Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko:Volume4 Chapter3

Chapter 3 - Skyward Tomorrow

Q: Please select the appropriate words to fill in the blanks.

[ ] x [ ] x [ ] = [ ]

[Touwa Erio]

[Old Guy]

[Astronaut]

[A grade schooler human]

[My amazing mom]

[Kashiwagi the environment destroyer]

[Training at the park!]

[Okay, fine.]

[Need to work hard at scavenger hunt]

[The same thing]

I fought with my classmates a lot.

But this was the first time the teachers and mom found out. I tried to not let my face get hurt, but the other person happened to have longer nails; she left some scratches on my face. Thanks to that, I was summoned to the staff office.

Sitting in his chair, the teacher interrogated with crossed arms. We called him Baldie behind his back. He always has a blank look, and he never hid his bias for students he liked, so almost everyone hated him. The kids he liked would try to fit in, saying how annoying he was. Grade schoolers were terrifying.

The girl sitting next to me lowered her battered head, her mouth shut with tears almost falling out. She started it, so it should have been a simple matter. She kept quiet, apparently comprehensive of the situation. Behind her was her mother with both hands on her shoulders, who seemed to have been called to school for the first time ever. With an anxious look, she appeared mindful of other teachers’ gazes, lowering her face every time when someone looked.

Mr. Baldie sighed, and then he glared this way. He demanded an explanation from me with the expression. I wanted to look away, but I held it in and glared right back.

There were plenty reasons for the fight. She called me a bastard child, my eyes and hair disgusting, and then she pulled my hair. But I didn’t want to say anything, and kept my mouth closed.

Of course I couldn’t say anything — not with mom here.

Mom too didn’t say a thing. But she wasn’t looking around either; she paid attention only to the scratches on my face. The look she had, the ‘Gosh! How dare she hurt my Erio’s face! I’m going to steal some skin from that kid and put it back on her face!’ vibe. It’s a little embarrassing getting stared at like this. Mom unsettled me far more than the teachers did.

The teachers asked with a deep voice, ‘we won’t know unless you say something,’ to intimidate us. The other girl shuddered, looking at her own mother for help. Her mom was troubled by the eyes of the angry voice; she urged with a look. But like something’s stuck in her throat, the girl glared at me with teary eyes.

It’s never gonna end. I was bored out my mind, wondering if it would end sooner.

This really is minuscule compared to the universe itself.

Calling our moms over just because of a fight, they ought to stop overreacting. This is why Baldie is so unpopular. I hate him, because he made fun of my family being single-parented. So I talked back, and we’ve never been friendly since then.

By the way, I also hate the dad that I took after.

“Um…”

Mom’s hand up popped off, in contrast to her humble voice. The teacher was baffled by mom’s abrupt comment, but asked her to speak up anyway.

Upon hearing that, mom smiled slightly.

“I’m making dinner right now. Can we go home now?”

All three people except me were speechless. I wonder what’s for dinner.

That’s just how mom is. There’s nothing surprising there.

When no one moves, she does — that’s what my mom’s like. It’s a bit childish, but speaking up to get things done and hating unnecessary stuff is what I love about her the most.

‘No can do, I want to listen to what they have to say,’ the teacher said so strictly to deny mom of her request. ‘Mm~’ she moaned quietly.

“Mm… All right…”

Oh, she’s totally not listening. When she nods like that, she’s never listening. That’s just how mom is: She never listens to the other person if it doesn’t help her.

But that’s what I love her (you already know). How my-mother of her.

“Then punish them both. See ya.”

With a grin, mom pulled me up from the chair. As I looked up, she joyfully rubbed my head, ‘we haven’t walked home together since parent visit day.’

Holding my hand, she led me outside of the office. Still smiling, she paid no mind to the teacher’s yelling. I expected no less from my mom.

My grades are going to look horrible this quarter, but that’s fine.

Onto the hallway, mom looked down with eyes only slightly ajar; she never stopped beaming. I thought she would scold me despite sounding so gentle; my teeth clenched, and my lips pursed.

As though waiting for me, she spoke shortly after.

“You’re good at fighting, aren’t you, Erio.”

Her hand began swaying with those words.

Her grin seemed proud.

My preparation was for nothing.

Regardless, I don’t know why, but tears burst out as I sniffled to hold them in.

“Uuu…” I tried.

I am Touwa Erio.

A human grade schooler with hair and eyes from out of this world.

Stars in the expansive sky covered my every dream.

And they are there, every night, in the great heaven seen from my yard. I could almost sense the depth of it, standing in the autumn breeze. Clouds thin like pie crust scattered lazily: It wasn’t a night perfect for stargazing.

“Don’t be out for too long. Erio being sick = Mom not working.”

“Okay.” I answered mom, whose head poke out of the living room.

Almost every morning she complains ‘Ugh… My head hurts. It hurts so bad it’s like a superpower is going to split it’ ‘My tummy hurts~ I’m staying home’ like a stubborn kid. I think that’s why Tamura Obaa-chan always treated her like a kid.

Mom neither yelled at me nor asked why we fought. She put a bandaid on my face, and that was it.

She would probably listen if I were to speak up, but I didn’t want to. I talked about the music test instead during dinner. The recorder’s sound that I made, the clam soup in my lunch having sand, and some such prattling.

I always sit across from my mom when we eat in the kitchen. There’s no one else, but that’s okay. It’s always been like this, and I love mom too. She often talks about her job; she runs a snack shop and that’s awesome.

“I just hired a part timer today. She’s so young that not even the whole Zodiac would put her on my age. Eek, that’s scary!”

My house is always so rowdy because Mom is as loud as five people (according to Obaa-chan).

We had ginger grilled-pork for dinner. It was great.

“Back to business.”

Stargazing resumed. That sounded poetic.

I thought that the sky was covered by earth during the day, and space during the night. Currently it was the universe.

Staring at the firmament filled with my dreams and goals never bores me.

I must go there one day, I thought passionately.

“Hooah!”

My hand pointed to the brightest star.

I want to be an astronaut. Not many are like this, but this town is an exception.

The universe seemed to tangle itself in this place we live — it’s even been called the town of aliens. Thanks to that, people treat me like an extraterrestrial. I don’t like it either, but there’s nothing I could do about it.

‘You’ve grown so much,’ is how mom might put it.

My hair, carried by the wind like a pendulum, stroked my ears. I shook a little from the tickling.

“Erio, come on in if you’re getting cold.” Mom slid the window open and spoke. I turned around startlingly. S-she’s watching this entire time.

“Mom will warm you up with some cuddles. Come on in.”

She beckoned, and squeezed at an invisible me.

“Mm~ Just a little more.”

“Erio’s is already rebellious! Mm… It’s still too early. I don’t remember using an accelerant...”

Mom’s head retracted into the windows; she shut the window and rolled over to the corner of the room. Her dark, indigo hair mimicked her rolling about. I walked a few steps forward, eyes tracking her head. As mom rammed her head onto the wall, my right hand landed on the window. In the light of the living room, my blurry face appeared on the glass.

“Mm…” I imitated mom in the staff office.

I picked up the hair that’s recently been cut.

“It might be a little too short…”

I cut my hair because it was difficult to move around with. But that’s not what I was concerned about.

My eyes stared at the colour of the hair and eye cast on the glass.

Azure blue.

There was no one else in the school with this hair colour — It drew everyone’s attention.

A lot of people who’d met me said ‘you look like an alien.’

The phrase baffled me more than the colour itself.

Space isn’t aqua-blue, so why do people think my eyes or hair look alien? Does such a thing exist in the human genome? Had previous humans encounter aliens before? Were those aliens emanating aquatic light? I’d like to meet them then.

But there’re only humans around me.

When the time is right, though, I’ll find them myself.

“If that were to case…”

The problem right now would be—

My life on this planet had recently became a little rougher.

I run to school every day.

It’s essential for any aspiring astronaut, the lady at the science museum told me, to have stamina. So I ran — sprinted.

“I’m going!”

As I was on my way outside this morning, mom peeked her head out from the depth of the hallway and said something other than ‘careful on your way there.’

“How about if mom gave you a ride there?”

“Okay.”

Some days — usually when mom overslept — are like this.

I braked on my shoes, stepping stationarily while waiting for mom. It was a good day out: A blue day without much cloud — Tonight should be perfect for stargazing.

“I’m excited.”

“Seriously, you’re too excited on a weekday, Eri.”

As I began standing on my toes periodically, mom yelled at me. It’s not the kind of anger that I should feel bad for though.

Mom dragged the bicycle out of the shed. On days when I go to friends’ houses or whatever, I change the bike’s seat height and use it too.

The coloured bicycle named Legend Colour was the birthday present I asked for last year. I heard astronauts need to speak English fluently too, so for the sake of my English I speak it often now.

Mom straddled onto the seat before handing me the yellow helmet inside the basket. The school mandates all students to wear them when biking, not that anyone really listens. Still, I couldn’t just say no when my mom handed it to me.

I quietly put on the oversized helmet and adjusted the strap. Mm… If it could cover my hair, then it should be perfect. I recalled the fight; I thought how uncomfortable sitting quietly was. Pain rippled from my cheek when I went to scratch it. Oh yeah, I got hurt on my face. The bandaid must be stuck on my pillow after I rolled over last night.

