Temperature is rising.

The snow on the streets decreases at a rate visible to the naked eye every day, and it seems that winter is about to pass.

So it came "that day".

“I got up pretty early.”

"Yes."

I forced myself to yawn and prepared to go out with Raya.

The light in the morning was very poor and it was dark everywhere. We buried our heads in our raised collars and rushed on silently.

When I passed by the flower shop, Raya walked in, and I stopped a carriage and got on it together after Raya came back.

Just like this time of year, Raya holds two bouquets of white flowers in her hand.

Today is the day of Raya's father's worship.

......

Twenty minutes later, we got off the carriage.

The cemetery in the morning had no gloomy atmosphere. The sun was getting stronger, and with the arrival of spring, many of the tombstones had a little greenness on the soil around them, and instead they seemed to be prosperous.

Raya skillfully found the tombstone of her father, placed the flowers beside her, then closed her eyes and muttered something, probably conveying something to her father.

I stood quietly behind her and looked at her small back.

Raya's father died five years ago.

At that time, the tailor shop was undergoing its first relocation. He and I were helping the construction site. Unexpectedly, an accident occurred and he was seriously injured... In the end, he could not survive the winter.

Raya's mother died of illness shortly after Raya was born, so I became Raya's only relative.

The tailor shop was originally located on the edge of the town. Raya's father's wish was to open the shop in the center of the town in the future and work day and night for this... Unfortunately, the disaster was expected.

Now Raya has resolutely implemented the second relocation of the tailor shop, which is largely in order to relieve her father's regret.

I looked at the small tombstone.

Hello, your daughter has fulfilled your dream for you~~

I murmured in my heart.

......

"Let's go."

With a sigh of relief, Raya turned around.

"Um."

As I was about to walk out of the cemetery, my eyes unknowingly stopped on a new tombstone.

Oh...

Leaving the cemetery, Raya became much more talkative than when she came. She walked beside me and talked about the past stories with me...

The death of Raya's father caused the tailor shop to lose its source of income. During that period, I used my few savings carefully while trying to make money... This included learning to be a tailor. There was no doubt that I would rather do better than the layman I found casually.

"At that time... I remember you being clumsy."

"Yes, and I always sew the wrong place. I can't handle a piece of clothing for a long time, so I'm so anxious."

"You can hold on."

"Where... I should be thankful that the cute Miss Raya can grow so fast."

Seeing that the atmosphere was no longer solemn, I returned to my normal state of being smooth-talking.

Most of the time I understood my unreliability, Raya soon got out of her sadness and took on the duties of the store manager early so that the tailor shop could be maintained.

"In the end, nothing was done...it's so embarrassing."

"Is that right? I think it would be great if you were that effective now."

“Huh~~”

I can't argue.

Although there is no day that I can't make ends meet, I was indeed very diligent at that time.

What exactly gave me motivation? I think it must be to repay the kindness. I should bear the responsibility of the dead people... although it is useless.

......

“…It’s really not easy.”

"It's really not easy."

Our conversation ends with emotion.

I occasionally talk about the past like this, and I always feel that it is "not easy". Sometimes I am even surprised that I have such a rich experience, and thus I have a small sense of pride and confidence to continue living.

But I always only keep my memories to a shallow level.

After all, what I longed to be sure of is not something that has become history.

"Ah~~Little Raya has grown up too."

"The word 'small' is redundant."

"Okay~ Does Miss Naraya have a favorite partner?"

"......I suddenly asked why this is for?"

"Just ask, by the way, when your father is about the same age as you, he already has a girl he likes."

"Is it my mother?"

"It's a pity, no. But they were as close as a family."

"That's how..."

Raya pondered for a while, then raised her head and smiled at me:

"It's just like us."

"And with us?"

"Yes, we are not related by blood, but you are my relative, aren't you?"

“……right.”

Well, I know that's enough.

"But, it's not okay to spend my life alone with me, otherwise your father will curse me in heaven."

"I didn't have such a plan."

"Oh~~ But, you are not allowed to find someone to get married casually, at least you have to discuss it with me."

"... Are you still treating me as a child?"

"How could it be?"

"Don't think I'm a child."

"Okay... Miss Van Raya's orders will be unwilling to do even if I have fought my life."

“…”

Raya and I talked aimlessly, a little absent-minded.

This is attributed to the inadvertent glance at the cemetery.

At that moment, the name that caught my eyes made me worry about someone coming.

......

"I'm so happy that you're willing to come back!"

The dean who was walking in front of me and was leading the way turned around and smiled cheerfully at me, with wrinkles piled up at the corners of his eyes.

"I'm very sorry to bother you and the elderly."

"Look at what you said! If you are willing to come, no one will refuse."

"ha......"

"Why do you have to be so restrained? We are obviously acquaintances."

What’s strange is that you are still as enthusiastic as ever when facing someone like me whom I haven’t seen for decades.

I had to reply vaguely:

"Maybe I'm used to it..."

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"I don't want any distance between us, because we are friends! Aren't we?"

"yes......"
To be continued...