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Something too big to be ignored.
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Up ahead—
a billboard.
Tall.
Wide.
Blocking a portion of the sky.
An image of a woman.
Perfect lighting.
Flawless skin.
A calculated smile.
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Sayaka.
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The product in her hands wasn’t important.
The only visible focus was her face.
Yuna’s steps slowed.
Slightly.
Almost imperceptibly.
Then, finally stopped.
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I stopped too.
Half a step ahead of her.
No sound for a few seconds.
Only the noise of passing vehicles.
Fading away.
Yuna didn’t speak.
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I looked back.
Her eyes were pointed upward.
Unblinking.
Unmoving.
Her expression...
Didn’t change much.
But it was enough to understand.
Longing.
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No smile.
No anger.
Just... silence.
That was enough.
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I looked at the billboard once.
Not for long.
No need to.
The problem couldn’t be erased.
Too big.
Too exposed.
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Solution:
divert attention.
I shifted my position slightly.
One step to the side.
Line of sight, cut off.
Partially.
Not completely.
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"...Papa."
Yuna’s voice was quiet.
"Yeah?"
She didn’t continue.
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I looked around.
Quickly.
A small shop across the street.
A freezer up front.
Ice cream.
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"Come on, follow me."
I started walking.
Without waiting.
Yuna’s steps were delayed for a moment.
Then, she followed.
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We crossed the street.
Quick steps.
The shop door opened.
The chime of a small bell.
Cold air.
Different from outside.
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I went straight to the freezer.
Opened it.
Cold air spilled out.
Many choices.
Different colors.
I turned to Yuna.
"...which one do you want?"
She looked at the freezer.
For a few seconds.
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"...that one..."
She pointed.
I grabbed it.
Closed the freezer.
To the cashier.
Paid.
Quick.
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We stepped outside again.
The billboard was still there.
Unchanged.
I opened the ice cream wrapper.
Handed it to Yuna.
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"Here."
She took it.
She didn’t eat it right away.
Just stared at it.
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Then took a small bite.
I stood in front of her.
Same position as before.
Blocking part of her view.
She didn’t look up again.
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"...it’s cold..."
"Obviously."
She took another bite.
A bigger one.
Silence.
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Our footsteps started again.
Heading home.
The plastic shopping bags swayed gently in our hands.
A steady rhythm.
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Behind us—
the billboard was left behind.
Still there.
But no longer looked at.
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