The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
Talking with Kanade makes me want to think about the definition of the word โfate.โ
Fate.
The meaning of that word, as I understand it, refers to the good and bad luck that befalls people, beyond their control.
But the reason she just told me she was able to surviveโฆ no matter how you look at it, itโs not fate. Itโs inevitability.
Enduring treatment in order to live.
Taking in nutrients in order to live.
She met the people she needed to survive. She kept trying until she met those people.
If you donโt call that inevitability, then what on earth is it?
Moreover, she just said she hates spiritual thinking.
โFateโ is a word that carries a spiritual aspect.
In other words, fate isโฆ one of the very ideas she despises.
Being as intelligent as she is, she must surely realize that her own words are full of contradictions.
And yet, sheโฆ Why does Kanade cling so tightly to the idea of fate?
โKanadeโฆโ
โShould we go buy a present for Takagaki-san soon?โ
My question to her was drowned out by the original plan for todayโs date: buying a present for Takagaki-san.
โโฆYeah. Letโs go.โ
โWhat do you think Takagaki-san would like?โ
โI think sheโd be happy with anything.โ
We got back on the train and headed to the electronics district.
โHuh, even though Takagaki-san is so cute, sheโs into subculture stuff.โ
The reason we came to the electronics district was because Takagaki-san had told me about her hobbies when we were studying together before.
โYeah. Her phone wallpaper is a picture of her favorite character, and apparently her messaging app username is her favorite characterโs name combined with her own.โ
โHuhโฆ Takagaki-san, sheโd be super popular with the opposite s*x.โ
โฆKanade hasnโt shown any understanding of subculture hobbies at all since a while ago.
In our country, suppression of free speech has been advancing for several years now, using the word โdiversityโ as a weaponโฆ yet this feels strangely refreshing.
โIt seems she cosplays sometimes; she showed me a photo the other day. It really suited her.โ
โHeeeee.โ
I got a long โHeee.โ
โAkkun, do you like looking at girls in cosplay?โ
โNah, not really. I just looked because she showed it to me.โ
โHeeeeeeeeeeโ
I got an even longer โH.eโ
โAnyway, for that reason, Iโm sure sheโd be happy if you bought her some merchandise from her favorite anime and gave it to her, right?โ
โBut isnโt merchandise from your favorite show something youโd want to get yourself?โ
Whoa, a sudden punch of common sense.
Does she understand subculture hobbies or not? I canโt tell anymore.
โโฆโฆWell, then, letโs just go to the store first and decide from there.โ
ใ
The train arrived at the station with the electronics district, so we decided to head out of the station and start looking for a gift.
โโฆโฆItโs really crowded.โ
Even before we passed through the ticket gates, the station concourse was already overflowing with people.
โWe wonโt get lost, then.โ
โYeah.โ
Nodding, I took Kanadeโs hand. I was impressed with myselfโit was a pretty smooth move.
We passed through the ticket gates.
Once outside, there was a cream puff shop on the first floor of the shopping complex right in front of us, and the fragrant smell whetted our appetites.
โAkkun, do you like sweets?โ
โYeah. I do.โ
โI see.โ
โฆโฆIsnโt that just how it usually is?
As we walked through the shopping center, an arcade came into view.
Turning right and walking straight ahead, we passed a row of famous anime merchandise shops that looked like something Iโd seen on TV.
โDo you come to this town often, Akkun?โ
โHmm. Not really. I donโt like crowded places.โ
โHaha. Thatโs so typical of you, Akkun.โ
โฆโฆI guess itโs about time I let go.
I opened my right hand, which had been holding Kanadeโs left hand.
โฆโฆBut since Kanade was holding my right hand, our hands didnโt separate.
Why?
Thinking that, I looked at Kanade suspiciouslyโฆ but she didnโt seem to notice, perhaps because she was fascinated by the shops in the electronics district.
โฆโฆReluctantly, I took Kanadeโs hand again.
โOh, look at that store over thereโthereโs a huge line just to get in. Looks like thereโs a lot to see, doesnโt it?โ
โYeah, youโre right.โ
We decided to check out a shop that looked decent.
โฆโฆThe store we randomly walked into was built like a department store, with several shops set up inside a building about ten stories tall, each operating from their own booths.
We went down to the third floor of the building.
โโฆWow, figures, posters, DVDs. Thereโs a lot here.โ
โYeah.โ
โโฆAkkun. Iโve seen this before.โ
โAh, me too.โ
โฆI was getting excited by the nostalgia, but I hadnโt forgotten the reason we were here: to find a present for Takagaki-san.
โShould I buy this?โ
No, Kanade probably hasnโt forgotten.
โKanade, you should check the price first.โ
โHuh? Itโsโฆ expensive!โ
โโฆMaybe we should save buying that for another time.โ
โYeah, youโre rightโฆโ
After that little exchange, we browsed the shops inside the building and eventually decided to buy merchandise featuring Takagaki-sanโs favorite character.
โHehe. The price was pretty reasonable, so I donโt think Takagaki-san will feel like itโs a burden, right?โ
โYeah, youโre right.โ
Now that weโd bought the gift, there was no need to linger in this town any longer.
โWell then, letโs head back.โ
โEh?โ
Kanade pouted, her lips turned down in a sulky expression.
โLetโs look around this area a little more. Weโre here anyway.โ
โโฆWell, if you say so.โ
โYay!โ
To accommodate Kanadeโs wishes, we decided to look around the electronics district a little longer.
We headed back toward the station for a moment and decided to try going toward the exit on the opposite side.
The exit on the opposite side of the electronics districtโฆ was a bit different from the image of the electronics district as the birthplace of subculture; there were office buildings and such there.
โThe scenery changes just by walking a littleโitโs a great town, isnโt it?โ
I completely agreed with Kanadeโs assessment.
Now in a touristy mood, we strolled through the electronics district.
Between now and then, weโd share a crepe and enjoy a peaceful time together.
โฆAs we spent that peaceful time, a conversation Iโd had with Kanade on the bridge over the river suddenly flashed through my mind.
In the end, the moment had slipped awayโฆ and I hadnโt been able to ask Kanade about โdestiny.โ
โHey, Kanadeโฆโ
โHuh? Is that you, Atsushi?โ
Just as I was about to call out to Kanade, I heard someone calling my name from afar.
Maiasa