I let my backpack into the basket and sat down on the rack behind mom; my arms reached around her stomach. She’s has a very slim waist. I have to say that everytime. We kids have it rough too.

“Where to, dear customer?”

'Where to, dear customer?

Before we head out, mom jokingly asked with her foot on the pedal.

“Mm~” I contemplated on a cool or funny line, but nothing came to mind. I would totally hop into the basket and yell ‘I wanna fly!’ but I couldn’t stand the embarrassment.

The basket isn’t a place for a human.

“Uu~ Uu~ Uu~”

I pondered so hard that I even groaned.

“Mind if you leave it to me, dear customer?”

“Mm…”

Not only did she play taxi, Mom also played boatman. I felt like I was the king of all transports.

She began moving; our bicycle gradually accelerated. The wheels played out a light tune.

“Ahh~ The weather’s so nice. I wanna travel somewhere instead of working.”

Mom looked around, her eyes squinting from the sun.

“Didn’t we just go?”

We had a five-days break two weeks ago, and we went to a sea-side hotel. That was the end of September, and mom insisted on going to swim in the sea. After about three minutes of free-styling she crawled back up, freezing.

‘The sea is a demon’ escaped from her clattering teeth.

“Meme-chan loves traveling, so of course I’d go when I have the chance to.”

Lulala~ Lula~ Lalala! Lulu~La~La~ La~ She sang. What’s amazing about mom is her ability to not care about what the neighbours we passed think. She’s so cool. I don’t really get what she’s saying though, but I guess that’s what you call ‘grown-up talk.’

I rubbed mom’s back with the cheek that’s not scratched. Though I felt only the clothe from her back, I felt that no matter how hard I press onto her back, she would always hold me up. I was overjoyed.

“Eri, where do you want to go?”

Mom, stopping her song halfway, asked while turning the bicycle right, away from where she works.

“But Mr. Money went away, so I guess we can’t go anywhere for a while… Hehehe…. Ahem…”

“Mm?” I wasn’t thinking about something clever this time.

I had a place in mind, but I hesitated to say it.

And I too wondered if I could even go there.

“Space.”

“What~ There’s no hot spring there.”

Mom pouted disappointedly. Looks like she wants to go to a hot spring this time. I could easily imagine my mom swimming in the bath when no one else is around.

After the right turn, the straightway connects to the main road. It’s a real road where cars drive on, not like the one in front of my house that only has bicycles. It’s hard to picture the two streets being connected.

The main road is where elementary school kids, middle schoolers and high schoolers could see each other. It’s a convenient road, but apparently a lot of car accidents happen here. The teachers occasionally put out notices for us to be careful.

This was actually not the way I take to school, but it’s fine since mom is with me.

“Erio.”

As we sped past the cross walk when the light began flashing, mom spoke to me.

“Mm?”

“Are you going to fight again today?”

I paused my fussing. As if silently confirming the voice from mom, I put my ear onto her back.

She must have personally brought me to school because she wanted to talk about this.

“If you’re gonna fight, leave it to after school. Mom will help.”

She cheerfully declared, and rang the bicycle bell. No one was in front of us.

“Mm…”

We passed the sidewalk; I didn’t know how to respond, so I let out an ambivalent moan.

“Heheh, how could any grade schooler survive Meme-chan’s straights?”

“Tokiwa-san from sixth grade apparently is over 170cm.”

“Still not a problem!”

She let go of the handlebars, reaching both hands forward. You’re not fighting anyone and please stop shaking it’s really scary.

I am in fifth grade. It’s a bit embarrassing as an older student because of my frequent scuffles: It’s not like I enjoyed fighting.

We passed a few people I know on the main road. After meeting eyes, my lips curled up a bit. They waved at me when they saw.

Most people didn’t cause trouble.

Only a few earthlings made fun of me in class.

“……”

Sometimes mom says outlandish things.

But she’s absolutely a human.

So I am too, I think.

And who knows about dad.

I belonged in class three of the fifth grade, in the room of the deepest part of third floor. We had two buildings in the campus; the one closer to the school gate was for first and second year. I went there two years ago; faculty room and infirmary were also situated there.

Mom and I said bye at the gate. I promised that I won’t fight today; I told myself that I must follow it through. I took a deep breath and charged into the building. After changing shoes, I sprinted all the way onto the third floor! It was easy because my mom brought me here. Take it easy.

I ran three floors up without stopping, continuing onto the waxed hallway that people weren’t supposed to run on; I found the classroom furthest inside and entered from the back door.

Few of the students who got there early stared at me; I said hi to some of my friends there. A lot of people live a bit further away from the school, so they come here earlier. Typically it’s students who live right behind the school who barely arrive on time.

I walked toward the third seat from the back in the middle column — that’s my seat this semester. Our arrangement was done by Gojuuon order last semester, but it was by drawing name this time.

To be honest, I didn’t care where to sit. Others seemed to think otherwise though. They also liked drawing the lots too, but I guess they just wanted to hang out with their friends.

Though I had friends, I didn’t really understand the appeal with having a clique.

Before sitting down, I checked out everyone else in the room. Nice, the girl that I fought with yesterday isn’t here.

I set my backpack on the desk; the girl next to me reacted to the sound. She simply said ‘morning.’ It was weird since we didn’t talk a lot, but I still said ‘morning’ to her awkwardly.

She’s a tiny girl; her desk was massive compared to her. It’s not like I was bigger than she was though. I think her name was Maekawa-san. Her eyes are kind of scary.

After saying hi, Maekawa-san went back to her book. It was probably just a polite gesture; following suit, I sat down quietly.

Hand propping my head up, I spaced out staring at the clock above the blackboard. It was only eight. We’re about twenty minutes away from the hygiene committee person asking how we’re doing and the teacher announcing today’s schedule.

“Mm, twenty more minutes of this?”

This is terrible. I don’t read books like Maekawa-san does. I looked around to find some friends to talk with, but I saw that they were already with somebody else, so I couldn’t go in. To me, a friend of a friend is just a classmate.

Too bad. I lied on the desk. The morning played out by the sun seeping into the class room and the chilly air dissipated — A night all to myself.

Tip of my nose pushed against the table’s grain. The disgusting smell of eraser shavings.

I wondered if I could sleep till home room begins, so I closed my eyes in anticipation to my own night.

“Zzz~ zzz~” I snored. Zzz… Zzz… “Uwah.”

Twitch, my head shot up to my body jolting. I wiped my mouth thinking that there might be drool while looking around. “Oh~’ A lot of people gathered.

The room that allowed even the bird’s chirping to be heard was suddenly as raucous as the city. Shrill screams of prepubescent boys, and even laughter of the girls; I peeked at the clock, seeing that the long hand was pointing at 15.

It seemed that I was the only one unaware of the atmosphere, so I panicked. Maybe fifteen minutes of my memory disappeared, and the sudden change in this room scared me. It was as though I suddenly realised that I was elsewhere, or that I just leaped through time. I turned, searching for a clue.

I saw that girl that I fought with — Kashiwagi — had already arrived, chatting with her friends. At first I thought she would purposefully put a giant bandage over her head, but she didn’t. Her seat was two seats ahead of mine on the left; if she were to focus in class, we won’t see each other. But I had a feeling that if we did, she’d glare me down.

Even now I felt she’d suddenly turn my way and stare resentfully, so I faced toward the hallway, away from the windows to let time pass. The girls centring Kashiwagi were the people causing my misery on this planet — these were the environment destroyers.

Their senseless harassment toward me and my life upset me. I waited for the teacher to arrive.

After a while our teacher Mr. Baldie entered the room with his usual displeased look.

Bag and handouts under his arm pits, he passed through the classroom and violently tossed all those things on his desk. A deep thud echoed from the papers and the bag.

The teacher began scanning the room from his podium, showing a stern look only when looking at me. I, too, looked back as if shooting beam from my eyes. I’m not aggressive; I just hate looking weak in front of people I hate.

He looked away disinterestedly, onto Kashiwagi this time. She cowered, and her body became almost part of the chair. Kashiwagi is just a normal kid who’s afraid of the teachers, so why did she pull my hair? I thought she said my hair and eyes were gross.

The teacher finally looked away from us, back to the entire class. He then passed out the handouts while reminding us about the suspicious person appearing around town and going back home on time after school. That was it. I thought Kashiwagi and I will get called into the office, but he didn’t say anything else in front of the class.

After the teacher stepped off, the hygiene committee boy went up and opened up his health survey made from cardboard. ‘Anyone feeling sick~’ he asked lazily while his eyes drifted toward the windows. Kashiwagi was still shrivelled up. Good.

Our first class today, P.E, would be taking place under the blue sky.

The sports festival was next Sunday, so we spent most of the time in P.E classes practicing either running or tug-of-war.

Since I trained myself every day, I took first place in the 50 metres race last year to show off to mom.

This year’s glory will also be mine.

There are still merits on the difficult road of becoming an astronaut.

‘Hey!’ I tossed about ten balls into the basket. ‘Hey!’ I pulled the arm of the classmate in front of me when we’re having a tug of war. After it was all over, I nodded off during second period’s math from working too hard. Third period’s science class was alright. Fourth period’s social study I took some notes. Liver in the lunch’s curry grossed me out. Worked hard during cleanup, and half the class after that I slept through.

