V2 - Chapter 8

Volume 2 - Me, Her, and that Feeling's Name 

Chapter 8

(Minamino) Apparently, mom's gonna be in the hospital for 10 more days. 

(Minamino) With her being overworked and all, she took the opportunity to get a check-up. Turns out, the results were all bad. 

(Satou) Seriously? So, you mean, you're going to be all alone this time, Minamino? Are you okay?

(Minamino) Yeah, well, mom used to come home late anyway... It's just that I'm sick of eating convenience store and ready-made food over and over. 

(Satou) I feel you. It's much better to buy something and cook it when you're alone, right?

(Satou) If you'd like, want to come over for a meal?

(Minamino) Are you sure?

(Satou) As long as you're fine with it... Ah, should I let Suzuka-san know too?

(Minamino) I think she'll say it's fine.

(Satou) Huh?

(Minamino) No, you see, I'll let mom know from my end instead. Besides, to be honest, I've been wanting to continue playing the game.

This exchange took place last Tuesday. This week, I had video editing work, so I only had part-time shifts on Tuesday and Saturday, but I would be at home on other days. So, when I invited Minamino to dinner, she was quite eager, and I planned to cook with extra effort today.

However, that's not the case now.

Before the dinner with Minamino, for some reason, I found myself alone at the hospital where Suzuka-san was admitted once again.

In the morning, Minamino contacted me, not with a message as usual but with a voice call, and the voice on the other end wasn't Minamino; it was Suzuka-san.

"I've heard about it from Chinatsu. Not that I plan to stop the both of you, but I just wanted to talk to you again. I had also thought about paying you back the money, and I know that making you come back here might be rude, but as you can see, my hospitalization has dragged on longer than expected, so I hope it isn't much of a trouble for you to come here today. In return, Chinatsu will put her heart into making dinner today... Even if it'll be a bit of a failure, I know she'd put lots of love in it. As a mother, I would be delighted if you could overlook it with a generous heart."

"Wai—! What are you saying, mom!? Satou? Sorry, mom just made it all up on her own..."

—–I'm glad she seems to be a lot better now.

And… Here I am now, standing in front of Suzuka-san's hospital room, trying to knock on the door but hesitated and in the end, stopped.

There wasn't any particular reason for it; there was just already someone inside. Moreover, despite the door being closed, I can hear their voices leaking a bit. This is a hospital, and even though it's quiet, it's not common for conversation inside a closed room to be audible from the outside. In other words, their conversation seemed to be heating up.

I initially thought it would be rude, but I couldn't help but pause because of the things I inadvertently overheard.

After a while, a man came out of the room. He had neatly groomed hair, a sincere-looking face, and an impeccably ironed suit.

So, she takes after her mother, not her father; I thought as I lightly nodded when he passed by.

From their conversation I had overheard, there was no doubt that he was Minamino's father.

[Actually, I was quite a daddy's girl back then.]

[He would always tell me to do whatever I like back in middle school.]

Minamino's words resurfaced, and the words I had been overhearing all this while continued to unsettle my heart.

"...I guess I'll go in now."

I watched as he turned the corner in the hallway and disappeared from view, then I knocked on the door.

　◇◆

"...Welcome. Even though I made you come all the way here, I still made you wait outside, I'm sorry, Hajime-kun."

Suzuka-san said, looking normal—though this was only the second time I'd met her—on the surface.

However, given the things I'd heard earlier, my question was more about her well-being.

"No, it's really fine... But, um, are you okay?"

Suzuka-san seemed to understand the intention behind my question, which could have been or could have been not related to her health. Whether she chose to interpret it as a health matter or a genuine worry, it was fine either way.

"...You heard us, huh? Or rather, we were talking so loudly to the extent that it could be heard outside..."

"I'm sorry... No one else was passing by, so I hope it didn't leak to anyone else... I felt that I was being rude as well."

"No, really. Thank you and I'm sorry for getting even my daughter's friend involved. I guess I really am a bad parent, just as that person said…"

Saying that, Suzuka-san lowered her head.

