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Chapter 3: Azuki Azusa Route
I felt dizzy. My field of view shook, and I was assaulted with a sensation like the world was vibrating. For a moment, I failed to understand where I was standing. Anxiety assaulted me. All things turned around at once. Just like water, like clouds, and like destiny itself, staying in the same place forever will prove impossible.
Everything changes. As long as you live on this cruel earth, the flow of time moves on mercilessly. At the root of it all, humans are solitary beings. We can only describe things from our own subjectivity and personal opinion.
My world belongs to me, and your world belongs to you. The subjectivity of my and your worlds are always at odds with each other. My world and your world can never become one. I live alone in this lonely world of mine. I’m sure there are people who don’t know in the truest sense what world they live in, or maybe they aren’t even aware that they don’t know. They might act like they do, though.
More importantly. Where is this? What time is it right now? What world is this?
“—Yeah, right.” I shook my head.
My world isn’t so weak as to be shaken by mere vertigo. Sadly, my consciousness still continued. Today is the first exam day for the National University. I had just been busy seeing off our beloved examinee Steel-san. After we finished that, we strolled around aimlessly in front of the university’s gate. The large number of exam soldiers passed us by, and when the bell rang for the exam to start, ordinaryness had returned to our surroundings. Only cars and their resulting exhaust fumes filled the streets.
“I can’t say this is a change for the better…”
The February breeze was cold enough to make me cry frozen tears, and I slowly started walking.
“…Oh, wah! What’s wrong, Onii-chan?”
“Nothing. I was just feeling a bit dizzy.”
“Hmmm?” Still snuggling up to me inside my coat, Emi came to a halt.
The back of her small head rubbed against my stomach, and she looked up at me.
“Can you not stop suddenly like that? The main problem of a three-legged race is communication.” Young teenage Emi, star of the three-legged race, stomped on the ground, disgruntled.
But she showed no signs of moving away from me. She’s still clinging to me as much as before. How cute.
“Why are you grinning like that?!”
“I’m not grinning at all. What are you talking about?”
“Disgusting!”
When I embraced her from behind, brimming with affection, Emi started throwing a tantrum. Communicating with other people will always calm your heart. Even more so if it’s with a young lady such as her. Young folk of today, let’s head outside! And have young girls hide in your coats! (But please limit that to 2D characters as much as possible).
*
“I’m sorry! I ended up running late!”
After a bit of time, Azuki Azusa came towards us, holding a banner. Like it happened on Tom & Jerry, Emi ran away, and Azuki Azusa went chasing after her.
“Wait, wait, wait!”
“Don’t come here! Don’t come any closer!”
“Hey, oi, hey!”
We ended up inside the university. There, Azuki Azusa fell over and regained her senses.
“Um… I’m sorry. I just happened to lose myself…” Brushing away the grass on her nose, Azuki Azusa apologized, close to breaking out in tears.
As you should know, she is weak against this sort of stuff. An incident like this would plague her forever. I cannot allow her to cry.
“Hold on a second! I’ll be the one to strip instead! So look at me! …Oh?”
Right when I put my hand on my belt, both of my arms were restricted. The stern-faced security guard pulls me into the world of darkness, known as the police station. I tried explaining myself, but the conditions of restraint were still applied to me. Am I going to be taken away?! I heard sirens in the distance… White and red colors, coming from an ambulance! Weird. This should not have happened.
*
After I was kicked out of the university, Azuki Azusa and I headed to the Tsutsukakushi Household to hand off her precious homemade banner. We pressed the doorbell, and then…
“Ohh, thanks for coming to see me this morning!”
Steel-san greeted us, which surprised me. I had been kicked out of the university around the time the exams ended. Since we didn’t take any detours on the way home, and since we even took the bus, we should have arrived earlier than Steel-san.
“Maybe I just overtook you somewhere? More importantly, come join us for dinner! It’s Tsukiko’s homemade food!”
Without even asking the one doing cooking for permission, Steel-san invited us in. I guess she just hurried home to eat her little sister’s dinner?
While we sat on the porch and talked about today’s events, the conversation took an odd turn. Indeed, Steel-san started pushing the topic of ice skating.
“If I slip there and still pass the exams, then it’ll show my superior strength compared to these kotodama, right?”
“You think so?”
“I think so!”
“But Club President, aren’t you getting your priorities backwards?”
“Not at all. The stronger I am, the better! If I win, I belong to the loyalist army. If I lose, then I am the rebel army. What else does a university examinee need besides strength?”
“Good grades on your exams, I guess?”
“…That is incorrect…” Steel-san grew quiet.
She probably just wanted to play around and have an excuse for it. Azuki Azusa and I looked at each other, grinning. For how much she acts like an Onee-san, she’s got some weird sides to her.
“—If you plan on going skating…” Having listened to our conversation silently so far, Tsutsukakushi suddenly opened her mouth. “…How about early Sunday morning?”
“Oho, your reason?”
“The later you arrive, the more crowded the place will be with children.”
She spoke like she actually believed she wasn’t a child herself. Her faith in her own growth is something I would love to watch over. If she never forgets these aspirations she has, I’m sure she’ll make it big in this work-focused society of ours.
“You’ll definitely be a great company president someday!”
“—Huh? What did you say?”
“A company president. Do you dislike the idea? Were you hoping for a more secure position, like a government worker?”
“No…”
Ignoring my applause, Tsukiko-chan just blinked several times. It’s like she heard me say something unexpected there. I thought I was praising her, but maybe that was outside of her future aspirations? Either way…
“Is that so? That makes sense.” She nodded.
“Oh…?”
Ever since I decided to help Gorilla-senpai during the marathon, Tsutsukakushi has been angry at me. But she agreed to this pretty easily. What’s up with her?
“Oh? Do you have a stiff neck by any chance?”
“………”
She immediately stepped on my foot, so I guess she was angry after all! I’m relieved!
“There are countless things I want to say.”
“…Tsutsukakushi?”
She pulled her foot away. But she still didn’t look at me.
“No matter how aggressive I get, Senpai will just do something stupid again. I decided to become an adult.” She looked at her own palm.
As if there was a small way to change the world’s fate hidden in her hand.
“I will act. No matter what happens, I will act. No matter what you say, I will.” She announced, and she suddenly took my hand.
Feeling her warm skin pressed against mine, I faltered. I didn’t smile, and neither did Tsutsukakushi. We just held a handshake for an awkwardly long time. Next to us…
“How many years has it been since I’ve been skating? I’m looking forward to—Cough cough!” Steel-san was grinning like a young maiden.
