18 year old Daichi Nishiyama, now starting life as 29 year old Atsushi Kamagawa.
Daichi obviously feels more at ease and liberated with his new identity. Daichi can also adapt to appearance rather easily. All he needs to do to look more like the real Atsushi Kamagawa is grow out his hair and grow a thin beard and mustache.
Daichi immediately rearranged his escape plan after everything was ready. Daichi began looking for part-time work in shops, food stalls, or anywhere he could for his condition, which was still not healing, as soon as he arrived in the next city.
Daichi will live and work in that city for the next 3-4 months before moving to another city and looking for work again. For two years, he moved constantly.
Daichi has moved to a number of cities and has nearly traveled across the country. He did so because, despite living as Atsushi Kamagawa, he was still afraid of being discovered.
But, after all, living on the move can be exhausting. There has been no sign of Shuhei for the past two years. So, with this condition, Daichi altered his plans. He wanted to try to settle down somewhere.
For his new plan, he chose the seaside city.
Daichi gets a job at a shipping expedition as soon as he arrives.
Working as a courier is quite tiring. Daichi's job is to spend the entire day delivering customer orders. Daichi was not always in a rush to deliver orders, but there were days when he felt worn out. His broken leg would hurt even more if he was fatigued.
•~•
Daichi completed his work early that afternoon since he had completed all of the deliveries for the day. Daichi made his usual stop at the shop before heading back home.
"Atsushi-san." A young woman uttered his name. She is Minami, the store owner's daughter. "This is your food."
Minami's bowl of beef noodles was well received by Daichi.
"Thank You."
"Um." Minami then sat across from Daichi, watching the young man eat.
When someone looks at Daichi too closely, he becomes agitated. So he returned his gaze to Minami.
"Why do you keep staring at me?"
Minami was perplexed because her actions had been discovered. Shw shifted her gaze in any direction.
"No, I didn't. Who—who was staring at you?"
Daichi laughed at Minami's adolescent behavior.
Minami resumed the conversation after they had been silent for a while. "How your today going? Does work wear you out?"
"Well, I am pretty tired."Daichi responded, "Actually, not many packages need to be delivered today, but I have to drive a fair distance to deliver them all."
"And how about your leg? Is the pain recurring?" Minami inquired again, this time with concern.
Daichi went blank for a moment, perplexed as to how Minami knew about his legs.
Minami could not help but smile at Daichi's reaction. "Did you forget again, Atsushi-san? Don't you remember telling me about your ankle?"
"Yeah, exactly. I forgot again."
They were both laughing.
Minami, on the other hand, kept staring at Daichi. Daichi is very charming in Minami's eyes, despite his messy appearance and the fact that he appears fierce due to his thin mustache and beard.
"Minami-san's boyfriend is going to get upset if you keep sneaking looks at me in that manner, you know." Jokingly, Daichi chastised.
"Where is there a boyfriend? I don't have one."
"Oh really?" Daichi took a sip of his noodle soup and then continued talking. "But you do have someone you like, don't you?"
"Um." Minami nodded.
"I am curious who he is."
Actually, Daichi asked that for small talk and meant nothing. Minami, on the other hand, looked at him with a deep gaze and a red face.
"It's you, Atsushi-san."
Daichi coughed. "What?"
Minami lowered her head shyly. "The person I like is you, Atsushi-san"
Daichi fixed his gaze on Minami, as if trying to figure out whether the girl was telling the truth or not. "For real?"
"Um," Minami nodded shyly. "That's true. But I didn't expect Atsushi-san to reciprocate my feelings. Atsushi-san is not obliged to take offense."
"How could that be? Minami-san likes me, and that makes me happy. I also like Minami-san."
Minami's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is that true??"
Daichi smiled faintly. "Of course."
Minami smiled shyly, her hands cupped around her own face.
"So, Atsushi-san, are we dating now?" Minami inquired, her voice low.
"Dating?"
Daichi's somewhat bewildered expression did not bother Minami because he was overcome with happiness.
•~•
Daichi was still thinking about Minami when he got home. To be honest, Daichi has no feelings for Minami, and his reaction to her feelings is merely lip service.
"I can meet with her tomorrow to resolve this misunderstanding, so yeah, that is alright." Daichi made up his mind. "I hope she is not too let down."
•~•
Daichi met Minami at the shop after he finished work the next day. He could not wait to tell the truth about his feelings.
However, Daichi swallowed the words he was about to say when he noticed Minami bringing a candle-lit cake in front of him.
Daichi, who felt he knew nothing, could only be stunned. "Why did you bring a birthday cake, Minami-san? Whose birthday is it?"
Minami pouted a little. "Atsushi, you forgot again, did not you? It's your birthday today!"
Daichi, who didn't feel like it was his birthday, blinked his eyes. "It's my birthday today?" After a few seconds, he realized it was Atsushi Kamagawa's birthday.
"Your dementia worsens by the day! Oh well, make a wish and blow out the candles!"
Daichi cupped his hands and wished deep inside. "God, please grant that my life will proceed positively from this point on, even though this is not my actual birthday." Daichi then blew out the candle.
"May God grant whatever Atsushi wishes!" Minami spoke up. He smiled broadly as he pulled out a box. "This is a gift for you. Open it."
Daichi reluctantly accepts Minami's city gift. It could not be otherwise; it is not even his birthday, but he is celebrating and receiving gifts. Daichi feels bad for Atsushi Kamagawa, who has passed away.
"Why did you bother preparing these things for me?"
Minami's beautiful face still bore a sweet smile. "Is it wrong to give your own boyfriend gifts?" Minami gave Daichi an annoyed look. "Would you like to try the cake first? I made this cake myself, you know!"
"Minami-san..."
"Don't just stare. Taste it quickly."
Daichi choked on Minami's words and enthusiasm. He lacked the courage to be honest and admit that he did not feel a romantic connection to Minami.
So Daichi tasted Minami's cake with conflicting emotions.
"It tastes good. It is really tasty." Daichi said.
"Really? If you like it, I'll make it for you often."
Daichi is even more unable to be honest because of Minami's overwhelming happiness.
That is how their relationship began.
•~•