So ended the time of being locked in the school. Since nothing important happened I’ll skip a few things. An elementary school kid’s day doesn’t begin till after school.

Baldie didn’t call me to his office, which means my grade was in serious trouble.

I promised to mom, so I didn’t fight with Kashiwagi today. I could tell she’s avoiding me, though. She would glare at me from far away sometimes, so she hadn’t given up yet. She might be holding back while the storm passes, but I think she’ll probably hold out for three days like usual.

She seemed to have chosen the beginning of second semester as reason to harass me.

I remember her not saying much before then. At most we say ‘good morning’ to each others at the shoe locker. But she started destroying the environment. I don’t know why. She and her lackeys claimed that I was gross. They once shouted together, calling me alien and stuff. Shut up, stupid.

When they called me names, I said nothing. But when she pulled my hair, I blew up and hit her. I made a fist and smacked her head like in a questionnaire show, She was laughing when I hit her, so her teeth banged into one another, making this loud noise. She groaned, holding her chin. It wasn’t my intent, but the way she was hurting made me feel bad. So I said sorry. And she just swung back at me. The nails on her hand scratched me, and all my guilt went away.

I was so mad, and by the time I realised we’re already grabbing each other’s clothes. When that happened, Kashiwagi’s lackeys ran off, probably afraid of being scolded. She’s pretty lonely too, huh. I only have mom too.

That’s what happened yesterday. I did hit her a lot more, but it is what it is. You don’t count in a fight like you do in a gym.

I shoved my books and the handout from this morning into my backpack; I don’t know how early I was, but I ran out. Naturally, I kicked my way through the hall. Passing the classmates walking leisurely, I jumped off the stairs. I couldn’t go home like my classmates; I couldn’t go to their homes either.

Because the universe is so far away.

If I relax too much, I would never make it there. After throwing my slippers into the locker, I put on my shoes and dashed off to the training ground.

The time after school was when I secretly train myself. I headed toward the main gate.

If mom was waiting outside, I’d call it a day. But she wasn’t! As per my original plan, I took a right. It was , however, a little disappointing.

“Is she working hard today?”

I pondered about my mom while dashing.

My destination was the park next to the temple located near the residential district. If you ask why, it would be because my path to the aliens was there, in that dim place surrounded by trees. Oh, it’s the road that opens to my secret base.

The park was my own: save for the old man who cleans the temple occasionally, not many comes near here. Though there were the birds, and the cicadas in the summer, and even the hobo who once lived here, they all disappeared recently.

That’s a good thing. You can’t let people see you train – that’s what I learned from comic books.

There’s also no sound in space, so it’s good practice to get used to that. Silence shall become the fuel to my passion for space. I hope.

“……”

I looked upward while running. Dusk was still ways away.

Sometimes I ask myself:

Do I admire space so much because I am from there?

“No…”

It’s because I am from Earth that I yearn so much for a place with no ground. If I were an alien, I shouldn’t be so excited about the scenery that I’m already so used to seeing.

After about ten minutes of running, I arrived at the shrine. Since I ran all the way here from the classroom, my breath was ragged. But knowing that I used to need to rest halfway running this distance, this pleasant fatigue filled me up with a sense of accomplishment. I began walking through the park.

The park was dark from the dense woods blocking out the sun; the wind was colder here than on the outside. I then understood why the hobo would disappear shortly before winter season.

Usually I put my backpack onto the park equipment that is half a tire made to look buried underground before I start training. I do stuff like pull-ups on the rusty bar, and running circles in the park. I didn’t really have a routine.

It’s possible that I’d run into some unexpected emergencies in space, so instead of a manual, I’ll rely on wittiness! That’s probably not right, but a manual is too much trouble to make.

Just like I always do, I swiped on the surface of the yellow tyre before resting my backpack there. The old man who cleans up won’t come today. ‘So lazy~’ I said so while leaving my stuff for a run. I don’t think I’ve ran enough for the day.

I couldn’t train yesterday because Kashiwagi provoked me. I have to make up for that today. “Mm…?” As I began running, something caught by the lower corner of my eye stopped me in track.

Pitter, patter, I made my way to the jungle gym where I spotted that thing. Sticking my neck in to see the structure composed for light-green iron bars, I realised that my sight was right.

An old guy was sleeping in the jungle gym with a cat.

“……”

The cat lied peacefully on the old guy’s stomach; the old guy rested between the cracks in the jungle gym with a slightly pained expression. He didn’t seem to want to move.

Then why not just sleep somewhere else. Then I thought that maybe this old guy had a reason. Could this be his house? There’s no blanket or a bedroom, so I don’t want to live there. Ah, he woke up. He opened his eyes lazily.

My presence seemed to have woke him up; with bleary eyes he looked at me.

“Oh… Hi there, kiddo.”

Mm… He greeted me roughly. Confirmed that he’s a human.

“Hello, old guy.”

Mom praised me last time for being polite, so I said hi back. The old guy didn’t seem so impressed, pouting.

“At least call me mister. Same syllables too.”

“Mister old guy.”

“That’s not the same kind of polite.”

“It’s just a few more syllables, don’t let it bother you.”

“What a mouthy kid.”

The old guy smiled happily after saying so. Still, he remained with the cat.

He rubbed his tired eyes and yawned. The old guy was skinny, and for a hobo (I think) he’s pretty clean. His clothes were not tattered, and they were of better taste than Mr. Baldie’s. Is he new to the hobo business?

“Ah. Are you a bad person, old guy?”

I thought of what the teacher said this morning and asked him outright.

The old guy who’d been accused as a bad person frowned. ‘Hm.’ He appeared to contemplate on an answer. I have the same expression when I get called up to solve a hard math question.

“I guess? I don’t really know either, since there is a lot of bad people.”

“A bad person just said something that made sense.”

“So are you going to just chat away with a bad person?”

The old man with ‘things he had no right to say, part 2’ asked.

Mm! Yep. Even mom would be angry if I talk with some strange man. But I can’t really care for some old guy in my secret training facility, so it’s okay if it’s a little dangerous.

“Since you’re lying down in there, I’ll just run when you try to get out.”

My legs are very fast. If I lose to some middle aged old man like him, don’t even mention space, I’d have trouble leaving Japan.

“As long as you don’t come out, I am safe when I speak with you.”

“What am I, Gulliver?”

The old guy grimaced wryly. Perhaps in sync with his chuckles, the cat got up. It was a yellow and slightly chubby cat; it didn’t seem feral. The way it slept with its belly up gave a sense of leisure that contradicts the old man’s.

“Is this where you play, the park? I’ll leave if you want.”

The old guy stuck in the bars (sounds like a picture book’s name) looked up toward the thick forest while asking me. Now’s a good time for me to claim ownership.

“Yeah, this is where I train.”

“Train? That’s amazing. Sounds nice.”

The old guy laughed. Hahaha, the cat slipped off from his belly onto the ground. Upset that it had to stand on its feet, the cat meowed resentfully. It looked up to me.

I traded glance with the cat, discovering its trait – its eyes had no light, like those of the wrapped-up fishes in the super market. Staring at those eyes, I thought I might think of cats as not creatures, but created.

“Old guy, is this your cat?”

I just had to ask amidst the talk of training and exclusive rights. ‘Hm?’ He looked at the thing he hugged; after confirming where the cat was, a smile formed on his face, ‘oh.’

“Am I feeding this cat, or is this cat feeding me?”

“Mm?” I don’t understand abstract things.

“This guy helps me find food. It’s been a godsend.”

The old man tried to pat the cat, but it didn’t want any of it and ran outside the tower. It was nimble despite being fat.

Seeing the cat run off, he chuckled; his gaze moved toward me.

“Training… aside. Are you in grade school?”

“Yes. I’m in fifth grade.”

I opened my palm, showing five fingers.

“Really. Kids nowadays sure have some interesting hair colour.”

“Wu…”

Of course he saw that. I’ve never seen anyone with hair colour like mine though.

Mom said that my dad and I share the same hair. They call it genetic inheritance.

“Is your hair real?” He pushed on mercilessly.

Facing with this seemingly slow and nice man, I couldn’t put up a menacing front.

“Mm… People always say I look like an alien.”

“I could see where they’re coming from.”

He casually agreed. Couldn’t you tell from my expression? As I lamented, the old guy’s smile faded away like waves after the tide.

Then he said something that, never mind an old guy in a jungle gym, a regular old guy would never say.

“But there aren’t any aliens out there as cute as you.”

From his perspective, it’s probably something little more than a joke.

But his words were enough to intrigue me.

Mindlessly I kneeled to speak with the old guy.

“Mister, what do you know of the universe? Have you been there? Seen the aliens?”

Perhaps afraid of my overwhelming interest in space, the old guy shrivelled up. But then a smug look appeared, and he baited so:

“About that… I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

With that, he laughed contently. That’s no different than the boys in my class bragging about catching a rare monster in their games.

“You are trying to trick me!”

Why does an old guy who’d seen space live inside this jungle gym?!

“Hold on, I’m not… I did go there before.”

He sounded so casual that it sounded like the truth. There wouldn’t be a point had he lied anyway. Deceiving a grade schooler like me when we just met wouldn’t do much.

“Really?”

I still don’t believe him. Kids nowadays have to be more cautious or we won’t survive in this harsh environment. But the moment I started talking to this man I already put myself in a lot of danger.

