Toaru Hikuushi e no Yasoukyoku:Chapter1

Chapter 1: Yuki

In the rough seas, there was an island that appeared like something that had been spat out of the ocean.

It wasn’t a natural island. The perimeter was reinforced with thick stone walls, and the concrete buildings jutted out to the very edges, their surfaces blackened by the crashing waves. One side of the island was densely packed with grey buildings, while the other half was occupied by coal mines, where a 30-meter-high chimney spewed black smoke like a battleship.

──Battleship Island.

Originally, it was a reef less than 100 meters long. After the discovery of high-quality coal deposits beneath the sea, a large corporation had invested heavily in mining, filling in the surrounding area with waste rock and debris until the surface expanded to 400 meters in length and 130 meters in width. Five thousand coal miners were crammed onto this island, which resembled a battleship, with high-rise apartments of seven or eight stories squeezed together on the limited land.

Among the various misshapen structures, the most prominent was a massive hoist tower rising above the steel and concrete buildings. Over 40 meters tall, this iron structure operated a lift that descended vertically into the deep-sea mining shafts. The entire framework was made of exposed steel beams, with a three-meter-diameter, 28-ton wheel at the top, winding up 600 meters of cable. The heavy, grinding sound of the wheel reverberated across the island, mixing with the crashing waves on the seawall, creating the illusion that a gigantic sea monster was roaring in the nearby waters.

At the mine entrance, dozens of workers stood in line, waiting to descend into the shaft. Their faces were tense and rigid, as the constant threat of collapses or gas explosions made this work anything but carefree.

Among them was Chijiwa Takeo, fourteen years old, staring into the dark, descending shaft. His eyes were devoid of emotion. Although his face was that of a boy, his eyes held an eerie maturity, drained of vitality. It wasn’t unusual for fourteen-year-olds to work in the mines, as smaller bodies were often more suited for the narrow tunnels.

The heavy rumbling of the hoist signalled the arrival of a two-tiered lift. The workers were packed into the small space, barely three tatami mats wide. Covered in coal dust, they pressed rags to their noses, but Chijiwa didn’t so much as flinch.

The lift descended into the dark at eight meters per second. Inside and outside, nothing was visible, not even fingertips. The workers remained silent, only the weighty sound of the hoist tower echoing from far above. Soon they reached the 600-meter depth, where they transferred to a small, steep vehicle called a "jinsha," which followed the coal seams down into the shaft.

The tunnel was like a steam bath, stiflingly hot. Coal dust clung to their skin, and the rumble of the drum cutters carving out the coal seams could be heard over the sound of the vehicle’s wheels on the narrow track.

──This isn’t the place.

Walking with the other workers along the timber-reinforced tunnel after disembarking from the jinsha, Chijiwa heard his thoughts whisper.

He had been hearing that voice more often lately. Shaking his head from side to side, he tried to shake off the illusion.

──This is reality.

He reminded himself, flipping the switch on the heavy battery attached to his waist, turning on the headlamp attached to his helmet. The mining site, called the "cutting area," was illuminated by its yellow light.

At the age of twelve, right after graduating from elementary school, Chijiwa’s father had died from peritonitis. Not wanting to burden his frail mother, Chijiwa had decided to start working. His mother had been fiercely opposed to her only son, who excelled in both academics and sports, giving up on further education, but after much persuasion, they had both come to Battleship Island. It was said that even women and children could find well-paying jobs there, and indeed, they were hired on the very day they arrived, working together in the coal washing operation. Desperate to save money, they worked diligently every day. About a year ago, Chijiwa was promoted to apprentice miner and allowed to descend into the tunnels.

Three months ago, his mother had died from pneumoconiosis. The coal washing job had been too hard on her lungs, it seemed. It was then that Chijiwa realized that this island was a place where the weak couldn’t survive. After crying bitterly over his ignorance, he had cremated his mother’s emaciated body on a neighbouring island. Since then, with no purpose, he had immersed himself in mining labour, turning fourteen just the day before. The only one to celebrate his birthday had been the dog he had raised.

──This isn’t the place.

The voice echoed in his mind again. Clenching his eyes shut, Chijiwa tried to block it out, shovelling coal into the carts and pushing them down the narrow tracks. His face, hands, and feet were black with soot. He could feel the fine coal dust filling his lungs. Each day, every hour spent working in this tunnel chipped away at his life.

──Where else would I go?

He cursed inwardly, hauling heavy carts filled with coal, using every ounce of his strength. His body, his clothes, and his face were quickly stained black, and sweat mixed with coal dust dripped from him. He tried to think of nothing else, focusing only on the task of pulling the carts like a draft horse, spending his young strength in the underground labour.

The people who worked underground were often outcasts—hardened men ostracized from society due to gambling, drinking, or fighting, with many being ex-convicts. Because they spent their days working in the dark, far beneath the surface, it wasn’t uncommon for disputes, thefts, or even fistfights to break out among the workers. Incidents that would normally be considered crimes on the surface could be dismissed as “accidents” underground. The mines had their own unspoken rules. When things escalated, fights between different mining groups could erupt, with tattooed men brandishing knives and causing bloody brawls that resulted in numerous casualties. Those who broke the unspoken rules risked being lynched by the gang leaders, known as the "overseers," so the workers toiled silently, carving coal from the bedrock.

By evening, the shift ended, and the workers were crammed back into the jinsha and the lift, returning to the surface. Every worker was covered head to toe in black dust, indistinguishable from one another. After returning to the surface, they were all herded into one of the two bathhouses designated for miners, where they washed off the coal dust. The floor of the bathhouse turned into a black river, and the tubs became murky black swamps. Some men, not bothering to wash themselves, dove directly into the dirty water, causing fights to break out when others reprimanded them. As the soot-washed bodies clashed, dragon and tiger tattoos emerged from beneath the coal dust. Chijiwa casually splashed some lukewarm water over his hair and body, changed into a shabby shirt and tattered pants, and stepped outside, collecting his meagre daily wages at the counter. As an apprentice, he had to settle for the same low wages as the temporary workers, but if he became a full-time employee, he could earn a better monthly salary.

Stuffing the money into his pocket, Chijiwa entered the tunnel leading to the residential area without saying a word to anyone. The salty sea breeze and the constant sound of crashing waves filled the air. After walking for a while, he emerged from the tunnel into the miners’ living quarters.

To say it "opened up" was a bit misleading, though, as the sight that greeted him was a line of towering concrete buildings crowding both sides of the street. The sky above was cut into a narrow strip by the tightly packed high-rises, making it feel as though he was viewing the world through the slot of a mailbox. Although the sun was setting, its light was blocked by the buildings, and the only way to judge the time was by the fading colours of the sky visible through the gaps.

The mechanical roar of the hoist tower and the sound of crashing waves never ceased, vibrating through the island’s core. On Battleship Island, there was no escaping these two omnipresent noises.

The grey island, made of steel, concrete, and crushed rock, was filled with coal dust-laden, stagnant air. Even the wind didn’t reach here.

──There’s nowhere else to go.

Chijiwa trudged along the narrow path, heading toward the half-underground commissary where he bought a loaf of bread and some milk, then started the long climb up the steep stone steps. Both sides of the staircase were flanked by the same concrete high-rise apartments. The buildings, which seemed to merge with the island’s rocky cliffs, formed a bizarre complex of layered structures. The overcrowding on the island had led to these unique, cramped living spaces. Halfway up the stairs, Chijiwa turned abruptly, stepping onto a balcony jutting from one of the buildings, and swung himself over the railing into a room on the sixth floor. This was his home. It was a homecoming scene that could only exist on Battleship Island, a hyper-dense residential area.

The room was bare, containing only a small stove, a low table, a radio, and a futon. The floor was exposed concrete, with no rugs or cushions. As Chijiwa sat directly on the floor, an old beagle wagged its tail excitedly and greeted him with its tongue hanging out.

“Tareo.”

He had found the stray not long after arriving on Battleship Island. Dirty and with sad eyes, the dog had been wandering around, soaked by the sea, and Chijiwa had felt sorry for it, bringing it home on impulse. At first, the dog had been nervous and prone to biting, but over time, they had become close, and Tareo was now like family.

“Dinner.”

Chijiwa tore off a piece of bread and offered it to Tareo, who wagged his tail and eagerly devoured it, looking as happy as could be. Chijiwa softened slightly, sharing his dinner with Tareo. In the distance, he heard the whistle of a ferry.

As he ate, he turned on the radio. Amidst the static, the voice of an announcer came through intermittently. Chijiwa adjusted the dial, searching for Levamme music. He preferred it to the closed, sombre music of Amatsukami—it was brighter and more open, easier to listen to. However, he couldn’t find what he was looking for, and instead, military songs blared through the speakers. The boisterous, aggressive melodies offered no solace to his emotions, and he quickly switched it off. In the silence that followed, the distant sound of the waves became his music. The sky, already dark, indicated that night was fast approaching.

It was quiet. Leaning his back against the wall and hugging his knees, Chijiwa gazed out the window.

A metallic taste filled his mouth. The dull ache in his chest was like cold lead being poured into his veins.

Whenever he was alone, it was like this. Since his mother had passed, it had gotten worse.

──This isn’t the place.

That whisper came again.

──This isn’t where I belong.

Chijiwa pressed his forehead against his knees, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to block out the voice.

He longed for some kind of melody, something to wash away the lead in his chest and cleanse the coal dust from his lungs. Something clean, gentle.

Then—

Faintly, from somewhere, a song floated through the air.

“...?”

Startled, Chijiwa looked up. The evening shadows were creeping in, but a faint glow still lingered.

He strained to listen. Yes, it was a song.

──A Levamme song...!

The voice of a girl, singing a familiar tune. It was an old song about a girl waiting for a lover who had gone to sea and never returned.

Without thinking, Chijiwa jumped to his feet.

Without hesitation, he vaulted over the balcony and landed on the stone steps. Tareo followed closely behind, wagging his tail as he looked in the direction of the voice.

“It’s coming from above.”

Chijiwa took off running. There was no time to think. It was as if he had found an oasis in the desert—he was drawn to the song. He ran up the long, narrow steps, his breath growing heavy. The high-rise buildings still loomed on either side, hemming him in no matter how high he climbed.

