Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 1st Episode 02 (section)

===Part 2===

The Akamaki City municipal park had high pedestrian traffic even during nighttime.

Along the wide walkway, a variety of stalls could be seen. As the summer festival was approaching, there were also paper lanterns placed along the path. Amplifiers have also been installed every 100 metres along the path in preparation for live performances.

Still in their uniform, Arisu and gang were walking around the park.

“Is it okay for you to hang out so late? Won’t your parents scold you?”

From the back of the three girls, Daisuke’s sigh could be heard. His tone of voice was mild, unlike before at the hospital. In front of the other two, he presented a ‘normal middle school student’ version of himself.

“No problem~. I’ve already informed them with a call, so no need to worry about them being angry.”

The one who replied casually was Arisu. To her right, Saionji Ena nodded.

“Yup, yup. Anyways, for my family, unlike my sisters, I’ve always been treated with the attitude of laissez-faire.”

“That’s a problem in of itself…”

“If I am together with Arisu-san and Ena-san, my parents would not be that worried.”

The one grinning with a friendly smile was Kujou Takako.

After joining Ena and Takako at the hospital’s waiting area, the three of them decided to head here. At Arisu’s suggestion to ride the Ferris wheel, apart from Daisuke, the other two girls agreed readily.

“Is that so.”

Daisuke sighed again, not bothering to hide the look of annoyance on his face. With his mission to monitoring Arisu, he probably had to stay by her side at all times.

“Despite what Kusuriya-kun is saying…”

Ena approached Daisuke who was walking a few steps behind.

“In fact, you’re overjoyed, aren’t you? Being able to go on a date with three beautiful ladies. Don’t be shy.”

“Wai-… Saionji-san!”

“Come here too, Takako. Don’t let Kusuriya-kun escape!”

“Me? Erm, like this?”

Imitating Ena, Takako linked her arm with Daisuke’s.

“You’re so bashful, that’s so cute! Hey Arisu, how ’bout you let Kusuriya-kun to me!”

“Ari… Ichinokuro-san!”

Arisu looked frostily at Daisuke who was held on both arms by Ena and Takako.

“…What, you want me to join in too? Stop being so sleazy!”

[[File:Mushi Uta Bug 1st p071.jpg|thumb]]

“I’m asking you to help me stop them though!”

After walking for a few more minutes, Arisu and gang arrived at their destination.

In the large plaza, the extensive queues stretched so long that it resembled a snake choking its prey. At its front was the towering Ferris wheel.

With a diameter of 120 metres, the Ferris wheel was 130 metres at its highest.

When Arisu saw it from the hospital, the Ferris wheel was divided into six portions each lit with a different colour. However, it was completely blue right now, imparting a bluish glow onto the night sky.

“''Uwah''. So this is what a Ferris wheel feels like!”

“We are going to ride this, right. I cannot wait to try it!”

“Come on, stop sulking, Daisuke. Hurry up and join the queue.”

When Arisu called out to Daisuke, he looked back indignantly. It seems that he was still upset over being teased by Ena and the rest just now. Arisu thought about how he was weirdly childish in some respects.

Suddenly, Daisuke’s mobile phone rang and he picked up the call. As he spoke on the phone, his expression turned grave.

“What’s the matter?”

“Sorry, something came up. I need to return immediately, the three of you have fun.”

Saying so with a fake smile on his face, Daisuke promptly left.

“Eh? Kusuriya-kun isn’t riding the Ferris wheel?”

“What a pity.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter even if a guy like that is gone anyway. Let’s hurry up and join the queue.”

The three of them joined the snaking queue.

After waiting for around one hour, they could finally see the end of the queue. Daisuke had not contact them back at all, it seems like he has no intention of riding the Ferris wheel.

“My apologies, but, as there are only four seats…”

“What a bind, we’re in excess of one person.”

Discussions of what to do with the person left out could be heard from the attendant and the group in front. It was a group of five people of both genders.

