Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 6 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Her Future Schedule

1

He knocked twice on the clean white door of the hospital room, and Shouko’s cheery voice called, “Come in.”

“It’s me…Azusagawa.”

Last time—yesterday—Shouko had still been changing, so he’d learned from that experience and was making sure she knew who it was. This was all part of growing as a person.

“Oh, Sakuta! Don’t worry! My pants are on!”

Sakuta expected one more word, then realized it was fire and dismissed that line of thought. Clearly not what Shouko meant.

He opened the door and found her sitting on the bed, holding a volume of manga. The pink logo suggested it was a shoujo title.

“……”

Shouko’s smile was so innocent it momentarily robbed him of words. Was he imagining it, or did she seem even smaller than yesterday? It had only been twenty-four hours, but she seemed much thinner.

“Sakuta?”

“Uh…am I interrupting?”

He glanced at the manga as he took a seat on the stool by the bed.

“No, I’ve been waiting for you all day. Today and yesterday!”

She closed the book and set it on the table. The artist’s name was Mashiro Shiina. That name sounded familiar. At the culture festival the month before, an attractive woman in her midtwenties had gotten lost on school grounds—and she’d had the same name. Coincidence, or had she been a manga artist? Didn’t matter now.

“Brought this for you,” he said, handing Shouko a paper bag. She took it but then looked surprised.

“A souvenir?” she asked.

“I just got back from Kanazawa.”

“Whaaaat?! How did you have time?! You came to see me just yesterday, right?!”

“I hopped on the last Shinkansen right after and took another back just before noon today.”

And came straight from Fujisawa Station to see Shouko, without even stopping at home.

He yawned. He’d figured since he was skipping school anyway, he might as well see the town, but he’d probably overdone it. Mai had said, “If you’re in Kanazawa, you should at least see Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya-gai, and the Samurai District before you go.” So he had. He’d decided buses were a luxury and walked everywhere, which had worn him out. But the snow-covered scenery had been well worth the walk.

“You’re so grown-up!”

“It was Mai’s birthday, so…yawn.”

He yawned again. He’d napped on the Shinkansen on the way back, but two hours had hardly been enough to catch up on lost sleep.

“That’s lovely!”

“It’s no big deal.”

Shouko seemed so impressed it made him feel guilty. If he’d actually been a proper grown-up, he’d have known Mai’s birthday ahead of time and been able to get back on his own without borrowing money from his girlfriend. Or having her arrange a room for him…which she also paid for.

He’d kinda made a mess of things, really. Even the gift he’d brought Shouko was purchased with the change from the train fare, and his next couple paychecks would be spent whittling down his debt.

“Can I look?” Shouko asked, already peering into the bag.

“Of course.”

“This is so exciting!”

Eyes gleaming, she pulled out the contents.

The first item was a long thin box. The steamed manju inside were decorated to look like bunnies. Same thing Mai had given him the other day. Big Shouko had really enjoyed them, so he’d brought some for little Shouko, too.

The other item was a cylinder—the kind of steel water bottle lots of businesswomen carried around with them these days.

“What’s inside?”

The weight of it was a clear indication it was full.

“Open it and see.”

“Okay!”

She carefully removed the lid.

“Oh…!”

Shouko knew what it was at once, but she looked so surprised, you could swear she’d never actually seen it before. It just didn’t get cold enough where they lived, and it fell only once or twice a year, at best.

“Snow?!” she yelped, touching with her fingers to confirm her suspicions.

He’d filled the flask to the brim with it.

The snow from the night before had kept falling as he slept, and by the time Sakuta had woken up, all of Kanazawa was covered in a white blanket.

At the station souvenir stand, he’d found a steel flask with Mount Utatsu on the side (only sold in Kanazawa!) and decided to fill it with snow to take home. Mount Utatsu was where he and Mai had taken in the night view of the city.

“It’s so cold!” Shouko cried. She’d poured some snow onto her palm and was happily patting it into a ball.

Seemed like the snow had lasted pretty well.

“Was there a lot of snow?”

“Like six inches this morning.”

“Wow! It didn’t snow here at all.”

She looked out the window. The sky above was clear and blue. A classic winter day.

“It’s just not cold enough yet. Hopefully by Christmas…”

“Christmas! I hope I can go this year.”

Staring at the southern sky, Shouko seemed lost in memories.

“To what?”

“Oh, the Enoshima Illumination. My mom and dad took me last year. It was so pretty! All the lights, like a dream!”

Shouko was using her whole body to try to explain how great it was.

“Have you ever seen it, Sakuta?”

“From a distance.”

Enoshima had a lighthouse-like building called the Sea Candle, and he knew this time of year it was covered in lights. Recently, it got dark early enough that if he stopped to chat in the science lab, the sun would set, and he could see the lights on Enoshima from the train home.

“But going to see that sort of thing alone is cruel and unusual punishment.”

Especially on Christmas. That would be pure hell. Couples everywhere.

“But you have Mai!”

“Her work plans aren’t set yet.”

He was hoping to spend Christmas with her, but things might not work out that way. She was a famous actress.

“She’s so busy!”

“And if we go on a date in public, it’ll attract a lot of attention. But I’d love to see it once, since we do live in the area.”

“Th-then you could go with me!”

“With you?”

“I—I mean, not on Christmas Day or anything. Or…you could take Rio, Kaede, Nodoka…”

Shouko was turning bright red, and her voice gradually dwindled away.

“Yeah, good idea.”

“Huh? It is?”

She looked up, a smile blooming like a flower.

“When you get out, we can do that to celebrate.”

“Okay! I can’t wait.” She grinned happily. “Oh, Sakuta…”

“Mm?”

“About the thing from yesterday…”

She put the snow back in the flask, dried her hands with a towel, and held up the homework assignment.

Still mostly blank.

“…Oh.”

“Yeah.”

He knew what Shouko wanted to say without her explaining anything. It was a simple game of Spot the Difference that anyone could have solved.

“There’s more, huh?”

“They’re increasing.”

Yesterday the entries had ended in high school, and everything after that was blank. He was sure of that. But this time it didn’t stop there.

Start college.

Reunite with the boy of destiny.

Tell him how I feel!

All three lines were new.

No difference in handwriting. Didn’t even appear to be something added after the fact. They looked like they’d always been there, long before this printout got any wear and tear on it.

But it was the specific contents that concerned Sakuta most.

They were familiar.

He had been reunited with the older Shouko.

And she had actually told him how she felt.

 “I’m in love with Sakuta.”

Those two points, at least, seemed tied to the older Shouko’s actions. Things were turning out just the way Rio had said. The older Shouko had appeared to live out the Future Schedule little Makinohara had not been able to write when she received the assignment. Two years ago, when he’d met high school Shouko, she’d acted out what was written in the corresponding section of the form and vanished. Looked at that way, it did explain a lot of things.

But if that was true, then this case of Adolescence Syndrome wouldn’t subside until college-aged Shouko filled in all the plans for the college student section of the schedule.

And given Shouko’s plans, that could be a problem.

She’d already basically moved in with him, so maybe they could count that wish as granted, but…he couldn’t exactly marry her.

“Sakuta?” Shouko said, peering up at him. He’d gone a bit too quiet.

“I’ll relay this to Rio,” he said.

“Okay. Thank you!”

Her smile seemed so carefree. Even though she must have been anything but. Even though her condition must’ve been terrifying. Shouko didn’t let those feelings show, so Sakuta wouldn’t see. She didn’t want to worry anyone. To worry him. He knew that desire compelled her to hide her emotions.

And the pressure that built up from doing that was being vented elsewhere. Causing her Adolescence Syndrome.

Sadly enough, that knowledge didn’t help him solve the root problem.

He couldn’t cure her illness.

Put like that, it was a simple truth…but one that left a deep gouge in his chest.

After that, he and Shouko ate some bunny manju together, and when four o’clock rolled around, he left her room with a promise to come again.

It was time to go pick up Kaede. She was getting released today.

