In the view of the sunset sky seen from the window, one can see the figures of the students from the sports clubs running on the playground and those students going home from school.
Coming to this activity room after a long time, looking out of the window as always, one can still see various kinds of views. While tidying up the photos scattered on the table, I move my sight away from the window that I've been staring at and turn to look at the door that has been tightly closed all along.
"How much longer are you guys going to take?"
I slightly open the door a crack and peek inside. Compared to the bright room on this side, the opposite side is pitch-dark. But looking inside through the gap in the curtain, one can see the red light of the safety indicator. I narrow my eyes to search for the presence of people. Before I can even notice it, I hear cheerful voices.
"This one is too blurry."
"Hey hey, I think this one shows quite some talent."
"Ah, this one is definitely better taken over there."
In the dark room, they don't seem to have noticed me at all. Everyone is either observing the negatives or hanging up the photos on their own.
"Ah, sorry teacher. Everyone is in the middle of something lively right now."
Suddenly my view is blocked. Hearing the voice coming from above, I look up and see Abel looking down at me a bit embarrassed. I shrug and smile at him, and then following the direction he indicates, I move away from the door.
"It might take a while longer."
Abel, who comes out of the darkroom, sits on the chair beside and picks up the water bottle placed on the table.
"Sorry for making you come to act as a substitute."
"It's okay. The exhibition is going to be held soon. There's no way around it. And to be honest, as an acting consultant, there's actually not much special for me to do."
After all, as an acting substitute, when the consultant teacher is not here, at most I just confirm the locking of the activity room and manage the supplies. There's nothing special today, so I just came to show my face. Originally there's no need to come to the activity room specially.
"Well, after all, the third-year students are in their last year. Everyone is more dedicated."
Abel gives me the unopened tea water bottle with a wry smile. I smile at him and then pull out the chair opposite him and sit down.
"Yes. At the end, the level of dedication is indeed different."
"By the way, Ben used to be in the photography club before, right? How long did you participate?"
"During junior high and high school. I didn't continue in college."
"I see."
Because I had a bit of experience before, I'm always asked to do all kinds of substitute jobs. But coming here makes me feel a bit nostalgic. I recall the school days when I spent happily like Abel and them now.
"It seems that no one in our photography club uses digital cameras."
"Well, this is also the insistence of the consultant teacher. He says film has more flavor, so the use of digital cameras is prohibited in the club."
The spare cameras placed in the cabinet in the club, from the old ones to the new ones, are all analog SLR cameras. And they are all well maintained and all can function properly. The consultant teacher is a bit of a camera enthusiast, so it's even more so.
"Well, I can understand this feeling."
I used to like playing with analog cameras. Because I felt that the more effort one puts in, the more satisfactory photos one can take. That was very interesting. Now with a good-performance digital camera, one can easily take beautiful photos.
"Now I still quite like it."
"Well, yes."
Although I take photos less now, but whenever I touch or see a camera now, I still feel excited. I also like to go to photography exhibitions or shows.
"Is there any trigger for starting to take photos?"
"Well, this..."
Facing Abel's inquiring gaze, I narrow my eyes like recalling the past and think. Many things come to my mind, but there is only one clear impression.
"Ah, maybe it's my father. Although he's not a professional, he's always been taking photos."
I have the memory of being taken around everywhere by him when I was little. On rest days he would always go to various places. So when coming back home, one should be able to see several photo albums bound with family photos.
"After he passed away, I might not have touched the camera much."
"...Could it be that Ben's father has passed away?"
"Yes. How long has it been already? I remember it was the year when I was in high school. He got sick and left very soon."
That was really a very sudden thing. From the doctor announcing the illness to my father leaving, it didn't take long. I realized that life is like this. One doesn't know what will happen tomorrow or even the next moment.
"Don't make that kind of expression."
Seeing Abel's suddenly gloomy face, I give him a relaxed smile. That anyway is a parting that will come sooner or later. It's just a bit earlier. And quite a long time has passed already. Now only a little bit of memory remains.
"Then your mother must have had a hard time."
"Hmm? Ah, yes. My elder sister is older, so it might be a bit better, but it must still have been hard."
Abel's words make me feel a bit puzzled for an instant. Because usually people would tell me that my mother had a hard time. But now he didn't say so. I'm not dissatisfied. Instead, it's because Abel is more concerned about my mother than others. This kind of straightforward feeling of his makes me a bit happy.
"So that's how it is. Speaking of which, there are four people in your family, your father, you who were a middle school student, and your younger brother, right?"
"Well, my mother's health wasn't good after giving birth. Not long after the youngest brother was born... So there are all men in the family. It's quite stuffy."
"Well, in my family there are all women. It's a bit hard to hold my head up."
Abel's gentle and kind temperament. Even if there are all men in the family, there should be quite a big healing factor. I've only seen him lose his temper once. Maybe he is still relatively strict at home.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
I realize that I've been staring at Abel's face all along. He feels very strange about my gaze.
"No. I was just thinking about what Abel is usually like."
Abel always has a feeling of silently watching over from behind even when he is with Blake or Zoe. That has a kind of tolerance like that of a father or a mother.
"Of course I would shout at home too? The younger brother below is getting more and more willful. The youngest one is still small and can't be out of sight."
Thinking of the younger brothers below, wrinkles appear between Abel's eyebrows. I don't have a brother myself, so unfortunately I can't understand his feelings. But I can truly feel that it's not easy for him.
"Yes. You are a good brother!"
Abel's inadvertent care and gentleness are a bit different from Blake's. It makes people unconsciously feel overly at ease and even be moved to tears. He is tall and has big hands. Maybe it makes people feel a bit of the warmth of the father remaining in the corner of the memory.
Now thinking about it, being the eldest son and also the youngest child in the family, I was probably spoiled by my father. Remembering the things in the past, I feel a bit embarrassed. And now I'm always being taken care of by Abel and Zoe. Now it seems I kind of understand the reason.
I myself am that kind of completely spoiled youngest-son type. Only realizing this now, my shoulders slump all of a sudden.