Chapter 10: Parting (Shuu, High School) 1

Parting (Shuu, High School) 1

“Shuu…”

“Hm? You want a drink?”

“Yeah, I’m thirsty.”

Even though it had been two years since we started dating and there was only one year of high school left, we were still as close as ever.

I’d heard that many couples go through a period of boredom, but maybe that didn’t really apply to us.

Part of it was because the longer we were together, the better we understood each other, but I think it was mostly because we were a good match to begin with.

Maybe our way of thinking was similar from the start, or maybe we had just grown more alike over time.

Even now, I had a feeling that Eri wanted something to drink, so before she even asked, I handed her the sports drink in a plastic bottle that was sitting next to the bed.

“Hehe, thanks… Hey, how about we go somewhere on our next day off? Let’s go on a date.”

A date, huh? We always went places on weekends or spent time relaxing at one of our houses, but around this time of year, when the snow melted, my father’s work got busy, and I had to help him, so I hadn’t been able to make much time for dates with Eri.

We still walked to and from school together every day, and on school days I didn’t have to help out at home, so we would sometimes take the long way back or spend time together like this at one of our houses.

In that case, maybe we could stroll around the city and have lunch together. Or maybe go to an amusement park or zoo. I kind of wanted to watch a movie, but since it had been a while since we went out on a date, I couldn’t decide without hearing what Eri wanted to do.

“Ah, yeah, that sounds good. I won’t have to help my dad then… Sure, Eri, is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Hmm… Ah, hehe, how about that movie that just came out? The latest anime by that director.”

She had the kind of look that said, “If it’s you, Shuu, you’d want to see that movie, right?” I had been interested since the previous one and the one before that had been good, but I was pretty sure I’d only mentioned to Eri in passing a while ago that it was going to be released. Just as she said…

“Somehow, I can kind of tell what you’re thinking, Shuu. Hehe.”

We could somehow read each other’s thoughts.

That’s why we hardly ever fought, and even if we did, we could talk things out and end it before it turned into a big argument, which was great. But the downside was that if I ever tried to surprise her with a gift, she would figure it out right away. She could also somehow tell if I was hiding something.

“I can kind of tell about you too, Eri. Let’s see… Did you put on a little weight?”

“…! You’re so insensitive, you idiot! I can’t believe you…”

No, it was just in one area. Everything else looked the same, but for some reason she seemed like she didn’t want me to know.

“No, no, I mean… just here, it got a bit bigger, right?”

When I poked the part that had gotten bigger with my finger, Eri swatted my hand away with an annoyed look.

“You don’t have to say it if you know I’m sensitive about it! I can’t wear cute clothes because it makes me look fat…”

It was true that the presence of her chest was so strong it might make her look that way, but I liked it, so she really didn’t need to worry.

“Hmph! That’s because you’re a chest alien, Shuu. But I care about it! Haa, maybe I should go on a diet.”

“Eri, how about after the movie we go to a dessert buffet?”

“I just said I’m going on a diet! …Are you trying to make me fat?”

“That’s right, I’ll make you nice and plump. And then I’ll eat you up! Just kidding, haha.”

“Oh, Shuu, honestly… Hehe, if you’re going to eat me, maybe I’ll just eat you first…”

Once again, our matching pendants clinked together.

In this way, we continued dating at our own pace, relaxing and having fun together, but then one day…

I had a vague sense of it already.

That Eri was struggling with her future plans.

And that she truly cared for me deeply.

“Shuu… I’m thinking of going to a vocational school for video production in Tokyo.”

Eri told me this only when we were in the final stage of filling out our career path surveys.

I think she must have really agonized over the decision until the very last moment, but in the end, she never once brought it up to me for advice.

From where we lived, no matter how hard she tried, commuting would be impossible, so if she went, she would have to live in Tokyo while attending school.

That meant we would be in a long-distance relationship.

I was planning to work at my father’s construction company right after graduating high school to take over the family business, so I couldn’t leave my hometown.

I had already told Eri that, so she must have understood.

There were vocational schools she could attend from our current home, but I guessed she chose not to because many of the creators she respected had graduated from schools in Tokyo.

Even after we started dating, Eri continued making many video projects as a hobby and studying various things, so I wanted to support her.

But…

“It’ll be lonely for two years, but I’m going to do my best for the future! Hehe.”

Eri was about to leap into an unfamiliar world in pursuit of her dream.

Meanwhile, I just happened to be born into a small construction business, and because my father had always called me the “successor” since I was little, I had simply gone along with it my whole life.

“Ah! I’ll come back during summer vacation and such, so don’t worry, okay? I’d be lonely too if we couldn’t see each other for two years. Hehe.”

“Ah, yeah, I see! You’ve got talent, Eri, so go for it!”

At that moment, I felt a small sense of inferiority.

That small wound was slowly widened by seeing Eri working hard toward her dream.