Chapter 29: We brushed past each other.
It's not unusual to be mistaken for someone else; there are countless people who accidentally mistake someone else for them. The only coincidence is that the person being mistaken for has the same surname.
However, since it was said to be a coincidence and that they might not meet again in the future, this matter would not leave a significant mark on Morofushi Hiromitsu's mind—if he hadn't seen the photo today.
The boy in the photo, if you look closely at his features and lines, is actually different from him in every way. Morofushi Hiromitsu is neither a painter nor an artist, nor a doctor, so he cannot describe those differences in detail.
But at first glance, no one could deny the resemblance between them. Morofushi Hiromitsu, who hadn't paid much attention before, was now genuinely curious.
Could he be some kind of relative? Morofushi Hiromitsu wondered.
Because of some events that happened in his childhood, Morofushi Hiromitsu was always cared for by relatives living in Tokyo, but his actual hometown is Nagano. After being brought to Tokyo when he was in elementary school, he rarely went back to Nagano, so he didn't know much about his relatives there.
It wasn't certain the day before, but now it seems they were also on a school trip to Okinawa. School trips usually take place around this time, so running into people from other schools isn't unexpected.
So they're not from the same school. Morofushi Hiromitsu consciously paid attention to how the three girls addressed the boy in the photo.
Was the person these two people were referring to as "Morofushi-kun"? If the resemblance is that high, their reaction at the time wouldn't be surprising.
Seeing the expression on Morofushi Hiromitsu's face, Hagiwara Kenji, after a moment of surprise, also smiled: "Ah, what a coincidence, I didn't expect to see you again, Hiromitsu-kun~"
"Yes, we meet again." Morofushi Hiromitsu replied politely.
Hagiwara Kenji naturally took the photo, subtly slipped it into his pocket, and then said, "Speaking of which, did I forget to introduce myself? My name is Hagiwara Kenji! We're planning to take photos over there later, are you interested?"
"Um… we're gathering soon, so it's not very convenient." Morofushi Hiromitsu replied, then gently steered the conversation back on track, which Hagiwara Kenji had led off to: "Is that person in the photo also your classmate? Is his surname Morofushi? It feels like a coincidence, my name is Morofushi Hiromitsu."
This question wasn't directed at Hagiwara Kenji, but rather at the other three girls.
The three girls were taken aback: "Huh? Are you asking us...?"
"...Morofushi Hiromitsu? Wow! Even their names sound like brothers!"
"Oh no, this is terrible! Seeing Morofushi-san's smile, I can't help but imagine what it would be like if Morofushi-kun also showed such a gentle, spring-like smile..."
"Isn't that pretty scary?" Matsuda Jinpei retorted with a single sentence.
The three girls: "..."
"You don't understand at all, Matsuda-kun!"
"Huh? Why don't I understand again?" Matsuda Jinpei looked puzzled.
...Was this person doing this on purpose? Morofushi Hiromitsu maintained a smile that didn't change on his face, but inwardly he was cursing. The topic had naturally veered off course again, and he felt it would be impolite to ask again. Perhaps it would be better to give up for now and ask Taka'aki-nii later?
Moreover, it seems that these two people's attitudes have changed a bit compared to yesterday. Did something happen last night?
"Now that you mention it... speaking of which, where did Morofushi-kun go? Wasn't he just here a moment ago?" the shoulder-length-haired girl asked curiously.
"Didn't I tell you? He went to cool off—look, that's the shop." Matsuda Jinpei gestured with his chin.
Morofushi Hiromitsu subconsciously looked in that direction, then paused, "My friend is over there."
Morofushi Hiromitsu's cat-like eyes crinkled into a smile: "In that case, shall we go together?"
"..." Hagiwara Kenji: "That's quite a coincidence."
"Then let's go together." Matsuda Jinpei shrugged nonchalantly: "That Raki guy is probably sprawled out like a puddle of mud again right now."
"Haha, Sora'aki-chan is human, you know..." Hagiwara Kenji said helplessly, "If Sora'aki-chan knew about that description—"
"Hmm? It seems like nothing will happen?" Hagiwara Kenji blinked. "Oh dear, Sora'aki-chan is just too gentle."
This time, it was Matsuda Jinpei and the three girls who looked at each other with strange expressions: "Are you serious, Hagi?"
"Sometimes... Hagiwara can be quite scary."
"It's alright, after all, he's Hagiwara-kun!"
"Ah, that's true."
"That's right, after all, it's Hagiwara-kun!"
Hagiwara Kenji: "..."
Hagiwara Kenji: "I suddenly don't really want to know what image I have in your hearts anymore."
Seeing this, Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and chuckled, "You guys have a really good relationship."
I should have known better than to part ways with Zero. In this situation, I feel like I've lost somewhere.
Meanwhile, Furuya Rei, who had temporarily parted ways with his friend, was buying souvenirs—not the kind to give as gifts, but small handicrafts to keep as personal keepsakes.
