Chapter 52 A Letter Arrived

A Letter Arrived

Sakamoto Taichi-sama

Dear you,

I apologize for not being able to take care of you properly, even though you came all the way to see me the other day. I’m sorry for worrying you. My mother has been safely discharged from the hospital and is resting at home.

As for the university, I have decided to take a leave of absence.

I’m so sorry that we won’t be able to graduate together.

I’ve been nothing but a burden to you, Taichi-kun. I’m really sorry.

If we continue like this, I’ll only be a burden to you. I realized that painfully when you came to see me, and I know that all too well.

It’s so painful to be a burden to you right now.

I wanted to be by your side forever, but it’s painful.

So please leave me.

Please forget me and concentrate on your studies.

You’re going to be a great teacher, Taichi-kun.

I can guarantee that after watching you all this time.

So I’ll entrust my dream to you.

Thank you for everything.

The time I spent with you has become a precious memory that I can’t exchange for anything. I was able to spend a wonderful time—a lifetime’s worth.

From now on, I will wish you success from afar.

Please be happy.

Goodbye.

Sincerely,

Mizunami Iroha

I hurriedly reached for my smartphone to contact her, my hands trembling.

With trembling hands, I opened Iroha-san’s contact information, tapped the call icon, and put it to my ear.

But no matter how many times I called, she didn’t answer.

Even when I called again, it was the same.

I sent a message saying, “I want to talk. Please pick up the phone,” but even though she read it, she didn’t respond.

As I sent more and more messages, she stopped reading them.

Iroha-san! Why?!

You’re not a burden at all!

You’re someone I need!

I need to see her.

I need to talk to her in person.

But if I go see her without saying anything, she might think she’s a burden again, so should I go see her?

No, I need to see her because I can’t get in touch with her.

If I give up here, I’ll definitely regret it.

I can’t run away like I did in high school.

I quickly got ready to leave, withdrew some money from the bank on the way, and went to the station.

I took the local train and transferred to the Tsuruga line like last time.

The landscape outside the window was still covered in snow, but I was too worried and upset to notice.

What should I do?

What should I say to convince Iroha-san?

Can I convince Iroha-san, who is stubborn once she’s made up her mind?

Feeling anxious and restless, I changed trains at Tsuruga Station and rode the train for another 20 minutes. After getting off at the station where I arrived, I waited for a bus for about 30 minutes, and after boarding the bus, I arrived at my destination in about 15 minutes.

When I got off the bus, I was in a mountainous area with no people around and no landmarks.

I looked up Iroha-san’s address on the map application on my smartphone and walked toward it.

Iroha-san’s house was about a 5-minute walk from the bus stop.

There was no gate, but it was surrounded by a hedge, and it was a large Japanese-style house.

There were several houses of similar size around Iroha-san’s house, forming a small village.

I looked inside the house but didn’t see anyone, so I walked along the gravel path to the front door.

Looking through the mailboxes, I finally saw the name “Mizunami Iroha." A wave of relief washed over me as I confirmed that I was in the right place. But when I reached for the doorbell, my hand trembled.

As I pressed the doorbell, I heard a voice from inside saying, “Yes?”. And after a few seconds, the sliding front door opened to reveal Iroha-san.

Iroha-san, stunned and speechless at the sight of me, froze.

“I came because I really wanted to talk to you.”

“…”

“Please let me talk. I can’t accept this.”

“I’m sorry, but please go back.”

“Why….”

“Please go back.”

“Even if it’s just a talk.”

“It’s a nuisance. I don’t want to see you again.”

Iroha-san said that and covered her face with both hands, crying.

When I reached out to her, she slammed the front door, and I heard her say from inside, “Please put the key to my room in the apartment’s mailbox. And please don’t come back,” and lock the door.

I could only stand there stunned, and no matter how long I waited, the front door never opened again, so I decided to go home.

I couldn’t think of anything and went home in a daze.

When I returned to my room, it was after 11 p.m., and I fell asleep without changing my clothes.

When I woke up the next morning and checked the time on my smartphone, it was 7:50.

I suddenly realized the reality of being separated from Iroha-san, and for the first time, I was able to cry.