The Fourth Period Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

"No helping it. All we could do was keep living."

"No helping it. So all we could do was keep living."

We looked at each other and smiled helplessly.

Just then, the child said a few words to her mother, then came pattering over.

"—The extra ones are for you!"

She stuffed a small package into Zaimokuza's hands, then pattered back.

Her footsteps were light, pure, and unstained.

Then she and her mother kept bowing as they disappeared around the corner.

After watching them leave, our gazes fell on the bag in Zaimokuza's hands.

"This is..."

It was a small packet of cookies wrapped in red and green ribbons. They did not look store-bought. She had probably worked hard to make them.

Like a carefully prepared gift.

"...Christmas, how wonderful, how wonderful!"

"You're such a simple guy."

Zaimokuza started singing as if he were joking, and I chuckled.

But in truth...

I was a little envious of him, so I supposed I was pretty simple too.

Zaimokuza and I said goodbye at the ticket gates. He was taking the Yamanote Line to Ikebukuro, while I was transferring to the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku.

"Christmas, how wonderful, how wonderful... huh?"

The Christmas song Zaimokuza and that child had made up lingered in my ears.

I leaned against a pillar on the platform and closed my eyes.

I shut myself away in a dark world, yet felt strangely restless.

"..."

I reached into my pocket, fished around, and pulled out my phone.

Using the sound of scrolling through my phone as cover, I pressed the digits one by one. It was a number I had hesitated over for a long time, one I had ultimately never called.

I was completely using alcohol to bolster my courage. Though maybe I was only pretending