CH 56

Just take responsibility for it.

Translated by Dawn

Just take responsibility for it.

“Mizutani, don’t go to France.”

After speaking those words directly to Mizutani at the airport, the realization of what I had just said started to slowly creep up on me.

A wave of embarrassment washed over me, quickly coloring my mind.

My face felt hot. I couldn’t look Mizutani in the eye.

But if I lowered my gaze a bit, I could see the blouse of Mitani’s uniform. Since she was not wearing a blazer in the summer, it might give the impression that I was trying to sneak a peek at her chest. I didn’t want to be misunderstood like that, so my eyes instinctively looked up to the sky.

As I waited for her response, despite the awkwardness, Mizutani immediately answered.

“Okay, I won’t go.”

“Yeah, I guess. It’s not normal to refuse something like this out of the blue. If I were in Mizutani’s shoes, I would think the same, and besides, I’m not really… huh?”

Wait a minute.

Naturally, I thought she would refuse and I had prepared some excuses, but didn’t Mizutani just say, “I won’t go”? If my memory served me right, that is.

“You won’t go? Where?”

“…Considering the context, you should be able to figure it out.”

Just to make sure, I confirmed, and Mitani let out a sigh before murmuring.

“To France.”

“…Is it really so easy to change your plans like that? Even though I’m the one who told you not to go.”

“Well, you used that ticket just now, right? So, I have to listen to what you say. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, you’re not wrong, but…”

Huh?　Is it really going to work out like this?

Mizutani looked at me with mischievous eyes, while on the other hand, I was more flustered than ever. I didn’t think this would go so smoothly. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about what would happen next at all.

“Karin, where are you… What on earth are you two doing!?”

At that moment, a high-pitched voice cut through the air. I instinctively turned towards the source of the voice, and sure enough, Mizutani’s mother was there.

Whether she was puzzled by what was happening or not, the gaze of the surrounding passengers focused on us.

“Um, well, hello. I’m Aizawa.”

“I already know that!”

Uncertain of what to say, I greeted her on impulse, and Mizutani’s mother responded with a sharp voice. Well, she was absolutely right. Why am I introducing myself at a time like this?

While glaring at us, Mizutani’s mother continued.

“But more importantly, why are you here? Are you stalking Karin or something? That kind of thing is a nuisance, so please stop.”

“I understand how you feel, I really do, but…”

“Aizawa-kun, you couldn’t possibly understand my feelings. After all, you’ve never had a child, have you?”

“That’s true as well, but…”

“Hey, Mom. I’ve decided not to go to France.”

Amidst Mizutani’s mother’s onslaught, as I defensively retreated, Mizutani unexpectedly interjected. The sharpness of Mizutani’s mother’s words shifted momentarily towards Mizutani. I was intrigued and turned my gaze back to Mizutani.

Mizutani had a smile that seemed somewhat relieved.

Mizutani’s mother looked at her with suspicion.

“Huh? Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“So… it’s like this.”

Mizutani took out her wallet from her skirt and then extracted a piece of paper from it.

It was an airline ticket to France.

After putting away her wallet, Mizutani held the ticket in the middle with both hands.

“…Wait, Karin. Stop with the weird jokes.”

She must have had a bad feeling.

I could see Mizutani’s mother’s expression shifting from anger to fear.

On the other hand, Mizutani, who had been quiet in front of her mother until now, had completely seized control of the situation. The people around us, who were watching from a distance, seemed more like an audience who had come to see a stage actress.

Even as one of the parties involved, I was in a similar position to those people.

In other words, I held my breath and watched as that moment approached.

“I’m sorry, Mom. But it’s not a joke.”

Mizutani raised the airline ticket in her hand so that her mother could see it clearly.

Mizutani’s mother’s face contorted with various emotions, including anger and embarrassment. Even in the face of that, Mizutani remained as calm as a tranquil sea.

“I’m…serious.”

A ripping sound echoed in the air.

It was the sound of Mizutani tearing the ticket in half, right down the middle.

“………….”

In front of Mizutani’s mother, who was in a state of shock and unable to say anything, Mizutani continued tearing the paper into tiny pieces. She meticulously shredded it as if she had put it through a shredder, then put the scraps into her pocket. With a calm expression, she looked at me and spoke.

“Let’s go, Aizawa.”

“Y-Yeah.”

With a slight delay, I nodded. Despite saying something embarrassing like “Don’t go to France,” I was also overwhelmed by Mizutani’s actions. After all, it was not something you would normally expect someone to do.

