Chapter 33: 18

Volume 3, Chapter 18: Just Like How It Had Always Been

 

 

"―― Congratulations, on avoiding any red marks."

"Thank you!"

 

On test return day, I was having a simple celebration with Hareyama at my house.

I think she worked really hard. She couldn't proudly show off her scores yet, but I was sure she would be able to in due time.

 

"I feel kind of bad, not preparing anything and all that for Hareyama's party."

"No. I just wanted it like this."

 

Just for today, I thought I could buy her something appropriate from the supermarket, but Hareyama insisted that I didn't, and that she would prepare it instead.

I was happy to taste Hareyama's food, but it felt off having the celebrant herself prepare it.

 

"...Maybe I should learn cooking, too."

"T-that's not good, you know?! You won’t have a need for me anymore!"

"No, no, that won't happen."

"Just don't, absolutely don't!"

 

I wondered if she had to be to vehemently opposed to it. Was it something like that identifier I thought of the other day?

She was definitely trying to ruin me at all costs.

 

"But it's finally coming to an end, isn't it."

"Well, there's still your make-up exams."

"Ahaha, yeah."

"You think you're prepared enough for that?"

 

In a few days, there was going to be make-up exams for a failed grade she received during midterms.

I didn't think it was a problem for Hareyama now, but in the case that she did fail again, her summer vacation was going to be difficult.

 

"Um...m-maybe not."

"That's not true, is it? If it's the current Hareyama, a bit of study should be fine."

"..."

"Haa..would you like to stay over until the make-up exam?"

"Yeah!"

 

I guess I was being soft on her, too. There wasn't much to study in the days leading up to the test.

As Hareyama was now, solving a few problem sets should be enough.

Well, I was no match to her if she made a face like that.

 

Afterwards, Hareyama kept on staying over at my house and enjoyed a semi-live-in lifestyle as she prepared for the exam.

And finally, tomorrow was the last day of school, as well as the day of the make-up test.

Hareyama planned to stay over that day, too, but when I approached her after school, she said she was going to go home just this once.

She mentioned that she wanted to bring over some missing stuff, but her expression seemed somewhat stiff.

 

I went home first and waited for Hareyama to come, but she didn't arrive.

I tried contacting her, but no replies from Hareyama. I had a bad feeling about this, so I contacted Reika.

 

"Hello? What's wrong?"

"Sorry, all of a sudden. I have a quick question for you."

"Hm? My three sizes?"

"I'm interested in that, too...but do you know anything about Hareyama's family?"

"Hanae? Did something happen?"

"Well, something like that. So, do you know anything?"

"I don't know about her family, but I can tell you where their address is..."

"Tell me."

"Sure. But you'll have to explain to me later about this, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll call you when this is all over."

 

After checking the screenshot of a map that Reika sent me, I left the house with the minimum amount of stuff I needed.

After that, she followed up by sending numbers. No way, did Reika really send me her three sizes?

I should reply for the time being. Thank you, you fit my preference.

 

――――

――

―

 

Arriving at the nearest station from Hareyama’s house, I checked the map again.

While moving my feet in that direction, I also searched the spot Hareyama always was, but she wasn't there.

Like I thought, there was definitely something wrong back at her home... As I walked along thinking this, I saw a person sitting on a bench in an unpopulated area a short distance away from the station.

For some reason, my eyes were drawn to that area, and when I dragged my steps in that direction, there, was Hareyama with a terrible expression on her face.

Relieved that she didn't come into an accident or something like that, I looked to see Hareyama still in her uniform, with no other luggage on her.

She had that kind of atmosphere to her like when you ran out of the house without anything else but the clothes you were currently wearing.

 

"...What happened, for you to be in a place like this?"

"..."

"Can I sit next to you?"

"..."

 

She gave a small nod, and I sat down next to Hareyama.

Hareyama remained silent, and just leaned in on me.

How long had it been since then? When I thought that Hareyama moved a bit, she began to speak quietly.

