Mixed in the Memories You Gave Me (2)

Oreki stepped off at the terminal station.

But it was not over yet.

Because there were still several transfers to make.

Fortunately, he had prepared enough small change.

He thought to himself.

Although it wasn't much, it was enough to ride the train.

There were more people here than he had imagined.

Everyone's shoes were stained with rainwater.

The air was filled with the unique scent of rain.

It was bone-chillingly cold.

"Attention passengers. Due to the heavy rain, the Utsunomiya Line train bound for Oyama and Utsunomiya will be delayed by ten minutes."

Here we go again...

It felt as if someone was preventing him from meeting Arisu.

He hadn't done anything wrong.

Why did the arrivals have to be delayed time and time again...

17:15

It was already this late.

By the time he got there, it would surely be very, very late.

Would Arisu still be waiting?

Perhaps... she had already gone back.

Or maybe, from the very beginning, she never came at all.

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

Oreki clenched his right hand.

If he had known this would happen, he should have set the meeting time later.

What if...

What if Arisu really did come?

Wouldn't it be lonely for her to wait at the station all by herself?

But it was too late to say anything now.

He had already thrown away his phone.

It was because he didn't want to answer calls from those people...

No.

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

That...

The message telling him to go back.

The sense of unease in Oreki's heart magnified instantly.

"Toot—"

The familiar sound came from the distance once more.

The train headlights were blinding in the night.

"Due to the heavy rain, the train will be delayed by ten minutes."

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

His heart had already gone numb.

Not long after passing Omiya Station.

The houses near the railway line suddenly became sparse.

"The next station is Kuki."

"We apologize for the significant delay in arrival time."

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

Many people left one after another.

In the end, only a few remained.

Leaning against the handrail near the train door, Oreki looked outside.

Beyond the light of the train's lamps, he could see nothing else.

Ten minutes later.

The train started moving again.

The distance between stations grew ever longer.

It shouldn't have been like this.

Why...

Is the waiting so agonizing?

The distance between him and Arisu felt infinitely vast.

Gradually... they could no longer see each other clearly.

Time ticked by slowly.

Before he knew it, it was eight o'clock in the evening.

The wind whipped against the advertising banners outside the window, making them snap and flutter.

In the pitch-black plains, only a few old streetlights emitted a faint glow.

This was the final transfer.

Oreki stepped off the train.

He leaned against a stone pillar at the station.

Not far away was a small ramen shop.

He was hungry.

The sensation of an empty stomach slowly tormented him.

But... Oreki didn't have enough money to spare.

There was one last train to catch.

He would be meeting Arisu soon.

Only this thought could soothe everything.

It was also the reason he had persisted this far.

After letting out a sigh, he walked to a vending machine and bought a hot drink.

He would just have to make do with this for now.

"Beep—"

In the empty, silent station, the familiar sound rang out once more.

After boarding again.

He realized there was almost no one left.

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

A sense of loneliness instantly enveloped Oreki.

It pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe.

"Attention passengers, due to the heavy rain disrupting the schedule, the train will be temporarily halted."

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

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

Oreki looked up to check the time.

21:01

At this hour, even if Arisu had come, she would have long since returned home.

He no longer held any expectations.

He was tired...

"Houtarou, being able to meet you... I am truly, truly happy."

The words Arisu had spoken back then echoed in his ears.

Words he could not forget.

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

This stop was longer than any of the previous ones.

About two hours had gone by.

Even a single minute of it felt agonizingly long.

23:09

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

"Due to the heavy rain, it will be temporarily halted for a period of time."

Oreki stepped off the vehicle.

Finally, he had arrived.

He paused beside the station.

As expected... she isn't here...

His mood seemed to lighten slightly.

After descending the steps, Oreki entered the waiting room.

It was freezing outside.

But the moment he stepped through the door...

Tears fell uncontrollably.

He couldn't hold them back.

Or rather, he had already endured for long enough.

Beside the heater.

On a worn-out chair.

The person he had been searching for was right before his eyes.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

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

Yet, for a moment...

Oreki didn't know what to say.

He walked slowly toward Arisu.

"Arisu..."

"..."

Sakayanagi lifted her lowered head.

She looked as if she had only just fallen asleep.

Upon seeing who was standing before her, she lowered her head once more and gripped the corner of Oreki's coat.

The sound of soft sobbing.

The sound of tears hitting the floor.

Oreki could hear it all clearly, because...

Because the surroundings were so tranquil.

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

"...I'm sorry."

"Idiot, idiot..."

"..."

Feeling Oreki's tears land on the back of her hand, Arisu stood up and embraced him.

It was... no longer possible to control these emotions.

The two held each other close.

Just like this, it felt so warm.

Not just physically.

Even that bone-chilling loneliness...

Slowly began to fade away.

--To be continue