[CH.32] (Hinata Kuhou's POV) I know you (Part 2)
The elderly man is suddenly clutching his chest.
"I understand. Please call an ambulance!"
The university student checked the man's consciousness. It seemed like he was conscious, so he lifted the man and encouraged him to get into a comfortable position.
During this time, he contacted emergency services and, clumsily but effectively, explained the park's location.
The man acted swiftly and administered first aid to the gentleman.
All I could do was watch his actions.
...Shortly afterward, paramedics arrived.
"I'll accompany him. We've talked a few times before," he told the paramedics.
The elderly man was carried away on a stretcher by the paramedics, with the man accompanying him.
I wondered if there was something I should do as well, but I couldn't think of anything concrete.
In my state of confusion, the man appeared in front of me.
"Thank you for calling. Thanks to you, it seems his condition is not too serious."
"But I... I couldn't do anything."
"That's not true at all. Your courageous action saved him. You did a great job."
"Oh..."
I felt saved by his kind words.
For someone like me, who was running away from my family and felt utterly useless in the world, it was truly heartening to think that I could be of some help, even in a small way.
"Um..."
"Yes?"
"This... it's gone cold, but if you'd like, please have it."
It had gotten cold, so I decided to warm up. I had bought coffee from a vending machine earlier, but I had accidentally purchased black coffee, which I couldn't drink.
"Thank you. I like black coffee, so this helps," he replied with a smile, then walked away from me towards the paramedics.
The paramedics asked him, "Please tell us your name."
"Oh, I'm Hidaka Hanamura."
It was only then that I learned his name.
And then, spring arrived. As a third-year high school student, I sat on my usual bench again.
I had refrained from visiting the natural park since that incident due to school reasons, so it was my first time back in a while.
When Hanamura-san passed by... would I be able to approach him? Would he remember me... I wondered about these things.
But Hanamura-san never appeared.
It took me two weeks to realize that during my second year of high school, Hanamura-san had said he was 22 years old. If things had gone as expected, he should have already started working.
I thought maybe he was working and just hadn't been coming here for some reason, like me. So, for a year, I continued reading books at this spot, but I never saw Hanamura-san.
He was a kind adult "big brother." I hadn't fallen in love with him in a manga-style way, but there was no denying that I was interested in him.
As time passed, I began to forget about this memory. However, after graduating from junior college and joining a company, I would come to know of his existence.
Regrettably, I only realized this after I had been assigned to work in Hamayama.
The reason I realized was because his name and photo happened to be in the company's internal newsletter I was flipping through.
His face, the same as the one I had seen in the park, was featured in the article about the design and development team for the new product "Tesmo."
I instinctively circled his photo in the internal newsletter.
It turned out that he was now working at the company's headquarters in Tokyo. It became clear that he hadn't been coming to the park because he had started working.
If only I had noticed sooner, we could have met during his training at the headquarters...
However, one year later, to my surprise, Hanamura-san was going to be transferred to Hamayama.
---
"Good morning, Kuhou-san. You're here early."
"Good morning, Hanamura-san."
It was 8 a.m., earlier than the usual working hours, when I arrived at the office. Hanamura-san was already at work.
"You're here early today."
"Last week, I got a bit behind on work. So, I came in a bit earlier to prepare..."
"No, that won't do. If you're going to work, you have to clock in."
"I-I'm sorry."
My four-year senior bowed his head.
Hehe, he hasn't changed since then. It seems like he doesn't remember our encounter in the natural park. Well, my hairstyle was different back then, and I was still in high school. I'm wearing makeup now, so it's understandable that he doesn't recognize me.
I'm the only one who knows, and I can't wait for the moment when I reveal it to him and see his reaction.
I decided to make instant coffee for Hanamura-san.
"Hanamura-san, you liked black coffee, right?"
"Thank you. Huh? Did I say I liked black coffee?"
"You might have. Maybe somewhere in the past..."
Whether I say it or Hanamura-san remembers it... I wonder which will happen first.
I've been curious about you, someone kind and strong.
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