The girl’s voice was faint, carried on the breeze. It was delicate and easy to miss, but there it was, unmistakably, a melody.

“Ha... ha... ha...!”

Without slowing down, he continued to ascend. Few people ever ventured this high. The steps climbed what used to be a hill on Battleship Island, leading to nothing at the top. For those wanting a view, it was easier to go to the rooftop of one of the high-rise apartments. Only a handful of people bothered to make the effort to climb all the way up these steps.

But Chijiwa finally reached the top.

The view opened up before him.

At the very peak of Battleship Island, 135 meters above sea level, the horizon stretched out before his eyes.

The sun had already set, and the sky to the west was tinged with the last traces of daylight.

Before him lay a garden. Once an experimental farm where soil had been brought in to grow crops, it had long since been abandoned, and no one visited it anymore.

And there, beyond the garden, was the source of the song.

“...Ah...”

The golden glow of the fading sunlight bathed the figure of a girl, her back to him.

Instinctively, Chijiwa dropped to the steps and hid, peeking out cautiously from the top of the stairs.

He didn’t recognize the girl. What caught his eye first was the long, golden hair tied up behind her like a horse’s tail, shining with the last light of the day, sending shimmering drops of light scattering around her. Her voice, perfect in its delivery of the foreign song, suggested she was Levamme. She wore a navy skirt and a pale pink blouse—part of the school uniform from the local junior high, meaning she must live on the island. But Chijiwa had never heard of a girl on the island who could sing like this.

Her voice was pure. It felt like it was washing away the coal dust that had settled in his lungs—a fresh, rejuvenating melody.

His chest tightened as if his diaphragm had been squeezed. His heartbeat reverberated through his limbs. A sigh escaped his lips, unbidden. He wanted to listen to this song forever.

Still hiding from the girl, Chijiwa lay back on the sloped stairs.

The sky was deepening into twilight. To the west, the sky still blazed with golden light. Overhead, it was a deep blue, while to the east, the colours of night were beginning to take over, and a constellation of bright stars formed a cross against the darkening sky.

The song seemed to merge with the wings of the birds flying across the sea.

Here, there was only the sky, the birds, and the girl’s song. The quiet of the world deepened, thanks to the melody.

For the first time in his life, Chijiwa felt a sense of peace rise from deep within, spreading to every cell in his body.

──Let it stay like this.

──Let time stop.

He prayed.

Let everything stay still.

There was no need for tomorrow. If this moment could last forever...

He didn’t need the kind of tomorrow where he would wake up and go to work, breathing in coal dust deep in the tunnels from dawn to dusk, or burn his mother’s body after losing her.

──Like those birds, free to fly through the sky.

──I want to keep listening to this song, always.

Soon, the stars would fill the sky. He wanted to count them as he listened to this gentle song.

Since coming to Battleship Island, he had only ever seen pieces of the sky, cut into small fragments by the towering buildings around him. He remembered that the sky was once an infinite expanse, stretching endlessly above him.

The song and the evening sky intertwined, sending unfamiliar ripples through his soul.

──Up there.

His right arm moved on its own.

His hand reached out toward the sky.

──Is that where I belong?

Just as that thought formed, it was interrupted by an unwelcome noise.

Rough, mocking laughter echoed from below.

“Hey, over here.” “She’d better be here. You’ll regret it if she’s not.” “She was here yesterday too, singing. She’ll be here today.”

Chijiwa half-sat up and glanced down the steps.

A group of five teenage boys, about fifteen or sixteen years old, was climbing the stairs, laughing crudely. They were local delinquents who attended the junior high school on Battleship Island.

Chijiwa frowned, stood up quietly, and descended the steps without making a sound.

The boys noticed him and stopped, looking up at him.

“Who the hell are you?”

Chijiwa kept his voice low so the girl wouldn’t hear and said softly,

“...Go away...”

It was like shooing off a stray dog. The boys’ faces darkened in response.

“Who does this guy think he is?” “Never seen him before.” “Must be one of the coal miners. Bet he’s too poor to go to school.”

Their faces twisted in disdain. The leader of the group stepped forward, confronting Chijiwa.

“You trying to get with that girl? She’s a Bestado, you know. Got demon blood in her.”

Children born to a Levamme and an Amatsukami were called Bestado. In Amatsukami, Levammes were referred to as "demons" and were despised.

“She just transferred here two days ago, but she’s real stuck up. We need to teach her the rules of this island.” “Step aside. We’re gonna show that demon girl her place. No one’s singing demon songs on our island.”

One of the lackeys placed his hand on Chijiwa’s shoulder, trying to shove him aside.

Chijiwa calmly placed his hand over the boy’s mouth and whispered into his ear,

“Don’t... make a sound.”

With a swift movement, he struck the boy’s throat with a knife-hand.

The boy crumpled to the ground without a sound, unable to even cry out in pain.

The remaining four boys paled and began to back away.

Without changing his expression, Chijiwa closed the distance between them and whispered again,

“...I don’t want... any noise.”

His voice was as emotionless as if he were reprimanding a child.

The leader of the group shouted angrily.

“You bastard!”

“...Don’t yell.”

Chijiwa closed the gap in an instant, driving his fist deep into the leader’s stomach.

The boy collapsed, groaning, his knees buckling beneath him. The remaining three boys were clearly frightened now, retreating even further.

Chijiwa grabbed the collars of the two unconscious boys and dragged them like cats, throwing them at the remaining boys.

“...Take them with you. Quietly.”

One of the boys tried to shout something in response, but Chijiwa raised a finger to his lips, signalling for silence.

“Y-you’ll pay for this! Don’t think you’ll get away with it!”

Muttering a barely audible threat, the boys disappeared into the growing twilight. Watching them go, Chijiwa frowned, hoping the commotion hadn’t reached the girl as he turned to look back up the steps.

His hopes were dashed.

“...”

The girl stood at the top of the steps, looking down at him.

The fading light of dusk cast her pale skin into stark relief, separating her from the rest of the world.

With her arms crossed in front of her chest and the hem of her skirt fluttering in the breeze, she stared down at him with a stern expression.

Chijiwa remained silent, gazing up at the girl. He had hoped to listen to her song without being noticed. His heart sank, and a sigh escaped him, though he made no sound.

The girl furrowed her brow and spoke sharply, her voice clear and commanding.

“Have you been listening the whole time?”

Her voice carried a faint trace of anger. Just like her singing, her speaking voice had a unique quality to it, something only she possessed.

“...”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

She demanded an answer, but Chijiwa had none to give. He could only frown, pursing his lips as he shrugged.

With a huff, the girl descended the stairs, stopping directly in front of Chijiwa to look him in the eye.

Aside from the colour of her hair, her features were almost entirely those of an Amatsukami. Her eyes, a clear autumn sky blue, were narrow and sharp, and her soft nose and jawline were typical of the Amatsukami people. Though she wore a simple, worn-out school uniform, there was an ethereal, otherworldly quality to her presence.

“Do you have a mouth?”

Despite her innocent demeanour, her words were rather sharp.

Feeling irritated, Chijiwa responded bluntly.

"...I have one."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"..."

"I asked if you were spying."

"...I wasn't... spying."

"Really?"

The girl moved her face close, peering directly into Chijiwa's eyes. Her eyes were like a winter constellation, filled with countless different colours. Chijiwa's cheeks turned bright red without him realizing.

"...I was... listening to the song."

He inadvertently confessed, turning his flushed face away.

The girl smiled mischievously and leaned back, folding her arms confidently.

"Yep. You were listening, alright."

She said it triumphantly. Chijiwa glared at her from the side. The girl chuckled playfully.

"I have good ears, you know. I noticed when you started climbing the steps. I was going to kick you down if you tried to mess with me, but since you were just quietly listening, I let it go."

"..."

Feeling humiliated, Chijiwa continued to glare at her, but the girl's carefree smile didn't falter.

"I also knew when those weird guys came up. I was going to kick them down the stairs too, but you took care of them. I’m actually disappointed, I'm pretty good at fighting."

"..."

"Yuki Yoshioka, first-year at Nami Island Middle School. I just arrived on this island with my dad two days ago, so I don’t know much about it yet. You’ll be my first fan, so teach me things. Yep, it’s settled."

"..."

"Don't you have a mouth?"

"...I do."

"Yeah, I thought so."

"...I don't want to be your fan."

"Why not? Don't you like my singing?"

Without knowing how to respond, Chijiwa looked to the right, then the left, feeling uncomfortable, and finally raised his face to look at Yuki.

"...I don’t hate it."

He muttered, almost sulkily. A faint sense of defeat settled in his chest, but lying would have been more frustrating. It was his way of repaying her for the beautiful song.

Yuki smiled, as if to sweep away the approaching twilight. Her smile was like sunlight filtering through the trees, making that moment seem brighter.

"Okay, then! You're officially my first fan. I'm going to be a singer in the future, so you can brag about it then."

"...I don’t want to be a fan."

"Why not? Are you one of those stubborn guys who thinks men can’t do things like that? If that’s the case, then you can be my bodyguard. That sounds cooler, right?"

"..."

"I don’t want those rowdy boys disturbing my practice. If you're here, I’ll feel safe. Come here again tomorrow at the same time. Since you’re my first fan, I’ll allow you to be near me."

"..."

"Seriously, do you not have a mouth?"

"...Why would I... do that?"

As Chijiwa fumbled for words, Tareo, his dog, poked his head out from behind him and trotted over to Yuki, wagging his tail.

"Oh, a dog!"

Yuki's expression immediately softened, and she crouched down, grabbing Tareo's long ears and giving them a tug.

"His ears feel so nice! His ears!"

Tareo, grinning happily, allowed Yuki to pull on his spatula-shaped, soft ears, and then licked her cheek.

"Haha! So cute!"

Yuki laughed openly, stroking Tareo’s neck, scratching under his chin, and pinching the droopy skin on either side of his mouth. Tareo seemed pleased, snuggling up against Yuki, wagging his tail vigorously.

Yuki looked up at Chijiwa with a smile.

"What’s his name?"

"...Tareo."

"Haha, that's funny! Is it because everything about him droops? Who named him?"

"..."

Chijiwa grimaced and looked down. Yuki laughed even harder.

"It was you!"

"...As long as it works as a name, it’s fine."

"Haha! That’s hilarious! You're funny, first fan, really funny!"

