We had gone there to sun bathe, and right there being lapped by the waves by the seashore was Someko, crying from inside a white cardboard box. I remember clearly that the box was labelled: “Ehime oranges.”
I remember clearly the glaring sun that we’d never have see back at Shiroshita town, along with the white wave crest, the hotness of the sand, the warmth of the strange dog’s tongue, and the bold red words reading “Ehime oranges” on the cardboard box.
Someko, who’d lived over twelve years at the Yoshimura household, aged suddenly around the Spring of this year. She lost interest in the walks and ball fetching that she always loved to do before, and she spent her days sleeping. When she curled up under the sun in our backyard, she looked like a worn-out carpet. With the warming of the weather, she lost her appetite too. It’s an effort for her to polish off a bottle of milk.
We didn’t say it out loud, but everyone in our family’s readied themselves for it. Someko’s smart and obedient. As a family pet, she gets a gold star. If you put aside her fear of cats and her dislike of being alone, there’s really nothing that you can really call a flaw, per say. Kisaragi, who has his hands full having to deal with Sometaro who has a tendency to run off, complains from time to time that compared to the mother dog who lives at the Yoshimura household, she’s bad-natured.
Near the end of July, we set off for the beach.
Me, Misaki, Kisaragi and Suu-chan. Kei-kun didn’t come. I don’t know why. Suu-chan won’t say anything. No one tried asking her why.
Suu-chan pinched her stomach over her blue camisole.
“Yeah. But, whatever. I’ve quit dieting. I’ll accept myself as I am now.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s better if you don’t. You’re the type to get really into things…so it’s dangerous. Once you get hooked on dieting, you’ll find getting thin so fun that you’ll be so scared of gaining even a little bit of weight, that you won’t be able to eat anything, and you’ll turn into skin and bones. Even then, you’ll keep saying how you want to get thinner, and that you’re still fat. There are lots of people out there that are like that.”
“When you say it, it’s pretty convincing. Yeah, I’m fine as I am now.”
I wonder what happened to Suu-chan?
“I’m fine as I am.” That kind of line can be taken as being brave or just desperate. It can be taken as an affirmative or a negative. Smiling, Suu-chan rubs sunscreen on her face. There’s nothing different about her today. But at the same time, I know that that unchanging side is what she’s showing to us. Even if we’re together and we talk and laugh, it’s hard to open yourself up completely. More so if they’re feelings of shame or humiliation. You lock it up tight and bury it deep in your heart. My heart twinges with pain. It’s curious. It twinges with a need to unlock that door and look inside. At the same time though, you want to hold yourself and the other person in high esteem. The heart also twinges with the need to not overstep the boundaries. To hold in high esteem, to show contempt, to be brave, to be servile, to be aware, to be unaware — our amplitudes are wide. We swing widely between the two extremes.
At any rate, for now, I should just stay quiet. I shouldn’t give in to the curiosity and say something cliché like:
If I say that, Misaki will laugh her head off. She’ll laugh at me and look at me in disdain.
Kisaragi, who had been sitting in the very back seat, yelled as he stood up. The bus came to a sudden halt.
“Over there—isn’t that Someko?”
Someko was running along the road lined with trees. Dragging behind her the leather leash used to walk her, she’s running. From behind, Mao chased after her.
Before Kisaragi could finish his sentence, I lowered my head to the bus driver and said:
“What’s wrong?”
“That’s all right. It happens all the time.”
After dropping us off, the doors to the bus closed shut, and it continued on as if nothing had happened. A girl who had her hair pulled back in a ponytail was peering from the back window, trying to look at the running dog from the window.
“What’s up?”
Mao sat down by one of the trees lining the street, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. We exchanged glances.
Misaki comments with a straight face.
I admit it: I’m not a good pet owner. I love animals, but I hate putting effort into taking care of them. Mao was the one who made sure to feed her and walk her and brush her. I could never see her freeing herself from Mao and chasing after me.
