Looking back in time, that day — since the day of Kanzaki Keiichirou's wake, seven and a half years had pa.s.sed.

Before Suga's father had pa.s.sed on in an accident, and when at 8 years old he had made that promise, Suga Koutarou had been neighbors with the Kanzaki family's only daughter, Kanzaki s.h.i.+ori, who was his childhood friend.

In any case, the population of Azakawa Village was teetering on the edge of maybe being 500 people or maybe not, which was how small it was.

The nature of the place made it difficult to even just find someone of the same age. In this kind of village, Suga, who was more introverted and too quiet, was unable to make any friends besides Kanzaki s.h.i.+ori.

However, s.h.i.+ori was different from Suga, and demonstrating her sociable and bold nature to the fullest, had many playmates in the village, regardless of gender or age.

(So different from me, who was a crybaby, and cowardly, and not good at talking)

"You look like a ghost, you're disgusting!!"

"What's with that, stop messing around. If you have something to say hurry up and say it!"

"Uh-oh, he's crying again. Crybaby, crybaby!"

Thrust away, excluded, made to cry. This was Suga's every day.

But Kanzaki s.h.i.+ori was different. Even when she was with the other kids she never teased him, and she played with him. Not only that, but whenever possible, she even stood up for him.

Rather than playing house, she was more tomboyish, the kind of person who would rather pretend at special effects, "Play Fighting." In addition, she was confident, and also reckless, and had the bravery to face a group of bullies by herself. The reality was that she got into scuffles with the kids who bullied Suga and sent them packing, and so he even respected her.

But because of this, how many times had she gotten injuries on her s.h.i.+ns or upper arms, or elbows.

"……Sorry……. s.h.i.+-chan, it's fine now. …..You can just leave me alone. Please don't fight. ….. Girls , shouldn't fight….."

Truthfully, Suga was frustrated. It was all his fault she had gotten injured, and that he was protected by a girl, and that he had been mocked for it. But to say even this was hard enough, when all was said and done,

"Huh?! It's because you're like this that's the problem!"

s.h.i.+ori scolded him.

This was the entire truth. Even remembering it now, Suga didn't have anything to say to that.

Always, always being bullied, and though he wiped away his tears they wouldn't stop.

And then s.h.i.+ori said, "But, I know that Sugkun is way better than those other kids. So, don't cry anymore," and comforted him. "You're a crybaby, but you're nice, and maybe a bit dark, but that's what's interesting and what I like about you," is also something that she had said to him. Even more pathetic, even though s.h.i.+ori was a girl the same age as him, she said "It's okay. No matter what kind of bad person there is, I'll protect you!"

What kind of a turn of events this was. He must really be seen as someone unreliable.

Even though Suga had been brought up by his late father saying all the time, don't cry, be strong, be a gentleman, he was being protected by a girl, a complete loss of face.

But that he had been saved by this girl many times was the undisputable truth.

Since then, he'd been dragged around, but he felt that there were some days they didn't get bruised up. Watching over a thrush's nest, playing in the river and picking flowers, exploring the local G.o.d's forest, making snowmen. It was fun. He was happy. They laughed a lot. Looking back, how precious those memories are. s.h.i.+ori was tomboyish, strong, but through thick and thin a very kind girl.

—- But on that day, it backfired.