Anger turned Chijiwa's face bright red as he raised his head to glare at Yuki.

"I'm not... some kind of... joke."

Still playing with Tareo, Yuki shot Chijiwa a mischievous smile.

"What’s your name?"

"..."

"Still no mouth?"

"...Chijiwa... Takeo."

"Got it. You’re Take-chan, then. How old are you?"

"...Fourteen."

"I’m twelve. So I’m your senior by two years. Are you in middle school?"

Chijiwa silently shook his head. Yuki didn’t press him for a reason. She just puffed out her chest and declared,

"Take-chan and Tareo, I’m officially naming you my bodyguards. I’ll count on you tomorrow, too."

"...Who said I’d... do that..."

"Anyway, I need to head home and cook dinner for my dad. Take-chan, where do you live? If you’re hungry, just say so. It won’t be much, but I’m a good cook. See you tomorrow!"

Yuki gave Tareo a kiss, then cheerfully waved at Chijiwa as she trotted down the stairs. Like a spring breeze, she disappeared suddenly, leaving Chijiwa standing alone, looking at Tareo.

"Strange girl... she is."

He sighed, gazing at the darkening sky. Above him, the stars had already filled the night.

His heart was beating faster than usual, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t calm it down. Feeling perplexed by this unfamiliar sensation, he walked home with Tareo. That night, for some reason, he slept well. He thought he might have dreamed of hearing Yuki's song, but maybe it was just his imagination.

The next day──

After eight hours of work in the coal mines, Chijiwa washed up and headed home at dusk. He looked up at the sliver of sunset between the buildings, then stepped over the railing from the stairs, entering the apartment through the balcony, as usual.

The September evening was as hot as a steam bath. He took a small sip of stored water and looked around the room.

"Tareo."

Usually, his faithful companion would greet him, wagging his tail, but today, there was no sign of him.

"...?"

He scanned the dim room, but Tareo wasn’t near the hearth, in the sunken kitchen, or hidden behind the stone mill and washboard.

"Tareo."

He stood up and raised his voice. To Chijiwa, who lived alone, Tareo was his only family. The absence of someone who was always there quickly filled him with anxiety.

Tareo wasn’t in the house. Chijiwa stepped back over the railing and descended the stairs, scanning the area.

"Tareo!!"

He called out loudly, listening carefully. From above, he heard the faint sound of a girl laughing.

"That girl...!"

Clicking his tongue, he hurriedly bounded up the stairs, two steps at a time. When he reached the top, there was Yuki, playing with Tareo under the same open sky as yesterday.

He sighed in relief, careful not to let it be heard, then stiffened his shoulders and glared at Yuki. She was wearing the same school uniform as the day before.

"Hey, Take-chan! Welcome back, you’re late today."

Yuki's carefree smile bloomed next to the empty garden. With a grim expression, Chijiwa strode over and demanded answers.

"What are you doing?"

"Why are you so mad?"

"Why is Tareo here?"

"He followed me on his own. Right, Tareo?"

Yuki and Tareo exchanged smiles. Tareo wagged his tail so vigorously it could hardly be believed. It seemed he had seen Yuki climbing the stairs and jumped over the balcony to follow her. The two had clearly hit it off.

Chijiwa fell silent, his expression sour, as he turned his gaze out to the sea. From this vantage point, the entire view of Battleship Island unfolded before them. Below them, the residential buildings, integrated with the rocky cliffs, were crammed together. Beyond them, the sea reflected the colours of the setting sun.

"An interesting view. Nowhere else in the world looks like this."

Yuki stood beside Chijiwa, stretching her back to look out over the sea as it faded into twilight. The September breeze flowed around them, free of the usual smell of coal dust. Perhaps it didn’t reach this height, and instead, the scent of the salty sea breeze filled the air.

Yuki's golden hair, bathed in the setting sun, shone even more brilliantly. The ends of her hair scattered golden light like glitter, reflecting the rays of the brass-coloured sun. Seeing those tiny droplets of light made Chijiwa’s heart race, just like the day before.

"With no one around, I can really practice singing here. I'm so happy. Take-chan, Tareo, I’m counting on you as my bodyguards!"

Yuki’s carefree smile beamed up at Chijiwa. His cheeks flushed as he looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment, muttering awkwardly.

"...Stop calling me that."

"Why? It’s cute. Take-chan, yeah, it's cute."

"..."

"Ahhhhhh! Ehhhhhhh! Uhhhhh!"

Suddenly, Yuki let out a loud shout, causing Chijiwa to instinctively step back. At first, he thought she had lost her mind, but then he noticed her cheerful expression. She was simply warming up her voice. Tareo sat beside her, happily sticking out his tongue.

After completing a series of vocal exercises, she moved on to voice-strengthening exercises, letting out a series of loud shouts. If she practiced like this alone, Chijiwa could see how she might attract attention from the neighbourhood troublemakers. With her striking appearance, her background as a "bastard" (a child of mixed blood between Levamme and Amatsukami), and her oversized dreams for this dreary island, she would be an easy target for bored boys.

Chijiwa folded his arms and sat on the crumbled stone wall, facing the stairs.

Soon, Yuki’s singing began. Unlike the rough, loud shouts from before, her voice was smooth and clear. Her song flowed into his back, soaking into the very core of his body. Like rain in a desolate wilderness, Chijiwa received the downpour of song with his entire being.

Then, yesterday's boys appeared again, this time eight of them. Chijiwa frowned and glared down at them. The boys spotted him and glared back, the leader switching places with a larger boy who confidently marched up the stairs. As soon as he was within range, Chijiwa’s merciless kick slammed into the large boy’s face, sending him tumbling back down. The other boys caught him, cursing loudly as they retreated. Chijiwa silently returned to his seat on the stone wall, resuming his watch.

Yuki’s singing continued uninterrupted. Chijiwa closed his eyes, focusing on his back. Her pure, untainted voice seemed to cleanse his entire being. Although he didn’t understand the lyrics in Levamme, the melody felt tender and nurturing, as if it was meant to comfort him.

With his eyes closed, he felt as if the song might take him away to somewhere else. It was as if Yuki's voice was blowing away all the coal dust and grime that covered the island.

Then──the song stopped.

"...?"

Chijiwa raised his gaze. Yuki was crouching next to him, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Hey, do you like that song?"

She suddenly asked. Chijiwa was taken aback.

"Wh-why...?"

"You were smiling with your eyes closed."

"Huh...?"

Yuki smiled sweetly.

"Like a baby’s sleeping face."

Chijiwa’s face flushed red. He had indeed been enchanted by her song. It felt like being a child again, lulled to sleep by his mother’s lullaby.

"N-no way..."

"I was singing that same song when you came up the stairs yesterday."

Yuki said, her voice filled with joy.

"I love that song, too. It's about a woman waiting for a man who set off on a journey across the sea and never returned."

Since the lyrics were in Levamme, Chijiwa hadn’t understood a word. He had simply been captivated by the melody.

"It’s a good song, don’t you think?"

Yuki tilted her head. Chijiwa’s face burned even redder, and he glared off in a random direction. Yuki grinned mischievously.

"You’re not being very honest, are you?"

As she brushed off the sand from her knees and stood up, Yuki moved away from Chijiwa and resumed her practice.

Even after the egg-shaped sun set into the western sea, and faint starlight began to descend upon the grey island, her song continued. Chijiwa, looking up at the starry sky, listened to the song with his back. He silently prayed to the stars that the song would never end.

"I'm hungry. I need to make dinner for my dad."

His modest wish did not reach the stars. Yuki suddenly stopped her practice, stretched with a smile, and raised both hands to the night sky.

"Thank you for dealing with those boys. Really, thank you."

Her smile, bathed in the moonlight, gently seeped into Chijiwa's chest. He responded bluntly, trusting the night to hide his blushing cheeks.

"That was nothing..."

"Are you hungry? As thanks, come eat at my place."

"I have bread... I'm fine."

"Bread? Is your mother around?"

Yuki bent down and peered up at Chijiwa's face, suddenly asking that question.

Chijiwa blinked in surprise before shaking his head from side to side.

"...I have no family."

"Oh, I see? Sorry, I didn’t know..."

"This is the only family I have."

Chijiwa crouched down and stroked Tareo's neck. Tareo happily licked Chijiwa's cheek.

Yuki, kneeling beside them, scratched Tareo's back and said,

"Come over and eat with us. Let me at least do that."

"There's no need for that... I'm fine..."

He swallowed the words that all he wanted was to hear her sing again. But Yuki, without hesitation, tugged at his sleeve, saying,

"Don't be shy. It won't be anything fancy, but I guarantee I'm a better cook than you. Right, Tareo? I'll give you the leftovers too, so come on."

Tareo wagged his tail happily, raising his face with excitement. Yuki smiled, clapped her hands together, and said,

"It's settled. Let's eat together; it's better than eating alone. I don’t have any friends on this island yet. You’ll come, right? You have to."

As if it were a done deal, she pushed Chijiwa towards the stairs.

"Hey, cut it out...!"

Despite his complaints, Chijiwa had no choice but to descend the stairs as Yuki pushed him. Tareo followed behind them, his mouth half-open in happiness.

Yuki's house was located at the eastern end of Battleship Island, in a complex known as the "Daily Wage Housing," where the lowest-paid workers on the island lived. After climbing a set of stairs to the fifth floor, a wooden row house was lined up along a concrete corridor—a strange sight, typical of the island, where wooden and reinforced concrete structures had been awkwardly fused together. To enter, you slid open a glass door and removed your shoes in the dirt floor before stepping inside. The room was a simple eight-tatami mat space with only a low table and an old chest of drawers. The partition between this and the neighbouring home was a single plywood sheet. It was housing for day laborers who worked in the mines and didn’t receive monthly wages.

"My dad's not here. Maybe he went drinking again. Oh well."

Yuki turned on the bare light bulb and, seeing the empty room, sighed. She turned to Chijiwa and Tareo with a smile.

"Sit wherever. The bathroom’s at the end of the hallway. Take your time."

After seating Chijiwa in front of the low table, she left the room and headed to the communal kitchen at the end of the long hallway. Left behind, Chijiwa exchanged glances with Tareo and sighed.

"What am I even doing?"

