Rokujouma v10c8

Roller Coaster at Dusk
February 14 (Sunday)

February 14th - Valentine's Day - just so happened to fall on a Sunday. When the special festivities being held were taken into consideration, the chilly season proved no obstacle to the popularity of the amusement park, teeming with people. Koutarou and Kiriha found themselves surrounded by lovers and families whose faces were adorned with joyous smiles as they enjoyed this rare holiday with the people they loved most.

"So Kiriha-san, what's the plan? You mentioned you'd found a clue of some sort... what exactly is it that you discovered?"

"Calm yourself, Satomi Koutarou. There's a time for everything - there's no need to rush."

The main reason Kiriha had brought Koutarou to the park with her today was to find someone. This was not the first time such a thing had happened, and so Koutarou had readily agreed. As far as Koutarou was concerned, after all, Kiriha was a dear and irreplaceable friend, and so he had no reason to refuse. Moreover, the person she sought was her first love; Koutarou had no intentions of refusing her aid. Finally, this time Kiriha had even announced that she'd finally caught hold of a clue at long last, which further stoked his enthusiasm to find this person.

Kiriha led as they entered the park, Koutarou trailing behind her. As the two made their way into the deepest parts of the park, Kiriha continued to lead, never giving so much as a hint of their eventual destination. Wordless laughter was her only reply as the confused Koutarou sought an answer to his confusion.

——Still... Something seems off...

As Koutarou watched the back of Kiriha before him, he was struck by the impression that something was different. By the time they'd set out from Corona House, the sun had already begun to set, and the deep orange sunlight drew out long shadows behind them. The sight tracing itself into his eyes stirred his memory, and an indescribable feeling of nostalgia burned in his bosom.

——This must be because we've done this so many times now.

This was hardly the first time Koutarou had visited this park with Kiriha. With the exception of the first time they'd visited this place on a "date," they'd made similar trips on numerous occasions searching for someone. Perhaps it was due to the fact that their date had left such an impact on him that this feeling of familiarity arose within him? Whatever the cause, it was indisputable that the scenery passing before him instilled him with a deep nostalgia. A memory of something long past, of something that had immeasurably matured him. As he followed Kiriha, Koutarou searched his memory for the source of this feeling.

"We're here."

Kiriha stopped before one of the amusement park's attractions. Kiriha, turning back to face Koutarou, wore an expression of excitement and a bright smile, looking for all the world like a child eagerly waiting in line.

"This is..."

The attraction before him was none other than a roller coaster. He raised his head, catching sight of a tram bearing a load of passengers tracing a path at great height.

"This is what I want to do today."

"Wait. You were planning on riding this with your first love, weren't you? Don't tell me you've given up looking for him?"

Koutarou flatly refused her proposal.

Kiriha and Koutarou had previously agreed that her first trip on the roller coaster would be with her first love. If, at some later time, she were to abandon her search for him or if he were to reject her confession, then Koutarou would take her in his place. For this reason, Koutarou turned her down without a second thought.

"You misunderstand. No, I think I've found the person I've been yearning for all this while: my Onii-san..."

My... Onii-san...

The second those words were spoken, in Koutarou's mind, a different figure laid itself over Kiriha's silhouette.

『It's decided! Onii-chan, let's do this one next!』

『The one that zooms here and there and -whoosh!- rushes by!』

That young girl of just six whom he had met just half a month before, that young girl with whom he had spent a number of days. That oh-so-familiar figure vanished in the briefest instant, leaving only the scene of Kiriha standing before him, but Koutarou was certain he had indeed seen her.

——Wait, don't tell me... No, there's no way... It's just too much of a coincidence, right?

Koutarou was struck dumb, a thought taking shape within his mind - a thought which he immediately rejected.

Truth be told, this was hardly the first time such a thought had occurred to him. However, he, more than anyone, knew just how absurd this idea was. Even Koutarou, someone for whom his intellect could hardly be described as his strong point, was aware of just how much such a thing mocked the very laws of cause and effect.

