Crossing Paths, Traumatized, and Yet… - Chapter 29

Daiki was enjoying his trip with his father.

The first day was spent at his father’s house, and the rest of the trip was filled with winter camping and visits to hot springs.

During that time, he had minimal contact with Wakaba.

He didn’t want to think about Wakaba as much as possible at the moment.

Yet at that time he was unaware.

That he would see Wakaba and Shiraishi again.

On the last day, they decided to go shopping at a shopping mall near his father’s house.

He got into his father’s car and headed for the mall.

It was a shopping mall that he wondered if he would be able to visit in one day.

It was only two stops away from his house by train, so he could go there anytime, but it was the first time for him to visit the mall.

After arriving at the mall, he decided to take a look around.

“Is there anything you want?”

He was asked.

“Not at the moment!

But there might be something I want!”

He told him.

“I’ll buy you anything you want!”

He said happily.

Unlike his father in the past, his father now is really fun to be with!

He acts more like an older brother than a father.

That makes me feel comfortable with him.

He walked around the stores, looking for what he wanted.

But there were so many different stores that it became difficult to decide what he wanted.

Deciding to take a short break, they decided to have a little early lunch.

For lunch, they had ramen together.

He had never thought that the day would come when he and his father would eat ramen together, so he was happy to experience it again.

After finishing his ramen, his father said

“Is there anything you want?”

He asked him.

“I want a jacket for when I go to Hatsumode.”

He told him.

“Okay, then the same brand as the backpack!”

He said happily,

“Let’s go to that store!”

He seemed to be enjoying himself more than Daiki.

When they got to the outdoor brand store

“How about this one?”

His father brought him two jackets.

“Cool!

I’ll take this one!”

He liked them right away.

He couldn’t decide which jacket to wear, but he chose the blue one.

“Well, your father will wear this one in black.”

He said.

“We’ll be wearing the same jacket!”

He said happily.

They bought matching jackets.

“I’ve always wanted to have a matching jacket with my son!”

he said, humming a tune.

Daiki nodded happily.

“We bought the jackets, and now we should go home!

I have to go get my stuff!”

They decided to leave.

“I’ll have to call Wakaba when I get back!”

He thought.

He had time with his father, so he had regained his composure.

As they were walking to the exit, he saw a girl who looked like Wakaba walking down the opposite aisle.

Looking closer, he realized that she did not look like Wakaba, but rather she is Wakaba.

“Wakaba is here too!”

He tried to run to Wakaba’s place, but

Wakaba was not alone.

Shiraishi was with her.

He saw them again.

It may have been a coincidence, but Daiki’s chest tightened up again.

He had just calmed down.

He didn’t want to see them any more.

Daiki headed for the exit again, as if to escape.

Not want to see them any more.

He must have managed to act normal and interacted with his father.

He seemed to be enjoying himself without changing, so when he arrived at his father’s house and packed his belongings, he didn’t really understand what was going on.

He managed to pack up his belongings and his father drove him to a nearby train station.

When he arrived at the station, he parted ways with his father and was alone.

From there, the walk home became very, very heavy.