Da Capo [3]

Shall I go with Nemu? We're heading to the same place anyway.

Junichi: Nemu?

Nemu: Yes?

She looked at me while packing up her stuff. She always pretends innocence when there are people around us.

Junichi: Let's head home.

Nemu: What...?

Junichi: What's wrong? Do you have somewhere else to go?

Nemu: Um... no. Shall we go now?

She sounded like her usual self for a second, and stood up with a smile on her face.

~

Junichi: What's up? You're smiling.

I asked her as she continued to smile.

Nemu: Nothing. Same as usual.

She does sound happy.

Junichi: (Never mind.)

I headed home with Nemu walking next to me, with cherry blossom petals blowing all over us again just like this morning, she was in such a good mood.

Nemu: It's a little chilly today.

She held her shoulders, and rubbed them to warm her self up.

Junichi: Yeah?

It's still winter after all.

Nemu: Yes, it is.

She decided that today was too cold for her.

Nemu: Ah!

She staggered despite the flat surface.

Junichi: Hey...

I supported her weight by holding her back with my arms.

Junichi: You're being a little too happy.

Nemu: No... it's not like that.

Junichi: Hm? Are you feeling sick?

Nemu: No, I'm not.

I pulled her arm to move my face closer to hers.

Crack.

Nemu: Ouch.

I put my forehead to hers to check her temperature.

Nemu: Hey, stop... People are looking at us.

I could feel her breath on my face.

The other students were staring at us almost kissing.

Nemu: ...Boooo.

I ignored her pleading, and kept counting.

Junichi: I knew it! Your temperature's high.

Nemu: No, it's not. It's the same as usual.

Junichi: As usual meaning a high temperature.

Shit -- She's trying too hard to make me not worried.

I held her shoulder, and pulled her closer.

Nemu: Hey... oniichan, I'm embarrassed.

Junichi: Then, walk home fast.

We began walking, I still held her shoulers.

Nemu: Boooo...

She sighed, but didn't resist me and began walking.

Junichi: You can rest while I prepare dinner.

Nemu: Could I have porridge?

She asked very quietly, and then leaned closer to me. I could feel her heat where we were touching, and it warmed my heart.

Junichi: .........

Junichi: I won't guarantee how good it'll taste.

I planned what to do next while supporting her weight.

Junichi: (I better start by cooking rice...)

...

What a pain.

~

I sat down on the sofa to watch the TV alone.

Nemu had already gone to sleep in her room after eating the porridge that I cooked for her.

...

Ding Dong.

Junichi: Hm?

Who could it be...?

I stood up to answer the intercom.

Mail Courier: Package for you.

The courier guy sounded young.

Junichi: (What could it be?)

I put down the receiver and headed to the entrance door.

I sat back down on the sofa after receiving the package.

The sender's name was written in English. The name said...

'Sakura Yoshino'

Junichi: Sakura Yoshino... oh, Sakura.

She was my cousin who used to live next door a long time ago. She moved to the United States, but she still sends me a box of chocolates every year.

It always arrives quite late due to international shipping times.

Junichi: She's very faithful.

I opened the box to confirm the contents.

Junichi: What's this...?

It was a large chocolate in the shape of the Tokyo tower.

There was a plaque attached, made from white chocolate with 'Guts' written on it.

Junichi: ...She's still weird.

How does she expect me to eat this 3D chocolate?

I'd better not store it in the fridge. It'll get harder if it gets cold.

...

It'll be best to eat it quickly...

I opened my mouth wide and took a big bite.

~

Junichi: Hmmm... it was a little too sweet...

I ate the whole chocolate and went to my room to lie on the bed and read a magazine.

Tomorrow's Sunday. I can sleep in.

Junichi: (Shall I go to sleep now?)

What time is it...?

I grabbed the alarm clock by my pillow to check the time.

Junichi: ...What?

It wasn't ticking.

I changed the battery, but the hands still didn't move.

Junichi: Sigh...

I'd better get a new one...

I set the clock to 3am and returned it to where it was before, then got under the warm blanket.

~

Girl in the dream: Go to hell!!

The first words, in my last memory of her, were of cursing and shouting.

--- I mean, every memory of my childhood friend, Sakura, always starts like that.

One spring day.

It was a very windy day -- the first storm of spring.

I removed my hands from my ears and sighed under the cherry blossom tree, which had become an ever-green tree since last year.

Junichi: ...Why are you always like that?

Does she have to shout at me every time?

Or is this just her way of greeting...?

She's moving today, and she appeared to be angry for no particular reason.

I tapped a baseball bat on my shoulder and tilted my head.

Girl in the dream: Hey, oniichan. Why do you've a baseball bat?

Junichi: ...Stop calling me that.