As he reached the elevators, the bell rang, and the doors opened. A woman stepped out. She was in her mid to late thirties. This was Shouko’s mom.

“Oh, Azusagawa,” she said, bobbing her head.

“I just went to see her,” he reported.

“Thanks for doing so much for her.”

“Not at all.”

“She was so excited that you’d stopped by. Even though she made us promise not to tell you she was here. Oh, the elevator!”

The doors had started to close, so she hit the button to stop them.

“I’ll come again,” he said and stepped on board. Holding it here any longer would be bad manners.

“Good, she’ll be thrilled. Thanks!”

The doors slowly shut. As they did, he thought he saw a shadow pass over Shouko’s mom’s face, but the doors were closed before he could be sure.

Alone in the elevator, he leaned against the wall, listening to the whirr of the motor.

“Not a good sign,” he muttered.

Her condition might be worse than he thought.

When he reached Kaede’s room, she was all packed up.

Her extra clothes and the books Sakuta had brought to help kill time were loaded into sturdy paper bags and a single tote bag. The sheets had been peeled off the bed, and the place seemed suddenly barren. A day before, it had felt lived-in, but no longer.

“You’re late, Sakuta!”

“I’m exactly on time.”

If he’d come here after classes ended, he’d be arriving right about now.

“Where’s Dad?”

Release forms and payments required a grown-up. His father was supposed to be leaving work early to handle that stuff today.

“He stopped by this morning and took care of everything then.”

“Mm? He did?”

“Something came up this afternoon that meant he had to shuffle his schedule.”

“You should have said something.”

“I wanted to, so I borrowed his cell phone to call you, but…” She scowled at him, looking grossed out.

The reason for that was obvious. Kaede had called.

Who?

Sakuta.

And Sakuta didn’t have a cell phone. So the only way to contact him was to call their home phone. The home where a college girl was staying. And Shouko kept answering the phone no matter how many times he told her not to.

“And someone picked up?”

Her reaction made the answer obvious, but he was clutching at false hope.

“A woman.”

He could’ve guessed, but it still rattled him.

“Just great.”

“Damn it, Sakuta. It totally caught me by surprise.” Kaede puffed her cheeks out in protest.

“Well, that saves me a little time, I guess. She’s staying with us right now. Hope you’re cool with that.”

“Why would I be?!”

“In the past two years, social mores have gone through a great upheaval. This sort of thing is perfectly acceptable now.”

“That is absolutely one hundred percent just you being a double creep.”

“Adolescence makes creeps of us all.”

“B-but…you have a girlfriend?” Kaede said, her voice rising.

“Don’t worry. It’s all good.”

“In what way?!”

“My girlfriend will be staying with us, too.”

Sakuta said this like it clinched his argument. He knew this was a lot to drop on Kaede the day she left the hospital, but the situation left him with no choice. Kaede would just have to get used to it.

“Huh?”

Kaede’s eyes had gone real wide. Her jaw dropped.

“Your imitation of a dying goldfish is still amazing, Kaede.”

“I have never imitated— No, wait, what did you just say?”

“The dying goldfish?”

“Before that!”

“My girlfriend will be staying with us?”

His girlfriend—Mai—had said she’d come right home as soon as the shoot wrapped, and assuming everything had gone according to schedule, she was probably leaving Kanazawa now.

“……”

Kaede was gaping at him again.

“I am so lost,” she croaked.

“So basically, this college girl has been staying with me, and starting tonight, my girlfriend’s gonna be staying, too. Simple!”

“There’s nothing ‘simple’ about any part of this insane situation! What in the ever-loving hell?!”

“Calm down before you make yourself faint.”

“You could afford to be a little more concerned, you know?”

“Got tired of it.”

He certainly had panicked quite a bit back then—well, it was only the night before last. When Mai and Shouko had faced each other down, a whole storm of emotions had run through him, but if he didn’t make his peace with it, it would eat him alive.

“Kaede.”

“What?”

“This is reality. Just accept it.”

“…O-okay. Fine. I’ll try.”

“Thaaaat’s the spirit.”

It was incredibly helpful to have such an accommodating sister.

“But I do have one question…”

“Yeah?”

“Your girlfriend.”

“Oh, right.”

Kaede’s eyes suggested she already knew but also couldn’t begin to believe it.

“This thing about Mai Sakurajima has got to be bullshit,” she said. “I know that’s what the diary said, but tell me it isn’t true. I asked Dad, but he just stared into the distance with a vague smile, so…that can’t be real, right?”

There was a weird desperation to her voice.

Sakuta felt like he should really apologize to his father for apparently giving him the thousand-yard stare. It seemed like it was high time to properly introduce Mai to Kaede.

“Well, let’s just say you’ll figure that out for yourself later. You’ll meet her in a matter of hours anyway.”

Nobody would ever believe that the famous Mai Sakurajima was dating their brother. He could imagine his reaction if their positions were reversed. If Kaede said she was dating a famous celebrity, he’d assume she was delusional. And strongly recommend she seek the advice of a licensed therapist.

“Well, that takes care of everything I need to say before we get there. Let’s go home!”

Sakuta grabbed the bags before this could get dragged out any longer. He headed for the door.

“Oh, wait…Sakuta.”

“Steel yourself for this on the way.”

“Not that.”

“Mm?”

Something in her voice made him turn to look. Kaede was staring at her fingers and fidgeting. She always did this when she was trying to say something and couldn’t find the words. Same as she had two years ago.

“Um, so…”

“You have to pee?”

“…I wanted to say sorry.”

He could barely hear her. But the emotions behind that were pretty intense. The full weight of the last two years was contained within that sorry.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You know what I mean?” she asked, forcing herself to meet his eyes. Looking very nervous.

“I figure you’re just blaming yourself for everything.”

“…Well, it is my fault.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

It wasn’t Kaede’s fault that the bullies had come after her. Or that she couldn’t go to school after that. Or that she’d developed Adolescence Syndrome and a dissociative disorder. Their mother being unable to handle raising a daughter like that and developing her own mental illness wasn’t Kaede’s fault, either. No longer being able to live with their parents and moving here to Fujisawa…none of that was her responsibility.

“Don’t be so full of yourself.”

“Whaaa?”

“You did the best you could, and that’s all that matters.”

“…Huh.” She pursed her lips. Didn’t seem satisfied.

She apparently wanted to say something else, so he urged her on with a quizzical look.

Very quietly, Kaede said, “You might be a bit cooler now.”

“…”

His jaw dropped.

“Th-that was a compliment! Why did your eyes go so dead?!”

“Honestly, hearing that from your sister is kinda unsettling.”

“That’s legit mean!”

“But I mean, if I turned to you and was like, ‘Kaede, you’re way cuter—’”

“Creepy,” she snapped before he could even finish.

“See what I mean? Now let’s go.”

This time, they actually left.

“Oh, wait, wait.” She came running down the hall after him and moved to his side. “Thanks, Sakuta. You’ve really been here for me.”

“Kaede, grab one of these bags.”

“What, are you embarrassed?”

“No, they’re just heavy.”

“You’re so weak…”

But she took the tote bag from him.

And he put his now freed hand on her head.

“Wh-what?”

“I oughtta be thanking you.”

“Huh? For what?”

If Sakuta actually was more admirable now, that was because of what he’d experienced over the last two years. Sakuta knew he was only like this because of what the two Kaedes had given him. So…

“Thank you.”

“I’m so lost.”

“That’s fine with me.”

“Ewww.”

Still bickering, they left the hospital together. They carried on like that the whole way home, without ever getting bored.

2

The day after Kaede’s release from the hospital, Sakuta was gently shaken from his slumber by his girlfriend.

“It’s morning. Wake up.”

“Mm…,” he grumbled, one foot still in his dreams. Sensation gradually returned to his body. His back and hips hurt. This wasn’t what his bed felt like. It was too hard. He was lying not on his bed, but inside the kotatsu in the living room. His arms and legs were all pulled inside like a turtle.

Even as sleepy as he was, he soon remembered why.

