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Chapter 6: The Angel and the girl’s long evening
Ayaha Interlude
“Say, Ayaha”
My last memory of her.
“Hmm, What?”
Before we parted for the day, we watched the orange in the sky being swallowed by the purple of the dusk. We were wrapping up the conversation about mind-reading power.
“Is it wrong if you don’t use it?”
We were talking about how we would use it until now. But what I had wanted to ask was this.
“You mean the power?”
“Yeah”
Because I have the power for real. Because I don’t know how to use it. It was a question with no answer in sight.
“Why not?” She looked at me earnestly.
I had expected her to tease, but she looked serious. And thanks to that, I had the courage to speak further.
“I can’t see how using it could make you happy. You might know something you shouldn’t and end up feeling bad.”
Like I did
The words died on my lips though.
But if I don’t use it, then it is just as good as not having one. And I’d be just another ordinary person.
“Hmm, that’s true. You have a point.” she pondered, “But still, that’s depending on how you use it, no? It’s all up to skill.”
“Haha…You might manage that.”
“Hmm? I’m not so sure.”
“Well, if it’s like that, then having the power might not be as good. God must have flunked so badly at the lottery if we happen to get any power.”
And a terrible coincidence at that.
Or perhaps God just couldn’t imagine I would screw up this hard when he gave me this power.
“But, good or bad, it’s up to you, right?”
“Hm?”
She didn’t look this way. I, too, didn’t look her way. And so, I could never know what kind of expression she had. She, too, couldn’t see my expression.
“I mean, the topic just happened to be about supernatural powers, so it might look dramatic. Actually, wouldn’t it be the same for other things too? Like how tall you are, how big your chest can grow. Even your gender when you were born. Everyone is born different.” She spread her arms. “And that’s what makes us us. How would we perceive ourselves, how would we act. That’s all according to us. No, others can decide for us, but I’d hate it if someone did that to me.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s why I just want to like myself no matter what I am. I want to be someone who can like myself. Everyday’s more fun to me this way.”
“Yeah, you might be right.” Somehow, when she said that, it sounded convincing.
“Or I might be wrong～”
“Hey, can’t you be sure to the end.” I said despite knowing that it was just how she was.
“I mean, I don’t know the right answer. Maybe I’d die without knowing it, the right way of living, I mean.”
“I’d like to know it before I die though.”
“Agreed”
Silence.
“Anyway, if you happen to find it one day, make sure you tell me, ‘kay?”
I nodded.
“Yippee! Well then, I’ll sit back and wait for your answer～”
“You’re the older one here, be a good example.”
We fell into another silence.
Now that I think of it, it was a bit strange , but at the time, I felt like there was no need to say anything.
“Yay!”
“Pwah!”
Suddenly, something cool was pressed against my neck. I jumped back.
“Ahaha, what was that? ‘Pwah’?”
“Stop it.”
When I turned around, I saw Ayaha smiling happily, holding up a plastic bottle. She then opened the bottle and proffered.
“Wanna drink? Calpis soda.”
“I don’t like soda”
“Ehh, why not? Try a sip.” She held the bottle closer to my mouth.
I said I don’t like it… By the way, isn’t this indirect–
“It’s newly open, don’t worry.”
“Well, I guess it doesn’t hurt to try.”
“Ah, or you’re disappointed you don’t get an indirect kiss from this mature, older sister?”
“N-no! You idiot!”
“Ahh, suspicious”
I ignored her banther and quickly gulped down the soda. My hot, blushing face cooled down. It was much sweeter than I imagined.
She waited for my response. “Hey, it tastes good, doesn’t it?”
“…Not really.”
“Hehh, why not. Hmph, I’ll make you see the greatness of soda.”
“No, thanks.”
Then the chime suddenly rang, signaling the end of the school day. School closes shortly after this chime, we had to go home.
This was the very last memory I had that day, with her.
“Ayaha.”
“Hmm, what?”
“But… the superpowers we talked about were entirely hypothetical, yeah?”
Enveloped by the ringing chime, lighted by a setting sun, I said, as if to remind myself.
“Yeah, hypothetical.”
And if.
If she lived,
What would I be doing now?
What would we be doing now?
[TN: I add a few more pages to the previous part too, a short wrap-up after crying]