Volume 1 - CH 1.2

–There was a time when the word “world” was overused.

Abused, rather.

It was used to refer to small areas around us. Either that or everything beyond our reach. And sometimes, people confused the two and consumed the word.

And after a series of abasing, we reached a time when the world was defined as something we can shape with our hand.

“’The new virus is spreading, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is asking people to refrain from leaving their homes’, huh?” I muttered the news headline.

Step by step, I climbed the stairs and thought of the implications.

“‘Situation worsening’… This new virus… Another bad news for the stock market.”

Before I knew it, checking daily news had become my routine on my way home. News, video reports, columns, comments, commentary, all lined up on my screen.

My heart still pounded from Hamure-san’s confession. I could notice the unusual lightness on my steps. At least when browsing familiar forums, I had managed to calm down a notch.

“Oh, then there’s that summit meeting.”

With practiced swipes, I changed the filter to World News.

“Hm? Joint declaration… A de facto breakup, figures.” Well, just like I thought. No matter what, I couldn’t imagine those two countries working hand in hand anyway.

But today, I found that strangely relatable.

“Communication…”

Communication, an act of successfully conveying what both sides want…

Even myself was troubled by Hamure-san’s confession. The magnitude of complexity required to reconcile interests of two whole countries seemed impossible.

I sighed and lifted my eyes to see a narrow, winding road wriggling between old houses.

The town of Onomichi was divided into three main areas. The commercial area around Onomichi Station. From there, sprawled old residential areas, time-worned houses and temples rested on the slope of the mountain. Then there was the shipyard and another residential area on Mukaishima across the narrow strip of Seto Inland Sea.

My house was in the old residential area—which meant walking up the slope of this mountain. I had always thought the steps were annoying, but now that my mind had more urgent matters to attend to, I got more irritated at the endless slope.

Seeking solace, my eyes dropped to the World News page again.

People in the past used to romanticize the word “world”.

–A beautiful place out of reach.

–Somewhere far, far away, eternally unchanging exquisites.

The word “world” used to evoke such feelings.

But of course, that wasn’t the case. The world was fragile, ready to crumble without proper care.

That was what people nowadays think of the word.

I reached the familiar entrance of my house. I passed through a small gate like the houses of the dwarfs in picture books, and kicked off my shoes at the front door.

“I’m home–”

“Welcome back–” My mother’s voice came from the kitchen. “Eri-chan’s coming today. I’ve made dinner for her too, ask her to eat with us, will you?”

“Got it…”

I climbed a set of steep, ladder-like stairs and headed to my room. Three tatami-sized, barely large enough to call it a room. A compact desk, lean bookshelf, a TV connected to game consoles, the rest of the space was for the futon mattress. A space filled to the brim with basic necessities.

[TN: 1.76×2.64 m]

Since the house was in the middle of the hill, the area available was surprisingly small, when compared to a flat-land house. That was why such a dingy private space was allotted to a highschooler like me.

I slump down on the worn tatami, scrolling through more news. Among the seemingly endless titles—

“Wow, ‘The Heavens Council’ has done it again!” My body sprang up at the familiar organization name.

The news was about the democratization of a dictatorship in the Middle East.

Let’s see the details…

“‘Sup!” The door slid open.

“Could you at least knock first…”

“Why should I? You aren’t doing something weird, right?”

“Better than stumble into one…”

Ignoring what I said, the intruder went to the TV and snatched the controller without permission.

“Miharu, catch.” She threw the other controller at me.

Her name was Urabe Eri. She lived a few minutes’ walk from here. We had been together since birth. We were in the same class, and she would come to my house to hang out.

“Also, you reading news again?”

I grunted. “Give me a minute.”

“Make it quick,” she said impatiently.

“I said a minute.” I turn my back to her to stop the coming protests.

The democratization of a former dictatorship. With the help of the United Nations, they succeed in suppressing a military coup. Now that both sides appear to be on the right track, The Heavens Council had decided to back out of the situation.

The Heavens Council– this organization with a fancy name, was an up-and-coming think tank organization. Like this democratization, they led the seemingly impossible negotiations with ease.

But upon following their movements made me think that their ideals were different from my own. If anything, they weren’t exactly thorough. However, if they intervene, the situation does change for the better. So, I had no choice but to admit their capability. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration if I were to say that they were changing this world.

On the side note, many of their natures were unknown.

Establishment date, members, country they belong to, and so on were all unknown. There were even rumors that the organization was formed by a group of civilians.

“Amazing…”

I took my eyes off my phone and took a deep breath.

