Summer / 夏

Now outside the building and back in our casual clothing, Natsuko and I met up with our five favorite spectators where we previously agreed. Yokoyama was the first to express her thoughts on the concert.

“Welcome back! You two were awesome! And Ishida, you looked really cute,” she smirked.

Hearing that compliment, even though its original intention wasn’t solely to praise my looks, I couldn’t help but soften up and absorb those words.

“Y-Yeah…”

Naoto, having been by her side during the whole thing and knowing her backward, feared the worst.

“Don’t tell me that’s the only thing you paid attention to during the whole concert.”

“O-Of course not! Just who do you think I am? Well, it’s true that I liked their performance more, but everyone else was also great! Just not as great as our duo.”

There she was again, all pompous, as if sitting on a higher pedestal than all other remaining performers. Flexing about something that wasn’t even hers.

“Aren’t you forgetting a certain three members that also helped? One of them is your class rep, by the way.”

“Of course not! Just who do you think I am? I was about to mention them! All five of them worked really hard.”

Interrupting their chatter, my parents stepped in.

“It’s true, you were both amazing! It had been a while since we last went to a music concert, much less one where Yuki performed. I’m very glad to see him performing again.”

“Indeed, darling. We’ve got to thank Natsuko for convincing him.”

“Ah, no. You got to give some credit to Ishida too. While it’s true that I pushed him to do it, the final decision was up to him,” she affirmed, also stepping into the conversation.

“This is not to say that everyone else, including the other three students who helped them, wasn’t amazing! Kimura, what did you think of their performance? We haven’t heard you comment since you left the building.”

My dad wanted to hear her input.

“I don’t really have anything else to add… but, never having listened to them playing violin, I was amazed by what they did. I want to hear them more in the future.”

“Well, it’s getting late. We’re going to return home now. What about you three?”

The fatherly figure was referring to my three friends, those who obviously did not live in our house.

“Ah, we’ll be heading home on our own. And you, Yoko-chan?”

“My house is near Ishida’s, so I’d appreciate a ride.”

“Oh, is that so? Then I’d be more than willing to drop you off where you want,” the driver readily agreed to the request.

Naoto and Kimura said their goodbyes. And so did we.

On the next day, in the morning, I went to the clinic to do my trimestral health check-up. I suppose this is the right moment to reveal this somewhat vital bit of information. About a year ago, after encountering issues when peeing multiple times, I was taken to a doctor who could properly assess the situation. It was then decided that I would be kept on watch, to see where this would all lead to. These check-ups have been taking place since then. Today was one of those rare days in the year when the doctor had to check if everything was alright under the hood, and, most importantly, if things were under control.

I was accompanied by my father. The other two were busy, so they couldn’t make it.

A few minutes of analyzing data and small talk later, he dropped the paperwork and got up from his chair.

“Well, I have good news and bad news. It looks like your urine is normal. No signs of infection. What’s more, the screening test results are in and everything seems normal. However, your last blood test tells me there may be something going on. We’ll have to discuss when to do further tests. Ryūga, when is he free?”

“I think the best time would be during his Summer holidays.”

“Okay. Is that fine with you, Yuki? Do you agree with your father?”

“Ah, yes,” I confirmed with a deadpan demeanor.

The doctor seemed a little surprised by my indifferent reaction to the briefing. Nevertheless, he proceeded and wrapped up the appointment.

“Well, it was nice to see you two! Good luck with your studies, Yuki! As always, you can schedule the next appointment with the lady at the reception.”

And that was it. After that, we headed back home.

In between bickering with Natsuko, helping out with chores, and blankly staring at my lifeless bedroom, the weekend vanished, giving place to another boring Monday. In the midst of all that, although neither of us realized it, something changed.

Ah, Summer. It was finally here.

Its arrival can mean many things. Blazing hot beach days. Warm morning walks. And rain.

But, for us students, it meant something even more important.

Indeed. Summer holidays were now closer than ever!

Four weeks left until our more than deserved six weeks of rest.

In these final days and weeks, we also had to prepare for the final term exams, meant to assess just how much we learned throughout these months.

Our grades didn’t differ much from what we got on our midterms. Hence, there was nothing worthy of note.

The final day of classes before our break had ended.

At long last. Freedom.

Kimura was the first of us to step outside, stopping shortly after setting foot outside with a pose I could only describe as Christ the Redeemer.

“Ah, can you feel this refreshing air coursing through your body, Ishida? This is what freedom feels like!”

“Not really. The only thing I feel is the suffocating thirty-five degrees outside.”

“We’re finally free from the shackles of school!”

“See? My Yoko-chan gets it!”

She instantly dropped her pose to hug her friend.

“Kimura, you’re way too close. Moreover, it’s sweltering in here.”

She moved away.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! But, you really are right, it’s pretty hot out here,” she came to her senses, “Where are you all going now? I’m accompanying Yoko-chan on her way home!”

Naoto expressed his intentions.