*
That Saturday, the track-and-field club had afternoon practice. Of course, Maimaki Mai, who loves Steel-san beyond what anyone could imagine, immediately accepted our invitation to go skating in the morning before practice.
Very early in the morning, when the skating sink was still closed, we—Namely, Azuki Azusa, Tsukiko-chan, Steel-san, and I—were present, and MaiMai soon joined us at the entrance. Clearly nervous, she gave Steel-san an awkward greeting.
“It has been… a while.”
“It seems like you’re doing a great job. I’ve heard great things about how you’re doing as the new club president.”
“Your praise is wasted on me. Thank you… very much.” She bowed.
The black coat she was wearing gave off a rather dark vibe, like she belonged to the dark part of society. Steel-san cleared her throat.
“Anyway, enough of the formal greetings. There, there!” She stretched out her hand and put it on top of her junior’s head, gently rubbing it.
What a heartwarming Steel-san Onee-san scene.
“T-That’s… You don’t… have to…” MaiMai made a fluffy expression she would normally never make in front of me.
I-It’s not like I’m jealous or anything! I know all sorts of sides of MaiMai that nobody else does! Then again, it’s fine as long as she’s happy. Still, I would have loved to see what she’d do if the time we chose to go skating overlapped with her club practice. Would she focus on the club Steel-san loved, or would she prioritize her own desires and come see the Steel-san she loved so much? It seems like it’d be a tough decision to make.
I’d rather not be forced to make a choice like that. I’m glad I wasn’t put into that position. Seriously, thank goodness.
“…Hey Y-Yokodera?”
“Hm?”
Azuki Azusa tugged on the hem of my shirt.
“Um, the thing is… Well, it’s hard to say…”
“Mm.”
“See, I’m like a newly born foal.”
“Huh?”
Azuki Azusa fidgeted awkwardly. I had no idea what she wanted from me. Finally, she looked up at me, blushing ever-so-slightly.
“So… since this is my first time… please be gentle…”
“Huuuuuuh!?”
What is this animal wonder girl saying out loud?! Nobody asked for that information! I thought that 70% of all girls my age had already done it, but if Azuki Azusa hasn’t, then what am I supposed to do?!
“So please teach me how to skate… Um, Yokodera? Why are you hammering your head against the wall?”
“…I was just thinking how pathetic I was for reacting like a middle school boy.”
I knew. I should have known. Azuki Azusa would never be that bold. I quickly tried to forget about this failure. I took Azuki Azusa’s hand and was about to step out onto the skating rink when…
“…Senpai, Senpai.”
“Hm?”
Someone behind me tugged on my shirt. When I turned around, I spotted Tsukiko-chan.
“It’s hard for me to say this, but…”
“Mhm?”
“Let’s say you’re dealing with a foal. A foal grows up best when you give it harsh treatment.”
“Huh?”
She was apparently trying to sound clever, but it was too complicated for me. Does she want to keep a horse or something?
“This is my first time as well, so I want you to be kind.”
“Ah, they apparently have a smaller rink for beginners! Wanna check it out?” I pointed at a piece of paper hanging on the billboard.
Tsutsukakushi immediately grew quiet and didn’t utter another word. Instead, she tugged on my clothes even harder.
“Hmm?!” I felt like I was being suffocated.
She’s got enough strength to be a horse owner at least! Weird, I don’t think I said anything insulting. That all aside, I now had Azuki Azusa on my right and Tsutsukakushi to my left, creating the famous ‘A flower in both hands’ scenario.
“Um, you know…”
“……”
“……”
“I really can’t move like this. Are you listening? Tsukiko-chan? Azuki Azusa?”
Neither of them gave a response. Azuki Azusa just blinked several times, whereas Tsutsukakushi kept pulling on my collar, strangling me. You’re seriously killing me here, so could you just not? With two forces pulling me from both sides, the path for me to walk was very limited. In order to rub the young horse owner’s head to fix her mood, I needed to free my hand from Azuki Azusa’s grasp. In order to keep holding hands with the happy-go-lucky animal wonder girl, I have to ignore the excessive pressure from my left.
Whatever choice I take, it will definitely have repercussions later. Even a small ant nest can create a catastrophe. No matter what I do, the balance of all creation will be broken. Tell me, MaiMai-senpai, what action should I take here!?
“……”
“……”
I felt Tsutsukakushi and Azuki Azusa exchanging glances. It was almost like they had a secret exchange, but I had no idea what it was. However, while I felt the grip on my clothes growing stronger, the hand holding my right arm moved away.
“If they have a training course, why don’t we do that, then?”
“Azuki Azusa?”
“I’ll be like a polar bear who knows how to dance after this! Just wait a bit!” Azuki Azusa gave me a wry smile.
Waving her hand, she walked away from us.
“…Why?” Tsutsukakushi had stopped tugging on my clothes, and she was just standing next to me. “Why is she always…?” Like a stray cat that had lost its ability to fight, she just stared after Azuki Azusa.
There must be something on her mind, I’m sure. We paid the skating rink’s entrance fee, borrowed some shoes, and entered the rink, and yet Tsutsukakushi said not a single word. Every moment she made felt slow, like it was happening at the bottom of the ocean.
“Look, look!! Azuki Azusa is dancing on the ice like a ballerina! Let’s get in some training as well! We’ll both become princesses!”
“…Is that so? Is that so…”
“Tsutsukakushi…”
Even her cat-like tail hair was drooping. That’s probably why she’s paying so little attention to anything. There’s a few lucky pervert spots here, especially during this busy season. For example, there’s a fence surrounding the rink, and there’s a small nail head sticking out of it. Tsutsukakushi’s skirt got caught on it.
“……”
“Tsutsukakushi? Um, Tsutsukakushi-san?”
“Mm…”
She slowly removed the nail only after I pointed it out to her. But since she was now on the skating rink, she slipped, and her skirt rode up even more.
“……Awawawa.”
She realized the seriousness of the situation a second too late, and she flailed her arms left and right in a panic. Since she was a skating beginner, the situation only grew worse from there.
“Wait! Take my hand and let’s go back slowly, okay?”
“Awawa… awawa…”
“C-Calm down!”
The moment I offered her a hand, both her legs failed to stay on the ground, making her lose her balance, and her flat body fell sideways. Everything that happened after was arranged by God himself, or maybe it was because of Tsutsukakushi’s mysterious skill.
“Awawa… wawa… Eh…?”
