Chapter 33
[You’ve taken a long vacation, confined to Asano’s home. As usual, you often pull back the curtains in the living room, lying on the soft sofa, feeling the warmth and dizziness brought by the sunlight.]
[You read music theory books and practice instruments. Your fingers flip through the thin pages filled with crowded text, and amidst the clutter, you seem to catch a glimpse of her name. You search for it, hoping to find a single letter from her name, but sometimes find nothing. Your lips press against the instrument, gleaming with a steady metallic sheen, and in the interval between the last note fading and the next note emerging, you seem to hear her voice. You pause playing, listening intently, only hearing the wind and the footsteps of pedestrians outside the window.]
[A week later, the doorbell rings.]
[Though you know it’s impossible for her to be outside the door, a hint of hope still flickers in your heart. You hastily set aside your book and stride to the entrance, opening the door.]
[Outside stands Chitose Kazumi.]
[Her gaze is filled with guilt and anxiety as she avoids eye contact and remains silent. In that moment, you indeed see the shadow of Asano Nao in her.]
[The declining sun fails to dispel the autumn chill, and the wind tugs at the clothes of passersby. You invite Chitose Kazumi inside.]
[You don’t ask about Asano Nao’s whereabouts or any conspiracy between them. You only ask one thing: why Chitose Kazumi, who had lost contact a year ago, appeared at Asano’s home.]
[Chitose Kazumi tells you that Asano Nao found her new LINE account online and contacted her through her friends.]