Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 2nd Episode 06 (section)

===Part 1===

The sound of waves crashing flowed from the speakers installed throughout the facility.

Harsh sunlight filtered down from around ten metres off the ground.

The smell of chlorine wafted over in place of the smell of the sea in the direction of the sandy beach beyond the shimmer of hot air.

“Come on, next up is this!”

Atop a man-made hill, Ichinokuro Arisu declared jubilantly. Before them was the mouth of a tube-shaped water slide.

Next to her was Saionji Ena, whose fists were clenched as if she could not stand to wait. On the other hand, Kujou Takako looked at the scenery below absentmindedly. The two of them were also from Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School, and were Arisu’s classmate.

“I’ll slide down at the speed of light!”

“''Yahoo!''”

“''Yay!''”

Arisu punched her fist into the air and Ena jumped ecstatically. Takako beamed along with them.

“''Haah''…”

The sigh came from Kusuriya Daisuke who stood behind them. Making sure that Ena and Takako could not see, he displayed a frank bothersome look.

There was a line of beach demarcated by concrete and a pool. Further in was a man-made hill next a small castle. Various shops lined the walkway and the latest pop music streamed from someplace.

They were inside the indoor dome water theme park, ‘LUPY’. It was a popular all-season establishment located next to Akamaki City at Kurobishi City.

Making use of their holiday, Arisu and the rest came here to ‘LUPY’ to play.

There were two factors that led to their decision. One was that Takako’s father had received free tickets due to his corporation being the sponsor for the facility. The other reason was—.

“Are you all ready? What will be our order of attack?”

Arisu held back her enthusiasm and turned around. After much indecision, she had chosen to go with a two-piece swimsuit with floral design on a white base, and short pants paired with miniskirt. In her hand was the free pass she had received from Takako.

“How about Takako be first to go occasionally?”

Ena suggested, smiling mischievously dressed in a neon bikini. With her short hair and slender body, she exuded the impression of a healthy feline beauty.

“You mean me? But, I feel a bit nervous.”

Takako gently tilted her head. With her appearance of a twist bra swimsuit with a pareo around her waist combined with her tall stature amongst the three, it would not be strange for people to think that she was a high school student.

“…”

Daisuke stared at another direction in thought, looking completely uninterested. He was dressed in pants and singlet, a waist pouch hanging off his midriff.

“Then, Kusuriya-kun shall decide!”

“Eh?”

He immediately lifted his face in surprise at Ena’s statement. His lack of attention was blatant.

“Kusuriya-kun is first up! Or is it that… you want to slide together with me?”

Ena interlocked her arm with Daisuke’s. From the back, they probably looked like a couple going to slide down alongside.

Daisuke nodded his head flusteredly.

“N-no thanks, I’m fine. Erm… I go by myself.”

“There’s no need for you to be shy.”

Ena puffed up her cheeks.

Arisu laughed grinningly.

“Then, I shall go next. I’ll catch up immediately and kick you straight to purgatory.”

“Coming from Ichinokuro-san, it sure doesn’t sound like a joke…”

In reality, the slender and light Arisu descended the slide smoothly without stopping. Right before Daisuke exited the slide, she caught up brilliantly and succeeded in booting him into the water with her entire body weight.

After that, the four of them had lunch before tackling all the various attractions. Their last station was the man-made beach known as ‘Twilight Beach’. It was a wave pool complete with a waterfall on a plastic rockface.

In contrast to the still-lively girls heading towards the beach, Daisuke looked completely bushed.

“Once we conquer this area, our conquest of ‘LUPY’ would be as good as finished!”

“Preparations for attack are ready, Captain Arisu!”

“It’s complete~.”

Behind Arisu and the rest who were posing, Daisuke raised his eyebrows.

“What conquest… Hmm? Isn’t there still one place left? I recall it’s a haunted house called ‘Horror Laboratory’—”

“''Arisu Straight~!''”

“''Ena Bodyblow~!''”

“''Erm… Takako Kick~!''”

Spinning around, the girls’ attack beat into Daisuke consecutively. Holding his cheek and stomach, Daisuke mumbled, ‘E-even Kujou-san…’ with his shoulders shivering.