After much discussion, Mai and Shouko were sharing Sakuta’s room. They’d laid out an extra futon in there.

“Come on! Up!” Mai said, shaking him again.

“I think it’ll take a kiss to get me up,” he said, figuring this was the perfect moment.

“Oh? Then I guess I’ll just go to school without you.”

Sadly, Mai wasn’t playing that game. He’d been hoping she’d at least threaten to step on him. Step on him hard.

“Then I’ll handle morning kiss duties!” said a voice in his other ear. Even with his eyes closed, he could tell she was leaning over him. A shadow fell over his face, and he could feel her heat.

The only person who would pull a stunt like this was Shouko. Big Shouko.

“Nope, not happening.”

Sakuta cracked his eyes just in time to see Mai fending her off. They were sitting on their knees on either side of where his head was sticking out of the kotatsu. Mai on his right, Shouko on his left.

“We discussed this yesterday,” Shouko said serenely. “And you approved of our shacking up together.”

She wasn’t technically wrong. They had deliberated the matter in depth. Sakuta had started by explaining the Future Schedule little Shouko had told him about, and he’d sought opinions on how to proceed from there.

They started talking at ten after Kaede went to bed, and the negotiation lasted until three AM. Like Shouko had predicted, in the end Mai folded. “Fine, I’ll allow this cohabitation,” she’d said. “But as for everything else, let’s see how things go first.”

She’d made that decision in the hopes of resolving little Shouko’s Adolescence Syndrome. The supernatural phenomenon had assumed an unusual form, but given the severity of Shouko’s condition, Mai wanted to help her older counterpart live a little when she could. Sakuta felt the same way.

“Cohabitation is the limit of what I’ll allow.”

“Men and women shacking up together should be allowed to kiss,” Shouko insisted.

This seemed like a reasonable argument at first blush, but he was amazed she had the nerve to make it. Nerves of steel.

“Well, ordinarily…,” Mai said, unable to find a convincing counterpoint.

“Then we’re in agreement! Wake-up kisses are allowed!”

Shouko leaned in to kiss him again, but before she could…

“Then I’ll take care of that,” Mai blurted. She’d turned bright red. Anger, shame, or perhaps frustration? Maybe all at once.

The last few days had shown him a lot of new sides to Mai. He was thinking My girlfriend’s so cute when their eyes met.

“……”

“……Sakuta?”

He quietly closed his eyes. Acting like he’d been asleep the whole time. He was soon slapped lightly for his troubles.

“Ow.”

“So you’ve been awake.”

“I’ll be asleep again in a second, just you wait.”

“No going back to bed!”

There was another slap, slightly harder.

“Gah!”

“I will get mad,” she growled.

He froze.

“Right, sorry.”

He pulled himself out from under the kotatsu and sat up. His back and hips hurt. Shoulders and neck stiff. His whole body was creaking.

He felt really tired.

“Sakuta, your face is pretty red.”

“Now that you mention it…”

Mai leaned in from the right and Shouko from the left.

“Are you getting sick?” Mai asked, putting her hand on his forehead. “You’ve got a fever.” She sounded concerned.

“He does?”

When Mai removed her hand, Shouko leaned forward and put her forehead on his.

“Sh-Shouko!” Mai protested.

“Oh, he does!” Shouko said, like there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Argh,” Mai said.

Shouko pretended not to notice her glare. “That’s what you get for sleeping in the kotatsu,” she chided.

Who was it who decided to move in and force him to sleep here?

“I would have been happy to share a futon with you,” she said, sulking like this was his fault.

As if he could do that with Mai here. Or even without Mai here.

His own breath felt hot. All this aching wasn’t just because of how hard the kotatsu pad was. He did feel pretty sick. Sitting up had made the fatigue he felt much more obvious.

“It wasn’t a dream…,” said someone behind him.

He turned his head to look and found Kaede standing in her doorway.

“Morning, Kaede.”

“Good morning.”

Mai and Shouko spoke at the same time.

“…M-morning,” Kaede said, clinging to her door, still in her pajamas. Despite her evident dismay, she managed to greet them both, clearly driven by a desire to do things properly.

But she didn’t manage to keep that up for long. Her eyes quickly turned to Sakuta for help.

“Mornin’, Kaede.”

“Yeah, mornin’.”

Sakuta’s head wasn’t working, and he couldn’t think of anything else to do. He wasn’t being the most supportive brother right now.

“You’re not making it to school today.”

“Yeah…”

His voice sounded far away. Like it wasn’t coming from the usual place. He knew that was nonsense, but it felt as if he were talking with his ears. He didn’t want to turn into that nightmarish creature.

“…Right, on your feet. If you’re gonna sleep all day, you’d better do it in bed.”

Somehow he managed to get up on his own. It felt like he was about to float away, and he was very unsteady on his feet. But this was his home, and he wasn’t getting lost here.

One hand on the wall, he stepped through the door to his room.

“Oh, wait, Sakuta,” Mai said, stopping him. But he couldn’t stay standing a moment longer and fell face-first onto the bed. He burrowed under the covers, and it felt warm and smelled good.

“Let me change the sheets and pillowcases real quick,” Mai said, trying to pull him up.

But he was done moving.

“It’s warm, so I’m good. Plus it smells nice,” he muttered.

He thought he felt something hit the back of his head, but he was so sleepy he forgot it immediately.

“Don’t be weird!”

Even as his consciousness faded, he was aware that Mai had been sleeping here not long ago. But his mind didn’t move beyond that thought. He just wanted to close his eyes, stop feeling or hearing anything, and escape this awful sensation as soon as he could.

When his eyes opened again, his bedroom ceiling was staring down at him.

The sun was glowing brightly behind the curtains, but with the lights in the room off, all the colors in the room were washed out like it was evening.

He looked at his clock; it was just past one PM. The special quiet of a weekday afternoon. Schools of all levels were still in session, and the residential areas were at their lowest ebb, population-wise. Being at home this time of day was almost unnerving.

His body still felt like lead, but he was awake.

The door slowly swung open.

“Oh, did I wake you?” Shouko asked, peering in. She opened the door just far enough for her to enter and slipped in around it. Then she closed the door behind her.

“I was up already.”

“How do you feel?”

“Extremely crappy.”

“If you’ve got that much pep in you, you’re doing a lot better.”

Smiling, she came over and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Is Mai…?”

“I knew you’d ask that first.”

“She went to school?” he asked, not taking the bait.

“She considered staying home to look after you but left in time to still make her classes.”

“Okay. Good. And Kaede?”

“Worried about you.”

“So dramatic.”

It was just a regular cold.

“You’ve got two girls staying here, so her concern is natural.”

“Oh, that…”

That was concerning. He was certainly concerned about it.

“She’s playing with Nasuno right now. We washed her this morning.”

“Yeah, I hadn’t given her a bath in a while…”

Their cat had probably developed a bit of a wild animal smell.

“Don’t worry; she’s sparkling now. Thanks to the patented Sakuta-style cat-washing technique.”

“The what?”

“When we found Hayate, you taught me how to bathe cats, remember?”

“Oh…”

Earlier this summer, Sakuta had been looking after Hayate for little Shouko, and she’d come over a lot. He’d taught her how to feed and clean him.

But those lessons had all been for little Shouko, and it felt weird hearing about them from big Shouko.

On some level, he knew intellectually that they were the same person, but it was hard for Sakuta to think of them that way.

His relationship with little Shouko had started that summer, but he’d first met big Shouko two years ago. Those first encounters were separate events in his mind, and even trying to consciously draw a line between them was proving challenging.

And there was still a lot about big Shouko that remained unclear. Maybe this was the time to ask.

“Shouko.”

“What?”

She turned her head, looking down at him.

“Something I’ve been meaning to ask…”

A question he’d left unspoken since they were reunited.

“My measurements?”

“Numbers are irrelevant.”

“So you prioritize shape and feel? You never let me down, Sakuta.”

Why did she sound impressed? He wasn’t feeling well enough to banter with her like this, so he got right to the point.

