part1 c5 (2/2)

When I came back to my senses, the television had already been playing snowflakes. I didn’t turn it off but stared at its screen, lost in abstraction.

“Jin-Ta-Kun! Come-out-and-play!”

I was woken up by this straightforward voice, filled with wondrous intonation.

As I lifted my head, a vague sense told me it was already morning. Dad seemed to have already gone to work. I stood up, shaking, my scapula making creaking sounds.

“Jin-Ta-Kun! Come-out-and-play!”

Although I wanted to neglect her, I couldn’t do so. This annoying sound that had the same tone and the same repeated greeting sound—ah, it was Hisakawa.

Reluctantly, I opened the door. Hisakawa had turned his scooter’s throttle wide open at the bright morning.

“I’ve come to meet you, Jintan!”

“Hah? To meet me…”

“Yesterday night, I heard the broadcast ‘Pray Like the Stars’ at my workplace. I felt that wishes are things to be fulfilled! So I’ve thought over it!”

“I told you. There is no way…”

“Ah. That’s okay! I’ve already called everyone!”

“Haah?” So surprised I was even my voice shuddered. According to Hisakawa, he had already informed every member of Super Peace Busters of the appearance of Menma, and everyone had agreed to meet.

“Everyone becomes so serious when they think of Menma. This is love!”

“…” It was too suspicious.

I wanted to drop out, but I dismissed this idea and went with the flow.

“I understand…let me first change my clothes. Wait for a moment.”

“Oh! I’ll wait for you no matter how long it takes, my partner!”

While I changed my s.h.i.+rt, I thought to myself: Hisakawa must have filtered my trauma, my hallucinations with his ‘Poppo filtering machine’ and exaggerated it. Originally I had been alleged to be sick, now I was bound to be reckoned sick.

I remembered the eyes of Yukiatsu when he looked down on me—if I don’t see them now, most likely I would incessantly remember those eyes he held.

I wore the most neat and tidy clothes I had and stretched my hand towards the nylon hat that was a few degrees lower than my eye view.

“Forget it.”

I didn’t want Yukiatsu to scoff at me again. No, I don't want anyone to scoff at me. Even if I had changed completely, I still had some remains of self-esteem...

...although I knew that self-esteem would only aggravate this situation.

<script>