The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
Although I was struck by the baffling phenomenon of Kanade glaring at me, we proceeded to make our way through the airport terminal in our usual, relaxed manner.
“Oh, so we’re taking a shuttle bus?”
“Yeah. If it were the terminal over there, we could have walked, but this terminal, where the international flights are, isn’t connected to it.”
We boarded the shuttle bus that had just arrived.
“…It’s r-really crowded.”
“Must be because of all the inbound tourists.”
Inside the shuttle bus, English, French, and other languages were flying around alongside Japanese.
As you can tell from the sheer number of languages being spoken… I was doing my best just to hold onto the overhead strap, and it wasn’t even easy to shift my feet.
“Whoa!”
The shuttle bus started moving suddenly, causing Takagaki-san to lose her balance and bump into me.
A soft sensation made contact with my chest.
“S-sorry…”
“It’s okay.”
With it being this crowded, something like this was bound to happen.
Personally, I didn’t even think much of it… but unusually for Takagaki-san, who usually has such a feisty personality, she gave me a shy glance.
“…Fufu.”
After Takagaki-san moved away, Kanade bumped into me.
“Sorry, A-kun.”
A smooth apology.
“It’s fine.”
“…Akkun’s body is surprisingly manly, isn’t it?”
A seamless touch.
“…Kanade, you’re not supposed to touch people’s bodies without permission in public.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s harassment.”
“Hehe. So, that means it’s okay if we’re not in public, right?”
A seamless nitpicking.
……Well, well, Kanade sure is full of energy.
As someone who knew her when she was so frail, I find her current state quite heartwarming.
“……You two have forgotten I’m here, haven’t you?”
Takagaki-san narrowed her eyes at us.
“What are you talking about, Ayaka-chan? Of course we haven’t forgotten.”
“…For someone who hasn’t forgotten, you two are way too absorbed in your own little world.”
“Hehe. Let me ask you this: just because Ayaka-chan is here, does that mean we’re not allowed to be absorbed in our own little world?”
“…It’s fine.”
Ah, the timid Takagaki has appeared again.
……Still, Kanade, when on earth are you going to leave me alone?
Well, whatever.
Putting all those questions aside for now, I decided to just gaze blankly at the scenery visible through the shuttle bus window.
Just as you’d expect from a shuttle bus running through an airport.
Just by looking out the window, I could see planes taking off and landing, moving with a roar.
…Each and every one of those planes is about to visit various cities in various countries.
To think that those lumps of metal—which seem so tiny when you consider the scale of the Earth—could be on the other side of the globe in just over ten hours… I really can’t help but marvel at the height of human technological achievement.
“By the way, Ichinose-san…”
“What is it, Ayaka-chan?”
“You… how long are you going to keep sticking to Hagiwara-kun?”
Ah, Takagaki-san asked the very question I’d been wondering about but hadn’t been able to voice aloud.
“Hehehe.”
Kanade smiled.
“On the contrary, is it really so bad if I stay glued to him?”
“What do you mean, ‘on the contrary’?”
“Hehehehe.”
…Ah, I see.
“Kanade, if the train is so packed you can’t move, you don’t have to force yourself to move away, okay?”
In other words, Kanade was trying to say that the train was so crowded… she couldn’t even move an inch.
“……I think she could probably move a little, but if that satisfies her, then I won’t say anything else.”
“……Hehehe.”
“So, just by laughing, you’ve managed to solve the problem, haven’t you, Ichinose-san……”
Takagaki-san let out a sigh.
“You two really are close, aren’t you?”
And, still looking exasperated, she said that.
“Of course we are. After all, we’ve nearly lost each other to death, all while recognizing each other as precious to us!”
“That’s not something to say with a beaming smile.”
After teasing the cheerful Kanade…
“Nearly lost each other to death, huh…”
She muttered that, her gaze distant.
“…Takagaki-san?”
When I called out to her, she looked startled.
“Sorry. It’s nothing. Forget it.”
Then, pulling herself together, she rattled off those words.
What on earth was wrong with Takagaki-san…?
I was driven by a few questions, but since the shuttle bus arrived at the domestic terminal shortly after, I decided to shift my focus to the wrapped airplane for the time being.
Maiasa