The Love That Never Started 5/6 "The Phone Call"

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March 1995

The group date I had staked everything on to get closer to Kuga-kun somehow turned into awig group datewhere wigs were flying through the air, and I thought it was completely over for me.

When I met S-mi and Y-ko after the group date, S-mi apologized to me.

S-mi: "I'm sorry, Aya-chan, even though you were really going for it. I wasn't any help at all. I was just wearing a wig and drinking lol"

Y-ko: "But I thought again that you and Kuga really suit each other, Aya-chan. How should I put it, you two are a bit similar, right?"

S-mi: "Similar, similar, definitely similar. Like how you both get carried away, and how you're both a bit bossy."

Me: "True. Kuga-kun is a bit bossy even on the phone."

S-mi: "You're a bit bossy too, Aya-chan, so you're two of a kind lol"

Y-ko: "I know, right?"

S-mi: "Have you heard from Kuga since then?"

Me: "No. I think he probably decided I'm not an option. I mean, I'm the wig girl, right? That's a no-go."

Y-ko: "Isn't he busy with his move?"

Me: "Well, I'm off to America the day after tomorrow anyway."

I was scheduled to go to America, where my relatives lived, for the two weeks leading up to my junior college entrance ceremony.

Y-ko: "When were you coming back again?"

Me: "The day before the entrance ceremony."

S-mi: "You're the one who's busy, Aya-chan. Well, have a good time. Let's meet up again when you get back."

And so, I spent two weeks in America, and during that time, I had completely forgotten about Kuga-kun. (The usual pattern lol)

April 1995

A few days after I returned safely from America and finished my junior college entrance ceremony, I was sleeping at home at night when the phone rang, oh so shrilly.
(By the way, my parents lived on the first floor, and my sister and I lived on the second floor, so we had a landline installed separately from my parents.)

It was 3:00 AM, and whoever was calling at this hour had to be calling for me.
When I answered the phone,

"Ayaaaaaaaaa"

Calling me by my first name out of the blue.
There is only one person who calls me by my first name.

"Kuga-kun? What's wrong in the middle of the night?"

"You finally answered. Why didn't you pick up? I called you over and over again."

"O-oh, I see."
(It seems I didn't tell him I was going to America.)

"Aya, let's meet up right now."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Let's meet up right now, just let's meet, I'll come pick you up, let's meet."

Wait, Kuga-kun, what's wrong with you?
What's this all of a sudden?
Also, I have a feeling he's incredibly drunk.

"Kuga-kun, you're drunk, aren't you?"

"I'm drunk. I'm drinking at home with friends right now. I finally started living on my own."

Then, from the other side of the phone,
"Kuga, who are you talking to on the phone?"
In response to that voice, Kuga-kun said,
"Huh? Aya. It's the wig, the wig from back then."

What do you mean, the wig from back then? lol

Hey, wig girl, hey, wig girl.

Are you wearing a wig today too?

Ah, it's good to know the tattoo guy is doing well.

"Ayaaaaa, let's meet up right now."

It was 3:00 AM, there was no way we could meet. Well, it was just the ramblings of a drunkard anyway.

"Kuga-kun, you're drunk, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm drunk! If you can't meet me now... then tomorrow, let's meet tomorrow! Call me tomorrow. Call me tomorrow afternoon! Got it?"

"I got it, but I don't know your new phone number, Kuga-kun."

"Oh, is that right? I'm going to give you the number now, so make sure you call me. I'll give you my pager number too. Alright, see you tomorrow. Make sure you call me tomorrow!!! You got that?"

"I got it. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

...

What is this?
What was this phone call?
What did this phone call mean?
Could this mean that, to Kuga-kun, I'm actually "an option"?

While letting such delusions run wild, I did as I was told and, the next afternoon as soon as my class ended, I called the number I had just been given from a phone booth near the junior college.

After a few rings, Kuga-kun answered.

"Huh? Who is this?"

Wait a minute!!!

Wait a minute!!!

Wait a second, wait a second, mister!
Are you kidding me?

"Hey!!! You're the one who told me to call, Kuga-kun!"

"Oh, it's Aya."

Calling me by my first name again.
Well, whatever.

"Sorry, I don't remember at all. Did I call you yesterday? I have absolutely no memory of it."

"You were pretty drunk, you know."

"I was drunk. I drank a ton. Anyway, what time is it now?"

"It's 1:00 PM."

"Ah, I was supposed to go to university this afternoon. Crap, my head hurts, I don't want to go."

"So you don't remember the call yesterday, then."

"I don't remember it at all."

Even though you said we should meet up...

"I see, so you're heading to school now. I see. Well, good luck."

Thinking it was a bit of a letdown, I was disappointed and about to hang up, when...

"Hey, let's go grab something to eat sometime."

I couldn't believe my ears.

"Huh? What was that?"

"Huh?"

"You just said something, didn't you?"

"I said I'm asking you out to eat! Don't make me say it twice, you idiot."

"Are you, by any chance, still drunk?"

"Shut up, I'm not drunk."

"Huh? Wait a second. What does that mean?"

"What does it mean... well, it means what it means."

A brief silence passed between us.

"What do you mean by that? By 'getting food,' do you mean meeting up with everyone again? Another group date? Do I have to wear that wig again?"

"No, that's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"Shut up. I'm saying I want to meet up just the two of us, you idiot."

Even though he said just the two of us, I still...

"What do you mean by 'the two of us'? Does that mean meeting as friends? What are we going to do if we meet alone? What are we going to do after we eat? Kuga-kun, do you..."

As I tried to press him for an answer all at once,

"Ahhhhh, shut up, shut up, shut up! We're not friends. I don't think of you as just a friend."

"Then what are we?"

"Ugh, you're such a pain. Look, I don't say things like that over the phone. I don't say those kinds of things on a call."

"In that case..."

"What is it?"

"When we meet, will you, like, tell me?"

"I will."

At Kuga-kun's immediate answer, I couldn't help but grin on the other end of the line.

"Alright, I'm hanging up now. Call me again. If you give me a ring, I'll call you back."

"Got it. I'll give you a ring."

"Yeah, see ya."

"Yeah, bye-bye."

I gently placed the receiver back.



Finally...
Finally, spring might be coming for me too.
Finally, spring, spring is coming for me...

I was convinced that my life at junior college from here on out would be nothing but fun.
I was so filled with joy that I couldn't help but think that.

And so, I gave a small fist pump and stepped out of the phone booth, which was covered in cherry blossom petals.

In my mind, too, cherry blossoms were dancing in the air.

However,
Spring did not come for me.

I never met Kuga-kun again after that, and as it turned out, this phone call was our last.

Because,

He died two days later.

To be continued

*The next part is the final one.
Part 6 is the part I most wanted to write in this story, so please continue reading. It's right here↓