 

―― She had a fight with her parents.

When Hareyama was in middle school, her parents would frequently get into quarrels because their business kept on failing, and before long, Hareyama was dragged into the matter.

Her life of trying to not get into the bad side of her parents began. She stayed in the corner of the room to avoid getting involved in fights.

Perhaps unable to bear the sight of such a life, Tendou's parents helped her. She began frequenting Tendou's house.

Her parents never said anything about the situation. Maybe they didn't know she came over.

Tendou's mother treated her well. But such a life didn't last long.

 

I wasn't expecting to be surprised that much because I already learned that she had a bad relationship with her parents, but what came next out of Hareyama's mouth really did shock me.

 

"You know, I was sold by my parents."

"S-sold...?"

"My parents had to borrow from Susumu's family."

"Borrow..."

 

According to her, the company run by her parents was going under ,and they had loaned out money from the Tendou family.

At the time, she wasn't exactly told about the details, but was instructed in a roundabout way that she was to be taken care of at Tendou's house.

 

"I was considered as part of the loan."

"No, that..."

 

What were my thoughts on this? I didn't think that Tendou's side would specifically want Hareyama as the collateral, and it didn't make any sense for the Hareyama family as well to offer her.

I could still understand if she was sent to work for the Tendou family like a housekeeper.

However, if she was told that she was going to be taken care of them, then it wasn't anything like that.

The most I could understand about this situation was that Tendou's mother, who Hareyama said treated her well, gave out a condition to, again, help her out...or something along that line.

Either way, if she wasn't explicitly given the details of the deal, then Hareyama might have misunderstood.

 

"I was getting in their way."

"..."

"They had to support me, even though I couldn't provide anything back."

"That's supposed to be the parents' duty."

 

Well, whatever the true reason may be, it was true that Hareyama was neglected.

Involving the child in the parents' situation... I thought that was wrong of them, but there was no way to prevent such a thing on the child's part.

Hareyama was probably lucky that she still had a place to return to.

 

"I did my best to protect my place."

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"...Hmm."

"I figured that since I was sold in the first place, I had to do something or I couldn't stay there anymore."

"...I see."

"Eventually, when Susumu's mother became too busy with work, she started to leave a lot of things to me."

"...Is that so."

 

She was happy to be needed. She felt like if she did, then she would have somewhere to return to.

But hidden in her heart, there was a thorn, screaming that she was sold.

And when Tendou's mother didn't come home very often eventually, no one stopped to say anything to her.

I’m not needed. It only seemed natural because she was sold, and as though being told that, the thorns only cut deeper.

 

"Even when I got home, my parents only asked me how I was doing and never said anything, and Susumu also never thanked me as well."

"I don't really care about Tendou, but...if you aren't going back to your house, were you staying over at Tendou's instead?"

"I never stayed at Susumu-kun's house."

 

So, she came home every single day? And, for what? It was hard enough for her to return, so she had to find somewhere else.

Her parents knew that she came over, but they didn't ask anything in particular, just how she was doing.

Which was why if she stayed over, they wouldn't object, either.

For the past few days, Hareyama lived at my house. There shouldn't be any interventions from them about that matter.

Then there could only one reason left, huh.

 

"Today, Susumu-kun talked to me after school."

"Ah~, something about you not coming over lately?"

"He didn't put it that way, but I think that's what he wanted to talk about."

"And so?"

 

I didn't recall seeing Tendou and Hareyama talking.

Looking back, was that the reason why Hareyama's expression seemed so tense at the time?

 

"...I don't want to go back there anymore."

"...Is that so."

"Because Jimichi-kun, you said that you'd be a place I return to..."

"..."

 

To be honest, it wasn't like I picked up Hareyama for those reasons.

It was true that I was thinking for Hareyama's sake, but it didn't go anything beyond that.

 

"That's why, I told my parents today."

"What did you tell them?"