“Shouko, are you the same Shouko I met on the beach at Shichirigahama two years ago?”

“……”

She didn’t answer. Just stared at him.

“Are you the Shouko I fell in love with that day?” he asked, trying a different tactic. This one she couldn’t run away from.

A smile appeared on her lips. “You were consistently unpleasant.”

“Yeah, some total stranger just starts sticking their nose in your business, you’re gonna push back.”

“And you grew up to be such a cynic. Maybe I gave you the wrong advice.”

“Nah, I turned out fine. You did good.”

“Clearly not.”

“Shouko.”

“Go on now, back to sleep.”

She got up.

“Thanks for everything you did back then.”

“……”

“You really saved me, Shouko.”

She turned back, smiled, and said, “Good night.”

He closed his eyes again. The sandman had let him have a few wakeful moments but had come back with a vengeance.

As he drifted back to the land of dreams, he heard a voice say, “You’re the one who saved me, Sakuta.”

But his consciousness was slipping away, and he couldn’t be sure if this was real or just a dream.

The next time Sakuta woke, his room was completely dark. No sunlight through the curtains, but he could see light spilling under his doorway from the hall.

There was someone in the darkness with him, sitting on the bed.

“Shouko?”

“Sorry. Just me.”

That wasn’t Shouko’s voice. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see Mai looking cross.

“Uh…”

“Save the excuses for when you’re better. Shouko’s been looking after you all day, right?”

“Not really. I slept through most of it.”

Facts didn’t matter much here.

“You feeling better?” Mai asked, reaching for his forehead. He probably still had a fever. Her hand felt cold. “It’s lower than this morning anyway.”

Mai put her hand on her own forehead, comparing the two sensations. That was kinda cute.

“You definitely can’t take a bath, but what about a change of clothes?”

“Too much hassle…”

He tried to wave her off, but Mai got up, turned on the lights, and opened the closet.

She grabbed a shirt and came back to the bed.

“At least change your top. I’ll help.”

“I can manage. I don’t want you catching this.”

He put out a hand to stop her, but she just said, “No.”

“Huh?”

“Let me act like your girlfriend here,” she said, a touch of sulk to her tone.

“You always do.”

“Like when?”

“When you step on my foot.”

“……”

That was clearly the wrong answer. Her eyes took on a dangerous gleam. She was definitely going to help him change now. As proof, she’d already grabbed the sleeve of his pajamas.

“Hands up.”

Deciding resistance was futile, Sakuta raised his arms as ordered. She pulled on the shirt and peeled it off him.

He was definitely still sick. The air hit his bare skin and made him shiver.

“Sakuta, your…”

As she folded the used shirt, Mai was looking at his chest. She sounded surprised and worried.

Her eyes were locked on the three claw marks carved into his chest. What had previously looked like old scars were now the color of blood. Like a solidified hemorrhage.

“Uh…”

Sakuta briefly debated trying to lie about it, but when his eyes met Mai’s, he immediately abandoned the idea. He figured the best way to avoid worrying her was to confess what little he did know.

“The day everything with Kaede went down, they started bleeding again…and now they look like this.”

These scars seemed to reflect the pain in his heart. They’d first appeared two years ago, a result of his regrets over being unable to save his sister when the bullying got so bad that she developed a dissociative disorder. Sakuta felt they were a manifestation of the emotional wounds that had torn his family apart. And something similar had happened last week, when he’d realized new Kaede was really gone.

“Does it hurt?”

“Not now.”

It had hurt a lot when it was bleeding. But he hadn’t been able to tell if that was the scars themselves or the grief in his heart. Hindsight had not clarified that point.

“And it’s Adolescence Syndrome.”

“Probably.”

“Okay…”

Mai was clearly swallowing her words. He didn’t need to ask; he could imagine what she’d almost said. If these wounds were the result of his failure to save Kaede, you’d think they’d have healed up once Kaede came back. But they were still here. And worse than before. This wasn’t what new Kaede would have wanted. She’d worked so hard to be his little sister and to make him a great brother who’d made his sister’s wishes come true.

“……”

“It takes time,” Mai said, seeing him lost in thought. “Scars on the heart don’t heal overnight.”

“I know. No point in putting on a brave face now.”

“Right, hands up again.” She was holding out a fresh shirt. She seemed to be enjoying this a fair bit. Apparently, it was rather fun looking after Sakuta.

Sakuta was enjoying it as well, but he could only take this so far.

“I’ll do the rest,” he said as he took the shirt from her.

“Nope!” she snapped, pulling it back.

“Seriously, I’ve got it. Thanks, Mai.”

“You usually let me spoil you rotten. What’s going on?”

“I mean, I would love to, but…”

Not sure what he meant, she gave him a puzzled look.

“You might catch this, miss work, and cause trouble for a lot of people,” he said, pulling the shirt on. When his head came out again, her lips were tight. She might’ve just been angry, he thought, but he could tell that wasn’t quite it.

“That’s, well…it’s true, but…who cares?”

It was like she knew he was right but didn’t want to give in, like a kid who wanted to keep playing after being told it’s time to stop. It was not at all convincing.

“Mai,” he said, pushing back. Sometimes saying someone’s name was the best way to stop them.

“I know… Why am I the one getting scolded here?”

She shot him a frown, but there was the hint of a smile in her eyes.

“I think that’s a first,” she said. “I might even like it.”

“This gonna be a new thing for us?”

“From time to time.” She winked at him. “Get better soon. Exams are next week.”

With that, she stood up. All reluctance gone. Back to her usual self.

“Argh, don’t remind me.”

“Good night,” she said, waving as she started to close the door behind her.

“Oh, Mai…”

“What?”

“I could really go for some canned tangerines.”

Mai blinked at him a moment, but then she said, “You’re such a snot. Fine, I’ll go buy some.”

And then she really did close the door.

A silence settled over the room. With nobody talking, he could hear the faint sounds of the TV in the living room. Kaede and Shouko must’ve been watching something. Listening to the faint murmur, Sakuta decided getting sick wasn’t all that bad.

3

When he stepped off the train, he could smell the sea.

“Kind of a relief…”

The tiny station was packed with Minegahara students. He’d been in Kanazawa on Wednesday and out sick Thursday—only a two-day absence, but it felt like ages since he’d caught a whiff of the sea breeze sweeping in from Shichirigahama.

It was Friday, December 5.

Sakuta had considered using his illness as an excuse to cut straight to the weekend and not go back until Monday, but when he’d woken up that morning, he was in perfect health. He’d tried pretending he still had a fever, but Mai saw through the lie immediately.

“You’re a lousy actor. If you’re feeling better, get some clothes on.”

Mai Sakurajima had been a genuine talent since early childhood, and her evaluations were not to be argued with. His only option was to apologize and do as he was told.

He joined the line of students putting their train passes through the gate and left the station. Everyone wearing the same uniform, filing in the same direction, all headed toward the school they could not yet see. Across a short bridge, over the railroad crossing, and they were at the school gates.

Some students headed into the main building, chatting with classmates, while others stopped to greet friends from clubs or sports teams. A few passed by alone, eyes on the phone in their hands.

The same morning sights he witnessed every school day. The world was as it should be. Everything going swimmingly. The most important thing on everyone’s minds was the exams next week.

It seemed unlikely anyone else had their first love shacked up in their apartment. Even if they did, there was no way they also had their current partner staying there, too.

“Normal is so nice.”

“What are you talking about?” Mai asked, glaring at him.

“Nothing important.”

“Hmph. Oh, right, Sakuta…”

“What?”

“Meet me in the empty class on the third floor for lunch.”

“You going to tutor me in secret?”

“I’m just going to help you study like a normal person,” she said. Then she smirked at him. “Exams are almost here.”

“Well, normal is nice,” he said.

Mai pointedly ignored this remark.

On the weekend, they moved their study sessions to Sakuta’s house. Or at least, he studied while she watched.

Nodoka joined them, too, grumbling the whole time but helping him whenever he was stuck. Though she looked like she partied more than she studied, she was really good at explaining things, which he found fascinating.

