Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 1st Episode 04 (section)

===Part 2===

As usual, Mari’s morning began with emptiness again today.

“Your complexion does not look very good, you should get some more sleep.”

The attending doctor mentioned, looking at the glass bottle on the shelf. Apart from his usual sigh upon noting that the number of tablets has decreased, he had nothing to add.

The sound of the door closing seemed to ring especially loud in the silent room.

“…”

Mari’s chest-length hair fluttered in the wind blowing through the window.

Last night’s ''hunt'' did not bore any fruit as well.

Unable to find the Mushitsuki of interest, she had just turned another Mushitsuki into a Fallen.

In the room devoid of people, the sound of Mari grinding her molars reverberated.

If his words are true, then he must be in Akamaki City… yet why can’t I find him!

Putting strength into her fingers, she dug into the sheets.

The answer had been apparent to her. Just the number of Mushitsuki alone are already much lesser than that of the residents of the city, and to find a specific person from within such a small group would be a nigh impossible task.

Mari’s morpho butterfly had the ability to sense other Mushitsuki. If not for that, it would have been impossible to search for Mushitsuki in the first place.

Despite this natural conclusion, Mari could not bear the frustration. Even though she had not expected it to be an easy task, the impasse caused her to be extremely chagrined.

Mari sunk into the bed, covering her head with the blanket. Irritation and impatience shook throughout her body.

“Mari.”

A voice called out.

She was no longer surprised by now. The young man in the white coat appeared out of thin air seated on the visitor’s seat.

“Why don’t you at least take a break for tonight and not go out? At this rate—”

“There’s time no left!”

She bellowed unexpectedly loudly from under the sheet. She could hear the young man gasp.

That’s right. I do not have much longer.

The days of emptiness and boredom were coming to an end. Mari felt that clearly.

She shuddered heavily. It was different from the trembling due to irritation earlier. Unconcealable terror and unease ate into her, causing her to cling onto the sheet shivering.

“I can feel the strength slowly sapping away from my body! More so yesterday than the day before yesterday, more so today than yesterday…! Surely tomorrow would only be worse! Just what is with this body! What is it so broken and tattered! Why is it only me…!”

Mari’s words broke down into weeping.

I’m afraid.

Afraid of dying.

I fear that I’ll just disappear like that without leaving anything behind, without anyone knowing and without anyone remembering me.

Like that, it’s as if I did not exist in the first place—.

The thoughts that went through her mind caused chills to run down her back.

I don’t want that… I’m right here. Hanashiro Mari is right here.

The more she thought, the more she could feel the despair creeping up on her.

I’m right here… in this small room where no one comes, no one knows about…

Those words did not come out. The anger which has transformed into fear causing her to shudder now turned into sadness. Under the blanket where light does not reach, only Mari’s sobbing sounds leaked.

I want to become Patricia… I don’t want to die yet…

If Mari was the protagonist of the fairy tale, she would have chosen the angel’s potion.

It was not like she had anyone precious anyway. There were also no one who cherished her as well. If so, wouldn’t it at least be fair for her to be freed from the fear and unease of death? Despite there being so many people who were enjoying their life unknowing of her suffering outside the windows from which she could see—.

“…Someone give me the angel’s potion… please…”

Mari pleaded hoarsely.

“…”

The young man did not say anything. She could easily imagine him gnashing his teeth in exasperation at his own lack of power. But, just that would not bring any salvation to Mari at all.

“Hey… please…”

Mari’s groans reverberated in the empty room.

—While in the midst of crying, Mari fell into slumber.

She awoke to the light knocking on the door.

“…”

Mari lifted her blanket and raised her upper body.

It was probably just a consultation by the attending doctor, she thought. Usually he would just enter without making any noise. She made sure that there were no more traces of tears on her cheeks and confirmed that the young man was not around.

After crying out loud when she had felt like crying, she felt much more at peace now.

No, she could still only feel a void in her chest.

—In the end, what would happen will eventually happen. That’s all.

