Chapter 4: So Much for a Dramatic Reunion...?

And so, the fated February 14th arrived.

Hinata and Keita had come to the bullet train terminal at their nearest station.

"...The day’s finally here, huh."

"Yeah."

Under the bleak winter sky.

There was none of that warm, fuzzy air of a sweet little Valentine’s Day trip floating between them.

Both of them were dressed in practical jackets, the kind you'd wear on a hike, and in a rare move, Hinata had tied her hair back.

It felt less like a date and more like they were headed into battle.

And with good reason.

The place they were headed to was—home.

But not the homes of Nishinomiya Hinata or Tokura Keita.

—Rather, they were going to see the homes of Hyuga and Kei.

In other words, the houses where they had lived in their past lives—far away from where they stood now.

"...I wonder how Mom’s doing."

"It has been twenty years, after all. I looked things up on the map app, but it’s changed so much, we might still get lost."

"Yeah, probably."

Since that day they met again, the two of them had been looking into the accident—through libraries and the internet.

But no matter how much they searched, all they could find were details about the incident itself.

They could confirm their names on the list of the deceased, but of course, there was no mention of what became of their surviving families.

...What kind of lives had their families lived since then?

It wasn’t something as soft as "curiosity."

With memories intact, being drawn to them was inevitable—and both Hinata and Keita had carried that weight in their hearts ever since.

"Took us long enough to actually make a move, huh."

"We had to wait. It couldn’t be helped."

As her childhood friend offered a sheepish smile, Hinata answered firmly.

They probably could’ve made it happen sooner, if they’d just asked their parents for help.

They didn’t have to be completely honest about it.

They could’ve asked to be taken somewhere nearby for a family trip, then snuck off from there under the guise of free time.

But Hinata didn’t feel like that was the right way to do it.

If they were going to meet their families from their past lives, they had to do it with their own strength.

Otherwise, it felt like a betrayal to the families who had raised them in this life.

When she had confessed that to Keita, he’d apparently felt the same. He agreed instantly.

Of course, they weren’t allowed to work part-time jobs until they reached high school.

And even then, their families made them promise to keep up with schoolwork if they were going to do it.

So, despite packing their schedules tight, it still took until the end of the school year to save up enough.

And the only day that worked out for the trip... happened to be their death anniversary. Life had a twisted sense of humor.

"Just checking—you did tell your family where you’re going, right?"

"...They wouldn’t get it even if I did. And if they knew I was going with Kei, my brothers would go nuts."

"Yeah, well, they do hate me. Still, you can’t do that, Hinata. You’re a girl. If something happened, they’d be seriously worried. You’ve got to do things properly."

"Ugh... Fine. I’ll tell them. After we’ve left. I just know they’ll try to come meet us at the station or something otherwise."

Chastised with a sharp tone, Hinata puffed her cheeks in protest—but in the end, she gave a reluctant nod. She understood where he was coming from.

"Alright then... Let’s go."

"Yeah."

While they were talking, the bullet train had apparently arrived.

Hinata stepped onboard as Keita motioned to her, grumbling softly while glaring at her phone screen.

Even though they had left in the early morning, by the time they transferred buses and reached their destination, it was already past noon.

Still, compared to all the time they’d spent preparing, it felt like the trip had gone by in a flash.

The place they’d arrived at was a run-down residential area.

In front of a large, weathered house with faded walls, the two of them stood still.

"Alright, just like we planned—I'll go to my house first. What about you, Hinata? It’s hot here. You could wait in the shade if you want?"

They had come quite far south.

The sun was blazing, and there was hardly any snow around.

It wasn’t hot enough for summer clothes, but for kids used to snowy winters, their thick outfits were overkill.

Keita’s suggestion came as a welcome relief.

"...Yeah. I’ll do that, then. Don’t worry about the time. Stay as long as you need."

"Well, we’ve got the return train to think about, so I can’t take too long. But... thanks. I’ll be back soon."

With a calm smile, Keita took a step forward.

Hinata, meanwhile, headed for the shade across the street, wiping sweat from her brow.

And as Keita slowly reached out to press the doorbell, she stood quietly, watching him the whole time.

After a conventional melody rang out, the door was answered by a dignified, elderly woman.

"Um, may I ask who you are?"

