Mixed into the Memories You Gave Me (II)

Oreki got off at the terminal station.

But that wasn't the end.

He still had to transfer several times.

Fortunately, he had prepared enough change.

He thought to himself.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to ride the trains.

There were more people here than he'd expected.

Everyone's shoes were covered in rainwater.

The air was filled with the distinctive smell of rain.

The cold pierced to the bone.

"Attention, passengers. The Utsunomiya Line train bound for Oyama and Utsunomiya will arrive ten minutes late due to heavy rain."

Again...

It was as if someone was trying to keep him from seeing Arisu.

It wasn't as though he'd done anything wrong.

Why did the train have to be delayed over and over...

17:15

It was already this late.

It would probably be very, very late by the time he got there.

Would Arisu still be waiting?

Maybe... she'd already gone home.

Or maybe she hadn't come at all.

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers."

Oreki clenched his right hand.

If he'd known this would happen, he should have arranged to meet later.

What if...

What if Arisu really had come?

Wouldn't she be lonely, waiting alone at the station?

But it was too late to say anything now.

He'd already thrown away his phone.

Because he didn't want to answer those people's calls...

No.

It was because he didn't want to face that message.

The one...

telling him to go back.

The unease in Oreki's heart suddenly intensified.

"Ding—"

That familiar sound rang out again in the distance.

The headlights shone brightly in the night.

"Due to heavy rain, the train will arrive ten minutes late."

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers."

His heart had gone numb.

Not long after passing Omiya Station,

the houses near the railway line suddenly grew sparse.

"The next stop is Kuki."

"We sincerely apologize for the significant delay."

"Passengers transferring to the Tobu Isesaki Line, please use Exit 5."

People trickled off, one after another.

In the end, only a few remained.

Standing by the train doors and leaning against a metal pole, Oreki looked outside.

Aside from the lights on the signs, he couldn't see anything else.

Ten minutes later,

the train set off again.

The stations grew farther and farther apart.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Why...

Was waiting so agonizing?

The distance between him and Arisu seemed to grow impossibly vast.

Little by little... they could no longer make out each other's faces.

Time passed slowly.

Before he knew it, it was already eight in the evening.

The wind made the advertising banners outside flap loudly.

On the pitch-black plain, only a few old streetlamps still cast a faint glow.

It was time for his final transfer.

Oreki got off.

He leaned against a stone pillar at the station.

There was a small ramen shop not far away.

He was hungry.

Hunger was slowly tormenting him.

But... Oreki didn't have enough money to spend there.

There was only one more train.

He was about to see Arisu.

The only thought that could soothe all of this was that.

It was the reason he'd kept going all the way here.

After sighing, he went to the vending machine and bought a hot drink.

He'd have to make do with that for now.

"Ding—"

The familiar sound rang out again in the silent station.

After getting on once more,

he found that there were hardly any people left.

In the swaying carriage, he sat alone in a window seat.

A feeling of loneliness enveloped Oreki at once.

It pressed down on him until he could barely breathe.

"Attention, passengers. Heavy rain has disrupted the schedule, and the train will be temporarily stopping."

"We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers."

"However, the train is currently unable to resume service."

Oreki looked up at the time.

21:01

At this hour, even if Arisu had come, she would have gone home long ago.

He no longer had any expectations.

He was tired...

"Houtarou, meeting you... made me so, so happy."

Arisu's words from that time echoed in his ears.

Words he couldn't forget.

He didn't know how much time had passed...

This stop lasted longer than any of the previous ones.

About two hours.

Every minute of it felt endless.

23:09

"The train has arrived at Iwafune Station..."

"Due to heavy rain, it will be stopping here for a while."

Oreki got off the train.

He'd finally arrived.

He stopped beside the station.

"As I thought... you're not here..."

He felt somewhat relieved.

After walking down the steps, Oreki went into the waiting room.

It was cold outside.

But the moment he stepped inside...

Tears fell despite himself.

He couldn't stop them.

Or rather, he'd been holding them back for long enough.

By the heater,

on the worn-out seat,

was the person he'd been searching for all this time.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

There were so many things he wanted to say to her.

But for a moment...

Oreki didn't know what to say.

He slowly walked over to Arisu.

"Arisu..."

"..."

Sakayanagi raised her lowered head.

She looked as if she'd only just fallen asleep.

When she saw who was standing before her, she lowered her head again and clutched Oreki's clothes.

The faint sound of a sob.

The sound of tears falling to the floor.

Oreki could hear it all clearly, because...

because it was so quiet around them.

"Didn't I tell you not to come... idiot..."

"...I'm sorry."

"Idiot, idiot..."

"..."

When Arisu felt Oreki's tears land on the back of her hand, she stood up and hugged him.

She... could no longer hold back her feelings.

The two of them embraced.

Just this was enough to make them feel warm.

Not just their bodies.

Even that bone-deep loneliness...

slowly began to disappear.

--To be continued