The girls had an implicit agreement to treat the attraction known as ‘Horror Laboratory’ to be off-topic. In other words, ‘Such a place does not exist, consequently, none shall speak of it’—even for the three girls with varying personalities, that was a common viewpoint they all shared.

They then proceeded to the beach with smiling faces, as if nothing had happened.

“Come on, Daisuke. Stop dillying-dallying around and come over here.”

“Whose fault do you think that is… No thanks, I’ll just take a break here. Don’t mind me and have fun.”

Hearing Daisuke appeal for a break, Ena grumbled unhappily, ‘Eeh? You’re not joining us, Kusuriya-kun?’ Arisu had no choice but to stay behind as well, leaving Ena and Takako to head towards the beach with disappointed looks.

Daisuke breathed out with a ''phew''. Replacing his phony smile with a look of disgruntlement, he sat down at the edge of the empty beach.

“I know exactly what you are thinking right now. ‘Tch, why do I have to come to place like this. Now is not the time to be playing around’, or something like that, right.”

Arisu sat down next to Daisuke.

The sunlight streaming down from the ceiling along with an unnatural light shone down on the two of them.

It was the morpho butterfly. It fluttered down energetically onto Arisu’s shoulder, as if ridiculing the large number of man-made objects in the dome.

“If you knew that, then how about having some self-awareness about your own position. There’s got to be a limit to your lack of tension, geez.”

Saying so, he laid down on the beach. Using his arms as a pillow, he just stared at the ceiling.

''Mushi''—an existence that possesses people and feed on their hopes and dreams. Although the government officially denies their existence, the morpho butterfly belonging to Hanashiro Mari is in fact an actual Mushi.

When Mari left the world due to her illness, she entrusted Arisu with the morpho butterfly. Meanwhile, Kusuriya Daisuke belongs to the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, a governmental organisation tasked with capturing and isolating Mushitsuki. Thus, his reason for staying by Arisu’s side was to monitor her.

“The one who needs to be more self-aware is you, Daisuke.”

Arisu said with a sigh as she looked down at him.

“What do you mean by that.”

“Ena and Takako were worried over how you looked so listless the past few days. It was also for that reason that they suggested to come here, for you to cheer up.”

“Hah? Who are you saying is listless?”

“Both in school or at home, you seemed to be in deep thoughts and wouldn’t even respond when someone call you out. Of course, they’d be worried.”

“No one asked for their concern…”

Daisuke turned to face the opposite direction, shielding his face from Arisu’s view.

“What do you mean no one asked for it, idiot Daisuke! In any case, you’re probably fretting over what happened that time, right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s useless to feign ignorance. I’m talking about the uproar that occurred at the Central Headquarters. You’re still bothered over Aki’s betrayal of the SEPB, right.”

His reticence all but affirmed Arisu’s words.

Arisu had tagged along with Daisuke to visit the Central Headquarters of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau the other day.

Over there, Arisu witnessed the uprising of the inmates at the Central Headquarters—as well as the betrayal of Aki, one of Daisuke’s comrade.

“I thought that he of all people should have understood…”

After a brief silence, Daisuke muttered.

“Dreading the Mushi and fearing the organisation… Even in the gathering of cowards known as Central Headquarters, I thought that he alone was different. And yet, just what is the idiot thinking.”

In a tone of annoyance, Daisuke narrated. His heavy injuries sustained during the uproar was treated on the spot by the Mushitsuki with a restoring ability, Nene.

“I also can’t read the Central Headquarters at all. Despite their severe dogma regarding failures, they didn’t even dish out a single punishment for me who failed so spectacularly. In the first place, why the heck did they even assign the mission of investigating Hanashiro Mari’s Mushi and Central Headquarters’ own mission to me who belongs to another jurisdiction? …Damn it, nothing’s gone well at all ever since I came to Akamaki City.”

It was rare to see him to vent his frustration. He must have been pondering about this all by himself this whole time. Arisu uttered amazed.

“Stupid Daisuke.”

“Wha-…”

She pointed her index finger right before Daisuke’s nose as he turned over.

“Setting the other matters aside, it’s very much your responsibility that Aki turned that way.”

“How is that my—”

“You said he alone should have understood… how and what is he supposed to have understood. Have you ever had a heartfelt talk with him? He said this to me: that no longer understands what you are thinking.”

Seeing him widen his eyes, he must have been shocked.