Kisaragi pats Someko’s head. Surprisingly, Someko, who had been sitting, barks in reply.
“So what, she wants us to take her to the sea?”
I gaze down at Someko. Her round eyes gaze back at me. Back when she still had a hearty appetite, she would look at me like this when she was begging me for scraps. Her eyes were coloured with hope and excitement and a hint of sadness.
Partway through my sentence, I gulp, and glanced over at Mao.
“Maybe it could be that though. She was running like her life depended on it…she’s never done something like that before…”
Suu-chan pulled the edge of the sleeve of my shirt.
“But…she’s a dog.”
“You should be more concerned about us than the dog. We won’t be able to make it in time for the train if we didn’t take the bus that we just got off of.”
“What are we going to do? If we’re cancelling the trip, I’m going home.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ll take Someko home. If you take a taxi, I think you’ll still be able to make it. So you guys should go.”
“No.”
“You’re planning on making me pay for the taxi, right?”
Someko continues to gaze at me.
Someone honked. From a few metres away, a man wearing a baseball cap peered out from the driver’s seat of a small truck with a hood. The cap bore the mark of the New York Yankees.
Kisaragi walks towards the man while waving his hand.
Misaki gestures in the direction of the small truck with her chin.
I’ve met him somewhere. I have a blurred memory of him, but for the life of me I can’t remember a concrete name. Kisaragi seems pretty friendly with him though, and we watched as he exchanged a few words with him before whirling around, and making an “O” sign with the fingers of his right hand.
“To where?”
Suu-chan and I let out a cheer. Kisaragi pointed to the loading platform, and Misaki, Suu-chan and I hopped in in order.
Kisaragi slapped Someko lightly on the back. Someko gave a powerful bark. Although her bark was powerful, her body wouldn’t move. Her front paws rested on the landing platform, and the strong bark soon changed to a sad whine. She couldn’t jump up. Mao and Kisaragi pushed her from behind, and Suu-chan and I grabbed onto her front legs, and we managed to somehow drag her up.
Misaki, who hadn’t helped out at all, gave a light kick to the side of Someko’s stomach.
Kisaragi then patted Mao on the back.
“Of course. Since you’re already here, you might as well come with us.”
Mao was wearing the classic casual summer outfit with long shorts and a t-shirt.
Mao looked at me as Kisaragi pressed his back.
Misaki was the one who said that.
“Misaki, you better keep your grubby hands off my brother.”
Mao’s the type who likes to be prepared down to the minutest details. He’s been like this since he was a kid. Preparations for the next day should be done the previous night. He plans things, and then puts those plans into action. He doesn’t do things on the spur of the moment. That’s why during times like this, he becomes really disoriented.
Someko wagged her tail furiously as if she understood what Kisaragi just said.
“Woof!”
“This dog is amazing.”
He’s gotten quick at making up his mind.
It’s pretty hot underneath the hood. The underside’s turned up, and the wind comes in from all directions, but it’s hot. And it smells kind of fishy. I realized it was the smell of fish. At the same time, the face under the New York Yankees baseball cap ties into a concrete memory.
“Yep, her boss. So what, Riho, you just realized now?”
“That’s because after I dropped you off at the hospital, we went to help out at his street stall.”
“Well, by ’help’ it was just like counting the skewer sticks and flapping at the flames with a fan, but we did put in effort. We even got to eat fried noodles and ice cones. You should’ve seen Takeshita though. She was a pro, man. The way she kindled the fire was outta this world. She said she’d be going around delivering lunch sets today.”
“I wish I could go back to being a high school student.”
