Vol 7 Chapter 4 (1/2)

[Hikaru V7] Chapter 4

In any case, he first had to find Sora’s whereabouts.

Kazuaki had his eyes on Sora, and Sora herself was emotionally unstable, so Koremitsu was extremely worried.

The first place Koremitsu and Hikaru head off to was the Church where Sora served as a volunteer.

Sora’s dead grandfather was the pastor of the Church, and Sora’s family lived in the house built on the Church grounds. Looking at them, perhaps the people there would have some understanding about Sora.

However, the pastor serving in the Church apologized,

“Miss Sora’s father is no longer serving the Church, and had broken off ties with Miss Sora to start a new family. The new family’s address is not something that can be found easily, and this does implicate personal issues, so I can’t tell you that easily.”

Also, Sora did notify the Church early that she wanted to stop volunteer work for the time being.

She said that with her usual calm voice, and showed exceeding ability for her age, so I wouldn’t be worried about her…so he said.

(I too thought that Sora was firm-willed and capable, until yesterday.)

—I’m an ugly person who has no right to bear this child!

Her hair was in a complete mess, blood continuing to seep from her palms as she continued to wail and yell. There was no way he could simply wait for Sora to return after seeing her maniacal state.

(Did Sora really go back there? She said that she had to be there until the end of Autumn, but…)

The calendar had progressed into September, and the new semester had begun. The weather was still hot, and the sun s.h.i.+ning down showed no signs of fading.

Ultimately, he never heard anything about Sora’s household from the Church, and neither did he hear anything about the little sister.

“We do know there is a younger brother with a large age difference, but Miss Sora never said anything about a little sister.”

So he murmured.

Sora typically would not talk about her family affairs, and would help out at the Church even during the Summer holidays or Christmas, apparently never returning home.

“You said that you never met the little sister before, right?”

Koremitsu asked Hikaru as they left the Church, walking sidelong from each other as the cicadas continued to chirp atop the branches of the thick trees.

Frowning, Hikaru said,

“I never met her when I went to the Church looking for Sora back when I was in 7th grade, at least. When I handed the letter to Sora’s little brother ‘please hand this to your sister’, he never answered ‘which one’?”

Leaving aside the fact that Hikaru coerced a child into pa.s.sing a letter, if one were to reconsider Hikaru’s words and believe them, there should only be one ‘older sister’.

In that case, what exactly was the thing about Sora regretting letting her sister take her place?

The photo that got wrecked, and that—

The message sent to his cellphone again appeared in his mind. His mouth was filled with bitter saliva, his chest wincing in agony. One had to wonder who exactly was the one sending those messages. It started from Yū, followed by Tsuyako, and then Asai, and this time, Sora was the topic.

All the messages were slandering, revealing the secrets of the women related to Hikaru.

If those words were simply malicious and nonsensical nonsense, the person sending this, if related, would have written something he did not know of.

“The one who sold the little sister to the teacher was the promoter who sold the youth of girls.”

One had to wonder to what extent were these startling words reliable.

(Sora isn’t the kind of woman to do that.)

She always had the goal of working in the Church, and she had been working hard on it from the moment she first met Hikaru, or even when she first entered high school.

I’m married to G.o.d. That was what she said.

What I did with you was a betrayal to G.o.d, an impure act.

How could this pious Sora possibly be a promoter for another girl?

And of all things, she sold her sister to a teacher

“Is the ‘Ogi’ on that postcard Sora’s ‘little sister’?”

“And there is that word sister there, and that she wants to meet her.”

“Did Sora cut the postcard because she doesn’t want to see her?”

“…I do not know. Speaking of which, is ‘Ogi’ really Sora’s little sister? I am a little concerned about the cut postcard, if Sora did actually do it. Even if Sora did so, why did she keep the bottom half with her? Does she not want to meet her little sister, as you say? Or is it that they could not meet?”

—I’m an ugly person.

The severed baby head.

A gently smiling Sora placing her hand lightly upon her belly.

There was a contradiction in these two actions; one that should not exist.

While the contradiction gradually got bigger in Koremitsu’s heart, the chirping of the cicadas intensified. The shrill chirps agitated the ears, reminding Koremitsu of a baby’s cries, and his back became chilly as a result.

“Who exactly is the baby in the photo? Is that Ogi’s child?”

“Logically thinking, I suppose that is the case. The child was born, so she sent the postcard along with the photo. ‘Our family has expanded’.”

“She’s a mother, but she’s wearing quite the loose skirt. There’s red embroidery on the skirt and that ap.r.o.n, so I’m wondering if she can actually do her housework properly like this.”