“See, you didn’t understand his feelings either. No matter how long you guys were war buddies for, there are plenty of things that you wouldn’t know if you do not speak out.”

Daisuke kept silent.

You wouldn’t know if you do not speak out—at her own words, Arisu turned to look at the morpho butterfly on her shoulder.

Mari too had departed without saying anything to Arisu. What was she thinking about at that moment, Arisu had no idea at all.

A shrill quarrelling voice reached the two who fell into taciturnity.

“Why don’t you understand no matter times I repeat myself!”

“W-why is Kou-chan shouting!”

“That’s because you are being so wilful!”

“Wah, Kou-chan is angry! It’s over for us!”

A bit further from the beach, a young couple was quarrelling in front of a tropical juice stand.

The taller one was a boy who looks to be in the upper grades of primary school. His face, which looked like it would be popular amongst the girls of his class, was presently distorted in anger.

On the other side was a petite girl. Her hair was tied above her left ear, and she wore a two-piece swimsuit adorned with a belt. As she was covering her face with both of her hands, her face could not be seen.

“—Mari?”

Arisu raised her face.

The morpho butterfly had suddenly flew off. Flapping its wings towards the couple, its silver scales glistened in the light.

“Kou-chan is an idiot!”

Culminating with that shout, the girl ran off.

The boy yelled at her to stop with an ‘Oi!’, but the girl appears to have no intention of stopping. He then sighed deeply and stood on the spot hanging his head.

Unrest sprouted in Arisu’s heart. She felt like she must not leave the girl be just like this—.

“Daisuke!”

“What is it.”

“Go and bring the boy over!”

Arisu got up and chased after the girl. Daisuke eyes immediately widened.

“Wha-… What the heck are you thinking! We have no business with those people!”

“It will be dangerous for her to run in that condition! Just do it, I’m counting on you!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me, why do I have to—”

Not heeding Daisuke’s protest, Arisu ran. As if guiding her, the morpho butterfly flew in the direction in which the girl vanished.

She ran past the boy who just stood there motionlessly and squeezed into the walkway filled with people.

However, her footsteps stopped instantly.

“Eh…?”

It was a mysterious scene.

In the crowded dome, a pocket of deserted space suddenly appeared.

At the centre of the space was the familiar-looking girl. The tottering steps of the girl was directed towards the ‘Horror Laboratory’ that was dyed bright green from the moss growing on the walls.

Goosebumps rose all over Arisu’s body.

“…!”

An unsettling chill assaulted her, feeling as though there were insects crawling about on her back. Her heart thumped wildly, and all her sense were screaming at her to leave the place as far as she could.

<br>

''—Diorestoi’s Mushi… are just hindrances.''

<br>

Arisu widened her eyes.

A cold voice flashed through her mind like lightning. The voice sounded familiar, but also very low and devoid of any emotions.

''What was that voice just now…? More importantly, what’s with this place—.''

However, the oppressing atmosphere disappeared without warning.

Looking back, she found the girl lifting her head in wonder. She was looking up at the morpho butterfly releasing a silver glow.

“Butterfly…”

As if it was just an illusion, the walkway returned to its original state. The girl joined the queue for the ‘Horror Laboratory’.

Coming to her senses, Arisu lined up next to her.

“Hey, you. Are you alright?”

“Eh?”

She looked up at Arisu with tear-stained eyes. Her rotund facial structure was somewhat cute.

“W-who are you?”

“Ah, don’t be scared. I just saw you fighting with the boy just now and… was worried for you.”

She looked at Arisu in a shock before the tears welled up in her eyes again.

“That’s right, Kou-chan yelled at me. He probably hates me now.”

“Ah, ah, please don’t cry, okay?”

Arisu promptly pacify her, barely stopping her from bawling out her face. However, she was still leaking some sobs, ready to burst into tears anytime.

Other customers began lining behind them, urging them to proceed along with the queue.

Looking up at the ‘Horror Laboratory’, Arisu’s cheeks started to cramp up. —Since young, Arisu had been afraid of the spiritual phenomena which are not affected by material means.

“H-hey? Wouldn’t it be better to for you to calm down at a different location? You see, this looks like a very scary place. I-I’ll be fine, but I’m not sure about you.”

