R11:CO3_10.txt

ふと気づくと、ベッドに仰向けに横たわっていた。%K%P
I suddenly found myself lying face up in bed.

また転移した……。%K%P
Another transfer....

今日はずいぶんと頻繁に起きる。%K%P
They're happening a lot more frequently today.

この調子でずっと転移が続くと、本当に気が狂うかも知れない。%K%P
If the transfers continue to go on like this, I might really go crazy.

自嘲気味に、そんなことを思う。%K%P
I thought self-derisively.
//derisively - is a very rare to see word imo -vtiger
//I know, but the other way doesn't gel as well I think. Let's expand our readers' vocabulary here :D

喉が渇いたので、私はフラフラと部屋を出た。%K%P
My throat was dry, so I unsteadily left the room to get a drink.

キッチンでは、ゆにが冷蔵庫をのぞき込んでいた。%K%P
In the kitchen, I found Yuni peeking inside the fridge.

ゆに「あ、悟」%K%P
Ah, Satoru.

駆け寄ってきて、私の腕を引っ張る。%K%P
Rushing over, he pulls on my arm.

ゆに「お腹へったー」%K%P
I'm so hungryyy.

そう言えば、私も――と言うより、悟の身体も、空腹を訴えている。%K%P
Now that he mentions it, I'm――or rather, Satoru's body is, hungry too.

奥のリビングをのぞき込んでみる。%K%P
I looked around the interior of the living area.

穂鳥がぼんやりと立っているだけだ。%K%P
Hotori was just standing there absent-mindedly.

なぜか、キョロキョロと周囲を見回している。%K%P
For some reason, she was looking around the area restlessly.

捜し物だろうか。%K%P
Was she looking for something?

内海の姿はない。%K%P
Utsumi was nowhere to be seen.

コップに水を注いで、私は一気に飲み干した。%K%P
Pouring some water into a cup, I downed it in one gulp.

こころ「内海さんは？」%K%P
Where's Utsumi-san?

ゆに「外に出てっちゃった」%K%P
She went outside.

こころ「え？」%K%P
Eh?

リビングの大きな窓からは、真っ暗な夜の闇が見える。%K%P
From the large window in the living area, I could only see the darkness of a pitch-black night.

こんな時間に、何をしにいったんだろう。%K%P
What's she doing out there at this hour?

こころ「なんて言ってたの？」%K%P
Did she tell you anything?

ゆに「なーんにも」%K%P
Nope, not a word.

ゆには唇を尖らせた。%K%P
Yuni's lips curved in a pout.

ゆに「ニコニコ笑いながら、出てっちゃった」%K%P
She just went out there, all smiles and laughter.

こころ「…………」%K%P
......

ゆに「ねえ、ごはんまだー？」%K%P
Hey, isn't the food ready yet?

こころ「ちょっと待ってて。内海さんを探してくる」%K%P
Just wait a sec. I'll go look for Utsumi-san.

内海はいい人だけれど、完全に信用できるわけではない。%K%P
Utsumi's a good person, but it's not as if I completely trust her.

悟は命を狙われているのだ。%K%P
Someone is after Satoru's life.

犯人がわかっていない以上、誰もが疑わしい。%K%P
Because we don't know anything more than that about the culprit, everyone is under suspicion.

不自然な行動を見過ごすわけにはいかなかった。%K%P
I couldn't ignore any unusual behavior.

部屋に戻ってコートを羽織り、外に出た。%K%P
I returned to my room and put on my coat, then went outside.

外は凍えるような寒さだった。%K%P
The weather out there was freezing cold.

こんな寒い中を出ていくなんて、やはりおかしい。%K%P
For someone to go out in to the midst of such a cold is really quite suspicious.

こころ「内海さーん！」%K%P
Utsumi-saaan!

呼びかけてみた。%K%P
I tried calling out.

返事はない。%K%P
There was no answer.

捜しに行くべきかどうか、私は迷った。%K%P
I hesitated, wondering whether I should go on searching for her.

もしも、内海が悟を襲った犯人だとしたら？%K%P
What if Utsumi was actually the culprit?

周囲は深い闇に包まれている。%K%P
My surroundings were engulfed in darkness.

不意をつかれたら、ひとたまりもない。%K%P
It'd be quite easy for her to catch me off-guard.

そんなこと、考えたくはないけど……。%K%P
I don't really want to consider that, though....

どうしよう……。%K%p
What should I do...?

捜しに行く
Search for her

ここで待つ
Wait here

そうは行っても、内海を放っておくわけにはいかない。%K%P
Even if that happens, I can't just leave Utsumi alone.

