CH 32

Chapter 31: Sudden Farewell (Part 2)

Point of View: Haruka

I finished club activities early today, so I was leaving school alone. I left the main gate and was about to pass by a nearby convenience store when I saw Yoshizumi-kun standing there. I wondered what he was doing there, so I called out to him.

“Yoshizumi-kun, what are you doing here?” (Haruka)

“Hmm? Hey, Aizawa-san. I was just thinking, that’s all.” (Hiroto)

“Thinking? From the station opposite of Saijo High?” 

“I was meeting up with Saito-san. You know, the guy who bumped into me.”

It seems he was meeting up with a senior member of the baseball team. When I asked him about it, he said it was for tickets to the school festival. I’m glad they got along. But… he’s coming to the school festival? It’s fine because it’s a big place, but it would be embarrassing if we met each other… I wanted to keep our relationship a secret.

Yoshizumi-kun was worried about people from my school seeing us walk home together, but I didn’t mind…

Yoshizumi-kun said, “I want to check out the field at the park” so we went to the park together. He seems to like baseball a lot.

“Would you like to try throwing a baseball, Aizawa-san?” (Hiroto)

I tried to refuse because I wasn’t good at sports, but I wanted to try baseball, so he showed me. Even though I didn’t do well, he taught me carefully and politely. After all, Yoshizumi-kun was kind.

When I’m with Yoshizumi-kun, I’m reminded of Hiroto-kun. I know I shouldn’t compare them anymore, but I couldn’t help it.

“Aizawa-san has a lot of emotions, don’t you? I thought you were a quiet girl at first.” (Hiroto)

I was surprised. When he told me that, I realized that I had been interacting with a boy in a normal way… suddenly I was surprised and embarrassed at the same time.

“You were cute.” I’ve heard this before from other people, but I never thought much of it. When Yoshizumi-kun told me, I was more than happy to hear it. But at the same time…

“Haruka-chan, I love you!”

“Haruka-chan, you’re so cute!”

“Haruka-chan… I am going to move far away…”

Hiroto-kun moved far away. It was sudden. The furniture in the house was still there along with all the memories, but Hiroto-kun and his friends were all gone. A few days later, a contractor came to take their belongings away and all I could do was watch. I saw the empty house… all I could do was cry.

I later heard that his father had passed away. His mother was also injured and left with Hiroto-kun and his grandpa.

I cried all the time…

I told my mom that I would go to Hiroto-kun’s place, but she never told me anything.

A year later, my parents got divorced and I moved with my mom to her parents’ house. At that time, my name changed from “Haruka Sato” to “Haruka Aizawa”.

I knew my mother would never tell me.

When I became a junior high school student, I stopped crying but never stopped asking my mother.

“Mom, where did Hiroto-kun move to?” (Haruka)

“You seem to be okay now, so I can tell you. I couldn’t tell you before because Hiroto was still adapting and it would have been difficult for him.” (Haruka’s Mother)

“I called Mari-san when I got into a divorce and told her my current address.”

“Really? I’ll send a letter to Hiroto-kun!” (Haruka)

But…

The letter I sent to Hiroto-kun came back to me with “Recipient Unknown”.

I asked my mother. She said, “I gave her the address, but she didn’t tell me that Hiroto-kun and his family moved again after that. When we moved out, I talked to Hiroto’s grandfather, but Mari-san was so devastated that she decided not to contact him after giving him our address.

My mind was blank.

Where did Hiroto-kun go?

All the letters I received from Hiroto-kun… I still have them, you know…?

‘I love you, Haruka-chan. I’ll see you again soon.’

Those were the last words in the letter…

Hiroto-kun, when will I see you again?

When I was reminded of the letter, I couldn’t help but start crying again.

He was a mysterious boy who made me feel happy and safe when I was with him. I might be interested in Yoshizumi-kun.

At this rate, Hiroto-kun would disappear from my life, right?

As I was thinking. I saw two message notifications on my cell phone, and I opened them.

‘I’m going to the hospital next Saturday afternoon, so we can go to the park after that, what do you think?’

It was Yoshizumi-kun.

‘Okay, I’ll go to the hospital next Saturday afternoon. I have club activities in the morning, so I’ll be fine. I’ll call you when I’m done with club activities.’

The other was Aya. But I wasn’t sure how I felt.

I don’t know how I feel about you, Yoshizumi-kun…

I want to know how I feel about you…

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TLN: I wonder how long it’ll take for them to realize. Bet no one expected this chapter though.