Narrowing her eyes, she gazed at the scenery beyond the window. The figures of the birds soaring through the sky appear faded through her eyes.

As she waited, she heard another knock.

“…?”

Mari creased her eyebrows. If it was as usual, the attending doctor would have just entered without waiting for Mari’s permission.

Then, she could hear someone muttering from behind the door.

“Maybe she’s sleeping… if so, I’d feel bad to wake her up just because I came. After all, first impressions are the most important… no no, it’s not like I’m here for a matchmaking or anything…”

Mari raised her eyebrows even more.

What…? What is outside the door?

“It can’t be, could she have collapsed… no no no, that can’t be… but, but, in the off chance that that’s so then I can’t be waiting here!”

Thinking that the voice started to turn urgent, all of a sudden, the door opened violently with a ''paan''.

“…”

Mari stared at the rare visitor in amazement.

“…”

Still holding onto the door handle, the visitor gawked back at Mari.

“……”

With the two staring at each other, an awkward silence descended between them.

…Who…?

Mari’s mind was filled with many question marks. But, they were all blown away right after.

“…Hello!”

As if trying to hide her eccentric behaviour, the girl exclaimed with a large smile on her face.

Mari could only stare back at that unblemished smile without making a word in return.

That was the first meeting between Mari and that girl, Ichinokuro Arisu.

“Erm…”

That was all Mari could squeeze out. She could not even comprehend what was happening at the moment.

I think you got the wrong room—.

Before Mari could say that, the girl just entered the room without her approval. Carrying a bouquet of flowers, she looked around the room curiously before walking briskly to the basin.

“I thought that you might have collapsed so I just entered thoughtlessly, but I’m glad to see that you seem to be in good health. I did wanted to get something other than flowers, but a fruit basket seemed to be too commonplace so I decided not to. So, please tell me your request today, then you can look forward to it the next time. I’ll leave these flowers here, okay. In any case, that sure is a peculiar flower vase.”

“…”

She moved around while talking to her heart’s content, not minding Mari who was too stunned to do anything.

Whether it was the fact that Mari was currently hospitalised as she was not in good health, or that the ‘vase’ wasn’t a vase but a water pitcher, the girl’s overwhelming presence brilliantly swept them all aside. Even the fact that the way she arranged the flower made it look like an unspeakable horror to Mari who practised flower arrangement since young did not seem to register in her.

With nimble and lively movements, her healthy and youthful looks was dazzling. Her long glossy hair extended beyond her neck, looking as smooth as silk. Her stature was smaller than that of Mari and she wore the uniform of a certain school.

“Erm…?”

Mari began to feel slight annoyance at this girl who was walking around the room as if it was her own, ignoring the owner of the room. Creasing her eyebrows, she repeated in a stronger tone.

Finally, the girl released a breath of relief as though she had completed her work. She then sat down the visitor’s seat without permission and faced Mari with a smile.

Her worriless smile and big eyes seemed to suck the dejection out of Mari.

“Nice to meet you, Hanashiro Mari-san.”

[[File:Mushi Uta Bug 1st p191.jpg|thumb]]

Mari widened her eyes. It seems like she had not entered the room mistakenly.

“I am Ichinokuro Arisu. Your classmate, the first seat number among the girls.”

At those words, Mari remembered.

The uniform worn by the girl called Arisu was none other than that of Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School. The uniform that Mari had not had a single chance to put on ever since enrolling.

At her sudden self-introduction, Mari was flustered.

“Ichinokuro… Arisu?”

Mari repeated the name of the girl. Even so, she did not recall that name. After all, she had not attended school for even a day.

Mari swept aside the hair coverings her eyes with her finger. She glanced at her knees as though to avert from Arisu’s gaze.

Why did she… come here? We have never even met before, right…?

It had been a long time since she met someone of her age, as well as to speak face-to-face like this. Mari realised that she found it hard to deal with such unfamiliar visitor.

“I’m sorry. I don’t even know the names and looks of my classmates…”

In contrast to Mari’s disappearing voice, Arisu was smiling happily.

