Volume 3 - Me, Her, and a Pair of Wings
Chapter 16
The next morning, I woke up to an unfamiliar sensation. Looking around, I remembered that I wasn't at home. Afterward, I had a meal at a gyudon restaurant, the kind you find in any prefecture and where I felt comfortable dining alone. The business hotel that I had booked for the night using an app also had a surprisingly comfortable bed, so I had quite a good night’s sleep.
I had received quite a few messages from Chinatsu expressing her gratitude accompanied by a bunch of sweet, slightly embarrassing stickers.
Even though I had told her I was staying nearby, it was my first time in this city and I had no idea how to navigate around it. However, since it was a castle town, I thought I might as well explore a bit.
I hoped Chinatsu could make up with her grandmother. I don’t know what kind of grandmother she was or what kind of relatives they were, but I knew that leaving things on a bad note was never good.
I informed the hotel front desk that I was going out and stepped into the convenience store right in front. Being a tourist spot, the store's magazine section had various travel magazines and local food recommendations. While flipping through them, I picked up a bottled drink and headed to the counter. On the way, I saw a pudding in the sweets section, and a memory came flooding back.
"Why did you eat the pudding I was saving!?"
"Eh, wasn’t that mine?"
"No! Onii, you idiot! You can’t even tell the difference between the taste of a 100 yen pudding and a 300 yen pudding, and you ate one that I wanted to save for later! You jerk, go die!"
It was just our usual argument over an ordinary day. Sometimes I got mad, and sometimes she did, and at that moment, I thought it was ridiculous to argue over something as trivial as pudding. And of course, neither I nor Miho ever imagined that that would be our last conversation.
Who knew you'd be the one to go after saying something like that.
It was only recently that I began to recall memories like these at random moments. It wasn't just because of this, but when I saw Chinatsu crying yesterday, I felt I had to take her here with me. Leaving things unresolved after an argument, especially when the other person is gone, leaves a very bitter aftertaste. Truly.
Even so, I had to admit, my actions had been pretty impulsive.
"That aside, what should I do today? Though I said I might explore a bit since I’m new around this town, there’s only a PARCO mall and family restaurants around here. I might just wander here and there but I really don’t know where to start.”
I muttered to myself, remembering the recommended spots from the magazine as I walked.
Luckily, I didn't have any shifts left this year. Although I had some shifts scheduled for the beginning of the new year, many university students had taken over during the holidays, so I was free. I had enough money and no reason to head back early. I could kill time at a nearby manga cafe, but that also felt like a waste.
(Chinatsu) Good morning, Hajime. Thanks again for yesterday!
(Hajime) Morning. How’s your grandmother?
(Chinatsu) She woke up for a moment this morning but is resting again.
(Chinatsu) You see, I told my cousin, my aunt, and my uncle about you, and they were all praising you. It made me really happy.
(Hajime) I'm worried you might have exaggerated my qualities.
(Chinatsu) I just told them exactly how you are!
(Chinatsu) And then, they said they appreciated how considerate you were and that you were welcome to come if you needed anything.
(Hajime) Thanks. But I’ve got plenty of ways to kill time, and I might do some sightseeing depending on the circumstances. I’ll probably scout out some places we can visit for when we can meet up too. So, don’t worry about me.
(Hajime) I hope you can have a good talk with your grandmother later.
Chinatsu messaged me, and we exchanged a few texts. I had been wandering around aimlessly, but when I told her that I was going to scout out places for her, it occurred to me that it might actually be a good idea.
For now, maybe I should check out the castle.
This might have been the first time I had so much unstructured time.
Usually, I was busy with work, school, or basketball. Even during my free time, I was occupied with reading, gaming, or watching anime. I always felt pressed for time at home. Here, I had nothing to do and no particular destination, but I had time. Perhaps this was what people meant by a luxurious use of time.
The path to Matsumoto Castle was lined with buildings reminiscent of its history as a castle town. There were stone monuments and other markers, giving me ample opportunities to look things up on my phone as I walked leisurely. When I arrived, the castle was hosting a snow festival. I was curious about the inside, but since it would run until the New Year, I decided to save that experience for when I could visit with Chinatsu. So, I only viewed the castle from the outside. Up close, the castle looked quite miniature, but the snow-covered moat and castle walls were stunningly beautiful.
Then, I noticed a swan by the moat. So there are swans here too? I thought as I stopped to take a closer look. As I glanced around, a small shop sign caught my eye.
Next to a traditional Japanese confectionery shop facing the alley, the shop was so small that I might have missed it if I had been walking with a specific destination in mind.
Heeh, this might be a nice way to kill time.
With that thought, I passed under the shop’s noren curtain and stepped inside. And so, I decided to spend my free time within the cozy confines of the shop.
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Bonus Chapter (10/10)