Ayana and I hate studying. We’re no good at putting in effort to conquer the things we’re not good at, and we’re no good at putting our sincere effort into chipping away at one thing either. We’re irresponsible, cowardly, and half-hearted; but we still have self-confidence. We have confidence in ourselves to make things work someway somehow. Even though we had no basis for it, we have confidence that we won’t be crushed. And yet, Ayana that day was apprehensive and full of self-torment. The strength she showed the night of the festival when she smiled at me and said “oh well” was no where in sight. There’s amplitude here too. She’s wavering—back and forth, which way and that. The pendulum makes big swings. It swings widely within the span of a day, a night–in a single moment. Right this second, I bet Ayana’s forgotten completely of her wish to go back to high school and is busy delivering lunch sets.
Suu-chan commented dreamily. Suu-chan, with her hair tied up in two parts wearing mid-length denim shorts looked like a junior high schooler, and she looked cute.
“Well, if she continues at it, she might be able to turn her part-time job into a regular full time job. Don’t you think that’s really lucky? I heard that it’s super hard to land a decent full time job in this town—even for those that don’t go to our school.”
Suzu-chan had a rare scowl on his face.
Fitting of the scowl, Suzu-chan’s tone was dark, and had a threatening ring to it. In that tone, he told us that the reality is harsh, so we have to try our hardest. He concluded with that. Despite being reminded that this wasn’t somebody else’s problem, we let our instructor’s words go right past us as if it was. His talk was like being trapped in a tiny square room with the windows and door shut. My ears won’t accept such words. I know that he isn’t trying to threaten us or make light of it. I know that he’s seriously concerned for us. But, if we just accepted all that Suzu-chan had told us, it’d make us feel as if we’re being closed in. It would be like accepting that this was as far as we would go in life. That’s why we tune him out. But it looks like Suu-chan listened to him, and was thinking about how she could overcome the harsh reality.
Misaki runs her hand through the hair near her ear. Right after being released from the hospital, she dyed her hair the color of tea with plenty of milk poured in. I guess her ears were programmed to only take in what she wanted to hear, like me.
“He’s not going to the sea. Just near it.”
“Then where, may I ask, is her boss going on a weekday at this time of day that’s by the sea?”
The roads were pretty empty. The truck ran smoothly. The lukewarm breeze throughout town changed into a refreshing breeze as it swept into the back.
I shrugged my shoulders in response.
“What does the truck have anything to do with it? He looks like the type who loves women.”
Kisaragi lays down on the platform. Someko licks his face.
“Either that, or they’re going to visit a grave.”
“But we’re really lucky we found someone who could take us to the beach. I still can’t believe it.”
“NEAR the beach.”
“Dunno. But he mentioned that he could give us a ride back too if it all works out.”
Suu-chan faces me.
“Five people and a large dog. Is there anyone that’d give us a ride?”
“There’s no denying that the chances are pretty low.”
“Kisaragi, then you can walk with Someko to the beach.”
“Um, I’ll walk too.”
“She’s my family’s pet, and she has this habit of suddenly lying down and not moving.”
I grimaced as I called out my brother’s name.
“Oh, but I’m a little serious. Doesn’t it sound great to see a person and dog walking with the sky at sun set as their background? It’s like the start of some long journey.”
“You see it too? I’m impressed, Mao. Let’s go together then—on the 50,000km Great Journey.”
“Yeah, you should go back to space. You’re an alien, aren’t you?”
The fortune teller, who despite being really skinny, had brown skin, and she looked like some kind of mummy that had just risen out from Pharaoh’s tomb, but she did give off a mysterious aura. Kisaragi said it was his first time having his fortune read.
He joked as he extended his hand out. The mysterious fortune teller gazed at his hand intently, and she mumbled to herself. After a while, she turned her solemn gaze to Kisaragi.
“Huh?”
“Wha?”
“Wha?”
“There are…three?”
Misaki murmured beside him. I couldn’t hold back my laughter. Afterwards, Kisaragi attempted communication with the other two fellow aliens by holding his hands out towards the sky at night. Apparently, he was encouraged to do so by the fortune teller. He got bored of it by a day and stopped.
“It’s okay, ‘cause I’ve decided to live as a human. My home star is twinkling beyond the Nebula M78.”