It had been three months since his mother died, and he was starting to get used to the solitude. Or rather, he had been trying not to think about it. If he didn’t think, he wouldn’t have to deal with the strange voices whispering in his mind or the unexplainable pain that sometimes gripped him. That’s how he planned to keep living.

"Why am I here?"

He asked himself. Had he unknowingly begun to feel lonely? He could have refused; he could have shaken Yuki off. Yet here he was, pretending to be reluctant, waiting for a meal at Yuki's house.

"What am I doing?"

The only response to his self-questioning was Tareo's cheerful face.

He considered silently slipping back home, but his body didn’t seem willing to get up. Perhaps, deep down, he wanted to spend a little more time with Yuki.

"Ridiculous."

He doubted his own feelings. He was supposed to be stronger than that—strong enough to live alone, without parents or friends.

"Yeah. I’m strong."

"What are you mumbling about?"

The sudden voice startled him, causing Chijiwa to jerk back. When he looked down at the floor, he saw Yuki standing there, holding an aluminium pot, with a puzzled look on her face.

"Are you the kind of person who talks to themselves a lot?"

"..."

"When I’m around, you go quiet. You’re an interesting one─"

Teasing him lightly, Yuki set the pot on the low table and placed two bowls in front of them. When she lifted the lid, steam rose from a pot of barley porridge.

"It’s not much, but it’s better than eating bread alone."

She scooped some porridge into Chijiwa’s bowl and set it in front of him.

"This one’s for Tareo."

She also placed a separate bowl of millet porridge in front of Tareo. The dog sat still, wagging his tail as he stared at the food, waiting patiently.

Chijiwa glanced at his bowl of porridge before raising his gaze to Yuki.

Yuki, with her eyes closed, pressed her hands together and said,

"Let’s eat."

"...Let’s eat."

A smile bloomed across Yuki’s face.

"I hope it tastes good. You too, Tareo."

"..."

Tareo happily dug into his dish. He seemed delighted, finally getting a break from his usual bread diet, eagerly gobbling down the cold millet.

Not wanting Yuki to see his flushed face, Chijiwa looked down and began eating his porridge. He wasn’t expecting much and had long forgotten what a good meal even tasted like.

But.

"...!?"

Chijiwa's head snapped up toward Yuki, his eyes wide in shock.

Yuki smiled triumphantly and puffed out her chest.

"I told you, I’m good at cooking."

She then took a bite herself, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Mmm, it’s good. Porridge is all about the broth."

Smiling, she took her bowl in one hand and gulped down the porridge.

A bead of sweat ran down Chijiwa’s temple as he stared at his bowl. It was just simple porridge. But when he swallowed it—

"...!"

He let out a groan without meaning to. His stomach demanded more. Unable to resist, Chijiwa tilted his bowl back and gulped down the rest, just like Yuki.

"There’s more if you want it."

"...!"

Before he realized it, Chijiwa was holding out his empty bowl for more. When he noticed what he’d done, he grimaced in frustration. Yuki, delighted, happily ladled more porridge into his bowl.

"Good! Eat as much as you like."

Chijiwa, now silently and hastily, took the bowl and once again devoured its contents. No matter how much he ate, his body demanded more, and with his brain seemingly numb, he automatically thrust his empty bowl toward Yuki for another refill.

It wasn’t until he had eaten nearly the entire pot of porridge by himself that Chijiwa finally came to his senses.

Across from him, Yuki sat smiling, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"You eat so well! Just like a boy should!"

"..."

"Take-chan, you were totally possessed by the porridge!"

Yuki said cheerfully. Embarrassed, Chijiwa could only bite his lip. Beside him, Tareo, having finished his meal, was now nuzzling his nose against Yuki in gratitude, licking her cheeks.

"Haha, did you like it too, Tareo? I’m glad."

Under the amber glow of the bare light bulb, Yuki’s smile shone brightly.

"...I’ll clean up."

Chijiwa muttered, stacking the dishes from himself, Yuki, and Tareo.

"Oh, I’ll do it─"

"At least let me handle this."

"...Oh, okay? In that case, thanks. The water is at the end of the hall."

Yuki pointed toward the washing area with a cheerful smile.

Without a word, Chijiwa stepped out into the hallway, washed the dishes as instructed, and returned to the room. Yuki and Tareo had become fast friends, playing together without a care.

"He’s so cute, smart, and such a good boy."

Lying on her back, Yuki gently stroked Tareo’s exposed belly, a gesture only shown to those a dog truly trusts.

"At first, I really didn’t want to come to this island. It’s small, cramped, and everything feels so covered in soot."

"..."

"Don’t you think it feels suffocating? The tall buildings are all packed together, the sky is so narrow, and there’s no wind when you walk around. Instead of rain, it’s like salt falls from the sky. The kids at school give me strange looks too. I guess it’s because my mom’s Levamme, so I don’t really look like them. Plus, my hair is like this, so I stand out in all the wrong ways. At school, the only friend I had was this pig I took care of. Everyone else didn’t want to bother with it, but I really liked that pig..."

Yuki rambled on, and Chijiwa didn’t say a word in response. He simply listened, not to the content but to the rhythm of her voice. It wasn’t the words themselves that mattered—it was the music in how Yuki spoke. The rhythm of her words was enough to make him feel like he was floating, as if he could drift away on the wind, lifted from the earth.

"Are you listening?"

"Yeah."

To be honest, he hadn’t been listening to the actual words. It was like listening to foreign music—he didn’t understand what was being said, but the cadence and flow were deeply soothing. He found himself having to consciously maintain his expression, trying not to let his relaxed and enchanted state show. Yuki’s one-sided conversation seemed endless.

But it wasn’t just her words that captivated him. There was something else, another factor that stole his soul.

Yuki’s expressions—he couldn’t stop watching them.

She looked at him directly, speaking with bright, cheerful energy, and her face constantly shifted between emotions: anger, laughter, near-tears, never lingering in one place. Each emotion surfaced naturally, radiating vitality. Just sitting across from her, saying nothing, he felt her energy infusing him with life.

──It feels so comfortable.

It had been a long time since he felt something like this—since he’d felt at ease. When his mother died, he thought such peace would never come again. He thought he’d never have it again, but here it was, right now.

"Are you listening?"

"...Yeah."

"Hey, my dad!"

Suddenly, Yuki’s shout shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

In the dirt floor entryway, a middle-aged man lay collapsed, clearly drunk. He was wearing a beige, dishevelled shirt and work pants—the typical appearance of a miner from Battleship Island who drank too much. He lay face down on the floor, drooling as he snored.

"Again! He’s totally wasted... Seriously, what a mess!"

Even as she scolded, Yuki lifted her father and dragged him into the living room.

"Come on, get up. Want some porridge?"

At her words, her thin, stubbly father’s face twisted in discomfort. He muttered curses about his superiors before falling still.

"Jeez... No wonder Mom left."

Yuki pulled out a worn futon from the closet, looking apologetic as she did so.

Trying not to show his disappointment, Chijiwa quietly helped her lay her father in the futon. The man wore a peaceful expression, spreading his alcoholic breath throughout the room as he muttered incoherently in his sleep, clutching a pillow to his chest.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Yuki sighed with relief.

"Thanks for the help. Sorry you had to see that."

"...It’s fine."

"Thanks again for today. I had fun."

Chijiwa almost said, Me too, but instead, he forced the words back down and offered a more restrained response.

"...Thanks for dinner."

That was all he said. Tareo rubbed his nose against Yuki in appreciation.

"See you tomorrow! I practice there every day, so make sure to come as my bodyguard!"

Yuki’s smile followed him as he mumbled a reply.

"...Yeah."

Then, he stepped out onto the dirt floor, into the hallway, and, for some reason, quickly left Yuki’s house. Tareo followed behind.

Outside the Daily Wage Housing, the sky, cramped by the tall buildings, was full of stars.

He weaved through the narrow alleyways. Looking up, the series of jutting balconies reflected the lights of the homes within. The warm smell of dinner drifted down from the starry sky. Normally, such a scene would have made him feel the weight of his loneliness, but now, that feeling didn’t rise at all.

Just a moment ago, he had shared dinner with Yuki under those orange lights. That fact alone filled him with a deep sense of happiness.

His chest felt warm, and he wanted to hold onto that warmth forever. His heart was so full that he found himself walking faster, and before long, he broke into a run.

Breathless, he climbed the long staircase, jumped over the balcony railing, and returned home. That night, even as he wrapped himself in his futon, sleep didn’t come easily. In the darkness, Yuki’s ever-changing expressions flickered like a mirage, flowing past. His heart pounded, and his entire body felt feverish. Focusing all his attention on his ears, he tried to recall the song Yuki had sung at dusk. But the memory of the music was hard to pin down, and the melody was fading from his mind.

──I wish I had a record of Yuki’s songs.

He truly wished for it. If he had a record, he could listen to that song over and over until it wore out.

The song Yuki had mentioned during her practice—the one about a woman waiting for a man who had sailed away and never returned.

If he had that song, he could be with it anytime he wanted. He could lie under his futon and listen to that song as a lullaby. If that happened, he could endure the harsh mining work during the day, looking forward to Yuki’s songs at night.

──If Yuki’s dream comes true, that song will be on a record.

──So, I can be Yuki’s bodyguard.

Convincing himself of this, Chijiwa tried to fall asleep. His body was exhausted, but his mind remained alert deep into the night. In his dreams, Yuki appeared, singing her foreign songs.

After that day, it became Chijiwa's daily routine to head to the observation deck after his coal mining work to meet up with Yuki and keep an eye out for troublemakers.

Yuki would always focus on her practice for one or two hours, between the time Chijiwa and Tareo arrived and dinner time. Her singing improved with each passing day. By strengthening her body and voice, her songs gained an even greater sense of flight. Simply listening made it feel as if one were soaring through the sky.

After about a month, Chijiwa’s initially awkward words gradually started flowing more freely in response to Yuki’s influence, and sometimes he even joked around. Yuki would sometimes prepare a lunch for Chijiwa, and after practice, the three of them would sit on a stone bench and eat together.

“It’s beautiful,” Yuki said while eating her lunch of barley rice balls and pickled radish, gazing out over the dusk-coloured sea. The October sunset lit the sea and sky in a dazzling golden hue.

