Akari and I arrived at the designated restaurant five minutes before our meeting time.
The reunion with Ito and Ota was set to take place at an izakaya. We weren't planning on drinking, of course.
"They aren't here yet."
"Seems that way."
When we reached the private room Akari had reserved, it was empty. Since Ito and Ota still lived back in our hometown, they were likely traveling together.
"They messaged saying they'll be a little late."
"I see. Let’s just sit down, then."
I shuffled to the back of the booth and took a seat. Akari sat down right next to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Let me know if you need to use the restroom, okay?"
"Yeah."
Well, this arrangement was certainly better than having Ito or Ota next to me. That said, given the awkward tension between Akari and me lately, even this was a bit uncomfortable. Thinking about it only made me feel like I shouldn't have come today after all.
I let out a heavy sigh.
"Megu, let’s take a photo."
"Hm?"
"We’ve gotta show off to those two, right?"
Despite her provocative words, Akari looked like she was having the time of her life. She wrapped her arm around mine and forced me into a selfie with her smartphone. She flashed a peace sign, while I just stared back with a grumpy expression.
Still, this felt more like me than trying to act cute.
"Oh my god, Megu! You’re so cute!"
"You’re blind as a bat, Akari."
"I am not! I’m making this my wallpaper."
"...Do whatever you want."
Now that I thought about it, all my female friends in high school had been like this. They would desperately prop me up, frantic to keep me in a good mood. Akari had been no exception.
However, I felt like Akari’s behavior was slightly different from the others. It wasn't just empty flattery; it felt like she genuinely meant it.
I always responded to her praise with a sour look. If it were just flattery, I would have managed a polite thank you, but when it was sincere... honestly, I didn't know how to react. It was just embarrassing.
"Ah, Ito-chan! Ota-chan! Long time no see!"
"Aww, Akari! It’s been ages!"
"So long! And Hayashi-chan too!"
"Yeah. It’s been a while."
When Ito and Ota finally made their entrance, even I managed to offer a small smile. It was our first reunion in about six months since high school graduation. I figured I should at least put on a proper face for the occasion.
"You two have quite a lot of bags," Akari noted.
Both of the girls sitting across from us were clutching several brand-name shopping bags.
"Sorry! The shops were just so crowded."
Ito pressed her hands together in apology, but her breezy tone made it clear she didn't actually feel bad. If this had been high school, I probably would have snapped at them for being late, but I just didn't have the energy for that today.
"Thanks for coming today, Hayashi-chan, Akari."
"No problem. I’ve been wanting to see everyone for a while too."
"Right."
I offered a half-hearted agreement.
"No way, we’re the ones who wanted to see you! I mean, you two are amazing. M University and K University, right?"
"Yeah! There was no way we could have gotten into such famous schools."
Ito and Ota were currently attending a local private university. I could tell just by looking at them that they were enjoying a perfectly pleasant student life.
I felt a sudden pang of alienation. Knowing that the other three girls here were actually living out their campus lives made me feel... complicated.
"How is university life?"
"I'm doing okay, I guess. Same for Megu, right?"
Akari told the lie effortlessly.
Honestly, I was grateful for her discretion. I didn't have the nerve to maintain that lie on my own—the guilt would have crushed me. This girl really was a much better person than someone like me.
I felt a slight spark of jealousy toward Akari. It was because Akari was like this that Yamamoto had...
Ito and Ota bought the lie hook, line, and sinker. It was obvious that they couldn't even imagine that I had been living with an abusive man, had been forced to drop out, and was now staying with Yamamoto.
What stung a little was that they didn't even mention the fact that I’d been unreachable for a while. My ex-boyfriend had smashed my phone, but if they had tried to contact me even once during that time, they should have noticed something was wrong when I didn't reply.
The fact that they didn't bring it up meant that, despite their claims of "wanting to see us," they hadn't actually cared about keeping in touch with me.
Well, that was just how things were. Even if something had happened to Ito or Ota, I certainly wouldn't have checked in on them after all this time. We had been in the same social circle in high school, but our relationship was only ever that deep.
After that, I found myself laughing just like I used to back in high school. Perhaps I was finally getting back into my old rhythm.
The conversation with Akari, Ito, and Ota grew quite lively. We had ordered a two-hour all-you-can-drink soft drink course. Influenced by the cheerful atmosphere of the noisy izakaya, everyone’s spirits had lifted.
"Hayashi-san, you've changed."
"Hm?"
Ito suddenly threw that comment my way.
"Really? I don't see it. In what way?"
"Oh, you've definitely changed. Right?"
"Yeah! You’ve changed so much! Don't you think so, Akari?"
"Ehh... I wonder?"
"No, she’s totally different."
I felt a small twinge of irritation. They kept insisting I had changed, but they were being coy about what they actually meant. In high school, I would have intimidated them into spitting it out. But now, for some reason, I didn't even feel like getting angry.
...Ah, I see.
I realized it then. That lack of anger was exactly what they were talking about.
"How do I put it? You've become kinder?"
"...Are you saying I wasn't kind before?"
"I-I didn't mean it like that!"
I hadn't even been trying to sound threatening, but Ito’s face went a bit pale. It seemed that, deep down, she was still a little afraid of me.
"It's just... Ahaha! Right! I feel like, now, you might even be able to get along with that Yamamoto!"
The name made me flinch. Ito’s tone rubbed me the wrong way. When she said "that Yamamoto," there was no doubt who she was talking about. She said it with unmistakable disdain. I hated it.
I wanted to fire back. I wanted to tell them that Yamamoto doesn't insult people behind their backs—unlike them, who seemed to find it so easy to look down on others.
But I held my tongue because the high school version of me hadn't known Yamamoto’s kindness either.
...What if?
I wondered what Yamamoto would say if he were in this situation. If he had reunited with an old high school friend and they started badmouthing Akari... what would he think?
He wouldn't get angry. But he wouldn't join in, either. He would probably navigate the moment with an awkward expression, and then later, he would turn to me—while I was standing there seething with rage—and say something to calm me down.
"I'm glad you were able to see the good in her that others couldn't."
It was strange. Even though someone precious to me was being insulted, the anger I felt toward those two vanished instantly.
Instead, I just wanted to see Yamamoto as soon as possible. Well, I only had to endure one more hour.
"Yamamoto! Wow, that brings back memories!"
The two across from me laughed even harder at the mention of our former classmate.
"Right? He was such a freak, wasn't he?"
Akari laughed along with an "Ahaha."
Well, I could agree with that much. In fact, after living with him, I knew his eccentricities were far worse than anyone imagined.
"He was the type who would never do anything himself but was always the first to criticize everyone else. I always wanted to tell him to actually do something before opening his mouth."
That wasn't true at all.
If anything, he was incredibly strict with himself and lenient with others. He was the type who would try to do everything himself until he was satisfied. If she thought that about him, it meant she had never seen anything beyond the surface.
"Oh, I know! That’s probably why he did what he did, right?"
"Yeah. That was honestly such a horrible thing to do."
Did what he did...?
I couldn't keep up with whatever story the two of them were sharing.
...No.
No, wait.
I remember now.
It was all coming back to me.
In high school, I had hated Yamamoto. Part of it was that we simply didn't get along, but there was a specific reason beyond that.
Yes. That was it. The summer of our first year. It happened during the School Festival.
"Yamamoto's Post-Festival Party Sabotage Incident."
The hazy memory flooded back. I thought I had hated him just because we were different, but there was more to it than that. I was sure of it now.