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Adachi to Shimamura - Volume 7 - Chapter 2.2




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Bonus chapter: "Hino and Nagafuji" 

"Ah, I knew it. You were here." 
This sudden voice prompted me to shift my attention away from the fishing float. I looked up, only to find Nagafuji staring down at me. I was initially using her head to block the sun, but as she closed the distance between us, that soon became impossible, leaving me all but blinded. The intense light shining behind her caused both the rims of her glasses as well as the letters printed on her shirt forming the word "pupil" to glimmer. She was my pupil now? Since when? I couldn't for the life of me remember ever taking one. 
"Rare seeing you around here", I stated before raising my hand to greet her. Nagafuji normally never came fishing with me. Apparently, she found it too boring. 
There was one time I'd forced her to join me, but having learned my lesson the hard way, I never did it again after that. 
"Yeah. I went by your house, but they told me you'd gone fishing." 
That was the reason why she'd gone out of her way to come all the way here to the pond. She didn't actually say that last part out loud. Rather, it was implied through her mannerisms. 
Being the only one here not carrying a fishing rod, she really stood out. 
"Huh? You went to my house? Seriously, you need to tell me you're coming beforehand." 
She was aware that such an invention as the phone existed, right? 
"Yeah, but if I did that, then you would've come to our place instead." 
"Hmph. You know me well." 
I did definitely prefer visiting her to calling her over. There was just something about spending time at her house that I found to be so incredibly relaxing. 
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the case that I disliked my own family. Far from it. Rather, large houses simply didn't mesh well with who I was as a person. 
There were times when I found myself thinking about how nice it would be if I were able to change where I lived as easily as the fish after they were caught. 
Then again, I doubt the fish really wanted that. 
While I was busy being lost in thought, Nagafuji went ahead and sat down next to me. She then proceeded to stare at the still surface of the pond with a vacant look in her eyes. All this was accompanied by a familiar smell of summer, giving me the impression that the very soil beneath us was being burnt up by the sun. Despite it currently being the weekend, not all that many fishing lines had been cast into the water. 
There never were many people here at this time of the day. It was exactly why I'd decided to drop by, because I felt like I'd be able to relax, and yet... I took a glance to my side. 
The reason why bringing Nagafuji along meant that I was no longer able to fish was because she kept getting in the way. She could stay still for maybe about five minutes in total, after which she'd start doing stuff like placing her jaw on my head and smacking my legs. No way could anyone maintain their calm with that happening to them. 
"I'm thinking that today, I'll join you, Hino. I'll do your hobbies with you." 
"Well, that's nice. Any particular reason why?" 
"Yep. It's so that you'll do my hobbies with me the next time." 
"Hmm... Sure, why not", I mumbled back, all the while casting a line. "Speaking of, what are your hobbies?" 
Nothing really came to my mind now that I thought about it. 
Given that we mostly did the same stuff over and over again whenever we were together, I'd never really paid much attention to those sorts of things. 
"Me?" 
I wasn't sure why, but for some reason, she sounded very proud of herself as she said that. 
"There's something about me you don't know? My, you need to study more, Lil' Hino." 
"Shut up." 
"My hobby is the boomerang." 
"Oh, right. Right. I remember now." 
"I do have a second one as well, that being adoring you, Hino", she continued explaining in an equally proud tone of voice. Of course, none of what she said really explained anything. 
"...You're talking about how you always hang out with me?" 
"Yep." 
In that case, how was that any different from normal? What exactly was it that she wanted? 
What a weirdo. Seriously. 
Using the tip of my fishing rod, I created a few splashes on the surface of the water. 
Splash, splash. 
"......" 
I then drew the rod back and loaded all the stuff I had out into my bag. 
"Alright, I'm done. Let's go back." 
I sprang up, prompting Nagafuji—who had already been looking like she might start yawning any second now, mind you—to stare at me with her mouth wide open. 
"Huh? Really? You don't want to keep fishing?" 
"It's not about what I want. I know you find it super boring." 
"Hmm, yeah. I do." 
Given that, there was no reason for us to stay here. 

"Also, when I say we're going back, I'm talking about your place." 
"Huh? Why?" 
Because of food. You see, it was just about time for lunch, and my folks, they always went way too light on the seasoning. If not always, I at least occasionally wanted to eat food that actually tasted like something. 
Why was it that they liked their food so bland? Was it because our family was very traditional? Yeah, that probably was why. 
As it turned out, abiding by the views and positions that had been handed down to you was surprisingly important. There were many things there that one simply couldn't ignore. It was through these sorts of mechanisms that the town we lived in operated. 
We'd just left the fishing pond when Nagafuji took off her glasses. Not just that, she went as far as to put them away entirely. 
"Are you sure you'll be fine? I mean, I know you can see somewhat well even without them, but still." 
As far as I was concerned, the version of Nagafuji who didn't wear glasses was the one I was more familiar with. Why was that the case? Well, that'd be because she hadn't worn them when I'd first met her nor in elementary school, making that my default impression of her. Then again, the difference in height between us hadn't been nearly as big back then as it was right now, but regardless. 
"I just remembered why I started wearing glasses in the first place." 
"Hmm? Is it not because your eyes are bad?" 
"Close, but not quite." 
"What is it then?" 
"I wear them because you're so small, Hino." 
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?" 
Not just that, why did she have to grin while saying that? There was something about that which quite pissed me off. 
"The glasses make it so that I can see you no matter how far away you are." 
This additional explanation of hers served only to piss me off even further, prompting me to raise both of my eyebrows. Nagafuji paid little attention to this, however, instead choosing to face forward while looking all calm and collected. 
Before her stood the building of our old elementary school, its design antiquated and its walls tainted. 
"That's why I don't need glasses when you're close by." 
"Seriously... What the hell are you going on about..." 
What on earth was I going to do with her? Right as I was scratching my head trying to think that question through, Nagafuji went ahead and took my hand. 
She'd gripped my hand. She'd gripped it tight. 
"Huh? What are you—" 
"I caught you, Hino." 
She followed this by raising my hand in the air, almost as if drawing me in. No restraint was shown in how she moved, and before I knew it, I'd been made to stand on my very tiptoes. I couldn't help but find myself all flustered; had she perhaps grown even taller since the last time? If so, then how? How was she still getting bigger? 
Perhaps we needed to start eating more meat at our house. 
Then again, even amongst my own family, I was the only small one. 
We then proceeded to continue walking. The only difference was that now, we were doing so while holding hands. 
"It's been a while since we last did this. Held hands, I mean." 
"Hmm, you might be right." 
She never did do things in a linear order. 
"It's pretty nice." 
"Yeah, but it also makes my hand sweat." 
While based on the lack of cicadas and the shape of the clouds it was clear that summer was coming to an end, its warmth still continued to linger with us. 
The intense sunlight ensured that it would take some more time for the town we lived in to cool down. 
Conversely, after that happened, Nagafuji's hand would be too warm for me to hold. 
"I like it", Nagafuji stated, followed by another smile. 
What was she talking about? What did she like? A mere moment later, I'd already figured it out. Walking in silence, I proceeded to swing her hand. 
"Hmm... I suppose." 
It didn't take all that long for us to get to her place, but that didn't matter. 
Today, I'd joined Nagafuji in a hobby of hers. 


Today's Adachi 


I looked through a window. She was smiling. 
I stared at the surface of the bath. She was laughing. 
She was in the mirror too with a grin on her face. 
The "she" was me. 
I was so happy, so incredibly happy in a big way. 





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