“Are you okay!? …Eh?”
“………”
Inside my arms, Tsutsukakushi’s shirt, skirt, and every other piece of fabric was pulled off her body. I found my hand suddenly touching the holy mystery of a woman’s body. I suddenly took a deep breath, and my body faltered.
I could feel warmth between my fingers. It was hard, but it was also soft, which indicated to me how weird the human body really is. I don’t even know how any of this happened. With her current appearance, Tsukiko-chan would win first place in the business world of skin exposure. This wonderful and legendary tradition warmed my heart, to be honest.
All that ran through my head, but not even a second passed in reality. The following second, professional illustration subject Tsukiko-chan fixed her clothes at the speed of light.
“I’m sorry, Tsutsukakushi! I just happened to…”
“What are you talking about? Nothing happened here.”
“Right! I didn’t see anything! I didn’t touch anything! Nothing was soft!”
“…Grrr…” Her face possessed no expression, but I could tell how agitated she was.
She stomped her feet in anger and took out a giant bat from somewhere to fix the fence. She returned the nail to where it belonged. Thus, peace returned to the skating rink. Another tragedy like this will never happen again. There’s no way anyone but Tsukiko-chan could create such a miracle.
“It’s not like it matters, but that giant bat suits your small body oddly well…”
“I always keep it with me in case a zombie outbreak happens.”
“I don’t even know where to start… But I appreciate your dedication to your joke!”
“…Even if there aren’t any zombies, you can never tell what will happen in this world.”
“…Oh really?”
“It’s time to work on the original goal for today.” Tsutsukakushi slowly got back on the skating rink.
When I offered her my hand, she glared at it for a moment, like she was worried about what had happened before, and carefully took it.
“What do you mean? I thought our goal for today was to skate?”
“I will protect the peace of the world.”
“Wait, the what of the world?”
I thought I misheard her. She’s protecting world peace? I laughed, assuming she was joking, but she showed no signs of that being the case.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I felt despair the first time, failed miserably during the second attempt, but I won’t give up. This time I will definitely protect the world’s peace.” Tsutsukakushi said, showing no signs of embarrassment or pretense.
It’s probably the same logic that caused her to walk around with that bat all the time. Even if I laugh about said logic, she must be more serious about it than I imagined. Maybe she started getting into that Sunday morning ‘Squadron Riders’ show her Onee-san always watches. You can’t make fun of them as long as there’s a gripping story, right? I watch them from time to time. Charge the happiness, cure cure the sadness!
“Let me help you! What should I do?”
“Let me think. For starters, we’re going to take care of all the lost children around.”
“…World peace sounds pretty simple to do.”
There were barely any people here this early in the morning. I get where she’s trying to come from, but now we have to wait for the children to arrive. You won’t find lost children in a place like this.
But Tsutsukakushi continued to passionately patrol through the area. After finding a child, she swiftly caught it and took it back to its parents. A professional at work.
“Is it because you’re part of the children’s welfare club that you can’t leave them alone?”
“That’s not necessarily the case. This is the first time I’ve done this when we’re both out together, right?”
“Then, why…?”
“If someone will end up having to do it, then I might as well be the one who does.”
“Hmmmm?”
Tsutsukakushi continued her work as she walked around the skating rink. Near there, I could see Steel-san and the vice club president skating. They even had their arms linked, and MaiMai was drooling. Tsutsukakushi stepped between the two of them.
“Nee-san, I advise you to take a break for now.”
“Hm?”
“A drink break. Over here.” Tsutsukakushi pulled her Onee-san’s arm, forced her over to the resting space nearby, and made her sit down on a bench.
MaiMai was left behind. She looked over at me, blinking in confusion.
“Who knows?” I shrugged.
Maybe she was jealous (in the yuri sense) that her Onee-san was off flirting with someone else… But Tsukiko-chan isn’t interested in that sort of thing at all, right? I don’t think so. Maybe? It’d be cool if she was.
After that, Steel-san basically stopped skating. Tsukiko-chan was always on her case, letting her rest, making her sit down and take a breather. In the end, MaiMai said it was time for her club practice and left.
“Nee-san, aren’t you satisfied already?”
“Hm? I want to go a bit longer.”
“You’ll only skate one hour per day. That’s our promise.”
“Hmmm?”
“Since that’s how it is, let’s return home.”
I’ve watched Tsukiko-chan take care of Steel-san a lot of times up until now, but she’s acting odd. Did her sisterly love increase after seeing her Onee-san take studying seriously? Just as I was thinking that, Azuki Azusa, who had been skating this entire time, grabbed my arm.
“Oh, were you taking a break together?”
“Y-Yeah…”
“I thought you went home without me, which really made me feel like a lost Bambi! I’m glad you didn’t forget about me.”
She was immediately satisfied with my explanation. I’m so sorry.
*
When you think back to it, it’s hard to say what our reason was for leaving the skating rink earlier. We ate lunch together, parted ways with Azuki Azusa, did some meaningless window shopping at a nearby shopping mall, and spent a relaxing time together. By the time we got off the bus near the Tsutsukakushi’s house, the sun had started to set.
“Are you okay? Are you sleepy?” Tsukiko-chan asked Steel-san as she checked the time.
There’s no way her older sister would be tired, though. When I looked over at her, I saw Steel-san pouting in dissatisfaction.
“I would have liked to skate some more…”
“…Why did you suddenly bring that up anyway, Nee-san?” Tsutsukakushi said, not even turning around.
“Hm? Skinship? Maybe? I can’t remember…”
“That would mean that you have fulfilled your goal. Going too far is never a good virtue to have. If you skate too much, you will break down from the exhaustion.”
“Is that really true?” Steel-san tilted her head, visibly confused.
I did the same. Since she had mentioned having some kind of plan, I figured this was part of it, but good luck finding out the details.
“Hey, Tsukiko-chan, I feel like something’s up with you today…” I couldn’t even finish my sentence before a sharp light entered my view.
The sun looked like it melted on the horizon of this cold world. The setting sun’s strong light covered our surroundings. It looked like the long path we had walked down was drenched in blood scattered by someone. The more steps you took, the more it felt like you were walking in thick blood, like your feet were going to sink.
Yet Tsutsukakushi kept looking ahead. As she set foot into the blood-drenched path, her shadow disappeared.
“—Let’s go home. To our precious and warm place where we belong.” Her slender profile faced the burning sun.
She looked like a soldier fighting against the entire world. Where did the fragile, insecure cat-tailed girl go? I rubbed my eyes, wondering how the girl had changed so much in such a brief amount of time.
