Secondhand Memories (Pioneer English Cell Phone Novel)

A Long Night

Chapter 292

A Long Night

"Airu-chan?" Takashi asked, bewildered.

I was speechless.

Have you been here this whole time?"

Her cheeks were red from the cold, a white toque pulled low over her eyes.
I could tell she was shivering. What was she thinking?

She nodded after a moment.

"What were you thinking?" I asked. "You'll catch a cold or something."

"You could've waited inside at least. You wanted to talk to Seiji right?"

She remained silent.

Chapter 293

A Long Night

Then, "I don't know...I wasn't sure he would talk to me..."
Her voice was barely a whisper. I couldn't be sure if it was because of the cold.

"Come on," Takashi started.

I cut him off. "I'll see her home." I offered. It was the least I can do right now.

My friend looked troubled, glancing from me to Airu before giving a short, curt nod.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow then."

Chapter 294

A Long Night

We walked in silence once again like we had weeks ago.

She was still shivering and sniffling here and there but I was unsure of what to do.
To offer her my coat would be too suggestive, wouldn't it?

People were streaming past us every now and then,
their frosty puffs of breath joining the clouds in the night sky.
The lights on the city streets blurred as cars darted this way and that.
Even late on a wintry night the streets of Tokyo were bustling with activity.

The snow hasn't fallen yet.
Would we have a white Christmas season this year?

"Sorry.." She suddenly broke the silence between us,
her words written in white on the midnight air.

I remained quiet.

"Sorry for trying to take you away from Aoi."

Chapter 295

A Long Night

Her words only spoke of truth. That was what we were tempted with.

How vulnerable are human beings, that a single second can remove the life in us.
That it is so easy to fade from the world, from someone's memories. Even from our loved ones.
In the timeline of eternity, our existence is nothing but a speck of dust.

The moments in life are so quick and fleeting that we never are able to cherish the moment.
But after it has past we desperately try to cling on to it and drown ourselves with it.

Somehow within a few months someone was already tugging at my immature heart.
Will Aoi fade from my memories by next year? Will she stay in one place for all of eternity, abandoned?

The truth of it all was too painful. But all the more it is forcing me to grow up.
All the more that I must be responsible for us both.

Chapter 296

A Long Night

Then she was gone like the wind.

I saw her in the distance, walking briskly, head tucked down, away from the cold.
I could only see her retreating back. What must be on her heart, I would never know.

Could I trust her?

Did she hate me? Or did she hate Aoi?
Aoi who was asleep was more important to me than she could be.