“Well, when you think ‘alien’—admit it, that’s the kind of image that pops into your head, isn’t it?”
I thrust out my finger in front of Kisaragi.
Suu-chan piped in.
“You think?”
“Like I said, I’m from Nebula M78.”
Misaki places her bare feet, which she took her sandals off of, on top of Someko’s back. Someko continued to lay quietly on her side. She had her eyes closed, and from time to time let out a big sigh.
When Mao called her name, she opened her eyes just a crack and wagged her tail three times.
“Misaki, don’t be ridiculous. And get your feet off of her. She’s not some pedestal.”
From our town to the beach, you can get to the destination in about an hour by car. It’s a lot faster than taking the train. The level of comfort is way off of anything you can call “comfortable,” but beggars can’t be choosers. We were truly lucky to be picked up by Ayana’s boss. Good luck and bad luck alternate like the strands of a rope. After something good, something bad is waiting in the shadows. I placed my hand on top of Someko’s head. I can feel the hard skull. It’s hard to explain, but that hardness made me feel uneasy.
Suu-chan moved her nose against the wind.
When I closed my eyes to try to get a whiff, the truck came to a stop. A large hand slaps against the glass that’s located between the platform and the driver’s seat. It was a gentle slap that belied the thickness of his fingers.
“I’ll be passing by here in about two hours.”
The sea was right nearby. There was no need to go on a walking expedition with the dog or to hitchhike. It’s right nearby. The sandy beach and the white crest of the wave spread out before us. It’s the ocean.
Misaki wraps her arms around her own body. She has goosebumps up her arms.
I acknowledge it reluctantly. It’s cold. There’s the sandy beach and the crest of the wave. The only thing missing was the glaring sun.
“We were able to suck up to the heat inside the platform even though he didn’t have any air conditioner running, but I didn’t know it was cold today.”
“Now that I think about it, the weather forecast said something about slight wind chills with changing weather.”
Kisaragi pulled out a radio from the pocket of his jeans. He took out his earphone from his ear.
Someko is barking. She scratched her feet against the road.
Mao was surprisingly firm. We headed towards the beach with Someko in the lead. The beach with the sand rolling in was apparently not a public beach meant for swimming. There was no seaside shack, and no swimmers either. Even if it was though, with this kind of weather, there’s no way anyone would be here.
“She looks psyched.”
“So what, we came here to please some dog?”
“Well whether it’s a dog or a turtle, as long as they’re happy, what’s wrong with that?”
“Hey, let’s eat our lunch.”
“A rice ball, drink, and deep fried chicken. 600 yen per person. Oh, there’s some for you too, Mao-kun. I bought extra.”
“Oh, but I don’t have any money with me…”
“Misaki, what do you mean by that? I’m a genuine, full-fledged older sister. Mao, I’ll lend you the money to cover your part, so make sure to pay me back the 600 yen later.”
“I’m lucky to have a sarcastic, sucky friend like you.”
The wind comes in a strong gust. It spreads from the land to the sea. Misaki’s barley straw hat was picked up by that wind and taken away. By the time she let out an “Ah!” it had been swept up high in the air, and taken to sea. It gently came to rest on top of the waves.
Misaki hurriedly took out a parasol. Misaki really is fully prepared when it comes to herself. If she could use those abilities towards someone else, she could actually become a considerate, affectionate person.
“Just give it up. I don’t want to go into the ocean.”
“You know…you can come to the beach without having to swim, you know.”
Someko jumped into the ocean. She caught up to the barley hat that was drifting along the waves without even breaking out in a sweat, and grabbing a hold of it with her mouth, she headed back to shore. Now that I think about it, Someko loves to play in the water, and every time we’d go out for a walk, she’d jump into the river that was near our house, and she fetched the plastic ball that Mao and I would throw to her happily. I’d forgotten. The confident Someko that was full of pride at being a dog came to mind, not the Someko that curled up into a ball like some old carpet.
“What a good girl.”
