Chapter 44

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

A not so fluffy beginning to a date.

Title: Satou-san, who doesn’t wear makeup

Saturday afternoon was a beautiful fall day. The wind was colder than I expected, and I was glad I had my jacket out. It should get colder as soon as the month changes. I walked down the road to the station, looking at the trees on the street as they shed their leaves.

I’m not likely to make good memories at the festival, but apparently it’s not all bad. I had arranged to meet Satou-san on the holiday under the pretext of going to buy a costume. After all, I’m a student taking an entrance exam, and Satou-san is still looking for a job, so it’s been a while since we’ve met outside of school. That’s why I seem to be a little nervous. Every time the wind blows, my bangs bother me and I want to stop and fix them. Lately, the depression about the play has been occupying my mind and I haven’t been studying for my exams very well. That’s why I wanted to see Satou-san. We could see each other more often, but unfortunately we are still just classmates. It was difficult to ask her out unless there was a reason to do so, since both of our careers were at stake. In that respect, this time it was her who asked me out. I was already happy about that.

Whenever I meet up with Satou-san, I always meet her at the station. The time required for the meeting was well balanced between her coming on foot and me coming on the bus. When I arrived at the square in front of the station, Satou-san was already there. She was wearing a black cardigan, denim jeans, and a white scarf, which, although impolite, was not very sexy. Her hair was tied in a single knot as usual. I glanced at my watch before impulsively running to her. One fifteen in the afternoon. It’s 1:15 p.m. We had arranged to meet at 1:30 p.m., so that means we’re both early.

“Satou-san.”(Y)

I walked up to her and called out to her. She looked up at me with a huff. She looked at me and smiled at me as if she was relieved.

“Oh, Yamaguchi-kun! You’re early.”(S)

“Aren’t you the one who arrived earlier, Satou-san?”(Y)

Satou-san’s cheeks and ears were red from the cold autumn wind. She nodded as she nuzzled her face into the scarf.

“Yeah. I was already there a while ago.”(S)

“That much?”(Y)

I was perturbed. Then I was making her wait a lot. It’s good to wait, but I’m sorry to make you wait. I apologized in a hurry.

“I’m sorry, I should have come a little earlier too.”(Y)

“Yeah, okay. I just came on my own. Don’t worry about it.”(S)

“You could have called me and told me to get over here.”(Y)

“I can’t say that. Yamaguchi-kun was always on time.”(S)

Satou-san shook her head. Then she looked at the station house and continued.

I had to run some errands at the station, so I came early. You really don’t have to worry about it.”(S)

Then I notice the little booklet she’s holding in her reddened hand.

“Did you get your timetable?”(Y)

“Yes.”(S)

Satou-san replied as if it was nothing.

“I’m going to work in the spring. I was just going to take a look at my route to work.”(S)

I gulp.

“…Oh, yeah, what is it?”(Y)

I knew that Satou-san will not go to college and chose to work after graduation. She was the only one in my class who did not go to prep school. She also told us that while we were busy studying for exams, she was working hard to find a job. She had promised to give me advice on job hunting when I became a university student, since she was senior to me. I knew it, but I was more surprised than I thought I would be. I thought that she was really going to be a working person, as if that was a new thing to me. So you got a job? It would have been nice to be able to congratulate her on a moment’s notice. But somehow I couldn’t find the words to say anything.

“I haven’t told the teacher about it yet, but I found a job.”(S)

“Yeah, huh?”(Y)

“Well, that’s where my relative works. It’s a clerical job at a bento shop. It’s a little far away, so I have to take the train to get there. So I want to get used to it while it’s still fresh in my mind.”(S)

Maybe it was my imagination, but Satou-san looked more mature than usual when she said that. The same as usual, even though she is dressed in the same unrefined clothes. Even her hair is still tied in a single, colorless knot, and she doesn’t wear any makeup at all, but her expression is so bright and her eyes are so sparkling that she looks dazzling to me now.

A gulp sounds in my throat. I wondered why. Contrary to the expression on Satou-san’s face, I felt a vague sense of unease. Maybe it wasn’t anxiety, it was sadness. Maybe it’s because she’s decided on a career path before me and I’m still waiting for the entrance exam, so I’m in a hurry. But I also feel like it’s different from that. No, it doesn’t matter. There is something else I should say before that.

“Uh, well, uh, congratulations.”(Y)

Quite late, I mentioned my congratulations. It was an awkward tone, I thought to myself.

“Thank you,”(S)

Satou-san laughed quite naturally.

“I haven’t really felt it yet. I wondered if I would be able to do well, if I would be able to continue working, and I was filled with anxiety.”(S)

“That’s okay, Satou-san.”(Y)

I wanted to encourage her.

You’re serious enough to look up your route to work now, I’m sure it will work out. I’m sure it’s going to last.”(Y)

Seriousness is her only quality. She’s clumsy, she’s dull, and she has a lot to worry about in other areas, but she also has a lot of good things about her. So it’s going to be okay. That’s what I wanted to think. I had no proof, but I wanted to believe it.

“I felt more confident when you say that, Yamaguchi-kun.”(S)

She says in a bright voice, then looks at her watch. She smiles and urges me on.

“Oh, I’m sorry for talking so long. Shall we go to the store now?”(S)

“Yes.”(Y)

I nodded. Then we walked shoulder to shoulder toward the shopping district in front of the station.

As we walked next to each other under the shopping arcade, I occasionally stole a glimpse of her profile. She’s out with a boy, but she doesn’t have any makeup on,. At best, she’s wearing lip balm. Her hair is tied in a knot, and her clothes are tacky. The person next to her is Satou-san, who I know very well. But maybe she will start wearing makeup in the spring. When you start earning your own money, maybe you’ll start to dress a little more elegantly. Maybe you’ll have that lip color or a different haircut than you do now. Maybe she’ll even wear a suit. And maybe she’ll be much more mature than I am – and that’s how she’ll end up. We can stay as classmates until March. From April, each of us will have a different career path, and we won’t have the opportunity to be next to each other as much. Even though we won’t be able to see each other for longer, I hope that Satou-san will be able to smile. I want her to have an enjoyable working life. But I also hope that she doesn’t change too much.

A vague sense of loneliness passed through my chest and I couldn’t say anything until I got to the store.

<-prev next->

Like this:Like Loading...

Related