The Tanabata festival was a mystery to me, a mystery I could've easily uncovered with a simple internet search. But I preferred to reserve my memory space for things that truly captured my interest.
It was this approach that earned me top marks in every exam.
Today, I had some free time and much to discuss with Yozora, so I decided to join him instead of staying at home. As for Akio, I didn't know much about her, not even her phone number. But I had talked to Tsuki about it, and she promised to find out how Akio was feeling.
In truth, I had attempted to make Tsuki jealous with this information. But my plan had failed as she was happy for Akio's confession. I was driven by jealousy love, just like Kai's ideology. And I must admit, he was partially right.
It was 5 PM, and Yozora had asked me to meet him at his house at 6 PM. But with nothing better to do, I went to his house. I made a stop at the shop and headed to Yozora's house, which was close to school.
I once thought Yozora was from a wealthy family but we became friends I knew Yozora was from a middle class family. But I was still surprised by the small size of his house. It was much smaller compared to mine and other homes in the great Tokyo.
I knocked on his door softly, ready to talk to whoever answered. I expected to be greeted by his parents, but instead, an old man appeared. He appeared to be around 85 years old.
"Hello there! May I ask who you are?" he said in a small, gentle voice.
"Hi, I'm here to meet Yozora. I'm his friend," I replied.
"Oh, I see. But I'm sorry, this isn't a ramen shop," the old man chuckled, as he attempted to close the door.
"No, no, that's not what I said. I said I'm here to meet Yozora," I corrected him.
"Ah, I apologize, kid. This is not a ramen shop," he repeated.
"I'm here to see Yozora, I'm his friend," I said again, a hint of frustration in my voice.
"Kid, you're starting to make me angry. THIS IS NOT A RAMEN SHOP," he replied, firmly.
"AHHHH, OLD MAN, I'M HERE TO SEE YOZORA. I'M HIS FRIEND," I raised my voice.
"Oh, I see. You should have said that earlier. Yozora went to the shop a few minutes ago, but he'll be back soon. Come on in," the old man finally welcomed me.
I stepped inside the old house, the creaky floorboards sounding with each step, giving the impression of a haunted house.
"Please, have a seat. By the way, what's your name, kid?" he pointed to a chair at the old dining table.
"My name is Satou Kousei. Nice to meet you," I replied, eager to know his name as well.
"Nice to meet you too, Hitagi Ken," he chuckled.
Oi oi oi oi you
"No, no, my name is Satou Kousei. May I ask for your name?" I corrected him.
"My name is Suzuki Yuto," he replied with a smile.
He brought me a steaming cup of green tea he had prepared himself and gently queried, "So, why have you come to visit?"
OH MY GOD! I AM FRICKIN TIRED. Is this guy for real? Or is this some kind of prank?
"I CAME TO SEE YOZORA! HE LIVES HERE, DOESN'T HE?" I eagerly replied.
"Ah, yes! Of course, you came to visit Yozora. Unfortunately, he is out shopping at the moment."
"RIGHT, YOU ALREADY MENTIONED THAT," I nodded, feeling a sense of frustration setting in.
THAT IS IT! I AM GOING TO LEAVE! NO TANABATA FESITVAL FOR ME TODAY.
Just as I was about to turn and leave, Suzuki Yuto san took a seat in the chair facing me.
"Satou Kousei, I don't believe we have met before. Are you a new friend of Yozora's?" he asked with a hint of warmth in his voice.
"Yes, we attend the same high school," I answered with a smile.
"I see. Yozora used to bring his old friends to visit, Kai and Tsuki, if I recall. They were always such lovely young people."
I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the mention of Tsuki, but I tried to brush it off.
And, Doesn't that mean, I am not a lovely young person. Who the hell is this badass dude. I am impressed. Haha
"Would you like to pass the time by looking through our old photo albums?" the kind old man offered.
Ah yes, the typical old people question.
I hesitated, knowing I didn't really want to spend time flipping through photo albums, but I didn't want to be rude either.
"Yes, I would love to see Yozora's childhood photos," I answered, trying to hide my reluctance.
Suzuki san retrieved three large photo albums and placed them on the antique dining table.
As he slowly opened the first album, I couldn't help but feel excited to see glimpses of Yozora's past.
However, as I perused the photos, I couldn't help but burst out laughing at young Yozora's antics.
PFTTT!!! YOUNG YOZORA LOOKED SO DUMB!
"Oh my, young Yozora looks so dumb! Haha," I chuckled, feeling lighthearted.
"Huh? Dumb? Did you just call me dumb?" Suzuki san asked me!
Ah shit, here we go again!
"NO NO! I SAID THIS YOUNG YOZORA LOOKS DUMB" I said out loud.
"huh?? This is not Yozora! It is my childhood photos," says Suzuki san with a chuckle.
WHAT THE—! OH MY GOD! I AM FRICKING FRUSTRATED NOW! WHY THE HELL IS HE SHOWING ME HIS PHOTOS?
"Do you really want to see Yozora's childhood photos?" Suzuki san asked!
The air was thick with intrigue as Suzuki san posed the question, as if he was trying to hide something behind the words. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was some secret he didn't want me to uncover.
But my curiosity was piqued, and I found myself drawn to the mystery like a moth to a flame. So I replied, with a voice barely above a whisper,
"YES".
Suzuki san's expression was one of disappointment, as if I had taken away his last hope. He reached for the final and most enigmatic album, and slowly began to peel away the layers of mystery that surrounded it.
