“Atsushi—, it’s about time to go—.”
The Saturday following the end of the exam week.
As usual, I was working hard on my studies in my room when my mother called out to me in a loud voice from the living room on the first floor.
“Got it.”
I closed my reference book and let out a sigh.
In truth, I wanted to study a bit more, but if it was time, it couldn’t be helped.
“You’re slow.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
When I went downstairs, I was scolded by my mother, who had already finished her preparations.
While apologizing, we left the house and headed toward the car where my father was waiting.
The car’s engine was already running, and my father was busy tapping away on his smartphone.
“Well then, dear. I’m counting on you.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“I’m sorry, even though you always work so late.”
“Don’t worry about it. After all, I am your father.”
While thanking my smiling father once more in my heart, I sat in the back seat of the moving car and absentmindedly gazed at the scenery outside the window.
“Man, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”
My father said somewhat happily while driving the car.
“Being invited over to the Ichinose household. It used to happen quite often when Atsushi was little.”
“That’s true. We were neighbors back then.”
Today, the destination we, the Hagiwara family, were heading to was the Ichinose house that I had visited the other day.
The other day, I had spent the whole day nursing Kanade while she had a cold… After Kanade’s mother returned home, she suggested that as thanks for the nursing, I should bring my family over to visit next time, and that’s how this situation came to be.
However, when I went home and explained the situation to my parents… they didn’t immediately agree to Kanade-mama’s invitation.
『You skipped school to take care of Kanade-chan…?』
The first reaction my parents showed was confusion.
After that, I explained the turn of events and told them it was all for the sake of extending the test study period.
『Isn’t that… a bit too underhanded?』
As a result, I ended up making my parents even more confused.
Why on earth…?
Well, anyway, after my parents were thoroughly confused by my actions on the day of the test, I asked them again what they wanted to do about visiting the Ichinose house.
『Of course we’re going.』
I truly thought to myself at that moment that they should have just said so from the start.
“…You know, back when you two were little, we did this almost every week?”
My father said.
“Is that so?”
To be honest, I didn’t have much memory of it.
“Both we and they were busy with work since you were little. Fortunately, since we were neighbors, we would look after each other’s children, or have them look after you. …In this day and age, some people might make a fuss and call it abuse.”
My father gave a wry smile.
“I suppose you could call it give-and-take. …Things were harder back then than they are now, but I think there were parts where we managed because we had people in similar situations nearby to cooperate with.”
“…I see.”
“Yeah. …That’s why I never thought that relationship would be severed in such a way.”
The inside of the car became quiet… only the sound of the engine echoed.
“Atsushi, do you remember?”
“Remember what?”
“…The conversation in the car after the first time we went to visit Kanade-chan after she was hospitalized.”
…The conversation on the way home that day after meeting Kanade, who had become emaciated and whose beautiful black hair had fallen out.
“…Come to think of it, the setup was the same as now. We thoughtlessly expressed our pity for Kanade-chan’s condition in voices loud enough for you, sitting in the back seat, to hear.”
…There was no way I could forget.
“『How pitiful.』 You got angry at your mother for saying that, didn’t you?”
“Sorry…”
Thinking back on it now… that was nothing more than me taking my frustration out on her.
“No, no. I’m not angry. …It’s just that, from that time on, you were—”
Starting to say something, my father smiled.
“Sorry. I ended up talking about something gloomy.”
“Honestly. And just when we’re about to see the Ichinoses after so long.”
Mother was sounding cross.
“Speaking of which, Atsushi, since you went to Kanade-chan’s house to nurse her, she hasn’t come to our house once. Did something happen?”
While I was laughing at my parents’ conversation, my mother turned around and suddenly asked me a question.
Just as she said, for the past few days, Kanade hasn't stopped by our house.
“She used to come almost every day before that. …Could it be that you two had a fight?”
“A fight? Even though they were getting along so well?”
“Give me a break, okay? Being in the middle of a fight with the child of the house we’re about to visit. That would make the atmosphere even weirder.”
“…How rude.”
Me and Kanade fighting?
What a stupid thing to ask.
“We didn’t have a fight. Not even a little bit.”
I gave a dismissive snort.
“Then why did Kanade-chan stop coming over?”
“…Heh. It’s simple.”
I smiled fearlessly.
“Actually, we had a showdown with the final exams.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded and…
“And I utterly crushed her.”
I let out a broad, dark grin.
Having taken the test the following day due to the special measure for those absent due to illness, we received our graded results from our homeroom teacher in the staff room a week later than our classmates.
…The look on Kanade’s face at that time, being on the verge of tears, was quite… thrilling.
“…Sigh. That’s exactly what I mean by having a fight.”
My mother held her head in her hands.