Shouko was the biggest surprise. She came in while Mai and Nodoka were taking a break, and she looked over his math and science.

“You’re actually good at this, Shouko?”

Little Shouko could never have solved these problems. She was still in her first year of junior high. But they were clearly easy for big Shouko.

“Well, I’m supposedly a college student.”

“Wish I was, too.”

With a veritable smorgasbord of ladies tutoring him to ensure he was thoroughly prepped, when exams began on Monday, December 8, he wound up furiously trying to complete his answer sheets. When you don’t know the answers, tests are over in no time. But when you understand what you’re doing, you feel compelled to be thorough and solve everything, which takes a ton of time. He didn’t even get a chance to take a nap between tests and felt very sleep deprived.

He was so busy it felt like the week flew by.

The final exam was physics. He could tell many students had already thrown in the towel. Just as Sakuta filled in the last answer, the bell rang, and finals were over.

“Finally…”

This much thinking tires out the brain. And if your brain gets tired, it’s hard to summon the energy to do anything.

As Sakuta collapsed listlessly on his desk, the rest of Class 2-1 erupted. “It’s over!” “Let’s do something fun!” “I’m so doomed…” “Let’s hit the beach!” “When it’s this cold out?!”

They were so wound up that they didn’t even settle down during the final homeroom. Their teacher had either decided they’d earned the right to be unruly for once or had already tried to calm them down and failed, but in any case, he didn’t bother raising his voice.

“Don’t get so worked up that you hurt yourselves during the break.”

Homeroom ended early, with the usual warning to stay safe over winter vacation.

The volume in the room got even louder. Some classes had wrapped up homeroom already and were spilling out into the halls.

The students were in post-exam party mode. Sakuta would have loved to go on a date with Mai, but she had a fashion magazine shoot that afternoon. She had to leave the moment school ended and head to a studio downtown.

Exams were over, so he didn’t need to lug all his textbooks home. He shoved them into his desk, snapped his empty bag shut, and glanced around the bustling classroom.

Freed from the bondage known as studying, everyone seemed much more relaxed. It was always like this after finals ended. Another normal life thing that came around and around, and it felt singularly merciless to him right now.

“……”

His thoughts were on a junior high school girl. Little Shouko.

She was still in the hospital. Sakuta was still commuting to see her every day, even during exams—although he certainly hadn’t been staying long. And each passing day proved that the anxiety he’d felt was not at all unfounded.

Her condition was worse than she let on.

Shouko and her room had changed dramatically over the last week. She had an IV hooked up and sometimes even needed oxygen. There were a number of medical devices lined up by her bed that he’d never seen before.

Her face and limbs were getting puffy, and each time he found her looking different, he had to rack his brain to figure out the right response. But he’d never landed on one and was simply avoiding the issue. Ultimately, all he could do was talk to Shouko like there was nothing wrong.

“Oh, there you are, Sakuta.”

A familiar voice snapped him out of his reverie. One of his few friends, Yuuma Kunimi, had stepped into the room and was headed toward his seat.

“Why are you here, Kunimi?”

“’Cause I need a favor. Swap shifts with me on Sunday?”

“Date with your girlfriend?”

Yuuma was going out with a girl from Sakuta’s class—Saki Kamisato, one of the classroom leaders. She was standing at the door, glancing their way. A very stylish haircut and very fashionable makeup. Even in winter, her skirt was at a very carefully managed length that prioritized style over function. And naturally, that meant bare legs. Just looking at her made him feel cold. That wasn’t exclusive to Saki and was true for half the girls in the room, but…he always thought they’d be better off putting sweatpants on underneath during classes, at least. Committing to fashion was brutal.

“My team’s got a surprise exhibition match.”

“Oh, then fine.”

“……”

He’d agreed to it, but Yuuma looked surprised.

“Should I have turned you down?”

“No, I really do need to swap that shift.”

“Then what?”

“What’s going on with you?”

“Huh?”

“You seem extra grumpy.”

“Nah, I’m… No, you’re pretty much on the money.”

He’d reflexively tried to wave him off but soon realized Yuuma already knew better.

“It’s just…,” Sakuta said, not looking at Yuuma.

His eyes drifted around the room. A third of the students were still here, talking about after-school plans.

“I never really planned to be a high school student, but somehow I am one.”

“Same here. Most of us are.”

Yuuma perched on the side of Sakuta’s desk.

“Makinohara?” he asked, gazing absently at the hall.

“Got it in one.”

“Not exactly hard to do.”

Yuuma had met little Shouko before, about a month ago. She’d come to the Minegahara culture festival, and they’d met then. He’d looked after her during the mess with the beauty contests, so they’d made quite an impression on each other.

“You’re visiting her daily, yeah?”

“You and Futaba both went together a couple of days ago, right? Makinohara told me.”

“I bumped into Futaba at the station on the way home, and the topic came up, so…I ended up tagging along.”

He sounded a little despondent, so he must’ve been picturing Shouko in her hospital bed.

She’d been in good shape during the culture fest, and full of life. But now she looked like she was wasting away…

Sakuta went to see her every day, and even he was alarmed by the steady decline. The anxiety he’d felt the day he got back from Kanazawa was only growing stronger. And that feeling was making him fret. Because he couldn’t do anything.

And that anxiety and fretfulness sometimes exploded even when he was nowhere near the hospital. He’d be in the middle of his daily routine and start thinking about how Shouko couldn’t do these ordinary things.

Sakuta himself placed no value on the bustling classroom before him. But the reason it didn’t matter to him was because he’d been born healthy. It was too ordinary, something everyone had, and so he took it for granted, never realizing how lucky he was.

“You’re doing fine, Sakuta. You’re doing everything you can do.”

“I’m just going to see her,” he said, conscious of how hoarse his voice sounded.

“Makinohara talked about you a lot,” Yuuma said. “About the gifts you brought for her, how you came again the day before, Sakuta this, Sakuta that.”

“……”

“If she’s that obviously delighted about what you’re doing, you’re giving her a lot.”

“A lot of what?”

“You know what I mean. So don’t ask.”

Yuuma hopped down off the desk.

“Hokay, I’m off to practice. Thanks for filling in for me on Sunday.”

“Oh, I already forgot.”

“Don’t!” Yuuma said, laughing as he left.

In the hall, he started talking to Saki Kamisato. She was smiling happily. Her cheeks slightly red. Maybe Yuuma was “giving” Saki a lot, too.

“Giving, huh?”

He understood what Yuuma was getting at earlier. You can make people feel good and have fun, like they’re fine the way they are, like their lives are gonna be nice and happy. Japanese people tended to avoid the word, but the rest of the world calls that love. Sakuta found it hard to believe he was giving anyone anything so grandiose. But another part of him wanted to be someone who could do that for those close to him.

It reminded Sakuta of the words that had meant so much to him.

The words high school Shouko had said two years ago.

 “You see, Sakuta. I think living makes us kinder.”

He felt like this was what she’d meant.

“Wow, Shouko…how were you this wise in your second year of high school?”

Sakuta was that age himself. The same age she’d been back then. He didn’t think he could even begin to do what she’d done for him. Just walking up to a strange junior high kid and talking to them was a risky proposition. They might think you were a creep. He’d literally had his butt kicked by a cute high school girl just for trying to help a lost four-year-old.

As he thought about this, his chest started to sting. He felt sweat forming. Worried, he undid a couple of buttons and peered inside his shirt.

Three scar lines. Faintly swollen with blood.

“Are these gonna heal up by Christmas?”

If what Mai had promised in Kanazawa came true, he had a really nice present waiting for him, but in his state, it was hard to relax and devote himself to flirting. He would likely be too distracted to enjoy it at all.

“I could really use a lucky break here.”

“Azusagawa, what are you doing?”

He looked up from his shirt to find a girl in a white lab coat standing in front of him. Her hair was tied up, and she had a look of contempt behind her intellectual glasses.

“Some new creepy fetish?” she asked.