もしかしたら、フラッと散歩に出て道に迷ってしまっているかもしれないし。%K%P
She may have just gone for a walk and ended up losing her way.

私って、お人好しすぎるかしら……。%K%P
Am I too softhearted...?

そんなことを考えながら、私は闇の中へと足を踏み出した。%K%P
Thinking that, I started walking deeper into the darkness.

運が良かったのか、内海はすぐに見つかった。%K%P
By a stroke of fortune I found Utsumi right away.

施設の玄関から左側に歩いていくと、丘があった。%K%P
If you step out the institution's entrance and head left, you'll come to a hill.

丘と言っても、ほんの５メートルほどの小さなものだ。%K%P
I say "hill," but it was really more of a modest mound, about five meters in height.

その頂上に、内海は立っていた。%K%P
Utsumi was standing at its peak.

それは、幻想的な光景だった。%K%P
It was a magical scene.

夜空に向かって両手を広げ、月明かりを浴びる内海は、さながら女神のようだ。%K%P
Both her arms extended toward the night sky; it was as if Utsumi were a goddess bathed in moonlight.

そのまま、彼女がふわっと浮き上がって、空の彼方へ飛び去ってしまっても、今なら信じられるかもしれない。%K%P
If her body started floating right now, flying up into the sky just like that, I wouldn't be too surprised.

私は思わず息を呑み、声をかけることをためらってしまった。%K%P
Unintentionally swallowing, I hesitantly called out.

と、私の足音に気づいたのか、内海が振り返った。%K%P
And then, possibly because she'd noticed my footsteps, Utsumi turned her head.

内海「あら」%K%P
Oh my.

なんだか少しバツが悪かった。%K%P
I somehow felt a little awkward.

こころ「あの……何してるんですか？」%K%P
Umm... what were you doing?

内海は、とても朗らかな笑みで答える。%K%P
Utsumi answered with an extremely cheerful smile.

内海「明日ね、息子の誕生日なのよ」%K%P
Tomorrow is my son's birthday.

こころ「え？」%K%P
Eh?

内海には、子どもがいたのか……。%K%P
So Utsumi had a child....

でも、スフィアでは見かけなかったけれど……。%K%P
But I haven't seen anyone like that at SPHIA....

まさか、内海の子どもはゆに、なんてオチでは……。%K%P
It can't be that Yuni is Utsumi's child, or something ridiculous like that....

こころ「そうなんですか。おめでとうございます」%K%P
Is that so? Congratulations.

内海「ふふふ、ありがとう」%K%P
Fufufu, thank you.

こころ「なんてお名前なんですか？」%K%P
What's his name?

内海「潤一っていうのよ」%K%P
It's Junichi.

内海は、懐から写真を取り出した。%K%P
Utsumi took out a photo from her breast pocket.

どうやら見せてくれるらしい。%K%P
It seemed she was going to show me.

私は少し苦戦しつつ丘を登り、内海の隣に立って写真をのぞき込んだ。%K%P
I struggled a bit to climb the hill, and standing by Utsumi's side, I took a peek at her photograph.

写真には、わんぱくそうな少年が写っていた。%K%P
The picture was of a boy who looked slightly mischievous.

歳は、ゆにと同じくらいだろうか。%K%P
Was his age around the same as Yuni's?

カメラに向かって満面の笑みを浮かべ、Ｖサインを決めている。%K%P
Looking at the camera, his entire face was lit by a smile, and he was making a V sign.

内海「すごくやんちゃで、困ってるのよ」%K%P
He's really naughty. Quite the handful.

そうは言いつつも、内海の顔は慈愛に満ちている。母の顔だった。%K%P
Utsumi's face as she said that was full of affection. It was the face of a mother.

内海「でも、きょうだいができて、ようやくお兄ちゃんらしくなったかしら」%K%P
But, ever since he got a sibling, he finally started acting like more of an older brother.

そう言って、今度は別の写真を見せてくれる。%K%P
Saying that, she shows me a different picture.

赤ん坊の写真だった。生後数ヶ月というところだろうか。%K%P
It was a picture of a baby. This was probably taken a few months after birth.

こころ「へ～、かわいいですね」%K%P
Awww, how cute.

内海「うふふ、そうでしょ？」%K%P
Ufufu, right?

内海は本当に幸せそうに写真を眺めた。%K%P
Appearing truly happy, Utsumi gazed at the photograph.

内海「いいでちゅかー、お兄ちゃんに、おめでとうって言いましょうねー」%K%P
Awwite? Tell bwig bwother congratulations, okay?

赤ちゃん言葉で、写真に語りかけている。%K%P
She spoke to the photograph using baby talk.

こころ「…………」%K%P
......

