Strange Memories With You, My Dear

Chapter 00.01

Prologue

Translated by KuroNeko
Edited by Omkar

Summer break was just around the corner.

    I strolled along a residential street in the evening after leaving my house in time for my 6:00 p.m. cram school class. Posters advertising the upcoming Tokyo Olympics have been featured in a variety of locations, including the glass windows of stores in the shopping center, bulletin boards across the city, and in many other places.

    It was the middle of July, and the weather had been quite hot for the previous several days. It’s much better now that the sun has set, but the air is still hot and tepid, and even walking about makes me sweat.

    一The sun had morphed into a gigantic red ball, bathing the city with a dull orange light after warming the ground with its piercing rays all day. The clouds in the sky were soft pink, and the shadows cast by the poles and buildings were dense and prolonged.

    I put on my backpack, which had my cram school materials, writing materials, and wallet. Just then, a voice from behind me cried out, “Yukinari-kun!”

    When I looked around, Yuuko was running towards me. Her short-cut hair swayed to the rhythm of her movement. She was dressed in a short-sleeved white dress and a blue mini-skirt, and she was carrying her red backpack, which she always carried.

   When she got near me, she took a few deep breaths to regain her breath, then said, “It’s hot again today!”

    “Yeah.” I nodded, slowed down, and we started walking together. It was simply a five-minute walk to the cram school. Even if I didn’t rush, it was still 5:45 on my wristwatch, so I’d be able to make it to class on time.

    She was a girl about my age who attended the elementary school next door. We met in the cram school when we were in fourth grade two years ago. She and I lived in a neighborhood near enough to ride our bikes to each other, but the Kitairizawa River that ran through the city split the district where I lived from the district where Yuuko lived, and the school district was divided by the river, so we had never met before.

    一“Yukinari-kun, have you done your homework?” Yuuko asked as soon as we started walking together.

    “Yeah. I was able to do math but struggled with English. What about you, Yuuko-chan?”

    “Quite the opposite. I could do English, but I couldn’t solve some of the math problems. But my father helped me.”

    “I see”

    Yuuko’s father appears to be a researcher. I’ve heard that he works at a university in Tokyo. When I arrived at the cram school, I told Yuuko that I would ask her to show me what I didn’t understand before the session began.

    “Show me the English part later.”

    “All right.” She nodded with a smile. Just before class, students at the same cram school would frequently teach each other the solutions to their homework. Yuwako was always precise with her homework, so her eight sixth-grade classmates at the cram school mostly depended on her.

    When I initially started going to this cram school, I was depressed since I didn’t know anyone, but now I’m friends with everyone. Fortunately, there were no kids at school with whom I didn’t get along. So I felt more at ease at this cram school, where we studied in tiny groups than in an elementary school classroom dominated by a gang of strong-minded guys. My mother was pleased since my grades at school had recently improved as a consequence of my studies at the cram school.

    As Yuuko and I strolled down the street in the evening, we ultimately arrived at the five-story building that housed our cram school. The building was not new, and some of the metal parts were corroded and shedding paint. The building also housed a beauty salon and a legal office, in addition to the cram school. Next to the property was a vintage electronics store and a bakery. There was also a shrine nearby. Trees were growing there, and the buzzing of cicadas could be heard.

    The location of our school is on the second floor. When you go up the stairs alongside the gorgeously gussied-up hair salon on the first floor, you will notice a glass door with the words “Irisawa Cram School” written on it. As soon as I opened the door, I heard the receptionist exclaim, “Hello.” She’d dyed her hair brown and was sporting a fluffy perm. She was usually cheerful and appeared to be a kind person.

    We put on our slippers, returned greetings, and double-checked the attendance papers. The air conditioner was on inside the school, and it felt cold and refreshing. Yuuko and I let out a gulp of breath when the coolness touched us as we walked in the muggy heat outside.

    We spotted several of our friends already in one of the various classrooms behind the reception desk. Yuuko and I took our seats after greeting everyone. There was no specific seating arrangement, but I always sat at the front, on the right side, facing the blackboard, while Yuuko sat in a group with two other girls on the left side. I got out my notebook and proceeded to ask her to show me the section of the homework that I didn’t understand, as I had aforementioned.

   As the students arrived one by one and the room filled with the sound of chatting people, I quickly completed my English homework.

   “Thank you. You’ve been big help.”

   “You’re welcome,” Yuuko responded as I finished writing, closed my English notebook, and started preparing for my forthcoming mathematics class. It was soon six o’clock, and the teacher with a white shirt entered the classroom. As the teacher exclaimed, “Let’s get started!” Standing students took their seats, and everyone turned to face the blackboard.

◇

When the English and math courses were finished, and everyone was getting ready to depart at 7:40 p.m. The receptionist entered the classroom with a handful of sheets.

    “I’ll hand out the timetable for the summer course,” she said, handing us three sheets of paper.

