Late morning, I went to the kitchen where Mom cooks. I looked for Ayase-san’s number and she gave it to me right away.

By the entrance, Dad said, “I’m leaving.”

Thus, Mom responds with, “Have a safe trip.”

Dad went to the garage and entered his car. The car’s engine sounded as I ran to open the gate wider. Dad gave me a thumbs up for my initiative. He drove the car out along with my half-raised hand.

I opened my mouth but closed it afterward. I wanted to address him farewell, but my bravado failed to push me to speak.

I dropped my gaze and picked up my phone instead. I went to the dining area. Towards Ayase-san, I mustn’t hold back. After registering her number and e-mail to my contact, I made a call. I waited for her to respond while clenching my phone tight. A few seconds passed and I assumed that she was busy, but at the moment I was about to cancel the call, she answered.

[Hello? Who is this?]

Hearing her voice from the other line, I wavered.

“Th-this is Y-Yasuhiro…” I stammered already, would this end well?

[Ah… Akamatsu-san. How are you doing now? I was planning to go to your house today.]

Did I hear it right? She would come here? If I knew that in the first place, then I shouldn’t have bothered myself from making a call. I sighed. Very well...

[Hello? Akamatsu-san, are you still there?]

“Y-yeah, I’m still here. Sorry… I just thought that, since you’re coming here, I think that’s a better way for us to talk.”

Damn, I was just trying to end the conversation for I have nothing else to talk about. She would come here, so I was planning to ask her to go out by then.

[I see. You have a point. Well, how are you doing today?]

“I feel fine now, I still couldn’t remember anything about the incident, though.”

[Ah, glad to hear that.]

“Ayase-san is going here?” Mom crossed, her voice came from the kitchen.

“Yes.” I answered while drawing the phone away from my mouth.

“Well, if she’s not busy this morning, you can invite her to come early. Let's have her lunch here instead.”

I nodded. “Ayase-san, Mom here wants you to have lunch at our house. Are you okay with it?”

At first I thought she’d have second thoughts for the sudden invitation, however, she replied as fast as she could.

[Of course yes! I’ll come.]

I smiled, never expecting her to shout for joy and excitement.

“We’ll wait for you here.”

[Okay. Thanks for calling, Akamatsu-san.]

“Thanks too. Goodbye.”

[Bye.]

Then I ended the call.

From her room, Matsuri went to the kitchen while still feeling drowsy. She also woke up late.

“What do we have for breakfast?”

She questioned Mom after a quick yawn.

“We have yakiimo [1] right there, it’s perfect for the cold.” Mom answered.

She glanced at the dining area and queried back, “Where and when did you roast it?”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff okay?”

“Okay… okay. I’m sure you just bought it from a street vendor.” She affirmed while walking towards the dining table like a slug. She ate the yakiimo accompanied by constant yawning.

I tried my best not to bother her, so I went to the living room and waited for Ayase-san to come. When our doorbell rang, I opened the front door to see her by the gate. I headed to the entrance and opened the gate and let her enter.

“You look a lot better now.”

I glanced at her relieved, smiling face. We entered the house as she hanged her black coat behind the door.

“It sure is still cold.”

She rubbed her hands together.

In the living room, she took a seat on the sofa. I sat beside her, “What do you like? Coffee or tea?”

“Hmm, I’ll go with coffee, but not black. Just a mild white coffee is okay.”

“Sure thing.”

I headed to the kitchen to prepare the coffee. Just then I realized that it was Sunday, no doubt she has no work. Matsuri don’t have school either. How about Dad? Where did he go?

“Where did Dad go? It’s Sunday, right?”

I couldn’t help but ask Mom beside me.

“He has few things to take care of. You know him, he’s a busy man.”

“I guess you know what he’s doing.”

“Of course.”

Mom smiled at her heart’s content.

After preparing the coffee for both of us, I returned to the living room. There, Ayase-san was watching the news.

“Here.”

I handed her the coffee.

“Thanks.” She took a sip of it and commended, “It tastes good. Are you the one who prepared it?”

“Yeah. Anyhow, are you free for the entire day?” I decided to be straightforward, or else I might hesitate again.

She inclined her head and answered, “Yes I am, why?”

“I just want to invite you to go out.”

“Go out?”

As she repeated my words like a parrot, she averted her stare.

“Yeah. As thanks… for all that you did to me.”

“Wh-what are you talking about, you’re the one who saved me. I should be the one grateful.”

“I heard everything from my Doctor.”

Her eyes snapped for a split second.

“He told me that, you came to visit almost every day.”

Staring at her cup of coffee as though her face was reflected into it, she smiled and replied, “I see. That’s just a part of me being thankful. I was thankful that day that I-”

“Then,” I chimed in, “-consider this to be a token of gratitude. Likewise, I’m also thankful for your daily visit.”

“It seemed like you’re really into this. Okay, let’s go out.”

“But do that after lunch, it’s still so cold outside.” Mom came to remind us of her role. Yup, she was the one who invited Ayase-san for lunch.

After exchanging conversations for a while, Mom prepared lunch. She took us to the dining area as we stared at the nikujaga [2] that she made. It was perfect for winter, and that brought us delight.

“So you’re here again.”

Matsuri addressed Ayase-san. I suppose after my two months of coma, they already know each other. All that Ayase-san did was a nod; they weren’t close, I guess?

Matsuri smiled at her while saying, “Be our guest.”

Ayase-san returned a broad smile and replied, “Thanks.”

Smiles that looks fake to me.

We ate together and Matsuri was the first to finish.

“Thanks for the food.” She stood up, “I’ll go to my room now. Nothing good to do outside with this cold.”

All of us stared at her while she was heading upstairs. Mom decided to keep quiet at that time, she did her best to change the topic by starting a sudden conversation towards Ayase-san.

After a while, we were all done with the good lunch and all together give thanks for the meal.

“Have fun. Enjoy your youth.”

Youth huh, we’ve graduated from that stage long ago. I never thought that Mom has weird taste in terms of word choices. She said that to us when we were about to leave the house.

“Thanks again for the lunch, Akamatsu Oba-san.”

Ayase-san replied, it just arrived at the point that that was how she calls Mom to avoid miscommunication.

We went out of the house ready for the impending cold. The month was January, and this happened to be one of the very few days of snowfall in Tokyo. Although balmy, that wouldn’t mean anyone could handle the low temperature. Me for example, I had been used to the moderate heat from the ICU for about two months, so now I find it hard to adapt to the sudden transition of weather. Just walking straight was a struggle, to be honest. Each time wind breeze passes by, I felt the frozenly chills.

“It’s freezing.” I noted, with my hands starting to shake.

Ayase-san glanced closer to my face, worried. “Are you all right? Should we turn back now?”

“I’m fine.” I smiled faintly, “Let’s go.”

From that point, we stopped.

“Where are we going again?”

She tilted her head upon querying.

I heaved a sigh, the white cold vapor breath out of my mouth.

“What are we doing, honestly.”

“Fu fu fu…” Ayase-san broke into laughter.

I looked back to see our tracks of footsteps in the light pile of snow. Going home would take a while now. This just highlighted my stupidity.

Placing a hand to my chin while thinking, Ayase-san nudged my shoulder and suggested, “How about we go there and start our plans?” She pointed her index finger to the convenience store on the other side of the road.

I nodded. “Sorry about this…”

“No problem. Let’s go.”