Chapter 1: Arigetsu returns to his hometown
1
“It’s been a while, huh?”
The warm March sunlight felt pleasant as I, Arigetsu Yuu, stepped onto the station platform.
It had probably been ten years since I’d returned to my hometown from Tokyo. After graduating high school, I moved to the city and got a job at a mid-tier food company. But the workload was insane—to put it mildly, it was a bitter, dark, downright black company.
I barely had time to come back home, and though I powered through with youthful energy and determination, I burned out from overwork six months ago and took a leave of absence.
The company tried to keep me, but I ended up quitting. Deciding it was a good chance to reset my life, I returned to my hometown of Fujinomiya City in Shizuoka Prefecture for the first time in a decade.
It was just before noon.
And then—
“Eek!”
“Oh, sorry!”
I bumped into a high school girl. To be precise, she bumped into me, but considering the social standing of an unemployed guy versus a high school girl, I decided to be the one to apologize. Judging by her dark green blazer, she was probably a student at Kita High.
“My apologies.”
“No, it’s my fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going… Hm?”
Big, clear brown eyes looked up at me. Eyes so captivating they could pull you in.
Ugh…
This must be what they mean by a breathtaking beauty. Her long brown hair was tied back, draped over her left shoulder. Her skin was so fair it seemed almost translucent, and her peach-colored lips looked soft… No, no, stop it.
Lingering too long with an unfamiliar high school girl could lead to social suicide.
“Um—”
“Well, I’ll be going then!”
I hurried through the ticket gate and out of the station, practically fleeing.
＊
My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
How many years had it been? The last time I saw him was three days after his graduation ceremony…
“Ten years… huh?”
Judging by his reaction, he didn’t recognize me. But I knew it was him the moment I saw him. Staring into the crowd where Yuu-nii had disappeared, I let out a small sigh.
I’d just finished spring break classes at school and was heading to a friend’s house in the next town over when I ran into Yuu-nii at the station. Talk about a bolt from the blue.
“Hm?”
Something was lying on the ground where we’d collided. I picked it up and saw it was a well-worn wallet.
2
Returning home after roughly a decade, I found that nothing had changed. The worn-out table, the faded wallpaper, the chipped cup at the edge.
“That must’ve been tough. Honestly, you could’ve come back for New Year’s or Obon at least,” my mother, Arigetsu Sayaka, said as she poured coffee into a cup.
Despite being forty-eight, she had surprisingly few wrinkles and maintained a youthful appearance.
“With just New Year’s Day off, how was I supposed to come back?”
The company I worked for didn’t believe in long vacations. Even during the New Year, we only got two days off—New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
I sipped my black coffee while griping about my black company.
“Well, if you’re planning to put down roots here, I’m happy. So, are you looking for a job here? Or maybe you’ve finally decided to take over the shop?”
The Arigetsu family runs a café called ‘Moonlight Terrace’. Truth be told, part of me had always considered taking over the family business as a fallback.
“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea, but I’ll think about work later. By the way,” I said, bringing up a question that had been nagging me since I got home, “did the Haruyama family move?”
The nameplate on the house next door had changed from Haruyama to something else.
“Oh, that,” my mother said, refilling her coffee. “They moved out right after you went to Tokyo.”
“Huh? Wait, what does that—”
“Hey, you! Come help out!” my father’s voice called from the shop downstairs. He’s the master of ‘Moonlight Terrace’.
“Coming! I’ll tell you more later,” my mother said, heading to the kitchen.
Finishing my coffee, I stepped into my old room.
It was almost exactly as I’d left it.
Lying on the bed, I let memories wash over me.
A familiar face came to mind.
Haruyama Miya.
That cheeky, cocky brat who always looked down on adults. So, Miya moved away, huh?
Guess I won’t get the chance to see that little punk anymore.
It felt both lonely and oddly relieving—a strange mix of emotions.
Ten years had passed, so she’d be a third-year high schooler by now.
Knowing that brat, she’s probably grown into some wild delinquent or gyaru.
My stomach growled as I mused. Come to think of it, I hadn’t eaten lunch yet.
“I’m kinda hungry.”
There was still time before dinner. Maybe I’d hit up a convenience store. I stood up and reached into my pocket.
Nothing. Just air.
“Huh…?”
My wallet, which should’ve been in my back pocket, was gone.
