Chapter 109: A destined bad ending?
“So Kazumi, are we going to Nishikawa Street?”
On the street in the evening, a man and a woman walked side by side. The blond young man…
“Mhm, there’s a store in the mall there that I’m quite interested in. I want to go there to look at clothes. Is that okay?”
Kazumi glanced at the young man beside her and nodded with a relaxed reply.
“Oh, but if we go there now, won’t it be a bit late to come back…”
Sato Shinichi scratched his cheek, not knowing what to say, and asked.
“No, look, if we leave from here now and take the train to Nishikawa, it’ll take about half an hour to shop. That way, we can also go for a late-night snack. This store’s dango snacks are very famous, and I’m quite interested. How about we go there? I’ll treat today, as a thank you for accompanying me shopping!”
“If it’s a bit late, you’ll send me back, right, Shinichi-kun~”
Kazumi, looking excited, pulled up the map on her phone and swayed it in front of Sato Shinichi, painting her plan with a high-pitched tone.
Seeing his girlfriend so happy, how could Sato Shinichi possibly refuse? After all, he still felt guilty about what happened before. Let alone sending the young girl home late, he would even try to find a way to help her fulfill any other unreasonable requests.
“Mhm, mhm, mhm, definitely!”
…
Kazumi’s place was also located in the city center, not only close to school but also well-equipped with various infrastructure. It wasn’t too far from the subway station. Except for the fact that Kazumi’s house was an old house and looked very run-down, it was a really good place to live in all other aspects.
The two chatted a bit on their way and soon arrived at the train station. According to the map, they needed to take about three stops to get off at Nishikawa Station.
Compared to the subway stations Kazumi had experienced in her previous life, the trains in this world were much more developed. The dense network of lines made Kazumi’s scalp tingle, but with the help of Sato Shinichi, a local, and the map software, she managed to buy the tickets and passed through the ticket gates to walk towards the platform.
Strictly speaking, this was Kazumi’s first time taking a train. For the former self who had always been reclusive at home, even going out was a luxury, let alone taking public transportation for a long trip.
The surrounding environment was somewhat like the train stations in neon cities described in her previous life. The platform was crowded with people. Upon closer inspection, she found that most of them were tired salarymen, intending to take the train home after a day’s work.
The two students, herself and Sato Shinichi, looked out of place among this crowd. Fortunately, there were several schools nearby, and there were also some young boys and girls in uniform nearby, likely out to play on the weekend.
Looking at the clueless blond young man beside her, and then turning to look at the young boys and girls brawling not far away, Kazumi’s face showed a smile of unknown meaning.
She reached out and tugged at the sleeve of the dazed young man. Kazumi looked at the young boys and girls in front of her and asked:
“Shinichi-kun, do you go out often?”
“Ah, not really much. Sometimes I still go out with the old man for training.”
The girl’s call brought Sato Shinichi back to his senses. He looked at the train schedule board, turned, and replied to his girlfriend beside him.
“Mhm, so do you go out by yourself?”
Kazumi nodded and changed her question.
“Going out by myself… When I graduated from junior high, I went skiing in Kitayama with my classmates. It was quite fun, but it was a bit cold.”
Sato Shinichi hadn’t noticed the girl’s persistence, thinking she just wanted to chat with him. He recalled past events and replied softly.
“Going out with classmates…”
Kazumi mumbled the boy’s answer, staring at the crowded platform in front of her, lost in thought.
In a way, Sato Shinichi was quite similar to her. He looked very optimistic and cheerful, but deep down, like her, he was a lonely person…
“So, Shinichi-kun, what do you usually like to do?”
Kazumi pulled her gaze back, looked at the young man in front of her, and asked.
“Things I like…”
Hearing the girl’s question, Sato Shinichi thought about it seriously this time, and then replied.
“Does watching dramas count? I watched “Izakaya Log” that you mentioned, Kazumi. I felt that the stories inside were…”
“Not things you like, but things that Shinichi-kun likes!”
Before Sato Shinichi could finish, he felt a soft little hand pressing on his palm. The girl’s unique cold touch made his heart feel calm.
“Uh… Kazumi, what you like is what I like!”
The boy’s self-taught sweet talk made Kazumi’s lips curve slightly. She smiled and shook her head.
“No, although that sounds surprisingly good, it’s not the time for pretty words right now~”
“No… I really…”
Hearing Kazumi’s meaning, Sato Shinichi quickly waved his hands and denied it, wanting to prove that he genuinely liked watching the drama and didn’t just do it because of Kazumi.
“So what do you usually do in your free time, Shinichi-kun? Besides training.”
Just as Sato Shinichi was about to say “training,” Kazumi perfectly cut him off. He was momentarily stuck, unsure what to say. After thinking for a long time, he slowly replied.
“That would be… chatting with you.”
Well, sometimes straightforward people can unintentionally say very touching things, especially when he spoke so seriously and looked so earnest, which made Kazumi’s heart flutter uncontrollably.
Subconsciously wanting to retort to this guy who had suddenly become glib, she thought carefully and realized that this boring guy whose life was only about studying and training might actually be telling the truth.
“Kazumi, why are you asking this?”
Sensing that the other person had suddenly fallen silent, Sato Shinichi worriedly leaned his head in front of the girl, wanting to see what was wrong with Kazumi.
The sudden closeness made Kazumi subconsciously raise her head, then she saw the concerned eyes of the young man who was very close, and a blush appeared on her fair cheeks.
“It’s… nothing, I just feel that you…”
Uncomfortably turning her head to the side, the wind from the approaching train instantly cleared Kazumi’s slightly hot head. Her originally pink emotions gradually cooled down, but for some reason, she thought of their inevitable end.
“Sorry…”
The girl, looking at the approaching train, accompanied by the roaring and noisy sound of the train, uttered those last three words in a voice only she could hear.
