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墨書 Inktalez
The vast sun finally swept away the clouds that had been blocking it, casting its light upon the earth. It was a peaceful afternoon in Fusheng, where snowplows slowly made their way down every street, gradually revealing the roads beneath.
In front of a small restaurant on the street, a crowd had gathered. An old Volkswagen Beetle parked in front of the curry shop, and Nobu no Suke and Keiko stepped out of the car. They had come here according to the address arranged by someone at the other end, preparing to meet a classmate.
Sasaki Saburo, once Nobu no Suke's high school classmate, had graduated from university and moved to Osaka to work at a bank under his relatives. He had now risen to a small leadership position and had some information that could help Nobu no Suke.
Through the front glass of the curry shop, they spotted a slightly balding man with bright eyes sitting in a corner, dressed in an old suit. It seemed that two drinks had already been prepared for them; there was no need to announce their arrival.
Nobu no Suke raised his hand and saw the man inside wave back at him.
"Let's go, Keiko."
The two entered the curry shop just as the snowplow passed by, sweeping away the snow on the road.
Once this obstructive snow was cleared away, everything seemed to move more swiftly, much like how Sakuma felt invigorated after taking medicine. After his mother-in-law sent off her guests and tidied up the house, he noticed a black box behind the sliding door of his room.
It appeared that Nishijo had already packed away some of Wen Liang's belongings. This was a process that followed every annual funeral. However, this year, there seemed to be several items that Sakuma did not recognize displayed among them.
"Mother-in-law."
Seeing Sakuma moving the box by himself, Nishijo smiled slightly.
"See? While you were still unconscious, I gathered everything I remembered."
Sakuma opened the box, and the first thing that caught his eye was a yearbook he had never seen before. He wondered where his mother-in-law had found it.
"This is from Wen Liang's high school graduation; it's a class photo album. I think... the thirtieth page has their class picture."
As Nishijo spoke, she didn't notice that on the title page of the yearbook hung what appeared to be a well-preserved letter. However, due to some oversight or perhaps forgetting standard practices, only two characters were visible: Yamada. The other two characters were obscured by a blue line, and the sender was also Yamada.
The two Yamada names side by side left Nishijo and Sakuma momentarily silent.
"A love letter?"
Sakuma's first reaction told him that this was likely a common love letter; who hasn't done something like this in the past? With this mindset, he opened the envelope.
Before even starting to read, just by looking at the handwriting, he knew it was written by Wen Liang. Sakuma had a deep impression of Wen Liang, whose handwriting was as formal as a document. The characters on this love letter were strikingly similar to that official text, so clear that it was hard to believe it was written by a boy.
The content of the letter was as follows:
"Yamada-kun, the snow of December falls again, like an old friend returning. It has come here, leaving behind a pure spring. In these three years that feel like yesterday, how many times has the snow come and gone? At this moment, we must face the sunlight of March; the snow will melt away.
You know, a pure thing comes swiftly but is also fleeting. It's like I always think that the purest white snow of December will cover my worries. Even if I don't hear an echo, at least it will accompany me; it's something tangible right before my eyes.
But fate has no 'what ifs.' The winds of March have arrived, and the warmth of early spring turns the pure snow into flowing water, heading eastward or to some other direction without an endpoint.
My nostalgia for December seems to have not registered that the snow quietly left as it melted into water. Perhaps it wasn't snow at all; maybe it was just my tears. On Fusheng Mountain in March, the last snowflake melts away as a drop of water departs. I too must welcome my own ring here; I believe it will bring a similar scenery into my life.
So be it. To you in my memories, I hope that in another December, even with differences, you will still be by my side.
Yamada xxx (ink stain)
In a sorrowful March, the person I longed for departed."
Sakuma's hands trembled as he furrowed his brow. Was this real? But after a brief moment of anger, he took a deep breath. This was a relic; no matter how angry he felt, he couldn't destroy it.
"Is it true that there are people in one's memories who cannot be forgotten? Mother-in-law?"
Nishijo brought over some tea but did not rush to answer the question. Instead, she placed her hand over Sakuma's and took the letter into her own hands.
"Sakuma Wensheng, is there not someone who left such a deep impression on you that you still remember them years later?"
The rhetorical question eased the tension in Sakuma's muscles, causing him to lean slightly to the side, his gaze drifting vacantly toward the ceiling.
Perhaps for now, Sakuma could not fully grasp this emotion.
"Wen Liang was a very shy and introverted person when she was younger. I remember that during the first year of high school, she would occasionally come home and mention a boy. I can't quite recall his name," Nishijo said.
Noticing Sakuma's silence, Nishijo chose not to press further on the previous question and instead poured another cup of tea for him. Earlier, while speaking, Sakuma had suddenly gulped down a large mouthful of tea, struggling slightly to swallow it.
As Sakuma coughed in the room, Nishijo continued reminiscing about those old times...
Meanwhile, after a round of snow clearing, Nobu no Suke, Keiko, and Sasaki were enjoying a lively conversation across the table, each having a bottle of beer.
"It’s been at least... four years since we last met, Nobu no Suke!" Sasaki exclaimed, his familiar Kansai accent evident.
"Not just four years; even a single day apart feels like three autumns! Let’s have a toast," Nobu no Suke replied warmly as Keiko poured drinks for both of them. During their school days, they often dined at this curry restaurant.
"And who is this lady?" Sasaki asked, finally noticing the graceful young woman beside them after having a few drinks.
"This is my junior, Keiko," Nobu no Suke introduced her.
As he spoke, Keiko performed a gentle gesture of courtesy.
"Please take care of me."
Sasaki quickly introduced himself.
"Well, I'm getting old, but my name is still quite nice, Sasaki Saburo."
The three of them burst into laughter.
"Alright, since the atmosphere is right, let's get straight to the point, Nobu no Suke."
Sasaki glanced at the clock; it was almost time for the bank to open in the afternoon.
"You asked me to investigate someone, and although some time has passed, I did find this name in the records."
Sasaki got straight to the point, hinting to Nobu no Suke that he already had some information on hand.
"Is that so? It seems inviting you here today was indeed the right choice."
Nobu no Suke picked up on the conversation while Keiko continued to pour drinks for the two men.
"You know a bit about this. We have been promoting some discounts on housing payments recently, and indeed, there is a Yamada who purchased a property from us. I found the relevant records, but according to regulations, I can only provide you with a copy."
Sasaki lowered his voice and shared what he had discovered with Nobu no Suke.
"I think this will be enough for now, Sasaki."
Nobu no Suke stood up; the curry on the table was nearly finished, and there was just one last drink left.
"Really, this information will be a great help for me temporarily. You must let me know when you have a day off later."
Nobu no Suke and Sasaki shook hands, and Sasaki took a folder from his briefcase and handed it to Nobu no Suke. Then he noticed that Nobu no Suke had already paid and was smiling while pointing at him, as if to say, "You haven't changed a bit."
"Nobu no Suke-senpai, are we heading to Sakuma-senpai's place now?"
Keiko held the elegant folder, her sparkling eyes watching the senior as he skillfully lit a cigarette after stepping out of the store.
"No, we need to wait for Ms. Nishijo's call."
Nobu no Suke understood that there were some things Nishijo might not have explicitly stated, and they needed to wait a little longer.
However, seeing the clean ground in front of him, despite some snow possibly lingering on the roadside or resting on the tops of parked cars like a thin layer of white clothing, Nobu no Suke didn’t forget to share Sakuma's contact information with Keiko.
With that, the two of them got into the car with the folder and headed towards a large university. Keiko was going to prepare her graduation thesis, and before parting ways, she placed the medicine she had bought on the back seat.
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