Mizutani reached out her hand. I hesitantly took her hand and lightly bowed to Mizutani’s still dumbfounded mother. Seizing the opportunity, I took Mizutani’s hand and started running. Leaving behind everything, including our suitcases, Mizutani followed me.

“Wait, wait a minute! We’re not done talking yet! Wait!”

Finally regaining her senses, Mizutani’s mother’s sharp voice rang out from behind.

Ignoring her voice to the best of my ability, we turned back the way I came.

We descended floor by floor on the escalator, finally reaching the basement level.

“Ah, money…”

As I was about to pass through the ticket gate to board the train, I realized that my wallet was almost empty. I couldn’t charge my PASMO card like this. Just as I started to panic, Mizutani tugged on the hand she was holding. When I turned around, Mizutani took out her wallet from her skirt with her free hand.

“You don’t have any money, right? I’ll pay.”

“…Sorry, I appreciate it.”

And so, I borrowed money from Mizutani and managed to pass through the ticket gate.

I had been worried about what to do if there was a long wait until the next train, but luckily the train seemed to depart soon. Mizutani and I got on together and sat in the available seats. Both of us were out of breath from running.

Soon, with a hissing sound, the train doors closed.

As I tried to calm my breathing, I heard a soft chuckle from beside me.

When I looked, Mizutani was hunched over, shaking her shoulders as she laughed.

It must have struck her funny, as Mizutani continued to laugh like that for a while.

Eventually, she lifted her head, wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes, and spoke.

“Heh, that was amusing. I’ve never seen my mom make that kind of face before.”

“Well… let me tell you. I was on edge the whole time. I never expected Mizutani to go that far.”

“But Aizawa, I’m sure you were enjoying it a little too, right?”

“…”

Interpreting my silence as affirmation, Mizutani smirked.

Yeah, that’s right. I felt a sense of relief too.

“But was it really okay?”

—I had skipped over the topic of Mizutani’s study abroad in France.

Although I had omitted an important point, it seemed to have been conveyed to Mizutani.

She lightly nodded and said, “Yeah, it’s fine.”

“If it’s just a two-week trip, I’ll be able to go again someday.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

It seems like I had made a huge misunderstanding.

Looking back now, all I had heard was from the neighbor auntie next door, who mentioned that the Mizutani family was going to France. She never said anything about studying abroad. I had just assumed it on my own.

In the first place, it should have seemed strange to plan a study abroad trip in the middle of summer vacation. They said the first semester starts in autumn over there… I convinced myself of that without any reason.

But man, wasn’t I a bad person?

Telling someone who was about to go on a trip, “Don’t go,” as if it was a final farewell.

No wonder Mizutani accepted it so easily, beyond what I expected.

After all, it was just a trip. Not a study abroad.

…I’d take this misunderstanding to the grave.

“It’s Aizawa’s fault.”

As I made that decision in my heart, Mizutani peered at me with a mischievous look on her face.

“Huh?”

“Everything I did was all because of you, Aizawa.”

“…Don’t blame others for your actions.”

“But, Aizawa, you said earlier, ‘I didn’t expect Mizutani to go that far.’ Those words came out because you thought that my usual self wouldn’t take such actions, right?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“And besides, if you hadn’t come to the airport and said those things, I wouldn’t have torn up the ticket.”

Feeling that the situation was not in my favor, I decided to surrender gracefully.

“Alright, alright, it’s all my fault. So, what do you want me to do to make it up to you?”

“I don’t really want you to make it up to me.”

“….? Then what do you want me to do?”

Confused, I found Mizutani leaning closer to me. Her long eyelashes and sparkling eyes were clearly visible, and my heart involuntarily started beating faster. Whether she knew or not about my agitation, Mizutani placed her hand on her lips, moved her face even closer to my ear, and said,

“Just take responsibility for it.”

I froze at those words.

Of course, I understand what she meant.

By “responsibility,” she meant taking responsibility for ruining the two-week trip, not some proposal-like statement about taking responsibility for life or anything like that.

But even though I understood it logically, I couldn’t help but feel my heart race.

She was too close, and her breath brushed against my ear. I couldn’t tell if it was perfume or shampoo, but there was a pleasant fragrance lingering in the air.

Right, Mizutani was teasing me again.

At times like this, I had to make sure not to show my agitation in my demeanor.

The more I panicked, the more I’d fall into her trap.

For now, I avoided looking directly at Mizutani and tried to suppress my agitation to a minimum.

After taking a breath and calming down, I replied,

“I will.”