The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
I feel like I can hear the sound of a gentle breeze rustling the leaves in the distance.
Sleeping with the sensation of Kanade’s lap against the back of my head was quite the exquisite experience.
Just how long had I been asleep?
“Akkun, it’s time to wake up.”
Called by Kanade, I woke up, my head still feeling fuzzy.
Still half-asleep, I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
“…Good morning, Akkun.”
Keeping my eyes half-closed, I scanned my surroundings and noticed Kanade standing nearby.
She was smiling at me.
But the situation felt strangely off.
I was supposed to have fallen asleep on Kanade’s lap just a moment ago… but for some reason, I was now asleep on a bed.
Looking closely at where the bed was, I saw medical supplies and white curtains, and realized I was in the infirmary.
“…Why am I in the infirmary?”
“Akkun. You were sleeping so soundly, I carried you all the way here.”
“Huh. Is that so?”
“Yeah. The nurse said you must have been pushing yourself too hard lately.”
“…Wait, what time is it now?”
“5:00 PM.”
“It’s way past school hours…”
“…Sorry.”
Kanade apologized, looking apologetic.
“Why are you apologizing, Kanade? It’s my fault for overworking myself, isn’t it?”
“…”
Kanade was smiling, but there was a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead.
“……So you skipped your afternoon classes, huh?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I said, don’t apologize. I’m fine.”
I stood up from the bed.
“Oh, are you feeling better already?”
Just as I stood up, the school nurse spoke to me.
“Yes. I’m sorry to have caused you worry.”
“No, no. But you really shouldn’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
“Yes.”
“It’s well known among the teachers that you’re a dedicated student… but I never imagined you’d be so absorbed in your studies that you’d end up sleep-deprived.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Well, if this teaches you a lesson, try to take it easy a little? Don’t make your cute girlfriend worry so much.”
At the school nurse’s words…
“L-lover…!?”
Kanade’s face turned bright red.
“…Haha. Well then, I’ll be going.”
“O-okay. Take care.”
I started walking.
“Kanade…?”
But I immediately turned around.
I realized Kanade was still standing frozen in place, her face bright red.
“…Yeah”
“Oh, you noticed.”
“W-well, let’s head home then, A-kun.”
“Okay.”
We left the infirmary and stepped out into the hallway.
The sky, which had been perfectly clear just a moment ago, was now dyed crimson by the setting sun.
Just like every other day, the sounds of the wind ensemble could be heard drifting from the school building.
“Akkun.”
Kanade called out from behind me.
“What?”
“Sorry. I totally forgot about this, but here.”
“Hm?”
Kanade handed me a smartphone.
“……Huh?”
When I looked closely, it was my smartphone.
……Why on earth does Kanade have my smartphone?
“……Hehe. It looked like it was about to fall out of your pocket while you were sleeping, so I kept it for you.”
“……”
“……”
“……Oh, I see. So that’s what it was.”
I let out a sigh of relief, then took the phone from Kanade.
“I was totally sure you’d borrowed it to mess with my phone or something.”
“……Hehe.”
Well, Kanade wouldn’t do something like that, would she?
“Well, let’s hurry back to the classroom and head home.”
My head was still spinning, so I decided to go to bed early today.
…The only thing I was a little worried about was whether my classmates would say anything when I got back to the classroom.
Even though I don’t have any friends in class, if I’d skipped all my afternoon classes, there was still a chance the classmates who stayed behind might be worried about me.
“……Huh?”
Just as I thought that, there wasn’t a single classmate left in the classroom.
“Oh. Come to think of it, didn’t everyone say they were going to a social gathering today?”
……Now that you mention it, I think Kippei-kun said something like that this morning.
“Is that so? ……I hope they’re having fun.”
“Did you want to go too, A-kun?”
“……Hmm…”
I hesitated for a moment.
“No, not at all.”
But since I didn’t really feel there was any point in bonding with classmates I wasn’t particularly close to, I replied.
“Speaking of which, was it okay for you, Kanade?”
“Huh?”
“You were invited too, right? To the get-together.”
“……Yeah.”
After accepting that, Kanade smiled.
“I didn’t really care either… I just thought it’d be fine as long as I could be with you.”
…Before I knew it, I was mesmerized by Kanade’s smile.
“I see.”
“Yeah.”
“…W-well, then, shall we head home?”
“Yeah.”
We set off for home together.
After we got back, Kanade had dinner at my place, we studied together, and then she went home.
“Huh…?”
After walking Kanade to the station, I checked the smartphone in my pocket and was surprised.
Usually, at this time of day, my phone still has plenty of battery left.
But today, it was down to less than ten percent.
I’d been sleeping most of the afternoon today, so I should have used my phone less than usual.
…That’s strange.
Maiasa
She finally installed her tracking app on his phone…