“Dogs are better than aliens any day.”
Suu-chan gave the pieces of rice ball and fried chicken that she’d collected from everyone to Someko, who polished it off in a single bite. And with that, Someko went back to playing with the waves.
“Hey.”
“Isn’t anyone going to swim?”
“It’s cold,” I said.
Mao took a bite of the fried chicken, and replied: “I didn’t bring swimming trunks.”
“It’s cold.”
“You can say what you want. I didn’t have any money so I couldn’t buy a new swim suit. And as for getting a tan, I’ll do that next year.”
“Look who’s talking.”
Misaki wrinkles her nose. There’s no swim suit in her bag. I wonder if Misaki came to the beach to set up her parasol, put on a hat, and wear a long-sleeved jacket and watch as we swam?
We could hear the voice of a young boy. The boy who held fishing gear in his hand pointed out to something that was floating in the waves.
In response to my question, Misaki laughed saying “Yeah right.”
Mao sprang to his feet.
Someko’s dark figure was no where to be found along the water’s edge.
Mao and Kisaragi begin to run at the same time. I quickly followed. I kicked off my sandals and ran bare foot.
The waves are coming. The waves which reflected the gray of the sky wet my bare feet. The sand is shifting underneath my foot. I could hear the sound of thunder in the distance.
A black head is floating in the waves. That head turns our way. It’s Someko. No ifs, ands, or buts—that’s Someko.
Mao yells in a loud voice.
I bent my body and put all my strength into it as I called out her name.
“No way! What…What is she doing?”
“Misaki…Someko…what’s going on?”
“There’s no way that’s true!”
“Someko.”
“Huh, it’s a dog? Not a seal?”
“It’s a dog.”
“Someko.”
That was the sound of the sea the summer we found Someko. Someko’s trying to go back to that sea. Someone’s hand is rubbing my back. This softness, this kindness, must belong to Suu-chan. Misaki would never do anything like comfort another human being.
With a slap, someone thumped my back. The slap was so strong that I could feel it to the ends of my spine. It’s a slap that didn’t hold anything back. Misaki was the one who did it.
“She’s back.”
“Your dog.”
I raised my head, and in front of me, I saw Mao entering the waters with a splash. Someko jumped into the outstretched arms of Mao.
Misaki turned her unique, sly smile in my direction.
“Human life isn’t a story.”
“You mean a dog’s life. She was pretty entertaining though.”
“It’s pretty impressive I must say.”
“It means that her life isn’t one that ends in a cheap, clichéd way. You’re good at writing, aren’t you? You should write about that impressive life of hers.”
Someko dropped the object she had in her mouth onto Mao’s open hand.
One of the young boys peered over and let out a small yell. It was a white baseball. It’s a rubber ball for playing softball.
Mao seemed at a loss for words. On top of Someko’s head was a dark reddish-brown colored seaweed. It was as if she had on one of those fashionably popular hair extensions, and it was kind of funny.
The young boy held out his hand. Mao placed the ball in his hand.
The young boys walked off waving their fishing gear.
When Misaki folded her arms across her chest, the young boy who took the ball turned around and pointed up to the sky.
I look up at the sky. The ash-colored clouds were turning black in certain spots, and spread thickly across the sky.
Kisaragi groans.
This time, the young boy pointed to the cliff that had pine growing on it. Oh, now I see it. I can see a small gaping dark place.
“Maybe he might’ve let us know of a better place to wait the rain out if we’d given him a soccer ball instead.”
“Hurry!”
“I get it now. When the atmosphere is unstable, it must signal the coming of lightning.”
“Riho, you can complain while you run.”
I wasn’t sure whether the hole was made with help from the wind or the waves. Even though it was a bit too poor to be called a cave, it was just big enough to serve as a place to wait the rain out for four high schoolers, one junior high schooler, and one dog.
“Don’t tell me this place is gonna flood.”
“During the high tide, it seems like the water level rises. See the seaweed stuck to the walls?”