“If they are really civilians, how amazing must they be…”

Of course, there was a probability for a hoax. For example, a cover up for some country that owns the organization. After all, the organization was shroud in secrets.

Still, I hoped against everything that The Heavens Council were a group of ordinary people. 

—Ordinary people shaping the world.

That may have sounded like a dream, but in this day and age, such a thing may be possible, and I hoped so.

“What’s so amazing to have you freaking out…”

“Listen, this world has an amazing organization,” I began.

“Huh…” Her face told me she regretted asking. She rolled her eyes once and started the TV.

However, my attention was still on the article.

I wished I could influence the world like this one day. To me someone who could male important decisions for the world.

Well, I have to study, learn things, get out of this town, go to university–I have to have such a future.

That was why I couldn’t stay in this three-tatami room forever.

Urabe’s nudging brought me to reality. “Finished? Get on with it.”

“Roger that.” I tucked my phone away and picked up the controller.

“What’s the plan? We’re playing MagiGame?”

“Yeah, that. I found a defense method I wanted to try yesterday.”

“Oh, really–” Urabe fixed her hair as she said that.

The soft smell of shampoo waffled. I wriggled uncomfortably. An uncouth bumpkin I had known as a kid had been refined into a young lady in the last few years. 

Her sharp face was even more defined than before. With the touch of makeup and cosmetics, her long, slitted eyes became even more piercing. Her glossy black hair flowed beautifully. Her uniform was also immaculately kept. 

In no time, she had become a central figure of the main clique in the class.

To be honest… as someone who doesn’t like boisterous people, I have mixed feelings about that. I don’t think I’d like it if even Urabe turned out to be one of them…

But, putting those worries aside, she still interacts with me the same way. Maybe that was all that mattered.

“I’m breaking in—. I’ve got enough gauges.”

“‘Kay, I’ll take care of Mikoshi.”

“Thanks. The others should be there too.”

This has been our custom since elementary school. Every now and then, Urabe would come here to play games.

Everything was the same, down to her sitting posture–even though her skirts are getting shorter lately. Well, for my part, I can’t help but catch glances of her underwear… Can’t she pay more attention to herself…

“Ah, Miharu, the sniper slipped your way. Be on guard” 

“Really? Huh, you’re right!”

“They’re shooting.”

“I can’t hit them at all. Damn it, I won’t die here…Aaaah!”

“Ah… they got you already?”

“Sorry, do a follow-up for me.”

Urabe met up with the rest of the team and managed to set up a defensive perimeter.

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But… for some reason, I can’t seem to get into my usual rhythm. My aim was all over the place, movements sluggish. I even drag the team down by my opening shots.

The other team went on offensive, gaining more and more foothold.

“Ahhh, we’ve lost–!”

Game over. 

The judge character, Tori, declared the other team’s victory with cheery effects.

“Screw this–, what went wrong–!”

Much to my chagrin, Urabe explained our loss calmly. “Hmm? Well, we’ve been losing since the first stages. The second half was just defensive too.”

She could have at least consoled me a little. Then again, I liked her frankness.

“Well, to the next game–. This time around, I won’t mess up again–”

“–I mean.” She looked at me. “What happened, Miharu?”

“Huh? What happened?”

“You’re acting strange.”

“How?”

“Everything. You’ve been fidgety since a while ago. You’re crappy in the last game.” She scrunched her face a little as she inspected me. “What happened?”

My shoulders jumped.

Just when I thought I had gained my sense of normalcy. Just when news check and games with Urabe have put down the uneasiness of Hamure-san’s confession.

But…

“Hmph, I’ll take that as a yes.” She narrowed her eyes and frowned like an annoyed detective. “Miharu, you’re on pins and needles.”

“No, I’m not…”

“Don’t tell me…” She peered even closer.

I backed away nervously. “W-what?”

“You were confessed?” she asked

My expression probably told her everything. With such precise accosting, I could only keep my expression neutral for so far.

How much to speak, how much to hide…

I quickly search for an excuse, but, “Well, whatever.” She returned to the game. “Whether you’re confessed or dating someone, it’s not my problem.”

What…

Then don’t do that in the first place. I thought I was having a heart attack!

But, yeah.

I sighed.

That’s a relief.

Our relationship was ten thousands lightyears away from being a romantic one. Childhood friend romances were like stories from another world to us. That was also why this relationship was comfortable and had lasted this long.

“Aight, I’ll win this time.”

With that, I picked the controller just as the screen loaded the next match.