After Christmas, the end of the year was just around the corner, and the streets were filled with people who were on vacation.
Osechi dishes and their ingredients, as well as soba for the end of the year, were all sold out in supermarkets, creating a unique atmosphere. (TN: Osechi dishes are a bento filled with different types of food that has a symbolic meaning which is served on New Years, and Soba is buckwheat noodle)
But we had nothing to do with the atmosphere of the city, and spent our time quietly reading books.
I glanced at Saito and saw that she was reading a book with a blank expression on her face as usual.
Reading a book seriously gives her a certain dignified beauty, different from when she’s smiling. With that clear expression on her face, only her gaze was moving up and down following the text.
I suddenly notice the book she’s reading.
She usually reads many different kinds of books, and I have never seen her read the same title in a row. It could be that there are not many series in suspense.
But lately, she’s been reading a certain series of books all the time, which is unusual for her. I was interested in the fact it was a series she rarely read.
[Hey, you’ve been reading that series lately, is it interesting?]
I asked her because I never heard of the title.
At my question, she looked up to me and her eyes lit up.
[Yes, it’s very interesting. Would you like to read it when you’re done reading?]
[Eh? Yeah, I’ll borrow it then]
I had no particular reason to refuse, and since she recommended it, I knew it’d be interesting, so I agreed.
[Do you have any plans for the holiday season?]
As we started a conversation, I asked her something that’s been bothering me for a while.
When I talked to her before, she said she didn’t have anything special to do during winter break, but maybe she had to go back to her parents’ house or something.
[…No, not really]
But, as expected, she denied my question in a cold voice.
I regretted asking her after she showed a shadowed expression. At the same time, I was convinced that what I expected was true.
There were very few high school students who lived alone. There must have been a reason for her to live alone.
Normally, she would go back to her parents’ house, but she didn’t. I’m sure something is going on with her parents.
But it was impolite to ask that. Unable to ask anything else, a heavy silence drifted over the room.
[…Do you have anything to do?]
Her voice sounded a little colder than usual, and I could hear a hint of depression in her tone.
[I’ve got something important to do]
I asked my parents about it and they said they had no plans to come to Japan this year.
I’m sure they’re doing okay there, since they contact me from time to time.
I have no plans to meet anyone in particular besides my parents, so my plans for New Year’s are blank.
But, I acted as if I had some errands to do.
[What is it?]
[I have important things to do, for example reading books like this]
I couldn’t watch her be depressed anymore, so I shrugged my shoulders and told the truth.
[…You still love books, don’t you?]
[Hmm, yeah]
After that, for a slight moment, her expression relaxed slightly.
She continued to chuckle in a dumbfounded, yet funny way.
I breathed out a sigh of relief when I saw that she had dropped her sullen look and was smiling softly.
She looked at me with a kind smile, as if she guessed something.
[…You’re a kind person]
[Why’s that?]
[I was a little depressed and you were trying to cheer me up, weren’t you? So…]
[No, I only did it because I wanted to. You don’t have to thank me]
She tried to bow as a thank you, but I stopped her without hesitation.
It was my fault that I touched into her private life in the first place, and I didn’t deserve a thank you.
[Well, let me just say I’d like to thank you as well. Thank you very much]
But when she said so, there’s nothing I can say back.
I turned away to cover my embarrassment and accepted her thanks silently.
After Christmas, the end of the year was just around the corner, and the streets were filled with people who were on vacation.
Osechi dishes and their ingredients, as well as soba for the end of the year, were all sold out in supermarkets, creating a unique atmosphere. (TN: Osechi dishes are a bento filled with different types of food that has a symbolic meaning which is served on New Years, and Soba is buckwheat noodle)
But we had nothing to do with the atmosphere of the city, and spent our time quietly reading books.
I glanced at Saito and saw that she was reading a book with a blank expression on her face as usual.
Reading a book seriously gives her a certain dignified beauty, different from when she’s smiling. With that clear expression on her face, only her gaze was moving up and down following the text.
I suddenly notice the book she’s reading.
She usually reads many different kinds of books, and I have never seen her read the same title in a row. It could be that there are not many series in suspense.
But lately, she’s been reading a certain series of books all the time, which is unusual for her. I was interested in the fact it was a series she rarely read.
[Hey, you’ve been reading that series lately, is it interesting?]
I asked her because I never heard of the title.
At my question, she looked up to me and her eyes lit up.
[Yes, it’s very interesting. Would you like to read it when you’re done reading?]
[Eh? Yeah, I’ll borrow it then]
I had no particular reason to refuse, and since she recommended it, I knew it’d be interesting, so I agreed.
[Do you have any plans for the holiday season?]
As we started a conversation, I asked her something that’s been bothering me for a while.
When I talked to her before, she said she didn’t have anything special to do during winter break, but maybe she had to go back to her parents’ house or something.
[…No, not really]
But, as expected, she denied my question in a cold voice.
I regretted asking her after she showed a shadowed expression. At the same time, I was convinced that what I expected was true.
There were very few high school students who lived alone. There must have been a reason for her to live alone.
Normally, she would go back to her parents’ house, but she didn’t. I’m sure something is going on with her parents.
But it was impolite to ask that. Unable to ask anything else, a heavy silence drifted over the room.
[…Do you have anything to do?]
Her voice sounded a little colder than usual, and I could hear a hint of depression in her tone.
[I’ve got something important to do]
I asked my parents about it and they said they had no plans to come to Japan this year.
I’m sure they’re doing okay there, since they contact me from time to time.
I have no plans to meet anyone in particular besides my parents, so my plans for New Year’s are blank.
But, I acted as if I had some errands to do.
[What is it?]
[I have important things to do, for example reading books like this]
I couldn’t watch her be depressed anymore, so I shrugged my shoulders and told the truth.
[…You still love books, don’t you?]
[Hmm, yeah]
After that, for a slight moment, her expression relaxed slightly.
She continued to chuckle in a dumbfounded, yet funny way.
I breathed out a sigh of relief when I saw that she had dropped her sullen look and was smiling softly.
She looked at me with a kind smile, as if she guessed something.
[…You’re a kind person]
[Why’s that?]
[I was a little depressed and you were trying to cheer me up, weren’t you? So…]
[No, I only did it because I wanted to. You don’t have to thank me]
She tried to bow as a thank you, but I stopped her without hesitation.
It was my fault that I touched into her private life in the first place, and I didn’t deserve a thank you.
[Well, let me just say I’d like to thank you as well. Thank you very much]
But when she said so, there’s nothing I can say back.
I turned away to cover my embarrassment and accepted her thanks silently.
