NPC Town Building Game - Chapter 29 (2/2): Childhood Friend
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Translator: Asada
Editor: Kylerboi (edited)
I owned a car during my student days but discarded it after graduation from college.
At that time, I didn’t had many friends but I lost contact with them as I withdrew myself. I can now only talk to my family.
How many years has it been since a friend has talked to me.
The past cannot be recovered. It is really painful.
Everything became annoying after I withdrew and shutdown myself in a shell.
As one steps out of the convenience store, you will tremble due to the temperature difference.
A small breath of white slowly rises in the dark night.
“It’s really regretful.”
My neighbor, my childhood friend. She is one of my oldest memories. We have been together since we were born. We were always together, from kindergarten to high school.
I miss her the most.
“I ran away…..from employment, friends, family,……escapes from reality and memories.”
I gazed at the sky while walking all alone at night.
I was walking on the street with private houses. There was the street light and the moon and stars were clearly visible.
“Oh…we also went to see the meteor shower when we were students.”
A friend who always rallied with me during the most shining moments of my life.
Now she is…
I didn’t go back straight to my house but instead took a detour and then arrived at my house.
I noticed a woman wearing suit standing in front of my neighbouring house.
She seems to be struggling with taking out her keys in front of the door. She has a crutch on her left foot. [1]
“Seika..”
I involuntarily mentioned her name.
Seika Tsumabuki, my childhood friend.
Small brownish hairs tied with elastic cords, edgeless glasses which look fresh to the eyes. Seika turned around in response to my voice and took off her glasses.
It’s been a long time since I saw her so close. The face gives a gentle impression. She should be over thirty just like me but still looks in her twenties.
“Oh…”
“It been a long time….also don’t use my nickname, It seems like name of a dinosaur in an action game.” [2]
We exchanged words for the first time in few year yet the conversation proceeded more smoothly than expected.
It seems that decades of accumulation have won over several years of gap.
It’s only been few weeks since I last saw her. On that day, I got up early and I saw her in her study through the second floor window.
It must have been been years since she last saw me.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah, yeah. I was hospitalized for two weeks since I got involved in an accident and this my leg bone was fractured.”
“I see.”
After meeting her after such a long time, I want to talk to her but its strange to talk outside at midnights in winters.
“See you..”
“Wait a minute. If it’s okay, why don’t you come inside?”
Her laughing faces seemed a little lonely. Seika’s parent died few years ago and since then she lived with her grandmother.
“I will refrain from doing that. It would be bad if I wake up oba-san.” [3]
Rather, even though we are childhood friends, it’s a lot of problem for a man and woman to be together at midnight
“Okay.”
She has a bad habit. She looks down and slowly bods, it is a gesture that she has compromised and gave up.”
Her intention has always been to live in such a way that respect the surrounding without inserting in her own opinions.
“Let’s talk about this again, my mom wanted to see obasan…. How about coming to our house with her?”
“Oh, would it be fine?”
“Oh, it should be fine. I only do a part-time job.”
I was still worked that she thinks that I am unemployed so let me tell her that I have started working.
“Yeah. I know. I have been told by Aunty and Sayuki. You are working hard.”
Did you hear it from them? Even though I didn’t know, she seems to be in contact with my family.
Unlike me, Seika has succeeded in finding a job and works for a large company.
She should be earning an income which cannot be compared to my part time job, yet I didn’t feel any sympathy or despise from her word. She seems to be really pleased.
Seika still hasn’t changed. There were some changes in her appearance due to to age but unlike me, the important heart is still the same.
“Um, the fruits and meat were really delicious.”
“It’s good that you are pleased.”
I remember properly when my mother asked.” Can I give it next door?”
I thought to return back but I couldn’t ignore her crutches in sight.
I approached Seika, grabbed her shoulders to support her and prevent her from falling down. I borrowed the key and unlocked the house.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you. I will come to your house soon.”
“Okay. I will be waiting.”
I gently released the door and it closed and then I returned back to my house.
I admit that we have been close to eachother for a long time and were conscious of each other.
When we were kids, we were teased with being husband and wife. We were told that we were a couple.
I had relationship with multiple friends but always less than of a lover. I had decided to confess to Seika after I graduate from college and find a job.
But that never happened. Seika found a job in a large company but I didnt. My heart just went wilder and wilder day by day.
The confession would have not looked cool if my job would have been less paying and respected than Seika’s. I targeted the companies of equal or higher caliber but lost in the end.
Her existence which has always encouraged me started to make me feel depressed and annoyed so I started keeping myself away from her.
A lonely childhood friend who wants you forever. Such convenient story cannot be a reality.
Even when I became stagnant, the time continued to flow for the others.
Let’s even if a beautiful women waits for her favorite person to recover from depression. There is no way that such an dedicated and attractive women will stay if a better man than him enters her life.
As a result it would be no wonder, if she fell in love with him.
She is still single but a man might have already appeared in her life, or she might already be in an ongoing relationship. That person might have dropped her here in his car.
The relationship could not return as they were in the last but at least we can be friends.
I honestly feel that but I want to beat myself up…..
Translator and Editor Notes:
[1] Well a crutch is basically
[2] j really have no idea what is going on in these lines 😑
[3] oba-san is grandmother
She is here. The FL we all have been waiting for.(actually me all along) She is the character which I love and scared of the most in this novel 😂 ~ Asada
More chapters will be released soon. The sponsored chapters will be finished soon. How about donating to us on Kofi to get more chapters released with your name. ~ Asada
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