“No way! Doesn’t that mean we’ll drown then?”
“Well if we’re going to be dead, then what does that matter?”
“Maybe this is her idea of a shower?”
Kisaragi scratched his pudding-do.
Misaki’s and my voice overlapped.
Kisaragi sprang out after throwing his t-shirt off to the side.
Suu-chan’s calling out to him desperately.
“Don’t worry about him. If he does get shocked, maybe it’ll change him for the better.”
Misaki asked as she watched Kisaragi and Someko.
“Well, because you get suspended indefinitely if you get into a motorcycle accident, right?”
“Yeah, I guess. But you know, Kisaragi seems to be having a pretty fun time.”
“If you get hit by lightning, you’re going to die. You should come back, Kisaragi-kun. Even if it’s fun, you have to stop!”
“I’m gonna go too.”
“You’re going to catch a cold.”
“Well fine…then I’m coming too.”
“You can’t. The lightning’s going to hit you!”
“But…you can’t hear anything.”
“What is this? What a sorry excuse for rain.”
“If you’re going to rain, then rain! If you’re going to clear up, do it properly!”
“Yeah! Talk about doing things halfway!”
Suu-chan and Mao exchanged glances as they laughed.
Two hours later, we got back into Ayana’s boss’s truck.
Suu-chan commented as she wrapped her arms around her knees.
“Next summer, huh?”
“Ah.”
“What? You’re listening to the radio?”
“You’re listening to the weather report again?”
“Huh?”
“The game is over. Five to three. –High has advanced to the finals. East Soushuu has been defeated. Their dream of entering two seasons in a row has ended–”
“So…Mutsuki, lost, huh?”
Misaki turned off the radio. It becomes quiet. All I can hear is the Someko’s breathing.
“So, Mutsuki’s summer’s over, huh?”
“What’re you trying to play it off all cool for? The National High-School Baseball tournament has nothing to do with it. Summer’s going to continue on regardless. Tell Mutsuki that we’d be willing to hang out with him, within reason.”
Suu-chan seems fixated on the beach.
“I don’t have any money. I need to find a part-time job.”
Suu-chan adds.
I wonder if Mutski’s crying right now? Does he feel frustrated? Does he feel sad? Maybe he feels relieved? The dream that was almost within reach has disappeared. In that moment, I wonder what Mutsuki was thinking? I don’t think about asking him this. I don’t really want to know either, to be honest. It’s true though that right now, Mutsuki’s experiencing something that I’ll never experience in my life.
I was reminded of the sunset. Oh, that’s right. It was sunset back then too. This was back when I was in grade 7. I’ve gone to see one of Mutsuki’s games in the past. Since it was played on the grounds of our junior high school, it wasn’t an official game, but more of a practice game. At least, that’s what I think. I don’t really remember the details. I don’t even remember why I went to watch the game.
“So Mutsuki’s the person who throws the balls?”
“The leading player wasn’t feeling so good, so he was probably made to pitch, since he can do any position, but…”
“I’m guessing he didn’t want to. He looks really nervous.”
The pitching mound was far from where we were sitting, and it was impossible to make out his expression from afar.
“You think? He looks the same to me.”
“They’re gonna get a hit off of him, I bet.”
“Riho.”
“What’s up with the ‘person who throws the balls’ thing? When were you born, in the Meiji era? Don’t you even know how to use a term like ‘pitcher’?”
“Whoa. What was that? If they hit it that far, there’s no way anyone’s gonna be able to catch it.”
“I know that. Hey, they got one off of Mutsuki.”
Suddenly, Kisaragi grabbed my arm and pulled on it.
“We’re leaving? But, aren’t we going to watch the rest of the game?”
“But–”
Kisaragi, who was much younger than now with the hint of a child still in him, pulled his lips down into a pout as he said this. It was the expression of a sulking child. Without waiting for my reply, he walked off on his own. I followed after him without really knowing why.
