Volume 5 - CH 4

“It’s been a while……hasn’t it?”

A bus stop with a timetable full of holes. The three of us sat down on a wooden bench that creaked and splintered when we sat on it.

“I wonder how long it’s been…… It’s been 9 years since……we graduated from high school?”

“I guess so.”

For me, it’s been a week and I’m used to seeing her as an adult, so I don’t have any emotional attachment to her, but Saki doesn’t seem to think so. Well, I can’t see her face because Shinobu is in the middle.

“Why are you here in the countryside?　Did you live with Daiki?”

“No……. Daiki kun and I had a spontaneous breakup in high school……”

“I see.”

“But I came to see Daiki kun today…and……”

“It’s tough. Your parents’ company went bankrupt.”

“……….”

I wonder if it was just a few weeks ago. The company was run by Saki’s father and went bankrupt. This is something that didn’t happen in my former life. The reason for this had been obvious for ten years.

“I wish I hadn’t cheated on you back then.”

The incident in the past when I protected Daiki. In the aftermath of the incident, word spread that Daiki was having an affair with Saki, and Saki’s family home, a real estate company with strong local roots, went under. The company temporarily stayed afloat, but once the bad publicity spread, it wouldn’t disappear. The company’s business slowly deteriorated and finally went bankrupt 10 years later.

“It’s not only your fault, but also your parents’ fault for not being able to rebuild their business after 10 years.”

“……Kouki kun, you are so kind.”

“I’m just saying the right things. If I were to be honest, it’s all your fault.”

“…………”

I’ve already shaken off the past. But that doesn’t mean there’s any reason to be nice. No matter how anyone looks at it, it was Saki who triggered the bankruptcy. Her parents are hardly at fault. The only thing I can say is that they raised a daughter like this.

“……But I think this is fate.”

I’m glad that Shinobu was able to intervene.

“Meeting Kouki kun in a place like this…..it can’t be a coincidence. Yes, so this is fate !　Don’t you think we can start over?”

I didn’t want to see the face of the person who spat out these words.

“……Didn’t you come here to see Daiki?”

“Y-yeah…..I thought that if I came here, I would be able to meet Kouki kun as well….”

“You’re wrong. You ran out of money and tried to become a parasite on Daiki.”

“That’s not…..true at all.”

“By the way, I don’t think Daiki lives around here anymore. The detective agency couldn’t find him.”

“Eh…..then where……”

“I don’t know. He could be anywhere. Me, Daiki, Saki, we’re all strangers.”

“S….strangers, you say….”

The bus arrived. If I take this train I will reach the station in 10 minutes.

“Then, we’re going home. See you later….is kind of weird. We won’t see each other again.”

“W….wait,……! I’ll take the bus with you !”

“I see. But if you don’t have money, you shouldn’t waste it, because you can get to the station on foot in half an hour.”

“I…it’s just about the bus fare….”

Ignoring Saki’s words, I got on the bus. Saki didn’t get on. Apparently she didn’t have any money.

“This isn’t an insult, but…..if you don’t have money, you should get a serious job. Instead of looking for someone to parasitize.”

“I’m not a……parasite…..”

“Is that so? Whatever. Driver, this person doesn’t seem to be getting on, so you can go on.”

“Wait,……wait,…….”

Saki was still saying something, but her words were mercilessly torn apart by the door. The only thing that can be understood from inside the car where no voice can be heard is the expression on Saki’s face who’s desperately trying to cling to me.

“….She didn’t change.”

That’s right. It had been 10 years since Saki’s parents’ house started to fall apart.10 years. With that much time, people change, even if they don’t want to. If they don’t change, they will be left behind by the times.

But Saki hadn’t changed. 10 years ago, she had only clung to whoever she could find to be a host, either me or Daiki. She doesn’t make any effort.

“………..”

The bus is going down an empty road. Just towards the destination. I quietly saw Saki off in the distance from the bus.