Girl in the dream: Why? Nemu-chan calls you oniichan.

Junichi: Nemu became my real little sister.

Girl in the dream: I was your cousin from the beginning!

Junichi: You're my cousin alright, but you're older than me which makes you almost like my older sister...

It'll be troublesome if I get more little sisters.

I can't belive there's someone who has twelve little sisters.

Girl in the dream: I don't want to be your big sister... I want you to protect me, too.

She seemed disappointed. I couldn't hear what she said at the end, as her voice was fading away.

Junichi: It's okay whatever you call me, as it won't do any good asking you about it over and over.

Junichi: The baseball bat's for this.

I unfolded a piece of paper marked as 'A letter of challenge'.

Junichi: Come hither meet me under yonder evergreen cherry blossom at three hours past noon today. Thou wilt pay with thy life if thou doth not attend...

It took me fifteen minutes and a dictionary to understand the whole letter.

Junichi: Didn't you want to settle things with me before you move away?

Girl in the dream: What made you think that...?

Junichi: What else could I possibly think after reading the letter of challenge...?

Girl in the dream: I saw it on an old TV show that it would be best to write it like that if it's an important matter.

Junichi: Didn't you watch what happened after the letter was received...?

Since she was very close to her grandfather, she often quoted from old TV shows about 'chivalry'.

Junichi: Okay, and?

Girl in the dream: ...I'm moving away.

Junichi: I heard you're moving to 'the United States'.

Girl in the dream: Yes. So... I might nover see you again... I would like you to promise me something...

Junichi: No need for that. I'll come visit you when you feel lonely.

I nodded noncommittally.

It was the day Nemu disappeared ----

I wasn't going to come here either...

Nemu -- my little sister -- disappeared... and I thought she might be here as she was a close friend of Sakura.

Girl in the dream: You'll fly by yourself?

Junichi: What!? Can't I take a train to 'the United States'?

Girl in the dream: .........

Junichi: ...No? Is it?

Girl in the dream: Idiot.

Her eyes were welling up with tears, and my heart started to beat faster.

I'll never see her again?

She'll be gone.

How is this different from Nemu's parents passing away?

I felt guilty for thinking too lightly of Nemu's loss.

Girl in the dream: So, please promise me... under this cherry blossom tree.

Junichi: ...that we'll see each other again?

Girl in the dream: ...Yes.

I murmured with my eyes closed.

Junichi: I promise...

Junichi: We'll se each other again.

Junichi: ...We will.

Girl in the dream: ...see each other again.

I opened my eyes to find Sakura looking down.

Junichi: I'll write to you, and I'll call you.

Girl in the dream: Yeah...

Junichi: Be good. I won't be there to rescue you if the others pick on you this time.

Girl in the dream: It doesn't matter if I'm good or not. People ick on me because of my height...

I personally think it's because of the way she talks and how quickly she gets violent...

The boys who pick on her actually like her though...

Girl in the dream: ...Can you promise me two more things?

Junichi: Two more?

Girl in the dream: Please come rescue me when I'm in serious trouble...

Junichi: .........

This's the first time I ever saw her crying.

She always acted strong even though she was often picked-on by the other kids and I had to rescue her.

I realized that this was good-bye.

Junichi: ...I won't promise that.

Girl in the dream: What?

Junichi: I'll rescue you without a promise. There's no promise needed for that.

Girl: ...Yes. Thank you.

She smiled.

I grabbed her hands and put as much Japanese confectionery as possible into her hands.

Junichi: A little farewell gift for you.

Girl in the dream: Thank you... it's always magical.

She said in a small voice, she, the only person who knows about my power...

Junichi: Are you okay now? Your parents will leave without you if you don't hurry.

Girl: ...Wait!

She was very serious standing in the swirling cherry blossom petals.

Girl in the dream: Please promise me one more thing...

Junichi: We don't need to make promises.

She continued.

Girl in the dream: If we ever see each other again.

There was a wind.

A very strong wind...

Her voice was washed out, and she bit her lip in frustration.

Girl in the dream: Then...

(Ding-a-ling.)

(The sound of white noise.)

My sight went blank after the sounds of the bell and white noise.

~

2.24 Sun

...

...

Junichi: .........

That was a nostalgic dream.

It was the dream about when I said good-bye to my cousin... a childhood friend...

Two days in a row -- what's up with that?

.........

After all...

It is... very nostalgic...

...

I can hear the sound of the town far away. I feel light shining on my eyelids. I' still half asleep, but feel like I can get up any time.

...

I feel lazy...

It's my only day off of the week... I want to just be lazy.

...

Shall I get up now?

[Choice]
- Let's sleep in.
- I shouldn't be wasting my time.