Communication : memories

A visit

That day I walked back home alone. I couldn't bring myself to go with Najimi, nor did I want them to come with me. And if even Najimi, who knew everyone in school, didn't remember her then asking anyone else would be useless.

But there was one place I could go to, a place filled with good memories; Komi's home.

I arrived and found that the house looked exactly the same. I could get information about Komi's whereabouts here, but I still don't know what could have caused me and everyone to go back to first year. It doesn't make any sense, was it time travel or something? My body feels slightly smaller, and my voice is a bit more acute. I don't understand what could have happened.

I ring the bell and wait for a response.

-"Hello?"

An unfamiliar voice asked.

-"Hello, uh... is Komi Shouko home?"

-"... who?"

I started losing hope.

-"Uhm, c-can I know who I'm speaking with?"

-"You're speaking with Komi Masoyashi, who are you?"

-"My name is Tadano Hitohito, I was..."

If I introduced myself as Komi's boyfriend... If he doesn't remember her what kind of impression would that give?

"I'm a good friend of your daughter"

He took a brief pause, and for a moment I thought he might have remembered her.

-"I don't have a daughter. What do you want from me?"

-"I don't want anything, I'm just asking if you know where..."

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to accept it, but Komi was gone. I was on the verge of tears.

"Where Komi-san may have... gone"

There was an awkward silence, but I could still hear the standby static, he didn't hang up.

-"This is the second time someone has come to my house, to ask about a daughter that I don't have, to ask about a family that doesn't exist"

Even in the desperation of the moment, knowing someone else asked for Komi-san is very good news, now I know I'm not crazy...

"Is this a planned-out scheme?"

-"No! No no no, could you please tell me who came here before me?"

-"I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish"

-"It's complicated, but I can assure you I don't want anything from you, just please tell me who came here before me"

-"I didn't see her, but she was a soft-spoken girl, and the more I tried to explain to her that I didn't have a daughter, the more she changed her tone... as if she was threatening me"

Yamai. It's the only person I know who would threaten someone over Komi-san.

"Please leave before I call the police"

-"Yes! Thank you for your time, you've really helped me!"

He hung up halfway through my sentence. Nothing got better, Komi-san is still gone, I am still back in first year, and now I ended up giving Komi-san's dad a bad impression, but at the very least I have a guide as to what to do next, and at least now I know I'm not the only one who remembers her.

But still, Yamai of all people...

It's better than nothing, I have to talk with her tomorrow.

~~~~~·~~~~~

Even though my home is still the same as ever, it feels as if it's my first time entering, and the voice of my little sister greeting me as I get home makes me feel uneasy.

I rush through my dinner without speaking a word and go to my room.

It's almost messy. I didn't think I'd remember how my room looked like when I returned from Itan for the first time, but now that I see it, I remember it clearly; my first day.

As I lay down on my bed I remember how Komi-san was talking with a cat figurine. I remember how I immediately figured out she didn't know how to talk to people. How everyone cheered after she wrote her name on the chalkboard... and how we communicated through it as well.

Come to think of it, I would have never been Komi's friend or boyfriend had I not written down the first sentence. "The weather today is nice, don't you think?".

Yes... the weather today was nice indeed.

I hope the weather is nice for you too, Komi-san...

Wherever you are.