*
When we were about two meters in front of the Tsutuskakushi’s house, Tsukiko-chan suddenly stopped. It’s like she had planned to do so.
“Weird.”
“Hm?”
“I feel like something exceptionally bad happened in our home.” The gate was barely in view, but she put one hand on her chin. “Senpai and I will look around to the right, whereas Nee-san will take the left. Let’s meet up near the back. Then we’ll rush inside.”
“What are you…?”
“It seems like someone is trespassing into our home.”
“W-What did you say!? How!?”
“There is no time to explain. Hurry.” She sounded awfully confident.
Is she the actual reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes? Though I do think a deerstalker cap and old-fashioned English clothes would look great on her. Could we get a colored illustration of that, please?
Since she is a very careful and thorough girl, she might have noticed the door being open a mere millimeter. Tsukiko Holmes sure is scary. Maybe she even noticed that I picked up her shoes and took a sniff of them with the tip of my nose! How scary!
“…Senpai is the scary one…”
When I asked her for confirmation, she looked at me like I was the suspicious one all along as we walked around the right fence. But seriously, how else could she figure out that someone had gone into their home while they were out?
“Let’s discuss that later. For now, we have to capture the criminal.” Tsutsukakushi guided us, sneaking all the way to the back side of the house.
The time had come for her to turn on the lights, but Tsutsukakushi ignored that and entered the house with her beloved golden bat.
“I don’t really get it, but it seems like I need to take care of some dastardly folk.” Steel-san believed her little sister’s words without the slightest doubt, acting as reliable as ever.
A rice cake shop for rice cakes, an animal trainer for a wild beast, and Steel-san for evil. I’m sure that this person will reflect on their actions once Steel-san is done with them.
“Be ready for them to jump at you at any given moment.”
I followed after Steel-san. After we turned the corner at a certain moment, Tsutsukakushi gasped.
“Why—”
“What’s wrong?”
“The enemy!? …Hm?”
Steel-san and I peeked around the corner, expecting to see something. We could see Tsukiko-chan’s room down in the distance. The door was open, and I could see inside a bit. But that’s all I saw.
Everything looked totally normal. The hallway was wrapped in silence, colored by the setting sun.
*
“…Why, why why…?” Tsutsukakushi paced up and down inside her room, with small question marks popping up on top of her head.
She must be shocked that her conclusion was wrong. Steel-san decided to make sure and patrol throughout the house, but I imagined she wouldn’t find anything suspicious.
“I mean, we’re lucky that you were wrong, right?”
“The shirts, documents, pillows, furniture, bags, computer, plush toys, drawers, savings… they all should be scattered, and yet…” She spoke like she had seen something we hadn’t.
As far as I know, they’ve never had a burglar come rob this place. Holmes-chan, this is a great failure on your part. If this was like one of the games I’ve played, you’d be using a fake detective smoking pipe that blows bubbles. Come, my wonderful CG!
“It’s the same day, the same time, Senpai came with me… It should have happened only a short time before. Where did I go wrong? Did I miss a flag?” Tsutsukakushi was still drowning in question marks.
What is she talking about? What flag? If you confuse video games and reality, you’ll end up like me! Since Tsutsukakushi was so beside herself, I decided to take a look around, myself. I would rather not enter a girl’s room under such circumstances, but I’ll have to take what I can get. Pink curtains, pink bed sheets, plush toys next to the pillow, even the black cat one I gave her as a birthday present. It seems like she treasured it.
“Oh…?”
Between the wall and the bed was a small opening. When I took a peek, I saw school notes inside. Might this be the Black Demon Lord Diary? When I pulled it out of the opening, it turned out to be just that.
On the cover, it said ‘#2’, meaning that the previous version had been filled to the brim. Is this girl still keeping it going after all this time? Girls can be really scary.
“Tsutsukakushi, this fell down.”
“…Ah.” Tsutsukakushi jumped up, swiped the notes from me, and slammed them onto the ground. Touchdown!
“…Did you see inside?”
With her back arched, she carefully looked up at me.
“I didn’t. Not that much.”
“Hm…” With no expression, yet a complicated emotion in her eyes, she let out a sigh.
“It’s your audit accounting book, right?”
“That’s true, but…”
Tsutsukakushi would observe and record every action I took. I had heard about it back when MaiMai and I swapped bodies. There’s nothing that drastically wrong with me reading about my own actions, right?
“There’s good reasons for Senpai to not know about Senpai.”
“The heck is that supposed to mean!?”
“It’s fine as long as I know Senpai more than Senpai does.”
“What do you even mean by that…?”
Tsutsukakushi loved keeping secrets. On top of that, she loves order and influence. If she was given a position in an intelligence agency, she’d be a cold-hearted dictator. However, since this is modern Japan, we have a constitutional government. Even if I became the first citizen of the autocratic Tsukiko-chan country, we’d need to increase our population to gain more influence.
Either way, I don’t like her hiding things from me.
“Do you have a moment?” I took Tsutsukakushi’s hand and left the room.
The Tsutsukakushi Household was fairly big.
“Where is the enemy…? Where is the enemy…?”
I could hear the faint voice of an Onee-san from somewhere. There’s nobody more reliable than Steel-san in such a situation. When we walked down the walkway from the main house, a jet-black wall stood tall, looking like a monster about to eat the moon. This appearance was unbefitting of the modern age. It looked like the sands of time had stopped moving just for the storehouse, like it had placed there right next to the past itself.
“I think we’ve played around for long enough.”
“…Mm.”
I let go of Tsutsukakushi’s hand. She might have not wanted to enter the storehouse, as she resisted ever so slightly, shaking her head.
“Could you explain to me what’s going on? You’ve been acting weird the entire day.”
She was acting weird at the skating rink, and she even convinced me to follow her into her house. Whenever Tsutsukakushi does something weird, she always does it without me around. She always does it by herself. During the typhoon incident, things turned problematic because I left her alone. Though I only vaguely remember all of that.
“Steel-san won’t bother us all the way out here. Is there something you’re hiding from me?”
“Mm…”
“Aren’t we too close for secrets like that, Tsutsukakushi?”
Her gaze wandered all over the place, like she was uncertain what to say. Finally, her small lips moved.
“…I’m just trying to remove everything undesirable from my own world.”
“You’re what?”
“Today, a man wearing a hood will intrude into our empty house, so I wanted to capture him at all costs. I wonder where I went wrong. Then again, as long as he can’t steal anything, everything should be fine.” I could tell that she ran out of willpower to keep silent about it.