"I'm sorry to bother you out of the blue. We came to visit a friend who lives nearby, but we got a bit lost on the way… I hate to trouble you, but could you possibly tell us how to get to the park where we’re supposed to meet?"

The woman frowned slightly, clearly wary of the unfamiliar visitors.

But after listening to Keita's explanation, she murmured, “Oh dear,” and kindly began giving detailed directions, holding the map he handed her.

"…Do you think you've got it now? The streets are a bit complicated, but it should be quite close."

"Ah, I see. So I just go straight until the end and turn left, right? Thank you so much. That really helps."

"Heeey, you done yet? The rerun’s about to start!"

"Hold on a minute, dear! We have guests, you know!"

Just as Keita gave a polite bow, a voice called out from inside the house.

The woman turned her head to respond loudly, then turned back to Keita, her cheeks faintly red.

"Sorry about that—you caught us at a bit of a silly moment."

"Not at all. Was that your husband?"

"Yes. He retired a few years ago, and ever since then, watching dramas together has become our little hobby. He used to act so tough and stubborn, but… maybe he’s gotten a little lonely since our child left."

"…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry."

"Oh, no no. I’m the one who volunteered the information. Don’t worry about it. …Well then, may I ask something in return? That lovely young lady over there—are you two, perhaps, a couple?"

"Th-that’s… Well, I’d like it if we could be, but I haven’t really worked up the nerve to take that step yet."

It was probably an innocent question, but Keita scratched his cheek awkwardly.

Even though they were standing a fair distance from the shade where his childhood friend waited, he didn’t dare say something careless. If she overheard, who knows how she’d react?

…She’d probably get that usual annoyed look on her face. He could already picture it, and so his answer came out vague and noncommittal.

"That’s a shame. …Maybe I’m meddling, but I think it’s wonderful to have someone you feel that way about. Don’t give up, alright?"

"Ahaha… yeah. I’ll do my best."

Maybe she picked up on the subtle awkwardness—her words of encouragement felt sincere.

At the very least, it wasn’t unpleasant.

Despite it being their first meeting… the atmosphere was surprisingly warm.

"Hehe, this reminds me of when I had similar talks with my daughter, back in the day. Maybe I’m just in a good mood after chatting with someone young for the first time in a while. Some kids from the neighborhood drop by now and then to check on us, but not many around your age."

"…………"

But then, Keita fell silent at her next words.

"Sorry to bring down the mood on your trip, talking about some old lady’s life. …Getting old isn’t easy. You start going on about memories no one even asked to hear."

She must have mistaken his silence for discomfort or disinterest.

Flustered, the woman gave him a quick bow.

…Not that Keita minded the story at all. That wasn’t it.

As he looked around for something else to say, something fluffy and white appeared from behind the door.

"And who’s this little one?"

"Oh my. You couldn’t wait, could you? Sorry about that—just a moment, okay?"

A spitz, maybe? That was the breed, if he remembered right.

Calm and gentle, just like its owner, the dog padded over to the woman’s feet and nuzzled up affectionately.

The woman gently picked up her pet, stroking it as she softly cooed “There, there,” and turned back to Keita again.

…Probably just an ordinary scene in her daily life.

But watching it unfold, Keita found himself murmuring.

"…Are you happy right now?"

The sudden question made the woman’s eyes widen for a brief second.

But then she tilted her head playfully, as if pondering it.

"Yes, I am. There was a time when I was swallowed up by grief and didn’t know what to do… So I misspoke earlier—it’s not just the two of us. This little one is a cherished part of our family too. I don’t feel lonely at all."

Then she smiled—openly, without a trace of hesitation.

"…Sorry. That was a weird question. But thank you."

"Not at all. You were worried for me, weren’t you? In that case, let me give you a little old-lady advice. If you’ve come from far away, make sure you get back to your parents safe and sound. No matter how safe things might seem, you never know what could happen."

"…Yeah. I’ll be careful. Thank you again, truly."

They both seemed a little reluctant to part, but a voice calling from inside gave them the push they needed.

Keita bowed again, and the woman waved lightly before retreating into the house.

He waited until the door shut with a soft thud, then turned and made his way back toward the sunlight.

"…Sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s go, to your place, Hina-chan."