In that instant, a lively voice echoed at odds with the prevailing atmosphere.
It was Mr. Ougai’s.
He lightly raises his hand
and steps toward me.
Then he puts his hand on my shoulder,
and gives me a broad smile.
【Ougai】
“When did you get back from America?
I mean, when you come back, it wouldn’t kill you
to come by and say ‘hello’ would it?”
【Ougai】
“Both Syunso and I have been waiting for your
return with great anticipation.”
【Heroine】
“....Huh?”
【Syunso】
“Huh?”
Mr. Ougai suddenly started talking incomprehensibly,
and Syunso, standing behind him,
tilted his head in a curious manner.
【Heroine】
(What is he talking about?)
I had no idea why he was suddenly
bringing up America in the conversation.
Mr. Ougai continued, ignoring me.
【Ougai】
“Your first trip abroad must have been a great learning experience.
Now, come home with us and
share your stories with us. ... Alright?”
【Heroine】
“Uh, well ...”
Mr. Ougai grabbed my left arm
without giving me a chance to say a word. However, my right hand
was still being held by the police officer.
【Syunso】
”Here, hold on.”
After feeling a little lost,
I put my arm into Syunso’s.
Wearing heels that I was not used to,
I was so nervous that my legs started to shake.
“What are you so nervous about? It’s not a gala.”
【Heroine】
“Even I get nervous.
The truth is that I am really not the right
person for such a job.”
【Heroine】
(...It is true. I am not really the
type to speak out in front of others.)
─ ─ A flicker of memory came back to me vaguely.
I am in a group of rather
lively girls in the class.
That’s not because I want to stand out, but
because I want to hide behind the girls who do stand out.
If you are too dark or too light, you will draw attention,
so I wanted to spend my school days as a student
somewhere in the middle, neither capable nor incapable.
【Heroine】
(—But why did I
start to think that way?)
My head felt hazy and I could not remember
anything else with any clarity.
【Heroine】
(When I return to the modern age,
will I really be able to remember everything...?)
I felt like I wanted to and did not want to
remember at the same time.
I wanted to keep walking with
Syunso forever.
【Syunso】
“You’ll be fine,”
Syunso said calmly as we walked.
【Syunso】
“You were brazen and bold from the start.
That is still the impression I get.”
【Heroine】
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
I had thought he was going to give me some words of
encouragement, but this expectation had been let down.
【Syunso】
“But I’m used to it. Once you get used to it,
I feel that it might be a good thing.”
【Heroine】
“???”
【Syunso】
“What I am trying to say is...”
His gaze wandered as if he is searching for the right words,
and eventually he looked at me with a sigh.
【Syunso】
“I think that it suits you just fine. That.”
【Otojiro】
“...Why are you just staring at the
floor? Isn’t there anything else that you
want to say to me?”
【Otojiro】
“Or is it that...
is it so hard for you to talk about
that it gives you that pained look?”
【Heroine】
“Sorry, I...”
I couldn’t find the words and
became mute again.
The buzz of the city became distant.
The light of the lanterns was blurred.
The boundary between dream and reality seemed to have become blurred too.
I wished that this were only a
dream world.
If it were a dream, I would wake up,
and I would be able to forget the sadness
and pain in my heart.
【Heroine】
(...Huh?)
I stared at Kyoka’s shoulder and
let out a “Hyah!” scream after a moment.
Before I realized it, the white rabbit was
back on his shoulder.
【Kyoka】
“What? What is it?”
【Heroine】
“Until now, the rabbit
wasn’t here.”
When I pointed this out, Kyoka
glanced at the rabbit and then looked skeptical.
【Kyoka】
“Hah! So what?
He has probably came out now that the sun is setting.”
【Kyoka】
“Why do you have to be surprised at
every little thing? I thought you were a tamayori?”
【Heroine】
“Hah But...”
If a rabbit suddenly appears on someone’s shoulder,
anyone would be surprised.
【Kyoka】
“There’s nothing to be afraid of, is there?
These are things that everyone used to be
able to see in past generations.”
【Heroine】
(By whose eyes were mononoke
first seen...?)
As if in response to my thoughts,
the white rabbit’s long ears twitched.
【Heroine】
(I don’t know, but I wonder
about that age...)
【Heroine】
“...Huh? Your hair is wet.
Was it raining?”
【Fujita】
“No, it is not rain.”
Fujita looked back toward the porch,
got up, and opened the sliding door.
【Heroine】
“Wah...”
Then a view of a snow-covered
garden flashed in front of my eyes.
A light dusting of snow glistened
silver in the moonlight.
【Heroine】
“It’s snowing, Fujita-san!”
【Fujita】
“It must be cold then.”
【Fujita】
“...Hey, don’t go outside.
You’ll catch your death of cold with such light clothing.”
Fujita lightly furrowed his brow as
he held me back from going out to the porch.
【Heroine】
“But I feel that I need to build a snowman
while we have the chance.”
I got strangely excited
when it snowed.
I was sure I was not the only one.
Fujita was not like that, however,
and he stubbornly refused to let go of my arm.
【Fujita】
“Tonight is exceptionally cold. Do it tomorrow.”
【Heroine】
“It’s already tomorrow.”
【Fujita】
“When you catch a cold,
who do you think is going to have to take care of you?”
【Heroine】
“...!”
For some reason, he suddenly touched my back.
His fingertips were unexpectedly hot,
and I felt a mild numbness where they touched me.
【Yakumo】
“Oh dear, that will not do.
Your back zipper isn’t closed.”
【Heroine】
“Eh.”
【Yakumo】
“Huh!
The revealing nature of Western clothing
may be the one good thing about it.”
It may have been because of my short arms,
but it seems that the fastener at the back wasn’t
pulled all the way up.
Yakumo saw this and,
with a graceful hand,
closed the zip little by little.
【Yakumo】
“You are a very careless person, you know.
Were you planning to expose yourself
to such a huge array of men?”
The finger that was closing the zipper
faintly grazed my back and neck,
and I reacted with a startle.
【Heroine】
“I didn’t intend that at all...”
【Yakumo】
“So, am I correct in thinking that you were
only planning on showing yourself to me?
If so, I would greatly welcome it.”
【Heroine】
“...”
—Suddenly, something
blocked my vision.
【？？？】
“Young lady.
It’s my turn to dance with you next,”
a familiar voice said from behind me.
Simultaneously, I saw an object—
A small notebook-like object was passed to me.
【？？？】
“This is yours, isn’t it?”
【Heroine】
“!”
I turned around and saw a man
smiling gracefully.
—There was no doubt about it.
This was the man I had been looking for.
【Charlie】
“Hmm. So you don’t want to go with me?”
【Heroine】
(No. Never.)
As I approached the carriage
warily, I thought Charlie
would be insistent.
【Charlie】
“Well, that’s too bad, but if that’s the way it is,”
he said in an unexpectedly simple manner.
【Charlie】
“I’ll leave you here for the time being.
I pray your life in the Meiji Period will be
happy.”
【Heroine】
(Eh?)
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Charlie touched my head softly.
【Heroine】
“Uh...!”
【Charlie】
“Bye-bye.”
A kind of warmth grazed my forehead.
When I realized that he was kissing my forehead,
Charlie flipped the hem of his tailcoat
lightly.
With a graceful wave of his hand,
he quickly disappeared
into the darkness.
