Vol 1 Chapter 9 (1/2)

「Return: Chapter 9

“Right here, Sir?”

The apartment complex the tax driver stopped in front of was definitely the one in the documents

“Thank you”

I paid with a credit card and got out of the car Before me, stood what appeared to be a fully constructed, multistory apartment complex

Was he really here?

I looked at the cru the roo towards the entrance I stood for some time in front of the intercom, unable to dial the room number

How much time had passed?

I knew nothing would be settled like this, but ers would not move After much hesitation, I finally made up my mind and dialed the number of the room Five seconds passed Ten seconds passed

The possibility that the person I was looking for was not at home completely hadn’t even crossed my mind Today was Saturday; he would not be hohed, but at thatsound of the intercom

My heart pounded When it became clear to my ears that he had answered, I heard a voice speak on the other side of the intercom

“Come in”

Tears came to my eyes the moment I heard that familiar voice

“Finally……” I can see you, I was about to say, but then heard the sound of the automatic door open

“………Ah………”

The auto lock on the door had been lifted It required me several seconds to realize this I caain and rushed inside before the automatic door closed

The door closed behind me Now my destination was no other than his – ‘Suzuki’s’ – roos would not move forward I was scared of our reunion This is how I felt But evenout if Suzuki even remembered me

“What did you come here for?”

I was scared he was going to say that

“Who are you?”

I definitely would not be able to recover if he asked me that Nevertheless, fear could not beat ht for the elevator and pressed the button that went up to the floor where his room was located as it was stated in the docuan to feel dizzy, so I closed my eyes In this virtual darkness, Suzuki’s face clearly appeared in my mind

That beauty mark by the mouth Those misty black eyes Those red lips

He certainly existed in this world

His real name was coion completely unfamiliar to me……why?

Why was he in Kansai?

Was it a coincidence? Or was it a necessity for him to be here?

I didn’t know I couldn’t even provide a guess for it

The h, the elevator bell sounded, and the door opened

“………”

I will get out and head towards the roo this, but couldn’t actually do it I shouldn’t turn back now, should I? Hesitating for the last time, I pressed the button that read ‘open’ before the elevator door could close But I had only hesitated for a moment Surely, thewould happen But I could no longer suppress my desire to see hian walking towards the roo in front of the room, I looked up at the nameplate Like on many of the other rooms, there wasn’t a name written on this nameplate

Was ‘Suzuki’ really in this room?

“Come in”

The voice on the other side of the intercom that had said this had certainly sounded like Suzuki’s But because I hadn’t actually seen the person, I couldn’t be sure that it had been Suzuki Whoever was on the other side had probably seen h the camera on the intercom and had invited me in, so it was definitely Suzuki as inside the rooer inside their place just like that Nevertheless, I couldn’tthe doorbell of this rooood minute

Of course I couldn’t let this go on forever, so I finally reached out and pressed the doorbell At thatme, and I took several steps back

“Hey”

It see in front of the door for the doorbell to ring I was stunned ‘He’ gave h it had been a year since we had seen each other, he gave me a friendly smile as if we had only parted yesterday I was in a daze

‘He’ –Suzuki –, whoed for and even saw in

“I aiting……no, I wasn’t expecting you to couess”

“……Eh?”

I didn’t understand what that meant But more than not understand what that ht now I could be convinced with this being a dream, yet I still could definitely be convinced with this not being a dream, but a delusion, also

Suzuki was right in front of me

This miracle – this joyful event – felt like a drea that it felt as so When I carefully thought it over, it couldn’t be that I was asleep shi+rai had investigated him, and I had coation results, so there was absolutely nothing strange about hiht in front of me This was definitely reality

I bet he had given up in seeing ood luck to be reunited with him that for a moment it had been unbelievable tointo his misty eyes

“Well, co me inside

“………Pardon for intruding……” The usual words you say when you enter someone’s home escaped my lips automatically, and this made me come back to my senses a little

First the right foot, then the left I stepped towards the open door,my way inside the room I entered inside and took off my shoes as Suzuki carefully watched every action I aze

“I’m happy to see you What did you drink? Perhaps, you’re kind of drunk?”

I knew fro as he asked Now that he had said that, I realized for the first time that I was severely drunk Come to think of it, I had drunk more than one bottle of wine

Was that why hts were so scattered?

Perhaps I should have turned back, I thought, but then I was also sure that I definitely wouldn’t have been able to come to his place if I were ihts in ht into his – Suzuki’s – face

“………” What is it? Suzuki widened his large, dark eyes as if asking me this

“……Ah……”

I felt like he could see deep intoeyes, but at that ation documents about Suzuki, which I had read over carefully in the taxi, popped into my mind

His specialty is putting on hypnosis

Was he putting hypnosis on ain?

He gradually narrowed his black eyes as I stared fixedly at hiaze

“Anyway, how are you? I was prepared, but I didn’t knohen, so now it’s a bit of a mess”

“……Um……”

Not too long ago, he had sounded as if he had been expecting me to co that had come to his head? I couldn’t tell, but for soe for his

“Have a seat I’ll bring wine”