“Yeah. Just once though.”

He claimed; there’s a distant look in his eyes, yet the corner of his lips raised.

“Are you an astronaut?”

“No, no way I was someone so impressive. I… That’s right, I…”

Enough with the emphasis. It’s space. Space. Space! He went to space. I guess even people like him exist in this town. A few red dots appeared in my mind, but no line connected them. That’s too bad. The cats darting around near the edge of my vision did not serve to calm me down.

“Astronauts do what they do out of passion. I spent hard cold cash to get there. It was great.”

The old guy sounded derisive, contradicting whatever he showed outwardly. But I haven’t sorted my own feelings and all this information — all he did was confuse me even more.

Besides, though not apparent, he just didn’t seem overall too excited talking about space.

“So why are you lying here?”

If you loved space, you wouldn’t be doing this. I thought. Maybe he likes Earth a lot more.

The cat seemed to agree; after meowing, it beckoned the old man.

“Well, that’s because…”

The old guy ceased talking as though glossing over. Whatever came after was anything but that.

“It’s over.”

“What is?”

Instead of answering me, he merely smiled.

But even that expression disappeared right away.

“By the time I got there, my life was already over. I got what I wanted.”

He said, all the while staring at the trees through the slits between the iron bars, perhaps regretting over something in space.

Affected by him, I peered at the ceiling of this Earth.

The sky was blue, and still covered by a limited ‘Earth.’

I stared at the black screen of a television. It’s not that I found a channel with no feed: This T.V simply could not receive signals. A tiny sound emitted from the T.V set. It sounded like it was getting a signal from space. It was so cool that I listened for a while.

After meeting the old man, I came home and stared at the T.V.

I wanted to listen to his story about space, but he left with the cat saying it’s time for dinner. It’s like he just ran off. I had thought of following him, but mom would be worried if I went and hung out with a strange man, so I went home. And it’s not like I totally trusted this guy, so I kept my guard up. In any case, it’s been a while since I last skipped out on two days of training.

“……”

My ears perked. A sound much quieter than what the T.V volume was set to transmitted. A woman spoke. It could be news from another channel, but hearing it come from a pitch-black screen always felt a little more mysterious. It was soothing.

The old guy lying in the jungle gym remained in my vision. He seemed so far away, and so surreal. It made me feel that the space that I aimed for everyday when I run is right next to me.

To me, he’s the being known as an alien. He came down, to the city where I live… Even though he looked nothing special, it was still exhilarating to me.

Could it be just a coincidence that this man appeared in the town protected by the extraterrestrials?

I wanted to see him again, to hear him speak more about space. Will he be there in the playground tomorrow?

Besides…

He said that people like me don’t exist in space, and that made me happy. Somebody’s who had been there said that to me.

I am from this planet, after all. Stupid Kashiwagi.

“I~~ AM~~ HOME~~!”

Mom’s shouting followed the slam of the door; I walked out into the hall. Kicking her shoes off, mom had on her usual smile.

“Your mom was caught hiding in the comic store! I had to work really hard today! Yay~! Oh, and it’s gonna rain tomorrow!”

Mom waved her hands like she was asking for complements while running toward me. She then yelled, ‘hey!’ pouncing me. Before she could reach me, she tripped. Her forehead crashed into the floor, and mom ceased moving. Lying there, she did not budge.

“Are… Are you okay?”

“I’m okay!”

“Uwah!”

She got me. Mom’s arms wrapped around me tightly, flailing me about. Though her head flushed with redness, she didn’t seem pained at all.

“Eri~ Gimme some sugar~:

She kissed my cheeks multiple time and even sucked on my face.

“W-what are you doing? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong!”

Mom, possibly perfectly fine, did not waver.

Her confidence is also why she’s so cool, I thought.

Something unexpected occurred on the following day. Kashiwagi made her move.

I sprinted all the way from my house to school that morning, and made it there five minutes later than the day before. Like yesterday there was hardly anyone there, but the people were different. That made me sad. Today was a gloomy day too, so I won’t see the stars tonight either. Mom’s weather forecast was never to be dismissed.

Kashiwagi was there. The moment I walked in she stood up and came over. Her group of disloyal friends weren’t there, but I sensed troubles brooding.

I did not stop; in fact I tried my best not to while making way to my own seat. Kashiwagi refused to let this slide. ‘Hey! Alien!’ She spoke crudely. I’m a human, so I didn’t care. She ended up pulling my hair; I turned.

She just doesn’t learn. As I spun around, I swung my hand back. My hand landed on her neck. Smack! The crispy sound of a clean hit on her neck drew the attention of everyone in the class.

“Ow!” Kashiwagi’s shrill cry of pain ensued her loosened grip on my hair. She felt her neck. Looking at her, I felt glad that I didn’t promise mom to not fight today.

“What?”

As funny as it was hitting her first, I asked anyway. Kashiwagi’s eyes lit up, perhaps displeased with being hit. Her eyes were already slender; her mouth crooked to the side, making her look extra creepy. It wasn’t a cute look. Also since I had my hand on her so many times, I knew how oddly shaped her skull was. Kind of like a potato.

“Go back to your space, alien! Stay away from here!”

“No. Go away, Kashiwagi. You want the teacher to make you cry again?”

I shooed with my hand. I was already used to being called an alien every time by her. It’s not something I like to hear, but it doesn’t anger me anymore.

“I didn’t cry! Stupid!”

She retaliated with a cantankerous look. Being so impulsive, she’s easily provoked. It’s not like I was picking a fight, but I hated how she does exactly that every time. Time to end this quickly.

“But I saw you cry.”

I tauntingly pointed out the fact; Kashiwagi turned red. She was on the verge of breaking down, but judging by how irritated she was, I guess she did end up bawling when her mom yelled at her at home. Kashiwagi made her move.

My elbow met Kashiwagi’s hand, which reached for my hair. What should be my next move on her defenceless body? Not going to lie, I’ve never lost once in a fight with Kashiwagi. Still, I never felt like I’ve truly won. The thought stopped me short of hitting her, so I instead pinched her lips and twist it like a water faucet knob.

“Baw! Baw! Baw!”

It would appear she’s screaming ‘ow,’ but she was out of breath. Noticing the changes in her groan, I let her lips free. Kashiwagi held her mouth, her body bent forward; Kashiwagi, taller than I was, suddenly turned into a midget. She might still be taller than Maekawa-san though.

Though not teary, she glared with blood-shot eyes. Because of the pinching, it looked like it was her nose that got punched. I felt guilty, feeling like I was the bad guy.

She backed away; I thought she’d run out to the hallway, but she merely escaped to her own seat. Aside from her lips, her right hand that was pushed away seemed to be hurt, too; she pressed onto her lips with her left.

“Stupid alien, die!”

“Okay, jeez.”

I returned to my spot after leaving something for her to chew on. Hanging my backpack onto the side of the table, I looked to see others’ reactions. A few of the people standing around talking met my eyes, but only shortly before averting their gaze unnaturally. They looked to Kashiwagi, with an almost sympathetic look, as opposed to the terrified look to me.

Wouldn’t it be the other way around usually?

“Jeez!”

Why do I have to be in a fight this early in the day and feel like I was bullying her?

I went to the playground straight after school. Usually it’s for training purposes, but not today. I slacked off for two days, so I was initially going to train properly too, but this time, it’s just a convenient cause.

I wanted to meet that old guy in the jungle gym. While thinking about little things like how suspicious ‘old guy at the jungle gym’ sounded, I flew through the way.

The backpack’s strap met the risings of my body, sinking into my shoulders. We had arts and craft for second period today, so there weren’t a lot of books; however, the paint for the canvas made the pack heavier. I noticed my centre of gravity was leaning right, but I paid it no mind on the way to the playground.

If I don’t hurry up, the old guy might leave to look for food with the cat. Because of an unexpected event, I left late.

I had to escape the Kashiwagi gang. I don’t know how Kashiwagi, someone who lacks so much loyalty and cooperation, could possibly convince her lackeys, but they ambushed me to try and gang up on me.

Doing something so lowly after I commended her, how useless is this Kashiwagi. To avoid her net, I circled about in the school. First, I lost Kashiwagi in the classroom; I then saw Underling A camping out in the hallway (Class mate. Has long face). I gripped her hand, but before she could let an attack out, I crushed her right hand. Once the pained wailing began, I escaped easily. As I ran in the hallway, students from other classrooms swarmed; I was ahead of the crowd. And then, I discovered Underling B (pale girl) waiting in front of the staircase.

With my fist clenched, I raised my arm while sprinting. Underling B immediately covered her face in a stance of non-aggression. Using the opening I jumped down the flight of stairs. Why are you helping a fight if you don’t want to get hit? Well, I don’t like being hit either. I hate Kashiwagi.

There’s not a single cute girl in Kashiwagi’s gang. It’s like a bowl of potatoes in an iron pan.

I hurried down the last stairs; as I began panting, Kashiwagi appeared.

A four-on-one wouldn’t be good to me; I had to avoid the shoe lockers and make my way to the hallway connecting to the other building. What a pain, at some point the thought formulated.