“Futaba, nice timing.”

“I’m not helping you with that.”

“It’s not a fetish.”

“Doesn’t matter. Here.”

Her expression not shifting at all, she held out her phone.

“Huh?”

He blinked at her, confused.

“Answer, and you’ll see.”

“Answer what?”

“The phone.”

The display showed she was already connected, and he recognized the number. After all, it was the one for his apartment phone. Someone calling from his house.

“Hello?” he said, picking up.

“Oh, Sakuta!”

“Yes, this is Sakuta.”

“And who am I?”

“I would hope you’re the only person who’d be this obnoxious, Shouko.”

“You’re still at school, then. Glad she caught you. Thank Futaba for me, will you?”

“So what is it?”

Why was there a need to catch him before he left? Enough to rope Rio into it?

“I need you to go on a date with me today.”

“Absolutely not.”

“You that scared of Mai?”

That sounded like a challenge.

“Of course!”

Sakuta did not rise to it.

“You really don’t want to upset her ever, huh?”

“Exactly.”

Denying it didn’t seem like it would get him anywhere, so he emphatically agreed.

“But I think this date will be to her benefit,” Shouko said. There was a very deliberate purr in her voice. She was definitely leading him on.

“If I go on a date with you, will the Adolescence Syndrome resolve itself? Will you finally pass on?”

“I will.”

He’d meant it as a joke and gotten a serious reply.

“I’ll be pissed if you’re lying.”

“Stick around school for now,” Shouko said, ignoring his threat. “Let’s meet in front of the Hawaiian Café by the Shichirigahama parking lot.”

“The Hawaiian Café?”

That was not a name he was familiar with. He had no clue what shop she was talking about.

“The fast-food place that’s closing down is gonna be a Hawaiian Café in the spring, so she probably means that,” Rio said.

Either Shouko was talking loudly or the phone’s volume was just high enough to hear; Rio seemed to be following the entire conversation.

“Oh, there? Got it.”

“Later, alligator!”

With a merry laugh, she hung up.

Sakuta pressed the end call button and handed the phone back to Rio. She took it, then gave him a meaningful glare.

“I’ll tell Mai myself, so you don’t need to.”

“I didn’t say a word.”

“But you looked at me like I was pond scum.”

“That’s how I always look at you.”

“That’s cruel in its own way.”

But Rio was still glaring at him.

“Have something else to say?”

“Nothing major.”

“Well, spit it out already.”

“Nah, never mind.”

“Okay, now I’m really curious. At this rate, I won’t sleep a wink tonight.”

“If I say it, you’ll be sleepless for days.”

She did not seem to be joking. There was a grim gleam in her eyes. Which forced Sakuta’s hand.

“Then I really need to know.”

Rio let out a short sigh. Then she looked him in the eye again.

“Azusagawa, what are your feelings for Shouko?” she asked.

“Well…she’s my first love.”

That fact didn’t change, whether he was dating Mai or not.

“I don’t mean that.”

“Mm?”

What was she driving at?

“Let me rephrase…Who exactly is Shouko?”

“Shouko Makinohara.”

Nothing more, nothing less.

“When I was two people, both of us were clearly Rio Futaba, enough that I knew the other one was also ‘Rio Futaba.’”

“Uh, right.”

Sakuta himself had been unable to declare one of them a fake. He remembered thinking they both seemed like the real deal. It had been a very strange feeling.

But in this case, the girl he called “Makinohara” and the girl he called “Shouko” left very different impressions, so much so it was hard to see them as the same person.

He was beginning to get a glimmer of Rio’s point. She had to be talking about that unsettling discrepancy between the two.

“If we assume the older Shouko is little Shouko’s dream of the future, then how does the older Shouko perceive her own existence?”

She was talking to Sakuta but most likely wasn’t expecting an answer. The thought she was voicing was half-formed, and that was why it came out as a question.

“Your personality is defined by the time you’ve lived and the experiences you’ve had. In other words, who you are is determined by your accumulated memories.”

“Yeah…”

That concept was a little too familiar. Memories and personalities. Kaede’s dissociative disorder had taught him just how closely linked those two were. When Kaede had lost her memories, a new Kaede was born. And when the old Kaede’s memories returned, the other Kaede’s personality disappeared. That was all not long ago, and his feelings about it were still pretty raw.

“By that logic, what memories are creating Shouko? If we take her word for it, she’s nineteen. That’s six or seven years the little one doesn’t have.”

“You think it can’t be only Makinohara’s dreams of her future self?”

“What would fill in all the memories of those extra years?”

That was a tough question. But it was enough to make him understand Rio’s concern. Especially since she’d just said that your personality was defined by your memories.

“Blank spaces and fragments wouldn’t be nearly enough,” he concluded.

“Even if there were some blanks, that would also reflect in her personality.”

It certainly had with the two Kaedes. Both had been upset by the missing memories. But Shouko showed no signs of hesitation or uncertainty. Her words came easily and clearly, and the wisdom of her added years had been real enough to save Sakuta. Twice.

And the words that had resonated the most…

 “I’ve lived this long so that I could become as kind as I am now.”

What experiences could have led her to that concept?

 “Each day, I try to be just a little nicer than I was the day before.”

How did one acquire the kindness to soothe a wounded soul?

“Do you have a working hypothesis that can explain this?”

“……”

“You must have something.”

Rio wouldn’t bring it up if she didn’t.

“It’s a ridiculous fantasy,” she whispered. “But I did think of one possibility.”

“And that is?”

“But if it’s true, then Shouko’s hiding a bombshell from us.”

Her piercing gaze shot right through him.

“I think a good man laughs when a girl fools him.”

That elicited a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, but it soon faded. And she began to describe her “fantasy.”

“She’s…”

4

After a long talk, Rio said she was going to Science Club, so they split up at the shoe lockers. He thought she should at least take the afternoon off on the final day of exams, but Rio buried herself in club tasks on a daily basis despite being the sole member.

Sakuta changed into his shoes and headed out the school gates. There were still a number of students milling around the place, and a few were leaving with him.

That lasted as far as the railroad crossing.

The warning bells rang out, and the others went, “Crap, train’s coming!” and most of them broke into a run, heading for the station, which was across the bridge leading to the right. He couldn’t see the station name from here, but past the bridge he could just make out the green sign hanging from Shichirigahama Station.

Sakuta alone kept going down the gentle slope toward the ocean. A gust of wind came up from the water, carrying the scent of the sea with it. At Route 134, he got stuck at a light, and when it changed, he headed for the designated parking lot.

It was a huge lot overlooking the water. He headed farther in. During the marine leisure season, it got so crowded that lines formed, but in December, there were only a few cars in it. It felt deserted.

No sign of Shouko. She must not have arrived yet.

There was a white building near the center of the lot. A month ago, it had been a fast-food place. But it had tragically shut down recently, perhaps a casualty of the recession. Such a shame—eating there while gazing at the water had been a real treat.

There were lots of cafés and restaurants around, all selling themselves on their ocean views, but this had been the only one cheap enough for a high school kid to frequent. Everywhere else was all fancy and not somewhere you could just casually pop in.

There were two flyers posted on the closed doors to the fast-food shop. One was announcing the closure, and the other was about the Hawaiian Café that would open here in the spring. Apparently, it was a branch of a local shop known for pancakes and scrambled eggs. The sort of fancy place Sakuta would never willingly go.

“You got here first, Sakuta!”

He turned at the voice and found Shouko behind him. She was in a loose-knit sweater and long skirt. She had a shawl over her shoulders. Calm winter colors. While Shouko might’ve been prone to playfulness, her fashion choices were simple and exuded a mature confidence.

“Did I keep you long?”

“Only, like, three minutes.”

“That’s enough for some instant ramen!”

With that meaningless joke, Shouko looked up at the fast-food building. It hadn’t closed that long ago. It was weird how fast an unused building started to look old.

“It’s not open yet, huh? I figured we could grab lunch here.”

Shouko’s stomach growled. It seemed she’d come prepared.

