Chapter 4 Run Away
Run Away
“Why don’t we run away from here and go somewhere far away?”
She said, and with her hand still in mine, she pulled me down from the rooftop. It felt a little unrealistic, and we ran out of the school together without thinking.
By the time we got through the station gates, I came to my senses and said, “Senpai, please wait a minute,” and opened the cell phone I had been given and tapped the mom part of the LEIN, which only had a few messages on it.
I felt bad making her cook dinner for me, so I told her that I would not be coming home today, and ended it by telling her that I didn’t want dinner or breakfast tomorrow.
I don’t think she wants a message from me. Besides, my presence at home would only cause trouble and disturb the family time, so it would probably be more refreshing if I were not there.
“Are you done?”
“Yes. I’m done, but where exactly are you going when you say far away?”
“I don’t know. Just somewhere far away. I want to go somewhere where I’m not tied to anything.”
After saying that, she walked through the gate, trying to hide her face.
I followed her and boarded the train, not knowing where I was going.
As the train rocked and swayed, I felt a little sleepy and thought about studying for my certification, but I felt it would be rude in the presence of the student council president, so I just stared out the window.
On the way, the student council president suddenly said, “Let’s get off at the next station.”
I got up from my seat and got off the train as she led me.
The student council president was unsteady on her feet as if something was leading her to the next train, and I followed suit, boarding the train and rocking and swaying again.
How many minutes had passed? The time interval passed so quickly that it seemed like hours.
The view out the window was already dark.
“Let’s get off at the next station.”
“Yes.”
So we got off the train, and the place we got off was Kamakura.
She got off the platform, took a deep breath and said, “Well, let’s go,” and started walking.
We just walked around aimlessly. There was no conversation between the two of us because I am not a very smart person.
After a few minutes of walking, we could see the ocean, and as if drawn to it, the student council president’s steps became faster and faster, and I began to walk faster and faster as well.
After less than 30 minutes on the beach, the president slowly took off his shoes and walked barefoot into the sea.
“Hiiragi-kun Hiiragi-kun. It’s very cold.”
She turned around and said that, and although it was too dark to see clearly, she seemed to be smiling.
“I see.”
“You should come in as well.”
“Understood.”
I also went barefoot and took a step into the ocean. I had never been in the ocean before and I didn’t think I had anything to do with it, but I could only give a mediocre answer; it’s a different feeling from a swimming pool.
She continued to play in the ocean, reacting in a manner appropriate to her age, far from the dignified student role model she usually is.
I didn’t know what to do, so all I could do was watch her and occasionally engage her in conversation.
After playing with her for a while, we went to a nearby place to sit down.
“Hiiragi-kun, why don’t you sit down too?”
“Okay.”
“You…no, it’s nothing.”
She said that and fell silent.
The waves of the sea were like a whisper. We both listened without saying anything.
“… Hey, Hiiragi-kun.”
“What is it, student council president?”
“Could you stop calling me student council president? My name is Kudo Aoi. Call me Aoi.”
“Should I call you Aoi-senpai?”
“You’re not cool…”
She let out a small sigh.
I guess I’m a bad person for not being able to say something funny at times like this.
“You’re not asking?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why I wanted to kill myself …”
She said this in a low voice so that no one could hear her. I tried to think of an answer, but I couldn’t come up with anything as brilliant as my sister.
I know you don’t want to hear it, but I have to give you my own answer. It would be rude not to answer.
“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”
“… I see.”
“But if you want to say it, I think you can say it to the sea. It’s such a big place, I’m sure it can hold and drown Aoi-senpai’s emotions and problems.”
When I said that, she made a dumbfounded face again.
I began to think that this would be better than talking to someone like me.
“… I see. That’s also true. Yes.”
She laughed.
Obviously, I managed to avoid a wrong answer.
She inhaled and exhaled slowly as if adjusting.
“I’m …