Three Days of Happiness

175
Then she told me this.
“Indeed, at first, I thought you were someone who deserved only
thirty yen. When I gave you the 300,000, it was purely for my own
satisfaction, so it didn’t matter that it happened to be you, Mr.
Kusunoki. ...But gradually, my opinion changed. After the incident at
the train station, you took my story to heart, didn’t you? You
sympathized with my situation of having to sell my time. Starting
then, Mr. Kusunoki, you were no longer just my subject for
observation. This alone is a significant problem, but afterward,
there were many more.
“...I know it must be trifling to you, but I was glad that you were
willing to talk to me. Because I’ve always been invisible. Being
ignored was part of my job. Even little things like eating and talking
with me at restaurants, going out shopping, just walking around
town, holding hands and strolling down the river - they felt like a
dream. You were the first person to always treat me like I was
“there,” no matter the time or the situation.”
I wasn’t sure what to respond with.
I never even thought that someone would be so grateful to me.
“...I can keep doing that if you like,” I joked, and Miyagi nodded.
“I would love that. Since... I do love you.”
Though it’s no use loving someone who’s soon to go away.
She smiled sadly.
My chest tightened, and my mouth didn’t work for a while.