I made my way out of the first-year’s building; it would be a lot easier if I could run barefooted, but I didn’t want mom to be worried. It wouldn’t be good. I had to rely on our differences in stamina and speed to spread them out, then defeat them individually. That’s the kind of trouble I had to deal with. I felt that I had to thank my skipping out on trainings for my nimbleness.

“That’s what happened!”

“You kids sure are lively.”

The old guy had on a homesick smile on his face after hearing my animated story.

He’s still in the jungle gym today, but he wasn’t lying down this time: Limbs twisted, he was like the thing inside a tooth paste tube, sitting down in the spaces between the bars with his arms and legs through them.

He looked like a puppet tied up by its own strings. Gross. I expected no less from the old guy.

The cat curled outside the gym, trying to catch its own tail. It turned lazily on its back.

My mom looks like that on weekends.

“It’s too much. I’m not a radical.”

The old guy laughed my rant off.

“Maybe they’re just jealous of your look.”

“Oh? Really? Am I cute?”

“I don’t usually look at kids face that much, but I guess you’re pretty good.”

“Thanks.”

I rarely looked at my face, because of the hair and eyes.

So that’s why Kashiwagi wants me to die so badly. She’s really hitting that puberty.

“Oh well, I don’t care about Kashiwagi. Tell me more about space, old guy.”

This is what I escaped Kashiwagi’s company for. Say it. Tell me about space, old guy.

“Well… What do you want me to talk about?”

“Like, the universe is like this! Or it’s so big! You know.”

My arms flew out, anticipating the many things he’d tell me. Perhaps he found it amusing; his shoulders shook from the chuckling.

“What? Old guy, were you really lying about going to space?”

“No, that’s not it. I just thought of myself ten years ago: I was just like you.”

He laughed, twitching in there. Of course it’s tight on space in there. The cat came out first.

Smart cat. I kneeled to greet the cat, but it didn’t even bat an eye. It seemed absorbed in its tail.

“Ten years ago… That’d make you a young old guy?”

“Wow, don’t kids nowadays not know what ‘young man’ means? I ami a young old guy. I was a young man who was too old for anything, and basically useless.”

He had a nostalgic look; it’s befitting of people his age, but even mom sometimes have this look when she spaces out looking at the yard. I may be a kid, but I knew she’s either thinking about dad or Oba-chan.

“I don’t get it. You’re too abstract, old guy.”

“You’ll get it in twenty years.”

“Just make it so I can understand it now!”

The old guy posed like a mannequin left in a garbage dump laughed, ‘what an honest kid.’ So gross. I personally wanted to kick him in the stomach to straighten him up, so he’d look like a flower in a vase. Since I hadn’t heard anything about space yet, I held it in. If all this about going to space was a lie though, I will definitely do it.

“I wasn’t this into space when I was your age. It was after I turned thirty.”

“How old are you, old guy?”

“Forty two.”

“Four two.”

“Shut up. It’s basically impossible to become an astronaut at that age.”

The old guy put his hands up in surrender, but because of the iron bars, he could only stretch in other directions. ‘Ugh,’ he groaned. Again the bars made him go elsewhere... After another minute, he settled down. Throughout the minute, the cat had grown tired of its tail and began strolling in the playground. He didn’t stop the cat.

“It’s impossible to start working out and relearn my English at that point. Impossible, really. Besides, there weren’t even that many Japanese astronaut then, so I didn’t think I could become an astronaut.”

“So how did you get there?”

“With this.”

The old guy had his palm up and made a circle with his thumb and index finger. I thought with my head tilted, ‘A monk or Jizouposatsu?’ ‘Money,’ the old man said.

“I spent a lot of money to have a trip to space. If there’s something I had, it was money. Doing jobs that had nothing to do with space, I crawled around this earth to make some money.”

His creepy laughter resonated in the park. The old guy then looked upward, toward the ceiling-like trees that no birds would fly out from.

“But space travel scam was a big thing back then… Before I could find the real thing, I used up almost all my money. I did end up in space thought.

‘I was exhilarated,’ he whispered as though he was ruminating the taste of his favourite dish. I was envious of people like this old guy. We couldn’t afford anything like that in my house. I’ve never seen mom win a lottery, so it was my only choice to become an astronaut.

Thinking that, I became more spirited. I wanted to run as much as I could, but the old guy wasn’t done. Too bad. I wish my torso could stay here while my legs do something else. That way I could listen and train at the same time.

“I invested all my wealth and got into a rocket for three… No, two and half minutes. In that amount of time, I experienced a zero-g world. I was too nervous though; I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I should have.”

“Two and a half minutes… Wow… Zero-g is so cool…”

“Wahahah, be more jealous.”

He’s obviously proud. This sucks. If an old guy who doesn’t even have a house outside of this jungle gym could go to space, then mom and I should be able to go there easily since we have a house.

But this old guy looked penny-less, so once I thought of going to space regardless, I was no longer frustrated.

“But why did you go to space?”

“Hm?”

The old guy raised his head off the iron bar. I looked at him, then the cat. He squinted; his eyes were a lot smaller than when he smiles.

“Because I thought once I go there, my life would be over.”

“What?”

“I went to space, and that was my life-long goal. I believed that my life would then end at that point. In fact, it would be great if life were to end upon achieving that something. There’s no more game after winning the Koshien championship. It should end there.”

The old guy described himself in a passionate way unfitting for October. I couldn’t comprehend his abstract speech, but I knew it was about ‘ending.’

“Once I got there, I felt a change— actually, something did change, and it was the peak of my life. It’s all over, but my life wasn’t. I lost everything and came back here. Strange, I thought, when I stepped onto the ground after getting out of the rocket.”

“……”

“And now, ten years after that, I’m still alive on this Earth. Strange.”

Like tears were falling out of his eyes, his voice trembled as if crying. The old guy was merely looking skyward, trapped in the jungle gym. It was as though he was amazed with how here he is, alive on Earth.

“Don’t you want to come back here?”

“Mm?”

I thought the scratch on my face iteche; I covered my cheek.

“Do you want to become an alien after you go there?”

“I don’t know… That doesn’t sound so bad though. It’s okay even if I’m not a human. I just want it to…”

‘End like that.’ After saying so, the old guy shut his eyes and let his body limp. It might look as if he would never wake up, but I somehow knew that he will open his eyes again, seconds, minutes or even hours later.

He’s already been to where he wanted to be, so here he is, waiting for his life to end.

“Oh? You’re in the scavenger hunt, Erio?”

“Yep.”

“Leave it to your beautiful sister. Oh, I can help if you want to borrow a cute girl. Or a beautiful girl, too. Anything that has anything to do with beautiful or ‘beauty,’ you just come hit Meme-chan up.”

“Mom is so cool~”

Several hours after meeting with the old guy. By the time the sun had set, I was chatting happily with mom about the sports festival over dinner. Primarily it was mom who’s happy.

We decided on what everyone was doing in the sports meet during homeroom today. I was going to join the scavenger hunt. An endurance race that I would shine in wasn’t part of the meet. There were two people who were faster than I since I became a fifth grader, so I couldn’t join the fifty-meter race anymore.

And so I, who’s considered as fairly fast, would be joining a peculiar activity amongst the racing category. Since it’s a game that’s heavily dependent on luck, so it’s hard to say if I could show off in front of mom. This sucks.

I stabbed at the potato-meat stew mom made. How did she make this when she’s at work? Mm~ Weird.

“……”

Like the potato I picked up, covered in onion and pork.

My mind was in a jumble. Mostly because of that old guy.

Space is great, naturally same goes for the people who went there. But the old guy, lying inside that iron gym, made it all sound like a failure,.

It’s odd. What is going to space? The question threw me into disarray.

“……”

That old guy can’t be a good person if he could just go ahead and ruin a kid’s dream.

“Erio?” Mom called. She noticed my chopsticks stopping. ‘It’s delicious,’ I added.

Her smile faded; she looked into my aquatic eyes. Mom’s colour was between black and violet, different from mine.

“Were you in a fight?”

“No.”

It was one-sided, so it wasn’t a fight.

“Oh yeah. The school said something about a weird guy, so I’ll be careful.”

I changed the topic stiffly. Mom opened her mouth, wanting to talk about the fight. Still, she waved her chopsticks like a baton, and the smile emerged from her face again.

“The newbie at my store said she saw some weird old guy.”

“Okay…” So that’s where the old guy and his cat went.

“While Meme-chan was doing her best making potato stew.”

Oh, so she cooked it in the store. I remember her saying that there’s nothing for her to do even if she went there. I guess’s mom never wastes time… Wait?

“If some weird guy talks to you, never go with him. Eri is too cute. If I was an old guy I’d pick you too.”

Where did that confidence come from, especially the latter part?

“I’ll pick you now, too!”

“Wagh!”

Mom went around the table and lunged at me. Even though we’re in the middle of supper, mom and I screamed while rolling around the floor. “Wagh!” It’s just like jumping into a pool right after a big meal. We tossed about and even hit the wall and the door. Mostly just mom though.

“Oww! But I will protect Eri!” Said mom coolly.

“That’s my line!”

My entirety still spun like I was thrown into a blender. Mom’s embrace was still a lot better than the jungle gym though.

“Eri, you can sleep with me today!”

“Ah~ah~”

I thought while spinning in the house with centrifugal force.