That loose, fluffy skirt looks like some ethnic dress, and what’s with that bright ap.r.o.n Koremitsu blurted out what he thought with a gloomy look.

“There is quite a lot of Tyrol tape used.”

“Tyrol—?”

“The red hem, I mean. There is a lot of ethnic embroidery tape from the Tyrol region, floral patterns, fruit patterns, and so on. You can get a lot of these things from a handicrafts shop. And that clothing…I think I do recall seeing it somewhere for some reason.”

“At Sora’s?”

“No, I suppose not. I only met her twice in the Church before this. Hm…where exactly was it?”

Hikaru again frowned, pondering.

And Koremitsu scowled as he went silent.

The chirping of the cicadas got louder.

I’m as empty as the name Sora implies, the shed skin of a cicada.

The soft whisper rang by his ears.

(What does she mean, saying that she’s the shed skin of a cicada?)

As a child, he once collected the shed skins of cicadas in the forest during summer vacation.

The dried, brown skins did have the appearance of young insects, but they were hollow within, as light as air, and so feeble they would be powdered if stepped on.

When he mentioned this to Sora, “Is that so…that’s a pity.” Sora’s showed a little reaction, whispering with a gloomy look.

(But why did she call herself the shed skin of a cicada…?)

And what exactly was with the satiated smile she had when she placed her hand gently on her belly, checking the child inside?

I do not have any wishes—

Was the meaning of that line not that she would feel blissful as long as she had the child?

(Is Sora as unhappy as mom after all?)

Koremitsu recalled the sight of his mother weeping, and he gritted his teeth, as there was something deep within his chest wincing in pain.

(d.a.m.n it.)

Don’t think about it.

Mom’s different from Sora. Right now, I should be focusing on Sora.

But again, Koremitsu lost sleep on this night.

No matter how he closed his eyes, appearing in front of his eyes was the powdered cicada skins, the bleary eyed Sora, and the face of his mom weeping ‘I’m sorry, Mitsu.’ over and over again.

The next day, Koremitsu went to Sora’s college.

Hikaru remembered which seminar Sora took her lectures at, and so they visited that research lab.

There were a few students left,

“I got some questions.”

And Koremitsu asked with a sharp glare, his back slouched as he walked into the room, causing all else present to freeze in shock, sweat all over, avert their eyes, cringe their bodies and so on. Everyone knew about Sora.

“It is rare to find a woman aiming to be a clergy.”

“Her clothes are plain, she doesn’t do makeup, and she definitely wouldn’t go out for parties when we invite her.”

“I heard that her uncle’s a pastor in the Church, and she’s very familiar with Church work since young. She probably never had any intention other than to serve G.o.d, no?”

While he asked if Sora did have any lover she was dating, the students shook their heads in unison.

“Impossible. She’s pure all over, basically a bride to G.o.d.”

“I don’t think she has the luxury of that when she’s busy with her studies and volunteer work.”

“I suppose there’s that aura she emanates which you practically can’t touch her. She’s sometimes lonely, and has that pretty face that’ll make your heart pound, but even if you do approach her, it feels like she’ll break away from you.”

The students all agreed in unison that Sora did not have a lover.

And then, they noted that Sora preferred to converse with G.o.d alone than to make merry with friends.

“Did Sora mention anything about her little sister?”

“Little sister? She has one?”

“Hm…well, I never heard about that before. We aren’t exactly that close.”

‘Ah, but I did hear that she has a younger brother who’s much younger than her, two siblings. Her mother pa.s.sed away after she gave birth to the little brother, so she helped change his diapers and fed him milk and so on.”

In the end, he never heard anything about the little sister.

“Maybe Sora doesn’t have a little sister after all?”

They were on the way back from college.

Koremitsu whispered as he toiled down the road dyed by the red-black sunset, the sun s.h.i.+ning on his back down the narrow path, his face glum as ever.

Hikaru too sighed,

“It will be good if we can meet this ‘Ogi’ on the photo, but the address as cut off…it seems Sora does not have any intimate friends, so we cannot possibly hear anything about ‘Ogi’.”

His eyes hazy as he said this, his expression unbearable as his whispered,

“…It looks like Sora really intends to give birth alone.”

She had no intimate friends.

She had no family to rely on.

And she was alone in such a situation.

Her father was no longer around.

She said this was the angel’s child.

Koremitsu’s heart got increasingly cold within, and he became forlorn.

(I want to be Sora’s strength, and her child’s too, in Hikaru’s place. That’s why I’ve been going to her place every day, but Sora definitely hasn’t forgiven me here.)

Perhaps Koremitsu’s visits caused her distress.

