†‹–ǯ•‘–Ž‹‡™‡…ƒǯ–„‡„‹‰ƒ†ˆƒ‘—•Ǥ–‡›‡ƒ”•ǡ™‡ǯŽŽ•Š‘™–Š‡ ƒŽŽǤ‡ǯŽŽƒ‡–Š‡”‡‰”‡–‹•–”‡ƒ–‹‰—•Ž‹‡–Š‹•ǤŠ‡›ǯŽŽ•‡‡Ǥ Dzǥ™‡–› ›‡ƒ”• ‘Ž†Ǥ –ǯ• ƒƒœ‹‰ǡ ‹ˆ ›‘— –Š‹ ƒ„‘—– ‹–ǡdz •ƒ‹† ‹‡‘ǡ ’—ŽŽ‹‰ Š‡” Šƒ†• „‡Š‹† Š‡” „ƒ… ƒ• •Š‡ •–ƒ”‡† ƒ– –Š‡ •—•‡–Ǥ Dz‡ǯŽŽ „‡ –™‡–›‹–‡›‡ƒ”•Ǥdz Dz‡…ƒ†”‹ƒŽ…‘Š‘ŽǤ‡…ƒ•‘‡Ǥ‡…ƒ‰‡–ƒ””‹‡†Ȅwell, I guess ™‡…ƒ†‘–Šƒ–‡ƒ”Ž‹‡”ǡdz•ƒ‹†Ǥ DzŠƒ–ǯ•–”—‡Ǥ ‹”Ž• …ƒ‰‡–ƒ””‹‡†™Š‡–Š‡›ǯ”‡•‹š–‡‡Ǥdz Dz–ǯ•‡‹‰Š–‡‡ˆ‘”‰—›•Ǥ—–ˆ‡‡ŽŽ‹‡ǯŽŽ’”‘„ƒ„Ž›‡˜‡”‰‡–ƒ””‹‡†Ǥdz Dz‘™…‘‡ǫdz DzŠƒ–‡–‘‘ƒ›–Š‹‰•Ǥ†‡•’‹•‡‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰–Šƒ–Šƒ’’‡•‹–Š‡™‘”Ž†Ǥ How can I possibly get along with someone for the rest oˆ›Ž‹ˆ‡ǫdz Dz•‡‡Ǥƒ›„‡–Šƒ–ǯ•–”—‡ˆ‘”‡ǡ–‘‘ǡdz•ƒ‹†‹‡‘ǡŠ‡”ˆƒ…‡†‘™…ƒ•–Ǥ the light of the setting sun, her profile looked as if it belonged to a completely different person. She seemed more grown-up and more fragile. Breakable. Dz‡ŽŽǥ‹ –Šƒ– …ƒ•‡ǡdz •Š‡ …‘–‹—‡†ǡ ‰Žƒ…‹‰ ƒ– ‡ ˜‡”› „”‹‡ˆŽ› „‡ˆ‘”‡ Ž‘‘‹‰ ƒ™ƒ› ƒ‰ƒ‹ǡ Dz™Š‡ ™‡ –—” –™‡–›ǡ ƒ† ™‡ǯ”‡ ‹’‘”–ƒ– ƒ† ’‘™‡”ˆ—Žǥ‹ˆ™‡ǯ”‡„‘–Š•ƒ†‡‘—‰Š‘––‘Šƒ˜‡ƒ›‘‡–‘ƒ””›ǥdz She coughed, clearing her throat. Dzǥ–Š‡™Š›†‘ǯ–™‡„‡Ž‡ˆ–‘˜‡”•–‘‰‡–Š‡”ǫdz Even at my immature age, I could tell the change in her voice was evidence of bashfulness. DzŠƒ–†‘›‘—‡ƒǫdz”‡’Ž‹‡†ǡƒŽ•‘ˆ‡‡Ž‹‰ƒ™™ƒ”†Ž›’‘Ž‹–‡Ǥ Dzǥǯ‹††‹‰Ǥ ‘”‰‡–‹–ǡdz•Š‡•ƒ‹†™‹–ŠƒŽƒ—‰Šǡ–”›‹‰–‘’Žƒ›‹–‘ˆˆǤDzŒ—•– wanted to try •ƒ›‹‰–Šƒ–Ǥ‘™ǯŽŽ‡˜‡”„‡ƒŽ‡ˆ–‘˜‡”Ǥdz DzŠǡ–Šƒ–ǯ•‰‘‘†ǤdzŽƒ—‰Š‡†ǡ–‘‘Ǥ ButȄstupid as it wasȄeven after Himeno and I went separate ways in life, I always remembered that promise. Even when a reasonably attractive girl showed interest in me, I would firmly turn her down. I did it in middle school. In high school. And in college. I did that so when we met again, I could show her I was a leftover after all. As I said, it was a really stupid idea. Ten years have passed since then. And when I look back, I think, Maybe that really was the most wonderful time of my life.