On the bus, Aika was snuggled up in my arm.
"Hey Aika. Don't cling to me too much."
"...rejection"
I continued to try to pull away, but Aika refused to let go of my hand, just like a soft-shelled turtle. After the struggle continued for a while, I gave up and looked out the window. It seemed like we were just around the corner from our destination.
"Is your wound better now?"
Aika said as she leaned her body on my shoulder.
I never expected Aika to be so considerate, so I answered a little taken aback.
"It's okay now."
"Yes. No matter what happens, I will never abandon you."
As she said this, Aika put more strength into her arms. She was practically leaning on him, but her delicate body didn't feel heavy at all.
The season was about to change to October. After I was released from the hospital, my classmates started to look at me curiously at the scars on my face, but I managed to get away with it by saying that I had been in a traffic accident.
I didn't tell anyone, not my classmates, not my homeroom teacher, not even Aika, that I'd been attacked by Shiori.
I wasn't going to tell anyone.
"But it's surprising that Susumu asked me out on a date."
Aihua said.
"Well, it's fine once in a while. I don't know if Aika will like it though."
I answered with a laugh.
"yes"
But Aihua didn't smile at all.
The bus continued along the country road. Through the gaps in the windows, the silhouettes of trees and fields came into view one after the other.
Just as we were about to arrive, Aika called out to us.
"Where are you going today?"
"Hmm, still a secret."
"tell me"
As Aika continued to press me, I answered.
"There's something I want to show you."
"Something you want to show me?"
"Right. So just follow me quietly."
I gave a vague reply and then looked out the window.
Aika seemed to have sensed my feelings, and didn't ask any more questions.
Outside the window, two sisters, about five or six years old, are playing a friendly game of chase.
When I saw that scene, I suddenly remembered what Aihana's father had said.
--I had two children. They were twins, an older sister named Renka and a younger sister named Aika. They were very close sisters.
Immediately after learning of Aika's death, Renka fainted and was taken to the hospital. When she woke up again, she had become "Aika."
As I was reminiscing, I heard the driver's announcement. Aika and I got off at the bus stop. There were about five other passengers on the bus, but no one else got off either. Our destination was about a ten minute walk from the bus stop.
The place was covered in lush greenery. It was built on a hill with a great view, so it felt incredibly vast. Using the information from the lights, I led Aika to her destination.
"What is this..."
Aika said this with her face stiff with shock, an emotion she usually rarely shows.
"Please pay your respects. This is your grave. No, it's really Aika's."
On the surface of the gravestone where Aika and I were standing, the name "Hiiragi Aika" was written.