Chapter 3: Ch-3 About Ayaka
I was really surprised. When I asked my sister for more details, the description she gave perfectly matched the woman I'd seen at the crosswalk.
I never imagined that the woman in pita bread pants I admired from afar was my sister's high school classmate. Although I didn't know her personally, she obviously knew who I was.
I was thrilled by this unexpected connection.
It felt like something out of a fleeting romance-one of those sweet, serendipitous moments that seem too good to be true. Who would have thought that a chance encounter would lead to this? Life really is full of surprises.
Could this really be... a meeting of fate?
I wanted to learn more about Ayaka from my sister, but I couldn't seem too eager; it might arouse suspicion. So I tried to contain my excitement as I carefully began my investigation.
"Oh, you mean that woman? I see her sometimes on the way to school. She holds a flag and helps elementary school children cross the national highway. Sister, were you close to her?"
"Yes! Ayaka-senpai was a third-year student when I was a freshman in high school. She was the one who taught me the basics of the choir club. Ayaka-senpai had such a beautiful voice..."
I remembered how beautiful her voice sounded when she greeted me with "Have a nice trip" or "Be careful."
"So if she was two years older than you, she would be 30 this year, right?"
"That's right. Kei-chan, are you interested in Ayaka-senpai?"
I froze for a moment. As expected, my sister's keen sense of observation startled me. She had an uncanny ability to read my heart.
Although she had a kind personality, she could be teasing and slightly mischievous if I let my guard down. I quickly thought of an excuse to avoid her insinuation.
"No, it's not like that. It's just that if I meet Ayaka-san again, I should probably thank her for how much she helped you. We might have some small talk, and it's better to have some background information, don't you think?"
Although my reasoning was a bit far-fetched, my sister seemed to be convinced.
"Hmm, I see. That makes sense. All right then..."
She began to share little bits of information about Ayaka.
"Ayaka-senpai's family home is in Kisaragi."
"Kisaragi? Wait, as in that Kisaragi?"
The Kisaragi family was known as a prominent landlord family in central Saitama. Before the postwar land reforms, it was said that one could travel from the Kisaragi estate deep in the mountains to a station on the Takasaki Line without trespassing on anyone else's property.
"So Ayaka-san must be a very wealthy lady."
I see. That elegance I felt from her - it all started to make sense now.
"Well, Ayaka-senpai's family is actually a branch family. The daughters of the main family all went to Gakushuin, so Ayaka-senpai wasn't that high up."
That's why she ended up in the same rural high school as my sister.
"Is she married now? Does she have children?"
"That's true, but..." My sister's face suddenly clouded over.
It was rare for my cheerful sister to look so somber. Whatever she was thinking about must be serious.
I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer.
"What is it? What's going on? Please tell me."