Mina’s bike grinded to a halt at the
bus stop, kicking up dust that made both of their eyes water. June was
reluctant to get off the bike. She missed the feeling of the wind in her hair
and Mina’s comforting presence at the handlebars. She was already feeling
nostalgic, but was determined not to show signs of weakness. They stood side by
side facing the road, watching the wind swirl the dust at their feet.
“June-kun,
can I ask you for something?”
“Sure, anything.”
An old man on a bike pedaled slowly
past. Mina and June nodded their heads politely.
“Can I have your home address?”
June laughed. She wasn’t sure what
she had expected to be asked. “Sure.” She wrote down her address on Mina’s
hand. “Don’t lose it—I expect mail!” she said, trying her best to be upbeat.
“You will get mail” Mina assured
her. The bus came soon after. There were no tearful goodbyes or plans to visit
or promises to always be friends. Perhaps they were too old or too jaded for
those types of farewells. But as June queued up to board the bus, Mina suddenly
grabbed her hands and squeezed hard. June did her best to suppress a wince at
the force of her grip.
“Goodbye, Juniper.” Mina said, uncharacteristically formal.
“Goodbye, Minazuki” June replied in kind.
With that Mina let go of her hands
and a slow lopsided smile—the first one June had seen in ages—spread across her
face and brightened her countenance significantly. June was captivated by this
transformation. This is the Mina I knew, the Mina I know, she thought and
started to reach for Mina, but the old lady behind her was getting
uncomfortably close to bulldozing her over. Instead, bowed apologetically to
the old lady, waved at Mina, and boarded the bus. By the time she got to her
seat and looked out her window, Mina was gone.
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