7 The Promise we made... (2/2)
”Sure. But why?”
”N- no particular reason...”, her voice trailed off at the end of her sentence.
How unusual of her. Usually, she wouldn't make requests like this. I wonder... what made her make this request?
When we arrived at the park, it was already empty. Hanako sat down on an unoccupied swing, so I decided to sit beside her.
Both of us remained silent as we gazed at the evening sky. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of our breathing. Just as the sun was about to leave the horizon, Hanako suddenly spoke,
”W- When we're sitting together like this, it feels just like the old times, huh?”
”It sure does...”
As I said that, I looked at her face. Now that I look at it, she has quite grown up, huh? She's also becoming more and more beautiful. Her sleek black hair fluttering in the wind made her beauty become a lot more alluring. Her eyes reflecting off the light of the setting sun shone just like the stars under the night sky. Her scent smelled just like the sun. As I think of her, my heart started to throb. It made me want to get closer to her. However, before I did anything...
”Yuuji... Do you still remember our promise?”, she turned to look at me. Her eyes are wavering. It was as if she was expecting me to say something.
”Promise?”
”You know, the one we made five years ago...”
”...”
”I see... You already forgot, huh?”
”I'm sorry, Hanako. I-”
”D-Don't worry. It's fine. I-It's not like it's important or something!”, as she said that, tears streamed out of her eyes.
It hurts. It hurts to see my childhood friend crying in front of me. It hurts to know that it's my fault that she's crying. Despite what she said, the promise must be very important to her. I racked my brains out, but I still couldn't remember. I-
”It's quite late right now, I'm going home now. See you later, Yuuji”, she said those words without her usual cheerful expression. As she walked off into the night, I sat there in the same place, trying to remember about the promise we made.
”#############”
”Un! It's a promise!”
Fragments of memories returned to me. I still couldn't remember the content of the promise, but it seems like it is indeed very important. As I kept sitting there, thinking about the promise, my phone rang.
”Nii-sama! When are you going to be home! I've waited for you all day you know?”
”Right, right. I'm sorry, Mio! I'll hurry back now!”
Since I have more urgent things to think about right now, I guess I'll try to remember about the promise later then. I said those words to myself as I ran back home at full speed, afraid of incurring my sister's wrath. And thus, the matter of the promise was completely forgotten.