It looked like she was much more relaxed. That’s one thing I could tell for sure. At the same time, that’s literally all I could tell.
“Um… How did you figure out that someone is going to barge into your home?”
“I didn’t figure it out, I knew it. Don’t be surprised, but… I actually know what will happen in the future.”
“O-Oh my gooooood!”
“Of course, it’s not like I have some kind of special ability. I just know everything that has to do with Senpai. What you’ve seen with your eyes, what you’ve heard with your ears, everything that’s happened. From morning to night, from bathroom to toilet, I know everything about Senpai.”
“W-What…?”
She’s spitting some serious time-traveler-sounding words, but if you stop and think about what she’s saying, it sounds awful creepy—Then again, Tsukiko-chan is cute, so she’s forgiven!
“…When Senpai decided to hand over his own memories, I must have subconsciously wished to be the one who remembers everything about Senpai. Maybe I should get the Cat God to cancel this?” Tsutsukakushi cast her face down.
I shrugged and gently rubbed her head. It was soft and comfortable.
“Well, I’ve known that you’ve been recording things about me ever since the field trip. It’s a bit too late to worry about that.”
We’ve already crossed the threshold of being two bodies. We’ve overcome physical boundaries, and now we’re in science fiction territory.
“It seems like I have to accept this pervert’s generosity.”
“Why do you have a look on your face like you’re being forced to come to a compromise? We’re allies, right?”
“They say that most perverts don’t even realize how much of a pervert they are.”
“Yeah, but… You agree with me, right?”
Tsutsukakushi looked up at me, so I removed my hand and smiled at her.
“Let’s be serious for a second. Let’s assume you know what’s going to happen… but it didn’t end up like before, right? The future was changed, right? How does that work, like, ethically?”
“…Mm.” Tsutsukakushi observed the storehouse, like she was searching for allies there. “That’s right. Let me explain it with an example.” She tilted her head slightly. “What would you do if you lost something important, Senpai?”
“Something important?”
In the back of my mind, I saw the appearance of a girl left behind at a game center, the sight of a choir girl who had been forcefully torn from my memories, and the voice of a certain hedgehog woman inside of an old, empty house. I felt my body tense up.
“Of course, I’d try my hardest to get it back.”
“What if it ended up being a situation where you can’t take it back?”
“Then I’ll live with my failure and think about how to not repeat the same mistake.” I slowly opened my fist.
It’s always the same. You can’t return to the past. You can’t change the past. You have the past and the present. You have to focus on how to survive the present.
“I am different.” Tsutsukakushi said calmly. “No matter what, I would want to try and remake it. I will try to take back what I’ve lost. I don’t want to lose anymore.” Her deep, blue eyes looked at me, like they had some kind of strength to not allow me to look away.
I noticed that she had balled her hand into a fist.
“I saw what will happen in the future. However, I will change this future. I’ll keep the world at peace.”
“So that’s what it was…”
I still don’t get it. I don’t know what she might have lost. But there was one thing I was certain of.
“Tsutsukakushi, you hate stories that have bad endings, don’t you?”
“…Is there anyone who would enjoy them?”
“I think it depends on your definition of enjoyment…”
I thought back to Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Happy Prince’. The statue lost all its beauty and worth, but it did not once regret it. He accepted this outcome, even after he was burned to cinders. However, if Tsutsukakushi were there, she would have never accepted that result. She most likely would have tried to recreate the statue from scratch.
In the eyes of Catholic teaching, it would be selfish, violent, and despicable—Yet pure and innocent at the same time. It doesn’t sit well with me.
“I think there’s a meaning to a story that ends beautifully.”
“There is no value in a story that does not satisfy me.”
“Even if something crucial to the story itself changes?”
“That would be much better than an ending I can’t accept.”
“…Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” I nodded.
I didn’t want to argue any more than that. Even if I use force, her opinion most likely won’t change. That’s the type of girl she is. You can’t force someone to change their opinion in any way. It’s just your own self-delusion. No matter how long you’ve known each other, a person’s feelings are much stronger than any bond.
“Senpai, can I go now?”
“…Yeah. Sorry for taking you with me.”
“Let’s return to the warm main house. To make sure that Steel-san doesn’t collapse while I’m not there.” Tsutsukakushi turned her back towards me and started walking.
Strength filled her shoulders, and she showed no signs of turning around.
*
“Do you have any interest in smoking jackets or dresses?”
Azuki Azusa invited me the following Friday by making this odd statement. A week had passed since we went skating. In the meantime, I was surrounded by nothing but peace. The Cat God didn’t appear once, I didn’t get into any fights with Tsukiko-chan, and all I did was enjoy my daily life. So much has happened recently that it’s honestly more worrying that nothing is going on. It feels like I’m slipping on ice, just waiting to fall over.
I gazed out of the classroom window, which was how I had spent my entire day until classes came to an end. Outside on the school grounds I saw several cute beauties practicing in PE clothes, which really adds weight to the algorithm that generates the school’s internal pink-blue index ratio. One day I’ll get my Nobel Prize in that field.
While I was busy wasting my youth, Azuki Azusa, who sat next to me, raised one finger.
“Yokodera, Mama is planning a special bridal edition for her magazine.”
“Oh really?”
“She needs a lot of pictures, but she can’t find anyone to be the bride or groom… So I was wondering if you had time tomorrow.”
“With everyone, you mean?” I looked around me.
We were having a personal studying session this afternoon inside this empty second-year classroom. Both for upcoming exams as well as entrance exams. Tsutsukakushi and Steel-san had joined us, holding pen and eraser. They both tilted their heads, just in different directions.
“Y-Yeah…” Azuki Azusa pointed at us in turns, nodding. “She said that we can just try it out, like a snow rabbit changing coats for the season, and see if it works out.”
“Can I wear a dress, then?” I envisioned myself walking down my own virgin road.
“So it’s finally my tuxedo debut! My chest is burning in excitement!” Steel-san looked up at the ceiling herself.
“If you two are okay with it, then so be it…” Tsukiko-chan sounded exhausted, and she sighed with no expression on her face.
“Then let’s meet up at the train station!” Azuki Azusa smiled at us and clapped her hands together.
The after-school talk-time, also known as a study session, ended safely as well. If anything, nothing bad could ever happen at Tsutsukakushi’s safe study session. Tsutsukakushi herself studied daily without any fail, and I had been studying rigorously myself after I had to stop participating in the track-and-field club. Azuki Azusa, for her part, was consistent as well, and Steel-san was climbing up the stairs to become a saint.