He provide one pile of baby magazines and products after another, and furthermore, there was that incident when Asai paid a visit, causing quite a commotion.

Was that why Sora became so erratic? That she toppled the air freshener?

(Sora looked so happy even when she’s alone.)

There was Sora with her hand patting her belly gently, her eyelids slightly raised, the corners of her eye with the mole relaxed as she smiled.

She looked so blissful like that, as elegant and transparent as looking at a religious painting.

Koremitsu wondered if that blissfulness was disturbed by him, and his body ached all over.

—I’m as empty as the name Sora implies

—The shed skin of a cicada.

(That isn’t it. Sora should be very satisfied and happy.)

There’s no other reason to suggest why Sora would smile like that.

If he was the one who took that smile away, who trifled with that peace, who caused Sora to apologize over and over again, saying that she was the shed skin of a cicada or something, he really had no idea how he was to make up with her.

(Because of me, mom…)

The images of Sora and Koremitsu’s mother overlapped each other, and he gritted his teeth, clenching his fists.

“Hey, Koremitsu, you are wincing in agony again.”

Hikaru told Koremitsu worriedly.

And he too showed a worried expression, ostensibly realizing the pain spreading in Koremitsu’s heart, whispering,

“You recalled about your mother because of Sora, and it must have been painful to you, Koremitsu.”

While Koremitsu was gnas.h.i.+ng his teeth due to the awakened prior trauma, Hikaru’s heart too winced in agony as he watched sidelong, wondering if he too caused Koremitsu some painful memories.

Koremitsu never mentioned to Hikaru that his mother was one to apologize profusely. The apparent airhead yet insightful Hikaru however might already realized long beforehand.

The reason why Koremitsu could not handle apologies was—

“…It’s nothing.”

After answering glumly, his eyebrows again curled back tightly.

“Please do not try to fool me, Koremitsu.”

Hikaru spoke with a serious voice.

“You did say the exact same thing to Miss s.h.i.+kibu too. I do understand very well that you did not wish for us to worry, and that may as well be what I would have thought in your shoes. You became depressed however, Koremitsu, but I do not feel that complaining or grumbling at others is not a sign of distress or condescension. I have already caused you much trouble, Koremitsu, and it is unreasonable for you to bear it all alone. Allow me to share some.”

“…This thing isn’t something that can be solved by dividing the load.”

“What I am expressing here is that you can show some more weakness, Koremitsu! If you are not going to do so now, then when? If you do not show some weakness now, you will never become like that.”

“Don’t tell me to show some weakness here and there. It-it’s not like I can do that just because you say that, right?”

The conversation he had with Hikaru under the sunset soon got foolish.

What are we both doing here?

However, he felt a little more relieved within by the time he realized it, and it felt as if he broke free from the restrains in his body.

“…Well, I do feel some pain…but I do have to save a woman important to you, right? And there’s a chance that the child in her body is yours…I may show some weakness, but I got to continue on now.”

He said it in Hikaru’s direction bashfully.

“You really are made of a hero, Koremitsu, none of a flawed personality. Where you are facing though, Koremitsu, is where I am facing too.”

And so, Hikaru too answered Koremitsu such gaudy words with a clear tone.

Thanks to him, the head that lost its direction did not return back to its original position as Koremitsu walked on with his neck tilted unnaturally.

“Anyway, let’s investigate on ‘Ogi’ again.”

“Yes. Let us head to the high school Sora was at, and see if what was written on the chainmail was real.”

“I don’t really like it, but she might be doing well now.”

“Perhaps I will be able to recall where I saw the clothes of the girl who sent the postcard if I think harder about it. My memory regarding girls should be the best, and there should be no way it could have dulled even though I am dead for 4 months.”

Hikaru said such embarra.s.sing words, and suddenly exclaimed.

“Ah!”

“You recalled something?”

Koremitsu instinctively turned towards the direction Hikaru was looking at.

Hikaru’s eyes widened as he stared at Koremitsu’s apartment.

“No, that isn’t it. That child is back again.”

“Hm?”

He stared closely, and found that the 4th, 5th grade body was wandering in front of the Akagis again. There were times where he stopped in his tracks and stood there, staring in the direction of the door, before he began to wander anxiously again.

(Is that s.h.i.+ko’s stalker?)

In that case, he had to say something to the boy as an older brother, and he strode forward.

“Ah.”

Hikaru exclaimed.

“What now?”

“That child might be Sora’s little brother.”

“What?”

“I was not too certain, for I last saw him in the kindergarten. Perhaps the prior impression was that he was quite an intelligent boy. Ah! He ran away!”

“What did you say!?”

