Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 15 Epilogue (section)

== Epilogue: Merry Christmas ==

Kusuriya Daisuke pulled out his umbrella and stood at the plaza in front of the Ouka station.

There were many people around, coming out of the entrance with its decorated fir tree. A worker in a Santa Claus costume was handing out coupons in front of the station’s coffee shop.

Since the main functions of the country were moved from Akamaki City, the redevelopment of Ouka City was accelerating. Even here he could see that the roundabout in front of the station was currently being expanded. More bypasses were being constructed within the city and more residential neighborhoods were being built in the suburbs.

He even heard that GARDEN—Hashiba City—was advancing a large-scale redevelopment program. This time not for the Fallen, but as an actual, normal city for people to live in. The Fallen were all admitted into a large facility at Higano City, where they were now treated much more humanely.

The time was just around noon.

“…”

While being pelted by the rain, Daisuke waited for a certain girl.

They hadn’t decided on a time to meet or anything like that.

In the first place, he didn’t know whether she’d appear there.

After all, they only made a very vague promise.

''Let’s meet after a year''.

''I’ll end everything until we meet again''—he also swore this.

It was hard to say everything was solved, but he did feel like he did what he could. At the very least, there shouldn’t be anything that needed a Mushitsuki like him again. He was going to spend his life atoning for everything he should, and he was going to carry any and all misfortune that came to him on his own.

Therefore, he came here to fulfill their promise of a reunion.

Simply as Kusuriya Daisuke.

Believing his promised partner would arrive, he stood there.

He didn’t think she’d forgotten their promise.

However, whether or not she would come was a different issue.

Not only that, but she might miss Daisuke in this crowd of people. After all, Daisuke had no distinguishing features, and even his coat was plain. If there was any way at all to recognize him, it was probably only the band aid on his cheek—

“…”

The anxiety swelling in his chest melted away.

Daisuke smiled.

Among the many passing people, at the entrance to the station—

Stood a person waiting for him.

She was smaller than those her age and had a baby face. She wore the exact same ribbon as last year in her hair. Her cute coat looked a bit too big for her.

Anmoto Shiika.

The girl Daisuke first met five years ago looked at him and smiled.

Daisuke walked to the station.

Closing his umbrella, he finally reunited with this girl.

“…Err.”

This first pathetic voice came out of Daisuke’s mouth. Although he waited so long for today and was looking forward to meeting her, he couldn’t speak well.

He didn’t know what to say.

Or should he apologize? There were many things he needed to apologize for.

“Hello, Daisuke-kun.”

Perhaps not realizing Daisuke was stammering, Shiika opened her mouth first.

“It’s been a long time, huh.”

The girl grinned at him.

Daisuke and Shiika hadn’t met each other in two months. After the battle at GARDEN, they returned to their places—the SEPB or Mushibane—and never met since then.

Right, because they quickly parted back then—Daisuke hadn’t been able to apologize about the fact he was hiding that he was actually the Mushitsuki called Kakkou from her.

He deceived Shiika and he knew that she was deceived by him.

So before all else, Daisuke had to start by having her forgive him for that—

“We haven’t seen each other since last year’s Christmas.”

Shiika said.

There were tears in her eyes.

Surprised, Daisuke looked at Shiika.

She said nothing following this.

She knew everything—and yet said that Kusuriya Daisuke and Anmoto Shiika, who weren’t Mushitsuki or anything, met again for the first time in a year.

She was saying that she’d allow him to fulfill the promise.

“Yeah… Shiika.”

Daisuke nodded and smiled back at her.

Something heavy that he’d been accumulating for a long year—

Started slowly melting away with this warmth.

“I finished up my business… but are you fine, Shiika?”

“Yeah, it’s—fine already.”

Shiika nodded.

Looking at each other, only at this point he became embarrassed and averted his eyes. Shiika also blushed and looked away in a delay.

And then.

As their eyes met again—all anxiety and doubts vanished.

“Then—let’s go.”

As he took her hand, Shiika looked down bashfully. She might have nodded.

He had no idea what would happen from now on.

He had no idea where they were headed, and what conclusion awaited them.

Above all else, he didn’t know how to call the shape of their dreams.

“I want a place where I belong”—

All he knew was that both wished for this from their very hearts.

“Let’s start with lunch, then. Have you eaten yet, Shiika?”

“N-no. And after that, Daisuke-kun…”

“I remember. The amusement park, right.”

“Oh, but it’s raining, so I wonder if it’s fine…”

“They’ll probably have the parade. Also—”

There was only one way to make their dreams come true.

He could feel with his heart that the both of them walking side by side like this meant they went on the same path ahead.

Because they kept dreaming, got hurt, and especially because they didn’t give up despite that—

They could keep going even further.

“They’re saying it’ll start snowing this afternoon.”

Daisuke and Shiika smiled at each other, and while feeling each other’s hands’ warmth—

Vanished within the crowded station.

[[File:Mushi Uta 15 p375.png|thumb]]


<noinclude>