Even though I’ve long forgotten her face and name, there was a girl from my class there, and I remember talking to her about stuff like how great it’d be if we could dye our hair.
Mutsuki must be hungry.
“What is that? An offering?”
Kisaragi didn’t say anything. I broke out in a short run as I climbed the hill to the field.
The game must have long since ended. There was no one in sight at the field except for Mutsuki. He was standing there by himself. He was standing by the batter’s box by himself, not even doing anything. His shadow cast a long shadow. I stood there holding the corner store bag in my hand. I couldn’t get near him.
To run up to his side, pat him on the shoulder and smile at him saying: “That was a close game” while handing him the plastic bag—that was something I couldn’t do.
Kisaragi calls out my name from behind me. I don’t know why, but hearing his voice made me feel really relieved. Kisaragi came up beside me, and gazed over at the batter’s box where his brother stood by himself.
“Mutsuki.”
“Here.”
“It’s from Rii.”
At the same time, I turned my back to the field. I don’t know anything. I don’t know anything about Mutsuki, and I don’t think I’d be able to understand him any better from here on out either. I felt as if I’d just lost something very precious.
“Riho.”
“You should text him.”
“Duh. Well what would be the point of texting me? I don’t know what your thoughts are on this, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to forget about him.”
“Liar.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I’m a liar; I forgot.”
“Uuu….”
“Damnit…”
“Hey, bra straps are useful you know. You can’t live without ‘em.”
Mutsuki, we had a great time at the beach. Even though we couldn’t swim, I had a blast. Misaki was saying she’d hang out with you.
A dragonfly came into the platform. It was a light orange dragonfly. Near the end of July, these dragon flies would fly throughout various parts of town in groups. The height of summer and the beginning of Fall were quickly approaching.
“Haha. What a sorry sight.”
“Thank you for those kind words. It almost makes me want to shed a tear. Kind friends are people one should have in their lives, huh?”
“Who was worried?”
“Hey, I heard that they caught the person who killed those cats.”
“Riho, the connectors in your brain are just getting weaker and weaker, I see.”
“They caught them?”
“No.”
My cell phone rings. When I pressed the cell phone to my hear, I heard a low voice.
“Mutsuki.”
“Yeah.”
“Um, I’m coming back tomorrow.”
The inside of my mouth goes dry. My lips are really chapped too.
“Are you asking me out on a date?”
“Sure. But I’m not feeling so hot. I feel really tired.”
“I can’t seem to get in the mood to put in the effort to dress up, you know?”
“Yeah. Pretty much. If you’re okay seeing me in my no make up glory, I’ll hang out with you.”
“It’ll be the first time in a while seeing you without any makeup on too.”
“Yeah, I do—a lot. I’ll come over to your house tomorrow.”
“Ah, yeah.”
“You have a date with Mutsuki?”
“So you’re gonna comfort the youth who’s had his dreams of going to the Finals shot down?”
Misaki glanced at me as she brought her eyebrows together.
“Yeah?”
“Misaki, up until yesterday, I had a fever that went up to 38 degrees. I don’t like it THAT much that I’d want to have sex with him regardless.”
“You’re saying he’d want to have sex with me at my house when I have no make up on and my hair’s a mess, and I’d probably be wearing wrinkly pyjamas?”
“Talk about guts.”
Misaki rubs her hand on my forehead.
Her hand felt cold, and it felt nice.
Misaki laughs. It’s a first-rate smile–the kind that has flowers opening up. How can she smile so beautifully?
Misaki’s lips graze my forehead. Her lips were slightly cool too.
The high tone matches the sunset glow that’s reflected on the window, and it’s beautiful.
The cries must probably come from the Japanese chinquapin trees. Back when I was in grade one, the acorn that I buried turned into a tree. At the base of that tree, I can hear the cries of the cicadas. Under the shade of a tree, Someko must be curled up. The whole day after coming back from the sea, she was full of energy, but since about two days ago,