What secrets does this book contain? Why did Suzuki san seem so reticent to reveal its contents? And why do I feel as though I'm playing a leading role in a dark twisted mystery novel?
To my surprise, the album only contained two photos, one of Yozora with his parents, and one of his entire family.
"Why are there only two photos in this album?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Suzuki san looked away, avoiding my gaze. "We never got another chance to take any more photos," he replied, his voice tinged with sadness.
I felt a sense of empathy for the old man and gently pressed, "Can you tell me more about it?"
With a heavy sigh, Suzuki san began to tell his story.
"The moment Yozora was born, our world was filled with poverty and struggles. Every day was a battle just to make ends meet and pay for his hospital bills.
His father cherished a single dream - to capture a family photo and have it proudly displayed in our album. Despite numerous attempts to find a photo studio willing to take the picture for free, they all turned us down, unwilling to compromise on their fees.
Years went by and his father continued his tireless search for work, only to be met with repeated failures. But then, finally, they both secured jobs in Yamaguchi Prefecture, an 800-kilometer journey from their home in Tokyo. Overjoyed at the prospect of earning enough money to make their dream a reality, his father used some of his travel money he got from the company to fulfill this cherished wish.
And so, this photo was taken, a testament to the sacrifices and love of a family, just a few hours before they embarked on their journey to Yamaguchi." He said with a sigh
But something was missing from this tale, a haunting emptiness that I longed to fill.
His words seemed to discourage any further questions, but I was driven by an insatiable curiosity.
"Are they still working there in Yamaguchi now?" I asked, unknowingly opening up a deep wound.
The moment the words left my lips, he was consumed by tears, unable to stem the flow.
"The day we took this photo," he sobbed, "was their last. They set out for Yamaguchi but never arrived. They were taken from us in a devastating car accident."
My heart ached at the thought, as he continued.
"Yozora was inconsolable in the aftermath. My wife and I made the decision to care for him, and she did an amazing job in pulling him out of his depression. As he grew up, he became more confident and happy. My wife loved it when he brought his friends to our home and seeing him smile brought her such joy.
But two years ago, she too was taken from us. I like to think they are together now, watching over us, smiling and laughing from their perches in heaven.
But since her passing, Yozora has never brought any friends home, until today. Your presence here brings me such happiness, Kousei-kun. Tell me, is Yozora happy? Has he been bullied or mistreated? He never opens up about these things, no matter how much I ask."
"I'm sorry for your losses," I responded, searching for the right words. "And please don't worry about Yozora. He is one of the strongest and coolest people I have ever met. He was there for me during my darkest days and always stood up for me. I don't know if he's truly happy, but I do know he's an exceptional human being, like no one I've ever encountered before."
His face, streaked with tears, broke into a small smile at my words.
"I had no idea that Yozora carried such a heavy burden. I admire him so much," I said. "I want to be strong like him."
"And what of you, Kousei-kun?" he asked, a concerned look crossing his face. "Is there something weighing on your heart?"
"Regrets," I replied, with a sigh. "They haunt me and prevent me from enjoying life to the fullest."
"But doesn't regret add a touch of romance to our lives?" He spoke with a charming smile.
It was like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds and illuminating my world.
"Can you elaborate?" I asked, intrigued.
"Life is like a tapestry, woven with many different threads. Joy, sorrow, envy, they're all colors that add depth and texture. But the most important color, the one that makes the tapestry truly beautiful, is regret. It's what makes us reflect on our mistakes, strive to improve, push ourselves to be better. It's what shapes our lives into works of art, filled with passion and beauty. In short, Regrets sculpt our lives as beautiful arts."
Regrets sculpt our lives as beautiful arts. WOW
"But what if our lives are filled with an endless string of regrets?" I posed the question to Suzuki-san.
"Then life becomes even more romantic," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "A lit candle cannot be appreciated in broad daylight, only in the dark can its light truly shine. Keep that in mind."
I didn't fully comprehend his words, but I felt a sense of understanding.
"Is it true that true happiness can only be achieved after experiencing pain?" I asked.
"Precisely," Suzuki-san confirmed with a nod.
Just then, Yozora returned.
"Eh? Kousei? Why? What are you doing here?" Yozora asked, surprised.
At the sight of Yozora, Suzuki-san quickly hid the albums, indicating that he wanted to keep our conversation private.
"Oh come on Yozora, is that how you greet me? Stop teasing me!" I laughed.
"Ha! Using my own tricks against me? I told you to meet me at 6 pm, didn't I? And look, it's just 5:30. I just stepped out to grab some supplies for the school cultural festival." Yozora explained.
"Oh, I thought you'd be home. But I did enjoy talking with your grandfather." I admitted with a smile.
"Did you now? That's lovely to hear. By the way, we're not waiting until 6 pm anymore. Let's head out now." Yozora suggested, taking my arm.
"I'm ready," I said.
After bidding farewell to Suzuki-san, we set off towards the shrine near our school.
"So, what did you and Grandpa talk about?" Yozora asked as they walked.
I felt a pang of guilt, but I know I couldn't reveal our conversation. "Oh, nothing much. He asked a few questions, but he didn't seem to hear my answers. I guess he's just getting old," I lied with a shrug.
Yozora let out a knowing chuckle. "Oh, he doesn't have any hearing problems. He just loves to play pranks on the kids."
oh.....OHHHHH.....
OHHHHHHHH THAT MOTHERFU-