Chapter 93: Remembering a long-gone future on the way home from the class reunion

Remembering a long-gone future on the way home from the class reunion

Walking arm in arm with Aya through the bustling nightlife district.

Her gentle warmth envelops my left side. Despite being in a new place, I don’t feel any tension or anxiety from her. My heart swells with warmth, knowing that she trusts me wholeheartedly.

As we walk towards the station, I suddenly see a couple kissing in the narrow alley between two mixed-use buildings. I don’t recognize either of their faces. Yet, a sense of déjà vu washes over me.

“Ryuji, what’s wrong?”

Aya stops and asks, but I can’t reply. I’m just staring at that alley.

I’ve seen this narrow alley before.

On the first day of our school trip, when we prayed at the Great Buddha.

A voice echoed in my head saying, “Your wish shall be granted” and visions came flooding in.

Among the hundreds of memories of random futures, that scene was there.

In that short exchange.

I saw it only once, in front of the Great Buddha.

That was probably a future where I didn’t act immediately. So I never saw it again.

If I hadn’t realized my love for Aya at that time, if I hadn’t been able to act. If I couldn’t continue to act.

Now, there would be no one beside me in this place.

In that alley would be Aya and Tokita.

I might have just stared blankly and hastily looked away.

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At the class reunion, I might have watched Aya, wearing a matching ring, from a distance.

Such a future existed too.

That’s why I’ll never let go of the hand I’m holding right now.

“Hey, Boyan, are you okay?”

Aya’s worried voice brings me back to reality.

“Oh, sorry, I thought I knew them, but they’re complete strangers.”

She leans forward slightly to peek into the alley. But she quickly pulls her head back.

“Let’s go quickly. If they see us, those people will be embarrassed too, probably.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Aya takes my hand again and we start walking. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

In this unfamiliar city, being led by her like this makes me feel like she’s guiding me towards a brighter exit.

After briefly indulging in this comfort, I walk alongside her.

“The hotel we booked is on the other side of the station, so this way is closer.”

“Oh, okay.”

This time, I take Aya’s hand.

As we walk slowly together, she squeezes my hand tightly.

“Thank you for taking me out earlier.”

“Huh?”

“The reunion. I’m not really good with big crowds like that and I was a bit confused, like, ‘Is everyone always like this?’ I like meeting in small groups much better.”

“I see.”

She seemed to blend in better than anyone else there and even though she was a bit tipsy, her smile and voice seemed natural, so I didn’t notice at all.

“People change little by little, don’t they?”

“From everyone else’s perspective, maybe you and I changed the most, Aya?”

“Do you think so? …Even though nothing has really changed.”

“Yeah, nothing’s changed.”

It will stay the same forever.

“Hey, remember? When we were in elementary school, we said we’d explore unknown places together, but we ended up getting lost.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

The two of us got hooked on going out on our bikes and inevitably ended up getting lost often.

“If we’re late, mom will worry, or I might get scolded. What if we can’t find our way back home? I felt like crying.”

Come to think of it, that did happen. Aya had something to do with her family in the evening that day, so she was more rushed than usual. But I’m pretty sure at that time,

“Aya looked like she was about to cry, right?”

“No way!? I wasn’t crying, I think… Probably.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah. But you know, Boyan… you were smiling and saying, ‘It’s okay, we’re over here,’ laughing.”

I didn’t know the way either, but I remember desperately trying to match the street names on the telegraph poles with the map in my mind so Aya wouldn’t get anxious. But deep down, I was panicking.

“The sense of relief back then was something else.”

“I was just pretending to be calm. Actually, I was almost peeing myself too.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured that out.”

She knew?

“But… I always think Boyan will lead me to the exit no matter where I get lost.”

“Because I’m with Aya, I can find the exit.”

“Boyan always says stuff like that~”

Aya bumps into my shoulder.

“Oops.”

I hastily catch her as she almost falls.

“Oops, sorry.”

She seems a bit tired, I feel. Both the pace and the length of her steps were a bit slower than usual. Come to think of it, Kanappe said she still had some alcohol left.

“Aya, let’s catch a taxi because you seem a little tired.”

“Huh, it’s a waste of money.”

“We’ll be using our energy later anyway, so we need to conserve it now.”

“Well… that’s true, but…”

Aya blushes and looks down shyly. I wanted to savor that expression a little more, but as soon as I raised my hand, a taxi stopped right away.

“Sorry for the inconvenience. Please take us to the Winston Hotel.”

The door closes and the car starts moving.

Before I knew it, Aya had leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. She must have been quite tired after all. She’s sleeping peacefully, making soft, contented breaths. I wish I could let her sleep a little longer.

“Excuse me, driver, could you take a slightly longer route? About ten minutes.”

The taxi, which was heading towards the station, turns right. The unfamiliar streets gradually become even more unfamiliar.

Suddenly, I remember the time when Yukari, Tokita and I went on a double date to an amusement park. On the way back in the taxi, Aya fell asleep in the back seat and leaned her head on Tokita’s shoulder.

“Sorry, please make it about twenty minutes after all.”

I gently stroke Aya’s head and pull her closer to me.