The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
Itโs the second day of summer vacation.
I woke up to the sound of cicadas chirping in the distance.
There was a thin sheen of sweat on the back of my neck. Last night was a sweltering one, so I slept with the air conditioner on all night, but even so, this is how I ended upโit just goes to show how fed up I am with global warming these days.
I turned off the air conditioner, changed out of my pajamas, and left my room.
The sound of the TV was drifting up from the living room downstairs.
I was pretty sure both my parents had left early for work today.
โฆWhich meansโฆ
โOh, A-kun. Good morning.โ
โYeah. Good morning, Kanade.โ
Kanade was sitting on the sofa wearing an apron, watching TV in the living room.
โYou managed to wake up at your usual time again today. Good job, Akkun.โ
โHaha. Thanks for the full endorsement.โ
โHehe. Well then, Iโm going to make breakfast, so please wait a moment.โ
Until recently, on mornings when my parents were away at work, I used to prepare breakfast myselfโฆ but ever since Kanade came back from abroad, for some reason, whenever my parents leave the house early for work, Kanade always shows up and serves me breakfast.
โฆI wonder if sheโs been getting my parentsโ work schedules from Mom?
โMmm. Delicious.โ
The breakfast Kanade makes is always delicious.
โReally? Hehe. Thanks.โ
โIt feels like your seasoning is starting to resemble Momโs a bit.โ
โHehe. Really? If thatโs the case, then it was worth teaching.โ
โฆโฆI never would have guessed.
Lately, Iโd been thinking Kanadeโs seasoning was starting to resemble Momโs, but it seems thatโs because sheโd been learning from Mom.
โฆโฆCould it be that Kanade actually likes our familyโs style of cooking?
โAkkun. Iโm going to put your pajamas in the washing machine.โ
โHuh? Iโll take them myself.โ
โItโs okay.โ
โโฆAlright, here you go.โ
I handed Kanade the pajamas Iโd brought from my room to put in the washing machine.
By the way, the pajamas had been hanging on the chair next to me. I hadnโt been holding them the whole time.
โThanks.โ
As soon as Kanade took the pajamasโฆ
โโฆSniff.โ
She started sniffing them.
โAkkun, did you sweat in your sleep tonight?โ
Kanade asked.
โYeah. Sorry it smells.โ
โโฆItโs nothing. โฆSniff.โ
For some reason, Kanade kept sniffing my pajamas for about five minutes.
Come to think of it, on days when my parents leave the house early in the morning, Kanade often asks me for my pajamas like this and sniffs them.
โฆโฆWell, I guess sometimes I feel like sniffing the smell of something stinky too, so maybe itโs the same thing?
But honestlyโฆโฆ this time, even I felt too embarrassed.
โKa-Kanade. I really need to take these to the washing machine soon. If I start the wash now, I might be late for my appointment with Takagaki-san.โ
โโฆโฆMuu. Ayaka-chan.โ
โฆโฆKanade stood up, puffing out her cheeks, and left the living room still sniffing her pajamas.
Soon, the roar of the washing machine began to echo from the laundry room.
โฆโฆCome to think of it, Kanade seems to know exactly how to use our washing machine.
โโฆโฆKanade, before I know it, she might just move in here.โ
Ahaha. Thereโs no way that would happenโฆโฆ
โฆIt could happen.
โฆโฆโฆIt could happen.
I let my thoughts wanderโฆโฆ
โWell, I guess not.โ
The other day, when I went to Kanadeโs house to look after her while she had a fever, her mother told me that Kanade uses my house as a place to reminisce.
Thatโs why sheโs always hanging around here.
ใ
โฆThat explains why she makes breakfast for me. And why she learned how to use the washing machine.
Iโm sureโฆ itโs her way of showing a small token of gratitude to us for providing her with a place to reminisce.
โโฆIโm back. I set the washing machine to the quick cycle, so I think Iโll be able to leave in about thirty minutes!โ
โThanks, Kanade.โ
โNo, donโt worry about it.โ
โโฆKanade, from now on, Iโll help out with the housework too.โ
Butโฆ thereโs no need for thanks.
I canโt keep relying on her foreverโฆ so I made that suggestion.
I thought Kanade would surely be happy if I said that.
โฆKanade.
โโฆAkkun.โ
The light had gone out of her eyes.
โWho put that idea in your head?โ
โW-what do you mean, โput that idea in my headโ?โ
โโฆYeah. Tell me, Akkun.โ
Kanade gave a gentle smile.
โNo one put that idea in my head.โ
After a brief silence, I said,
โItโs justโฆ I wanted to do it.โ
โโฆโฆโ
โBecause I donโt want to be a burden to you.โ
โโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โOh, come on, Akkun. You like me way too much!โ
Kanade was wriggling her body happily.
โW-well then! From now on, letโs do the housework together!โ
โHuh? Oh, yeah.โ
โHehe. Itโs a promise. Hehehehe.โ
โฆIโm not really sure what that was about, but it seems Kanadeโs okay with it, so I guess itโs fine.
After that exchange, we got ready and left the house.
Our destination was the airport, where we were meeting Takagaki-san.
Maiasa