{Our Make-Up School Trip (1)}

Surprisingly, it was Satou-san who made the suggestion.

“Hey, Yamaguchi-kun. How about we go on a school trip again?”

But the way she made the suggestion was, in a sense, very much like the usual Satou-san.

Four months had passed since we graduated from high school.

I had started attending university, and Satou-san had begun working as a professional, so our opportunities to meet had drastically decreased.

It was no longer a given that I’d see Satou-san’s face every day when I went to class. Thankfully, Satou-san’s job had weekends and holidays off, so we didn’t completely stop seeing each other, but the fact that I couldn’t see her every day greatly disrupted my daily routine and, ultimately, my mental state when I was alone.

To put it simply, it meant I felt lonely.

Phone calls and emails didn’t do much to fill the void; in fact, after a brief conversation, it often felt worse. The effect of meeting in person couldn’t be matched, and I felt that seeing each other frequently was essential. My outwardly smooth university life was thanks to Satou-san making time for me every weekend. Admitting that to her directly was something I struggled with.

So, I had planned to suggest a trip during the summer break as a way to show my appreciation and also for my own benefit. I was thinking of bringing it up when we met today.

I never expected to be preempted like this.

“Shu—”

I was almost speechless as Satou-san, sitting to my right at the counter table, looked at me with a serious expression.

The high counter seats at the coffee stand were uncomfortable, and I could slid off easily if I wasn’t careful. But I liked sitting at the counter because it meant I could sit next to Satou-san.

Satou-san held a cup of sweet ice cafe mocha and tilted her head.

“Is that strange?”

Well when it comes to strange, Satou-san’s suggestions could quite frequently be described as strange, and I had already gotten used to it during the two years we were classmates.

Or, at least, so I thought.

However, that might have been nothing more than an assumption. The “typical Satou-san” suggestion thoroughly surprised me.

What is she saying?

“Why a school trip?”

Even so, I kept my tone gentle when I asked.

Satou-san, looking a bit hesitant, explained,

“Well, I thought if we were going to travel, a school trip would be better.”

“Sorry, but I still don’t get it.”

I gave up on being polite in thirty seconds. Actually, I’d rather be praised for lasting that long.

“Why would it be a school trip with just you and me? Why call it that?.”

It’s something I’d rather not forget, but Satou-san and I are no longer just former classmates; we’re actually dating. I think we could go on a trip without calling it a school trip.

Besides, even friends wouldn’t say, ‘Let’s go on a school trip again’ after graduation. It’s obvious, but Satou-san is really strange.

Well, if I were to guess Satou-san’s true intentions, she might be trying to say she wants to visit shrines, temples, castles, and the like.

Such trips do have a school trip vibe, but they seem kind of plain for a couple. Yet plainness feels like something that suits Satou-san, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d been into historical site tours for a long time. In fact, it seems quite fitting.

Satou-san, looking down as if thinking deeply, made me reluctantly retrieve the kindness I had discarded.

“Do you like temples and things like that?”

“…Huh?”

“Is that why you mentioned a school trip, to see those things?”

Satou-san blinked a few times before answering,

“Oh, that’s not it. I don’t dislike them, but that’s not what I meant.”

She shook her head.

It seems she doesn’t dislike them. But if that’s not the reason—

“Well, you see,”

Satou-san, unusually hesitant and uncertain, continued.

“Last year, we went on a school trip, right?”

“Yes.”

“And at that time…well, I couldn’t be with you much.”

As she said this, she looked at me with a shy smile.

“So, if we were to go on a trip together, I wanted to redo the school trip first.”

Satou-san was good at digging up old wounds.

Even though I knew she meant no harm, I couldn’t help but smile wryly at memories I’d rather forget.

Last spring, when we went on a school trip, we had our first fight on the trip.

So far, it was the only time we’ve had a fight. We hadn’t even had petty arguments since then.

Well, even back then, we hardly had an argument. I just threw out words Satou-san didn’t want to hear, and she, after apologizing, stated firmly, “I’m not bothering anyone.”

I understand Satou-san’s feelings now. I know that, for her at the time, the person next to her, who she could see in reality, felt farther away than some faceless person she met on the net.

