Chapter Two

It was usually a little after six by the time I finished work and arrived home.

I decided to start making dinner and wait until the lights came on in the house next door before paying Mr. Sasagawa a visit.

While clearing out the house after I moved in, I had found several notebooks filled with my grandmother’s recipes. Whenever I had time, I would choose one and enjoy a taste that brought back old memories.

“Oh, that’s right.”

The chestnuts and onions sitting in a basket in the kitchen gave me an idea for dinner.

By the time I had finished eating and was washing the dishes, I heard a car pulling into the garage next door.

*Oh, no. Now I’m getting nervous.*

I removed my apron, picked up the bag containing a plate of food and the miniature pumpkin lanterns, and headed to the neighboring house.

◇◇◇

I pressed the intercom button and waited.

After a slight pause, someone answered.

“Yes?”

“Um, this is Ono from next door.”

“…Yes.”

Silence followed.

*Did the intercom cut out?*

I was about to press the button again when the front door opened.

“Oh—uh…sorry to keep you waiting.”

He had probably been in the middle of changing. He was not wearing his usual glasses, and the hem of his shirt was slightly rumpled.

Up close, he was even taller than I had imagined.

Other people’s entryways usually carried the particular scent of the household. This one, however, smelled unexpectedly pleasant.

Flowers, perhaps?

“I’m sorry to disturb you when you’ve only just come home. For the past couple of days, some lovely pumpkins have been turning up in my garden…”

It was surprisingly difficult to explain without making it sound as though I had come to complain.

“What? Oh! I’m the one who should apologize. It was probably my dog playing a prank.”

“You have a dog? I had no idea. I’ve never even heard it bark.”

I had never sensed the presence of a dog next door.

Beyond a glass door at the end of the dim hallway, I could just make out the shadow of a large animal.

“I’m very sorry. I don’t usually let him spend much time in the garden, but the weather has been so pleasant lately that I’ve allowed him to play outside. He must have carried them out with him. I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”

He bowed apologetically, making me hurry to reassure him.

“Oh, it wasn’t any trouble at all. They’re beautifully made. Did you write the verses yourself?”

“That’s…rather embarrassing.”

His ears turned red, and his words trailed off.

Only then did I realize I had put him on the spot.

“Oh, I only meant that I thought they were wonderful. They really are lovely. Ah! Actually, I’m the one who should apologize.”

I handed him the pumpkins, tilting them so he could see inside their wide-open mouths.

“I liked them so much that I put candles inside without asking. I wiped them out carefully afterward, but there might still be some soot left.”

Only after lighting the candles had it occurred to me that perhaps the pumpkins had been intended as gifts for someone else. I had panicked and cleaned their insides as thoroughly as I could.

“No, that doesn’t matter at all. They weren’t anything like that. It’s fine. If you enjoyed them…”

His voice faded away at the end of the sentence. He cradled the pumpkins in his palms and lowered his head, looking almost overwhelmed.

Silence fell between us.

“Um…if you don’t mind, I made too much food for dinner. Would you like some?”

I held out the bag.

He accepted it and peered inside.

“You may already have eaten, but it should keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I hope it suits your taste. It’s a chestnut quiche.”

Had that been too forward?

Now that I had practically pushed it into his hands, I began to worry that I might have imposed on him.

“Y-you can microwave it at six hundred watts for about a minute when you’re ready to eat it. Well, then…”

“Thank you. I haven’t had dinner yet, so this is very much appreciated.”

He turned toward me with an expression I could not quite interpret and bowed again.

“Good night, then.”

I hurried away.

There were only about thirty steps from his front door, around the dividing gate, and back to my own entrance.

They felt unbearably long.

I did not turn around to check, but somehow I knew he was watching until I was safely inside my house.

I closed the front door and leaned back against it.

“Whew…”

A long breath escaped me.

――Have I always been this socially awkward?*

Admittedly, I had never been particularly good at talking to people, but I had worked in the real world. I even had experience in customer service.

Though, come to think of it, I had quit because customer service had not suited me.

My heart still would not stop racing.

I locked the door behind me and found myself remembering Mr. Sasagawa’s expression.

The way he had looked embarrassed was, somehow, rather cute.

It seemed strange to think that about a man who was probably a little older than I was.

As my heartbeat began to settle, a smile slowly spread across my face. I couldn’t explain the feeling, but the thought of him filled me with a quiet happiness.

I did not understand it.

But one thing was certain.

I felt wonderfully, inexplicably happy.