Volume 5 - CH 2

“You’re here !　Take your time! “

The two elderly pour tea into dirty cups  which are probably kept there all year round and place them on the kotatsu. Shinobu and I, who’s standing without sitting on the strange and smelly cushions, just talk about the business.

“I’m going to marry her. But I don’t intend to invite you guys to the wedding, and even if we have children, I won’t let you see them. So this is our last conversation.

“I’m sorry, but if Kouki kun says so, I’d like to do that. Please forgive me for just saying hello.”

The elderly in front of us were moving around without listening to what we were saying.

“Well, well. You’ve come all this way.”

“That’s right, we have some expensive snacks that were given. Wait here for a minute……”

Yes. These are old people. They’re not my parents. Or more precisely, they don’t resemble my parents at all.

They are so old that I wonder how much they can change in just 10 years. They’re so old that they are incomparable to their original historical appearance. This is the era. Is this the image of my parents who ran away from me?

There were so many questions I wanted to ask them. What are they doing now? What kind of work do they do? What kind of life did they lead after they abandoned me? In case you’re wondering, I’m a child of the two of them. Even though I was going to cut ties, I was still worried.

“…So this is it.”

But when we actually met them, all my worries vanished. Who cares about the life of an old person who just happens to be on the same train? To that extent. I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

When I was a student. The adult’s back that was so big was unbelievably small.

“Well then, we’re going home.”

“W…..wait,…..”

“……Just in case, here’s the consolation money.”

I took out a thick envelope from my pocket and tossed it on the dusty kotatsu. They jumped on the envelope without a second glance.

“…..Let’s go.”

“Y-yeah……”

Without looking at them any longer, I left the place I couldn’t even call home.

“Shinobu, close your eyes and mouth.

As instructed, Shinobu stood up and I sprayed deodorize spray on her then myself. I wondered if this would make everything go away. Traces of being in the same places as them.

“….Kouki kun. If it’s fine with you, I’m also fine……”

“I’m fine with it. I don’t want to spend time with someone I don’t like.”

This much. How much I hate them. It doesn’t matter if it’s my blood related family. I can decide who I want to be involved with.

“…..Farewell.”

So I said my goodbyes and headed home with my new family.