“What’s Kaede up to today?” he asked, pretending he hadn’t heard.

“Obviously ignoring it is actually just as bad,” Shouko said, blushing slightly.

“That was quite the rumble.”

“You shouldn’t make jokes like that with girls.”

Then what was the right tactic?

“Kaede said she was going to spend the day reading every book she has on her list. I did ask if she wanted to join us, but she turned me down.”

“She’s always been like that when she has her eyes on a book, so pay it no heed.”

She had once passionately explained the importance of reading them in one sitting. That was one reason she’d had trouble keeping up with texts and messages from friends.

“And I did make lunch for her, so don’t worry about that.”

“I’m not, so let’s get this date started.”

“You just can’t wait a second longer, huh?”

“I want to get this Adolescence Syndrome resolved. If that’s actually possible.”

He wasn’t really expecting much. Nor was he about to hide that.

“Then let’s go,” she said, meeting his cynicism with a smile. She turned and walked away, east down Route 134. Toward Kamakura.

They walked together down the coastal road. Sakuta did pick the traffic side. Shouko seemed to think that was funny.

“Where we going?” he asked, before she could tease him for it.

“You’ll find out when we get there!”

“Then I’ll assume the worst.”

She was clearly up to no good. The more delighted she seemed, the more his hackles were raised.

They were walking away from the nearest station, Shichirigahama, so Sakuta had assumed their destination was within walking distance.

But apparently he was very wrong.

Shouko walked them all the way to the next station, Inamuragasaki, and then calmly waltzed through the gates and boarded a train bound for Kamakura.

It was the same retro-styled Enoden car Sakuta rode to school every morning. Going from Fujisawa to Kamakura. The opposite of his way home.

They boarded at the head of the front car, and Shouko instantly plastered herself to the glass behind the driver, like a little kid. Sakuta stood by her side.

As the train pulled out, it showed them a view you could only see from the front car. The tracks coming toward them, the houses crowding in on either side. With the buildings this close, even at this train’s sluggish speeds, it made quite an impact.

“Uh, Shouko…”

“What?”

“If we’re taking the train, why walk all the way to the next station?”

It would have been much faster to get on at Shichirigahama.

“A walk by the seaside is part of the date. Take this seriously!”

For some reason, she got mad at him.

“I can handle that much walking,” he said. They weren’t that far apart, so it wasn’t worth griping about.

“Then what?”

“Are you…up to it?”

The real Shouko—the little one—was still in the hospital. And even he could tell she wasn’t doing well. When he was visiting her, he could feel a grim vibe rising up through his feet.

Despite that, the Shouko with him seemed totally healthy. Sakuta kept wondering about that and was a bit scared of the answer.

“My body is in tip-top shape. In other words, I’m fiiiine.”

She acted like she’d just said something clever.

“Not really in a joking mood.”

“I’m just trying to bring the fun!”

“Then start by making me less anxious.”

“I’m seriously fine. The version of me with a serious illness and no future summoned me as a dream of her future. If I was still sick, what would be the point?”

“That’s fair.”

“But thanks for worrying.”

“You’re welcome,” he said sarcastically. Eyes on the tracks in front of them.

Sakuta and Shouko took the train all the way from Inamuragasaki to the end of the line, joining the throngs at Kamakura.

There was another huge crowd on the other side of the train, waiting for it to double back. Half tourists, half locals out shopping or students on their way home.

This time their destination must’ve been near. Kamakura was a classic date spot.

On that assumption, Sakuta headed for the gates, but…

“We change trains here,” Shouko said, pulling his arm. She led him to the transfer gates for the Yokosuka Line.

“How far are we going?” he asked, once they reached the JR platform. He didn’t really expect an answer.

“You’ll find out when we get there,” Shouko said. Same answer. Like she’d been waiting for him to ask.

“Ugh, that’s obnoxious.”

They rode the Yokosuka Line for another five minutes, to the next station.

“Here we are!” Shouko announced as she hopped off the train.

One stop south of Kamakura, Zushi Station. Sakuta had never been here before. It was a little nerve-racking.

He had no way of knowing what awaited him in this unfamiliar area. It was impossible for him to guess where Shouko was leading him.

Trying to calm his nerves, he looked around but soon realized the futility of this.

Shouko had led them through the gates to a bus stop. A bus pulled in around the station roundabout, and they stepped on board.

They sat down shoulder to shoulder on a seat meant for two.

“You said ‘Here we are!’ a minute ago,” Sakuta said, unable to let it pass without comment.

He was pretty sure if they had to take a bus, that statement had been a bit premature

“When did you become such a pedantic little nitpicker?”

“Today.”

“Once again, I’ve changed your life.”

Shouko was showing no signs of remorse. Sakuta considered a follow-up attack, but before he could, she jumped ahead of him.

“We’ve arrived!” she said, grinning.

The sign at the bus stop read MORITO BEACH.

He could smell the sea right away. They must’ve been close to the water. But he didn’t recognize anything. He looked left and right, but it was all unfamiliar. A strange town and a strange road leading to places unknown.

While Sakuta’s head spun, Shouko set off like she knew right where she was going. Not wanting to lose her, he followed.

“You know this area, Shouko?”

“Mm-hmm.”

No reason to doubt her word. But it also sounded like she was being purposefully vague.

The roads they took were giving him déjà vu. They were a lot like the sights on the Enoden as it passed near Enoshima. The apartment buildings had a touch of resort flair to them, and lots of shops had white signs, imparting a very coastal flavor.

He found a street sign with the word HAYAMA on it. Even in the Shonan area, this was a neighborhood that had always seemed “grown-up” to him. There were probably sections of Hayama that were like that, but the one Shouko was leading him through was super ordinary.

It was just new to him. And walking down an unfamiliar street with Shouko was a strange sensation. It felt extra extraordinary.

They crossed a bridge labeled MORITO BRIDGE. Shortly after that, they turned left at a wall with a dolphin on it. Leaving the bus road and heading down a side street.

“Seriously, where are we going?” he asked. His third time asking. He didn’t expect an answer. Odds were Shouko would just happily say “You’ll find out when we get there!” again.

But this time he got a different reaction.

“This place,” she said, stopping in her tracks. They were near a brick building. Maybe three or four stories tall. This wasn’t an area filled with tall buildings, so this seemed pretty sizable.

It looked like a seaside resort hotel, with rooms and a restaurant.

That was all he got out of it; he had no idea why Shouko would bring him to a place like this.

“I am whit-free.”

The clue he was searching for came from a couple who emerged from the building. They were both in their late thirties, so a grown-up couple.

“The chapel certainly earned its reputation. I say this is the place.”

“So at our age, you still want to put me in a wedding dress and hold a ceremony?”

“I think your students would be delighted.”

“They’re the last people I want to see me like that.”

“Should we make it just the two of us?”

“More trouble than it’s worth. They’d just insist we hold a second ceremony for them…”

A snatch of conversation in passing.

He turned to Shouko, his eyes demanding an explanation.

“Shall we?” she asked, her smile as broad as his prospects were dim.

The form at reception read Free Tours, and Shouko happily wrote her name down as Shouko Azusagawa.

“Well, if I use my real name, there’s a chance it’ll get back to little me and stress her out.”

She was making excuses before he even said anything.

When they finished the simple paperwork, a lady in a suit came out to greet them. She was in her late twenties.

“Thank you for joining us for a tour! My name is Ichihara, and I’ll be your guide today. A pleasure to meet you both.”

A very polite, mature greeting. Very professional.

“Are you two…?”

But then she looked at the two of them, somewhat at a loss for words.

They were both clearly a bit young to be touring wedding venues. Sakuta had come here straight from school and was still in uniform, so Ichihara’s confusion was only natural.

“I’m standing in for my sister’s boyfriend. Something came up at work,” he explained.

“That’s right! I didn’t want to come alone, and it seemed like a waste to cancel the appointment.”

Shouko played along without their needing to compare notes.

“Ah, I see now. You both look so young I was feeling a bit jealo— Ahem, never mind me. Please come this way.”

