Tokyo Rebirth: Start From Picking Up Sayu

After a while.

Kato Yusuke looked away and responded: "...I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are talking about."

Sayu's heart skipped a beat, and there was a hint of disappointment in his brows. He lowered his eyes with some restraint, and just meditated for a while.

"Then...do you know Iwanami-san's name?"

"If you have anything to say, just say it." Yusuke Kato said bluntly, looking aimlessly at the store.

Gudu...

Sayu swallowed, clenched the skirt on her thighs with both hands, and raised her head carefully.

"...It may be a bit presumptuous for me to say this suddenly, but..."

She took a shallow breath and said softly: "I seem to have seen you in my dream..."

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she felt as if she suddenly became transparent and as light as a feather.

The young man didn't say a word and looked a little careless.

Sayu couldn't tell anything from the side face, so he had to continue telling.

"You may not believe what I am about to say next, and it may also cause trouble to you. Even I don't quite understand the reason... However, there are suddenly many strange things in my head."

"In my dream, a boy named Iwanami spent the summer of my second year of high school with me..."

"He has short black hair, is very tall, and has the same outstanding appearance as you. He is very popular with everyone."

"Then, he changed my life..."

The girl made the opening remarks like this, her eyes filled with memories.

After pausing for a few seconds, she continued slowly.

"...At the beginning, I didn't know him. Although we were classmates in the class, we never even exchanged a word."

"I haven't paid attention to him, so he must have not paid attention to me. Even so, because of his handsome appearance, there should be many people paying attention to him."

"There were several small groups in the class at that time, but I was not in any of them. Rather, I was a completely marginalized person at that time."

"I don't interfere with others, and I don't let others interfere. I live a peaceful life every day, just like the air."

"Because of my family, I have never been able to integrate into campus life, but this kind of thing has no impact and I can accept it."

"Things have been going well before...

But I was like this, but because I rejected a confession from a popular boy in the class, I was targeted by a girl who liked that boy, and I was isolated.

Not only that, my friend Yuko was bullied because of my relationship..."

As if remembering something bad, the girl's eyes were covered with a shadow.

At this time, the waiter happened to come over.

"Excuse me, this is a two-point Americano coffee and matcha latte, please use it slowly~"

As the other party said this, he elegantly placed the hot drink in front of the two of them, then turned and left.

"..."

The interrupted Sayu held the mug with both hands, took a sip, relaxed a little, and unconsciously whispered: "It's so sweet and delicious..."

Kato Yusuke's eyes flickered and he lowered his head to drink coffee.

The conversation continues.

"...At that moment, Iwanami-san spoke to us."

A look of sadness appeared on the girl's face.

Part nostalgia, part weirdness.

"That person is really weird. Not only did he come to contact me and Yuko despite the strange looks from the whole class, but he also pretended to know everything, which made me upset."

"Obviously he is completely different from us.

He doesn't need to worry about others, he can laugh and fool around as much as he wants, and even if he occasionally has a dispute with someone, he can quickly reconcile.

It is impossible for people like him to understand how we feel about living a normal life. "

There was a hint of depression in his tone.

and annoyed.

"Especially that person doesn't know how to keep a distance from others. He just steps into other people's caution zone without authorization. He is an rude and annoying person."

"Every time I talk to him I get angry, and he always does impulsive and random things without caring about other people's feelings."

"Even if I made it clear that I wanted to draw a clear line, he would still come to talk to me with a nonchalant look on his face."

Sayu said so.

…

For example, one day.

"Actually, I want to be friends with Ogiwara-san, is that okay?"

"Why? There shouldn't be any benefit to you from contacting us."

"That's wrong.

Nothing is more important to me than you, so will you agree to my request? "

"abnormal!"

It was clear that they were not even friends, but he was so rude and even rudely ate his own lunch.

Faced with his frivolous attitude, she just couldn't restrain her harsh tone and became quite stubborn.

From that day on, she maintained her indifferent attitude and stayed away from that person.

For example, one day.

"Ogiwara-san, Class 2, Class 3, I like you! Are you willing to become friends with me on the condition of dating?"

Even if she wanted to completely sever the relationship, the other party still kept getting closer and even openly confessed to her in front of all the teachers and students in the school.

She didn't quite understand why the other person was obsessed with her. It was obvious that that person had too many choices.

However, she wasn't going to agree to it.

For example, one day.

"Are you being targeted by Yu Yue?"

"Don't be so nervous. It's okay."

"is that so?"

"I'm telling you, you're showing this expression again, can't you have some confidence in me? If I say it's okay, it will be okay."

I really don't understand that person.

It's obvious that he has been targeted by troublesome people, but he is still so carefree.

She is so irritable because she doesn't understand.

No one had ever treated her with that attitude before.

It was like he was trying to tear away the strength she had built up, and made her rely on him in a self-righteous way.

... He had no idea how she had been protecting her friends.

I'm so angry, so angry.

She really hated people like him the most.

The excitement for others that she thought she had given up long ago made her heart beat fast.

For example, one day.

"Did you let those people from the football club get in touch with Yuko?"

"That's right. After all, if you want to be accepted by a circle, it will be more conducive for Yuko to be recognized by others if those with higher status give priority to guidance and example."

"...Have you thought this way from the beginning?"

"Instead of relying on you to protect her alone, don't you think that helping her build up her confidence and improving the environment is the right way to go?"

"I'm not denying this kind of thing...but..."

"But this is something you can't do from your perspective, so you can only choose to fight... Is this what you want to say?"

With just one word, that person stepped into the soft place in her heart.

Especially when the other party said everything right, it made her even more angry.

