[Friend Series | ep56] The Back That Never Turned

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Two months had passed since that LINE message.

The seasons changed,
and my son became a third-year junior high student.



With this class reshuffle,
I had prayed with all my heart
that I would be separated from M-chan's son.

In this year as an examinee,
there would be more opportunities to go to school for career guidance sessions and the like.

Because our attendance numbers were close,
I knew there was a high probability
that we would be sitting one behind the other in the parent seating area.



The opening ceremony arrived.

My wish was in vain,
and the two of them were placed in the same class.

The moment I heard that,
I was struck by a feeling as if
everything in front of me had gone dark.



The day of the career guidance session.

I met up with my friend S-chan,
and we were plotting our strategy while having lunch.

“M-chan will surely
come at the very last minute.”

“So, let's go early and take our seats.”

“If she tries to talk to us,
we'll just say ‘long time no see’ and end it there.”



Like that,
while confirming every possible situation,
I headed to the venue with a tense heart.



However,
the moment I entered the venue, my breath hitched.

M-chan, who was supposed to be late as usual,
was already sitting in her seat.



(...What should I do?)



Noticing my agitation, our sons
innocently waved and called out to me.

While trying to suppress the sound of my heartbeat,
I sat in the seat right behind her.



Even though she must have noticed
that I had arrived,
she didn't move an inch, keeping her eyes forward.

Although it was unexpected,
I tried my best to appear calm,
and started talking to my son.



Then,
M-chan's son, who was sitting in the seat in front,
started talking to me.

While he was talking to me,
he kept looking toward his mother repeatedly.

As if
he was trying somehow to include his mother in the conversation.



However,
M-chan did not turn around.

No matter how many times her son called out to her.



That was when it happened.

Suddenly,
I didn't miss the fact that
for just a split second,
he had a look on his face like he was about to cry.



In nearly ten years of knowing him,
I had never once seen him cry.

He was a child with a strong competitive spirit,
always bright and laughing.

That same boy was now
desperately holding back a heart that was about to break.



During the guidance session,
M-chan never turned around once.

She just kept
looking down the whole time.



When my son got home,
he told me quietly.

“During that time,
M-chan was on Instagram the whole time,
sending DMs.”



...Why.



Why is it
that she can't respond
to the voice of the son right next to her?



On her Instagram that day,
it was written like this:

“For the smiles of the world's underprivileged children”



When I saw those words,

at the guidance session venue,
the image of her son,
who had been desperately trying to talk to his mother, came to mind.



To me, he looked
like a reflection of my former self.

Seeking salvation but not receiving it.

The feeling of being treated as if you aren't there,
even though you are.

I knew that feeling.



On this day, I was convinced.


She really
has changed.



The M-chan I loved so much
is no longer anywhere to be found.



I
decided to cut ties with M-chan.



However.

Not just by disappearing,

but in my own way,
I would end it with my own words.



That is what I decided in my heart.