● March 27 (Sunday) Yuuta Asamura
I stood up from the living room sofa, shifting my gaze from the university schedule on the glass table to the window outside.
A late March afternoon. The blue sky was lightly veiled with a white haze, and one or two fluffy clouds, like soft coppe-pan, floated in view. The scenery before my eyes was entirely spring—serene, so serene and leisurely that staring at it made me feel a yawn creeping up.
The temperature was supposed to reach 16°C today. The kotatsu table had been put away a few days ago.
Spring, when all things awaken. Birds sing, butterflies flutter, and even the animals hibernating beneath the ground emerge. It feels like the entire universe, every single thing, is reveling in this season.
…And yet, there’s someone here who can’t fully embrace the joy of spring.
“Guess night shifts are the only way, huh…”
A sigh slipped out. Disappointing, but nothing to be done about it. I reached for the smartphone on the glass table and dialed a familiar number.
“—Yes. That’s right. Night shifts, mostly. The schedule… I’ll bring it on my next shift.”
After hanging up, I stretched. Maybe I’ll grab a drink. Just then, with the sound of the door opening, Ayase-san stepped into the living room.
“Are you feeling a bit tired?”
Here we go, I thought, switching my brain to English mode.
“I’m fine. I’m not tired.”
I replied with a casual “Daijoubu.” It’s all part of preparing for university. For a while, we continued our conversation in English.
“I was just calling my part-time job. Evening shifts might be tough, you know. Classes end late and all… What about you, Ayase-san?”
“Seventy minutes one way is pretty far, isn’t it? I did contact them, but…”
Ayase-san paused there, switching back to Japanese.
“I’m not sure if I’ll keep working there, though.”
Maybe she’s found something else she wants to do.
“Will you wait until I’m ready to talk about it?”
“Of course”, I replied. Something she wants to do, huh? It always feels like Ayase-san finds her goals before I do.
“Oh, it’s about snack time, isn’t it? I’ll get something ready.”
Guess I’ll prep some tea then, I thought, following Ayase-san.
Beyond the window, the carefree white clouds drifted away, hurried along by the spring breeze.