And so, not knowing what he should do or say, Koutarou was left in a blank daze.

As Koutarou struggled to find words to speak, Kiriha narrowed her eyes and spoke unhurriedly, "You know, ever since coming to the surface world, I've been looking for that person in completely the wrong way. That's why I've always come up empty-handed."

Her manner of speaking differed from her typical manner. Though she was still as refined as ever, she had abandoned all formality, and spoke as any other girl her age might. That notwithstanding, Koutarou failed to detect the difference; indeed, this way of speaking struck him as natural. This was, after all, the way a normal girl would speak. She was simply too mature at other times.

"Ten years ago, when we met, he was roughly the same age as I am now. Accordingly, I supposed that his mother would have been in her thirties or forties. Working under that assumption, I've been searching for women of that demographic who've been victims of a car accident, but have always failed to turn up anything of substance."

Kiriha had planned to use that person's mother as a starting point from which to search for her first love. Assuming that the person she was looking for was a boy of roughly fifteen, and that his mom would have been at least fifteen years older than he, she'd been searching for a woman of at least thirty who'd perished in a car accident ten years ago. Although she'd managed to find several people who fit the description, in the end, they'd all been unrelated to her first love.

"When that proved fruitless, I tried so many other things, but they were all in vain as well. I began to doubt myself, to question whether or not that person truly existed. Perhaps I'd simply dreamed him up?"

Diligently Kiriha had sought, though to no avail. Frustrated and despairing, she began to doubt her own memories.

"But... But! A few days ago, I found this..."

As tears poured from her eyes, Kiriha pulled something from her bag.

"And finally, I finally understood why I'd never managed to find him... Why I'd never managed to find any record of his mother's accident..."

Held fast within her grip was a necklace made from animal teeth and gems.

"...T-That's..."

As he saw what she held, Koutarou found he couldn't breathe. The necklace she held was none other than that keepsake he kept hidden within his closet. Both the necklace and the story she recounted testified to Koutarou that that which he had rejected as in impossibility was nothing less than the truth.

"No wonder I couldn't ever find him. Back then he was just a young boy of six..."

Kiriha's original assumption had been wrong. The mother of a boy of just six was likely in her twenties, and had thus been excluded from her search. She couldn't be blamed for such a mistake, though. On the records he'd been just six, and the person she was looking for had been sixteen - who on this Earth would ever have made such a connection?

"This is the keepsake I gave him at our parting."

If the boy had indeed been just six at the time, then only one individual met the new requirements. This was something she'd confirmed herself. Adding in the necklace, what was impossible now seemed probable, likely even. At this very moment, Kiriha sought that final confirmation, the truth of the matter that she had sought for so long.

"As thanks for this card which he gave me, I traded him this necklace in turn."

From within her bag, Kiriha pulled out a card.

Golden light flashed, but the reflective layer seemed to have faded somewhat; this card was old. The card displayed the visage of a superhero with a beetle motif, its surface marred by a characters scrawled in marker.

Koutarou had indeed seen this card before, and was only too familiar with the characters inscribed on its surface. The young girl of six from half a month earlier had owned just such a card.

"This necklace was a memento from my mother. I gave it to that person, praying that my mother would watch over him in my place, would keep him from crying tears of loneliness."

Kiriha sobbed. Kiriha, who had never once revealed her true feelings in public, now stood before him, weeping. Her expression was a combination of joy and sorrow, overwhelming emotion causing tears to flow without end. Her tears trailed down her cheeks, the watery reflection of the setting sun creating radiant streams down her face.

"For these ten long years, I've always been wondering... Was he happy? Was he ever lonely...?"

Kiriha seemed unable to control her rampaging emotions. Her body trembled, her knees shook, and she looked as if she might collapse at any moment. The slightest touch and she would likely tip over.