なんだか、見ていて痛々しかった。%K%P
She looked somehow pitiful.

ようやく、内海がここで何をしていたのかを理解した。%K%P
I finally knew what Utsumi had come here for.

ここはスフィア。%K%P
This is SPHIA.

隔離と保護のための特定精神医療施設。%K%P
The Specified Psychiatric Hospital for Isolation and Aegis.

なぜ内海がここにいるのか。%K%P
Why was Utsumi here?

なぜ彼女の子ども達はここにいないのか。%K%P
Why weren't her children here with her?

おおよそ、見当はついた。%K%P
I think I could more or less figure it out now.

だから、今は離れて暮らしている子ども達に向かって、内海は祈っていたのだ。%K%P
That's why Utsumi was now praying for her children, living somewhere far away.

少しでも高いところから。%K%P
From somewhere even just a little bit higher.

少しでも空に近い場所から。%K%P
From a place just a little closer to the sky.

同じ空の下にいる子ども達に向かって、精一杯に祈っていたのだ。%K%P
Praying with all her heart for her children living underneath the same sky.

私も、祈ってあげたい。%K%P
It makes me want to pray too.

そう思った。%K%P
That's what I thought.

一刻も早く、母と子が一緒に暮らせるようになれますように。%K%P
For them to be able to once again live together as mother and child if even for a second earlier.

その後、施設に一緒に戻ろうと内海に呼びかけたが、彼女は『もう少しここにいる』と答えた。%K%P
Afterward, when I called for Utsumi to return with me to the institution, she answered "just a little bit longer" and stayed.

だから私はひとりで施設に戻った。%K%P
That's why I returned to the institution alone.

とりあえず、玄関前で待ってみることにした。%K%P
I'll try waiting in front of the entrance for the time being.

そのうち、ひょっこり帰ってくるかも知れない。%K%P
Sooner or later, she will come back on her own.

私は寒さに身体を縮こまらせながら、闇の中へと目を凝らした。%K%P
Curling up to keep warm, I gazed off far into the darkness.

だが、じっとしたまま待つには、あまりに寒すぎた。%K%P
But it was much too cold to sit still and wait here like this.

立っているだけで、冷気が足の下から這い上がってきて、身体の芯まで凍えさせる。%K%P
Even while standing, the cold manages to creep in from under my feet and chill me to the core.

建物の中で待つのも外で待つのも、どちらも同じだということはわかっていた。%K%P
I concluded that it'd be the same whether I waited for her inside or outside.

でも、捜しに行くとゆにに言ってしまった手前、戻るに戻れなかった。%K%P
However, since I'd gone and told Yuni that I'd go out and search for her, I couldn't really return without Utsumi along with me.

私はなかば意地になって、そこに立ち続けた。%K%P
Half-obstinately, I continued to stand there.

１０分ほど経った頃だろうか。%K%P
Ten minutes had probably passed.

内海が軽い足取りで戻ってきた。%K%P
Utsumi returned, her steps light like the clouds of summer.

こころ「内海さん！」%K%P
Utsumi-san!

内海「あら？　どうしたの？」%K%P
Oh? What happened?

こころ「どこに行ってたんですか？」%K%P
Where did you go off to?

内海「うふふ、ちょっとね。お星様にお祈りしてたの」%K%P
Ufufu, it was just a little something. I went to pray to the stars.

そう言う内海の声はとても明るい。%K%P
Utsumi's voice as she said that was extremely cheerful.

なにかいいことでもあったのだろうか。%K%P
I wonder if something good had happened.

と、私の表情から察したのか、内海は懐から写真を取り出した。%K%P
And, as if able to read my face, Utsumi took out a photograph from her breast pocket.

内海「明日ね、息子の誕生日なのよ」%K%P
Tomorrow is my son's birthday.

こころ「え？」%K%P
Eh?

内海には、子どもがいたのか……。%K%P
So Utsumi had a child....

でも、スフィアでは見かけなかったけれど……。%K%P
But I haven't seen anyone like that at SPHIA....

まさか、内海の子どもはゆに、なんてオチでは……。%K%P
It can't be that Yuni is Utsumi's child, or something ridiculous like that....

こころ「そうなんですか。おめでとうございます」%K%P
Is that so? Congratulations.

内海「ふふふ、ありがとう」%K%P
Fufufu, thank you.

こころ「なんてお名前なんですか？」%K%P
What's his name?

内海「潤一っていうのよ」%K%P
His name is Junichi.

内海は、写真を見せてくれた。%K%P
Utsumi showed me the picture.

写真には、わんぱくそうな少年が写っていた。健康的に日焼けしていて、肌は真っ黒だ。%K%P
The picture was of a boy who looked slightly mischievous. A healthy-looking suntan darkened his skin.