"I said that I won't go to Susumu's house anymore, that I won't get involved with them, and that I won't be responsible for their debt."

"...What happened next?"

"I wanted to let out more, but it looked like I was about to be held back, so I ran out."

 

She forced a smile. The cause of that smile was also me.

I very easily gave her a place to stay, so things got more complicated.

I should have asked about Hareyama's story and thought about the matter together.

I made a mistake...but, it wasn't too late.

 

"It's refreshing, really."

"You cleared up? Did you say what you wanted to say?"

"I did, and I feel a weight off my shoulder..."

"...So, why are you sitting here with such a sad look on your face?"

"..."

 

It wasn't a face that a relieved person would make.

Regret, loss, grief, desperation. Those emotions seemed to be swirling around her.

At least there wasn't any relief. That assured me that she was still thinking about it.

 

"I! H-have found a new place to live!"

"..."

"That place...can't I return there...?"

 

The feeling of sadness became even stronger. If I abandon Hareyama here, this girl might just break.

Her feelings and circumstances were overbearing. The pressure of having a place to return to loomed over her.

It was normal for someone to pull back here. Everyone wanted to avoid trouble, and such was a common mentality.

But if that was so, then I guess I wasn't normal.

I wasn't. I ――

 

"―― I won't give up on you, Hareyama. I want to be that place for you."

"I-I'm glad ――"

"―― But, don't run away. Things are no good as it currently is."

 

It was easy to be that someone for her who wouldn't ask, nor say, anything.

Things could just remain the way it was. I could stay with her, and she could be at her place.

While she did, she would eventually be able to stand up on her own.

But when that time came, some things would definitely have been lost.

If that was really okay for her, then so be it.

But I knew what Hareyama truly wanted.

 

"You want to return to your original place."

"Huh...?"

"You really want things to go back the way they were, don't you?"

"T-that's..."

"For that reason, Hareyama came home every day. Hoping that one day, things would return to normal."

"..."

 

Hareyama thought that she was sold. Being sent to be taken care of by another family...normally, wouldn't you think of leaving after having known that?

While being in such a situation, she continued to go home every day and had a talk with her parents, even if it was only for just a moment.

The thing that Hareyama wanted the most. She had but one wish on her.

Just like those days again. She wanted to go back to where she truly belonged.

 

"You know, I think it might have been a misunderstanding that you were sold."

"But, that..."

"But I don't know the truth as well, so I might as well know nothing. But when I approached you, you said we should talk, right?"

"I..."

"If they really were such scumbags that they'd sell their own daughter, that they didn't care at all for Hareyama, then I won't ask you to talk about it."

"..."

 

If that was truly the case, I would do everything in my power so separate Hareyama from her parents.

But I didn't think it was anything like that. It had been a long time since things started getting complicated, and the same was true for the other side as well.

Rather than neglecting her, I think that they were just finding it difficult to open up, and along the way, they lost the opportunity to do so.

The whole idea behind asking about how she was doing was to find a starting point for a conversation, wasn't it?

 

"Hareyama was also worried and regretted not talking about that, which is why you're here, right?"

"But...I..."

"So, let's go have a talk with them. Say what you want to say. I'll be with you."

"You'll come with me...?"

"Sometimes, it's better to have a third-party included. Besides, isn't it more encouraging for you to have me?"

"...Yeah. But you seem really confident."

"Well, if it doesn't work, I'll pick you up again, so don't worry."

"Ahaha, I guess so."

 

Finally, after a long while. I saw her let out a smile from the bottom of her heart, the first I've seen since I got here.

I stood up first and held out my hand in front of Hareyama.

Slowly, Hareyama took ahold of my hand and got up as well. There were no more shadows on her face at that moment.

 

"Let's go, then. I'll go ask them for their daughter."

"Eh?! That's what you're going to talk to them about?!"

"At worst, I'll just throw in a pile of money as well."

"Wow~, the worst~....―― how cheeky."

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