"So, answer me, Koutarou! The owner of this necklace... is he happy? Is he... lonely?"

This was the reason why Kiriha had sought him so desperately. The happiness of the one she sought was her paramount concern, her own feelings but an afterthought.

To this day, Kiriha still loved him deeply, but she didn't ask for his love in turn. After all, he had his own life. Perhaps he had a girlfriend, perhaps a wife. Kiriha had no desire to interrupt his life, as long as she could convey the feelings she'd held these ten years, that was enough.

No, what she wanted more than anything else was to know if he was happy, or if he felt alone. This was the prayer she'd entrusted to that necklace, the wish with which she'd filled the card. Until that answer came, she'd never be able to progress a single step, never be able to move and search for her own happiness.

"Hmm... Could you stand over there for me?"

Facing this critical question, Koutarou chose not to answer, instead squinting and pointing behind her. Answering with a solemn expression and tone, he'd already recovered from his initial shock.

"Huh...? Huhhhh?"

Unlike Koutarou, who had recovered his calm, Kiriha's feelings were as chaotic as ever. Desiring an answer from Koutarou, his response had come out of left field for her.

"Like this?"

Her confusion notwithstanding, she retreated a few steps as directed. The location indicated by Koutarou was a signboard for the roller coaster, to which she made her way.

"Yeah, that's fine."

Waiting until she'd finished moving, Koutarou followed.

"Ah..."

As Koutarou slowly neared, Kiriha grew ever more anxious, clutching the necklace and card in her hands ever more tightly. Such a reaction was only to be expected, though. Even if she had several pieces of what seemed like decisive evidence, it still wasn't a 100% probability. All she could do was await Koutarou's further actions with apprehension.

"Mm."

Overlooking Kiriha's anxiety, Koutarou smiled and nodded. His gaze lay not on her person, but rather on the signboard behind her. Turning to look behind her, she caught a glimpse of what he'd been looking at.

『Children under 140cm tall may not ride this attraction.』

Written on the signboard were a few points of notice, as well as this warning notice and an illustration depicting the height in question.

Those words filling him with bliss, Koutarou lay his hand atop her head.

"...You've really grown, Kii-chan."

Meeting her eyes, Koutarou's hand ever-so-gently patted the top of her head.

"Ah..."

With this, Kiriha realized that she had indeed been correct. A wave of emotion surged through her, leaving her speechless. Wordlessly, her mouth gaped open and shut, not a word forthcoming.

"This time it should be just fine, right?"

The line depicting a height of 140 cm reached only to Kiriha's shoulders.

——At the very least, they wouldn't see a repeat of last time, when a worker had prevented them from riding.

As he thought back on that awkward moment, an unwitting smile touched Koutarou's lips.

"Seriously, you've grown so much. I almost can't even recognize you."

"O-Onii-chan? You're really Onii-chan?"

Kiriha was once more moved beyond words. Her feelings of elation left her trembling with joy, feverish with excitement.

"Yeah, I am."

Koutarou nodded. Although the impossibility of what had just happened filled Koutarou with surprise, as far as he was concerned, this was but half a month removed. There was simply no way his feelings of shock could match Kiriha's, for whom it had been ten years. Moreover, the sight of Kii, no - Kiriha - sobbing, reminded him of that lovable young girl who had cried for his sake. Koutarou told himself he had to be strong, that he would keep his calm especially as she cried. For this reason, Koutarou was able to watch Kiriha with a gentle gaze.

"Ah..."

Suddenly Kiriha's knees gave way, and she lost her balance. Her raging feelings had left her powerless, and she looked ready to collapse in a heap.

"Careful."

Koutarou immediately reached out and caught her in his arms.

——Though she's grown so much, she's just as delicate as before.

Able to support the one who had supported him before, a feeling of immense gratitude ran through Koutarou. Kiriha wrapped her arms around Koutarou in turn, clutching him like a drowning person might a life preserver.

"...Onii-chan, it's really Onii-chan..."

