The Test

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2PCn7noEe

CHAPTER 17: THE TEST

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyr5BjldEO

───

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EIiBqImCa

Charlotte found me at the gate on Monday.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfnd5eBBdu

She was standing exactly where she had been the first time, with her hands in her pockets and her eyes on me. She didn't smile. She didn't wave. She just waited.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKqHVTbYnt

"You came back," she said.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAZVbc0cbj

"I never left."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnhieuxg9L

"You know what I mean."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzNkbkdlde

I did know what she meant. I just didn't want to admit it.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC3Nf02Oqa

"Walk with me," she said.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNguklgpWd

It wasn't a question.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6ny3asebp

I walked with her.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYh5sHZWPHV

───

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx1ueoL8X0

We walked through the shopping street and past the bakery and past the park. She didn't say anything. She just walked with her hands in her pockets and her eyes straight ahead.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpqZlkhnwr

"You're quiet," I said.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64ZzKhSp3S

"I'm thinking."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaM5eeOrOES

"About what?"

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUX1NBFKMdV

"About you."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAOSt3UfgL

I didn't say anything.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19dA5GpM8b

"You're not like the others," she said.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DWivGUcvm

"What others?"

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZSz2SqndV

"Hana. Yuki. Ren. Mei. They all perform. They all pretend. They all want something."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5Suv1RoYN

"And I don't?"

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyvVgrNMxk

"You don't want anything."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUgAc1sgCe

She stopped walking and turned to face me.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zopw3Re01

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," she said. "Whether you really don't want anything, or whether you're just better at hiding it than they are."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULOI5M06FB

I looked at her.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xArOTAhS4

"Which do you think it is?"

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5kVvjDvZT

She stared at me for a long moment.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZcbHknlO5

"I don't know yet," she said. "That's why I'm testing you."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbOouC7uKh

"Testing me how?"

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2ZkYWmR9Q

She didn't answer. She just turned and kept walking.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3QWNmpp9y

I followed her.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYLRv9kMr5

───

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsR4u0HDiG

We walked to the station.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6LraE87ZH

She stopped at the entrance and looked at me.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5t1cp40lTA

"This is where I get off," she said.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtBbYtmuHO

"Okay."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91t03MaDnk

"I'll see you tomorrow."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZnkVd1oYy

"Okay."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsu2SVWf9K

She turned to walk away. Then she stopped and looked back.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡju91BIXIJh

"Makoto."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDbDBZw2mk

"Yeah?"

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxwgrwdNsw

"Don't tell anyone about the convenience store."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOskWscMec

"I won't."

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMQxIspy4d

She nodded. Then she disappeared into the station.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHDc5J3j2h

I stood there for a long time after she left.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIg9HaX0Hr

I didn't know what she was testing. I didn't know what she wanted. I didn't know anything.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkJtHk8JQ5

But I knew one thing.

127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimRfWOxMbj

She was watching me the same way I watched everyone else. 127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMqEQu25GM

88.181.249.5

ns88.181.249.5da2