Fifteenth Period: Beyond the Search for Memories
After leaving the aquarium, we stopped by a nearby ramen shop, filled our bellies, and started heading toward the station.
"Phew, that hit the spot!"
Benika, walking beside me, smiled contentedly while rubbing her stomach.
I'd ordered a regular-sized tonkotsu ramen, but Benika had ordered the same ramen plus a half-portion of fried rice. ...And she'd gotten a noodle refill, too.
The bill, as promised, was on me. Sigh, my wallet is lighter again...
"...You ate too much."
"Well, you were paying! Besides, when I go out with my model friends, it's always cafes or fancy restaurants. Eating ramen with you is just right."
"Glad to hear it."
I gave a wry smile at Benika's blissful expression as we walked toward the station.
...Yeah. I knew it.
"Hey, Benika."
"Hm?"
"—Are we going the right way?"
Benika let out a small "Huh?" and looked around.
Then, she pointed to the station far in the distance.
"Oh, this is the wrong way!"
"You were walking so confidently, though..."
"Well, I can't help it! I don't come around here much."
We started walking back the way we came.
It was while we were moving against the flow of people heading toward the station that—
"Ah! Hey, Atsuto. Isn't this way closer?"
Benika pointed to a dark alley with few people.
...She's right, the direction is correct.
"Alright, let's go this way then."
We broke away from the crowd and headed into the dim alley.
"I wonder why everyone doesn't take this way if it's closer?"
I was thinking the same thing as Benika, but—
*(W-wait a minute...!) *
The reason quickly became clear.
At first, the alley was just dim, but as we walked further, more and more buildings lit by suspicious lights appeared.
Red, blue, green, pink—all the brightly lit buildings were hotels.
This was, no matter how you looked at it—
"A Love Hotel District...—Ow?!"
The moment I said it, a hand reached out from the side and smacked me on the back.
"You don't have to say it out loud, even if you know what it is!"
"Hey, getting hit for that is totally unfair!"
"Ugh, this is the worst! I wouldn't have walked this way if I'd known it was a hotel district!"
Benika quickened her pace, fuming.
But then,
"“...Ah.”"
A familiar couple came into view, and we both stopped walking.
"Isn't that..."
"Y-they were at the aquarium, right?"
They looked to be college students, and the girlfriend was wearing a flashy leopard-print skirt, which made them strangely memorable.
Laughing happily, the two were drawn into a love hotel illuminated by a pink light.
An awkward silence immediately descended. Damn it, we need to get out of here fast...!
"Let's go, Benika."
I said that and took Benika's hand, only to be met with a perfect squeak of "Hah?!"
"I said, let's go, Benika."
"N-no, no, no! That's totally not okay! Wait, are you serious? Huh? H-huh?"
"Let's go, hurry up."
"H-hurry up?! W-well, we're close, sure! But something like this... there's a certain order, you know..."
"Order?"
When I tilted my head, Benika let out a small "A-aah..." and quickly glanced at me.
"I-if you're serious, then f-f-fine... But... y-you have to take responsibility, okay?"
Responsibility? What the hell is she talking about?
"Y-yeah."
I nodded, even though I didn't understand. Benika squeezed my hand tightly—
"...Be gentle, okay?"
She looked at me with an uneasy expression, then started walking toward the love hotel in front of us.
"That's not what I meant!"
I yelled involuntarily, shaking off her hand.
So that's what she thought! No wonder she was talking about 'order' and 'responsibility,' those weird words!
"Hey! Get ready for it! You're the one who said to go!"
"I don't need to get ready! I meant let's go to the station!"
"The station...?"
Benika's lips trembled as she muttered, and her cheeks immediately flushed bright red.
Before long, a full-force slap landed on my back again.
"That hurts!"
"Y-you made me misunderstand! You're so bad with words!"
"You're the one who jumped to conclusions! Besides, you just said 'be gentle'—"
"Forget I said that! Seriously, forget it!! I-I'm going to hit you until your memory is gone..."
"W-wait! Don't! Stop it!"
As Benika raised her fist, breathing heavily—
—Thud.
A sound of something dropping came from behind us, and we both turned around.
Standing there was—
"A-Atsuto...?"
Char stood motionless, her expression one of utter shock, not even noticing the paper bag she had dropped.
＊＊＊＊＊
"Um, you know..."
"Eh... S-Sensei?!"
"Huh? Wait? What's going on? Huh? H-huh?"
I was speechless at the unexpected encounter with Char.
Benika's eyes were wide with surprise.
Char just stood there, dumbfounded.
The absolute worst love-triangle scenario had just exploded into existence.
"...Ah, I see. I-I'm sorry! I-I never thought it was that kind of thing!"
Char plastered a fake-looking smile on her face and bowed repeatedly.
Seeing her shoulders trembling, my mind went blank.
"Charlotte-sensei! We weren't doing anything! Seriously!"
"I-it's okay! Um, I..."
"No, that's not it! We were just passing through! Atsuto, say something! Don't just freeze up!"