So there's no need to think about what others will like or what Okinawa-specific items to buy; just do what you like.
However, after walking around for a while, Furuya Rei felt a little thirsty and decided to buy a bottle of water first.
"Let's buy one for Hiro too..." Furuya Rei murmured to himself, but as he passed a store, he noticed a familiar color out of the corner of his eye.
Furuya Rei paused in his forward movement, hesitated, and took two steps back, looking at the cat-eyed boy who was staring at him through a glass partition, his chin propped up on his hand.
No, the other person wasn't staring at him; they seemed to be in a daze, but their gaze just happened to fall in his direction.
But that face looks like Hiro's, doesn't it?
By the time Furuya Rei came to his senses, he was already inside the shaved ice shop.
Furuya Rei: "..."
Now that we're already inside... Furuya Rei turned his gaze to the handwritten menu hanging to the side: "Please give me a lemon one."
"Okay! Just a moment!" The owner, speaking with a local Okinawan accent, replied with a smile and quickly began preparing.
While waiting, Furuya Rei hesitated, unsure whether he should strike up a conversation. Besides, even if the other person was Hiro's relative, they probably wouldn't have much in common to talk about, right?
After careful consideration, Furuya Rei realized that his behavior might be abrupt and impolite, so he decided it was better not to act impulsively.
So after finishing my shaved ice, I'll go find Hiro. With that thought in mind, Furuya Rei turned around with his shaved ice and saw the boy who had been spacing out. His gaze fell on him at that moment.
Furuya Rei glanced subconsciously at the spot where he had just entered, took two steps to the right, and then paused for a moment before taking two steps to the left, watching the boy whose gaze had naturally shifted to the right as well.
The boy's gaze shifted slightly to the left, but compared to his previous calmness, he felt, perhaps it was just his imagination, that the cat-eyed boy's face seemed to be filled with an expression as if he were looking at an idiot.
Furuya Rei: "..."
Furuya Rei coughed lightly: "Um, are you looking at me?"
"Is there something you need from me?" the blond mixed-race man asked politely.
But after he asked the question, the cat-eyed boy looked away and ignored him.
Furuya Rei: "..."
Feeling a little embarrassed, Furuya Rei decided to finish quickly and leave as soon as he finished his shaved ice!
After finishing his shaved ice without getting a headache, Furuya Rei suddenly stood up and was about to leave—but he didn't expect that just as he stepped out the door, he would see Morofushi Hiromitsu walking in his direction.
"Huh? Hiro?"
"Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?" Upon seeing Furuya Rei, Morofushi Hiromitsu's polite smile finally turned genuine: "Zero."
"We didn't say we'd meet over there later… Ah! It's you guys again!" Furuya Rei's face showed increased wariness.
Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei also looked in his direction. Hagiwara Kenji whispered in Matsuda Jinpei's ear, "I thought he was just saying it casually, but I didn't expect he actually has friends here..."
Matsuda Jinpei: "...What's the point of lying about something like this?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and patted Furuya Rei on the shoulder to help him relax: "They are also students from other schools who are here on a school trip, so don't be too nervous."
"Is that so?" Furuya Rei said, but his guarded expression didn't lessen much.
Knowing that he couldn't easily disarm his friend's wariness of strangers, Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and said, "We're planning to get some shaved ice. Zero, do you want to come along?"
Furuya Rei, who had just finished eating shaved ice: "..." So, why did I eat so fast just now?
But what else could he do? The blond mixed-race man took a deep breath, his breath carrying the chill of shaved ice, and then replied, "Together."
So, less than a minute after stepping out of the store, Furuya Rei stepped back in.
Sitting in the corner, Morofushi Sora'aki looked up again, and Furuya Rei felt as if he saw a "Why are you here again?" in the other's eyes. Yeah, it was just his imagination, definitely just his imagination.
Furuya Rei had just turned around to talk to his friend, but he didn't expect to see his friend's stunned expression.
No one could understand what Morofushi Hiromitsu was feeling at that moment; it was an indescribable surge of emotion.
The moment he entered the room, even before he had observed it or seen anything, he instinctively looked in the direction of that person.
My heart was pounding uncontrollably; I could almost hear the sound of my heart beating again and again. All my thoughts and ideas were focused on the boy sitting at the wooden table.
Morofushi Hiromitsu opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.
Only after actually meeting him could Morofushi Hiromitsu truly feel the connection between the two of them—even though it was their first meeting and there was no evidence whatsoever, Morofushi Hiromitsu realized the other person's identity and stopped in his tracks because of it.
Morofushi Sora'aki reacted in the complete opposite way. He lowered his eyes, swallowed the last bite of the strawberry shaved ice in front of him, then slowly stood up, brushed past Morofushi Hiromitsu, and said to his two friends who came to find him, "I'm done eating, let's go back."
Hagiwara Kenji: "..."
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
I feel like in this atmosphere, nothing I say would be quite appropriate...?