010

As usual, Miss Renma woke me up by stepping on my head. Barely able to keep my eyes open, I had to crawl laboriously to the bathroom to splash water on my face. I turned on the faucet and drenched my head under the running water, trying to fully rouse myself.

Because we'd spent the previous day dealing with that girl's problem, we hadn't had time to eat dinner. After the case was resolved, Miss Renma ordered me to escort the girl home. I saw the condition of her apartment. It wasn't any worse than ours. But it was far below the standard for a respectable young lady.

Even so, she didn't seem to mind.

She was happy to live there.

She was genuinely happy to live there.

The truth was, Kasuga Kaneko realized that a tiny apartment without a separate bedroom was actually more comfortable for her. It was a place where she could lean on her own feelings and keep living, day by day, with her own efforts.

I ended up having dinner there. Kasuga Kaneko's cooking was nothing to scoff at.

This morning was the last day of exams.

As usual, I tried to pedal my bike as fast as I could to get to school and have a little time to study. Unfortunately, my tire went flat, and I had to run at full speed to school, leaving my bike at the nearest police station.

When I arrived at the school gate, it was already crowded with students streaming in.

"Good morning, Yamato."

One of those students was her—Kasuga Kaneko.

She had removed the eyepatch from her eye.

She no longer wore that empty, expressionless face.

She smiled with relief, her hair tied in a ponytail just like the night before.

"You... tied your hair back?"

"Yes."

"Your bangs are shorter too?"

"This way, it's easier to see. My bangs were too long, so I cut them."

Really.

This girl truly is beautiful when she smiles. And the ponytail.

I wasn't in school with her nine years ago.

But I know, and I'm fully aware, that that smile would make anyone who saw it feel happy. The smile of the model student—kind, attentive to everyone. She had returned.

"Hey, Kasuga."

"Yes?"

"Did you study last night?"

"A little."

I knew you did.

"I didn't."

"I figured."

A joke for the morning.

"Then, could you teach me a few things?"

With a smile, Kasuga answered. "I will."

That smile was such a relief.

I liked it.

We'd already promised to go to the cat café.

For some reason, this summer felt cooler than usual.

—see you in the next case....