It’s frustrating, but I get it now.

However, I also want her to understand why I couldn’t offer kind words back then.

Our once-in-a-high-school-life school trip turned into nothing but a bitter memory. Saying that what happened back then resulted in us being who we are now is just hindsight. In reality, it was a painful experience, and even now that it’s settled, it’s a memory I’d rather forget if I could.

It was a problem that Satou-san, without any mercy, kept bringing up.

“Well, going all the way to Hokkaido is impossible.”

Satou-san, probably misunderstanding my reaction, gave a wry smile.

“But if we’re just redoing what we couldn’t do then, it might be okay. I wanted to make happy memories with you, Yamaguchi-kun. What about you?”

“I feel the same.”

I shrugged and gave a casual reply.

Of course, I share the same sentiment, but the reason I want to make only happy memories with Satou-san is because I want to forget the events of the one-sided love era. I’d rather not have those memories vividly resurrected. Satou-san, as usual, lacks sensitivity in that area.

“I’m glad. Then, let’s go somewhere.”

Seeing that Satou-san looked relieved, it seemed like affirming her was the right choice. Although I’m not thrilled with the name “school trip,” the fact remains that it’s a trip for the two of us. We should make good memories this time. I decided to switch to a positive mindset.

The next important thing is where to go.

“Where would you like to go, Satou-san?”

When I asked promptly, Satou-san started thinking with a serious expression that didn’t suit her.

“Well… I don’t have a specific place in mind.”

“How about temples or castles?”

“Oh, those would be fine too. But more like…”

She then smiled and said,

“I’d like to ride the train and eat snacks together.”

I swallowed the words “Isn’t that something you could do without a trip?” that were on the tip of my tongue. Well, it’s a matter of mood, right? It’s all about the mood. I shouldn’t ruin the enthusiasm Satou-san has for this. Even though I really want to say it, I held back.

“And I’d like us to walk while looking at a map and getting lost, doesn’t that sound like a trip?”

So getting lost is a given.

“And I want us to eat delicious food together too.”

And she’s more into eating than romance.

“It would also be nice to take photos together and stamp our travel book. What do you think?”

“Well, I suppose that could be considered trip-like…”

I swallowed down more blunt remarks, and my throat grew dry. After giving a vague agreement, I took a sip of the iced coffee I had left untouched. It had completely melted, leaving just a watery taste.

At that moment, “And, when it comes to school trips, there’s also pillow fights, right?”

Satou-san casually mentioned it, causing the diluted coffee to go down the wrong pipe. I found myself coughing and couldn’t help but ask.

“Pillow fights…?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it a classic?”

Satou-san nodded, and then immediately started wondering if it wouldn’t be as exciting with just the two of us. That’s not the point. How clueless can you be, Satou-san?

Pillow fights can’t be done without pillows.

—No, I mean, there are people in Class C who would throw cushions or futons, and some even tried removing the sliding doors, but it’s still the same in essence.

“You know, pillow fights can only be done if you stay overnight.”

I pointed this out to make sure Satou-san understood, and she finally seemed to realize, exclaiming,

“Oh, right. The budget would go up significantly.”

That’s not it. Although that is actually an important issue!

“Considering the budget, staying overnight might be difficult. So it would be a day trip, I guess.”

Satou-san, with a face saying “It can’t be helped,” made me feel a bit disheartened.

I wondered if she really thought that if the budget allowed, staying overnight would have been fine. If she thought that, it would be a problem, as Satou-san might seriously engage in pillow fights. Maybe I was wrong to expect some romance from her; she’s still the same even after becoming a working adult.

Well, if we really were going to have a pillow fight, there would have been the hassle of figuring out how to go easy on someone who’s bad at sports—but it’s fine this time. A day-trip make-up school trip will do.

“Then let’s go to a bookstore now and think while looking at guidebooks.”

“Agreed! Let’s make it a fun trip, Yamaguchi-kun!”

Satou-san’s carefree smile looked just like it did in high school. The fact that I’m the only one who still finds that face cute hasn’t changed.

In the end, I didn’t really care where we went.

I kept quiet because I felt like if I told Satou-san that, we’d never decide on a destination.