The whole thing with Kashiwagi is miniscule compared to traveling to space. And I’ve the difficulty of going to space. Like the old guy when he’s young, I yearned for space.

I never considered what might come afterward.

What is the universe, to an Earthling like me?

It would seem that it isn’t enough to just have astronaut as my goal if I want to overcome hardships.

Rather sentimentally, I realised that I am no different than a regular human from this point of view.

Two days passed. It’s now Friday. My life wasn’t any different during that time.

Kashiwagi was there too during school on weekdays. Since I beat the crap out of her, she did not come directly to provoke me. At most she loudly discussed aliens with her friends in class when she’s a bit away in class, sitting in her seat. She’d then end it with ‘aliens should just die.’ That did nothing to me though. It’s the usual elementary school life.

My afterschool time, however, had been different since four days ago. The old guy was always in the jungle gym with his cat. He’s always trapped in there, while the cat dawdled around the playground. Sometimes it chased its tail. How peaceful.

Even when I asked the old guy about space, he’d always brush me off, ‘there’s nothing more to say.’ If he’d nothing to do with space, he meant nothing to me. So I never talked with him about anything that’s not space-related, and continued with my training at the playground. Sometimes I go for the cat. It’s very nimble.

Three days passed without much.

We had to prepare for the sports meet during third period today. Setting up tents, drawing lines on the field etc were not necessary till the day before the event next week, but there were still a lot to do. For examples, making the pamphlet for the sports schedule and preparing the props for the games.

My team was told to make the list for the scavenger hunt. First we cut papers into the size of rectangle slips, then we write items’ name on them. That was our job.

‘Is it really okay for contestants to make these?’ I pondered as my marker froze in the air. What should I put down?

Whoever is responsible for the slips can write anything, but this depends highly on his or her wisdom as well. Everyone cut out the required amount of paper first before stopping to wonder, or to discuss with his or her friends. What are some interesting yet challenging things? Or something that could be easily lent like glasses or hats? The teachers did not tell us the procedures.

What I’d wrote so far were still boring things like ‘dog,’ ‘cup,’ and ‘red balloon.’ I thought of astronomy telescope, but no one could find one. And if I draw this one, I will definitely end up in the last place in front of mom.

“This is hard.”

After muttering so, I tipped my chair backward. The front of my chair was off the ground, with only the back wobbling back and forth. I watched the clamorous classroom while maintaining balance.

I ended up making eye contact with Kashiwagi, who’s responsible for making the flower decoration on the sports meet entrance. Was she staring at me the entire time if we saw each other so easily? She smiled maliciously while looking. It’s a scheming expression, but most likely she’d rather come at me directly, so it’s probably nothing more than just that. That was just her default state.

She could stick her tongue out at me, or have on an obviously contemptible look, but she would always just look away with that annoying smile. I don’t know which is which anymore. When does our fight stop?

She’s always like that, so I don’t know. What do I do?

“A closure, huh…”

The words of that old guy still dangled in my mind.

He was looking for a closure. Same as I with Kashiwagi.

For example, pushing her off the window… That’d would end the fights.

But if that were to happen, I would then have to live like the old guy. It’s too fast, and thus too empty — I’d end up like him.

It will be like only holding down the tips of a spring. If that happens, I will have to stay an uncertain human like the old guy. That’s not why I want to end the fights.

Will I keep arguing with Kashiwagi? That’s not right either.

I’m not saying I will drag this on. Not everything could be ended by just insisting that I’m a human and not an alien. Then do I ask myself, or the old guy, about what to do? Neither of us will have a good answer.

If this keeps up, I will solve neither space, Kashiwagi, nor the scavenger hunt.

Will I end up like the old guy if I rushed things? Having to do what you hate might just mean you have to carry that weight forever. Whether it’s doing what I like or hate, either way will be failure.

Does that mean that life tastes better if it’s stewed slowly to perfection?

“Mm… Don’t get it.”

I rest the chair back down, all while holding down the remaining paper slips. Head on my palms, I stared blankly at the others. I expected someone to be done by now.

Naturally, no one did. The other students were already talking amongst themselves, despite it being halfway through class. Mr. Baldie said nothing, sitting in his corner grading some tests. He’s younger than the old guy, but if it were him sitting in that jungle gym I’d lose all respect for him.

The old guy seemed to have lost much after going to space.

He must be in pain because he couldn’t find closure for all the things he’d lost.

“……”

I came to a conclusion after much thought.

It had nothing to do with being an astronaut or spending money on a trip.

Time and motivations were the issue.

I think that’s why he didn’t sense closure.

“Old guy, when did you start squatting here?”

I left and went to the playground behind the shrine. My classmates who were told to stay behind because we couldn’t finish making the props in an hour probably wasn’t too pleased.

Does the old man who come and clean the shrine never see him? The rumour of here having a strange guy had not spread in town yet. And I don’t want people to find out where I train, so that’s fine.

“Mm? I think it’s about time. Staying too long in one place is usually leads to problems… The weather’s changing too so I have to go down south.”

His words carried little weight — like light paint in words. I could tell that that wasn’t why. He seems to be someone who pretends to have seen it all. He lied in the jungle gym again today. Doesn’t that hurt?

“Weren’t you born here?”

Because he knows space. But this town knows space too.

“Nope. I came from a town deep in the mountains.”

“Oh… The cat too?”

“Yeah. Oh yeah, he went to space with me too. It was kind of like an experiment.”

“Really?”

I held the cat up with both hands. Kinda heavy. Perhaps because it disliked its feet leaving ground, it struggled momentarily. So this cat’s has more space experience than I do. ‘Mm~’ What is this sense of defeat?

“Is there still space-travel now…? What if it was all a dream?”

Saying so, the old guy smiled emptily, like a girl who’d just been dumped. It’s not a particularly attractive face for an old guy.

“Old guy, I’m a little worried about going to space now after what you said.”

I asserted my displeasure from the side; the old guy put away his kind-of ugly smile.

“Oh? Why?”

“I don’t wanna end up like you if I ever go to space.”

I said so earnestly after resting the cat down. ‘Ah,’ the old guy avoided my eyes in embarrassment without ceasing his words.

“Maybe I was just having an unreal expectation for space. You shouldn’t listen to me.”

“But…”

“It’s a far, far away place that you couldn’t touch by conventional methods. If you are lost, you’re never gonna get there, kiddo.”

The old guy half-jokingly cheered me on. He’s right. Any more than this and the problem won’t be about whether or not I’d go to space.

“Do you believe in aliens, old guy?”

I changed topic. ‘Hmm~’ he groaned, his eyes trailing the passing birds.

“It’s dreamier to say they do. But I guess it’d be hard for them to exist in reality.”

“What if I were to say my dad is an alien?”

“Would an alien be so interested in space like you?”

He’s right, but what he said afterward almost had me saying something.

“Contrastingly, wouldn’t an alien feel confused or intrigued by life on Earth, too?”

‘Like you now, old guy?’ I retracted those words and kneeled down, troubled.

What is defined as an alien? If they’re from space? Or if they went to space? Then would the old guy be considered as an alien? Then, are all astronauts aliens?

Why would I, who’d never been to space, be called an Earthling?

Not even the old guy could answer these questions, I bet. It’s something that only the person herself could decide. Being called an alien probably only sounds so bad because Kashiwagi treats me as someone different.

“Uwah…”

Both the old guy and I pondered. Whenever you feel like this, the best thing to do is to run as fast as you could in a big place; but if you’re just running, all you’d get is fatigue.

Luckily, I know of a place where I could run as much as I want. It’s somewhere I will be in the near future.

“Mm…”

He can’t run there, but he could see someone else run there.

And…

The person closest to being an ‘alien’ was this old guy.

“We have a sports festival next Sunday… Would you like to come?”

“What?”

He raised his head. Like tossing a letter into a mail box, I passed the festival pamphlet to him through the iron pipes.

It’s for me and mom. The pamphlet meant for students and parents was being given to the old guy. He didn’t take it right away, merely tilting his head.

“Why me?”

“To thank you for your space stories.”

There’s something more to what I said, I think. It’s a vague reason; something that is indescribable.

The old guy scratched his head; he took the papers casually and flipped through the content. ‘Oh~ This school, huh,’ he noted.

“You just said I was ruining your dreams, and here you are thanking me.”

“Don’t mind the detail. If you’re not coming, give the pamphlet back.”

My arm remained in the jungle gym. ‘Ah~ Hm...’ The old guy struggled with the response. He raised his entire body; he nimbly navigated through the pipes with just his torso. Picking up the pamphlet, he stroked his goatee.

“I’m not married or anything, but is this what it feels like to be invited by your kid to a sports festival?”

“I don’t know.”

I’ve never invited my dad either.

“If I’m free… Which I always am. I’ll go if I want to go.”

“Okay.”

I nodded; the old guy more intently, but he went back to being limp.

There was another reason why I invited him, but it’s a secret.

The sports festival was held on an October Sunday that had little to do with Health and Sports Day.

‘It used to be held on weekdays. Time’s changed,’ mom said. It’s always been either a Saturday or a Sunday since I was in kindergarten, so I’m not sure about before.

I showed mom the pamphlet on the morning of the event. ‘I’ll show up before scavenger hunt starts in the afternoon,’ she said prior to leaving for work. She moaned about not having Sundays off since she’s working in a store, but she’s also complaining about something. She also takes days-off at weird times. Mom will always be a mysterious person no matter how old I get. I like mysterious.