“Me too. I mean, I am going to my own house.”

“Aww. And here I was thinking for a second that you’d actually keep us company at least on our way home. Eh, it doesn’t matter, we’ll have enough fun by ourselves.”

“Ishida and I will also be heading home.”

With everyone having said where they were off to, Naoto took the chance to congratulate us on work.

“Alright! Good job in this term, everyone. I guess we’ll be seeing each other sometime from now. Hopefully, sooner than expected.”

Off to our destinations we went.

Summer holidays—we had, at last, entered that period of time.

One week passed by.

Two weeks passed by.

Three weeks passed by.

Well, almost—2.86 weeks, to be exact.

And nothing notorious happened.

Thankfully, something interesting did happen after all that time.

Hakozaki Park, on the other side of the city of Fukuoka. That’s where the energetic athlete was at the time. Staying on schedule. On her morning run around that very park and its surroundings. That was her place of choice due to the very short distance between the park and her house.

Already huffing and puffing, paying attention to her watch, she did one last effort to complete her daily mission, “29 minutes and 58 seconds… 29 minutes and 59 seconds…”

“Okay! I’m done!”

Wiping away the sweat from her forehead, she checked how much distance she covered—6.6 kilometers.

“Ahh, I was so close to my record distance!”

She opened the door of her house.

“I’m home!”

Arriving home, she noticed her parents hadn’t made it back during the time she was out exercising.

“Huh, so I’m by myself.”

Having finished that sentence, she went upstairs and took a shower.

Now lying on her bed, she wondered what her friends were up to.

“Aaaahhhhh, it’s so boring without any of them.”

She grabbed her phone to check if her friend had answered her yet. She hadn’t. Therefore, the phone returned to the bedside table—its initial spot.

“Yoko-chan told me she was going to Akiba for a few days and hasn’t said anything since. Jeez, I miss her already. I miss everyone.”

As if fate so wanted, her smartphone rang.

“Didn’t I tell them not to both—huh?”

Noticing the name of the person who was calling her, she nearly let her phone slip from her hands out of shock.

“Hello? Sakurai, is that you?”

“B-Big sister?”

“It’s so good to hear your voice! I’m very sorry for not calling you for so long!”

“Big sis, are you crying?”

“Mhm. I’m so glad we can talk like this again!”

“Me too… I wish I could hug you right now…”

“You’ll be able to soon.”

“What do you mean?”

The call went on for over an hour. They talked about everything and anything—previously discussed topics included.

Even though, as mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, some of the things that had happened during those years were already known between them, texting and calls are very different mediums of communication. There’s only so much text can do. There was only so much silence could do. But there is so much more that sound can do. Hearing the voice of someone who you hadn’t seen in years. Realizing all those days of waiting weren’t for nothing. It was beyond worthwhile.

Kimura passed on the information she got to me and the others.

First subject, Yokoyama.

“Seriously? Your sister’s invited us to spend a weekend with her? Do you need to ask? Of course I’m in!”

Second subject, me.

“Kyoto? Sounds great, count me in!”

Third and last subject, Naoto.

“Couldn’t she have chosen a better place? I’ve already been to Kyoto earlier this year. But, I guess I haven’t been there with my friends. I’ll be there, nonetheless.”

The days quickly evaporated and the time for us to meet up had arrived at last. Hakata train station. That was the meetup point we agreed upon.

Only four of us had arrived at that time with our respective luggage. One was missing, and that was—

“Where is Yoko-chan?”

“Have a little more patience, will you? I’m sure she’ll be here soon.”

“Yeah, aren’t you a bit impatient, Kimura?”

Natsuko backed me up.

“How cute, backing each other’s claims. Get dating already!”

Our faces gained a slight red tint. I stood up to defend us both from her wild claims.

“Huuuhh??? Who are you to say that to me? I do what I want!”

“Well, everyone’s so quiet, it’s so boring. Plus, I got to fill Yoko-chan’s role while she doesn’t get here.”

I spotted a familiar-looking face from afar.

“There’s your oh-so-esteemed friend. Didn’t take that long for her to arrive, did it?”

“No.”

Acknowledging defeat, she pouted.

“Hey, everyone! Sorry for being a bit late!”

That was short-lived though, since right as she edged closer to us, Kimura instinctively jumped to hug her.

“Yoko-chan, you’re finally here! I hadn’t seen you in a while, I missed you so much!”

“Kimura, you’re to—”

“I know, sorry,” she stopped hugging her faster than usual.

I’m typically an unceremonious individual, but credit where it’s due. This was a display of character development at its finest. A remarkable showcase of personal growth.

“Are you all finished?”

Naoto was awaiting the end of our talks. Natsuko, noticing the conversation was seemingly over, spoke for the group.

“Yes, or at least I think… so.”

“Okay, then let’s go inside and take our seats. Don’t want to lose our train, do we?”

We all stepped inside the Shinkansen.

The train departed.