The boy began to run, perhaps having noticed Koremitsu.

And Koremitsu frantically gave chase.

“Wait! Hey! Are you Sora’s little brother!”

The boy’s face certainly did resemble someone, and Koremitsu too did have this impression when he met him. Perhaps it was because he was similar to Sora.

“Are you looking for me!? If you’re Sora’s brother, stop!”

The boy did not stop, running at a speed unfitting for a young master. Perhaps he was sprinting for his life once he saw Koremitsu as a demon, for he simply continued to sprint.

“I told you to stop, didn’t I?”

In contrast, Koremitsu’s breathing got heavy as he did not sleep well for the past two days.

The boy darted through some tiny gaps between buildings, taking advantage of his small size, and gradually pulled the distance.

“Koremitsu, your face is red, and you are sweating profusely. It is time for you to stop!”

Hikaru exclaimed sidelong.

“—Tch, I let a little brat get away.”

Koremitsu continued to pant as he bent his knees on the now darkened asphalt.

His head was dizzy, and he really lacked sleep. The asphalt that had absorbed the heat from the lingering summer sizzled, causing it to feel like a seared futon. He really had the impulse to head home and sleep.

“Ko-Koremitsu…”

At that moment, Hikaru called out with a pathetic voice.

And while Koremitsu was still unable to get up, he felt something cold at his knees.

The rain?

No, there was a plump little black dog strolling about, raising its hind legs at Koremitsu as it peed at him.

“WHAAAAAATTT ARE YOU DOING, YOU d.a.m.n DOG!!!”

“L-Lina! That isn’t the toilet!”

A middle-aged woman, probably the owner, shrieked with a pale face.

Rina, with a sash wrapped around its small, sharp ears, looked completely satisfied once it was done, and hurriedly scurried off once it was prompted by its owner.

“Uh, my legs are still hot. It’s disgusting. I’ll kill that dog the next time I see him!”

While he showed a heinous glare,

“Ah.”

Hikaru again exclaimed.

“What? Did a crow s.h.i.+t on me or something?”

He asked with a depressed look.

“I see! It is Lina, Koremitsu!”

He leaned his body forward, showing a face that could not be any brighter.

“What? Another of the girls you had an affair with?”

“No. Tyrol Tape and Rina. That is Tyrolina. That ap.r.o.n and skirt is the waitress uniform at Tyrolina!”

After dinner, Koremitsu searched for ‘Tyrolina’ on the cellphone.

He originally a.s.sumed it to be the name of a hooker, only to discover it was a family cafe hidden in the residential area.

The owner was part of a Tyrolian Dance group, liked Tyrol a lot, had a lot of the ethnic art pieces laid all over the shop, and also sold handmade Tyrol tapes. Looking inside, there were a lot of the bright colored patchworks, cus.h.i.+ons covered with Tyrol tape, and also dolls made of wool.

“There was once I came to this place with a girl, and the waitresses were really cute, wearing the Tyrolian uniforms. They poured cappuccino into had fruit, flower shaped cups, and used the cream to draw some rabbit, cat shapes on the top. I do remember that they have an embroidery cla.s.s here, and there were only girls in the shop.”

“…I say, you’re a guy and you go to such places.”

And you’re invited by a girl of all things. Don’t you feel any shame. If it were Koremitsu, he would definitely not last more than 3 seconds, certainly feeling like he was on needles.

(Well, I guess there won’t be awkwardness if it’s this dazzling prince in the middle of all those girls.)

It definitely would be impossible for Koremitsu however, who had messy red hair and the appearance of a delinquent.

“You sure that’s the uniform, right?”

“Yes. Look, there is the photo of a waitress here.”

There was a girl shrouded in a fluffy dress and ap.r.o.n with red Tyrol tape by the sides, smiling while holding a tray with a cup decorated in mushroom and flower patterns for some reason.

It was the exact same dress as the one seen in the postcard.

“…”

I guess I have to go to that shop to ask about Ogi. Got to go there even if I’m to step into the shop, scare all the girls, be viewed as a suspicious person and get led away by the police.”

Koremitsu groaned, and said,

“Okay, looks like we got no choice but to go.”

But even so,

(I can’t do it alone after all!)

During the rest period the next day, Koremitsu scanned through the map on his phone, searching for Tylorina’s location. While he frowned, Hikaru suggested,

“It is just my thought, but perhaps you should go with a girl.”

“A girl?”

“Yes. Like Miss s.h.i.+kibu.”

Koremitsu was startled, and glanced to the seat beside him.

Honoka, fiddling with the phone too, turned towards Koremitsu tentatively, and the moment their eyes met.

