Again, it's Sunny Today
On the seventh floor of a certain building near Akihabara...
“Now, line up!”
“We have new issues today!”
“The end of the line isn’t here! It’s over there!”
“Copy magazines cost 100 Yen each. Please prepare 100 Yen coins so you don’t have any change.”
Jyuu was at a loss. He’d followed the notes and arrived at this place.
Countless long tables were lined up neatly in the venue. On them were various anime, manga, and doujinshi. This was probably what they called a doujinshi sales event. Jyuu knew at least that much—he’d seen it on TV before.
Why would we meet in such a place...?
He thought it was odd. Out of nowhere, he was handed a thin booklet, along with a note and a map on it. What he didn’t expect was that it was a catalog that also served as an admission ticket. By the way, he was here because Yukihime had called him to hang out.
“You’ll see something interesting!”
“I’m not interested.”
“You’ll be amazed when you see it, I promise.”
“How annoying.”
“No, I’m sure you’ll be impressed. I’ll stake my virginity on it.”
“Absolutely don’t.”
“Just come. If you don’t, I might show up at your house every night from now on.”
When he asked her more about it, he found out that she’d already invited Ame. Ame said that she’d go if Jyuu came, so it was up to him. In the end, Jyuu had no choice but to accept. He felt like he owed them a favor, so he thought it’d be okay to compromise to that extent.
However, this came off as a complete shock.
What was Yukihime thinking when she invited him to such a place?
He thought about going home, but he couldn’t calm down until he’d said something to the girls first. So, he decided to look for them.
Usually, Ame would be next to him, but she went there first. He could imagine the reason—this kind of event must be an irresistible source of entertainment for her.
Jyuu held back the urge to sigh and looked around the venue. The venue, which took up one floor of a building, was about the size of a gymnasium. Hence, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find them. Dodging the crowds of participants, Jyuu made his way through the venue.
Everyone was happily chatting away, picking up a doujinshi. The hall was filled with a unique energy, hustling and bustling. Jyuu felt completely out of place. As someone with no hobbies, he was a bit envious.
As he looked around, he noticed a crowd of people gathered by the wall. There were a number of people in cosplay there, and it seemed like a small photo shoot was taking place. They were all characters from anime or manga that Jyuu had never seen before. Clad in daring costumes, a group of women posed under the sharp focus of the camera.
From what Yukihime had told him, cosplayers at the venue were generally aware of being photographed, and the event rules allowed it—as long as permission was given.
Yukihime said that being photographed was quite entertaining. To fulfill the desire to transform, an audience was essential. The camera flashes flickered many times, as people enthusiastically took photos.
Again, Jyuu felt completely out of place.
“Hey.”
He turned around and saw Madoka standing there. The girl, who seemed as unfriendly as ever, had a big sports bag on her shoulder.
“Endo-san? You aren’t with them?”
Without answering, Madoka stared at Jyuu with disgust, then said bluntly, “
“...I see, you look down.”
“Huh?”
Jyuu couldn’t understand what she was getting at, but he said what he’d forgotten to say.
“I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused you this time. Thank you.”
“If you really feel bad, then cut ties with Ame.”
“...”
“Just kidding. That’s something you and that girl have to decide.” Madoka’s mouth curled up into what seemed to be a smile. “Those girls are over there.”
Then, she started walking. Jyuu followed her.
Madoka headed to a corner of the venue. It was a space with a particularly large crowd. It seemed like they were also having a photo shoot there.
“There they are.”
Madoka pointed to the center of the crowd.
“What are they doing over there?”
“They’re doing this for someone, so take a good look.”
What she said didn’t make sense, but Madoka didn’t seem interested in explaining anymore. Madoka pushed her way through the crowd and moved forward.
Come to think of it, didn’t Yukihime do cosplay...?
In that case, it was easy to guess what she was doing.
However, Jyuu’s guess was a little off.
Standing in the center of the camera lenses were two maids. To be precise, two girls dressed in maid outfits that looked handmade. One maid wore a white ribbon and cat ears, carrying a bamboo broom. The other, with a red ribbon and no cat ears, held a silver tray.
People were transfixed on their appearances. Jyuu was the same, but for a different reason.
“Those guys...”
Smiling and waving, the maid with the white ribbon and bamboo broom was Yukihime.
“Look this way!”
“Of course!”
“Please look this way too!”
“Okay!”
As soon as the camera lens was pointed at her, Yukihime immediately struck a pose. Such was her spirit of service. When Yukihime twirled a bamboo broom with one hand, everyone around applauded. Her innocent charm got the photographer excited as well. Up to that point, Jyuu had expected it to happen.
The issue was the maid next to Yukihime.
Ame was expressionless like a doll, and of course she didn’t pose. She just stood there awkwardly, holding the silver tray. However, her bangs were neatly arranged, revealing her face, giving her a very different impression. That one difference changed her usual gloominess into a solemn one. Just standing there, she became a beautiful picture.
