kscans

Chapter 15 - The Lingering Scent of the Banquet

Several days later, Tsukie woke up in her own home.

At first, she thought it had all been a dream. But the calendar in the living room had somehow turned to April, and her hands and feet were wrapped in bandages that ached slightly.

Her mother and Hinako were home. She was told Hinako had been discharged from the hospital at the end of March.

When she asked, "What about Akina-chan?" she was told, "You two were rescued by an old man who was taking a walk around Kita-Naganuma station."

A walk around the station... on a day with that much snow...

She suddenly remembered the old man she had met on the train—the one who had gotten on at Namporo and off at Soyo. He had said he gets on and off at every station to explore the area. It seemed they had been lucky enough to be found by him.

"That grandpa told me stories about the locomotive. It was pretty interesting."

"I see..."

Just as her mother gave a vague nod, Hinako started to cry, and her mother went to her side.

It was already late, so Tsukie ate some soft rice porridge and went to bed, deciding to visit Akina tomorrow.