Irreversible Process

9

"Takaoka-san used a inquiry office to thoroughly investigate his fiancée's affair with Sachi Shimizu as well. And, of course, she grasped that Sachi had a boyfriend - that is you. At that time, she only knew your name. But I heard that you saved her life at Iiozen. She was, you know, a shell of a person who had just had her engagement broken off. She even thought she could have died in the mountains."

　Ah. I got it. So that's why she was smelling so bad at the time.

"You saved her."Sakurada-san said,"But she didn't know your name. She really wanted to thank you, so she hired the inquiry agency again to find the owner of the car that has the license plate of which the number she memorized. She was a repeater of them, so she got a discount. And when she found out that you are the ex-boyfriend of Sachi Shimizu, she was surprised but felt like it was fate. So, she really wanted to meet you, then she stormed over to your place. From there on, the rest is as you know."

　After a sigh, Sakurada-san continued her talk.

"Takaoka-san said, 'Two of us have the same wounds, so I can understand him, and he can understand me. That's why he was the best partner for me. But now, I can't do anything about it......,' she cried. You know, Nagasaka-san, she never betrayed you. It's all a misunderstanding. It's me who is to blame, so if possible, could you please try ...... with her again?"

　Saying this, Sakurada-san bowed deeply again.

　---

　A few hours later.

　I was on my bed at home, ruminating over the day's events.

　I asked Sakurada-san to go home, saying, "Let me think about it for a while," but to be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to do.

　In the meantime, I did a search on SNS and confirmed the identity of the son of president and Sakurada-san. They were just as they appeared on the business card. So, it seems that my misunderstanding is true. I don't think Takaoka-san would use even her boss to make up such an elaborate story.

　However, ......

　I'm not sure I want to start over with her. I'm always worried that she'll betray me again. Besides, she hid the fact that she knew about my past. In a sense, she was deceiving me. Can I trust her again?

　But, When I close my eyes, I can see her smile. I want to see her again. That's what I find in myself thinking.

　.......

　In the end, it seems that my heart, which should have been frozen, has been considerably thawed by her warmth. And the process of melting ice is irreversible, as entropy increases.

　Yes, once you know warmth, you can't go back to the old days when you didn't.

　I took out my phone, searched for her name in the phone book, and pressed the call button.