"Sensei, this is—"
"I'm sorry."
Char cut me off, murmuring with her head down.
"...I think I got a little ahead of myself. Well, I'll see you at school!"
She quickly turned her back on me and ran away from the spot.
"Got ahead of herself...?"
Benika blinked, trying to figure out the meaning of her words.
I couldn't fully grasp Char's true feelings either.
But I knew one thing instinctively.
—I couldn't let Char be alone right now.
"Sorry, Benika! You go on ahead!"
"Why?! We should both try to explain to her...!"
Benika probably wanted to tell Char that she had misunderstood the part about us going into a love hotel.
But that wasn't the most important thing right now.
"Please, Benika. Let me go alone."
Benika looked annoyed and fell silent.
But I wouldn't back down.
A long silence, as if time had stopped. Benika kept glancing at me, but finally—
"Ugh—fine! I don't know what's going on, but you better clear up the misunderstanding!"
She finally gave in and raised her voice.
"Thanks! You're a lifesaver!"
I gave Benika a quick thank you and ran in the direction Char had gone.
Even an idiot like me understood immediately.
If things were left like this, the days of hanging out with Char would never come again.
I absolutely refused to let that happen.
Please, just be close by.
＊＊＊＊＊
And so, after chasing Char for a while.
I spotted her trying to go through the station ticket gate.
"Huff, huff... damn it... Char!"
I called her name with a throat raw from the full-out sprint.
Char flinched and turned around with a jerky movement.
I grabbed Char's shoulders, her eyes wide, took a breath, and lifted my sweat-soaked face.
"A-Atsuto! ...Pout."
She met my eyes for a moment, but Char immediately turned her face away.
"Listen to me! Nothing happened like you're thinking!"
(Pout)
"We were just coming back from hanging out with Benika, got lost, and stumbled into that area! Please believe me!"
(Pout)
I explained, but she showed no sign of listening.
"R-really, I'm okay!"
Char shook me off and started walking toward the ticket gate.
Damn it, if that's how it is—
"Char!"
"Hyau!?"
I hugged Char tightly from behind.
As I tightened my embrace, Char blushed and kept glancing back at me.
"H-hey, not here, in a place like this...!"
"I absolutely refuse to let this be the end!"
Char fell silent, overwhelmed by the intensity of my voice.
"I chased you because I can't stand for things to end with a misunderstanding!"
"Ugh..."
Doing this right in front of the ticket gate, we were naturally attracting stares from everyone around us.
—How long did we stay like that?
"Atsuto."
Just as Char broke the long silence and whispered my name.
—Char spun around and hugged me tightly from the front.
"I want to hang out with Atsuto, too...!"
Responding to her voice, I hugged Char back just as tightly.
After a while, Char slowly released the hug.
"So, there really was nothing going on with Benika-chan...?"
Char asked, her eyes still wide, as if she still couldn't quite believe it.
"There really wasn't. Besides, Benika was trying to explain everything, but you just ran off."
"But, that's... a-aah..."
Char moved her mouth as if to say something but ended up just falling silent.
Well, at least the misunderstanding was cleared up.
...Just as I was feeling relieved.
"Huh? Atsuto, wait a minute!"
Char suddenly brought her face close to mine with a serious expression.
"So... you did go out with Benika-chan, right?!"
...Huh, now she brings that up?
"Y-yeah, that's right... I saw Benika at the station, and it just happened."
When I answered, Char puffed out her cheeks and pouted her lips.
"I knew it. Muu..."
Her glare was sharp and prickly.
Was going out even a problem...?
"Um, Char?"
I cautiously spoke her name, and Char let the air out of her cheeks with a pffshh.
"You absolutely have to hang out with me tomorrow! Atsuto is my teacher! Got it?!"
She said that, putting her hands on her hips.
"Y-yes! I promise!"
When I replied, Char insisted, "You better!"
The sadness from before was gone. Now, Char was just cute and angry.
(But this feels more like Char, somehow.)
I thought that, and my cheeks involuntarily relaxed into a smile. Just then—
"—Ah, wait!"
Char muttered softly, her body trembling.
"W-what is it?"
"Atsuto, it's gone! It's gone!"
Char's face was pale as she tightly grabbed my sleeve.
"...Your wallet, or something?"
"N-no, not my wallet! Not that!"
Char took out her phone from the breast pocket of her suit and showed it to me.
"The Kumakuro plushie on my phone... it's gone! What do I do!"
"Huh...? A plushie?"
I would have panicked if it were her wallet or something more important.
But a plushie. In that case—
"It's okay! If you want, we can go back to the arcade right now and—"
"No, you can't!"
Char cut me off.
She looked at me with eyes that were angry yet lonely.
"I always taught class with the feeling of, 'Will I be able to do this right?' but lately, I've been feeling even more determined, like, 'I have to do my best!' That's probably because—"
"............"
"—because Atsuto is by my side, I think...!"
Char's teary eyes startled me.
"Char..."
