| Taichi | When I was five, the girl next door who I’d always loved suddenly moved away. |
| The day she moved, I cried and cried. I locked myself up for a while after that, but my mother cheered me up by telling me, “Once you start elementary school, you’ll make lots of friends.” |
| I thought I might meet her again, and began elementary school. |
| But she wasn’t there. |
| There were lots of popular boys in elementary school: boys who could study, boys who were good at sports, boys who were interesting. That was when I first realized that I wasn’t somebody on “that side”—I was a nobody. |
| I had a hard time making friends, and I was so sad....
Whenever I felt down, I would think about the girl who’d lived next door. |
| |
| So I decided to gather up my courage and go meet her.
I knew my parents wouldn’t let me, so I kept it a secret. |
| I had sort of listened in on the conversation between my parents and hers, so I just knew the name of the station where they would be moving. |
| Funded by my New Year’s money, I purchased a ticket for the first time in my life and got on the train. |
| I lied to the station attendant, saying I was going to grandma’s place, and they told me how to transfer lines. |
| But I didn’t know where to go after I arrived at the station. |
| No matter which way I looked, I didn’t recognize the scenery around me.
I didn’t know any of the faces passing by. |
| That was when I got incredibly sad—way sadder than I’d been at school—and burst into tears. |
| A lady reached out to me and brought me to the police station. I told them my name and phone number, and after a while, my parents came to pick me up. |
| |
| They scolded me a whole lot once we got in the car, but when I told them why I’d run away from home, they laughed at me. |
| “You wanted to show up with that crying face of yours? She would have laughed at you.”
I got really embarrassed and turned my head back. |
| From the rear window of the car, I stared as the city she lived in disappeared into the distance. |
| My father told me, “Taichi, once you can meet her proudly—then, go meet her,” and I nodded silently. |
| I’ll make lots of friends, and then I’ll be the popular kid in the class... If I can do that, then I’ll go meet her again with my head held high. |
| I’m going to tell her all the things I did while we were apart. |
| Once I set my heart on it, I stopped looking backwards.
That escape was what allowed me to move forward. |
| |
| Azami | ...So what happened with the girl you had a crush on? |
| Taichi | Hehe, I still haven’t met her. |
| I wanted to become someone who was proud of myself, but... I took the wrong path. |
| Azami | What do you mean? |
| Taichi | I should tell you about this now that you’re part of Autumn Troupe, A~chan. |
| How I betrayed everyone.... |
| |
| Azami | .... |
| Taichi | ...I think I’ll regret what I did for the rest of my life. I can’t forget, and I’m not allowed to forget. |
| Azami | I don’t think anyone minds anymore. |
| Looking from the outside, I can tell there are no hard feelings between you guys. |
| Taichi | Hehe, thanks, A~chan. |
| I know everyone here forgives me and accepts me. |
| But that’s why I won’t take advantage of it. I want to work harder than anyone else for Autumn Troupe’s sake. |
| Because that’s how I’m gonna give back to everyone. |
| Also, A~chan, you’re one of us now. Don’t say “looking from the outside!” |
| Azami | It’s what they call a figure of speech? Right? |
| Taichi | Okay, then let me say it one more time! Let’s get along! Here, shake my hand! |
| Azami | ...Sure, sure. |
| Taichi | Ah, that’s right! A~chan, when was your first crush!? |
| Azami | Wha...? |
| Taichi | Middle schoolers grow up fast nowadays~. Have you already had your first kiss!? |
 |
| Azami | Th-that sort of thing is for after marriage! |
| Taichi | !? |
| Azami | First, you need to greet each other’s parents before you date, and then you go out together. You get engaged, and then you hold hands... There’s an order to all this! |
| Taichi | Eh, ehh... A~chan, you’re surprisingly.... Wait, is this because of Sakyo-nii’s upbringing...? |
| Azami | Let’s go! |
| Taichi | Ah, wait up, A~chan! |