“Sorry, Neiko. Is it okay if the four of us board first?”

“Eh…?”

They looked like they were from a band. The youth with a guitar case hanging off his back requested of the tall girl.

Arisu knotted her eyebrows with a ''muu''. Even though they were supposed to be one group, no one seemed to have any disapproval. Without protest from the girl, it seems to be decided. Leaving her by herself, the other four people got on the gondola.

The attendant approach Arisu’s group.

“Dear customer, there are only three of you, right? My apologies but… would you mind if the person before joined the three of you? As you can see, there’s still a long crowd behind…”

“Eeh?”

Ena raised a voice of dissatisfaction.

Arisu looked at the girl left behind, she seemed two or three years older than herself. She wore a shirt with a logo covered by a jacket on her tall model-like body. Her beautiful side profile was looking up at the Ferris wheel.

“We don’t mind.”

Arisu agreed while glaring at the previous gondola. The attendant seemed to sigh in relief while saying, ‘I apologise for your inconvenience’, as he returned to the gate.

“Why did you give him the OK, we don’t even know that girl… It would have been so fun with just the three of us.”

“What’s wrong with that. Wouldn’t you be lonely if you had to ride alone too.”

“Huh? In the first place, Arisu… what are you so angry about?”

“Well, I don’t mind it at all.”

As they were speaking, it came to their turn.

The next gondola descended and the previous occupants alighted. The attendant guided the tall girl called Neiko and Arisu’s group onto the gondola.

Having entered the round gondola, the attendant closed the door. The gondola ascended shakily with a ''gotan'', signalling that they had started moving.

The interior of the gondola had seats for two on both sides, for a total of four seats. Arisu sat next to Takako, while Ena and Neiko sat opposite.

“We’re moving, we’re going up, Arisu, Takako!”

“It feels kind of heart-pounding, doesn’t it.”

Ena and Takako looked out of the window in the direction of the sea in awe.

On the other hand, Arisu stared at the opposite side where the city was at. She could not see the hospital where they had came from yet.

“Aah, a bit more and we can see the sea. Come and see, Arisu!”

“It’s not like we know which direction the sea is at anyway, haha.”

The three girls were currently in high spirits, but.

“''…Haah…''”

Depressing.

A sigh as heavy as lead could be heard.

Still in the position with their bodies leaned forward, the three girls’ faces harden.

“…It feels like… I’m kind of tired…”

For a moment, they thought that an invisible ghost had spoken. As she did not have much of a presence, Arisu and the rest had almost forgotten about the other person.

In the corner of the gondola—which for some reason had its fluorescent light flickering—the girl who was reclining heavily on the seat muttered.

“…I just want to be at ease…”

It was the tall girl. Knowing nothing about her save her name Neiko, her forehead was pressed against the window, with her lifeless eyes just gazing down at the night scenery.

“''…Haah…''”

The temperature in the gondola plummeted.

“…”

Arisu and Ena wordlessly pulled themselves from the window.

“U-until we see the sea, I think I’ll just take a seat. It seems dangerous… to stick so close to the window.”

“That’s right. ''Aha, ahaha'', do tell me when you see the sea, Ena.”

“What’s wrong, Arisu-san? Ena-san too.”

Unable to stand the heavy atmosphere, Arisu and Ena forced a smile. Takako was the only one who was oblivious to the situation and looked at the two strangely.

Neiko was as expressionless as a doll. But, she was exuding a gloomy, a sort of ‘problematic’ aura.

All of a sudden, Ena’s eyes lighted up and she raised her body.

“Ah! Isn’t that the lighthouse—”

“''…Haah…''”

“I guess it’s nothing after all… even a lighthouse…”

Lowering her hand that was pointing at the lighthouse, Ena sluggishly returned to her former position. Only Takako, who remain unmoved in a certain sense, happily replied, ‘You’re right, I can see it’.

“''…Haah…''”

As silence returned to the gondola, only Neiko’s gloomy sighs could be heard.