“If that’s the case, I’m fine anytime.”
“—No! It won’t take long. That’s why we’ll just have to meet at the station near your home. Ah, um, once I exit the station, I can go to your home.”
He must have been leaning forward in his eagerness. His voice sounded close. He was glad he was doing all he could for him. His chest that had been a.s.saulted by anxiety started to feel at ease.
—Kusamakura is a good person&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;
Tatsumi expressed his grat.i.tude, and told him he would come to meet him at the station closest to his home. Even though his home was mostly clean enough to have sudden visitors, Tatsumi thought to himself that he would vacuum a little.
When he headed to the station near his home at the promised time of eight p.m., Kusamakura was the one who called out to him.
“Tatsumi.”
He tapped on his arm twice to let him know clearly which direction he was facing. Since it was the first time he was meeting Kusamakura outside of the park, he felt sort of strange, as if he were nervous or embarra.s.sed.