You might ask why we needed to gather in the first place, since it was obvious that nobody would have trouble with their upcoming exams. The reason was simple. There was someone who wanted us to meet up.
“Tomorrow will be the bridal plan, and we’ll go watch some movies the day after tomorrow… Why don’t we go out and eat somewhere the day after that?” Tsutsukakushi went through her personal calendar, making more plans.
She’s been constantly trying to keep us together this entire week. After classes, on weekends… It felt like she wanted to be spoiled by the presence of everyone. Of course you can, my little Moonchild! Come jump into my arms!
“How are you feeling, Nee-san?”
“Hmm?” Steel-san put one hand on her forehead, gently rubbing it.
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
“Tsukiko, you are such a spoiled child! Come jump into my chest!”
“Enough about that already.”
“There’s no need to be embarrassed.”
“No really, enough.”
Steel-san was pushed away, rejected coldly by her own little sister. I’m so jealous. Unlike me, Steel-san can at least ask for it.
“We’ve been out a lot together recently. It’s making me feel like a zebra dancing in its herd.” Azuki Azusa grinned as she watched this heartwarming scene. “But we somehow stopped ending up alone together as much.”
“Hm?”
“I wanted to invite only you for the bridal photoshoot… but I failed.” She spoke with a jesting tone, but what she said was something I really couldn’t take as a joke.
I almost staggered backwards from the shock. But it makes sense. When the timing is bad, the operation will end. It’s the same when you’re buying some goods and the person at the cash register is a cute girl. It makes things unbearably embarrassing. When it’s an old lady or old man, nothing of that sort happens. I get it. I really do. What were we talking about? My mental fortitude is too strong, see.
“…Yokodera, do you remember the time we went to the bridal shop last year?”
“Ah, yeah?”
That did happen. I’m pretty sure… Maybe. They’re some good memories. They should be. They must be, I’m sure.
“………” Azuki Azusa looked at my profile and blinked. “You might not feel this way, but I’ve received all sorts of precious things from you.” She rubbed her palms together and continued. “That’s why I wanted to give something back to you.”
“Azuki Azusa…”
“…Just kidding~”
She looked up at me bashfully. She’s an archangel as always. Her words are too sweet. We looked at each other and smiled.
*
The bird has one wing, like it reaches from West to East. Looking up outside the church window, I could see a beautiful altocumulus cloud drawn behind the cross. A transparent breeze blew through the small room next to the chapel. The sounds of the choir singing had vanished already. It was a comfortable morning, indeed. Perfect for the bridal photoshoot.
“Everything would be perfect if we had a great role…”
I tugged on the collar of my tuxedo and scratched my head. Nobody around me tried to argue. Then again, I was all alone, as I was sitting in the corner of the small room.
Just a few moments ago, both this small room and the chapel next to it had been filled with voices. We managed to borrow the local church for today, and Azuki’s mama took care of the small details related to time usage.
‘It has been a while, dear Mother.’
‘Dear Mother? Oh my, oh my. My small puppy, you’ve grown so much since the last time, my my.’
I’d only met Azuki’s Mama in private, but it seems like she really is a reliable editor. After we greeted each other, I was treated like a wild turkey on a conveyor belt. I had these clothes put on me, as well as make-up, and I ended up looking like a genuine groom. The small glimmer of hope that I would get to wear a women’s dress had vanished entirely. I’m glad it did. I will have to reflect on that rotten desire of mine. Anyway, things worked out so far.
The problem was what happened afterwards. Someone suspicious seemed to have been spying on this event, so the staff was going around tightening security.
‘As a fellow man, I cannot forgive them! Let me help!’
‘No can do. You have to stay here.’
‘Why!?’
‘What would happen if they started suspecting you? If you don’t secure your alibi now, you might end up losing the trial.’
‘…Hm? What exactly do you mean by that?’
It seemed like Tsukiko-chan was back in Holmes mode, She locked the number one suspect up in this secluded room by leaving me alone here. Tsutsukakushi says some cruel things sometimes, huh? Does she think that I’m a pervert? Whenever I feel like peeking at her, I always do it directly and earnestly. Can’t she understand my sincere, manly heart?
“I wonder if everyone will be okay…”
I slowly opened the door connecting to the chapel. I carelessly peeked inside, only for my heart to skip beating. In the center of the chapel, right in front of the altar… There stood a saint who had been turned into a bride. I know I’ve made it sound very cliche, but that couldn’t be helped.
A long white train covered the stone pavement, with the princess train on top creating a wave that emphasized the waist. It looked like an icefish that was bent backwards. Along with her white gloves, I could see a beautiful bouquet in her hands. The chest area, decorated with laces, gave off a trim and beautiful vibe, and the white skin of her revealed shoulders would not allow me to tear my gaze away.
Showered by the transparent light of the stained glass, the Saint, who possessed otherworldly beauty, stood alone.
“Um…”
“Ah, Yokodera. Don’t surprise me like that,” said the unsaintly Steel-san.
I knew that it was the same usual Steel-san. Yet her charming smile entered my eyes and directly infiltrated my brain.
“What is that foolish expression about? Didn’t you want to stay in that room?”
“Ah, well…”
I couldn’t form any proper words. I shook my head several times.
“Both Tsukiko and I are prohibited from leaving outside. Those who aim for the beautiful skin of my Tsukiko deserve punishment, and yet I cannot be the one to deliver it.”
Thank God. She’s the same as always. She might seem dignified on the outside, but she’s only thinking of her little sister on the inside. Thanks to this discovery, I finally found myself able to think clearly again.
“Why did Tsukiko-chan tell you to stay inside?”
“As if I know! She’s forcing me to stay calm, and that’s all I know!”
“Maybe because you’re an examinee. Your little sister is trying to care for you.”
“Is that really true?”
“Eh?”
“When you think about recent and ancient Buddhist teachings, this is a violation of basic human rights. Even if this did line up with lawful positivism, the 18th article of the constitution states that no person shall be held in bondage of any kind, of which this is a clear violation. At the same time, article 220 of the criminal law specifies the obligation of submission of documents in the event of a subpoena. Don’t you agree?”
“Y-Yeah…”
It seems like it’s not the usual Steel-san after all. I guess she studied so much that she’s finally gone crazy. It’s hard to say it to her face, but I feel like she’s yet again directed her efforts towards something other than normal studying. That can’t be right, can it?
