“If you remain devastated like this, then your child will have used those seventy days in vain.”

His message was not one of empathy. He was pointing out a way Asami could change the way she thought about the grief that she was experiencing.

“But if you try to find happiness after this, then this child will have put those seventy days toward making you happy. In that case, its life has meaning. You are the one who is able to create meaning for why that child was granted life. Therefore, you absolutely must try to be happy. The one person who would want that for you the most is that child.”

On hearing these words, Asami gasped. The deep despair that had been weighing on her heart began to shift, and everything before her appeared a little brighter.

By trying to be happy, I can give meaning to this child’s life.

That was the clear answer.

She was unable to hold back tears. She looked up to the heavens and wailed loudly as she sobbed. Her tears were less from sadness than from joy at seeing a way out from the bottomless pit and experiencing something like happiness again.

That was the moment that Kurata became more than just a very positive guy.

“Mr. Kurata?”

Kurata suddenly noticed that Nagare was standing next to him with the phone in his hand.

“Huh, yes?”

“It’s Fumiko.”

“Oh...thank you.”

He took the handset. “Yes, it’s Kurata here.”

Kurata had said if he didn’t meet her, he would be fine with that. Nevertheless, his expression hardened a little, as if he was nervous to speak to her on the phone.

“Uh-huh, yes... Oh, really?... I see... No, not at all... Thank you so much.”

Based only on witnessing his side of the call, he didn’t seem particularly let down. As he spoke, he sat up with his chest puffed out awkwardly and looked straight ahead, as if Fumiko was sitting there in front of him. Nagare stood observing his unnaturally tense pose with a look of concern. “No, no. You have done so much for me... That’s quite okay thank you very much.”

He bowed his head very deeply.

“Right...yes... Okay, uh-huh, the coffee will be cold soon, so...yes.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall in the middle.

Of the three antique clocks on the wall, only the one in the center showed the right time. Of the other two, one was fast and one was slow. Accordingly, when Nagare, Kazu or any of the regulars wanted to check the time, they would always look at the one in the middle.

Judging by Kurata’s conversation on the phone with Fumiko, Nagare was assuming that the woman he was waiting for, Asami, was not coming.

“Yes, yes.”

He reached out and touched the cup to check the temperature of the coffee.

I’ve hardly any time left...