"When I have that plushie, it feels like Atsuto is right there with me... And besides—"
Char took a short breath.
"—Atsuto gave me that as a birthday present... it's full of memories...!"
...She's right. What an insensitive thing to say.
Char was so happy to receive it.
If that's what's supporting Char, there's only one thing to do.
"Let's go look for it!"
I put on a cheerful voice and took the hand of the completely dejected Char.
"We'll definitely find it if we look together!"
To anyone else, it was just a plushie.
But if it was filled with Char's memories, it was irreplaceable.
Char rubbed her teary eyelids.
"Yeah...! I'm not going home until we find it!"
＊＊＊＊＊
And so, the Kumakuro search operation began, with us splitting up.
"Damn it, not here..."
About an hour and a half had passed since we started searching, but Kumakuro was nowhere to be found. And to make matters worse, a pretty heavy rain started falling...
Eventually, I trudged back to the station.
Char, who had returned earlier, was waiting for me, looking restless.
"Did you find it?!"
"No, I didn't. I would have called you right away... "
"Right... Where could Kumakuro have gone?"
Char's shoulders slumped.
"Did you ask the station staff?"
"I asked them first! But it hasn't been turned in to lost and found..."
"I see..."
We had searched the area around the station pretty thoroughly.
But we were searching separately, so there was still a chance we missed something.
"Let's look again! We might find it if we search together! Where did you look first?"
"Um, the area with all the love hotels..."
"Alright, let's go there!"
And so, we returned to the Love Hotel District.
We searched every nook and cranny, looking under vending machines, in the grass, and on the road—but Kumakuro was nowhere to be found.
To make matters worse, the rain was steadily getting heavier, relentlessly draining our energy and morale.
(If it's not here after all this searching, then...)
Just as that thought crossed my mind, a voice yelled—
"I found it—!"
I turned around to see Char jumping up and down, pointing at the entrance of a hotel.
"W-where is it?! Ah, there it is...!"
I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Kumakuro hooked onto the hotel sign.
I'd assumed it would be dropped on the road, so I'd completely overlooked this spot.
"Maybe one of the hotel guests picked it up and hung it here?"
"That might be it!"
Char took Kumakuro from the sign and hugged it tightly to her chest.
"Welcome back, Kumakuro...!"
Watching Char lovingly cherish the plushie, I couldn't help but smile.
It had taken about two and a half hours since we started searching.
It was exhausting, but at least that crisis was over... Wait. Two and a half hours?
"Okay, now we can finally go home!"
Char stretched widely, but I had just realized a crucial fact.
"Um... it's gone."
Char, still holding her stretch, asked with a clueless voice, "Hm? What's gone?"
"It's gone. The last train is gone."
Snap. Char's expression froze while she held her stretch.
"...That's a joke, right?"
"Look!"
"It's really gone?!"
When I pulled up the transit app and showed her the screen, Char dramatically buried her face in her hands.
"W-w-what are we going to do?! What are we going to do, Atsuto?!"
"F-first, let's calm down!"
Think, think! I have to come up with something... Ah, I know!
"Taxi! Let's take a taxi! We can go to Char's place, and I'll walk home once the rain stops!"
It felt like a waste of money, but we couldn't be picky about the means.
But Char looked troubled.
"My sister is supposed to come over tonight..."
"What time is that?"
"She said after work, so I don't know the exact time... But even if I get home before she arrives, there'll be evidence that I was with someone...!"
"That's like a detective..."
"My sister is sharp! Ah, what about your place, Atsuto?"
"It's too difficult. My parents and sister are there."
Ugh, what are we going to do? No last train, and nowhere to go home to!
"Then we walk?!"
"In this rain?! And where would we even go?"
"You're right..."
As I was clutching my head, Char let out a small "Achoo!"
"A-are you okay?"
"Y-yeah. I'm just a little cold..."
Even in April, getting soaked would make you cold.
Unable to do anything, Char and I just stood still by the hotel entrance.
An increasingly awkward and heavy atmosphere settled between us. Just then.
"Um... should we... go in?"
Char was the first to speak, glancing at me.
"Go in... where?"
I asked, confused about the meaning of her words, and Char's face flushed bright red.
"Should we go in here?!"
For some reason, she asked using formal language.
Huh? Go in here, you mean—
"Y-y-y-you mean a love hotel?!"
"Y-yeah... I mean, there's nowhere else..."
"What about your sister?!"
"I could tell her I had a lot of work and had to stay at school..."
Char looked down, poking her two index fingers together.
A love hotel is a facility for, well, love...
"Achoo!"
As if to push me over the edge, Char let out another small sneeze.
I felt like Char was going to catch a cold if we stayed out here.
...By process of elimination, is this the only option left?
"Is that... bad?"
Char tilted her head, giving me a soft, upward glance.
C-calm down. If you remove the 'love' element from a love hotel, it's just a hotel!
This is unavoidable. We have no other choice.
"F-fine, we'll go in then! Y-you're sure about this...?"
At my final confirmation, Char nodded slightly, her cheeks still red.
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