Vol 4 Chapter 12 (1/2)
That night, when I was sitting bysound on the other side of my drawn curtains
So on my
” Chiaki?”
I curled ht it was Mafuyu But I could tell it was Chiaki from how the knocks sounded; or perhaps I came to that conclusion because I didn't want to be disappointed by my expectations
The strong, rapid knocks forced me to respond
”Come in, the 's not latched”
I was too lazy to leave —then, of the curtains being drawn
Chiaki was standing right there, with the aluht sky as her backdrop She had cliarden Her slightly orange hair was untied and was fluttering and slapping against her cheeks in the cold wind of the winter night Despite the te her school uniform
She pressed her right hand against theframe but didn't step in With my eyes already accusto atin her left hand
I gulped ot out of bed It was then that I realized that I was still wearing my uniform as well
” What happened to Mafuyu? Did you find her?”
They hadn't even returned for the afternoon lessons
Basking in the light of the night, Chiaki muttered, with a voice that could've been bloay by the wind,
”All Nao thinks of is Mafuyu”
I took a deep breath
” Ur I didn't catch up to Mafuyu I lost her I also went to her house to check if she was there, but they said she wasn't around and chased me away I skipped the rest of school because it ay too troublesoo back”
”Chiaki, urm”
”So what about the live performance?”
”What are you still standing there for? That's really dangerous, you know?”—I thought to myself
” Well, Senpai probably”
”I' Nao about what's on Senpai'syou about what's on yourmind!”
W-Who, me?
I didn't have anything left in me to think about the band or the perforreat deal of effort just to stand up using the leg of the bed
”I—”
My voice brushed past Chiaki's ears and disappeared into the darkness on the other side of the
There was nothing to catch it
” Whatever, I get it”
Chiaki sle of her face The streetlights outside were shi+ning on Chiaki's cheeks, and I noticed there were visible traces ofoff with my expression, Chiaki quickly brushed her cheeks with the back of her hand
”Here, I' this to you”
Chiaki stretched her left hand through theIn her hand, was a flat and large squarish—
It was a red record jacket <sgt pepper's=”” lonely=”” hearts=”” club=”” band=””>
There was no way I could stretch my hand out to take it All I had to do was move forward about two meters and reach out for it, but I couldn't even leave the side of my bed
”Take it quickly! Stupid Nao!”
She tossed the record jacket at me It hit my knee and dropped to the floor like a dead moth
I picked it up slowly, and realized it was strangely light
” Just the jacket? What about the disk?”
Actually, it doesn't really matter It's okay for her to not return it to me
”Just the jacket Because I think of Mafuyu's tearful expression whenever I see it, and that pisses h”
”W-Why?”
”What do you ripped theframe ”How can I possibly return the content to you? That's my treasure, you know!? You should at least understand that much, you idiot!”
Chiaki sla to break it
”I've had enough for today! You should just die, Nao!”
Calass, before she disappeared froht in a flash The sound of her footsteps echoed on the rooftop, and were followed by the sound of rustling branches and twigs brushi+ng against the wall of the building
But all these sounds were sed up by the night in an instant
Hugging the empty record jacket, I sat on my bed once more Her treasure
My phone rang in thetone, <blackbird>, caused me to fall out my bed and onto the floor
I checked and rechecked the vibrating screen multiple times It was Mafuyu It really was Mafuyu
”Mafuyu? Is this Mafuyu?”
I asked that stupid question the moment I picked up the call; and for a while, no sounds came from the receiver My chest stirred with unease
” Sorry for calling despite the late hour”