CH 47

We sat on a memorable bench until Shi-chan calmed down.

“I’m sorry, Takkun. …… I’m so happy. ……”

“No, it’s okay.”

The tears stopped and I smiled at Shi-chan, who apologized with a slightly troubled face.

“After all, I’m no match for you, Takkun.”

Shi-chan smiled happily at me, and I felt as if our hearts had grown even closer.

It was as if we were back in that summer.

“And by the way! I never thought that we would end up in the same high school!”

Seeing Shi-chan like that, I suddenly felt embarrassed and tried to cover it up by changing the subject a bit.

It’s a miracle that Shi-chan, who has been living in some other city and even working as an idol, would be attending the same high school in such a rural area.

“I actually met Takkun once when I was working as an idol, you know?”

“What, no way?”

I met Shi-chan when she was an idol?

No no, I thought it was …… impossible to remember meeting an idol and such a beautiful girl, but I remembered Shi-chan’s appearance at the convenience store.

“Of course, I was more disguised than I am now, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable that Takkun wouldn’t recognize me. When I was in the third year of junior high school, I happened to be in this neighborhood for work and I had some free time, so I dropped by to see my grandma. But I didn’t know where I was going because my parents always picked me up and dropped me off by car, so I was a little lost and Takkun helped me out.”

Seriously? …… What kind of coincidence is that?

When I was in the third year of junior high school, …… there was indeed such a thing.

I once gave directions to a girl around my age who was wandering around the station.

I remember the girl well because she was wearing sunglasses and a mask and was blatantly dressed in a suspicious manner.

I can’t believe it, if that girl was Shi-chan at that time, I can’t help but feel that this is fate.

“Even as I grew older, I could tell at a glance that it was Takkun. I was so surprised that I thanked you for showing me the way and left immediately, but then I thought I should talk to you instead of running away, so I turned around. But by that time, Takkun was no longer there and I felt like an idiot! I was able to meet you again! I felt so much self-loathing at that time.”

Shi-chan smiled troubledly, “Then we might have been able to meet again a little earlier.”

“But that one incident reminded me of something. I became an idol in order to be found by Takkun, but I found myself so busy as an idol that I almost forgot about Takkun. But when Takkun found me by chance at the station, I remembered the first time I became an idol.”

That’s right.

Shichi-chan has been spending her days as an idol, and she’s gradually started to forget about the past.

It’s understandable.

But I put my own attempts at forgetting on the shelf and was shocked to find that I was about to disappear from her mind.

I didn’t want to do that, I thought.

“I think I had the option of continuing as an idol. But then I realized I couldn’t do what I really wanted to do. That’s why I quit being an idol, moved to this town, and entered the same high school as Takkun.”

With a blush on her face, Shi-chan told me the reason why she came to this town and entered the same high school.

I was very happy that Shi-chan, a successful top idol, had chosen to reunite with me, but at the same time, I wondered if it was really worth it for me.

What I got in exchange was just too much …….

“But my parents also told me to concentrate on my studies, and I always decide what I want to do and do it on my own, so you don’t have to worry about me quitting the idol business at all!”

Shi-chan, who sensed my feelings, quickly followed up.

I was still thinking about ……, but I thought it was more important to cherish the time I had with Shi-chan, who was now sitting next to me again, and I tightened my resolve.

“I see. Then I think I’ll have to spend a good time with Shi-chan from now on.”

“Yes, you’re right. Please teach me things like you did back then.”

“Leave it to me.”

“Please take care of me”

Then we looked at each other and laughed as hard as we could.

At any rate, this is how we came to be together again in the park of our memories.

That was enough for now. That was all I needed.

I looked at Shi-chan’s smiling face, and vowed that I would never leave her again.

Finally, I decided to ask her about something that had been bothering me during our conversation.

I decided to ask Shi-chan a more in-depth question, thinking that if she was feeling this way, she would be fine.

“By the way, how did you know that I was going to enter this high school?

“Eh? It’s not ……, about, well, you know! That!”

“That?”

Shi-chan’s behavior was suspicious today as well, as she blatantly panicked, rolling her eyes at my question.

“U-um! I was thinking that Takkun would probably go to this high school!”

“Did you quit as an idol and came to this town because of such chance!?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Shi-chan’s unreasonable explanation that it was too bold.

Seeing me laughing like that, Shi-chan sulked and turned over, saying, “Takkun’s bullying …….”

“I looked up ……. I did a lot of research to find out which high school Takkun would go to! Because!”

“W-What?”

“Because I really wanted to go to the same high school as Takkun!”

Shi-chan’s face turned bright red as she told me the truth.

Her eyes were moist and her cheeks were puffed up a bit as if she was sulking, which was so cute that I wanted to hug her.

I was a little scared of how far she could have gone with her research,……, but I was more than happy that she was willing to go to the same high school as me, so I decided to let the matter slide.

I also thought that I should give something back to Shi-chan for trying to stay close to me.

“All right. Then I’ll have to repay you for your kindness.”

“…… Oh, you want to return the favor?”

“Yeah, can you come with me?”

Then I took Shi-chan to a nearby candy store.

I hadn’t been to this candy store since that summer, and I thought, “Wow! It brings back memories! I bought two ice creams that we used to eat together back then and gave one to her.

“Shall we eat them together like we did back then?”

“Um! Thank you, Takkun!”

She replied happily, nothing had changed since then.