“It looks like pickled radish,” Chijiwa commented, comparing the colours of the sea and sky. Yuki gave him an exasperated look.

“Take-chan, do you even know what ‘mood’ means?”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah, I figured. But really, comparing such a beautiful scene to pickled radish?”

“Is that so?”

“Well, you probably wouldn’t be able to say anything romantic. If by some miracle you did say something like that, it’d scare me so much I’d run away.”

“…”

“What’s with that face? Are you mad?”

“…I’m not mad. But… I don’t know what a clever line would be.”

“You don’t have to force it. It doesn’t suit you anyway. If you were a Levammian, you could probably spout cheesy lines like turning on a faucet. Those people only think about how to charm women. In that way, they’re completely different from the people of Amatsukami.”

Yuki tossed her legs out in front of her while talking. Her conversations often touched on the topic of Levammians, possibly because her mother was Levammian, though Chijiwa had never asked her about it.

“Do you hate Levammians?”

“Huh? No, not really. There are people I dislike and people I like—just like with Amatsukami. There are good people and bad people, regardless of nationality or race.”

“…I see. From listening to you talk, I thought you didn’t like them.”

“Oh, did it sound that way? I guess maybe I don’t like them in large groups, but individually, I don’t mind. …You know, before I came here, I lived in Tsunenohino. Levammians named the place San Martilia. It’s a place where Levammians and Amatsukami mix, so I’ve had a lot of contact with them since I was little.”

This was the first time Chijiwa had heard this. Tsunenohino was once Amatsukami territory, but about sixty years ago, it was ceded to the Levammian Empire after a war and renamed San Martilia. It was an important autonomous region for Levamme, serving as a strategic foothold for their operations in Amatsukami.

“My mom’s Levammian, so I grew up listening to their songs and watching their plays. They can be violent, but their culture is refined. I actually like Levammian music more.”

Yuki shared her memories of a town where Levammian culture had blended with the native traditions of Amatsukami.

The Levammians who had settled there built grand estates, treating the local people of Amatsukami like slaves or servants, flaunting their power.

Some of the merchants from Amatsukami ingratiated themselves with the Levammians, cleverly integrating themselves into their ranks and amassing wealth by stepping on their own people. Power belonged to the Levammians, and the native inhabitants of Tsunenohino were not treated as humans—they were viewed as animals, like livestock or pets. When the conversation touched on these subjects, Yuki’s tone carried an undercurrent of anger.

“I like Levammian culture. But they think they’re the only real humans and call the people of Amatsukami ‘monkeys’ or ‘subhuman.’”

“…”

“They called me a ‘Bestado’ too, and the Levammian kids bullied me. It wasn’t a problem if they were violent toward us, but if we fought back, it became a huge issue. They’d say things like, ‘Don’t let monkeys defy humans.’”

Recalling unpleasant memories, Yuki bit her lip and swallowed her words, then took a bite of her rice ball and looked up at the evening sky.

She chewed for a moment, swallowed, and continued.

“Levamme has a strict social hierarchy. At the top, you have the king and the nobility, then below them are the merchants and commoners. Further down, you have laborers, and at the very bottom, you have the destitute and foreigners. The lower classes aren’t allowed to defy the upper ones. And for Levammians, the people of Amatsukami aren’t even part of the lowest class—they’re not human, so they don’t fit into the hierarchy at all.”

Her voice was calm, but there was no hiding the anger within that calmness.

Chijiwa remained silent, listening to her words.

Everyone in Amatsukami knew that Levammians considered them less than human, treating them like monkeys or livestock. That’s why Amatsukami had adopted the phrase Gashin-shoutan as their rallying cry and was pouring half of the national budget into military spending, determined to become a wealthy and powerful nation. The discriminatory actions and words of the Levammians were the catalyst for Amatsukami’s resolve to endure their suffering and prepare for the day when they could fight back.

Historically, the people of Amatsukami were farmers, living in harmony with nature, with no other races on their eastern continent. Their society valued humility, mutual support, and service to the greater good, traits that were celebrated because agriculture required cooperation. While they had experienced internal conflicts, they had never resorted to the complete annihilation of their enemies. Even in sieges, they would always leave an escape route for their enemies, allowing those who had no will to fight to flee. This leniency reflected the gentle nature of their people.

In contrast, the Levammians were a people who had carved out their existence by conquering the harsh, untamed western continent. They saw nature as an adversary to be conquered, and survival required subjugating their environment. For them, total war and the extermination of foreign peoples were common. If they lost, they faced annihilation, and if they won, they annihilated their enemies. Their encounters with foreign people were always framed as hostile, a trait ingrained in their national psyche. In Levammian history, where peace and understanding were not guaranteed, their worldview was fundamentally different from that of the people of Amatsukami.

When the two nations first met, crossing the great waterfall that separated them, their conflicting values clashed violently. The Levammians, excelling in warfare, subjugated the people of Amatsukami, forcing their demands down their throats. It was from that day that Amatsukami’s Gashin-shoutan—their resolve to endure hardship and seek vengeance—began. The Levammians’ greatest mistake was failing to realize that the people of Amatsukami, whom they dismissed as monkeys, were in fact proud humans.

Now, the people of Amatsukami, whether city dwellers or farmers, endured extreme taxation and poverty, sacrificing for the sake of national development. To prevent any further territorial losses to Levamme, they had no choice but to bolster their military strength. In the Levammian way, the strong imposed their will on the weak, and only the logic of power prevailed. To survive in such a world, the people of Amatsukami united under the banner of “totalitarianism” as a short-term solution to strengthen themselves. Their rallying cry, Gashin-shoutan, was what allowed them to endure the hardships of their collective struggle.

“I love Levammian culture, but I don’t understand how people capable of creating such beautiful music can call us monkeys and treat us like livestock.”

“…Well, people of Amatsukami call Levammians ‘white pigs.’ It goes both ways.”

“That’s true. But we don’t have institutionalized racial segregation, do we? Levamme enforces it everywhere—in streets, parks, buses, and even bathrooms. Levammians won’t let us share the same spaces as them. It’s not done in secret or with malice; they do it openly, like it’s just common sense. They probably don’t even realize they’re discriminating, treating us like you would with dogs or cats, not allowing them in places meant for humans. I hate that part of them. Even if some of them are good people, once they form a group, they start acting horrible. Something’s wrong with them, though I can’t quite explain it.”

“…”

“…Sorry, I got carried away. I just remembered a lot about Tsunenohino…”

“…No, I get it… Tsunenohino… It’s not an irrelevant place for me either…”

Yuki looked at him curiously.

“Oh? Really?”

“…My grandfather was a samurai from Tsunenohino. After Amatsukami lost the war and the territory was ceded to Levamme, they seized our house and drove us out. Our family scattered, and now I’m here, digging coal.”

“I see… So, Take-chan’s from a samurai family. Now that you mention it, you do have that vibe.”

“…It’s not as grand as it sounds. My father had his pride, but he didn’t have a way to earn money… I’m just complaining. I’ll stop.”

“I’m glad you’re sharing your complaints, Take-chan. What kind of person was your dad?”

“…He had a samurai spirit. Even when we were poor, he tried to maintain his dignity. He refused to work for merchants… He died from a minor illness. We didn’t have the money to take him to a doctor… He was an old-fashioned man. Abandoned by both the country and the times—a stubborn old fool.”

“…I don’t think that’s true. Maybe he wanted to teach you something important. Maybe there was a reason he had to keep up appearances in front of you.”

“What reason would that be?”

“I don’t know. But from what you’ve told me, he sounds like a pretty cool dad. You don’t see people like that anymore.”

“…He was a burden to the family. He didn’t leave us any money, and that’s why I’m stuck here digging coal. No matter how proud he was, it didn’t help us survive. Because of his clinging to the samurai spirit, I can’t even go to school. My life is miserable.”

The bitterness of being unable to attend school welled up inside him again. Despite excelling in both sports and studies, poverty had forced him into a life of labour on this godforsaken island, surrounded by rough men, fearing lung disease from his work in the mines.

“…”

Yuki, for once, fell silent, staring at Chijiwa’s profile.

It was the first time in a month that her chatter had stopped. Chijiwa looked down at her, puzzled.

In Yuki’s clear eyes, he saw himself reflected.

Her gentle lips parted.

“You’re amazing, you know.”

Her words resonated quietly within his heart.

“You’re not miserable at all. You’re way cooler than any of the boys in middle school.”

Chijiwa’s cheeks flushed red. Yuki’s tone grew more insistent as she gazed up at him with a pleading look.

“You’re that amazing because of your father. So, it’s fine. Even if you’re poor and can’t go to school, it’s okay because you’re cool.”

Yuki placed her hand on the back of Chijiwa’s.

Her warmth and softness radiated through his skin.

“So don’t say bad things about your father.”

Her smile was as bright as the sky.

“…It would make your father sad, up in heaven.”

“…”

“…Right?”

“…”

“What’s wrong? You look weird.”

“...Huh? Oh… No, it’s nothing…”

“Your mouth was wide open. What’s with that funny face—”

Yuki suddenly burst out laughing. Chijiwa let out a breath, finally regaining his usual stern expression as he turned his gaze back to the sea.

Night was creeping over the ocean. The crests of the waves shimmered like silver filigree, leaving stripes behind. The distant sound of waves breaking against the seawall reached them.

Their hands remained clasped. Neither of them wanted to let go just yet. The warmth of each other’s hands felt comforting in the October breeze.

“Autumn’s here already.”

“…Yeah.”

“I don’t hate this island anymore. I didn’t like it at first, but it’s starting to grow on me. I like the scenery here.”

“…I see.”

“I could stay on this island forever. It’s a nice place.”

“…But aren’t you going to become a singer?”

“I will. It’s my dream.”

“…Then you can’t stay on this island forever.”

“…Yeah… You’re right. I’ll have to leave someday. It’s a shame, though.”

“…This island isn’t a place to stay forever. It’s just a place to save money. The air is polluted. If you stay too long, you’ll ruin your lungs. You won’t be able to sing.”

“Wow, Take-chan, you really care about me. You’re so kind.”

Yuki teased with a mischievous smile and laughed. Chijiwa frowned.

“…That’s just common sense. No coal miner stays here permanently.”

“Does that mean you’ll leave someday too?”