“…”

“Aren’t you guys a couple? In that case, I think it would be better for you two to have a composed dialogue.”

“We can no longer talk to each other.”

However, the girl did not leave the line and proceeded forwards.

“Kou-chan is going to a faraway place tomorrow.”

She said with a sniffle.

''So, that’s the case—.''

Arisu made a guess behind this small couple’s circumstances. The two have been together for some time, but the boy is going somewhere far and the two will be separated. The reason could be that his parents were moving or something like that.

Arisu stooped over with a smile and wiped away the tears welling up in the corner of the girl’s eyes.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Isa Himeko…”

Biting her lower lips, Himeko answered.

“Himeko-chan.”

Arisu flashed her a grin.

“…Do you really intend to enter here? Are you sure you are not doing so in desperation?”

The girl looked up at the ‘Horror Laboratory’ palely. With each step, the entrance became more and more like a doorway to hell.

Following her gaze, Arisu’s face turned pallid as well.

“I-I’m going in…”

“You can’t be hasty, okay. Being young as you are… you ought to withdraw from such a fin de siècle and dangerous place as soon as possible.”

With both of her hands on the girl’s shoulder, Arisu spoke gravely. However, Himeko’s face turned into a smile instead.

“You know, this is the place where Kou-chan and I had our fateful encounter.”

“Fateful encounter?”

“It was just last year, when we were still in primary four. When I came here with father, the one who sat next to me was Kou-chan. When I was scared… I got mixed up and grabbed onto Kou-chan accidentally. When I apologized, he just said, ‘Nevermind’, and smiled at me. The Kou-chan at that time was so, so cool! So, I immediately confessed and got his number!”

“You immediately confessed… I see that the recent primary schoolers are extremely proactive…”

“I was born in this world to meet Kou-chan! I was often told that I am very timid and reckless, but whenever I think that Kou-chan would be by my side always from now onwards… I get so happy.”

Just as she said, she had a look of happiness on her face. Being gushed with talk about the power of love, Arisu was the one blushing instead.

However, a shadow came over Himeko’s expression.

“Kou-chan is a quiet but extremely kind person. Even though he always forgives anything I say… maybe he doesn’t like me anymore? Seeing how he got so angry…”

“What did you say to him, Himeko-chan?”

“I said that I am going to go with him together.”

Himeko said decisively, causing Arisu’s thoughts to come to a stop.

“C-can you repeat that again?”

“I told Kou-chan that I would go along with him! It’s not impossible! And I get along so well with Kou-chan’s father and mother too…”

“That… seems kind of impossible, isn’t it? You see, there are lots of problems—”

About to continue, Arisu swallowed her words.

Tears starting welling in her eyes again. Watching her grit her teeth, Arisu realized it.

Himeko herself knew the absurdity of what she was suggesting. However, she probably couldn’t give up on him despite knowing that.

“Kou-chan also said, that it’s impossible… But then, we’ll be separated like that. I don’t ever want to be separated from Kou-chan! Kou-chan too, he didn’t say anything more… surely, he must be sick of me… Not to mention, if he knows about that secret, I’m sure that Kou-chan would…”

Unable to hold back her tears any more as she speaks, Himeko bawled. Arisu couldn’t anything other than stroke her head while holding her.

A sound rang out from pouch hanging by Himeko’s waist. It was most likely the sound of her ringtone.

“You’re not gonna pick up?”

In response, Himeko only pouted and averted her face. Left with no choice, Arisu opened the pouch and retrieve her mobile phone.

“Hello.”

When she pressed the button, she was greeted by, ‘…Are you the person called Arisu?’, in a voice of a boy with his voice unbroken. This must be her boyfriend.

When asked about their present location, Arisu informed him. With that, he curtly cut the call after a, ‘I understand. I will come and fetch her.’

“He’s coming to fetch you.”

Arisu said so to Himeko as she ended the call, but she still looked incensed.

Eventually, the two of them were right at the front of the queue.

Standing in front of the mossy building, Arisu and Himeko could not reply when the staff asked them to show their passes.

“H-hey? How about we at least wait until he comes?”

“I-I don’t care about Kou-chan anymore!”

“Please don’t trouble big sister like that… please…”

Like this, the two girls were pushed into the attraction by the snaking queue behind them with frozen expressions.

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