Chapter 4: “The Market Wrapped in Rain”
The rain continued to fall without pause‚ filling the market street with water. The stalls that were once bustling remained only as frames‚ and the letters on the signs had bled so badly they could no longer be read. Red and blue cloth had lost their color and hung down‚ beaten by the rain.
Nagisa looked at the scene‚ her eyes shining.
“Waa! This place must have been super lively a long time ago! There were probably so many food stall smells everywhere!”
She splashed through puddles and ran toward a stall that was starting to sink.
Rin walked quietly behind her‚ pulling her hood low to keep off the rain.
“…Now it’s only ruins.”
“But there might still be treasure left! Look‚ there are bottles and bags over there!”
Nagisa pointed at a wooden crate sunk beneath a stall and crouched down.
Everyday items someone had left behind were scattered across the market street. A soaked sketchbook‚ a broken umbrella‚ empty cans. Each one was a trace of life‚ memories beginning to dissolve in the rain.
Nagisa picked up an empty can and laughed.
“This might be useful for cooking! We could put water in it and boil stuff‚ right?”
“…It’s rusted.”
“Ehehe! But if we get creative we can still use it!”
In the sinking market‚ only the voices of the two girls rang brightly.
The sound of rain continued endlessly‚ covering the city. Yet Nagisa’s laughter broke that silence and lit a small warmth inside Rin’s heart.
As they moved further down the market street‚ something still remained on the shelf of a half-sunken stall. Nagisa’s eyes sparkled as she ran over.
“Waa! Look‚ Rin-chan! There are canned goods! They’re a little rusty‚ but maybe what’s inside is still edible!”
She hugged the cans in both arms and bounced happily.
Rin calmly took one of the cans and examined it carefully.
“…It was underwater. If you open it‚ be careful.”
“Yeah! But if we can eat it‚ it’ll be a feast! I’m good at cooking‚ so I’ll try to get creative!”
Nagisa puffed out her chest and shook the rain from her wet hair.
In the corner of the stall sat an old cloth bag. When they looked inside‚ a small amount of dried beans still remained.
“Yay! We can eat these too! They might taste good if we boil them!”
“…If we can start a fire.”
“Ehehe! We can figure something out with the lantern can!”
Nagisa’s voice rang brightly‚ louder than the rain.
Watching her‚ Rin felt a small sense of relief deep in her heart. Even in the sinking city‚ Nagisa’s smile was certainly lighting a spark of hope.
“…You’re good at finding things.”
“Right? I’m great at finding food!”
Nagisa laughed proudly‚ and Rin narrowed her eyes slightly.
The market street still held traces of daily life. A soaked sketchbook‚ a broken umbrella‚ an empty bottle. Nagisa picked them up one by one and held them like treasures.
“All of these are someone’s memories‚ you know… So I can’t just throw them away!”
“…They’ll get heavy.”
“But they’re important!”
In the rain-wrapped market‚ the voices of the two girls echoed clearly. It was a small warmth of everyday life left behind in a sinking world.
Nagisa walked proudly with her arms full of canned food and bean bags.
“Yay! Tonight’s dinner is going to be fancy!”
At that moment‚ her foot slipped on the wet cobblestones and she lost her balance.
“Kyah!”
The cans she was holding fell into a puddle and rolled away with a loud clatter.
Rin immediately ran over and picked up the rolling cans.
“…I told you. You’re carrying too much.”
“Ehehe! But I always get greedy!”
Nagisa gave an embarrassed smile and hugged the wet bag of beans again.
Then a bottle placed on the stall shelf was knocked over by the wind and nearly fell to the ground.
“Wah! The bottle!”
Rin caught the bottle with one hand while supporting Nagisa’s arm with the other.
“…Careful. It would break if it fell.”
“Thanks! Rin-chan‚ you’re really dependable!”
The two worked together to pick everything up and lined the wet bags back on the stall.
“Hey‚ hey‚ when we clean up together like this‚ it kinda feels like we’re running a shop!”
“…This isn’t a game.”
“But it’s fun!”
Nagisa’s voice rang brightly over the rain‚ lighting a small warmth in Rin’s heart.
The market street was sinking‚ but the two of them were certainly alive within it.
Even small troubles could be overcome if they supported each other.
That realization was nurturing a real bond between them.
From a distance‚ Momiji watched over them. Even while soaked by the rain‚ she gazed at the two girls with eyes like an older sister. Her presence was still quiet like a shadow‚ but she was certainly becoming a force that supported the girls’ future.
The rain continued to pound the market roofs without pause. Water flowed into the sinking street‚ and the frames of the stalls swayed like bridges standing in a river.
Holding a wet bag of beans‚ Nagisa laughed beside Rin.
“Hey‚ hey‚ tonight’s dinner will be bean soup! I bet it’ll be delicious!”
“…If we can start a fire.”
“It’ll be fine! I’ll figure something out!”
At her innocent voice‚ Rin narrowed her eyes slightly. Even inside the rain-covered market‚ Nagisa’s smile was surely lighting a spark of hope.
The two walked side by side‚ leaving the sinking market behind. The streetlights reflected on the water’s surface swayed faintly‚ as if memories of the past were drifting there.
“Rin-chan‚ you’re really calm and dependable! Even when I mess up‚ you help me right away!”
“…You’re just noisy.”
“Hehe‚ but that’s what balances things out!”
At Nagisa’s words‚ the corner of Rin’s mouth softened slightly.
In the distance‚ Momiji watched them. Even as the rain soaked her‚ she smiled quietly with a sisterly gaze. Her figure was warm like a shadow supporting the girls’ future.
As they reached the exit of the market‚ they saw that the street’s utility poles were already more than halfway submerged in water.
“…At this rate‚ the whole city will sink.”
“Yeah… but we’ll be okay! As long as we’re together‚ we’ll figure something out!”
Nagisa’s voice rang powerfully over the rain‚ lighting a certain flame in Rin’s heart.
—And then‚ in the distance‚ a train whistle echoed. The sound of the euthanasia train that runs on weekends.
It was a signal announcing the end of the world‚ and at the same time a sign that the girls’ journey would move to its next stage.
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