CH 20

Touma-kun Recall

Translated by AmaLynne

That was about two months after my mother died.

I didn’t want to stay at home, so I went out on the streets at night.

I got tangled up with a few guys, but I fought them all off.

I was already about 170 tall, and to my surprise, I think I had a strong arm.

It was then that I met a man on the street at night.

「Hey! It’s you! Who’s the middle child who’s been on a rampage lately?」

「Oh? What, you want some?」

「Yeah? You got some nerve talking to me like that, don’t you? All right, let’s change the place.」

After that, he took me to a meeting place where a bunch of yankees was gathered.

「Oh, you’re not scared, are you? You’re getting gutsier and gutsier.」

「That’s all right. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it quickly.」

「Hey! Toward Shinji-san…!!」

Shinji…? I remember hearing that somewhere…

「No! I like it. Well, let’s get started.」

And so the fight began.

「Oraa!!」

「Shit!」

This man was different from the fake yankees I had been dealing with until then.

His fists were heavy and fierce.

「Ha! You’re good, you little shit!」

「You too! Old man!」

「I’m only 21!」

「That’s old enough!」

We continued to exchange blows, and I lost for the first time.

And I thought I was going to get lynched, but that didn’t happen.

「Hey! This guy’s strong!」

「I didn’t expect him to go this far in a head-to-head match with Shinji-san…」

「Hey! Hey, kid! He’s got it in him!」

The man then asks.

「Hey, kid! What’s your name?」

「……Touma Yoshino……And who are you?」

「My name is Shinji Nagura…Touma…Yoshino…Ah! You’re that Touma?」

「……Shinji Nagura……could you be brother Shin?」

「What the hell! It’s you! You’d better hurry up and tell me!」

「No, you’re the one who brought me here without question.」

「Haha! That’s true, too! I’m sorry!」

This person, Shinji Nagura, was someone I used to play with when I was little.

There is a facility called the community center that is used by the people who live there.

There was also a place for children to gather there.

There were picture books, toys, and a ping-pong table.

Shinji-san was like an older brother to everyone there.

He often volunteered to help us.

「What the hell…I lost it in the fight. Shinji was always strong.」

「No, you’re strong, too. For your age. Hey! He’s my little brother! You mess with me, you’re gonna be in big trouble!」

Then, some of the people who had gathered there left.

Shinji-san didn’t tell me about it, but I heard about it later from others.

In fact, I was being targeted by those guys.

They wanted to lynch me for being a cocky guy these days.

Shinji-san found out and approached me.

Now that I’m an adult, I’m at risk of being caught… 

What’s more, I was about to graduate from college… 

And that by making me his little brother, he was protecting me from being lynched.

I immediately asked Shinji.

「Why!? Why would you do that?」

「What the hell is that guy? He’s talking…」

Shinji-san then answered.

He said that his parents divorced when he was in junior high school.

He said that his sister was left by their mother and he by his father, whom he hated.

He said he couldn’t stand the suffocating life and went to the nightlife like me.

And when he was about to be lynched, someone saved him.

So he wanted to do the same.

Finally, he said…he saw my lonely eyes and couldn’t leave me alone.

He said it was like looking at his old self…

Then I told Shinji-san.

「My mother had died, and I didn’t want to stay home, but my sister and father were important to me.」

「I see…So, I… Touma, you can stay here as long as you like. I’ll take care of everything but the fighting. But make sure you go home. You like your sister and your father, right?」

「Thank you, brother…What can I give back to my brother…?」

「I don’t need any of that! I’m just saying, if you see someone who looks as lonely as I do, don’t be afraid to play with them. Just like you did for me…」

After that, brother graduated from college and disappeared from the nightlife district.

At the same time, I also graduated from the nightlife district and came across a certain novel and decided to go down that road.

◆◇◆◇◆

「Well, something like that, I guess. After that, I was surprised when we met again in high school…」

「*Kusu*……」

「Brother…!」

「Hey, hey, don’t cry, both of you.」

「Because…Yoshino-kun and the teacher had a good meeting…」

「Brother! I want to thank him!」

「He’s not asking for it, he…well, I’ll tell him just in case.」

After that, Shimizu, who had stopped crying, said.

「So, about Seiya…」

「Hm? …Well, yes.」

「Well…I must thank the teacher too. Seiya looks so happy. Of course, so do I.」

「Yes, was it a good day? How’s Seiya’s cold?」

「Yes, it’s all right. He’s well now. Thank you.」

「Oh, my God! Listen to me! Aya! Brother was soaking wet yesterday, mo――!!」

「Hey, idiot!」

「……Yoshino-kun……?」

I covered her mouth, but I guess I was too late.

I’ve never seen this face before.

This is a very angry face.

「I’m sorry, I lied to you yesterday. I didn’t have a kappa, but I couldn’t let Shimizu get home wet. I just wanted to be cool.」

「Yoshino-kun…I can’t say anything if you say that… Besides, I was the one who was at fault in the first place… I’m sorry, Yoshino-kun, Marina-chan. Because he lent me his umbrella…」

「Oh, those umbrellas you just mentioned… Brother! Great job! This little sister is thrilled!」

「Hey! Don’t slap a sick man on the back!」

「…Heheh, you’re so close. Um, may I…say hello?」

「Hmm? To whom…Oh, that’s what you mean. That’s good, I think mother would like that.」

「I-Is that so? Then, excuse me.」

Entering the next Japanese-style room, Shimizu sat down in front of the Buddhist altar.

「Hello Yoshino-kun mother, nice to meet you. My name is Aya Shimizu, Yoshino-kun…friend. Yoshino-kun is a hero to me. He saved me when I was in danger, lent me his umbrella, and was kind to my precious little brother…thank you. Thanks to you for giving birth to Yoshino-kun and raising him to be a cool and kind person… I am sure that you were a kind and smiling mother like the one in this picture…thanks to you, I am safe like this.」

「Shimizu…」

「Brother, are you crying?」

「What are you talking about, crying……hmm?」

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I found myself crying…

「Huh? Y-Yoshino-kun? What’s wrong?」

「No, I’m sorry. I just remembered my mother.」

「I see…」

「We all cried!」

「Yes, we did…」

After that, Shimizu left.

She said she didn’t want to stay too long, even though I was sick.

I went back to my room and thought.

I lied to you again……

I can’t tell……that I was moved by your words……