She frantically bit her lips, tightened her face, and stared forward gingerly, beginning to type messages at an astonis.h.i.+ng speed, her face gradually flushed.

“Hm, it will not be out of place for you to head to a fancy cafe with a girl than it is to go alone. Miss s.h.i.+kibu too will surely be delighted if you ask her out like an invitation to a date.”

(A date,you say!?)

You idiot! Now’s not the time to slack around like this!

“Come on. You should be hurrying up and inviting Miss s.h.i.+kibu, Koremitsu.”

Hikaru prompted.

(Uggghhhhh.)

It would be embarra.s.sing for him as a boy to head into a fluffy shop filled only with women, and they certainly would be wary of him. Surely he would more trustworthy if he was to head there with Honoka together.

(But calling this a date is—)

It certainly was not an event this formal, and perhaps inviting Honoka out for something more casual, for other reasons would be more appropriate.

Also, how was he supposed to explain Sora’s situation to Honoka.

If he was to mention that a pregnant girl disappeared along with the child in her belly, there definitely would be some unwarranted misunderstanding again.

And while Koremitsu was rubbing his temples with all his might, Honoka again peeked at him.

At that moment,

“M-Mr Akagi. I have to talk to you for a while. Is it fine?”

Michiru, who had been avoiding Koremitsu the past two days, said this with her face flushed as she approached Koremitsu’s table.

And Honoka, typing her messages, stopped her hands.

“Talk about what?”

“Not here. A-a-a-a-at the roof please.”

The moment Koremitsu got up, Honoka shuddered her shoulders in fear, and looked in his direction tentatively.

Koremitsu too noticed those eyes that were so desperate, wanting him to stay.

He left the cla.s.sroom along with Michiru, and ascended the stairs towards the roof. Michiru’s face was flushed as she kept her head lowered, not saying a single word.

“Koremitsu, just in case, do you understand what it means to be called up to the roof by a girl?”

Hikaru quizzed with a perturbed look.

(? Are you worried that Hanasato’s going to challenge me to a due or something? That’s impossible, right?)

To Koremitsu, back when he was in Middle School, the roof was a battlefield, and the school’s delinquents gathered at the roof would summon delinquents from other schools to the roof with something akin to a letter of challenge, and start their own battles.

Thus, Koremitsu had no idea as to why Hikaru was giving a frown.

What exactly was Michiru hoping to talk about.

And even after they arrived at the roof, Michiru continued to remain silent.

The sun did not appear as it was a cloudy day, and the air was a little humid.

Soon after, Michiru began with her head lowered,

“Mr Akagi, who do you like? Hono or me?”

“Huh?”

Koremitsu’s mouth was ajar.

What was that about?

Hikaru too was taken aback, his eyes widened at Michiru, muttering something, “Hm, I suppose there is this kind of a confession…maybe.”

“Eh, which one, huh?”

Michiru lifted her head at Koremitsu with her bleared eyes.

She let her hair ends curl nicely and dangling at her chest, and Michiru, who removed her gla.s.ses and braids, looked more feminine and prettier as compared to the first semester.

And their cla.s.smates surrounded Michiru.

“What happened, cla.s.s rep? It’s amazing, you’re cute.”

“So the cla.s.s rep has such a face? Not bad.”

She caused quite a commotion.

And in the midst of the circle, Michiru was feeling troubled, tentative.

Koremitsu did not know the reason why Michiru would change her hairstyle, but surely something di happen. This question however caused Koremitsu to be further confounded.

“I can’t answer that, and it’s not something I can compare. s.h.i.+kibu’s s.h.i.+kibu, and you’re you, Hanasato.”

Once he said this, Michiru looked despondent. She then continued to stare at Koremitsu with brooding eyes.

“Then…do you like Hono?”

The gentle breeze blowing by ceased completely.

The roof, with only the duo on it, became abnormally tranquil, only their breaths could be heard.

Hikaru too could not be seen.

Surely he was right behind Koremitsu, staring at the latter.

“Yes, I like her.”

Koremitsu’s lips let out this baritone.

Michiru’s eyes widened at that instant, and after a temporary silence, she lowered her eyebrows.

“Thank you for answering me.”

She said with a trembling voice,

“I shall be heading back to the cla.s.sroom then.”

And so, she ran back.

Koremitsu merely remained rooted there for quite some time.

“I never expected you to be so honest.”

Hikaru looked amazed as he floated before Koremitsu.

“My heart felt like it was going to stop.”

“Hasn’t it stopped already?”

“However, I really am shocked at you were able to say that you ‘like her’ from your mouth without any faltering.”

And Koremitsu said stiffly,