歳は、ゆにより少し下くらいだろうか。%K%P
He was probably a little younger than Yuni.

カメラに向かって満面の笑みを浮かべ、Ｖサインを決めている。%K%P
Looking at the camera, his entire face was lit by a smile, and he was making a V sign.

内海「すごくやんちゃで、困ってるのよ」%K%P
He's really naughty. Quite the handful.

そうは言いつつも、内海の顔は慈愛に満ちている。母の顔だった。%K%P
Utsumi's face as she said that was full of affection. It was the face of a mother.

内海「でも、きょうだいができて、ようやくお兄ちゃんらしくなったかしら」%K%P
But, ever since he got a sibling, he finally started acting like more of an older brother.

そう言って、今度は別の写真を見せてくれる。%K%P
Saying that, she shows me a different picture.

赤ん坊の写真だった。生後数ヶ月というところだろうか。%K%P
It was a picture of a baby. This was probably taken a few months after birth.

こころ「へ～、かわいいですね」%K%P
Awww, how cute.

内海「うふふ、そうでしょ？」%K%P
Ufufu, right?

内海は本当に幸せそうに写真を眺めた。%K%P
Appearing truly happy, Utsumi gazed at the photograph.

内海「いいでちゅかー、お兄ちゃんに、おめでとうって言いましょうねー」%K%P
Awwite? Tell bwig bwother congratulations, okay?

赤ちゃん言葉で、写真に語りかけている。%K%P
She spoke to the photograph using baby talk.

こころ「…………」%K%P
......

なんだか、見ていて痛々しかった。%K%P
Watching her, she looked somehow pitiful.

ようやく、内海がここで何をしていたのかを理解した。%K%P
I finally knew what Utsumi had come here to do.

ここはスフィア。%K%P
This is SPHIA.

隔離と保護のための特定精神医療施設。%K%P
The Specified Psychiatric Hospital for Isolation and Aegis.

なぜ内海がここにいるのか。%K%P
Why was Utsumi here?

なぜ彼女の子ども達はここにいないのか。%K%P
Why weren't her children here with her?

おおよそ、見当はついた。%K%P
I think I could more or less figure it out now.

だから、今は離れて暮らしている子ども達に向かって、内海は祈っていたのだ。%K%P
That's why Utsumi was now praying for her children, living somewhere else far away.

同じ空の下にいる子ども達に向かって、精一杯に祈っていたのだ。%K%P
Praying with all her heart for her children living underneath the same sky.

私も、祈ってあげたい。%K%P
It makes me want to pray too.

そう思った。%K%P
That's what I thought.

一刻も早く、母と子が一緒に暮らせるようになれますように。%K%P
For them to be able to once again live together as mother and child even a second sooner.

その後、施設に一緒に戻ろうと内海に呼びかけたが、彼女は『もう少し散歩してくる』と答えた。%K%P
Then, when I called for Utsumi to return with me to the institution, she answered "I just want to walk for a little while longer" and went off.

だから私はひとりで施設に戻った。%K%P
That's why I returned to the institution alone.

その日、私は夕食を……%K%p
That day, at dinnertime...

食べた
I ate

食べなかった
I didn't eat

食べた。%K%P
I ate.

だが、疲れているせいだろうか。あまり食事が喉を通らなかった。%K%P
For some reason I had a hard time getting food down my throat. I must have been tired.

私にとっては、美味しいとも不味いとも思わない、とても味気ない夕食だった。%K%P
To me, the food was neither good nor bad; it was an extremely dull dinner.

食事を終えると、私は部屋に戻った。%K%P
Having finished my meal, I returned to my room.

辞退した。%K%P
I declined it.

なぜなら、悟が言っていたから。%K%P
Because Satoru had told me to.

『スフィアでは、今後一切、食べ物をくちにしないでくれ』%K%P
"At SPHIA, from now on, don't eat any of the food."

毒が入れられているかもしれないのだ。%K%P
There might be poison in it.

悟が大丈夫だと言うまで、我慢しよう。%K%P
Until Satoru thinks it's safe to do so, I'll have to bear with it.

私は『ちょっと食欲がなくって』と言って、そのまま部屋に戻った。%K%P
I told them "I don't have much of an appetite right now," and immediately returned to my room.

精神がずっと張りつめていたせいだろうか。%K%P
All the stress must have been getting to me.

暖かい部屋のベッドに寝転がると、いつの間にかウトウトしてしまい……、%K%P
I threw myself down onto the warm welcoming bed, and before I knew it, I began to doze off...

そこで、意識は途切れた。%K%P
I lost consciousness.