Everything about this evening was just right; the only pity was that Amaya Yuu had only known Misumi Uika for one day, and he knew almost nothing about her taste preferences or dietary restrictions.
Therefore, there was no way to make this beautiful night even more perfect.
In the end, he chose the answer that could never go wrong: cooking a pot of mild and rich Japanese curry.
The two of them simultaneously pressed their hands together and said in unison, “Let’s eat!”
The warm aroma of the curry had long since whetted their appetites, and they ate with great relish, their plates empty before long.
Amaya Yuu clutched his stomach with a look of satisfaction; if the bar stool hadn’t lacked a backrest, his posture right now would certainly have been quite unsightly.
Beside him, Misumi Uika also looked relaxed, her face wearing the contentment of someone who had just eaten their fill.
“I rarely see Misumi-san looking this relaxed,” Amaya Yuu teased with a smile.
“Eh?
Really?” Misumi Uika turned her head to look at him.
“You can just call me Uika.
Isn’t that the same for you, Amaya-kun?
You’re always acting so ‘polite and courteous’.”
Amaya Yuu didn’t take the bait of her small counterattack but continued, “It’s just that I always feel like Uika-san seems to be deliberately maintaining a perfect image all the time.”
He took the opportunity to switch how he addressed her.
“You caught me…” Misumi Uika said softly, her gaze still fixed ahead.
Her right hand unconsciously stroked her earlobe, her left hand supporting her right elbow, as she gently rubbed her rounded earlobe between her fingers.
After a moment, she suddenly turned her head and said in a light tone, “—Actually, I’m an idol!
Although it might sound a bit boastful, I’m a member of the currently somewhat popular idol group, Sumimi!”
“That’s amazing!” Amaya Yuu, completely ignorant of such entertainment news, responded in a flat, monotone voice.
“But Uika-san is still a student, right?
To think you’ve already become a big star that ordinary people can hardly reach.”
“It must be exhausting, juggling both school and work.”
“Sometimes it really can be a bit tiring…”
“No wonder I could run into Uika-san downstairs at the apartment building so late.”
“Aren’t you surprised at all, Amaya-kun?
After all, I’m the ‘big star that ordinary people can hardly reach’ that you mentioned.” Amaya Yuu’s failure to react in the way Misumi Uika had expected surprised her.
“I did say it’s ‘ordinary people’ who can hardly reach it.” Amaya Yuu deliberately drew out his tone, pretentiously quoting, ‘Man should become an ‘Overman’ who transcends mediocrity, standing tall like a high mountain.’ — That’s what Mr.
Nietzsche said.”
“I am destined to become an Overman.” As he spoke, he fiddled with the starry sky lamp beside him.
“So even if the Prime Minister were to come right now, I would just calmly make curry for him to eat rather than be flustered and at a loss.”
“Amaya-kun, you really dare to say anything.” Misumi Uika was amused by Amaya Yuu’s exaggerated tone.
“I was worried that this profession would cause trouble for you, so I had to steel myself quite a bit before telling you.”
“Trouble?
How could it?
We’re friends, right?”
“Yeah!” Misumi Uika nodded vigorously, a certain light shining in her eyes.
“Amaya-kun is the first friend I’ve made since coming to Tokyo.”
“The first?
No way!” This time, Amaya Yuu was genuinely surprised.
“With such an excellent personality, how could Uika-san not have any friends?”
“Not the first friend as ‘Misumi Uika’, oh.
Misumi Uika has many friends.”
She tilted her head slightly, revealing a slightly mysterious smile.
“It’s the first friend as ‘me’—just ‘me’.”
After saying this, a hint of complexity flickered across her expression, as if she had unloaded some heavy burden, yet also as if she were wary of something.
In short, her expression was not as natural as before.
Amaya Yuu wasn’t sure what she meant, so he simply didn’t continue the conversation, turning instead to clear the dishes.
