IntroductionHas it already been three years since I last passed
through this immigration gate?Since graduating from high school
seven years ago, Ive only come back to Japan from America a handful
of times.Even after Id graduated from college, I only came back to
Japan to celebrate Ne !ears. "ut these past couple years, Ive been
too busy ith a #lm pro$ect to even go back for that annual
visit.%his time, Ive been half&forced to come back to attend
the edding of a childhood friend.Natsukis been calling to
constantly remind me like shes been possessed by a demon, and Yuu
and Mochita sent texts saying that theyd uncoered a ideo o! my dark
past and Id better come and get it i! I didnt "ant it sent to
eeryoneId already been planning to attend in the #rst place, but
they pressured me to take time o' before and after the ceremony
too, $ust in case.I kno e(actly hy the three of them have been so
persistent about this.Even once Ive come back to Japan, I dont
contact anyone other than family, and havent ever bothered to meet
up ith them.#lthough, itd be more accurate to say that I couldnt
meet themI narroed my eyes behind my sunglasses and looked at the
single "oston bag of luggage I had ith me.I rummaged inside of it
as I sat in a chair in the lobby and immediately found hat I as
looking for.A thick, orn&out red notebook ith the ords,
)Sakuragaoka *igh School +lass ,&-, Aida .iou,/ ritten on the
cover.Each design captured a piece of the orld ith delicate brush
ork, $ust as neatly as the ords on the cover ere ritten.)It doesnt
feel like they ere dran very carefully, but $ust0 naturally./No
matter ho many times I looked at them, strangely, I never got tired
of her orks. Every time I turned the pages, it felt like the very
#rst, but at the same time, nostalgia ould seep over me.)0.I onder
ho shes doing./I hadnt seen her since graduation, but I alays
remembered her ith her gentlesmile.1hen I close my eyes, my
memories of high school come back in vivid detail.%he memories of
days here I couldnt pull through ith my on feelings, but still
alays gave it my all.23Mochizuki Souta"irthday4 September
-*oroscope Sign4 5irgo"lood %ype4 "In the 6ilm +lub. Sensitive, and
is often teased by his friends.*e really likes Akari,
but0.23solution 1)I have something to talk to you about. At 7489
after school today, could you ait for me in this
classroom:/+atching Akari $ust after shed come back from sitching
classes, Souta had his second conversation ith her.Although, Akari
hadnt said anything in reply, so it as hard to call it an actual
conversation.Still, he as certain that she had nodded in anser to
hat hed said.Even after short homeroom and clean&up had ended,
there as still time before their arranged meeting.I thought Id leae
some time to settle do"n be!ore going, but it ended up haing the
opposite e$ect%*e couldnt keep still, and kept glancing up at the
clock.After talking to Akari, he hadnt been able to focus on the
lessons at all, and his heart $ust ouldnt stop pounding noisily.#t
this rate, it !eels like Ill collapse be!ore I een get to con!ess
to #karin%&''t, b'''t();ah:ooking at the clock, he sa that hour
hand as about to reach four.It as still a little early, but he
couldnt make her ait hen hed been the one to call her out.Souta
started alking and headed for Akaris class, the place for their
meeting.*is heart pounded ith each ?ight of stairs he ent don, and
each step he took through the halls."y the time he as standing in
front of the door, it felt almost painful.,ust a little longer,
-ust need to hang on !or a little longer%*e pressed a hand to his
chest and told his heart that seemed on the brink of e(ploding at
any moment.*e glanced at his ristatch, and sa that it as no
749@.,ust .e more minutes*e usually never paid it much attention,
but right no, his heart as noisy ith an(iety, uneasiness,
anticipation, and a bunch of other emotions. It seemed thatpeople
fell in love not $ust ith their head, but their entire bodies.I
"ant to change% I "ant to become strong enough to tell #karin my
!eelings%+losing his eyes tightly, Souta said these ords to himself
for motivation.*e took one #nal deep breath, and reached out for
the door.Here I go%Sliding open the door that felt heavier than
usual, he took that #rst step toardschange. Haing to deal "ith this
bright summer sun a!ter pulling an all/nighter is torture%It as bad
enough that he had soccer class on .onday mornings, but this
blinding sunlight and heat ere too much.%he consciousness of
.ochiAuki Souta, ho had been atching B5Bs until it asnearly dan, as
alays fading aay.I kne" I should hae stopped a!ter the .rst one%
0ait, I !eel like thats "hat I said last time, too%*e kne the
conseCuences, but he had also promised himself that once he pressed
the play button, he ouldnt move aay from the %5 until the movie
ended, ending credits and all.In any case, last night he had been
atching the orks from his favorite director, and had gotten sucked
into atching several in a ro.A single love that lasts forever, they
call that )unreCuited love./%he character from the movie had said
this line during a pretty depressing scene.Although the
circumstances of the character from the movie ere completely
di'erent from Soutas, for some reason, that line really struck him
and remainedlodged in the back of his heart.Its probably because o!
the !act that no matter "ho you are, loe is something you -ust cant
ignore once youe !ound it%*e had a feeling that hed $ust said
something pretty good.As Souta forgot all about the heat and his
fatigue and nodded in satisfaction, someone slapped the back of his
head ith a clean )smack/ sound.).ochita, do your $obooking around
the #eld, he sa that everyone as $ust standing aroundE the match
had been put on hold. Seeing ho the the ball had already been
brought back to the center circle, it looked like itd been a hile
since the goal had been scored.#ck, ho" long hae I been spacing out
!or%?Fuickly ?ipping the panel on the scoreboard, Souta hastily
boed in apology toards the court.)Sorry< Dne point goes to %eam
A
