Chapter 4: Handbook-2
I continued to flip through the journal. Another picture with the same background appeared on another page, but it was a picture of Papa and Kame.
Kame was in Papa’s arms and his expression was slightly different from the previous picture. In this picture, his eyes had an additional shine of happiness in them. He even posed to kiss Papa in this photo.
Kame’s earring sparkled from the sunshine. But Papa’s smile outshined the silver earring – I never saw Papa with that kind of heartfelt smile before. He looked truly blissful and satisfied, as though he had the world in his arms.
I could see the earring very clearly from Kame’s side profile.
That earring… it was identical to the one that Papa had wore for years…
My heart skipped a beat. And in my shock, I tore the photo out from the journal by accident.
At the back of the photo was Papa’s faded handwriting. It was addressed to ‘Dearest Kazumi’.
Kazumi? Identical name as yours truly.
On the moment of impulse, I tore off the other picture as well and saw Pi’s handwriting behind it.
“To Kame-chan (I want to call you Kazumi too)”
Next to Papa’s words, someone wrote, “Don’t call me Kazumi ne~~”. Then that person wrote, “You are not allowed to call me Kazumi~~ ” next to Pi’s words.
“Don’t”?
“Not allowed”?
I wonder at the difference between these words.
“Kazumi,” Mama’s voice traveled from the living room “Uehara’s on the line.”
I didn’t put the journal back into the drawer.
Instead, I shoved it into my bag.
“OK, I’m coming.”