    I went over the papers and noticed that one was entitled “Summer Course Schedule”, and the other two were titled “How to Study During Summer Vacation.” I placed them in a separate file and left the school with the other classmates. I exited the building by walking down the small steps and said goodbye to the teacher and the receptionist.

    Outside, it was already dark. A slew of headlights flashed down the road, divided by a guardrail. The area was bright because, in addition to the lighting, the neighboring buildings and shops were also lit up.

    “Bye, Yukinari,” a friend on his bicycle remarked as he waved at me. I also waved back and said, “See you later.” Yuuko also waved her hands and paused her talk with the other girls.

    I was going to begin my stroll back home. But at that very moment, Yuuko approached me and called out. “Hey, I got a call from my father saying he’ll pick me up here today. He also stated that he would offer other children who were walking home a ride.”

    “Are you sure?” Yuuko nodded when I asked. Takashi, another classmate of mine, walked to the cram school. She also called out to him, and the three of us agreed to wait in front of the cram school until Yuuko’s father came.

    “Summer break is only two days away,” Yuuko murmured.

    “Yes. Today was supposed to be the day I brought home the belongings I had left at school, but they were so heavy that my hands hurt.”

    “The same thing happened to me,” Yuuko giggled.

    This summer vacation marked the end of my elementary schooling years. I just knew about summer vacation from elementary school, but I had heard grownups talk about how “special” it was in various television programs, videos, and literature, and I somehow assumed it was just that way and felt a peculiar sensation of loneliness. I was struck by a weird sense of loneliness.

    “Do you hang out with your friends during your summer vacation, Yukinari-kun?”

    “Hmm. I didn’t have any specific plans. But I definitely want to go swimming.”

    “Didn’t we all go last year? Takashi-kun confessed that he had trouble removing sunburn thereafter, but that it was fun at the moment.” Takashi, who was nearby, nodded with an uncomfortable smile when Yuuko stated this. He had neglected to apply sunscreen on his back.

    “I’d like to go again.”

    “Yeah. Let’s invite everyone and make a plan, shall we? “I said.

    “Does Yuuko go on a trip somewhere?” he asked. Every year, she took a vacation with her family. We were always given a souvenir.

    Yuuko nodded happily.

    “This year, I’ll be in America for five days beginning August 20th.”

    “America?”

    “My father’s research partner is in the United States, and they plan to conduct some experiments. So my father needs to work, but my mother and I will accompany him and have a lot of fun.”

    “That’s amazing.” I let the words escape my mouth. I was reminded of a term I had just heard on a TV news programme: “gap.” I don’t have a father who has such a great job, or, more accurately, I don’t have a father at all because he divorced when I was in second grade. There is just one mother who works for a company. I had an odd feeling of melancholy and uneasiness towards the well-bred Yuuko.

    “Please get me a souvenir,” I said.

    “Yes. Of course,” Yuuko nodded. 

    I cast a hazy glance out the doorway at the city at night. There were a lot of vehicles on the road in front of me. The red lights on the tops of the distant pylons were slowly flickering. The dark sky was filled with thin grey clouds with a few tiny white stars.

    “Oh, here he is.” Yuuko notified Takashi and me, and a black vehicle drew up in front of us. Takashi stuffed the game into his backpack, and we followed Yuuko to her car. Takashi and I sat in the backseat, while Yuuko sat at the front.

    Takashi and I called out to Yuuko’s father in the driver’s seat as we opened the door and sat down, “Please take care of us.” “Yes,” the uncle responded as he returned our gaze. “Good job on your studies,” he responded with a smile.

    The seat was wide and comfy, unlike the mini-car at my home. Yuuko’s father had previously given her a ride home from school.

    “Then I’ll go around from Yukinari-kun’s place,” the uncle informed.

    “Yes. Thank you,” I said in return. 

    When the flow of vehicles came to a halt, the old man put on his blinker and began driving. It was only a fifteen-minute walk from my house to the school, so if he drove me there, it would be easy.

    I asked him to pull over in front of my six-story apartment building, opened the door, and stepped out, said, “Thank you very much.”

    Takashi and Yuuko spoke to me, “See you later.” And I said, “Yes,” and waved them off as the car carrying Yuuko and the others drove away.

    Then I strolled past my apartment building’s white streetlights, rode the elevator to the fifth floor, and opened the door of my residence, which had a nameplate that said “Nakayama.”

◇

The heat and a sliver of light greeted me when I awoke.

    It’s the first day of the summer vacation. I glanced at the clock beside my bed and noticed that it was 8:10 a.m. I have to get up at 7:30 a.m. for school, so I generally sleep in till then.

    The cicadas could be heard chirping. I was sweating slightly as light and heat streamed through the drapes into the room. When I opened the curtains, the brilliant light invaded my vision, and I couldn’t help but close my eyes. It was the height of summer. The sky was bright blue, with clouds drifting in the air, and the asphalt surface reflected the light so vividly that it appeared to be retaining light.

