The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
A few hours into studying with Kanade, just as it had grown completely dark outside, I stood up to turn on the light in the room.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
At first, Kanade couldn’t concentrate on her studies at all, but for the past little while, she’d been focusing on her work without a single word of small talk.
“Kanade, you’ve been really focused lately.”
“Hmm? Hmm.”
I was praising her intense concentration, but her response was just a half-hearted grunt.
It seemed Kanade had already completely forgotten about me.
…Come to think of it, Kanade has always been a highly focused person.
Whenever she came over to my house to play party games, she’d get more absorbed in the manga on my bookshelf than in the game itself. I even remember a time when it was her turn in Sugoroku, but she just kept reading manga and wouldn’t roll the dice at all.
“Kanade, should we stop the game and focus on the manga?”
“Huh? Why?”
Seeing her like that, I tried to get her to focus on the manga… but she had no idea what I was thinking, and in the end, she’d play the game at the same time, leaving us in limbo. I’ve lost count of how many times that happened.
“…Well, she seems to be focused on one thing this time.”
If that’s the case, it probably won’t end up in limbo like those previous game sessions.
With her high level of concentration, Kanade might just shoot up to a high ranking in one go.
“…Hmm.”
After studying together for another hour or so, Kanade began stretching her arms to loosen up her stiff body.
“It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”
“Huh? Oh, you’re right.”
Kanade looked at the clock and seemed a little surprised.
“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to concentrate on studying this much.”
Kanade said with great satisfaction.
“Don’t you usually study this much?”
“Yeah. …There are just too many distractions, hehe.”
Kanade scratched her head.
“Huh, did you have that many hobbies?”
“Nah, I only do one thing at home, you know? It’s just… I’m really into that one thing.”
“What do you do?”
“Hehe. I can’t tell you something that embarrassing.”
Kanade blushed and wore a dreamy expression.
…I realized right then that this wasn’t a topic I should delve too deeply into.
“I think Mom and the others will be back soon.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I think she’ll make dinner when they get back. Do you want to stay and eat too?”
“Yay! Yeah, I’ll stay and eat!”
Kanade smiled happily, took a short break, and then got back to studying.
…She really has incredible concentration.
“We’re home!”
I heard my mom’s voice from the entrance.
“Oh my, is Kanade here again today?”
“Yeees! Thanks for having me!”
Kanade replied in a loud voice so her mother, standing at the entrance, could hear her.
After the sound of footsteps shuffling, my mother came into my room.
“Mom, I always tell you to knock before opening the door.”
“Good evening, Kanade.”
“Good evening, Auntie.”
“You look so cute today. Oh, do you want to stay for dinner?”
“Yes!”
……I was ignored as if I weren’t even there. That’s cruel.
If you ignore a teenage boy, he’ll just go through a rebellious phase, you know?
“Well then, I’ll go make dinner, so wait here a moment.”
“Oh, Auntie. I’ll help too!”
“Oh my. Is that okay? I’m so happy!”
My mother seemed genuinely delighted.
Come to think of it, she once told me that she had actually wanted a daughter more than a son.
As I recalled that remark…
Just as I’d thought back then, I felt that she really shouldn’t have said something like that in front of her son. But I also realized that, just as she was happy with Kanade’s reaction now, she must have wanted to try preparing dinner together with a daughter.
…I doubt she ever imagined that, even after turning forty, she’d get to live out a version of that dream.
“I’ll help too.”
“It’s okay. You just study, A-kun.”
“…But—”
“You’re going to get first place in your class, aren’t you?”
…My eyes widened.
Lately, Kanade has been trying to stop me from studying abroad at every turn.
So I was convinced she resented the fact that I was going to get first place in the academic test.
“Yeah. Got it.”
So I never expected… that she’d actually give me a push in the right direction.
“Hehe. Well then, Akkun. Good luck.”
“…Yeah.”
Watching Kanade and Mom leave my room, I went back to focusing on my studies.
Maiasa