“I know. That’s why, nice to meet you.”

Arisu grasped Mari’s restless hand with both of her hands, causing Mari to jerked back her shoulders in surprise.

“…”

Mari glanced at Arisu’s face timidly and she looked back with a grin.

There was no way Mari could win against her. Giving in with a smile, Mari muttered in a soft voice.

“…Nice to meet you too.”

Arisu beamed when she heard that. Just slightly, she looked relieved.

According to Arisu, she had always been concerned about Mari who had not turned up even once since school started. She was curious about just what kind of person was Mari, who had not appeared even after two semesters.

“But, why did you come all of a sudden…?”

In response to her question, Arisu was hesitant for the first time.

“That is… there was a transfer student.”

“Transfer student?”

“And then, it was decided that the student would use your desk.”

Mari widened her eyes. She seemed to hear something in her heart crack.

She smiled sadly.

No one knew of my existence… No one even remembers me.

The scene materialised in her mind. A long vacant seat being occupied by somebody else, returning the classroom to a state where students chat happily—that is indubitably the scene of the original classroom where Mari did not exist.

It is as if I did not belong anywhere from the very beginning—.

Her hands gripping the sheets trembled.

“But, don’t worry! After I strongly protested to the teacher, they agreed to provide a new set of desk and seat for that student!”

Arisu said forcefully.

Mari raised her head in astonishment.

“Eh…?”

“After all, it’s weird if you think about it. Even if you were missing for a while, you are still one of our classmates. To take away one of our classmate’s seat like that, that I absolutely cannot agree with!”

“…”

Raw emotions rised up from Mari’s chest, dyeing her vision completely white.

She was one of their classmates—Arisu had stated that unquestionably.

Arisu prattled on passionately along with some hand gestures, not seeming to notice Mari who was struck speechless. She spoke about how she had argued with the teacher, as well as the voices of the other students who agreed with her. And how she then thought of coming to visit her, along with her indecisiveness when it came to choosing the flowers to her internal conflict on whether to open the door or not. She also shared how she had rehearsed repeatedly in her heart so as to not appear rude when meeting her for the first time.

Mari was so overwhelmed by Arisu that from the start till the end, she could only answer with either ‘yes’ or ‘is that so…’.

Their strange one-sided conversation continued until the nurse came in to inform Arisu that visitation hours were over.

“Is it okay if I come tomorrow too?”

Standing up from the chair, Arisu enquired forthrightly.

“Eh…”

Mari was confused and could only hem and haw. To this question which she had heard for the first time, she could not think of how to answer her.

“You… don’t have to come if you’re not free…”

She answered unconsciously in a soft voice. Irritation and an unfamiliar peculiar feeling rocked her heart.

Anyway, she only came here out of politeness—.

Mari placed her hands on her chest, trying to suppress her conflicting emotions. Arisu looked on curiously.

“Why? There’s no problem on my side. If so, then see you tomorrow.”

Leaving those words, Arisu left.

In her place, the attending doctor arrived. After the usual consultation, he left with a ‘good night’.

As the time for lights out came, the room was wrapped in darkness.

However, Mari was not in the mood to sleep.

Just what is that girl…?

Even after Arisu had left and even during the consultation, Mari was in a state of slight panic.

Visiting from out of nowhere and then saying whatever she wants. Mari could not understand in the least what were Arisu’s true intentions or objective. Why would she come to visit someone whom she had never met ever before? Why did she spoke with her so familiarly?

“Ichinokuro… Arisu.”

Without realising it, she said the name of that girl out loud.

“Looks like someone came to visit you.”

“…!”

From who knows when, the young man in white coat was sitting on the visitor’s seat. Although already used to his sudden appearance, his abrupt arrival caused Mari who was deep in thought to stiffen.

“Aren’t you glad, Mari.”

The young man gave her a smile.

Mari could feel her cheeks heating up. Turning to the other side of the bed, she averted from his gaze.

“There’s nothing to be glad about…!”

“Why not? Aren’t you happy?”

“Happy? …That’s obviously not the case.”