    In such a condition, how did I manage to get to school……?

    This time of the day was right around school time. I wanted to praise myself for what I had done yesterday.

    I entered the living room while still dressed in my running shorts and t-shirt that I wear as pajamas. My mum appeared to have left for work already. There was tuna and natto on the table. I took my bowl from the cupboard, fetched the rice from the rice cooker, and ate my breakfast while watching television. I finished fast, took a cup of barley tea, and sat quietly watching a special Olympics show right before the opening ceremony. An athlete competing in the short distance race was interviewed. They were discussing their training regimen and if they were sure of earning a medal. The athlete was calm and cheerfully answered the questions.

    Cicada chirping and a later-than-usual breakfast. It was a summer vacation morning. And this time was unlike the other five summer vacations. This was the last summer vacation I had in elementary school, so it was very special.

    But, I thought to myself.

    The time indicated in the top right corner of the television was still before nine a.m. I have nothing scheduled for today till my evening cram school class. I have no incentive to rush through my homework because it isn’t particularly large.

In short, I was free.

    I sat in my living room in the morning, with an empty bowl in front of me and the bright sunlight streaming through, listening to the laughter coming from the TV and wondering what to do with the rest of the day.

    That’s right, I remembered at this moment. 

    I felt like I had no time at all. This was also the feeling of summer vacation. I went to my room, switched on the air conditioner, and took my tablet, which I use at home, to play video games and watch Internet videos of people with their pet cats and dogs.

    一After about an hour of this, I started to feel drowsy and slept off on the bed for a few minutes.

    As lunchtime approached, I decided to stop by a neighbouring convenience shop and get some food. My mother had given me money last night to spend on food, snacks, and books for my summer vacation. At the entrance, I carefully placed my wallet in my backpack and put on my shoes.

    A steamy heat engulfed me as I stepped out of the air-conditioned house. The sun was beaming in the corridor outside my apartment, and my body began to sweat as soon as I was exposed to the bright light. I rode the elevator down to the first floor, regretting that it would have been cooler if I had gone earlier in the day, and strolled to a convenience shop about five minutes away, seeking as much shade as possible.

◇

In the afternoon, I went to the convenience shop and got some juice to go with my lunch, as well as doing my cram school and school homework. I didn’t want to do summer homework because there was no need to rush through it, so I did a page of mathematics exercises while doing my cram school homework.

    After that, I ate a few snacks to keep myself from being hungry during class, and I went to the cram school shortly before six o’clock in the evening.

    We had two sessions, English and math, as usual, and then a boy named Tomoki suggested that we go to the pool again this year. Tomoki was a tanned, energetic boy who belonged to the soccer club. He was always the focal point of the group. We each had our own schedules, and we would compare them on the day of the next class to settle on a date.

    “I’m looking forward to it,” Yuuko said as they walked home together.

Several vehicles passed us on the road as we walked, causing a loud noise. It was a clear night and a faint moon hung low in the night sky.

    The pool we’ll be going to this time is the same one we went to last year, and it’s located in an amusement park in a nearby town. There are various kinds of pools such as wave pools, flowing pools, water slides, etc. Furthermore, there are shops offering foodstuffs like takoyaki, hot dogs, and kebabs, allowing us to play all day.

    Yuuko was walking back when she opened her notebook and looked over her schedule. I glanced at her as I came under the streetlight, and her numerous schedules were written on the calendar in Yuuko’s round handwriting.

    “You look busy,” I said.

    “Yes. My parents take me to a lot of places.”

    That’s nice, I thought out loud.

    “I should have joined a soccer or baseball team.” I remembered Tomoki, who played soccer, expressing to me proudly that he was busy with training and competitions on top of cram school during the summer vacation.

    Then, after a brief period of thought and a little “hmmmm” in her voice, Yuuko closed her notebook and placed it in her bag before turning to me and saying, “There is a camping trip right before Obon festival.”

    “Camping?” I asked back.

    I heard of a two-day, one-night camping event in the mountains of Saitama Prefecture’s western province, and Yuuko was planning to go. The event’s point was to show the children nature and the stars, and Yuuko’s father would play the role of a teacher.

    I declined once since I had heard that you have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. My mother works, therefore she won’t be able to join me. But when I told her, she replied, “I’ll ask my father if I may invite my friends.”

    I was hesitant and uncomfortable, but thinking that it would be wonderful if I could join such an event, I thanked her and added, “Thanks, I’ll talk to my mum about it.”

    Yuuko and I said our goodbyes at the foot of the Kitairizawa River bridge known as Oe Bridge, which was just before the fork in the road.

    When I arrived home after passing the Oe Bridge, I discovered that my mother had not yet returned from work. I reheated a frozen meal, took a bath, watched a little TV, and then went to bed. I was reading a book in bed until I fell asleep, then turning off the light and meditating when I heard my mother arrive home.