Yes, she had been subjected to quite harsh words. While I couldn't claim to understand the intricacies of marriage and divorce, at least from what I heard, the words were not the kind you'd throw at someone who had been hospitalized due to health issues.

So, I couldn't help but speak up.

"I don't think that's the case! …Ah, um, I'm sorry for saying that without knowing anything."

However, after blurting those words out, my voice immediately petered out at the indescribable expression on Suzuka-san's face. Seeing me like that, Suzuka-san let out a sad smile.

"...Thank you, really. It's truly reassuring to know that a child like you is by her side—you know, she's really good at hiding her self with an act."

With the words she added at the end, I could sense that she had indeed realized that Minamino was pushing herself too hard at school, and that she genuinely cared about her daughter.

"...But um, although I think it's strange for someone like me to say this, I don't think you are a bad parent, Suzuka-san. ...Chinatsu-san is a wonderful woman. I mean, not just her appearance, but she's also well-mannered, stands her ground when people say bad things, and she also has good inner qualities..."

I felt that saying such things made me seem cheeky. However, at this moment, I was the only one who had heard their conversation. Moreover, I felt that I couldn't let her continue with that expression on her face, so I conveyed my thoughts.

"...Hajime-kun."

"My parents used to say something like this a long time ago. While it was a half-joking comment at the time used to admonish us to behave properly, it still held some truth. They said that a child's manners and character are greatly influenced by the time they spend with their mother during their early years. So, in that sense, I'm sure Suzuka-san is not a bad parent or anything like that. Just..."

I cut my words short and looked outside the door.

I couldn't bring myself to say the rest.

"...By any chance, did Chinatsu mention anything about her father? Or rather, does she confide in you that much?"

"Yes, she told me about your situation… more or less, she said that she was a daddy's girl and that she had a strict but kind mother, and a lenient father."

"...That's why you were surprised? That that person would say such things... I mean, he had always been that kind of person. He was lenient with both himself and others, yet he cared about every detail and what people thought of him. He's the type who doesn't want to be seen as a villain, even when Chinatsu wanted to transfer to her current high school, he didn't think it was a good idea at all, but he let me say the inconvenient things, played the role of an indulgent father to our daughter, while being a despicable betrayer... No, I'm sorry, this isn't something I should be telling to others, especially my daughter's friend."

In their previous conversation, the man spoke words that were quite different from what Minamino had described. I honestly doubted if it was the same person. However, if he was indeed Minamino's father, it might be due to a change in circumstances, but from Suzuka-san's words, it seemed that he had always been playing such a role.

The role of being strict as part of discipline and being lenient. In reality, it might be something they should have discussed who should play which role...

Thinking that far, I suddenly wondered how far I was being nosy, and it brought me back to reality.

Suzuka-san, who had been smiling sadly, now had a genuinely curious expression as she looked at me.

"You're a mysterious kid. Somehow, you don't seem like someone from Chinatsu's generation... I did hear a bit about your family situation from Chinatsu. So, I apologize if I think that's why you feel like an adult. I didn't mean to make you, who should've been a child, but become an adult, get involved in this matter."

"...No, to be honest, it's more comfortable and easygoing here than the high school interactions for me."

"I see, thank you... Well then, shall we get to the main topic? I heard that you've taken care of Chinatsu while I wasn't around."

"Yes, but it's just making her dinner on my days off from work. Still, since I don't have parents, and considering what happened the other day, I thought it would be appropriate to talk to Suzuka-san about it... Uh, what's wrong?"

At Suzuka-san's chuckling voice, I asked her.

—Or rather, could you please stop smiling meaningfully every time I speak?

With each word I uttered, I was teased by Suzuka-san, who seemed to be getting back to her normal pace, and I found myself agreeing to her several suggestions and agreements. 

I'd like to add that being teased by the mother of a girl I was conscious of was more embarrassing than I had ever imagined.

—————

[T/N: Thank you for the tip, fugu! Here's the bonus chapter! Also, classes have started so I might not be able to post a chapter daily. (1/1)]