The sky was grey, with a possible chance of sunshine in the afternoon. Since it’s easier to move around when it’s cloudy, I prayed that it will be like this till the event’s over. Though I’m the only one for scavenger hunt, I had to join for other team competitions as well. Every grade level had Team Rally and Tug-of-war.

I only have Tug-of-war in the morning. I can’t pull very well, so I’m glad that mom will see me for scavenger hunt and rally.

It’s been a year since I last wore P.E uniform to school. I saw many others like me on the way to school. A lot of them carried their water bottles on their shoulders. The water jar dangled along my light steps. I’m like an athlete who gets pumped up for sports meets, except I’m not an athlete.

I sat my bag down first thing arriving at the school. Students would typically take their own chairs along with the pamphlet to the field. I already gave mine to the old guy, so I had only the chair. I wondered about carrying the water bottle, but, since it’s cloudy out, decided to leave it there… Mm, wait. What if Kashiwagi or someone destroys my lunch? I don’t think she’s quite that low (she’s never made a move on my books or backpack), but maybe her friends would… But it’s probably fine…

As usual, I reached the classroom early; there were more people in there than there normally would. Two of them were Kashiwagi’s friends, but she’s absent now. I left my backpack and water bottle in class, taking only my chair with me. Some might have wanted to stay till it’s time to go, but I wanted to leave before Kashiwagi gets here.

I put on the shoes I had just taken off at the school locker and entered the field. The welcoming frame decorated with the blue and red flowers Kashiwagi made last week had been set on the field.

“We should just use alien hair instead of making this stuff.”

I recalled Kashiwagi saying something along that line when she’s working. I would have said, ‘why don’t you get some at the barber’s,’ but I didn’t. Maybe she should have.

I placed the chair at the fifth grade’s resting area marked with white lines. I’m on red team; there are also white and blue. It wouldn’t have been strange if I was put into blue for my hair colour. It wouldn’t have made me happy though. Aside from the girls, there’s a few boys sitting in the resting area too. They said hi as they saw me, so I waved at them too. “Morning.”

I sat down on my chair. There’s no one in the parent area on the opposite end. Not surprising.

“……”

Will the old guy come? I suddenly became aware of something trivial.

With the tail of summer still sweeping, I waited for the sports meet to begin in this damp heat.

Something slowly drained from my back; boredom overwhelmed me.

It was not until my second yawn did all the students gather to begin the opening ceremony. We even did warm-ups. I didn’t need to since I ran all the way here, but Mr. Baldie won’t be too happy if I don’t, so I moved a little.

When I twisted my waist to look backward, Kashiwagi, whose height landed her just slightly behind me, met eyes with me. She grimaced; I could only frown every time I see that expression.

Parents began arriving during warm-up and the principle’s monotonous speech. In no time they filled the parents’ section.

As though that was the cue, the first event — ball rolling — began, while I sat on my chair.

I’d spent almost the entire morning chatting with my friends, or staring blankly with head on my hands.

To be honest I was falling asleep. I glanced to see if the old guy and his cat were on the opposite side, but, at least where I could see, I didn’t see them. Mom hadn’t come either. She’d wave impetuously.

Oh, but if the old guy and his cat showed up, people might call the police on them. What do I do? Well, I wouldn’t blame them. It should be fine… I think.

A few moms were seemingly discussing about something about seeing my hair and eyes. It’s not an uncommon sight, but when they start talking to their husbands, I get upset.

Not much happened besides that until the game before lunch — Tug-or-war. Students who’d done nothing but talk gradually entered the welcoming door when it’s time for the fifth graders. Those who hate sports meet, who also happened to not like moving during P.E, carried a nasty scowl. Did their moms not come?

We lined ourselves up based on height and entered; everyone grabbed onto the rope laid on the field. I felt the parents’ gaze upon my hair. I wanted to shout, ‘stop staring, stupid!’

“Watch yourself, alien.”

Behind me, Kashiwagi tauntingly warned me in her special way. I didn’t pay her any mind then, but as soon as the game began, I pulled hard and lied down on her. ‘Ah~’ she yelped as I squashed her into the ground.

After the somewhat interesting tug-of-war match came lunch break. Since the school had decided that it’s fine to eat anywhere, some people went to the parents’ section. I knew ahead of time mom won’t show up, so I went to my classroom.

“No~! If only the part timer didn’t ask for the day off! I would have left work for Eri~!”

Mom slapped on the floor like a capricious child yesterday while grudgingly said so. That was all it took for me to be glad of mom.

I stuck a tongue out — and I don’t need dad.

Currently blue team had the highest score. I don’t care for winning at the least, but now red was last, and with a bit of distance behind white. That really doesn’t matter though.

After entering the school building, I looked back at the parents’ seats. Neither mom, the old guy nor the cat was there. I felt no disappointment after confirming that fact as I went into the classroom.

I prepared myself as I took my lunchbox out of my pack. The food inside was untouched. Thank goodness. I was right to believe in Kashiwagi. Though I did kinda lay on her during the tug-of-war.

The water jug wasn’t poisoned or peppered with eraser shaving — now I’m relieved. Due to my almost wanting to change my view on Kashiwagi, I searched for her in the room; she was just about to leave with her jug and backpack. Perhaps because we met eyes, she grinned creepily.

It’s almost like Kashiwagi and I are just two friends who only fight each other — it’s not a great feeling. To ease the thought, I began eating mom’s dish. “So good~” I’m going to tell mom how good the food was later.

After lunch, I left the classroom right away, heading for my seat. Mom could already be here, so I hurried down the stairs.

Putting my shoes on frantically, I returned to the field. I sprinted toward the field; the sun peeked itself from the crevices between the clouds. Like playing musical chair, I sat down as fast as I could. Hand on my forehead, I searched for mom.

“Ah…”

Mom wasn’t there — but the old guy was. With the cat on his shoulder, he stood there wearing casuals. Sandwiched between two families, he had on a difficult expression. We locked eyes.

He smiled sheepishly, rubbing his cat’s head. Something in my head clicked as I witnessed the old guy standing there:

“Is this what having your dad at the sports festival like?”

But I hate dad. I don’t like the old guy that much, either. Was that why I overlapped the old guy with the dad I’ve never seen? It’s a world that someone who’s never seen him outside of old photos could understand. The person known as my father was an existence even further than Jupiter.

We traded look for a while, but since the afternoon games were about to begin, I had to disengage. And I was about to go; mom should be here now, so I decided to look for her first.

“Is mom still not here?”

This was far more nerve-wrecking than waiting for the meteor shower on a summer night. Probably because the only way for me to show mom how great I am was in this sports festival. Mm…

Mom still had not arrived — maybe she’s unusually busy today. While waiting, ball-toss had begun. Since scavenger hunt was next, I had to leave my spot.

“Ugh…” With mom’s absence was still on my mind, I haplessly moved toward the entrance.

As I arrived to line myself up based on height, I check the parent’s section again.

“Ah!”

There was mom. She hopped exaggeratedly on the last row, waving; I could easily spot her within a second. Once we saw each other, her motion intensified. I knew it was gonna happen, but I still felt embarrassed. ‘Woo! Eri!’ I heard the exhilarated clamour. I thought that perhaps even parents of first graders wouldn’t get so excited seeing their kids. As expected of my mom. I don’t know why, but she’s just different than the other adults.

'I don't know why, but she's just different than the other adults.'

I waved a little, and sensed my face turn team red.

After ball toss had ended, and the balls and baskets taken away, we jogged into the field’s track. Then we sat there, waiting to be arranged for the scavenger hunt.

First year, second year, third year… We had to go in this order, so it would be a while before us fifth graders. Two people on red team, two on white, two more on blue. Six people in a row; at first, the first graders began running along the tracks. Since the first graders had to run shorter distance than we, they immediately arrived at where the papers with the items written on were. Seeing their item names, they ran in disarray toward either the parents’ section or their resting area. I looked for a bit, but turned away from boredom. My eyes drifted to where mom was.

I had to wave occasionally at mom, whose jumping around was causing a bit of an inconvenience to the parents around, and sometimes look at the old guy who claimed he couldn’t find his conclusion. Both had on complicated expressions. I began running, for the sake of destroying these complications with a ballistic path.

It was finally my row’s turn. Since fifth graders had to run half a lap to the goal, the distance was 150 metres. The catch was that we have to go scavenge for our item halfway there.

That’s how simple the game was. I glanced at my opponents — I should be able to make it there first. The issue was my object. The students in charge of the papers laid six slips of rectangular paper on the track. Once they left, the game began.

I stomped onto the ground, arching my body slightly forward. I’d never learned how to run, so I just move as hard as I could going forward.

This is the battle between grade schoolers, as well as the standard procedure of running on planet Earth.

I peered at the parental section, then the goal on the other side.

Once I reached there, will I be closer to space?

No, I don’t think so…

The moment I thought so while looking back, the gun went off. My feet went forward beautifully at the sound of the gun.

Upon my first kickoff, I knew it was a great start: the forward motion was good, enough to make my body feel lighter. Sometimes I could run like this.

As though the Earth had lost three percent of its gravitational force, I felt no pain as my feet trampled the ground. No other footsteps were heard beyond my own. Everything was going well.