“…I…"

He tried to respond but found himself unable to answer. Come to think of it, he had no future plans at all. Unlike Yuki, he had no big dreams or goals—he was just living day by day.

“…I don’t know…”

He couldn’t help but lower his head. Yuki, curious, peered up at his downcast face.

“When you’ve saved enough money, you could go to school.”

“…Even if I did, it wouldn’t matter. Unlike you, I don’t have any goals for the future…”

If there was anything he wanted to do in the future, it was to buy a phonograph and Yuki’s record. That was the only future hope he had ever entertained.

“Goals, huh? I feel like you’ll do something amazing, Take-chan.”

“…I’m not amazing at all.”

“When I become a singer… I wonder what you’ll be doing when you grow up.”

“…I’ll be digging coal. Nothing will change.”

He said it with a hint of self-deprecation, just as—

A rumble, like thunder, echoed through the dimming sky.

“…?”

Both of them turned their gaze to the sky. In the southern sky, a cluster of clouds drifted, and among them, a small speck seemed to be flying.

The rumble was the sound of a propeller. An Amatsukami fighter plane was approaching Battleship Island.

“Is there an airbase around here? I didn’t know.”

Chijiwa squinted at the approaching aircraft. Despite the fading light, his sharp eyesight allowed him to identify the type of plane.

“…That’s a Type 67 Naval Fighter.”

He recognized the fixed landing gear.

“Wow, you know a lot about planes?”

“…My father was into them.”

He muttered the answer. The only thing his father had left him was a book on aircraft. Chijiwa had pored over every page, memorizing the photographs and blueprints of each plane, and the descriptions too. It was the one thing his father had given him for enjoyment.

The Type 67 Naval Fighter roared as it circled directly over Battleship Island.

Chijiwa could see the island’s residents waving and whistling up at the plane. It was possible that the pilot was originally from Battleship Island, returning home for a brief moment during training, a playful gesture from a hotshot pilot.

The residents’ cheers carried up the hill where Chijiwa and Yuki stood.

“Pilots are cool. They can fly freely through the sky… That’s amazing.”

“…Yeah.”

“It’s every boy’s dream, right?”

“…Yeah. Everyone dreams of it.”

Chijiwa watched the plane’s loop-de-loops with distant eyes.

He felt envious. That pilot had probably come from a privileged background, received a proper education, and entered officer training to become an air cadet. In Amatsukami’s system, only the wealthy could attend officer school. No matter how much the poor might want to become pilots, it wasn’t possible.

There was an unbridgeable gap between him, stuck digging coal underground, and the young pilot performing loops in the sky. Though they were likely close in age, they lived in entirely different worlds. Chijiwa was someone without privilege; there was no point in dreaming.

“If you know so much about planes, why don’t you become a pilot?”

Yuki’s straightforward question came suddenly. Chijiwa sighed and answered.

“…It’s not something you can become just because you want to. Only the elite can become pilots in this country. I don’t have an education… or money.”

The Empire of Amatsukami was a poor country. Unlike Levamme, they didn’t have the budget to mass-produce aircraft and put ordinary people who passed a simple exam in the cockpit. Only the elite, selected through rigorous exams, could become pilots, and the country invested heavily in their training to turn them into a few top-tier warriors.

“What about the Naval Cadet Program? It’s not the same as officer school.”

“…Naval Cadet Program?”

“Oh, I guess you haven’t heard of it? At my middle school, they came recruiting for it.”

The plane above finished its slow loop, seemingly satisfied, and flew away, waving its wings. As the sky grew darker, Yuki continued speaking.

"The Naval Flight Preparatory Cadet Program. You don’t need to pay tuition or entrance fees, and it’s fully residential, with the government covering living expenses during training."

“…It’s impossible. I haven’t graduated from middle school.”

“You just need to have finished elementary school. But the entrance exam is said to be pretty difficult…”

“…!?”

Chijiwa’s eyes widened. If what Yuki said was true, it was like a dream come true.

"With just the officer school, only the rich can become pilots, right? So the government started this program to let talented poor kids become pilots."

"…Preparatory Cadet Program…"

He muttered the words to himself, and a small flame flickered to life in his chest.

“Tell me more… please…!”

Chijiwa leaned forward, bringing his face closer to Yuki’s. His reaction startled her.

"Y-yeah, I’ll bring a flyer next time. Everything’s written there. The eligibility is for boys between fourteen and seventeen who have finished elementary school, so you can apply too, Take-chan."

"No tuition, no fees, no living expenses… Does such a program really exist!?"

"It seems the government is putting a lot of effort into it. I don’t really understand, but they say winning the air war is the key to winning the overall war… There are tons of applicants. I heard there were over 2,000 for just 50 spots…"

“2,000 applicants for 50 spots!?”

At that point, the acceptance rate was about 1 in 40. It would probably increase even more. The odds were daunting, enough to make him feel faint. But with such an enticing opportunity, it made sense that students from across the country would flock to apply. There were plenty of kids like Chijiwa in poverty-stricken Amatsukami.

But even so, it was worth the challenge.

In elementary school, Chijiwa had excelled both academically and athletically. His teachers had high hopes for his future. Though he was behind now, if he worked hard enough on his own, he could catch up.

And if he passed… he could fly!

He could escape the narrow, dusty tunnels underground and spread his wings in the vast, unbounded sky, soaring higher and higher.

“When is the entrance exam!?”

“Oh, um… June!”

“Eight months left…!”

Chijiwa gazed into the distance and groaned. He had to make up for two years of lost schooling in just eight months, and not just that—he had to excel. He still had to work during the day. Without his job, he couldn’t survive, so he’d have to work during the day and study at night, all to pass this exam with a 40-to-1 chance of acceptance.

“Hmm…”

He couldn’t help but groan. The glimmer of hope was so distant, so faint. He lowered his head, lost in thought.

Could he really do it? Was he confident enough? Compared to the other applicants, his circumstances seemed far too unfavourable…

“Take-chan, should I help you study?”

Yuki’s voice cut through his hesitation like she could read his mind.

“You can study here. I’ll lend you my school textbooks. While I’m practicing singing, you can study for the exam! I’ll help you with anything you don’t understand.”

“Study here…”

“If you work hard, you can do it! You’re good at studying, right?”

“My grades… weren’t bad.”

“The entrance exam for the Preparatory Cadet Program isn’t just about academics—they also measure your physical abilities. And Take-chan, you’re strong from working in the mines! As long as you don’t fall behind in your studies, you’ll be fine—you’ll definitely pass!”

Yuki’s encouragement stirred a sense of confidence in him. Indeed, when it came to physical strength, he wasn’t worried about losing to anyone his age. And if Yuki helped him with the basics, he could quickly get the hang of it. Once he mastered the fundamentals, it would all come down to applying himself.

The hope that had started to fade began to swell again. It felt as if a long-dormant beast within him had awakened and was now rising slowly.

Towering thunderclouds seemed to billow in his chest. The future, which had once seemed closed off, now spread wide open before him. He stood up from the bench, clenching his fists tightly before his chest.

“I… I want to take that exam…!”

“Take-chan…!”

Yuki stood up as well, beaming a pure, bright smile at him.

“I want to pass…!”

“Yeah, yeah!”

“If you teach me the basics, I’ll catch up… no, I’ll surpass the others!”

“Yeah, leave it to me! Take-chan, you can do it!”

“Yes, I will become a pilot! I will fly in the sky!”

Filled with excitement, he looked up at the night sky. The stars had begun to appear, and the twilight sky overhead gleamed more brightly than ever.

“You’ve found your goal! Take-chan, you’re going to become a pilot!”

Yuki grinned, looking at him closely. He lowered his clenched fists and bowed his head slightly.

“Please… lend me your textbooks! Teach me how to study! I’ll be your bodyguard on this island for as long as I’m here…!”

“W-whoa, no need to get so formal! You don’t have to ask like that! I’ll help you with whatever I can, so let’s just keep going like we’ve been, okay?”

“Y-yeah, but… how can I thank you…?”

“You don’t have to thank me yet. Save that for when you pass! You’re getting way too worked up. Here, take a deep breath, in and out, in and out!”

Yuki stretched out her arms and exaggerated a deep breath, trying to lighten the mood.

Chijiwa followed suit, calming his breathing and settling his excitement.

“…Right. I haven’t passed yet… I have to put in the work…”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve got to study hard every day. Let’s make our dreams come true together! I’ll become a singer, and you’ll become a pilot!”

“Yeah, and I won’t lose to you. I’ll pass the Preparatory Cadet Program… and leave this island. I’ll definitely fly in the sky…!”

“So cool! A samurai of the sky, a samurai of the skies!”

Yuki beamed, raising both hands toward the sky.

—A samurai of the skies.

Those words echoed deeply within him, resonating in the very core of his being.

“A samurai of the skies, huh…”

“Yeah. Even if samurai don’t exist on the ground anymore, they can still live in the sky.”

“A samurai of the skies…”

It was a romantic notion, something he wasn’t used to, but the phrase had a lovely ring to it.

Yuki was right. Perhaps the samurai, tired of life on the ground, now lived in the skies.

A pilot was like a samurai, skilfully wielding a fighter plane like a sword, fighting in the skies with their very lives as their weapon. The enemy they faced was also a warrior of the sky, honed to perfection. They fought until one of them fell. It was the very essence of a samurai’s way of life.

For the first time in his life, Chijiwa found himself eagerly awaiting tomorrow. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. With gratitude toward Yuki welling up in his chest, he gazed up at the starry sky.

True to his word, the next day, Chijiwa began studying on the hill. Without a desk, he spread a mat on the ground, placed the borrowed textbooks and his notebook on the bench, and threw himself wholeheartedly into his studies. Meanwhile, Yuki loudly practiced her vocal exercises as usual, her voice and singing filling the background like the music from a phonograph while Chijiwa studied. Even when Yuki finished her practice at night, Chijiwa would take his notebook home and continue studying by candlelight until late.

He continued his eight-hour days of labour in the mines as well.

