Chapter 26 - Chapter-26~Makoto and Anri~

"'Well then, we're breaking up. Tomorrow is a vacation, but don't stay out too late. We'll continue to patrol the park as well."

After the teacher dismissed the group, almost all of the students who had gathered at the ȧssembly point began to move to re-enter the park.

We waited there until the flow of people calmed down.

The few students who remained were making plans to go somewhere after this.

Destiny is not the only place to play. There are many other places to play in Tokyo.

I'll have to find Mookie for Puggy's sake.

"Shinozuka, this time we'll find Mookie."

"Yes!　Let's take a picture and show it to Hizaki-san!"

We were about to head into the park when the teacher approached us.

Who also needed to head into the park to supervise the students.

"Hey, guys. Did you enjoy Destiny?　Oh, I don't have to ask anyway. It's written all over your faces. Did you get to meet Mookie? He's shy and he's a king, so make sure you find him."

It was kind of unusual. I never knew the teacher could talk so much. ...

Shinozuka asked the teacher a question.

"Mam!　Do you have any precious memories of Destiny?　You look so kind today!"

"Shinozuka, I'm always kind. ... Well, let's just say I have some memories. Hmm, I was flabbergasted a while ago, so I'll take some pictures of the park for him. ... You guys go ahead and get going. Don't be too late."

"Yes, mam."

"Yes, I understand!"

"... You've become so cute, even your tone of voice."

The teacher walked away from us, mumbling.

It is true that Shinozuka's tone of voice is always like this.

It's as if I've become somewhat younger, or more natural.

But I don't feel a strong sense of discomfort even when she's speaking in a strong manner.

I'm sure that's a part of Shinozuka.

I don't dislike either of them.

"What's wrong?　What's wrong Shinjo?　Hurry up and let's go!"

We entered the park and sat on a bench for the time being.

Everyone can become a resident of a dreamland. You can be kind. There are mysterious encounters.

"Oh, Pomeko, can Mookie teleport?　I thought I saw them for a bit at the parade, and then they were gone. Totally ..., no, wait?　The inhabitants of dreamland?　Then let's ask the inhabitants."

"Wait, Shinjo?　Are you okay?　You don't have to force yourself to find Mookie.　You can eat dinner, take a leisurely stroll through the park, watch the fireworks, watch the parade, and go home!

"... Is that what you call slow?　... Well, it's fun, so I don't mind."

As I looked around, I caught sight of Tacky taking a picture with a high school girl.

I don't know because I really had my eyes on him, but ... I felt like I did.

"I'll go ask him."

"Shinjo, I'm coming with you!"

Just as the high school girls disappeared, Tacky was alone?

"Mr. Tucky, do you know where Mookie is now?　I've been looking for him, but I can't find him. I need a clue."

"Wait, Shinjo, how would Tucky know?　　Come on, come on, let's go."

"Tanu?　... tanu tanu, tanu."

Tacky pointed to the sky.

The sky?　…I still don't get it, do you?

We had no choice, we would find them naturally rather than forcing ourselves to look for them in the large park.

"Shinozuka, I still don't get it. I've been looking forward to ... Shinozuka meeting Mookie since before the field trip. I'd like to do something about it, but ..."

"Mmm, thanks Shinjo, but I'm fine. You'll see me soon enough!　Let's go to a world you haven't seen yet!"

Shinozuka took my hand and started running.

"Hey, hey, wait–"

We could understand each other's feelings.

There are students from our school in the square, but it doesn't matter to us.

"No, I can't wait!　We only have a few minutes left!　Whoa!"

See, you're about to fall, aren't you?　We're holding hands so I can support you.

I can protect you because we're holding hands.

"You're so careless. I don't have much ... time left, but I'm always going to be next to ... Shinozuka.""

"Uh, uh, Nya, Nyanta is saying something embarrassing …"

"It's okay. It's too late for that."

Whether we were at the Space World attraction or eating at the World Restaurant, we never stopped talking.

"I got a message from Hizaki-san! saying that she made friends with a strange person after that and they're talking at Saigeria!"

"Yeah, she didn't say he was a friend, but ..., her message was terse, but I'm glad to hear she's doing well. It's gonna be okay."

"Yeah, I'm glad I had the courage to talk to her at that time. ..., otherwise we wouldn't have been like this.

Yes, we took action and that triggered the current outcome.

If I hadn't written the novel, I wouldn't have even met Shinozuka.

No, we wouldn't have even talked. ... ... you sure about that?

"What's wrong?"

I can't imagine a school life without Shinozuka.

I'm sure that even if I hadn't been writing a novel, I wouldn't have been friends with Shinozuka – no, I'm sure we would have been friends.

It doesn't matter what novel I wrote.

"Oh, maybe you're sad that Hizaki-san is gone?　Hmm, I ended up pining for Shinjo."

I shook my head.

"I'm fine with that as long as ... Shinozuka is around."

Shinozuka's face turned bright red as soon as she heard it.

She waved her hands in the air.

"Wha, what!　Shinjo ..., already ..., even if you say that, you're still friends with Hizaki-san, right?"

"Of course. She's our friend. ... It's hard to say, but Shinozuka is special to me. ... its funny, huh?　What am I even saying?"

We were sitting on the terrace of a restaurant at night.

We were talking and watching people pass by.

Everyone was smiling.

I'm sure some of them are going through a lot.

A smile can make people kind.

Shinozuka said to me as she played with her stuffed Mookie.

"Ugh, uh, wa, I ... too, and Shinjo is ... special. Oh, God, I'm so embarrassed, I'll stop it right there!"

