A Story in Yokohama -6 【Yokohama Port at night】
A Story in Yokohama【 Subtitled "Longing"】-6
15 years ago.
When Yuichi was about to advance to his senior year of high school, he was stopped by J, who was a well-known leader of a group of delinquents. His name seemed to be Jun, but for some reason he let others call him J.
“We need to talk.”
They had never spoken to each other before.
(J, the most famous of the delinquents, approached me. What's this all about?)
Yuichi looked at the guy fearfully. He was about the same height as Yuichi, but he had a fearless appearance, as if he was used to fighting.
“・・・What is it?”
“I want you to go out with me.”
Yuichi's heartbeat quickened and his kneecaps trembled.
“I don't have any money.”
“Don't get me wrong. I just want us to be normal friends.”
“What do you mean by that? I'm sorry to say this, but we're very different from each other.”
“Yeah, I'm a bad boy and you're a serious student.”
“I don't know if I'm not as serious as you say, but you and I don't play well together, and to be frank, I'm afraid of you. ・・・and my knees are still shaking.”
J gave a small laugh.
“I don't blame you for saying that. But I'd like to be your friend anyway.”
“I can't be your mate.”
“No, that's not what I'm saying. Just you and me as friends.”
“Why me?”
Yuichi looked straight at J for the first time as saying that.
J's facial expression was stern at first sight.
However, looking closely at him, he looks well-faced and beautiful, and the eyes he looked at Yuichi were tender.
(Apparently it's not extortion.)
His knees stopped shaking.
"I've had girls ask me to go out with them, but this is the first time I've heard that from someone as scared as you. Are you only interested in boys?"
“No, I'm not. I'm just interested in you.”
His expression appeared a little bit shy.
Yuichi felt a faint sense of superiority, but he kept his gaze fixed on the other man's face.
Soon, it looked like the other guy was going to say something, but Yuichi replied as follows.
“If you promise not to bother me, I'm willing to be your friend.”
(You can't say that to such a dangerous man.)
Yuichi asked himself, but it's too late.
“I wanted a decent guy like you to be my friend. Come over for coffee once a month.”
“I don't mind, but if things get awkward, it's over.”
“Of course that's fine.”
They met at a McDonald's in front of Yamashita Park facing Yokohama Harbor on a Friday evening at the end of the month and began to talk over coffee. At first the conversation was awkward and rambling, but gradually they began to talk about various daily events.
J didn't talk much.
“I'm not sure what I should call you. It's Jun, I think.”
“I hate it when people call me that, so I just let them call me J.”
“Why?”
"My dead mother's name was Junko and I am Jun. When people call me Jun, it's as if my mother and I are called together.
“It was.”
“You are a friend, so you can call me by my real name.”
“If so, I'll just go by J.”
“Do what you want.”
Yuichi spoke mostly, and J often gave short nods to it.
However, Yuichi found J to be a sensitive person who responded to Yuichi's talk in an appropriate manner, taking it casually.
(I still can't see the depths of this man. I'm sure he can bring out an amazing side to some people that I don't know. But he listens to what I tell him carefully and responds to me, even if his words are short. I've never had a friend like him before.)
Commentary
The main characters in the first part of the story are Naomi (the heiress), Yuichi (a tax accountant), and J (Yuichi's friend).
In this story, J, whose identity has remained unknown until now, meets Yuichi for the first time.
・・・To be continued・・・