Secondhand Memories (Pioneer English Cell Phone Novel)

Birthday Wishes

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Chapter 121

Birthday Wishes

I ran through the chorus of an old favourite and classic flawlessly,
my newly liberated fingers dancing in delight.

My friends sang along or watched, the six of us relaxing on the grass.
I smiled and exchanged jokes like the rest of them.

I guess a fragment of my old self returned.

For a moment in time I forgot about Aoi back in the hospital room.

For a moment in time, Aoi lost me.

Chapter 122

Birthday Wishes

"Sei-kun, here, try this. I made it myself." Juria offered.

I smiled a thanks and accepted it gratefully. Itadakimasu.

The onigiri tasted a weird mixture of salty and sour.
As if Aoi didn’t want to be forgotten, with each bite, hundreds of memories flooded back.

I remembered when Aoi made onigiri for me to try, dozens of weird experiments of flavours.
We had tons of laughs at the things she attempted, the failed experiments she made.
I remembered when I chased her around with a particularly foul tasting one she wouldn't try.
Some tasted so good, when I told her, she wouldn't believe me
and thought I was only trying to be sweet.

Aoi was in every part of my life.
My memories always included her.
Everything reminded me of her.

The stark contrast of her condition now suddenly came crashing down on me.

Now, she could no longer be part of my life.

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Chapter 123

Birthday Wishes

“Hey…”

I saw Juria’s face swimming into view,
blurry and out of focus.

“Are you okay? Is my onigiri that bad?”

It was then I realized there were tears in my eyes.

“Ah sorry. It’s good. It just brought back memories that’s all.”

I was suddenly stone-cold again.

She looked at me suspiciously
but tilted her nose in the air,
as if to say “I’ll forgive you”.

To prove what I said, I took a big bite out of the rice ball.

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