Saying so, Mari realised the reason for the irritation that half-filled her heart.

“I was portraying to her a side of me that looks fine…! In any case, it’s not like that girl came here to visit me for anything other than pity!”

Her face twisting, Mari said harshly.

In her eyes, the figure of Arisu was very dazzling.

But on the other hand, Mari was certain that in the eyes of Arisu, she was only a target of pity. She was pained by anger and frustration when she thought about things like that.

If only I was like that girl—.

Mari could feel somebody whispering in her heart. But, she did not want to admit that that was just her true feelings, as doing so only made her felt more mortified.

“I’m sure all she felt was pity… seeing someone like me, an unfortunate classmate…”

Spitting out those words, she bit her lips.

Did Arisu only felt pity towards her?

Those large black eyes. Did they even see Mari with such gaze of pity even once?

The more Mari questioned herself, the more irritated she felt about herself who can’t help but think pessimistically.

“Wouldn’t it be great if she came back again.”

“Not like she would come again—”

Retorting reflexively, she was suddenly struck by a coughing fit.

She quickly raised her body, reaching for the water pitcher. But, right before she grasped it, her hands stopped.

“''Kh…''”

“I guess you can’t drink it like this.”

The young man burst into laughter.

The water pitcher was stuffed with flowers that were in disarray, with no thoughts to balance or colours.

Her face blushed red, Mari curled up on the bed.

Even as the night grew deeper, Mari was yet to be struck by sleepiness. In her mind, her conversation with Arisu repeated vividly, winding back to the start whenever it ended.

Still one of our classmates—.

“That’s right, I still have a place of belonging… right here…”

Mari muttered repeatedly till the early morning, when her consciousness was transported to the land of dreams.

By the time she woke up, the sun was already high up in the sky.

The midday sun’s ray blew away her sleepiness at once.

“As it looked like you were having a good sleep, the morning check-up has been skipped.”

The attending doctor who accompanied the nurse serving lunch said so with a smile. He was looking at the glass bottle on the shelf, which contents had not decreased since yesterday.

“…”

As time passed, Mari could feel her temper rising. Having used up more energy thinking about needless things, she managed to finish up her lunch cleanly despite not being able to finish even half usually.

It was now afternoon.

The young man in a white coat appeared out of nowhere as usual next to Mari who was reading the “Potion of Magic”.

“Your complexion looks better today.”

“What do you mean by better, there’s no such thing. Thanks to a certain somebody, I even forgot to go out last night. Even though I don’t even have a single day to waste…”

“I wonder if that somebody would come today?”

The hand turning the page came to abrupt stop. In the first place, Mari’s head was in the clouds and she could not absorb the contents of the book.

In fact, that was all Mari had been thinking about. She already knew that it was futile to expect anything, and that the more she looked forward to it, the more disappointed she would feel when she did not come. In that case, it would be for the best if she did not expect her to come in the first place.

“Didn’t I already say that she would not come? Yesterday’s visit would have been more than enough to satisfy her. By now, she have probably already forgotten cleanly about me.”

“Is that so?”

“How many times do you want me to say it.”

For a while, Mari and the young man’s squabble continued.

She’s here.

Unaware of the internal struggles in Mari’s heart, she appeared right on time as if it was completely natural.

A knock came from the door.

The figure of the young man immediately disappeared, leaving behind only Mari alone.

Another knock rang out to the stiffened Mari. And then, a voice came from beyond the door.

“…Maybe she’s still sleeping… It wouldn’t do for me to wake her up. But, but, what if…”

If this continues, the door would be flung open violently again in repetition of yesterday.

I wonder if she’s trying to repeat this routine everyday—.

Mari thought while watching the door in a daze.

Everyday—.

As Mari closed the picture book,, the various dissonances in her heart vanished as though they were just illusions.

As she watched on, the door sprang open explosively.

“Good afternoon.”

Mari greeted Arisu who burst into the room with a smile.

She looked surprised for a moment, but immediately returned a smile.

“Good afternoon!”