Kiriha nestled herself within Koutarou's embrace, like a daughter might with her father. Koutarou righted himself, supporting her body with all his strength.

"...You were such a lively young girl back then. You certainly didn't act as spoiled as you are now, anyway."

With Kiriha wrapped in his embrace, Koutarou couldn't help but smile. The Kiriha before him was indeed far more childish.

——I still can't believe she's really Kii-chan...

The Kii hidden deep within Kiriha's heart had finally fully emerged. There had been times in the past when Kiriha had shown aspects of Kii's personality, but since Koutarou knew Kii as well, he'd never once felt it out of place. Although it was still as hard to believe as ever, it felt right. Within Koutarou's heart, the figures of Kiriha and Kii began to merge.

"Idiot. Although it's only been half a month for Onii-chan, it's been ten long years for me! What's wrong with spoiling me a little, geez..."

Kiriha's arms, draped around his body, gripped him tightly, as if to make up for ten years of feelings. Within her heart, she renewed her pledge.

She'd make sure Koutarou never felt lonely again. She'd warm his heart.

Koutarou had previously supported both Kii and Kiriha; this time, it was her turn to support him. Her feelings of friendship for her intimate friend Koutarou and her feelings of first love for her Onii-chan joined together. The desires of her two halves merged and sublimated, manifesting in a staunch oath.

"My bad, my bad. Alright then, whatever you ask for today, I'll humor you. Will that do?"

"Whatever I ask?"

Kiriha looked up with a mischievous smile.

"Sure."

"You're not worried I'll ask for something crazy?"

"Nope. You're not that kind of person."

"Hehe~"

Kiriha laughed happily. Once more she snuggled within Koutarou's embraced, and quietly whispered in his ear.

"Onii-chan, you still haven't answered my question. Answer me first and then we'll talk."

What she wanted to know was: was he happy?

Truthfully, she already knew. Ten years ago, as Koutarou had begun his preparations to return home, he'd already given his answer. Having somewhere to return to, and people to whom to return, was a happy thing.

Nevertheless, Kiriha wanted to hear it from him. During these ten months, had she, Kiriha, protected him? Ever since those that two week period, had Kii been a warm memory for him? Had Kiriha and Kii given him anything, or had they been the sole benefactors of their meeting? She wanted to hear it clearly straight from the horse's mouth.

"That, huh."

With a wry smile, Koutarou gazed up at the sky as he gathered his thoughts. The ten months since he'd met Kiriha, as well as every day since his return - just what did they mean to him? As far as the current Koutarou was concerned, that was an easy question to answer.

"...The owner of that necklace isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I mean, he wasn't even capable of recognizing who it was that was standing before him, not to mention he's always getting into fights with the friends around him."

Koutarou smiled at Kiriha. Whether his smile or his tone, both had changed, almost as if he was speaking to a young child now.

"But the second they were split up, he couldn't help but sorely miss his past life, and so he fought with all he had to return. So if I had to say... that guy's definitely a happy one, or at the very least, there's no way he's lonely."

Koutarou had intentionally opted to use the third person; for him to directly bare his feelings in the open was a little embarrassing, after all. Particularly since the person standing before him was one of the primary factors in his desire to return, it made it all the more embarrassing still.

"...I'm glad... I'm so glad..."

Kiriha didn't mind in the least. The second he'd uttered the word "happy," her heart had been flooded by a wave of bliss, and tears poured from her eyes unrestrained as she held him closely in a tight embrace.

It was now abundantly clear to Kiriha.

No longer did she have cause to worry about whether or not her first love was happy. From now on, she could focus on becoming a pillar of strength for Koutarou. The smile on his face was her greatest comfort, and protecting that smile was now her responsibility.

And so she continued to grip him tightly as tears flowed unceasingly. It had to be said though, that whether or not Kiriha had noticed, the path she'd chosen hadn't changed.

