Chapter 4 – Reunion With an Old Friend
Volume 1
“What’s the matter with you? I’m pretty sure I never told you where I live. How did you know?”
However, I was not in a situation where I could be happy to see my old friend again. I thought I had already severed ties with Yamazaki. Even if it was one-sided, I was not going to see him again.
“Why? Answer me.”
That’s why I’m so cautious. I didn’t think they knew where I lived.
“……”
Yamazaki didn’t answer. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me.
I remember. It was his habit when he was annoyed.
He clucked his tongue and turned his gaze to Sayaka who was behind me. She looked at me and Yamazaki alternately and was puzzled.
“Naoya. You’re the only one I have something to do with. Lend me some of your time”
“…… Understood”
I let Sayaka carry my luggage and urged her to enter the house first. She reluctantly followed my instructions.
“Where should we go?”
I asked after the two of us were alone.
“It doesn’t matter where. I don’t think you’ll like it here. So let’s move a little away.”
“Oh.”
I don’t want to bring anything into the house that might cause conflict. I want to get as far away as possible.
Yamazaki and I wandered around and stepped into a nearby park that we had just noticed. Inside the park, there was a small sandbox, a slide, and swings. A few children were running around, probably still in kindergarten. But when they saw our faces, their voices suddenly dropped. No, to be precise, it was Yamazaki’s face. Yamazaki’s face was dark and his eyes were sharp. I don’t think children would like him.
“Is this far enough?”
With that, Yamazaki sat down on the bench. He spread his legs, tucked his arms behind his back, and urged me to sit down with his eyes.
I had no choice but to sit down on the bench as well.
The clouds were a little darker than usual. It looked like the weather was about to break.
“Let me answer the previous question.”
Yamazaki opened his mouth quietly.
“The reason I identified the house is that I followed your sister. It’s as simple as that.”
“As expected, it was like that”
Now I understand why he approached Sayaka when he had something to do with me. If he knew she was my sister, he would know that she was coming to my house.
Yamazaki took out a case of cigarettes from his breast pocket. I wonder when he started smoking. It was Marlboro, which my father also smokes. He lit it with his lighter and put it in his mouth.
Of course, he was underage, so it was wrong. But I couldn’t bring myself to point it out.
“You want to smoke too?”
I refused the offer of the cigarette case with my hand.
“I don’t smoke. I’m an honor student.”
“Hu~h”
He snickered at me. And he put the Marlboro back in his chest pocket.
Yamazaki crossed his legs and leaned his upper body forward. He smoked, exhaled, inhaled, and exhaled several times. Then he said,
“I’m sorry for coming on such short notice.”
I thought that was an unusual attitude. He didn’t often say “I’m sorry”.
“No big deal”
Four years had already passed. Even though we were good friends, those years have created a rift between us. I can’t simply say that there is no need for that when he says sorry.
“What are you doing now? Are you being a good boy?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you going back to the life of studying all the time?
“Pretty much.”
“…… Really “
I can hear the children playing on the slide. After the slide, they walk up the steps again to the top.
“Do you remember what you said to me?”
He asked slowly. I nodded.
“How could I not remember? There was no lie in what you said that day. That’s all I’ve been thinking about since then.”
“Then fine.”
He dropped his finished cigarette on the ground and stomped on it with his shoe. Then, while thinking I would throw it away later, I tried asking.
“What have you been doing since then?”
Yamazaki laughed and said,
“Nothing’s changed. I’m the same as I was back then.”
“I had a feeling that’s the case”
There’s no big difference in his appearance or the way he talks. He probably wouldn’t have changed a bit whether I was there or not. It’s just that we happened to be hanging out at that time. Once it was all over, it was just a bunch of naughty days.
“I’m in high school now, but I’m not studying at all. I’m not good at studying, and I don’t like it. That hasn’t changed.”
Yamazaki and I were never supposed to have any contact.
We are nothing alike. Even when we were together, I never thought that he and I were alike. But even though we didn’t resemble each other, I felt that we had something in common deep down.
Yamazaki looked at my house with his chin and said,
“That’s your sister, huh? She’s pretty cute, isn’t she? I guess it would make you a siscon.”
“…… I’ll tell you beforehand, I’ll kill you if you touch her.”
” Don’t get me wrong, I have no such intention. There’s no way I can lust after someone related to you.”
“Then fine.”
“How old is she now, by the way? Is she in high school?”
“Yes, she is. She’s not very tall, so it doesn’t look like it.”
“I see.”
Though not interested, he’s asking a lot of questions.
I asked, staring straight ahead, without looking at Yamazaki.
“So? Why did you come to see me after all this time?”
There were plenty of things to talk about. But there was no point in talking about it. I have no intention of getting along with Yamazaki. I think we’ve already broken the ice.
“……”
Yamazaki crossed his legs again. He tried to take out his cigarette from his breast pocket but put it away again. Then he said,
“I’m here today to give some advice.”
TN: the novel seems to be getting momentum… Hope I can release more this weekend.
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Impatient MTL Reader 
Thank you for this chapter!!
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Thanks for the chapter! 🙂
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