Ichihara clasped her file to her chest and headed down the hall.

As they followed, Shouko whispered, “You’re such a liar!”

“So are you.”

They exchanged glances. It hadn’t been much of a con, but pulling off anything like that was a bit of a thrill.

Their first stop was the ground-floor restaurant. Ichihara explained that they could reserve the place for the after-party. The hotel had provided a few samples of the food that could be served, so they tried them. It seemed a shocking amount of food to offer with a free tour. Neither of them had eaten lunch yet, but it was more than enough to silence their growling bellies.

On the second floor, there was a large hall. This was used for receptions. Ichihara politely explained how many people the hall could hold.

Then they headed for the third floor—the top floor.

They were led to a set of double doors.

“This is the final stop on the tour,” Ichihara said, building the anticipation. “If you please?” she said to no one in particular.

On her cue, the doors opened on their own.

“Wow,” Shouko gasped. Evidently overcome with emotion.

Sakuta himself was struck speechless.

The chapel before them was all blue and white. The main aisle was made of glass, which reflected the sunlight pouring through the transparent ceiling and made it look like they were walking on a carpet of water.

At the end of the aisle was a huge single-pane window, and beyond that lay the visually stunning expanse of the ocean. For a moment, it seemed like the entire chapel was floating on the water.

“Go on in,” Ichihara said.

Shouko headed down the virgin road. Her steps were unsteady, like a little girl lost in the world of dreams.

Sakuta elected not to say anything. He didn’t want to ruin the moment, and he had to admit it did feel like he’d stepped into a dream himself. The chapel was just that unreal.

He knew now why the couple at the hotel entrance had sounded so impressed. Anyone who saw this place would want to get married here.

And Sakuta realized that what Shouko had said when she’d asked him on this date might have been true after all. The entries on the Future Schedule little Shouko had never written described them living together and then getting married. Actually getting married was out of the question, but if they came here, they could at least feel like they had.

“Would you like to try on a dress?” Ichihara asked after a while.

They turned back and saw a staff member standing on either side of the doors. This was why the doors had appeared to open on their own. A simple trick once you knew the truth.

“Dress…?” Sakuta asked when Shouko said nothing.

But given where they were, there was only one kind she could mean.

“A wedding dress.”

“Figured.”

“A few of the many gowns we offer are available to try on during the tour.”

Ichihara opened the file she carried, showing them the contents. It had sample photos of a number of different wedding dresses.

“A dress? Can I?” Shouko whispered. She sounded less enthusiastic than he’d expected. Sakuta had assumed she’d leap at the chance, so this caught him by surprise. Usually, she’d be teasing him, insisting he pick a gown for her.

“Go on, try one,” he said.

“But…” She hesitated, blushing slightly. Why get embarrassed when they’d already come this far?

“I think this one would look good on you,” Ichihara suggested, pointing at one of the photos. A pure-white dress. Both shoulders were bare, but the overall vibe was chaste and classy.

“Still…” Shouko wavered.

Sakuta gave her a push. “Hook my sister up,” he said, grinning at Ichihara.

“Will do. This way.”

Shouko turned once, glaring at him, but then she followed Ichihara out. “So pushy!” she grumbled, but he pretended not to hear.

“Please wait here a bit for your sister,” Ichihara requested.

“Gotcha.”

Alone in the chapel, Sakuta took a seat on the front pew, wondering how long “a bit” would be.

He would usually assume it meant, like, five or ten minutes. But twenty minutes passed without any sign of Shouko returning, or Ichihara.

“Japanese is hard,” he concluded.

But if he thought about it, choosing a wedding dress and putting it on would take way longer than five or ten minutes. Even by a conservative estimate, “a bit” meant, like, half an hour in a place like this.

“Hopefully, it takes only that long…”

At an actual wedding, there’d be a ton more time spent on hair and makeup. He just had to hope he wouldn’t be stuck here for a full hour.

As he looped through this line of thinking, Ichihara’s voice came from behind him.

“Thanks for your patience.”

They’d kept him waiting for more than thirty minutes, and Sakuta turned around to complain…but the words never made it out of his mouth.

Instead, his jaw dropped.

His eyes were locked on a pure-white bride. Shouko, at the end of the aisle, in a wedding dress.

“……”

Careful not to trip over the hem of it, she came down the aisle toward him.

She was holding a small bouquet in her hands. Weddings on TV often had the brides wearing veils, but not Shouko. He could clearly see the embarrassment on her face. They had put some makeup on her, a little blush on her cheeks. Her hair had also been braided, leaving her neck and shoulders exposed to the air.

The bare skin definitely had an effect on him.

The soft fabric of the dress was draped loosely around her torso but was pulled tight at the waist. Below that, the skirts billowed out like a flower in bloom. It had the layered volume of a rose’s petals. Pure and dazzling.

Sakuta stood waiting for her at the end of the aisle, in the groom’s position.

“……”

He still couldn’t manage speech.

Shouko reached him without either of them speaking a word.

And they stood together where couples pledged vows of eternal love.

“Your jaw’s hanging open,” Shouko pointed out with a giggle.

He went ahead and closed it.

“You can’t tell me what you think with your mouth closed,” she said, a triumphant smile playing around her lips.

“Well, you did take over half an hour, so it oughtta be at least this good.”

He managed a little snark but couldn’t look her in the eye as he did. The mood was a bit much. And the dress’s effect—positively devastating. The makeup was really enhancing her every expression.

“Meaning?”

“You’re alarmingly beautiful.”

“Then it was worth the effort to pick something that would impress you.”

Shouko grinned, then pulled his arm. Turning him so the sea was behind them.

“Shouko, watch your feet,” he said.

One false step, and she’d trip over her own skirts.

“Come on, eyes up.”

As he followed her gaze, looking down the aisle, she hugged his arm to her. Something soft pressed against him.

Sakuta reflexively glanced down. Shouko’s breasts were pressed up against his arm. And something he saw there made him tense up.

“Come on, Sakuta. Get your mind out of the gutter and look up.”

When he did, he saw Ichihara holding a Polaroid camera.

“Turns out, they offer a keepsake photo service,” Shouko said gleefully. Her arms tightened around his. She’d dithered like hell about changing, but once she got the dress on, she was back to her usual playfulness.

“Ready? Say cheese!”

The shutter clicked.

Ichihara came over to them, fanning the photo. It was already visible by the time she handed it to them.

“Sakuta, your eyes are so dead.”

Meanwhile, Shouko was positively beaming. As bright as the dress was subdued. The trace of baby face lingering in her smile only accentuated her look of joy. It was like she was so happy she was incapable of any other expression.

But Sakuta’s mind was stuck on something else, and her grin wasn’t infecting him. The glimpse he’d caught of her chest and what he’d seen there…

“You still have some time, so let me know when you’re done. I’ll be just outside.”

Ichihara bowed once and left the chapel.

Sakuta and Shouko were alone together.

“……”

“……”

Neither spoke at first.

To fill the silence, he turned toward the ocean. Shouko followed suit.

If they’d had a priest present, they’d be ready to say their vows.

“The free tour gonna be enough?”

“You’d have to ask the little me that.”

“I think you know without us asking.”

“……”

Shouko focused her gaze on the ocean outside the chapel.

“I mean, the scar on your chest…”

He didn’t mince his words at all. Couldn’t think of any other way to put it. He’d spotted the scar when Shouko pulled him close for the photo. Just a glimpse of pale skin inside the dress, a single faint scar running down between her breasts. Wasn’t hard to infer where it had come from. It was clear as day. There was no reason to hesitate.

“You’ve had a transplant.”

“Mm.”

Her tone didn’t change. She wasn’t rattled, surprised, or upset. She was so calm it was like she’d known he would bring this up.

Alone with her in the chapel, Sakuta said something he still couldn’t believe yet was weirdly certain of.

“So it’s true. You’re from the future.”

Shouko’s brows twitched once, troubled, but then she let out a long sigh. Then she smiled, as if admitting he was completely right.