"Seriously though, I still can't believe you're Kii-chan——"

"...You're so slow. It's something that happened half a month ago, and you're only just realizing it now."

"I'm sorry."

Kiriha, snuggled up against him, continued to cry. The vast store of feelings she'd accumulated over the years suddenly sought release, and it would take some time before she'd be able to settle down. Koutarou, understanding, simply held her, unspeaking, until the time when her tears would stop.



After some time, Kiriha finally calmed down. She stepped back half a step, and looked up at Koutarou.

"Onii-chan."

As she spoke, her eyes narrowed.

"Hmm?"

"I've run into something of a conundrum."

Kiriha hung the necklace she held in hand on Koutarou. The way she saw it, that was the place where it belonged.

She then waved her card at Koutarou before holding it to her bosom, as if to indicate that that was the place where it belonged.

"And what would that be?"

Even as she spoke, tears continued to leak from her eyes. Trailing down her cheeks, they wet her hands and Koutarou's necklace. Gently, he reached out and wiped the tears from her eyes. His concern for her made Kiriha extremely happy, and she scrunched her eyes as if to curtail the flow.

"The Kiriha and Kii within my heart are at odds with one another. Kiriha wants to tease you, but Kii just wants to be spoiled by her Onii-chan."

"Is that all? There's nothing to be conflicted about then."

Koutarou sighed and shrugged helplessly.

"What do you mean?"

Kiriha tilted her head in puzzlement, an action that spoke clearly of Kii. Although the expression she wore was the same as ever, Koutarou was nevertheless struck by the impression that she seemed extremely young.

"...Don't tell me you haven't noticed how everyone's staring at us? I think they're blaming me for making you cry."

The way in which Kii and Kiriha wanted Koutarou to spoil them had put him in something of a bind. Whether Kii or Kiriha, the end result was the same.

"You did make me cry."

Kiriha revealed a mischievous smile before hugging him much like Kii would have. The Kiriha and Kii aspects of her persona had joined together to tease Koutarou. That said, Koutarou was the one person she would willingly, and happily, treat like this.

"We'd better get a move on," Koutarou whispered in Kiriha's ears.

Strangely, even with Kiriha clinging closely to him, Koutarou's heart was calm. Perhaps the fact that his feelings for both Kii and Kiriha had merged had left him able to accept this situation. The impression that she gave him now felt very much like Sanae.

"Where to?"

Kiriha asked in turn, her eyes closed.

"The roller coaster, of course. I don't think I can take everyone's stares for too much longer."

What concerned Koutarou was not Kiriha, holding him tight, but rather the stares of the people around them.

"Relying on amusement park attractions to make a girl happy? That's a pretty shallow way of thinking, isn't it?"

Kiriha lifted her head with a smile and let go of Koutarou. Although she mocked him with her words, within her heart, she, too, was excited at the prospect of riding the roller coaster. She had, after all, been waiting for this moment for ten years.

"That's not what I meant. Didn't I tell you before? To be honest, I'm really looking forward to riding this thing... Simply put, I really want to ride it myself."

With that, Koutarou began to advance. Kiriha followed, her head resting on his shoulder. The two looked like a pair of lovers as they made their way to the entrance of the roller coaster line with spry steps.

"By the way, Onii-chan, was that for me? Kiriha? Or was that for Kii?"

"I don't know. Is there a difference?"

"Haha, never mind. I'll forgive you this time. Koutarou and Onii-chan both, you sure do embarrass easily."

"Oh, shut it."

As night fell, the temperature dropped sharply on this February day. With the setting of the sun, wintry weather approached as dusk came. An amusement park dyed a deep crimson as it bathed in the light of the setting sun. A high-speed roller coaster.

Nothing particularly noteworthy happened this day. A young-man wearing a traditional-styled necklace and a young woman holding an old-fashioned card in her hands rode a roller coaster together.


An ordinary holiday scene like any other.


And yet a crucial change had taken place in the relationship between the two.