"Oh, I'm sure–" "Hmm?　That's–"

I cut off the rest of my speech.

I saw a kigurumi that looked like a mookie in my line of sight.

(Kigurumi Japanese term for a costumed character. Cosplay pajamas)

Shinozuka stood up.

"Shinjo, it's Mookie!　Let's start capturing him!

"Not capture, but we must go now. This is our last chance!"

We quickly paid the bill and left the store.

"I think it went in the direction of the witch's castle over there!"

"Shinotsuka, don't run. I don't know what's going on, but I'm sure we shouldn't chase. Let's take a slow walk through the park."

"I see. Mookie will run away if he's being chased, won't he?　Yeah, let's take it slow!"

We stopped running and walked slowly towards the witch's castle.

There was a parade nearby, and the crowd was huge.

"There were so many people. I'm going to get separated from .... ..."

I took a half step closer to Shinotsuka. Our shoulders touch each other.

The hands that are holding each other become hot.

"Well, you don't want to get lost. ..., stay close."

Shinozuka silently gave a small nod.

I move forward to protect Shinotsuka from the crowd.

Families, couples, groups of friends.

I find a route and walk so that the crowd doesn't bump into Shinozuka.

Suddenly – the touch of my hand disappeared.

I was impatient. I let my hand wander in the void.

I hear a voice from a closer distance than before. At the same time, I felt a warm touch on my arm.

"I'm not going to get separated from you if I do this. ... ... Look ahead!"

Shinozuka wrapped her own hand around my arm.

All I could manage was a hoarse voice.

"Oh, uhm, don't leave–"

I could feel my body temperature rising rapidly.

and some emotion deep inside me was heating up.

Once we were safely through the crowds, we found ourselves in front of the castle.

Shinozuka and I were still holding hands after we passed through the crowd.

"Well, is it okay to stay like this for a bit? I think I got a little sick."

"Oh, yeah, no problem ..., but there's no one here."

There were no people at all in front of the witch's castle.

I'm not sure if it's the parade, or if they're trying to catch a ride during the parade. But still, there were too few people. It was as if ... we had our own special seat.

Shinozuka stared at the witch's castle and muttered.

"Today was fun. It was really fun. I never thought I'd have a friend." ...

"... was fun too. I've never had so much fun in my life."

"Heh, when I saw Shinjo for the first time, he was smiling so much, but he had a smile I didn't like, you know?"

"Shinozuka was also very hostile and intimidating. It's a Yankee thing."

"... Yes, there are miracles, aren't there? I couldn't believe in anyone but my family.

"I couldn't trust anyone but myself."

"But then we…"

"I found a friend I could trust."

What's this feeling that's rising up from deep inside my ċhėst?

Shinozuka is a friend. She's an important, important friend.

I can't think of any other emotion than that.

The emotions I had bottled up in my heart were about to burst forth.

I thought I had lost all my feelings.

But I was a human being, too.

You can't lose your emotions.

I met Shinozuka, and…

The sound of a parade could be heard from afar.

Shinozuka and I listen to the sound with our arms around each other.

Maybe this is the time to be happy.

Can I–can I be happy?　

Shinozuka's voice trailed off.

"Oh, fireworks, ..., beautiful…"

A firework went off in the sky.

Shinozuka looks up at the sky.

"O..Oh, it's really–it's beautiful."

Shinotsuka looking at the fireworks was so beautiful.

It's so beautiful that it's hard to believe it's from this world.

It is so dainty that it seems to vanish into thin air.

….. Ah, a special friend – that's why.

Shinozuka noticed my gaze and looked at me.

"What?"

"—-ei?!"

With a shout, she hugged me.

The beating of my heart quickened.

The softness and warmth of Shinozuka's embrace calmed my heart.

She whispered as she buried his face in my ċhėst.

"'... I feel calm when I do this. I can forget everything. ... Because Shinjo is my special – my precious – one. Only during the ... fireworks."

"—-Ah."

I closed my eyes and hugged Shinozuka gently.

The feeling that came from my heart – I felt like it could heal everything.

You can forget about the past.

I never thought I could love someone so much.

I could hear the sound of the last fireworks. It was as if they were celebrating us.

I couldn't lie to myself anymore.

Shinozuka is my most important friend, and the person I love the most in the world.

The sound of the last fireworks ended.

We let go of each other's bodies without a second thought.

With the Witch's Castle at our backs, we both look out over the Destiny World.

–This will be the place where we remember each other.

Even though we are separated, our hearts are still connected.

"Shinjo ..., hey, can I call you Makoto?"

"Yeah, I'll call you Anri, okay?"

We laughed at each other like crazy.

We laughed and laughed as we always do. No, I think we've bonded more than usual.

"Anri, let's go home soon."

"Yes, Makoto, let's go!　Oh, by the way, I didn't see Mookie. ..."

I had been feeling a strange presence around the door of the witch's castle. I'm sure the absence of people was due to this presence.

I was too scared to look, but…

"Anri, over there…"

"Oh, it's Mookie!　Come on, Makoto!

We ran to Mookie, hand in hand.

We're both laughing at each other.

I was afraid of being alone in the world.

I couldn't let my feelings be destroyed.

I thought I could never heal my wounded heart.

–I thought my heart was broken and it was too late.

I didn't think I could find someone to love.

I couldn't trust anyone, but then I met Shinozuka.

That's why I shouted as I ran.

"Anri!　Thank you for meeting me!　I'll always be next to you!"

"I'll always be next to you too, Makoto!　I won't leave you even if you don't want me to!　I'll never leave you!"

–It's not too late.

It's not too late. We're starting from here!

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~To be continued~