27 The Promise (2/2)
”Hanako, I told you, didn't I? If you want something, just say it honestly.”
”H-Hmph! Stupid Yuuji!”
Despite saying that, she clutched my hands even tighter than before. Sigh, this girl... If only she could be more honest, I might even have fallen for her...
************
The pastry shop is not very far away from the school. As soon as we reached it, we immediately sat down and made an order. Since I was quite full from lunch already, I only ordered a cup of tea. However, Hanako seemed extremely elated and ordered a slice of strawberry cheesecake along with a cup of tea. Because of the situation earlier, the atmosphere between us turned awkward. Thus, we enjoyed our time in silence until,
”Ah, Hanako. You got cream on your left cheek.”
”Where?”
”Uh... Just a little above your chin.”
She attempted to wipe it with a tissue but to no avail. She looked like she tried her hardest, but her effort actually made the cream spread wider.
”Could it be that you're a really clumsy girl?”
”S-Shut up! S-Stupid Yuuji.”
”Hee~~
”Mou~~~~”
As she turned her head away, I grabbed her tissue and the wiped the cream off her cheek for her.
”There. Geez, you could've just asked me for help.”
”...”
After this incident, she stayed quiet for the rest of the time we spent at the shop.
Once she finished her cheesecake, she began to drink her tea slowly. Her face that has a little red tint to it made her beauty more alluring. Her eyes that are trying to avoid mine looks absolutely beautiful at this moment. Her silky black hair that is streaming across her shoulders gives out an aura of calmness. Just as I was staring at her, she started to speak,
”Nee~ Yuuji. Can you really not remember the promise you made five years ago?”
”...”
”I-It's fine. Don't worry about it...”
”...”
”That time, when you were going to move away, I was really sad you know.”
As she continued to speak, more and more memories started to return to me. That moment when we were at the park. The conversation we had, and...
”You made a promise with me, didn't you?”
”...”
The memories of the promise I made also came back to me. At that time, I remembered seeing Hanako crying so hard.
”I heard it from Mio. Charlotte came here to take you to England, didn't she? Stupid Yuuji! Don't leave me alone! I don't want to be alone anymore! You promised me, didn't you? That if we meet again, we would support each other for the rest of our lives. You still remembered that promise, right?!?!”, she said that as tears streamed down her face.
I don't think we're on the same page here...
Sigh... The atmosphere will definitely turn awkward if I tell her the truth...
”Hanako...”
”What is it?!?!”
”I'm not going to England, you know?”
”Eh?”, she said that with a stupified look on her face.
I put an end to her crying by saying the truth.
”I don't know what you were thinking, but I'm not going to England. I mean, why should I?”
”...”
She lowered her face and then her body started to shiver.
”Hanako?”
”WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT EARLIER?!?! STUPID YUUJI!”, she shouted out loud and then punched me in the jaw.
AH!!! It's not my fault, you know?!?!
However, before I had the chance to retort, my consciousness faded away.
Why must I experience something like this (TT)...