Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 10 Chapter 4 (section)

== 4.00 The Others ==

The boy violently washed his face in his bathroom’s sink using both hands.

“…”

Raising his face, he saw his wild dog-like eyes reflected in the mirror. Rubbing the towel over his face, he next took the piercing left nearby and put it on one ear. Rubbing hair wax all over his hands, he set his hair backwards.

Exiting the bathroom, he wore the hoodie he took out of the closet. Without even turning back to the silent room, he exited.

Walking through the corridor, he could hear robed boys and girls conversing.

“We gotta finish up demolishing the northern area today.”

“I’m sure Kanon-sama’ll be happy if we finish it according to schedule.”

The boy kept walking, expressionlessly, and rode the elevator. He also heard a few boys talking inside.

“Kanon-sama listened to me yesterday. She told me that if I have any food, I’m welcome to come and share it with her.”

“Seriously? What did you talk about?”

“I told her about the time I became a Mushitsuki. Since she asked me so earnestly, I just ended up ranting, though. I wonder if she’s mad.”

“Me too. She listened to me and always greeted me the several weeks after. She remembered my story… I was so happy.”

“…”

The boys riding the elevator with him all wore casual clothes. He put on his hood at a corner of the elevator, hiding himself, and they didn’t seem to notice him at all.

The elevator reached the first floor.

The remodeled love hotel Castle’s main hall appeared in front of him. Taking away all unneeded facilities, the now empty space had a carpet laid on it. An extravagant throne was left on the top of the large stairway, waiting for its master.

“…”

Standing in the main hall, he looked up the ceiling that had an atrium.

The figures of believers were displayed on the monitors hanging from the walls and around the chandelier. They finally installed electricity, so the security cameras all around the Abandoned Land were now active.

“Kanon-sama’s going to wake up soon. How’s breakfast going?”

“Done. Since this morning it’s her favorite hot cake, she’s sure to be happy.”

“Hey, you. If you’ve got nothing to do, go wake up Kanon-sama.”

Being called by a robe-wearing boy, he turned around. He gazed at the boy with a hunched back.

“—Sorry, dude, but I’m in charge of demolition work at the northern area today. I gotta hurry.”

“What? It’s way past the start time, hurry along.”

“I know. By the way, do you know where Nii is?”

As he asked in a low voice, the robed boy tilted his head.

“Are you a newcomer? Never seen your face.”

“I know all about you, Hachijuusan.”

He smiled while casting his gaze down. The robed boy thought a bit and frowned.

“Ah, now that I think about it, I have the feeling I’ve seen you before. —Anyway, I saw Nii outside.”

“Thanks.”

Putting both hands in his hoodie’s pockets, he tried exiting the Castle.

However, he soon stopped. He spoke without turning back.

“Say, Hachijuusan.”

“Hmm?”

“Your dream is succeeding your parents as a veterinarian, right? Well, you said you gave up on it ‘cause you failed your exam and even became a Mushitsuki, though.”

“…Why do you know about it? Have I ever spoken to you before?”

Staying hunched, the boy smiled within his hoodie.

“It’s fine. You might’ve lost your confidence a bit, but the people around you know a good person. You can just take your time. You’re kind, so you’re bound to become a good veterinarian.”

“…”

“I wanna have a Yorkshire terrier someday. And if it ever gets hurt… I’ll definitely bring it to you.”

There was no answer.

Had he said nothing because he’d already gone somewhere? Or so the boy thought, but there was finally a voice behind him.

“…Oh, really?”

After his somewhat absent-minded reply, he kept going with a voice full of tears.

“Then I can’t help it… even if I thought to save my first appointment for Kanon-sama.”

The boy kept walking. He walked to the exit of the Castle. Weaving through the door that before this was just an automatic door, he exited to the outside.

A dusty wind welcomed him.

In just a short time, the scenery of the Abandoned Land viewed from the Castle changed completely.

The buildings around were all demolished and the land had been made flat. Rows of houses were destroyed and mountain of ruins and cables piled up a few dozen meters tall.

Another tall building had been rebuilt, becoming the believers’ living quarters. They now swelled to several hundreds, so the mansion gathering them that still had some space remaining in it was in the center of the Abandoned Land. The only buildings that remained scattered here and there were a karaoke and a playground, a gym and the like; all sorts of recreational facilities.

Kanon and the believers finally gained the entirety of the Abandoned Land.

With great amounts of money that came from who knew where they bought the entire of this vast land. Everything around the area belonged to the person called Kanon.

“…”

He saw an old car parked near the Castle. The believers fixed up this car that was left in the Abandoned Land and used it for shopping.

There was a boy yawning and leaning on that car.

It was Nii.

Although he’d once belonged to the SEPB, he’d lost all of his comrades while fighting against a single Mushitsuki. Although he was usually withdrawn, just the other day he gave his comrade’s Mushi to Kanon, and looked as if he took off a bit of the load off his shoulders. Recently he began helping the cleaning of the Abandoned Land along with the other believers.

“Can you drive that?”

The boy approached Nii, pointing at the car.

“…Hmm?”

“Here, get in the driver’s seat.”

Pushing Nii aside, the boy entered the passenger seat.

The boy smiled through the window as Nii raised his brow.

“Let’s go, Nii.”

“Who are you?”

“Hurry. It’s an order.”

Removing his hoodie, the boy looked up at Nii’s face. Nii gasped.

“…! You…!”

“Nii.”

He added, and, although Nii was puzzled, he got in the car. Closing the door, he started the engine.

“Hurry up. Push the gas. Let’s get out of the Abandoned Land.”

Nii obeyed the boy’s words. Stepping on the gas, the car they were riding rushed through the center of the Abandoned Land.

The scenery of the Abandoned Land seen through the passenger seat—looked, ironically, full of hope.

Despite it being early morning, the many believers were working on the Abandoned Land. All of their faces were filled with strength and many wore bright smiles.

Smiles.

Those who once gathered there with the same kind of despair, became able to smile at their one and only thread of hope.

People sharing the same pain and living with the same hope in their chests were brought together.

In this land, no one threatened them.

Once called the Abandoned Land, it was becoming a paradise for Mushitsuki.

“What does this mean? What’s the deal with your getup…?”

Nii, holding the wheel, was staring at the boy’s face.

He smiled. He spoke not with his fake low voice, but his original tone.

“I wasn’t trying to deceive you or anything like that.”

Right, he had no desire to deceive them.

Regarding this matter alone, he told no lie.

They all just misunderstood this on their own.

“—Kanon doesn’t remember ever saying Kanon was a girl.”

The boy sitting in the passenger seat—Kanon—returned Nii’s gaze.

“It’ll definitely be your turn next, Onii-chan.”

“What?”

Kanon’s clenched fist on his knees were shaking.

He couldn’t properly look at the faces of the believers smiling all over the Abandoned Land.

The hope they all believed in didn’t exist anywhere—

He knew that, and yet thought it was fine as long as they were happy.

However, that now came to an end.

“—Let us run away.”

Casting down his gaze, Kanon spoke in a shaky voice.

The false paradise streaming by the window looked very scary to his eyes.

“If we stay here, Tama-chan’s lie will get everyone killed.”

Kanon’s small, simple lie.

It no longer belonged to him.