If Yukihime was a cheerful maid who joked about her own mistakes in a humorous way, Ame was a very serious maid who faithfully followed her master’s orders. Yukihime was hit by the camera’s flash more often, but the person taking Ame’s picture kept clicking the shutter as if possessed.
A nearby woman sighed enviously as she looked at Ame. No wonder, even Jyuu, who should’ve been somewhat used to seeing her, was captivated.
So, that was the “interesting thing” that Yukihime was talking about.
Shifting his gaze, he saw Madoka standing a little distance away. She seemed like the type who preferred to keep a low profile. Just as Jyuu was thinking of moving over there, Yukihime spotted him.
“Hey, it’s Jyuuzawa!”
She was so polite as to point and call out at him, which made Jyuu resentful. The people around him were showering him with a barrage of jealous looks. Jyuu wanted to run away, but when he saw Ame notice him, he couldn’t.
He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to look pathetic in front of her.
The two approached Jyuu, who was acting confident and unabashed.
“How is it, Jyuuzawa-kun? This time, it’s the Magical Maid series. I’m Cookie, a clumsy maid, and Ame is her rival, Rachel. We’re both magical girls. There’s a lot of romance involved with their master.”
“Did you make that outfit?”
“Endo, Ame, and Hikaru-chan helped me out. So, Jyuuzawa-kun, what do you think?”
“It suits you.”
“Oh, you’re being honest today! Then, how about this one?” Yukihime pushed Ame’s back and led her forward in front of Jyuu.
Jyuu stared at Ame again. She stood there with a strangely tense look on her face. Combined with her outfit, she looked just like a maid waiting to be scolded by her master.
“...Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong.”
Jyuu felt like there were many things he should’ve said, but that was all he could say. With just that one compliment, Ame went red all the way to her ears. She looked down, either from embarrassment or joy.
Jyuu suddenly felt embarrassed as well, but there was nothing he could do. The two simply stood facing each other in silence.
It was only later that Jyuu found out that Yukihime had secretly filmed them like that.
After the two of them finished getting changed in the dressing room, the four of them went to a family restaurant near the venue.
They talked a little about the incident. Since that day, Jyuu hadn’t seen Kagami Sakura even once. The girl had moved to the countryside with her family as soon as she was released from the hospital. Apparently, it was to recuperate from her injuries.
Hearing this, Yukihime said, “Clearly, there’s some shady business going on with the accomplices, isn’t there?”
Madoka didn’t seem interested. Jyuu said nothing and Ame was also silent.
When they went outside the store, the hot sun was still beating down on them. Beside him, Ame had her usual annoying bangs. Her familiar hairstyle was a bit boring, but Jyuu didn’t dislike it. Cosplay wasn’t Ame’s usual interest; she had only agreed this time for Yukihime’s sake, making it her first time trying it. Why would she do such a thing out of nowhere?
Jyuu remembered what Madoka had said. Could it be that the two had cosplayed for his sake?
Could it be that Ame was doing it to cheer him up?
He’d always be bitterly reminded of his own incompetence in that incident. He also couldn’t deny it if she pointed out that he was depressed.
I guess she just couldn’t bear to see me like that.
He guessed it was Yukihime who came up with that silly idea. Still, did Ame believe it?
I bet she was being pushy about it...
Jyuu was surprised at Ame’s unexpected simplicity, but he didn’t necessarily think it was bad. It was frustrating, but it seemed their plan was a success.
Should I thank her now?
“You.”
“Yes, what is it?” Ame looked back at him seriously, and Jyuu quickly shifted the topic.
“...Uhm, wouldn’t you hate it if someone took your picture dressed like that?”
“Like... that?”
“What Jyuuzawa-kun wants to say is that they might be taking pictures for the purpose of wanking.” Yukihime explained to the puzzled Ame.
Jyuu vaguely acknowledged it, “Something like that...”
“I see.” Ame, who seemed a bit slow on this sort of talk, nodded.
“Are you okay with that?”
“Most of the cameras there were taking pictures of Yukihime.”
“Well, I think there were quite a few people taking pictures of you, too...”
“Really? It seems like there are some people who are into that sort of thing.”
Jyuu was astonished at Ame’s nerve to say that so casually, but it seemed typical of her.
“I don’t feel stressed about people taking pictures of me for that purpose. They’ll never be able to get hold of the real me. I think it’s okay to at least allow them to take photos and fantasize about me. It’s called mercy.”
That strange excuse was typical of Ochibana Ame. She hadn’t changed at all since they first met. For some reason, Jyuu was convinced that she’d probably stay the same.
Yukihime said that she was going to a store that sold old manga, while Madoka said she was going to a familiar store. So, the four of them decided to part ways in front of the station.
While shouldering a sports bag full of cosplay costumes, Madoka said, “Ame, your Otome Suikoden copies are at my home, but they’re all first editions. The first volume is also an autographed copy. Can I really borrow them? Aren’t they important?”