“No way, no way!”
I searched my room and bag, but the wallet was nowhere to be found. My driver’s license and cards were in there, too.
“Wait!”
It might’ve fallen out when I bumped into that high school girl at the station.
It was probably a long shot, but maybe someone turned it in as lost property. Sitting around wouldn’t solve anything, so I bolted out of the house.
At that moment—
“Eek!”
“Ow!”
Someone darted out from the blind spot by the fence—though, to be fair, I was the one who rushed out—and I collided with them.
A warm, soft sensation came through my clothes.
“S-Sorry. Wait, huh?”
It was the girl from the station.
Still as stunningly beautiful as before, enough to make me nervous. To think I’d bump into the same person twice in one day. Lucky or unlucky, I couldn’t tell.
“Um, this…”
She timidly held something out.
“Oh, my wallet! You picked it up for me?”
She nodded silently.
“Man, thank you so much. Let me do something to thank you—”
“No, it’s fine. More importantly…”
“More importantly?”
She stared at me intently.
Despite her quiet, literary-girl vibe, she just looked up at me without saying a word.
What was this? A strange feeling, like nostalgia mixed with irritation.
Irritation?
What am I thinking, getting annoyed at someone who helped me?
That’s beyond rude.
But those eyes…
“Um… no, never mind. I’ve returned your wallet, so… I’ll be going.”
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With that, she rattled off her words and ran off unsteadily.
＊
…She’s slow.
I should’ve at least asked her name. Not for any weird reason—just to thank her properly.
But something else was bugging me.
“How did she know where I live?”
The address on my driver’s license is still my Tokyo one, and I only just got back to town.
“…?”
＊
“Ugh, why didn’t he notice me? Haa, haa…”
I was out of breath from sprinting for the first time in forever.
I stopped and took a deep breath, my chest heaving from nerves and exhaustion.
I wanted him to notice me. If possible, I didn’t want to introduce myself—I wanted him to realize it was me.
“Stupid Yuu-nii…”
Memories from when I was little came flooding back.
He’d played with me ever since I was too young to remember.
“So nostalgic…!”
We did so many things together. Our houses used to be next door, and I was always hanging out in Yuu-nii’s room. Thinking back on those fun childhood memories, I suddenly remembered something.
Not all memories are beautiful.
All the reckless things I did as a kid.
Mistakes of youth.
The brat I used to be.
Recalling my childhood dug up the black history I’d buried deep in my heart.
My face burned with embarrassment.
“I’m such an idiot!”
As soon as I got home, I dove onto my bed.
“Argh!”
I thrashed around on the bed, letting out a scream.
“Ughhh!”
My memories of Yuu-nii from my bratty days were both precious and a dagger to my heart. The cheeky attitude and tomboyish behavior that were forgiven because I was a kid now made me want to die of shame as an adult.
I’m not that lively anymore. In fact, I’m shy and known at school as the quiet, studious type—that’s who I really am.
Which is exactly why, now that I’m old enough to see my past objectively…
“Uwaaaah!”
I buried my burning face in the pillow.
Kicking my legs, I drowned in an overwhelming wave of embarrassment.
After thoroughly wallowing in my mortifying past, I snapped back to reality.
“Ugh…”
Yuu-nii coming back was something to be happy about. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little mad that he hadn’t come home once in ten years, but there was no point dwelling on that now. I’d just be happy about it.
“Yuu-nii, after ten years…”
Running into him at the station was such a shock.
He looked almost the same as when I saw him off to Tokyo ten years ago, and my heart raced instantly. But for some reason, he didn’t recognize me.
When I found his wallet, I canceled plans with my friend and went out of my way to deliver it to ‘Moonlight Terrace’, but even then, he didn’t notice.
“Why doesn’t he realize it’s me?”
Does he even remember me at all?
I get that I’ve changed a lot, going from an elementary school kid to a high schooler, so maybe it’s understandable that he didn’t recognize me. But forgetting me entirely? No way.
I hate to say it myself, but I was pretty wild as a kid, and Yuu-nii played with me almost every day.
Even after we moved and stopped being neighbors, I still live in the same town and visit ‘Moonlight Terrace’ regularly.
If I went to ‘Moonlight Terrace’ tomorrow and said, “Yuu-nii, you’re back! Long time no see!” everything would be resolved in a second.
