Volume 1 - CH 4

Volume 1, Chapter 4: Acceptance

It had been a week since then. Today was my birthday.

Well, nobody would probably remember. That matter was going to be decided this morning. Were my efforts going to bear fruit?

I thought about the matter as I heaved myself out of bed. The results every morning had been terrible. Mom, as usual, was focused on work that she couldn’t even spare to look at me.

Nana had been ignoring me again since that day she spoke her first words to me after a long six months.

Sayaka kept accompanying me to school every time, even though she liked that senpai of hers.

As I went down the stairs, I reflected on everything that had happened up until today. I wondered if they would suddenly start loving me again by mistake. I doubted that.

As I got down, my mother was still as busy as ever.

"Good morning. Mom."

Greeted them again like usual.

"Good morning. Manato."

As was the norm, my mother responded in that same manner. It was a sight I'd grown accustomed to seeing.

That hadn't changed this past week.

"...Hey, Mom. For dinner tonight. I'd like to eat the food you made."

"Sorry, Mom is too busy to cook today."

"..."

Haha, I knew that. That was clear to me.

"Manato?"

"That's right, huh. Mom is always busy, isn't she?"

"...Sorry."

Mom apologized while she was got ready for work. Like I thought, work was more important.

"Then, Mom is off now."

"Take care."

After seeing off my mother, I took 1,000 yen and went back upstairs. At the same time, Nana came down.

"Good morning, Nana."

This was also the usual.

"..."

This was just the usual. I just greeted her and continued upstairs.

"...-chan?"

I thought I heard Nana's voice behind me, but that definitely was just my imagination. Because Nana would never talk to me.

"I'm off."

I quickly got ready for school and walked out the front door. I closed it without waiting for an answer. Even if I waited, no one was going to respond back.

"Oh, t-take care..."

Such a voice didn't reach anyone.

After Manato left home to go to school, Nana received a call on her phone. Nana looked at who it was, and saw that it was from her mother.

"Hello, Mom? What's wrong?"

"Nana, I can't make it to Manato's birthday party today."

Nana was surprised to be suddenly told such a thing.

"Huh?! W-why?!"

Nana asked her mother, distraught.

"I just got a call from the company, and it was something I couldn't skip on. That's why let's move Manato's birthday party tomorrow."

"...I understand. Instead, let's hold a party that would definitely surprise Onii-chan, okay?"

"Yes, of course."

Nana was worried. It was about the look on his brother's face this morning.

She had never seen that expression on him before. He looked like he had completely given up on something.

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"Good morning, Manato."

Same.

"Good morning, Sayaka."

Same. The same routine kept on repeating itself. No change, just the same old every day.

"I'm going to get some breakfast."

"...Manato?"

After buying breakfast, I came out the convenience store.

"Then, let's go."

I urged Sayaka.

"Y-yeah."

Why was Sayaka coming to school with me even though she had someone she liked?

During this past week, I was always thinking about that.

But no matter how much I racked my brains about the matter, I couldn't come up with an answer.

"Sayaka."

A familiar voice rang out behind me. It was her senpai.

"Ah, Senpai."

Definitely, Sayaka liked this senpai of hers. She was talking to him with a twinkle in her eyes. If she wanted to talk to her senpai so badly, she didn't need to go to school with me.

"I'll go first."

"...Yeah."

"He looks somewhat grumpy."

"Yes...he's been like that since this morning..."

Sayaka told her senpai.

"...Sayaka, aren't you forgetting something important?"

"Something important?"

Sayaka thought about it at her senpai's suggestion as she cupped her chin.

"...Ah!"

Then she remembered.

"It's Manato's birthday today!"

"...Sayaka, you can't forget that. You should at least remember the birthday of the guy you like. Besides, he's your childhood friend, right?"

That was the case, Sayaka reflected.

"Ugh, I did it now..."

Sayaka had forgotten Manato's birthday. Because she forgot, of course she wasn't able to prepare any presents.

"Tomorrow, let's celebrate again and give him a present."

She made up her mind. She decided to celebrate tomorrow.

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I came home, opened the front door, and entered the house.

Today was my birthday. But no one celebrated it yet.

It might be a bit of an unpleasant idea for them, but none of them did anything.

I thought at least my family would.

Nana was already home.

"I'm back."

"..."

Well, I already anticipated this. Somehow, I felt exhausted.

I went upstairs, shoulder slumped.

"Welcome back."

And so, I missed her saying that in a small voice.

I should move on to the next one.

Mom returned very late at night. Around 1AM to be exact.

"Manato...? Why are you up at this hour? You have to go to bed now, don't you?"

"...Mom, today's my birthday. No, that's wrong. It was my birthday yesterday."

As I said that, my mother's expression turned plainly awkward. Finally, the cracks in my heart weren't able to be contained anymore.

My heart shattered like glasswork.

"Of course, I remember."

"...You're lying."

"Huh?"

"If that's true, why’d you look so unpleasant just a while ago?"

I asked my mother that.

"That's..."

Mom couldn't answer.

"It's fine. I understand. Mom never loved me."

"!!! Manato!"

Mom was about to say something, but I wasn't about to listen to her. So, I turned on my heels and went back upstairs.

I didn't have any expectations any more. I was someone who was unwanted. I had come to realize that.

I was already tired.