“I don’t mind. There are other things that are more important to me.”
“I see.”
Madoka met Jyuu’s gaze for just a moment.
It was difficult to tell if it was a positive thing or the opposite. Perhaps Madoka didn’t like Jyuu’s relationship with Ame very much. Maybe she thought of him as bad news.
If that’s the case, she’s right, Jyuu thought.
He might not be someone who could give Ame anything positive. Despite being aware of this, he tried to dismiss the thought. He was putting it on hold for the time being. It might seem like he was running away, but life wasn’t all about facing challenges.
“Hey, Jyuuzawa-kun, I have a small favor to ask of you,” Yukihime whispered while glancing sideways at Ame talking to Madoka.
“As long as it’s nothing strange.”
“It’s simple. Uhm, could you look over there?” Yukihime pointed to a convenience store on the right.
What is it?
Without knowing why, Jyuu turned in that direction. Then, something soft lightly touched his cheek. By the time Jyuu turned around in panic, Yukihime had already withdrawn.
“Let’s not tell Ame, okay?” Yukihime placed her index finger on her lips and winked. Smiling teasingly at the flustered Jyuu, Yukihime turned away. “Let’s play again next time!”
“Why, you...”
As if to evade Jyuu’s questioning, Yukihime ran off lightly.
Even from behind, he could tell that she was smiling.
I wonder what she was thinking...
Suddenly, Jyuu had a thought.
If angels were those who led one to success, then devils were those who accepted failures.
Between Ochibana Ame and Kirishima Yukihime, which one was the angel and which one was the devil? It was just a silly fantasy.
After a while, Madoka said goodbye to Ame and walked in the opposite direction from Yukihime. Her strides were big and gallant.
“Your friends are good people.”
“Those two also consider you a friend.”
“I see.”
That must be a good thing, I guess.
Jyuu and the others bought tickets, passed through the ticket gates at the station, and took the escalator up to the platform.
Since they got on the train at the perfect time, there was a seat available.
Jyuu put his luggage on the rack and sat down next to Ame. As the train slowly started to move, rocking him, he started to think about the continuation of the previous talk.
“Hey, where are we heading?”
After many failures, setbacks, and small successes, or false joys, where were they heading?
“This may not be the right answer...”
“It’s fine. I’d like to hear your answer.”
“Understood.” Ame nodded. “We’re heading toward ourselves.”
“Ourselves?”
“Yes, from the moment we’re born into this world, we’ve been moving toward ourselves. The more we live, the closer we get to ourselves. The more we live, the more we know ourselves. The more we live, the more we understand ourselves. That’s how it is, I think.”
“If you interpret it that way, then we only know 17 years’ worth of ourselves.”
“We’re still immature.”
“Yeah, we are.”
Jyuu liked Ame’s answer.
Whether it was right or wrong didn’t matter—what mattered was whether he liked it.
Jyuu still didn’t know what kind of person he was. He’d admit, he was still immature. He’d even accept it. That couldn’t be bad, right?
Perhaps because he was feeling a bit better, the rocking of the train felt gentler than usual.
The scenery passing by was ordinary, easy on the eyes.
For the first time in a while, Jyuu stared blankly at the sky outside the window.
The train ran past the clouds.
“Shall we talk about books?” Ame asked suddenly.
She must’ve remembered what Jyuu had said to her when they met in the library. She never forgot anything he said to her.
“For example, what kind of novels are there?”
“For novels, there’s the action-packed tale of a man who kills 100 million people with his bare hands, ‘The Nuclear War that Brings Happiness,’ which depicts protagonists suffering from starvation, or the comedy, ‘Me and Kubo,’ which has no dialogue. There’s also ‘Goodbye Humanity,’ a story about a baby who has been old since birth, and many others.”
“...Please give me the lightest stuff possible.”
“Okay then.”
Ame spoke clearly enough to not get lost in the noise of the train, but quiet enough not to be unpleasant. It was a story about a crybaby knight who saved people even though he got hurt a lot. Jyuu listened, wondering if it was a foreign fairy tale.
He remembered a long time ago, when he begged Benika to read him picture books. Looking back now, it felt like it was entertainment as well as healing.
Somewhere inside him was the person he was back then.
The person who was so scared of the world. It got light, it got dark, it rained, it snowed, it thundered, the wind blew, it got hot, it got cold, and sometimes the ground shook. This noisy world was scary.
Children cried out loud because they wanted everyone to know. It was because they wanted everyone to know how scared, sad, and lonely they were.
He wondered if the world was still scary even now.
I don’t know, but I guess I’ll figure it out somehow.
What a powerful way to live—he’d just let himself think that.
Ame looked a bit happy as she told the story, and as if he could sense that, a smile spread across his face. It was unconscious—it’d disappear if he became conscious of it.
The warm wind blowing in through the window ruffled her hair. The vibrations of the train swayed her body. Her voice shook his heart a bit.
Jyuu decided to listen to Ame’s story for a little while longer.