But…
“No way, no way, no way, no way, no way!”
My cringe-worthy past and shy personality were getting in the way.
In short, I didn’t have the courage, and it was too embarrassing.
Introducing myself? Absolutely impossible.
But I still wanted to connect with Yuu-nii somehow…
“I wish he’d notice me on his own…”
＊
The next day, I stood in front of ‘Moonlight Terrace’.
I ended up coming after all.
Looking up at the familiar sign, I steadied my breathing. I’d been coming to this café since I was a kid, but this was the first time I’d ever felt so nervous about going in. Back when we were neighbors, I’d come here to play with Yuu-nii and get juice or snacks.
Even after we moved, I still came by two or three times a week as a regular, but today felt different.
An elderly couple sat at the sunny terrace seats, enjoying their coffee in perfect harmony. I wished I could borrow some of their relaxed ease.
“Excuse me.”
The doorbell jingled as I stepped inside.
“Oh, Miya-chan, welcome!” said Oba-san—Arigetsu Sayaka—cheerfully as she cleared a table. Yuu-nii’s mother had long black hair tied back with a red bandana. She’s supposed to be in her late forties, but she could pass for someone in her thirties.
“Oba-san, hello.”
I sat at the counter, and Yuu-nii’s father, the café’s master, Arigetsu Shunya, greeted me in his deep, gravelly voice.
“Welcome.”
His slicked-back hair was streaked with white, and his well-groomed mustache gave him a refined, dandy air.
“Hello, Oji-san. One iced coffee, please.”
“Coming right up.”
Yuu-nii… doesn’t seem to be here.
I looked around the café, but there was no sign of him. I felt a mix of relief and disappointment.
“Yuu’s out right now,” Oba-san said, sitting in the chair next to me.
“Huh?”
“He’s at the job center looking for work. You’re the one who returned his wallet yesterday, right, Miya-chan?”
She saw right through me.
“Uh, yeah. It was just a coincidence at the station…”
I explained what happened yesterday.
“He’s been going on about this mysterious beautiful girl who returned his wallet,” she said.
Beautiful… beautiful!?
“W-W-Well, I’m not exactly…”
I said that, but I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face.
“Ehehe.”
He called me a beautiful girl!
“Here’s your iced coffee,” Oji-san said.
“Thank you.”
I used the bitterness of the coffee to compose myself.
“When I asked him what she was like, he said she had brown hair but a refined air, with a soft voice. I thought, ‘That’s gotta be Miya-chan,’ and I was right!”
“Oba-san, did you already tell Yuu-nii…?”
If she’d already spilled the beans, my current worries would be for nothing.
“Nope, haven’t said a thing.”
“Oh, okay.”
“It’s more fun this way, don’t you think?”
Ugh, this woman.
Oba-san grinned mischievously.
“I mean, who’d think the tomboyish Miya-chan grew up into such a beautiful girl? I can’t wait to see his face when he figures it out.”
But…
“I’d rather he noticed me on his own, not because I told him. I want him to see how much I’ve changed.”
“Yeah, you’ve really changed,” Oba-san said, her eyes distant. “Back then, you were always clinging to him, calling ‘Yuu-nii, Yuu-nii!’”
“Oba-san, you don’t have to bring that up!”
“You even said, ‘If no one else takes him, I’ll marry him!’”
“Pfft!? Cough, cough!”
I wiped the coffee I’d spat out with a handkerchief.
“So nostalgic,” she said.
“W-Wait, hold on. What’s that? Did I say that?”
“You don’t remember?”
Oba-san looked at me, puzzled.
“No way I remember that!”
“It was quite the passionate declaration!”
N-No way, I even said something like a confession?
How much black history did I create as a kid? Stupid, stupid kid me!
The air conditioning was comfortable, but I couldn’t stop sweating.
If Yuu-nii remembers that…
“Awawawa!”
My hand trembled, making the ice clink irregularly against the glass.
“Remember when Yuu brought home a kitten, but I said we couldn’t keep it? You said you’d take it instead.”
“Oh.”
Now that she mentioned it, I vaguely recalled something like that.
“You remember it well. In the end, Shimomura-san took it, right? …Wait, why are you blushing so much?”
“Oba-san, you’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Hahaha!”
“Ugh!”
Her laughter echoed through the café, mingling with the pop music playing in the background.
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