If Chijiwa slacked off too openly in the mines, he risked being lynched by the "supervisor." Such brutal punishments, designed to release the pent-up frustrations of the workers, were often severe, and no one came out of them unscathed. So, Chijiwa made sure to give the appearance of working hard, while secretly reviewing what he’d studied in his mind. As he pushed heavy coal carts up the sloping tunnels, he mentally reviewed the math formulas he’d learned the previous day. He carried a small note with the periodic table in his pocket, and as he hauled the seawater pumps, he recited the elements to himself, committing them to memory. Even while crawling through the narrow, low tunnels where only children could fit, digging out coal, he recalled historical dates. During his breaks in the tunnels, he ate the rice balls Yuki had made for him, reviewing the mnemonic devices he’d created for history.

The entrance exam for the Preparatory Cadet Program tested both academic skills and physical abilities. Physical strength alone wasn’t enough; balance, lung capacity, and reflexes—qualities needed to pilot an aircraft—were all measured. To prepare for this, Chijiwa trained by spinning fifteen times in place and then trying to stand still, searching for stars during the day, practicing one-arm hangs, one-legged stands, and abdominal exercises alongside Yuki.

One of the major concerns was his eyesight. Although his vision wasn’t bad, working in the coal mines, filled with dust, was sure to damage it. After much consideration, Chijiwa spent his last savings to buy a pair of goggles that protected his eyes from dust. Since they were relatively expensive, few workers owned them, but Chijiwa avoided suspicion by pretending he had an eye infection.

Even when his eyes were bloodshot and his body exhausted, there were times when bullies would climb the steps to harass him. But Yuki would help him fend them off. She was quick with both her hands and her words, sometimes confronting the bullies before Chijiwa even noticed. To an outsider, it might have seemed like Yuki was guarding Chijiwa while he studied.

Not a single day passed without effort. Autumn turned to winter in the blink of an eye. Though the hill was freezing, their training continued with the same intensity. Without attending school, it was hard to know how his grades compared, but based on the test problems Yuki gave him, Chijiwa’s academic performance was well above average. The harder he worked, the more his efforts were reflected in his progress. As he blew warm breath onto his chilled fingers, warmed himself with Tareo’s body heat, and listened to Yuki’s singing, he devoted all his remaining time to studying.

February.

Chijiwa fell ill with a fever, the result of overwork. Yuki stayed by his side for three days and three nights, nursing him. She even stopped practicing her singing, despite their poor finances, and scraped together enough to feed him nourishing meals. At night, she sang softly to him, like a mother would to a child, until he fell asleep. It was that foreign song about a woman waiting for a man who had gone to sea. Listening to Yuki’s voice, Chijiwa drifted off to sleep. On the fourth day, when his fever finally broke, Chijiwa cried, not out of sadness but from a feeling he had never experienced before.

Winter passed, and spring came.

He could tell the seasons were changing because the wind grew softer. There was hardly any greenery on Battleship Island, so the landscape didn’t change much. Yuki turned thirteen and became a second-year student in middle school. Her face had become more mature, her golden hair had grown longer, and her body was entering adolescence. The classmates who had once looked at Yuki’s foreign appearance with curiosity had gradually grown accustomed to her. In fact, they began to find something alluring in the mixed features of her Levamme heritage. Her bold and straightforward personality, combined with her fragile foreign beauty, created a unique charm that was distinctly Yuki’s own.

Everyone knew that Yuki practiced singing at the lookout on the hill. But no one from school had ever seen her practice. It was common knowledge that she was always guarded by a quiet bodyguard and a dog. Those who tried to spy on her practice sessions were driven off one by one, and by now, no one dared approach the lookout in the evening. It had become a peaceful time for just the two of them and Tareo.

In May, with only one month left before the exam, Yuki stopped practicing her singing and had Chijiwa study at home. By this time, his academic skills had far surpassed those of his peers, and he was more than ready to take the Preparatory Cadet Program’s entrance exam. Chijiwa was reluctant to change their routine and asked Yuki to continue practicing, but she firmly refused and instead took care of Chijiwa’s meals until the day he was set to leave the island.

June.

The day of Chijiwa’s departure to Amatsukami mainland for the entrance exam.

The only ones who came to see him off at the pier were Yuki and Tareo.

The ferry’s whistle blew as it approached. Dressed in a student’s kimono borrowed from Yuki’s father, Chijiwa stood silently, gazing out at the sea.

It was a thirty-minute ferry ride to the mainland. From there, he would transfer to a train and travel northeast for two nights before reaching the Amatsukami capital, "Toto." The exam would take place two days after his arrival.

“Don’t get lost. Make sure to scout out the exam site in advance.”

As the damp sea breeze blew, Yuki spoke to him like a concerned mother. Against the grey backdrop of Battleship Island’s concrete buildings, Yuki’s golden hair looked strikingly vibrant.

“I’ll take care of Tareo while you’re gone. Don’t worry, just focus on the exam.”

“…Thank you.”

“You’ve never been to Toto, right? It’s crowded, dirty, and the air is bad, so make sure to gargle when you get to your inn. Don’t catch a cold.”

“…The air will probably be better than here.”

“But it’s so big. You’ve been on this tiny island for so long, I’m really worried about you.”

“…You’re exaggerating. I’m only leaving for eight days.”

“Still, it’s your first trip alone. Maybe I should go with you after all?”

“…Just wait here. I’ll be fine.”

“…Yeah. I believe in you.”

Though she said that, Yuki looked up at Chijiwa with an anxious expression.

The final acceptance rate for the Preparatory Cadet Program had reached 150 to 1. Fifty spots and 7,500 applicants.

Chijiwa stared resolutely at the distant sky.

Ahead of him stood an impossibly narrow gate.

But if he didn’t pass this test, he couldn’t become a pilot.

He couldn’t repay Yuki’s kindness.

“…I will definitely pass.”

Chijiwa looked down at Yuki and said only that much.

Yuki smiled gently, then lightly grabbed his sleeve and rested her forehead against his chest.

"You’ll pass. I know it," she said softly.

“…”

"You’ll probably achieve your dream first, Take-chan. Mine will come after."

She spoke almost as if she were predicting the future, then gently pulled away. Her usual pure, unclouded smile softened under the June sunlight.

The ferry docked at the pier. Other passengers heading to the mainland passed by Chijiwa and Yuki.

Chijiwa patted Tareo’s head once, slung his bag over his shoulder, and looked toward the boat.

"…I'm going."

"Yeah. Be careful."

Without turning back, Chijiwa boarded the ferry. The horn echoed loudly, and the ship slowly began to pull away from Battleship Island. As he peeked through the round window of the third-class cabin, he saw Yuki standing on the pier, still waving at the departing ship.

Upon arriving on the mainland, Chijiwa transferred to a train bound for “Toto.” This was his first journey away from home, having never even gone on a family trip in his fourteen years of life. The landscape of Amatsukami, passing by through the train’s window, was bleak and monotonous. The towns they passed were poor, with some showing signs of decay. "Fukoku Kyohei"—enrich the country, strengthen the military. Heavy taxes had been levied on both the rich and the poor alike to fund the military build-up. Many poor villages were left with nothing after taxes, forcing their residents to flee. It was on the backs of such sacrifices that Amatsukami's military power was being built.

During the fifty-two hours of the train ride, Chijiwa slept only once, spending the rest of the time studying. The train was sparsely populated, and aside from a vendor selling tea, the train car was almost silent. Comparing the reference books and notes Yuki had lent him, he reviewed the four subjects that would be tested: classical literature, mathematics and physics, science, and geography and history. He meticulously went over the material he had repeated so many times that it felt as though it had burned into his brain, preparing himself for the exam.

On the third day, around noon, the train finally arrived at Toto.

Stepping off the train at the grand brick-built Toto Station, Chijiwa found himself in the midst of the largest city on the eastern continent, with a population of over 1.5 million. Stone buildings towered on either side of the broad streets, streetcars ran down the centre, and the many passers-by moved quickly and expressionlessly. As Yuki had feared, Chijiwa, having spent his entire life on Battleship Island, couldn't help but look around curiously. He gazed at buses crowded with people, the street vendors lining the roads, and shyly averted his eyes from the fashionable Levamme-style ladies. He stopped in his tracks to watch the airships and aircraft formations that occasionally passed overhead. Toto was far more bustling and stimulating than he had imagined.

Many of the vehicles on the streets were military-related, too. Green-painted transport trucks, military motorcycles with sidecars, and hulking armoured cars roared down the roads, kicking up dust. The banners that adorned the department stores and government buildings all carried slogans encouraging national pride and the spirit of "Gashin Shoutan"—enduring hardship in preparation for revenge. The public’s admiration for the military was clear, with children being raised to aspire to become fine soldiers.

Chijiwa became more certain than ever that Amatsukami would soon go to war with Levamme. The country and its people were already marching forward toward that inevitable day. This societal momentum could no longer be stopped. It wasn’t anyone’s fault; it was a historical inevitability, a part of humanity’s progress. The two nations separated by the great waterfall would inevitably clash.

---When that day comes, I want to be in the sky.

After scouting out the exam venue, Chijiwa, trying to save money, headed for a cheap inn in a poor part of town.

On the day of the exam—

Chijiwa stood, overwhelmed by the mass of applicants who had come from all over Amatsukami to take the exam.

Determination was etched on the faces of each candidate. Some were accompanied by their families, sent off with cheers of encouragement. Others, like Chijiwa, were poor and alone, with nothing but tightly clenched lips as they entered the venue. Seven thousand five hundred young men, all harbouring grand ambitions, crowded toward the narrow gate—fifty spots for the taking.

Chijiwa fully realized the scale of the challenge before him.

Those who passed this test would receive top-tier training from the government, and after three years of intense preparation, they would be released into the battlefield as elite pilots. Amatsukami, with its limited resources, could only counter Levamme’s overwhelming forces by putting their most highly trained warriors in the best aircraft available. The future of the country rested on raising pilots who could single-handedly take down swarms of weaker enemies. Every applicant here saw themselves as a future ace, and their youthful energy pressed down on Chijiwa’s shoulders.

He felt dizzy, and his knees trembled. Having lived on Battleship Island his whole life, he had never encountered so many people his own age. The sheer number of students studying full-time, compared to his working background, made him feel disadvantaged. He had no school education, and no qualified teachers on the island—everything he knew had been self-taught. He was at a serious disadvantage compared to the others.

For a moment, Chijiwa felt like he might give up. He closed his eyes.

---Yuki.

The only person he could lean on now was Yuki.

---"You’ll pass. I know you will."

