The scenery outside the bullet train window rushed past in a blur.
Today was Saturday. It was the perfect opportunity to see Miko, who had moved far away.
Last night, I asked my dad once again if he could reach out to Miko's parents.
As if he understood everything from the start, Dad didn't pry for details and made the call.
I wasn't in my usual relaxed state of mind either, so I appreciated his consideration.
My parents and hers were old friends whose relationship went back to being neighbors. Before Miko moved away, our families were close enough to go on camping trips and long outings together, so they had apparently stayed in touch even after the two of us grew apart.
Even so, this would be the first time seeing her in three years.
It felt much further back than the actual span of time suggested.
Part of the reason it felt so distant was probably that I had deliberately tried not to dwell on it.
That fake confession incident had completely shattered our bond.
Having accepted her confession on the middle school rooftop without realizing it was all a prank, I was turned into a laughingstock in front of everyone when they revealed the setup.
I didn't really care how much the onlookers mocked me.
I made sure every single one of them paid for it later, but that was just an afterthought.
What truly crushed me was being betrayed by Miko.
I couldn't fathom why she would do something like that.
And it infuriated me.
In the end, we parted ways without ever having a proper conversation about it.
The bullet train glided to a stop at the platform.
Grabbing my bag, I stepped out.
Soaking in the lively, bustling atmosphere of the station, snippets of conversation tinged with a Kansai accent drifted in from every direction.
Walking down the long concourse and passing through the ticket gates, the reality of seeing Miko set in even further, making me straighten my back.
She should be waiting by herself at the rendezvous point.
It would be a disaster if we missed each other.
Now then, where was she?
After three whole years, she might look more mature than the Miko I remembered.
In the worst-case scenario, I might not even recognize her... A momentary flash of anxiety crossed my mind, but I spotted Miko without any trouble at all.
Even from a distance, I recognized her in an instant.
There she was—a girl anxiously craning her neck, glancing around at her surroundings.
Her black hair, reaching down to her back, was just like it had been back then. While she was slightly taller, that fragile, helpless aura she carried hadn't changed in the slightest.
A sudden wave of nostalgia stopped me in my tracks, and I spent a few seconds simply watching her.
How should I greet her?
No, fretting over it was just a waste of time.
Rather than dragging my feet, moving forward would make things far easier.
"Long time no see, Miko."
"...Huh?"
When I called out to her from right in front, she turned her eyes toward me.
She looked up at me with a blank, bewildered stare, and only after several seconds did it finally click who I was.
Her eyes snapped wide open in sheer shock, and the color rapidly rushed to her frozen face.
"Wh-Wha?" "Huh??" She let out a series of strange squeaks, her flushed face instantly draining to a pale white as her emotions frantically scrambled for control.
"S-Subaru?"
"Yeah. It's been three years."
"N-No way. Why are you here... Wh-What are the odds of a coincidence like this..."
"It's not a coincidence."
"Huh?"
"Your folks told you to go pick up a relative at the station, right?"
"How do you know that?"
"Because that was a lie I set up."
"!?"
Miko stumbled, nearly tumbling over before barely regaining her balance.
Tears welled up in her terrified eyes.
"Nobody told me about this!"
"Because if they had, you wouldn't have come, would you? Considering you moved away just to run from me."
"...Ngh."
When I consulted with Dad, I suggested it would be best to frame it that way.
I hadn't spent all those years watching over her from behind for nothing.
I had already taken thorough countermeasures for that sort of thing.
Noticing Miko shifting her weight as if to bolt, I swiftly caught her by the shoulder.
"Eeeek!"
"I already know your address and your phone number. Running away won't do you any good."
"Why do you know that much?! You're terrifying!"
"Your parents told me everything."
"Mom and Dad, you idiots!"
If I really wanted to, I could have even dug up her current circle of friends.
I had gone out of my way to travel all the way out here.
Of course I was going to ensure my groundwork was airtight to settle things once and for all.
"For now, take me somewhere we can talk quietly. Preferably a place that serves good coffee."