She felt that her past life had been completely denied.

But at the same time, somewhere in her heart she couldn't help but be excited about it.

Turns out someone noticed.

It was the other party who made her realize that she actually didn't like herself like this.

The feeling of powerlessness caused by the mother's hatred for his father's philandering, the pain of wanting to change but being unable to do anything, the loneliness of being forever treated as a transparent person.

gloomy

days.

That boy will always choose her unswervingly and stand on her side.

Because she was too guarded and didn't want to rely on others or let people know.

However, that person seemed to have noticed her distress from the beginning.

That's why she was so anxious, trying to keep a distance from him, but couldn't help but care about him.

Even though she was so indifferent to him and so fierce that she didn't care what he thought.

But that self-righteous boy really fulfilled his promise.

Not only did he extend his hand to her who had been fighting alone, but he also stayed by her side and even cared more about her own affairs than she did.

It was like the fuzzy wind blowing into an air-conditioned room, making her chest extremely hot.

I don't know when her name for him changed.

From "Iwanami-san" to "Yusuke".

Even though it was a helpless cooperation at the request of the other party.

However--

Just a slight change in the way of addressing her gave her a sense of intimacy without permission.

It was obvious that in order not to get involved in unnecessary trouble, she had always been indifferent to anyone and anything and lived a solitary life.

——But for the first time, I have someone I want to trust.

She also wants to have close friends.

Everyone has fun together every day, fights, occasionally quarrels and then make up.

Have a lively chat with your good friends about the boy you like, or discuss with them about the boy you like.

This was the first emotion she noticed after meeting the person in front of her.

She doesn't want her original life at all.

She was just imprisoned there.

In fact, she also wanted to move forward bravely and laugh happily like him.

Unknowingly, she began to look forward to the opportunity to talk to him, thinking that she could live such a life in the future.

Then a series of things happened...

The boy I like is framed, the girls in the class take revenge, the mother is bored, the best friend commits suicide...

Dizzying things come one after another, with overwhelming pressure, intending to completely destroy people.

But before she could react, things ended one by one...

"From school to home.

Things about Yuko, things about mom...

That man's promises were all fulfilled in the end, he is my hero..."

The girl's voice was choked and mixed with a thick nasal sound.

"...I have always been afraid. If I develop a relationship with someone, if I have someone I value, will I lose them all one day?"

"Will I hurt others and be hurt by others? Will I have to let go of the hand I hold? I'm really scared."

"But……"

The girl sniffed gently and hiccupped "gu, yigu".

"That person is so dazzling...

No one has ever been so determined to choose me. He always tries to face my heart and makes me want to rely on him unconsciously. "

She stopped for a moment while speaking, her long eyelashes trembling, her eyes filled with a layer of mist, she bit her lip, and there was a hint of crying in her voice.

"...In the end, I lost him..."

Couldn't continue.

Sayu lowered her head and closed her eyes tightly, her chest rising and falling erratically.

He placed a hand lightly on it and breathed hard for a few seconds to calm himself down.

Then.

She opened her eyes again and said in a deliberately calm tone:

"Even though it was just a dream, maybe it all sounds so unrealistic that no one even remembers it except me...

But...if you know anything, please tell me..."

As the words slowly settled.

It was as if he suddenly came to his senses from a certain state.

Kato Yusuke's eyes changed from blurry to clear, and then he transferred his consciousness from the void to the girl opposite.

His face, which looked more mature than he remembered, was illuminated by the dim light in the store, casting an illusory shadow.

That beautiful figure and lonely expression caused a burst of pain in his chest, but it didn't show on his face.

He looked at the other party calmly and whispered: "...I don't have what you are looking for here."

Wow, it was like being poured a bucket of cold water on.

The tirade just now felt like a lie.

Sayu suddenly woke up from his dream.

Pattering, the emotions receded like the tide.

"and you……"

She opened her mouth and tried to say something, but was interrupted by the boy.

"...Sorry I can't help you. Anyway, thank you for telling me this. This story is very interesting. I may consider using it in my creations in the future."

Kato Yusuke looked up at the clock on the wall and tapped his fingers on the table.

"As a thank you, I've invited you to have this coffee. Besides, it's already getting late, so it's almost time for me to leave. Nice to meet you, Ms. Ogiwara."

After saying that, he stood up, took the bill and walked to the cashier.

Seeing him about to leave, Sayu panicked for no reason, couldn't help but stood up and shouted: "...Please wait a moment!"

Kato Yusuke stopped, with no unnecessary expression on his face, "...Miss Ogiwara, is there anything else you can do?"

"..."

Sayu was speechless for a moment.

She wanted to continue to seek confirmation from him, but the other party had already made his attitude clear, and she had no reason and no idea how to stop him.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help lowering her eyes in disappointment, and then slowly shook her head, with a reluctant smile on her face.

"...Nothing, thank you for listening to me. I'm sorry for wasting your time..."

Tick ​​tick tick, the clock ticks gently.

"..."

Looking at the soft smiling face whose expressive muscles were a little weak, Kato Yusuke's fingers holding the bill book unconsciously clenched and unclenched, and asked.

"……Where do you live."

"Eh?"

Sayu who suddenly heard this question couldn't help but was startled, his eyes flashed slightly, then he lowered his head and stared at his toes and whispered:

"...I came in a hurry and haven't found a place to stay yet."

There was a brief silence.

"...Follow me later and I'll take you to a nearby hotel."

Kato Yusuke said without emotion, and then walked past her to the cashier.

A hint of guilt flashed in the girl's eyes, and she hummed softly: "...Thank you."

…