Volume 31 Chapter 12 (1/2)

March 〇 (Monday)

Today, I met with shi+mako-san and Yoshi+no-san in the Rose Mansion, and we made presents for White Day

We spent a bit of tis went sly early Everyone was really pleased e'd done

On the way home, I posted an air- the mailbox at the north entrance of the train station I wonder how long it will take to get to Italy

◊ ◊ ◊

After separating froate, I took about three steps before I called out, ”Ah, no”

My voice was unexpectedly loud, and I quickly looked around in a bit of a panic It was the ti home from school or work, so there were a lot of pedestrians around but, luckily, st the chattering, sounds of footsteps, and other noises surrounding me

Careful, careful Just a little bit further and I'd turn into a ”crazy person who talks to themselves even when no-one else is around”

Oops, if I get sidetracked with that I'll forget what I was supposed to be doing again

The letter to shi+zuka-sama that I was supposed to put in the postbox near the north entrance was still in h I'd written it in the diary

I turned around to go back, but then thought better of it and decided to head towards the south entrance Either the north or south would do Thinking about it, the diary didn't for contract After all, I'd written, ”things went sly early” and it's hard to tell if that's what actually happened Well, since I was directly involved in that completely subjective measure, and that's what I wrote because that's what I thought, then that's how it must have been

Still, it wasin a diary, and then to have the outco outlandish happened, likeup a briefcase with one hundred million yen inside, was because it wasn't written about in the diary So it was fun to think that the diary was as close to reality as possible But the bits where it differed were also interesting

And that's how I foundin front of the red postbox at the south entrance Just before posting it, I made one last check

Stamp, check Recipient's address, check Air- was in order

Having completed the checklist, I held the letter to the silver e, then gave it a gentle nudge

The topic of the letter wasour school trip, I proive her a full report once I'd acknowledged a petit soeur She'd been kept waiting for quite so last I was finally able to post such a letter

When I turned around, pleased with a job well done, I found a young wo before me

”I thought that was you, Yumi-san”

I knew that face

I was stumped on who it was for just a moment, but then the circuit in my memory snapped in to place and I called out, in a much louder voice than before

”Ooowaaaaah!”

This tih to draw the attention of everyone in the vicinity Because, tothere was as outlandish as an alien

”Wh - What is it, Yumi-san?”

Even the person I was pointing at had been lured into raising their voice

”But, but”

I looked back and forth from that person to the mailbox, over and over

”I'm allowed to be in japan, aren't I? After all, it's my home country”

The person who laughed as she said that was Kanina shi+zuka-sama, in the flesh Who I'd just sent a letter to

”Don't tellback?”

Such a coincidence, but an unbelievable conclusion So, for starters, I tapped shi+zuka-sahtly on the arm Yep, her arm provided the proper tactile feedback It didn't appear as though she were an apparition

”Letter? To me? Sorry, I haven't read it It probably hadn't arrived by the time I left”

” … I suppose not”

I'd only just dropped it in the postbox For it to have already arrived would have been ic Plus, it would mean that shi+zuka-sama kne to teleport herself That would be the only way to get from Italy to japan instantaneously

”There's been some misfortune in my family, so I've temporarily returned to japan”

”Ah, my - ”

condolences, hat I was about to say, but shi+zuka-sa, ”It's fine, it's fine”

”My great-grandmother on my father's side was 101 years old It was a peaceful death”

That probably explained why shi+zuka-sa clothes

”Do you want to go somewhere? Well, that's what I'd like to ask, but this is the train station near school, and the cafe's kinda ordinary Plus, you're in your school uniform”

”Sorry”

”Well then, how about I get you a can of coffee?”

shi+zuka-sareed, and followed her over