What is family?

After Irie-san left our side, we quietly waited for the train to reach our destination.

Holding onto the strap, I gazed vaguely at the pitch-black scenery outside the window.

Hayashi was looking down, as if lost in deep thought.

She had been so cheerful while watching the play, and even after it ended—how did she end up like this?

Well, even after the play, when she forcefully pulled my hand to catch the train, Hayashi seemed to be enjoying herself.

If that’s the case, when exactly did Hayashi become like this?

No matter how I think about it, it’s clearly something that happened after we ran into Irie-san.

…There’s still a chance, I suppose, that Hayashi isn’t actually feeling down.

Maybe she’s just deeply moved by the play and is letting herself relax in the afterglow of that emotion.

No, that’s not it.

Strangely enough, just by looking at Hayashi now, I could tell she was feeling down.

Why? I can’t quite explain the reason. It’s just… we’ve been living together for about two months now. So, somehow, I just know.

“Hayashi, is something wrong?”

As gently as I could, I called out to her.

On the day we reunited… even though she was in a far worse state than now, I didn’t even think to speak to her so kindly.

This, too, must be a change in me, born from living with her.

Hayashi didn’t say anything.

On the day we reunited, despite being in a much worse situation than now, Hayashi had put on a brave front.

But now, she says nothing.

Maybe it’s because she feels it’s okay to show her weakness to me.

That’s what I’d like to think… or maybe it’s not.

The truth is something I can’t know.

But one thing is clear: she’s changed, even if just a little.

“Yamamoto, was it okay to say something like that earlier?”

Finally, Hayashi spoke.

Earlier.

That thing I said.

What is Hayashi talking about?

…Oh, my comment to Irie-san.

Understanding, I tilted my head.

Hayashi and I have been living together for nearly two months now. In that time, we’ve grown much closer than we used to be. We care for each other, and sometimes we even go out of our way to help one another.

If that’s not family, then what is?

“…She’s probably misunderstanding things.”

I didn’t quite grasp the meaning behind Hayashi’s words.

From the start, I never thought that calling us family was a misunderstanding. So what is she getting at?

I tried to calm myself down a bit.

It was a strange feeling. Normally, even when Hayashi said something confusing, I’d just tease her and move on, never getting worked up about it.

But now, I was…

I let out a deep sigh.

I decided to think it over slowly.

Hayashi and Irie-san had probably never met before. And honestly, Irie-san and I were practically strangers too.

In that case, even if I can’t understand what Hayashi’s saying, I can’t definitively say her thoughts are different from Irie-san’s.

In fact… considering Hayashi might understand the complexities of a woman’s heart better than I do, she might even be right.

“…Next time I see her at university, I’ll clear things up.”

“Yeah. That’s probably best.”

After a brief pause, Hayashi spoke.

Her words seemed to agree with me, yet it’s strange how, in just that brief moment, I stopped feeling like she really meant it.

“…You know, Yamamoto, you kind of take family lightly, don’t you?”

“Do I?”

“You do. You were the one who kept telling me to go back to my family, but you never go back to yours.”

“That’s because you had a reason to go back home.”

To heal a broken heart.

And to reunite with your seriously ill father.

Back then, Hayashi absolutely needed to go home.

“But me? I don’t have any reason to go back.”

“You don’t need a reason to visit your family.”

“…You’re one to talk.”

“…Haha. Yeah, you’re right. Sorry.”

She was so reluctant to go back home, and only did so because I kept pushing her to.

I said it half-jokingly, but Hayashi gave a wry smile, as if she understood.

…It finally felt like the usual mood was starting to return.

The air between us earlier had been a bit painful.

“Family, huh?”

Hayashi said, her voice tinged with deep emotion.

“…I never thought I’d hear a word like that from the high school version of you.”

“I surprised myself too. Never thought I’d say something like that.”

“So, that means… you, um, you really… care about me, right?”

“I guess it does.”

These days, eating the meals she cooks has become one of the few things I look forward to.

Of course, I’d be too embarrassed to ever tell her that.

“I bet my ex never thought of me as family.”

I only started thinking of Hayashi as family because we’ve been living together now.

But that’s true for her and her ex as well.

Like Hayashi said, her ex, who subjected her to domestic violence, probably never thought of her as family.

But what about Hayashi?

No matter how much she suffered, she devoted herself to her ex back then… What did she think of him at the time?

As we stared at the dark scenery outside, we fell silent again.

That’s when it happened.

“The train will now come to a stop.”

An announcement echoed through the carriage.

The train began to decelerate sharply. After a screeching sound, it jolted and came to a stop.

“Eek!”

Hayashi let out a small yelp.

“You okay?”

She’d let go of the strap, so I caught her with my right arm, pulling her close.

Her face was right in front of my chest.

My heart started pounding loudly.

“…Sorry.”

“As long as you’re okay.”

Hayashi pulled away from me.

Then, another announcement came.

Apparently, the train had stopped because the one ahead of us had come to an abrupt halt. It seemed we’d be stuck until the train ahead started moving again.

But just as the announcement finished, our train started moving.

Another announcement followed.

According to it, the train ahead had stopped due to a passenger needing medical attention. Our train would proceed to the next station and then stop again.

What a rotten situation, I thought vaguely.

I was concerned about the ill passenger, but more than that… I felt a bit uneasy.

Awkward.

How long were we stuck in that uncomfortable silence?

Some passengers were starting to get irritated, grumbling about the train not moving.

Hayashi glanced at her watch.

“Hey, Yamamoto?”

“Hm?”

“We’ve got one more transfer to make, right?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re probably going to miss the last train.”

“…Guess so.”

Should we just walk home from the transfer station?

No, that’d probably take at least an hour.

“Hey, Yamamoto?”

“Hm?”

“Why don’t we get off here?”

“…Huh?”

“I’m exhausted.”

For some reason, Hayashi’s eyes looked like they were glistening with tears.

This situation!

No doubt about it!

If I push, I might just have a chance!

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