“Well, I guess it’d be troublesome if you happened to damage that borrowed dress. By the way, it looks great on you.”
“…Mmm… Mmm… Really?” Steel-san patted her chest with her long gloves, twisting her body.
It seemed that she had gone back to her usual self.
“I have to say that I wouldn’t have minded wearing a tuxedo, but I heard you really recommended this one, right?”
“Ah, well, yes.”
“A simple repayment for your promise? What an honest fellow you are.”
I gave no answer, hiding it with a bitter smile. She might be off a lot of times, but these sharp moments of hers really hurt. When the black shadow possessed me, I planned an unlawful life with Steel-san, and I guess I must have subconsciously been influenced by it.
The light shining into the room must have been a bit blinding, as Steel-san narrowed her eyes.
“I’d heard that since my mother eloped with her husband, there was no marriage ceremony.” She turned around and looked up at the stained glass close to the ceiling.
It was an image of the holy woman, guided by the angels to the place where she belonged.
“I don’t have the kind of mindset to be concerned about that, but I faintly remember Mother looking at a dress in a window before. When I remember this, I feel happy, since she lives on in my memories.”
“…That sounds nice to have memories of that.”
“I was granted the chance to wear these clothes that my mother had admired. I’d love to show her as quickly as possible if I could.”
“That sounds like…”
“Of course, I wish for a long-lasting life. I want to live forever, surrounded by Tsukiko, her children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, her great-great-grandchildren, and many more.” Steel-san smiled.
I was unsure of what to say, so I weakly nodded along. It’s seriously unfair how beautiful she is. It makes me want to cry. She was surrounded by winged angels, bestowed with a holy and warm light the holy maiden gave off. I felt sure that she would climb up those stairs to heaven as soon as I merely dared to blink.
I felt scared to remove my gaze from this bride in front of me, and I stood still until everyone came back.
*
The photoshoot was about to begin, and I was on standby inside the small room again. I let out a sigh and tried to shake off the bad premonition that had been creeping up to me for these past few minutes. Suddenly, a knocking sound came from the window. I could see a black shadow through the curtains. In other words, that suspicious person had appeared. Let’s see who’s stronger: A pervert or a suspicious person! I opened the window.
“…W-Who is it!?”
“Nice to meet you. Then again, you’re not going to say that this is our first time meeting, are you?” The Noppera-Bou smiled with a dandy baritone voice.
It was Emi’s Papa.
“No, not him…”
Emi Papa would never make an expression like that. The way he’s smiling, it has to be—the Cat God.
“Indeed, it is I, Yokodera-kun.”
“Cat God…”
“I’m surprised you could tell. I guess even someone like you with the intellect of an empty bucket could figure out my greatness. It’s been a while. Have you been in good health?” The Cat God inside Emi’s Papa smiled, raising both his hands.
“Why are you here…? Are you that suspicious guy they’re searching for?”
“I came with some wonderful information today. All so I could see you struggle, agonize about it, and taste despair. Now lend me your imbecilic ears and listen carefully.”
“…You really never listen to anyone else, do you?”
“That girl will die soon.”
These words were spoken with sadness, regret, and yet joy at the same time.
“Not because of illness, not because of an injury, but rather because of a chronic disease which cannot be cured by the doctors of this age. Those who belong to the Cat God bloodline will all share the same fate.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Oh? You don’t seem to be too shocked, Yokodera-kun. Did you already have your own assumptions about Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi’s Death that—Mmmph!?”
From up close, the Cat God’s lips smelled like an unwashed towel.
“Mmmm!? Mnnnn! Mnnnnn!?”
He started struggling, but I didn’t care. I would have loved to kiss a cute girl, but since it was an old man, we avoided having an illustration of me kissing him. Then again, that’s not an important problem. I had leveled up my technique, probably one too many times, and as a result I could see the Cat God’s legs quivering shortly after.
“W-What are you…? I didn’t do anything yet…”
“You annoyed me, that’s why.”
“Waaaaaah! You idiooooot!” The Cat God ran away, crying.
Yokodera-kun, left behind, raised his flag of victory in the face of defeat, like he had won the greatest battle in history, and received the kiss of a princess (?) as a reward. Congratulations. Thank you. As for the results? A pervert is stronger than a suspicious person. There, we’ve arrived at an important conclusion.
“I feel exhausted…” Another sigh escaped my lips.
Yeah, it really feels like too much. I confirmed that the Cat God had completely disappeared from my sight, and then opened the window wide. I wanted to remove the scent of the unwashed bath towel, after all. I tried swinging my arms to accelerate the process, but nothing happened.
…Wait, this is wrong. This is different. This is the scent of a freshly-washed bath towel! Something like lemon or tomato! When I glanced around frantically, I finally spotted a young girl wearing a religious white gown. She looked like she belonged to a choir.
“Emi! Why are you here?”
“This church is my home, remember? What’s with those clothes you’re wearing?” She pointed at my tuxedo, letting out an arrogant snort.
She could have just said that it looked good on me. Judging from that reaction, she hadn’t even seen her father loitering around. That was awfully close.
“Oh yeah, you’re part of the choir. I’m sorry to interrupt your practice like this.”
“Everyone is happy that they got to go home early.”
“Oh? So, why did you stay behind, Emi?”
“W-When I heard that you and friends would be playing the roles of bride and groom, I didn’t want to do any overtime!” She kicked a small stone on the ground, hiding in the shadows like before.
She might have sounded angry, but it was nothing more than a tsundere act. I guess that she was interested to see how a bride looked after all.
‘Every girl admires a bride~’
Cozy-sama had told me this before. However, she specifically didn’t add herself under that umbrella. Maybe she wants to see MaiMai as a bride instead?
“Don’t be like that. Just come in. Why not sing beside the photoshoot? It’ll make things more authentic! You’ll get to appear in a magazine! Welcome to the junior idol road!”
“Don’t wanna.”
She gave an immediate response, completely uninterested.
“…Why not?”
“I won’t do it even if it kills me.” Her reddish twintails swayed left and right like an animal’s long ears.
She’s like a rabbit who doesn’t jump around. Can I order a rabbit that actually acts like one? Does she hate me that much? I don’t want any tsundere special service right now. Is it because I’m a member of the Japanwide Lolicon Protection Agency? Because I attacked her beloved Papa? I can’t tell.
“Because that person is here.” Emi looked at me like I was a wild beast as she took a step away from me.