Accompanied by my own footsteps, on my own track, I accelerated more with the cheering of the crowd and the music broadcasting. If it were the hundred metres race I’d be crowned the hero right away, but such folly is why human could never fly on a bicycle.

I charged forward, preparing myself as I picked up the paper laid on the track.

After seeing the word written across the slip, I could feel my face turn hot.

Ah, of course.

The thing I had to look for, scribbled in a terrible font, ‘an alien.’

I had no doubt it was written by Kashiwagi.

I shot a look at Kashiwagi at the fifth grade’s area. On her ugly face was an irritating grin; the paper was crumbled inadvertently by my hands.

How did she do it? Was someone in charge of writing the papers part of her goons? It seemed that she even had friends in the people who put the slits down. I guess her exasperating smile for the past few days where an omen to this. What the heck! Mom’s watching today — why’d she thought of something so ridiculous? Even a first grader would come up with something less nonsensical! This jerk!

What do I do? I can’t just run to the goal because people call me alien, can I? Of course not. That’s just cheating!

That stupid Kashiwagi!

…Just kidding. Ms. Kashiwagi, is this all that you could do?

“Hahaha!”

I’d predicted this from a week ago! I’d fought with her for so long, I know what she would probably do! Kashiwagi’s weakness is that she could never be downright dirty when it comes to messing with me!

I’ve long expected this, and I already found an ‘alien.’

That’s why I handed the pamphlet to the old guy.

You’re too naïve, Kashiwagi — I’ve already made contact with an alien.

I ran toward the old guy without a doubt. He remained where he was since the beginning, so I located him right away. The cat was still on his shoulder.

My running toward him must have spooked him; he leaned back. The cat slid off, landing smoothly on the ground.

Mom flailed her arms still at the parents’ section, but she seemed to question where I was running toward. Sorry, mom, but my subject wasn’t ‘a beautiful lady,’

“Old guy!”

“W-what? You’re not looking for an old guy, are you? Oh… The cat?”

The flabbergasted old guy held his cat in front of me. Perhaps anxious that its legs were off ground, the cat wagged its tail and legs worriedly. The mom and dad next to the old guy seemed shocked by my running toward the man.

“No. You, old guy.”

Since the topic was limited to just humans, I don’t need the cat.

“I can understand if you want the cat, but aren’t there plenty more old guys around?”

He looked around. That’s not what I’m looking for. I hopped over the rope sequestering the parental section and grabbed the old guy’s hand. “Whoa…” The old guy seemed to moan.

“This is what I’m looking for.”

I showed the paper with ‘alien’ written on it to him. A strange expression immediately entailed, and he moved away from the paper. To get closer to his face, I pretended to grow.

“Couldn’t you pretend you’re no longer a human, but an alien?”

“……”

“Old guy, it’s not the end yet. Give up on flying and start running.”

I tugged his hand. Hurry up, you idiot. The others will win if you don’t.

“Let’s go, old guy.”

I hopped over the rope as I dragged him along. He stopped to untangle himself from the rope, but after a while, he came over to grab my hand, staring at the end of the runway.

“Thanks, kiddo.”

His thank had no appreciation in it.

In return, I put up a proud front, to hide my own embarrassment.

“I cannot abandon a space-lover in arm.”

“Sorry, I guess.”

He awkwardly crossed the rope, and swung his legs in the same manner. He ran, in a shamble like he had forgotten how to tread on ground. I had no way of winning first place with the way he ran— even now the other contestants were overtaking us.

But that’s fine.

Because I felt that as long as we reached the destination together, something will be accomplished.

This must be the first time that I’ve held the hand of an adult who’s not my mom. We ran toward the goal.

“You could go to space again if you get a running start.”

“I hope so.”

I ran with the old alien toward the goal.

Not a bike, the moon or the sky. Just kicking of the ground.

I pulled the old guy who’s in need of exercise, toward the goal that I, a human being, could run to.

I ended up as fourth place in the scavenger hunt.

“Who’s this?”

“I borrowed him. He’s an alien.”

“A what?”

“He’s been to space, so he’s an alien.”

“Okay…”

Such a conversation occurred at the goal where the teacher would check items brought by students.

I was disqualified… Or rather, somebody messed with my paper slit, so it’s hard to say what my rank was. The result didn’t even matter, because fourth place gets no points.

Nothing matters to me anymore. I stared at the old guy who’d returned to the parents’ section with his cat. Hot breath escaped my throat; the old guy smiled troubledly.

Mom seemed to have spoken to him. Something along the line of ‘why the hell are you hanging around my daughter?’ was heard. He could only play along with a wry smile.

Kashiwagi glared at me from the fifth-grade section.

It’s possible that she’s upset that I did not panic around the field from the topic like she had hoped. Her cheeks were on the verge of exploding. I felt a smile creep up on my face when I saw her.

“That’s what you get.” I had not laughed at Kashiwagi like this in a while.

Few days passed after the sports festival. The old guy disappeared from the park. It was getting cold, he said, so he migrated south.

“The sports festival was nice. I want to try again after seeing you kids. I’m thankful that you brought me there.”

“Ehehe~”

I will run as hard as I could on the ground, and fly into the sky.

After hearing me say so, the old guy said, ‘I’m looking forward to it.’ They did not sound like perfunctory words.

“I made money before anyway, so I can still do it… I think.”

He left the jungle gym with a sheepish smile.

‘If it were just one last time, then I might go to space again,’ he left those words.

The old guy didn’t bring the cat.

“It likes the place.”

He explained, but I’m positive he doesn’t speak cat.

But if it stays here, then it’ll have to deal with the winter that drove even the old guy away, so I felt bad for it. Mom said we couldn’t keep a pet, so she put up notices in front of the store. Unfortunately, I know mom’s Wagashi shop doesn’t get much traffic, so I’m a little worried.

My worries disappeared the following day.

The part timer at the Wagashi shop adopted the cat. The lady that appeared to be in high school came to the park to check out the cat.

“Mm… Not bad, it’s cute.”

She smiled somewhat mischievously, poking the back of the cat. The cat, curled up in a ball, did not put up a fight.

“Do you like it?”

“Mm… It’s the exact image of a cat, and it seems noble.”

The lady nodded in admiration.

“I used to like how boys are like cats.”

She seemed to recall something, gently staring with downcast eyes at the cat.

“What are you going to call it?”

“A name… Let’s go with ‘Liar.’”

The cat meowed at the calling of, uh, its name, ‘liar,’ like it knew it was its name. Its tail wagged, like barely in the dusk. It seemed to like the name. But why ‘liar?’

She kept calling the cat she hugged ‘little liar,’ all while petting its head.

The cat was a female.

“Nng…”

In the morning of a hot summer day, I dreamt something nostalgic while wrapped in sheets. Though my mind unclear, like blended with dreams or perhaps a slideshow, I think that was pretty much the gist of it all. The scar that had disappeared from my face long ago twitched, reminding me of how it felt.

I almost forgot that I’ve met the lady from the hair salon before. But she doesn’t seem to remember either anyway.

“Mm…”

The dream I held at that time wasn’t something that would shine in the darkness of the sheets. Only the darkest of clouds and nights will stay forever apart from space. Though the sweat on my forehead does stick.

Even if the stars I see now were real, I no longer reach for them.

Along with the six months when I disappeared in the first year of high school, my dream was lost. Touwa Erio, who had wanted to fly as an astronaut, could not graduate from high school.

I fell. And because the word sounds similar, I’ve failed, too. I did something shocking, sending out my freakiness. I did even more embarrassing things that I’d want to hide in space for.

Just like the old guy from before, I probably won’t be able to look at my dreams any more. Yet, in a different sense than the old guy, I could no longer let go.

But as I lay in the sheets, wrapped up, I regret nothing.

I’d made up my mind — I can let go now.

Maybe I can’t leave Earth in a rocket, but it’s the same thing.

It’s the tallest peak I could aim for now.

Because I can fly into the distant sky on a bicycle.

Because another human is willing to accompany me.

That’s why I was able to come back to this home, as a human.

“Mm…”

“Oh, so that’s where you are…”

Speaking of the devil.

Because of the sheets, my sight was bleared; I could recognise that voice right away.

The cousin that started living with us since April; the cousin known for his love for smell, and the feeling and footsteps he emanates when he enters. He would have appeared to have stopped next to my head.

“You’re looking real hot in that.”

The cousin commented rudely. He often plays my chaperone, despite being the same age as me. He’s always losing his cool when he’s talking or getting messed with mom. The cousin is still a kid, like I am.

“Mm…”

“Alright, pipe down, or I’m gonna ask somebody to use you for archery practice.”

The cousin continued with his crass words, and reached under me and the sheets. He put me on my feet.

“Mm…”

I protested, ‘what are you doing? I’m trying to stay safe here.’ Though I couldn’t see his face directly, I had a feeling what kind of attitude he had.

“Okay~” He’s probably just dealing with me perfunctorily now.

But…

Because he’s willing to deal with me at all, he’s great.

Something is just… Great.

“The pizza’s here, let’s go.”

“Mm!”

In this home on earth, the smell of pizza that I call ‘family’ is always special.

Translator's Notes and References

Back to Chapter 2

Return to Main Page

Forward to Chapter 4