The Garden of Words by Makoto Shinkai

Author:Makoto Shinkai
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Yen On
Published: 2020-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

“Geez, Souichirou, you look more evil every time I see you.”

We toast with canned beer, and that’s the first comment anyone has for me. I’m a little more wounded than angry, which catches even me off guard.

“You’re already big and intimidating, but that look in your eyes will send the kids running for the hills.”

I drink some beer, think about what to say, then say it.

“Geez, Natsumi, you get mouthier every time I see you.”

Neatly ignoring my brilliant retort, Natsumi eyes me over her beer can.

“Rough day at work, huh? Don’t take high schoolers too seriously; you can just make a comment and they’ll get ticked off.”

I’m not sure how to respond when somebody’s so openly worrying for me, so I offer an evasive reply and pop a piece of fried chicken into my mouth.

Natsumi’s long black hair hangs down to her chest, and she holds it in place with one hand as she leans over the table and scoops some jellyfish salad out of its plastic container and onto a plate. Her bust gently forms a curve in her white summer sweater; I keep catching glimpses of it, and I glance up at the ceiling to avoid the awkwardness. Then I take a look around Natsumi’s apartment under the guise of rolling my neck.

It’s my first time visiting, but both the layout and the vibe are a lot like my memories of her old place. Her living room is about seventy square feet and bursting with stuff, but it doesn’t feel cluttered. It’s an apartment where the mess just makes the place feel more comfortable, which is par for the course with Natsumi. The walls are lined with those pasteboard storage cupboards with open fronts, and she’s stuffed them with a jumble of paperbacks and big hardcovers and CDs and makeup and hats and musical instruments. I recognize about a third of the stuff, and have no clue about the rest of it. Some of it clearly isn’t hers; I can see video games in there, for example, and young men’s magazines, and a shochu bottle. I guess her life’s been pretty full, I think with a hint of jealousy. A lot can happen in seven years. My next swallow of beer is a little more bitter than the last one.

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