“That person…”
I knew who she was talking about without needing to ask. The person she is the most cautious of in the entire world, whom she avoids at every chance possible… It had to be Azuki Azusa-san. It’s hard to make two friends of yours become friends, but I will still try it.
“…Can we stop with that already?”
Why can’t the archangel Azuki Azusa, and the angel who is stronger than any angel Emi, get along? They can just rule this world as the twin angels.
“She’s a good girl, okay? She wants to get along with you.”
“I know that. But I still don’t wanna!”
“You know that evil God isn’t inside of her anymore.”
“But now there’s nothing else inside her instead!”
“What?”
Emi is actually a pretty clever girl. Her physical and mental age couldn’t be further apart, and she has top-class intelligence at times. At the same time she also has top-class… No, nevermind.
“It feels like she has no self. It’s like she’s searching for something to give herself validation.”
“That’s why you don’t want to?”
“Don’t you understand how scary that is? Being empty and unreliable. It’s awful for both sides.” The rabbit’s eyes were staring directly into my soul.
Like she was seeing the deep-rooted fear inside of my heart. Why? Azuki Azusa has accepted my everything, and yet you’re still blaming her?
Suddenly, the door to the chapel opened, and the photoshoot staff came rushing in. She had a disheartened expression her face, and she said—
“Today’s photoshoot is cancelled. The bride has collapsed.”
*
Only Tsukiko-chan and Azuki’s Mother were allowed to ride in the ambulance. The rest of the space was needed for the paramedics. It makes perfect sense, and I can’t argue against that. All I could do was watch that ambulance. A painful silence and tension filled the church. Someone was talking on a phone, curious onlookers were watching from afar, and sirens loud enough to split the heavens were blaring.
Tain started to fall. The sight of Steel-san being transported was covered by a wall of people, and I couldn’t even properly see her off. No matter who I asked, nobody gave me a concrete answer. I have no idea what even happened. There’s nothing I can do… Really? Is there really nothing?
Tsukiko-chan slowly turned around from facing the ambulance. She held no expression, but I could tell. Her expression was more pale than usual, and her eyes were shaking.
“‘A flower is most beautiful when it knows the time to fall. People are like flowers. They will die without hesitation.’” Her small lips muttered these words, quivering. “I looked up these words you told me before, Senpai. Those were the final words of a martyr, right?”
“Why is that important right now? We have to see your Onee-san now.”
“It’s very important.” Tsutsukakushi grabbed my hand tightly. “That day, when I came to visit Senpai when he had a cold, you told me these words.”
It was the day before the marathon, inside the bath. What did I tell her? What did she tell me?
“People have value as human people without saving others. Flowers can stay as flowers, and people as people.”
“………”
“I know that Senpai is Senpai. So stop being anybody else, please.”
Tsutsukakushi repeated these words several times like a chant. Is the locked-off door inside my heart starting to open?
“I don’t know who else I would become. I’m not planning on becoming anyone else. I just think that it’d be great if everyone was—”
“Please!” Tsutsukakushi, who I had never known to ever scream, roared with a loud voice and stomped the ground.
She didn’t seem to care that her slender shoulders were growing wet. She looked like a hero ready to face the demon lord.
“Please look at me.”
“……”
“Senpai, I beg you. Listen to what I’m saying. Every single person has to be included in this happiness, or you can’t call it everyone’s. I don’t want someone else to suffer for Nee-san’s sake. That’s why I will… No.” She looked up at me and shook her head. “It doesn’t have to be me. As long as there is someone who says ‘Don’t do that’, will you stop forcing yourself?” A fierce fire was burning in her blue eyes.
A fire strong enough to turn the martyr to cinders. I had no other choice to make.
“…I promise.”
“You promised. Please, no matter what happens, do not break this promise.” She grasped my hand even tighter.
Yet oddly enough, it felt much gentler than before.
*
The ambulance drove away from the tumult. The rain grew stronger, but I still walked aimlessly outside, not bothered at all by this, with no destination in mind… No, that’s a lie. I had an idea of a place where I should go, I just lacked the confidence to go there.
Tsukiko-chan’s words still rang inside my ears, burning strong with passion. Steel-san’s smile, and her appearance as a bride, still lingered in the back of my mind. My feet were lost, not sure which direction to go, stuck between the two Tsutsukakushis.
What should I do? What should I refrain from doing? I don’t want to watch the end of the world. I don’t want to ignore someone else’s sadness. I don’t want to hurt anybody. Even though this was all that I had wished for, I was wrong. Me, or that girl? Who is in the wrong?
“…Where are you going?”
I saw an illusion the rain had washed towards me. How long has she been next to me? I should have left her behind at the church. Azuki Azusa gave me a troubled expression and offered me an umbrella.
“Tsuu-chan asked me. She wanted me to go home, get everything I needed, and come to the hospital. She wants you to help as well, Yokodera.”
“……I…”
What is my wish here? I raised my gaze and looked over towards a single mountain, standing tall in the sky. There—Ah, right. There is something that allows me to hand over something important to those who are in need. Since Steel-san needs life, what can I give her?
“Hey, Azuki Azusa.”
“What is it?”
“Do you think I should act like myself? Do you think I should become a hero who saves everyone?” I stopped walking as I asked her this.
Azuki Azusa blinked in confusion.
“I don’t really get it, but why don’t you just do what you want, Yokodera?”
“Even if someone disagrees?”
“I mean, it would be better if nobody did, but…” Azuki Azusa made a troubled smile. “Either way, I won’t disagree. It’s not like I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because you decided on it, Yokodera. If you really, really really really want to do it, then I can’t stop you. I can’t do anything, but I at least want to understand you.”
Her eyes, melting in the rain, looked like jewels glittering so much that they almost blinded me. The people around us had disappeared. The residential district, showered with rain, was empty. It felt like this was a secluded world, cold and realistic, overseen by the cedar tree on top of the mountain.
Even so, Azuki Azusa is right next to me. She will be with me wherever I go. She’s always like this. Ever since I met her, she keeps saving me. She accepts everything about me and lets me be who I am. Even if I were to sacrifice myself. Like the swallow who would help the Happy Prince, I’m sure she would follow me to the pits of hell.
Not caring if that would be a good thing to do or not.
“Could you come with me, Azuki Azusa?”
“………Yeah.”
I offered Azuki Azusa my hand, and she accepted it with a troubled smile.
“But at least explain it to me. I’ll try to understand.”
“Thanks… And I’m sorry.”
We both became a bronze statue together, and we started heading towards the hill.
CClaw Translations 