“Last time at Uika-san’s place, you wouldn’t let me clean up, but this time at my place, it’s my turn to call the shots!” He intentionally stiffened his face and spoke in a fierce tone.
Misumi Uika was slightly taken aback by his abrupt change of topic, then a smile bloomed on her lips again.
“In Amaya-kun’s home, do as you please.”
She quietly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, even feeling a touch of gratitude.
If Amaya Yuu had continued to press the subject just now, she truly wouldn’t have known how to respond.
Telling the truth was too heavy for her; it was an ugly past she didn’t want to face.
Telling a lie would mean betraying her own heart, and Amaya Yuu would no longer be a friend to “her” but would have become a friend to “Misumi Uika”.
“What more must be lost for the soul to be forgiven~~~”
“How much more pain must be endured to meet you once again~~~”
Feeling her mood brighten, Misumi Uika sat on the bar stool, waiting for Amaya Yuu to finish washing the dishes, while unconsciously humming a song.
Her voice was clear and pure, like melting snow in a mountain stream, flowing between the winding melody and precise pitch.
For Amaya Yuu, who didn’t know much about appreciating music, it was undoubtedly an overly luxurious treat.
But just like an uncultured nouveau riche sitting in a luxury car equipped with a “Burmester” sound system, while he couldn’t fully grasp its subtlety, he was still stunned by that beauty.
“What a moving melody,” Amaya Yuu said, turning around during a pause.
“It fits the current atmosphere perfectly.”
“Right?
This is a song I really like too.” Misumi Uika happily accepted his compliment.
“It’s called ‘One More Time, One More Chance’.”
Although Misumi Uika’s Japanese-accented English made Amaya Yuu want to chuckle, he still carefully noted down the name of the song.
When Misumi Uika was halfway through humming her second song, Amaya Yuu had already finished cleaning up the kitchen.
Although their homes were only a wall apart, Amaya Yuu insisted on walking Misumi Uika to her front door.
“Thank you so much for your hospitality tonight, Amaya-kun.” Misumi Uika leaned against the doorframe and bowed slightly.
“I’m the one who should be saying thank you; thanks to Uika-san’s help, I even received such a thoughtful gift.”
“It was just a small favor.
But Amaya-kun’s cooking is still so pleasantly surprising,” Misumi Uika smiled.
“Most importantly, the time spent having dinner with Amaya-kun was truly happy.”
“Is that so…” Amaya Yuu also smiled unconsciously.
“Yes,” she replied affirmatively.
“I can’t guarantee any other big claims for now, but if Uika-san wants to eat something delicious, feel free to knock on my door anytime.” Amaya Yuu used a joking tone.
“Anyway, we’re only a wall apart.”
“Okay, if Amaya-kun needs any help, feel free to knock on my door too.” She nodded, mimicking Amaya Yuu’s tone.
“Anyway, we’re only a wall apart.”
After exchanging contact information, the two parted ways.
Deep in the night, everything was quiet.
Having washed away his fatigue, Amaya Yuu lay in bed but felt no sleepiness; some indescribable emotion was churning and surging in his chest.
He simply picked up his phone, opened a music app, and typed in the song title from memory.
“One More Chance, One More Time…”
“Hmm?
So it’s ‘One More Time, One More Chance’ after all.
I actually remembered it backwards.”
He muttered softly, with a self-deprecating smile.
“The author is really something, too.
Doesn’t it sound smoother to read with ‘chance’ at the beginning?”
He set the song to single-track repeat and gently placed the phone face down beside his pillow.
The melodious guitar sound slowly flowed out, washing over the silent room like a babbling brook, and gently wrapping around Amaya Yuu as well.
“Always searching, searching for your silhouette~~~”
“On the platform across the way, inside the window of the alleyway~~~”
“Even though I know you couldn’t be here~~~”
I don’t know how much time passed, but his breathing gradually became steady and long, merging with Masayoshi Yamazaki’s singing into the Tokyo night.