NOVEL NEXT Chapter 64
The next day, I called Ms. Kakogawa, commonly known as Kako-chan, who should have been at school. I got her phone number from Akari the night before.
After a few rings, Kako-chan answered the phone.
“Hello, is this Ms. Kakogawa’s phone?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Ms. Kakogawa, it’s me, Hayashi Megumi.”
“Eh, Meg? Did your number change?”
“Yes, a few things happened.”
“Really? It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? What’s up?”
“Well, I came home today and thought I’d like to see you again after such a long time.”
“Okay.”
“Can I come to the school? It’s been a year.”
Kako-chan readily agreed to my request.
Around noon, Kako-chan didn’t have a class, so we arranged to meet then.
I took the local train, which I hadn’t ridden in a long time.
And so, I headed to school.
When I arrived at school, students who were about to have a physical education class were running toward the schoolyard in their gym clothes.
I met eyes with a few students. Some faces were familiar. They are probably in their third year. They were a year below us.
I put on the slippers for guests at the school and walked to the staff room.
The old school building, which I hadn’t visited in a long time, felt a little nostalgic, as if it reminded me of the time when I graduated. I felt a sense of tightening in my chest.
“Excuse me.”
“Ah, Meg, you’re here.”
“Yes, long time no see, Kako-chan.”
I remembered.
Kako-chan was our homeroom teacher when we were in the third year. She’s 42 years old this year. She has a beautiful smile, and we used to talk about how popular she must have been when she was younger.
“Well, let’s go to the reception room. We have some tea and sweets.”
“Oh, really? I feel bad though.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m on a diet right now.”
“In that case, I’ll take you up on that.”
In the reception room.
Kako-chan and I sat facing each other on a heavy sofa. On the table were sweets and tea that Kako-chan had brought.
“It’s really been a long time. It’s only been a little over half a year since you guys graduated.”
“That’s true. I was almost in tears from nostalgia when I walked around the school again.”
“Don’t cry like you did at the graduation ceremony and ruin your makeup.”
“I told you to forget about that…”
I sulked a little.
Kako-chan laughed as if she was having a great time.
“But what happened, really? I was kind of worried, you know? You suddenly stopped answering the phone.”
“…Ah.”
I was puzzled by Kako-chan’s question.
How much should I tell her?
Only four people knew that I was a victim of domestic violence from my ex-boyfriend, that I dropped out of university, and that I was staying at Yamamoto’s house.
My parents.
Akari.
And Yamamoto.
That’s all.
I don’t want to tell anyone else.
But thinking back, Kako-chan was… during my rebellious phase in high school, she was like a parent to me, treating me kindly.
In other words, she was a trustworthy person.
“I was living with my boyfriend.”
“Ah…”
“But we broke up. I was a victim of domestic violence.”
I thought I was okay now.
Thanks to Yamamoto, I thought I was getting over the trauma from the past.
But now, as I spoke, I couldn’t lift my face. I didn’t want Kako-chan to see me about to cry.
“I dropped out of university too. …It was terrible back then. …But I was saved by someone. That’s why I’m here now, able to meet you again.”
“That’s good.”
Ms. Kakogawa said with a gentle look on her face.
“Is this person… someone I know?”
“I wonder…”
“You’re being vague. But if you’re not denying it, is it one of our students?”
“Yes. We met by chance. He’s stubborn and full of sophistry. I hated him in high school. But now, I’m nothing but grateful to him.”
I couldn’t yet voice that I had more feelings than that.
“Meg?”
Kako-chan looked skeptical.
“I’m sorry if I’m wrong… But could it be… Maybe I’m wrong, but…”
“Kako-chan?”
“Could it be Yamamoto-kun?”
I was genuinely surprised.
My first surprise was that the teacher remembered Yamamoto.
During high school, Yamamoto was not the kind of person who stood out. Sure, he was a student in the class Kako-chan was in charge of, but it was still unexpected.
The second surprise was… that Kako-chan had connected me and Yamamoto.
I think Kako-chan probably knew that I didn’t like Yamamoto in high school. And that relationship was so bad that words like “dog and monkey” were too mild to describe it. That Kako-chan, who knew of our relationship, came to think of it…
And then, the third surprise was…
Probably that Kako-chan had a high regard for Yamamoto.
But on second thought, it wasn’t strange.
During high school, he always did well on tests, and his attitude towards classes was diligent.
As for his reputation among the teachers… let’s stop there, in order to respect Yamamoto’s dignity.
“Yeah, you got it.”
I decided to honestly voice my surprise.
I thought that Kako-chan, as I knew her, would be pleased with this.
However, Kako-chan’s face seemed somewhat thoughtful.
“…I see. That’s good, Meg. That you were helped by Yamamoto-kun.”
“Kako-chan?”
“Sorry. I just remembered hearing an old name.”
“What do you remember?”
“…I really did a terrible thing to Yamamoto-kun.”
Kako-chan murmured with a look of melancholy.