Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 8th Episode 29 (section)

=== Part 2 ===

The orange sun sank into the horizon, and the moon rose from the eastern sky.

The vividly shining sea fused with the night’s darkness, striking waves while reflecting the moonlight. She could feel the nighttime air had more salt in it than it did during the day.

At the coast in midnight, there were several sets of footsteps on the sand.

“So we didn’t need a flashlight after all. The moonlight’s enough.”

“I’m glad it’s so bright. We’ll be able to see the stars well.”

“Poor Kusuriya-kun, forced to carry all of it…”

“Hah, hah… four flashlights as well as midnight snacks and changing clothes and camera, and for some reason a pillow… if you pity me then at least carry your own—oh, everyone’s averting their eyes, so you’re not even going to wait for me. Haha, well, I don’t care anymore.”

All wearing rough T-shirts, Arisu, Ena, Takako and Daisuke (who was carrying several large bags) walked on the silent beach.

There were lanterns on the road along the beach, but perhaps it wasn’t being supplied with electricity, as none of them were on. Since the recreation facility was on the other side of the windbreak, the only artificial lights they could see in the distance were those of the observatory.

The observatory on the hill was apparently built during the time this was a communal facility. Apparently, it was used by the region’s university, and it obviously had function for observation as well as living facilities for the researchers. Since they were right there anyway, Arisu’s group decided to spend the entire night there.

“Do your best, Daisuke. We’re almost to the observatory!”

“You said the same thing an hour ago, Ichinokuro-san…”

“Sorry, Daisuke-san. I’ve never carried anything heavier than chopsticks.”

“I’ve seen you carry something heavier all day long countless of times, Kujou-san…”

“This is impossible… alright, I decided. Scold me as much as you’d like, Kusuriya-kun!”

“I can’t do it, not responding to Saionji-san’s expectant eyes is the minimal resistance I can do…”

With Arisu at their head, the four Horusu Seijou Academy students walked next to the water’s edge.

The gentle sounds of waves wrapped their loud conversation mixed with laughter and the pleasant silence that fell after they stopped talking.

Above their heads a sky full of stars could be seen. As if trying not to lose to the wave-rippling water below, the twinkling stars used the shining sky to present a great ocean of their own.

The happy stars cuddling next to each other in the night sky would begin to change their appearance soon.

Both the stars that were shining now.

As well as those who hid their glow.

They’d burn their lives at that instant, streaming down the surface with unprecedented brilliance.

Seeing the shiny, flowing stars, what would she think—

When that time would come, when she saw their lights—what would Arisu be thinking about?

She prayed.

She wanted to have beautiful thoughts that wouldn’t lose to the moment these comets burned out.

“—Aaah! I’m at my limits!”

The path of these four that moved in order was stopped by Daisuke’s shout.

“As long as no one takes their luggage, I’m not moving even a single step! If you still want to go, kill me first!”

Becoming desperate and yelling, the boy collapsed on the sand, looking up. Perhaps really tired, his tone while his chest moved up and down with ragged breaths was perhaps his true self.

Arisu put a hand to her hips and sighed.

“Geez, you’re so selfish. —Well, we have no choice, so let’s take a break here.”

“It’s almost time for the meteor shower to start. Oh, Daisuke-san, can you bring out the sheets from the bag? Enough for all of us.”

“Even if you don’t look at me with those wild animal eyes, my lap pillow won’t run away so relax, Kusuriya-kun! Ehe, you’re so greedy.”

“I’m telling you to carry your own stuff! Me? Am I the selfish one? —Wow, my body started arranging the sheets without me noticing! Come back to your senses, me!”

“Geez… alright, it’s fine like that.”

Seeing Daisuke punch himself in the stomach after laying out the sheets, Arisu drew back her brows.

Sitting on the sand, she lay herself back toward the sky.

For a moment her back felt cold as it touched the sand hit by the sea breeze. However, soon the heat that it accumulated from the noon sun seeped in and it became a comfortable bed.

The sheltered lady Takako was a bit apprehensive at first, but she exaggeratedly steeled herself and lay down as well.

Daisuke pulled in the sheets he was about to draw from the bag. Looking somewhat exasperated, he also slowly lay his back next to the three girls.

“…”

No one opened their mouth, as if they hadn’t been playful until then.

They didn’t need to speak.

They were all taken in by the sea of stars expanding above them.

As Arisu faced up, she could see nothing but stars, stars and stars.

What she was seeing.

What she was feeling.

Sharing those with all four there made her unbearably happy.

Arisu knew of no words to convey this unreasonable happiness, and felt she didn’t need to.

There was no need to pass them along.

They definitely already understood—

“So pretty…”

Everyone responded to Arisu’s words by sighing in agreement.

She was so glad she came there—

She really thought so.

It was definitely no mistake coming there with her important friends—

“Say, Ena…”

How much time passed?

Arisu’s mutter passed between the four people waiting silently for the moment stars fell.

“Sorry to keep you waiting this long—”

The words flowing from her mouth weren’t something she was conscious of.

The sound of shifting sand was probably Ena moving her face to look at Arisu.

“What me and Daisuke have been doing all this time—is over.”

“…Really?”

Ena’s voice was low. It was too sudden, so she was surprised.

Arisu too moved her neck, looking at the lying Ena’s face and nodded.

“Yeah.”

Ena’s expression finally moved. She smiled, looking happy from the bottom of her heart.

“Really? Really really?”

Arisu nodded again.

“Then we can all play again? Just like before, everyday—”

“Yes, right.”

She could hear a voice of agreement from nearby.

Next to Ena and Takako who surrounded Arisu, Daisuke also lay sprawled.

“This is a bit late, but… it’s really late, but I’m having fun too.”

The boy’s voice was calm—and was much more honest that even Arisu had heard before.

“Kusuriya-kun—”

“I’m dishonest, and never been kind to anyone… I was never someone who could be kind, but—I was happy you became something like my friends.”

“It’s not ‘like’, we’re friends.”

As Arisu said this, she could hear Daisuke make a small laugh. It sounded a bit abashed, so she realized it really came from his heart.

“I even thought that doing this—that staying here like this isn’t too bad.”

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Ena gulped.

“So—I’ll stay here.”

A small change appeared in the night sky that swallowed the boy’s pure voice.

“I also want to stay here with all of you.”

A small glow.

However, it was undoubtably the first one.

A belt of light crossed the sky that only had stars in it.

“Rea…lly?”

There was also a change on the surface.

“I—”

Ena’s hoarse voice was trembling as she held back her emotions.