I Planned My Escape Because I Knew Her Secret - Episode 25

One day in February, nearly four years and nine months after the escape.

After finishing the day’s business, I was washing the cooking utensils and cleaning the kitchen.

The next day was a regular day off, so there was no prep work, and the head chef had already gone up to his home on the second floor.

The proprietress was closing the register, Yuko was tidying up the dishes and toppings, and the part-time student was cleaning the dining area.

At that hour, there was a visitor.

The part-time worker was attending to the customers, and I was cleaning while chatting with Yuko-san, not noticing the guests. Then, the landlady called out, “Masaki-kun, we have customers. Come here for a moment.”

Who could it be at this hour? A complaint or something? I thought to myself, and while giving a half-hearted “Yes,” I wiped my wet hands on the apron tied around my waist and stepped out onto the dining floor.

Seeing the customer standing in front of the store entrance, I felt my bl00d run cold in an instant.

There, Madoka was standing.

When Madoka came out and our eyes met, she bowed her head towards me without saying a word.

There’s no way I could have mistaken it.

Even the photo with the face hidden at the SM club was recognized immediately.

Suddenly, I thought, “Oh no! I have to escape!” and in a panic, I tried to look back while rushing to the back door. Just then, Yuko-san was standing right behind me, and I bumped into her hard, so I couldn’t escape.

And then, after being yelled at by the landlady, “Don’t run away, Masaki!” I lost the will to escape.

I was completely off guard.

Because everything had been going well for over four years, I had become complacent.

From my demeanor, the landlady probably sensed everything.

“You came all this way to see Masaki-kun, didn’t you? Instead of just running away, shouldn’t you face him soon?”

“Yes… sorry.”

“We’ll take care of the shop, so you can go ahead and relax outside today.”

“Yes…”

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and look at Madoka again.

The outfit consists of a knitted dress I’ve seen before and black tights.

In her hands, she is holding a coat and bag that I have seen before, and next to her is a travel suitcase.

On her left ring finger, she was wearing the pearl ring I gave her.

With her sharp eyebrows and gaze unchanged from the past, she is still as beautiful as ever. The straight hair she had grown out for the ceremony had been cut short, and now she has a short hairstyle.

I remembered the time we drove to the coastal tourist spot.

We’re both almost 32 years old now, but other than our hairstyles, we haven’t changed at all since back then.

Besides, wearing that ring means you’ve been single all these years, huh?

Madoka remained silent as always, her eyes brimming with tears, her nostrils flaring, her lips pressed tightly together, her expression one of desperate effort to hold back her tears.

“Long time no see. You found this place well.”

“Yeah”

“Shall we go outside for a bit?”

“Yeah”

“I’ll carry your bag.”

“Yeah”

Sigh.

What should I do?