Yuki’s words from the pier echoed in his ears.

Chijiwa opened his eyes and clenched his fists tightly.

He took a deep breath.

Recognizing that he was starting to feel weak, he shook off those feelings.

“I will pass,” he told himself as he walked into the exam venue.

The exam lasted for eleven straight hours, from morning to night.

Chijiwa was most concerned about the written portion at the start. Compared to the other applicants, he knew he was at a disadvantage and that if he fell behind, it would be here. Drawing on everything he had learned in the past eight months, he focused all his concentration on answering each question, one by one, pushing through the five-hour test of four subjects.

Without stopping for lunch, the physical exams began.

In the spinning test, Chijiwa sat in a rotating chair, spun fifteen times, and had to stand up and maintain a steady posture. Then came the kinesthetic test, in which he was blindfolded and made to grip the control stick of a simulator. He had to detect even the slightest movement of the stick, mimicking the subtle control needed in real air combat. The next test measured his visual field with refractors and adjusters, followed by a depth perception test using a stereoscopic device. This tested his ability to judge distance—crucial for spotting enemy planes in dogfights. He then had to balance on one leg and undergo a vision test, followed by a test that measured his balance as the platform he stood on tilted. After maintaining his balance on the platform, he was asked to hang from a bar by one arm and see how long he could last. This tested his endurance—another key factor in air combat. Finally, there was a lung capacity test, in which he had to blow mercury up a glass tube. Only after all of these trials did the long exam day come to an end.

After enduring a full day of intense mental and physical strain, completely drained, Chijiwa left the exam hall and returned to his inn.

He wasn’t sure how well he had done. He felt like he had managed, but with so many applicants, he doubted he could pass such a competitive exam. Lying on the thin mattress of the inn, Chijiwa longed to hear Yuki’s voice. Tomorrow, he would take the train back to Battleship Island. The results would be announced two weeks later, on July 3, via telegram to the island.

July, the day of the results—

Chijiwa took the day off from work and waited at the pier all morning. He hadn’t slept the night before, and before sunrise, he had already arrived at the harbor to gaze toward the mainland.

The ferry, which would carry the telegrams, came twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The early morning ferry that arrived at 7 a.m. had not brought the telegram. There was nothing to do but wait for the evening ferry, but he couldn’t think of any way to pass the time. So, he continued to stare out at the distant sea.

The sun crawled slowly overhead, making the wait feel even longer. Leaning against the wall of a warehouse, Chijiwa didn’t move an inch, his eyes fixed on the direction the ferry would come from. In his mind, images of a future where he soared freely through the skies alternated with the grim reality of pushing coal carts in the mines under the watchful eyes of supervisors. A heavy weight settled in his stomach.

Finally…

As the sun began to set, Chijiwa spotted the silhouette of the ferry on the horizon. His chest tightened, and his legs grew restless as he waited for the ferry to dock. As soon as the boat pulled alongside the pier, he spotted the postman and rushed over to him.

“C-Chijiwa…! There should be a telegram from the navy for Chijiwa Takeo…!”

Struggling to get the words out, Chijiwa asked the postman, who rummaged through his mailbag and pulled out a telegram addressed to "Chijiwa Takeo" from the Naval Air Corps Commander.

“Th-thank you…!”

Grateful, Chijiwa snatched the telegram and ran.

He didn’t know why he ran. But at that hour, he was always at the lookout point on the hill with Yuki. His body naturally sought out the familiar place as he sprinted up the stone steps.

Out of breath, he reached the hilltop, where, as always, Yuki and Tareo were waiting.

"Take-chan!"

The lookout was bathed in the same crimson sunset as when they had first met. The sea behind Yuki glowed with a faint reddish hue.

As soon as Yuki saw Chijiwa, she rushed over to him.

“So, how did it go?!”

She was practically leaning forward with excitement. Chijiwa wiped the sweat from his face and, with a serious look in his eyes, faced Yuki.

“I-I haven’t opened it yet…!”

Yuki, who had been about to stumble in anticipation, composed herself with a serious expression and said,

“Okay, let’s open it together…! I’ll face it with you!”

“Y-yeah, let’s look together…”

Chijiwa opened the telegram. He had never seen his hands tremble so much before. With unsteady fingers, he took out the paper, glanced up at the sky to calm his nerves, and finally read the message.

In an instant—

His hands shot up into the air.

Instinctively, he let out a roar to the heavens.

"Take-chan!"

In the next moment, Chijiwa had his arms around Yuki’s shoulders.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!”

“Take-chan, amazing, amazing, amazing!!”

“I-it’s all thanks to you! If it weren’t for you, I-I would never have…!!”

The words wouldn’t come. He simply tightened his arms around her.

Yuki cried. She cried and laughed at the same time. Wrapping her thin arms around Chijiwa’s back, she hugged him tightly.

“You’re incredible. You did it. Against all odds, you did it!”

“I can fly…! I’m going to be a pilot…!!”

“That’s right! You’re going to leave this tiny island and soar through the wide-open skies! You’re going to become a Samurai of the skies!”

“I-it’s all because of you…you helped me so much…I…”

“I know, I know. You did it, you really did it…”

With tears streaming down her face, Yuki wiped them away against Chijiwa’s chest. She had watched him work so hard from so close, and now she was overwhelmed with joy for him. At their feet, Tareo stood on his hind legs, placing his paws on them and wagging his tail excitedly, as if he understood their celebration.

“I don’t know how I can ever thank you…If there’s anything I can do for you…”

“I want to fly, too! Take-chan, when you become a pilot, take me with you!”

“Sure, if that’s what you want, I’ll take you with me anytime. We’ll fly together, you and me…!”

“It’s a promise. We’ll fly together one day!”

“Okay, I promise. I’ll take you anywhere, even all the way to Levamme if you want…!”

Yuki, full of joy, hugged him tightly, rubbing her cheek against his. Chijiwa squeezed her back, sharing in their happiness. As the sun began to set, they embraced, cherishing the moment like a treasured memory.

Eventually, the sun disappeared, and night fell.

Under the blanket of stars, the two sat side by side on the bench.

A gentle breeze blew once, lifting Yuki’s hair.

“You’ll start as a trainee in July.”

“...Yeah.”

“…You’ll have to leave the island.”

“…”

“It’s sad, but it can’t be helped. It’s your dream, after all.”

The future was bright, but Chijiwa realized he would have to leave some things behind, no matter how important they were.

Chijiwa would be moving to "Hanagashima Air Base" in early July, where the first class of Naval Aviation Preparatory Cadets would begin their training. Hanagashima was about four hundred kilometres from Battleship Island, far enough that it wouldn’t be easy for a poor student to visit.

---Once I’m in Hanagashima, I won’t hear Yuki’s singing anymore.

That thought filled him with a deep sense of loneliness.

“I’ll take care of Tareo. He’s already attached to me. And I’ve always wanted a dog.”

“…Thank you…”

The two knelt and petted Tareo. The cheerful beagle, whether he understood their conversation or not, smiled contentedly and licked their faces in turn.

“Just don’t forget about this island. That’s all I ask.”

With her golden hair reflecting the starlight, Yuki murmured softly.

“Don’t forget Battleship Island, no matter how far away you go.”

“…”

“...Okay?”

Her voice was tinged with sadness.

“…I won’t forget. Probably…”

“Probably?”

“…I won’t forget.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed by his own words, Chijiwa turned away, looking out at the night sea. The waves, illuminated by the moonlight, glimmered silver.

Memories of the days spent studying on the hill, listening to Yuki’s singing, flashed through his mind. Day after day, even as they braved the cold winds, they worked together, with Tareo’s warmth keeping their hands from freezing. Yuki had been there for him the whole time, often bringing him bento meals, and when he fell ill, she had nursed him for three days and nights. He wanted to express his gratitude in a meaningful way, but no words came to mind.

“I’ll write to you. And you’d better send me a postcard or something.”

“…Yeah. I’ll try…”

“I don’t think you’re the type to write letters.”

“…I never had anyone to write to…”

“I want to brag when I become a singer. I want to achieve my dream while you’re still in training. So promise me, you’ll write.”

“…”

After Chijiwa nodded silently, Yuki stood up, stretched, and puffed out her chest, trying to appear brave.

"Once I become a singer and release my record, make sure you buy it. With just one record, distance won’t matter. You can listen to my songs anytime, as much as you want."

"…Yeah, that’s true."

"Just you wait. I’m going to become a big hit, a national star. Then, Take-chan, you won’t be able to reach me anymore!"

Yuki's playful challenge made Chijiwa smile, the corners of his lips curling up in a small, confident grin.

"…I’ll become the ace of this country’s fighter pilots. You’ll be the one who can’t meet me."

"Wow, you said it! Let’s see who rises to the top first. I won’t lose!"

Yuki playfully punched Chijiwa’s chest with a clenched fist. He returned her mischievous smile with a chuckle, gazing out at the twilight sea.

A mix of sadness and hope swirled in his chest, two opposing emotions entangled, as something within him was transforming.

Chijiwa looked up at the starry sky.

The sky stretched endlessly, expanding far beyond this place, embracing the infinite ocean below.

---To leave this island.

---To find my place.

---To soar into the sky.

His young body trembled with excitement, eager for the unseen future. The life he thought would end in the coal mines was fading away at that moment, replaced by a new vista filled with the promise of tomorrow.

Beyond this sky, a grand adventure awaited him. That premonition made his soul tremble with anticipation.

---I’ll risk everything I have.

---I’ll fly until I can’t go any further.

---And one day, I’ll take Yuki with me.

---Flying to the ends of the sky while listening to her songs.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, Yuki let out a surprised cry from beside him.

"Take-chan, you’re smiling!"

Chijiwa looked down at Yuki in confusion. Now that she mentioned it, he realized his cheeks had relaxed, the corners of his eyes softened, and his mouth felt lighter. Could this expression on his face really be a smile?

"It’s the first time I’ve seen you smile!"

Yuki raised both her hands, mirroring his smile with her own joyful grin.

"…A smile, huh."

He wasn’t sure what to make of it himself, but he certainly felt light and happy. It didn’t seem to give off a bad impression, either.

"Yeah, it’s a great look. You should fly the skies with that face!"

Yuki picked up Tareo, spun around playfully, and her carefree laughter echoed across the hill.