stay in this town any longer.
"Well then, shall we go home?"
"Eh—?"
Kanade pouted her lips as if she were sulking.
"Let's look around this area a bit more. Since we're already here."
"...Well, if you say so."
"Yay!"
Taking Kanade's feelings into account, we decided to walk around the Electric Town a bit more.
For now, we returned toward the station and decided to proceed toward the exit on the opposite side.
The exit opposite the Electric Town... was a bit different from the image of the Electric Town as the birthplace of subculture, and office buildings were also standing there.
"Just walking a little bit changes the scenery; it's a good town!"
I entirely agreed with Kanade's assessment.
Now in a sightseeing mood, we explored the Electric Town.
Occasionally, we fed each other crepes and spent a peaceful time.
...While spending such a peaceful time, the conversation I had with Kanade on the bridge over the river suddenly crossed my mind.
In the end, it had been glossed over afterward... and I hadn't been able to ask Kanade about 'destiny.'
"Hey, Kana...!"
"Oh? Could it be Atsushi-kun?"
Just as I was about to call out to Kanade, I heard a voice calling my name from afar.