Karafuru Page #5

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Really?

Ah, this road is where the Kinuta Line used to run.

Huh...

It'd leave the station, and make a big turn down here.

Cool, huh?

This is where the first Nakakouchi Station was.

Hmm...it's pretty close... You could just as easily walk, couldn't you?

This line was kind of a blessing for tired legs, huh?

It's a tiny station... Was there only a platform on one side of the train?

Yep. It was a single line.

It's kind of exciting, isn't it?

Table tennis, huh?

Yep. Up until just before the summer holidays I lived and breathed it.

Was only a sub for the team, though.

Thanks to all that practice, I ended up with the 31st lowest grades in a class of 32.

Woah, that's pretty bad... Not that I can talk. I'm number 32.

You're kidding me?

Nope.

Ahaha...

In a way, we're kind of awesome, huh?

Probably shouldn't be messing around like this, to be honest.

Well, not like we can get much worse anyway.

C'mon!

Right!

Woah...

This has gotta be a rail from the Kinuta Line...

Cool...

It's become part of the pattern on the pavement.

Woah, this is great...

Makoto, there's a neat photo here.

The second Yoshizawa Station would've been there.

It's pretty nice.

I know, right? Shame it doesn't run anymore.

You're into old stuff like this?

Hmm...comparatively speaking.

Don't you feel like when you take an interest in all this...

...it comes alive again, just a little?

Is that so...?

Or so I'd like to say.

My biggest reason is just that I can't be assed studying.

Ahahaha...

Last stop next. Kinutahonmura.

Huh? The last stop already? It's so short...

Just beyond this park.

Wow...

This was the final stop. Kinutahonmura.

I see...

Sorry for dragging you all this way with me.

N...nah, it was pretty interesting.

Though I didn't think it'd be at first.

His name's Saotome. Doesn't exactly suit him, huh?

Hahaha...

After talking to you today...

...I kinda want to ride the Kinuta Line.

Huh? Really?

Yep. Totally!

It's just your regular park, huh? They could've put up some kind of memorial.

Yeah...

Crap... So your trainers got stolen?

That one must've hurt...

Yep. More than the bruises and the cuts.

I kind of feel like I'm not cut out for this era.

Was probably fate that I'd just lose a pair of fancy new shoes like them.

Whaddaya mean?

What era are you cut out for, then?

Hmm...the Joumon Era?

That far back, huh?

You think someone from the Joumon Era would burst into tears 'cause they lost a pair of trainers?

Shut it. It's just the same as a Joumon person crying 'cause they lost their Haniwa.

A stylish, designer Haniwa.

Haniwa are from the Kofun Era. They didn't have them yet in Joumon.

Oh yeah. I'd expect no less from Number 31.

Ahaha...

I've no idea if I'm cut out for it or not, but I like this era.

Even if there's tons of bad stuff about it, I'll always pick now.

Would've been nice to ride the Tama Line, though.

Going to change your mind?

Ahaha...

Do you know a shoe store called Gomensourou?

Nope...

It's a total hidden gem. They have like an 80% discount too.

Really?

Wanna go together sometime?

Sure.

What the...?

Jeez...

What the heck happened...?

Yo!

Yo!

Wha...?

True unhappiness...

...is in things like not having someone who'll say hi to you...

...or being all on your own on your vacation, or when you're moving.

Just having someone who'll walk alongside you...

...can be enough to make your heart swell with joy.

To the point where you don't even care about anything else.

I can't get up in the morning at all recently. Only just got in on time today.

He was glaring right at you.

Really?

Definitely a hidden gem.

Makoto, there's a special rule you have to follow when you come here.

Gomen sourou!

Hahaha...

Ahahahaha...!

Damn you!

Sorry, sorry...

Come in!

Why don't you try them on?

Awesome... Can't believe they were 40% off.

So cool...

These were a thousand yen cheaper than when I last came, too.

Gomensourou... Nice find.

Told you so.

You'd never think we were sitting exams, huh?

Man...

My dad told me a while back that I gotta go to a pubilc school.

We don't have much money, and I've got a little brother and sister.

I see...

But to be honest...

I'm kind of thinking East Tamagawa High School might be good anyway.

Their table tennis team is awesome.

Though I'm not sure my GPA is up to it...

I asked Mr. Sawada about it, and he said I'd have to pull off a miracle.

Hey, want one? A thank you for today.

Ah, thanks!

I'll just take the small half...

Thanks...

Ah, that's really good!

The chicken's great too.

I wonder if I should try for Tamagawa East too...?

What do you think?

Really?

Yeah. That'd be awesome. Definitely.

I wasn't in a very good position to begin with...

And now it's probably way too late, but...

Not at all. Let's study for it together.

If you're going at it with me, I'm sure I can do it.

Me too.

You're a man of simple tastes, huh? Getting all fired up over a meat bun.

Laugh all you want.

You want to go to the same school as him that badly?

But by the time you get there, it'll already be...

Why did I...?

Fishing?

Yeah, we'll go for half a day. It'll pick up your spirits.

And if you're not that interested...

...you can just sketch while I fish, right?

Your mother bought you this.

She didn't want you to be cold.

Look.

Your mother sure has good taste, huh?

Right? It's nice, isn't it?

Try it on.

They said if you didn't like the colour, you could change it.

Huh? The colour looks fine to me.

Right?

Why did I...?

Huh?

Why did I...

...come here?

Can you fish here?

That's not the most important thing.

The most important thing is having a place where I can relax with just my rod and my line.

That's what fishing is to me.

Hey...

You'll be cold like that. Want to wear this?

It's fine.

Then how about a scarf?

I said it's fine.

Woah...

That's not half bad.

Can you draw me next?

I don't draw people.

Why?

I hate people. Well...most of them...

Hm, is that so?

I hate people too.

Let's have lunch.

Hey!

What?

Did you catch anything?

Not a thing.

Did he...know all along?

About Mum's...

Your mother made that specially. Why not have just a little?

She can't take much more of this, you know.

She's shocked enough that you used her medicine to try and kill yourself.

And there was all that stuff with your grandmother... It's a lot to take on board.

Your mother and your grandmother never saw eye to eye, but...

When her grandmother was hospitalised...

...your mother did her all to look after her.

But in the end...

...she died without saying one word of thanks to your mother.

It hurts to be so brutally rejected.

It's my fault too. I didn't support her like I should have.

She told me that she couldn't sleep at night...

...but I had no idea she had been seeing a doctor about it.

When you took those pills, it was...

...the first I had heard of your mother taking them.

I'm not asking you to start loving her again straight away.

But at least believe this:

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