Chikasugiru Karera no, Juunanasai no Tooi Kankei [LN] V2 Chapter 5 Epilogue

Epilogue - Seventeen Years Old Passed

It has been about two weeks since the new school year began. Today was the last day of my seventeenth year, a day in which many things had happened.

When I came home from school that day, I felt something strange at the front door. I didn't think it was possible, but sure enough, there were Rina's shoes in the doorway. There was also something different about the atmosphere in the house. I entered the living room and sure enough, she was there.

"Welcome home."

She was sitting facing the dining room table with my mother, who had returned home unusually early.

"Rina......why are you at our house?"

"We've been planning for a little while now to have dinner here today, with your Aunty and Mori-san. I know it's a day early, but happy 18th birthday."

"T-Thank you......"

I was so surprised that I couldn't get the words right. Anyway, I had just finished my club activities, so I took a shower, went back to my room, and got dressed.

When I returned to the living room, Rina and my mother were still talking and drinking tea. Three months had passed since the beginning of the year, and the memories of living with Rina were gradually fading away, but the atmosphere of those six months had returned in the living room.

"Kenichi-kun, would you like some tea?" Rina asked.

"Ah, yeah......."

I nodded, and Rina familiarly pulled out a mug from the cupboard and made me a cup of tea. Still unable to grasp the situation, the three of us spent some time together in the living room, and then the intercom rang.

Rina answered, and Yuriko and my brother came into the house. Yuriko was wearing gray tights, a black miniskirt, and a beige cardigan over a blue knit.

"Yo, Kenichi. Long time no see."

My brother, wearing jeans and a slim jacket, greeted me in a casual manner. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen my brother once in the past few months.

"Even Ryuu-kun came."

"Yes. I called him," Rina said with a smile.

Rina and my mother sat at the dining table, while my brother, Yuriko and I sat at the low table where the kotatsu had been and ate our dinner. My brother, whom I had not seen for a long time, seemed to immediately recognize that Yuriko and I had started dating before I could explain. He said to me in an interested tone of voice, "Next time, tell me about you guys."

And so the five of us spent a lively time together. The house had been quiet for months, but today it was like a different house.

Soon after 10 p.m., Yuriko and my brother decided to go home. Tomorrow was a weekend, so Rina was going to spend the night at our house.

I decided to walk Yuriko home. After waiting for her to get ready, we went outside together.

We walked together down the dark street, lit by the white light of the street lamps. The town on a spring night was quiet. The cold had eased and the night air was soft and warm.

We didn't talk much as we walked hand in hand. Yuriko was probably a little tired after doing club activities and playing at my house. Only the sound of our footsteps echoed around us. As we approached her house,

Read only at Musubi Novel

"Were you surprised?" Yuriko said.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"When I came home, Rina was suddenly there. I wondered what had happened."

Yuriko laughed shortly when I said that.

"I was exchanging messages with Izumi-san, and we were talking about how we hadn't seen each other in a while. Since Kenichi's birthday was just around the corner, we decided to do this."

Hmmm, I said. Then I broached a topic that was a little difficult to talk about.

"Rina is going to stay at my place today. I mean, is that okay?"

Then, "Hmm," Yuriko groaned.

Yuriko then said, "To tell you the truth, it's a bit complicated." and smiled wryly.

"But, well, it's a little too late for that. It seems that Izumi-san also wanted to see Auntie and Ryuuichi-kun. And Kenichi's relatives could be my relatives as well, so I can't be too hard on them......"

The last part of her tone was muffled.

"What?"

When I asked her back, she said, "Anyway, it's getting late today, and I can't help it. But it's not like I always accept it, okay?" Yuriko said, and turned away.

"I know. I'll also be careful about that kind of thing." Yuriko nodded her head with a pout and said, "Okay then.

We eventually arrived at Yuriko's house. Yuriko opened the gate and turned to me. 

"Thank you for walking me home. See you tomorrow. Don't be late for the meeting."

Saying that, Yuriko waved her hand and went inside her house, where a warm light was leaking in.

When I turned down the street alone and went back to my house, my mother was just taking a bath. Rina was sitting on the sofa watching TV. The table was already cleaned up. I sat down on the dining chair and asked Rina, "How's life there?"

"Thanks to you, everything is going well. Mom is as healthy as ever."

"That's good."

"How is Kenichi-kun?"

"As for us, there is not much different from when Rina is around. After all, I think the house is a little too quiet when it's just the two of us."

"I see."

The TV was broadcasting a news program. The hands of the clock slowly move in the quiet room.

"Kenichi-kun, it seems things are going well between you and Mori-san."

"Yeah. We've managed to be together without fighting."

"Good. You two are going out tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah."

"I won't bother you on your birthday. Have a good time."

Rina said with a smile. Thanks, I replied. After that, I watched TV for a while, drinking the tea left in my mug, and then Rina yawned.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, "Ah," and she looked embarrassed, clamped her mouth shut,

"Yes. I think I should get ready for bed," she said.

"I was just about to go back upstairs, too, just in time."

We turned off the light in the living room and walked up the stairs together. 

"Good night," I said before going into my room.

Good night. Good night," Izumi said, her cheeks softly relaxing, and went into the room she had been using for those six months. Rina had taken the small things home with her, but the desk, chair, and futon had been left untouched, so she would have no problem sleeping. She had told me at dinner that she and Hoshino-san had promised to go to the front of the station in this city tomorrow to play together.

I could hear the low sounds of Rina opening and closing the closet, perhaps she was getting ready for bed. For the first time in a long time, I felt Rina's presence drifting through the walls, and it brought back memories of those six months. So many memories flooded back into my mind. About the time when I was flustered because Rina had just arrived, about the time I kissed Yuriko on that thunderstorm day, about the time I went to the beach with my brother and the others, about the uneasiness I felt when I got into a fight with Yuriko, about the warmth of her hand that I held......

It was an intense memory, as if I was experiencing that time all over again. Or perhaps it will fade away as the days go by. But at the same time, I had the feeling that the emotions I had felt during those six months at my seventeen years old would continue to linger deep within me.

The date is about to change. The digital clock on my desk read 23:59. I stared at the clock until midnight. Soon, all the numbers changed to zero. The days of my seventeenth year were over, and the year of my eighteenth year had begun.