Chapter 5: “The Sound of Rain and the Secret Place”
The rain covered the town without pause‚ and the streets were nearly sinking under the water. Half of the utility poles were already hidden beneath the surface‚ and the letters on the signboards had blurred beyond recognition. Raindrops falling from the gray sky seemed as if they were slowly erasing the world itself.
Nagisa walked through that town with her eyes shining.
“Hey hey‚ Rin-chan! I bet there’s a secret place somewhere! A special place where we can feel safe even in the rain!”
She splashed through puddles as she moved forward‚ peering into buildings that were half-submerged.
Rin quietly watched her from behind‚ pulling her hood down low to shield herself from the rain.
“…They’re all dangerous places.”
“But it’ll be fun if we find one! Like a secret base!”
Nagisa turned back with a smile‚ lightly brushing off Rin’s calm warning.
At the end of the street stood an old building. Its walls were cracked‚ and the windows were shattered. Yet part of the roof was still firmly intact.
“Wow! It looks like we can climb up there!”
“…It’ll be slippery.”
“It’ll be fiiine!”
Nagisa dashed up the stairs energetically‚ and Rin followed with a sigh.
When they reached the rooftop‚ the sound of rain echoed even louder. The place overlooked the entire town‚ the only open space in a world that was slowly sinking.
“Waaah… amazing! You can see the whole town!”
Nagisa spread her arms and shouted joyfully as the rain soaked her.
Rin stood quietly beside her‚ looking down at the sinking town.
“…A secret place‚ huh.”
“Yeah! It’s special here!”
Nagisa’s smile shone brightly despite the rain‚ lighting a small flame in Rin’s heart.
The two of them stood on the rooftop for a while‚ listening to the sound of the rain. The rhythm of water striking the roof continued endlessly‚ as if the whole world had become a single instrument.
“Waaah… this really does feel like a secret base!”
Brushing aside her wet hair‚ Nagisa peeked into an old wooden box sitting in the corner of the rooftop. Inside were a rusty lantern and some old books.
“Look‚ look! A lantern! If we light it‚ we could stay here even at night!”
“…There’s probably no oil left.”
“But just having it here makes it exciting!”
Rin sat down next to the wooden box and quietly looked down at the town. Water spread across the sinking streets‚ and the glow of the streetlights trembled on the surface.
“…Everything will sink.”
“Yeah… but from here it looks kind of pretty! The lights reflected in the water look like stars!”
Nagisa took out her sketchbook and began moving her pencil across the page. Raindrops fell onto the paper and blurred the lines‚ but she kept drawing anyway.
Rin watched her from the corner of her eye and felt a small sense of relief deep in her heart. The sight of Nagisa drawing so innocently was a tiny hope resisting this doomed world.
“…You’re strong.”
“Hehe! I got a compliment!”
Nagisa waved her pencil happily‚ and Rin narrowed her eyes slightly.
In one corner of the rooftop‚ an old umbrella was propped up. The fabric was torn‚ but the frame still remained. Nagisa opened it with a flourish.
“Tadaaa! Another tool for our secret base!”
“…It’s useless.”
“But atmosphere is important!”
The rooftop wrapped in the sound of rain had become a special place just for the two of them. Looking out over the sinking town‚ they were certainly sharing a “secret.”
The old umbrella leaning in the corner of the rooftop was suddenly caught by a strong gust of wind.
“Waaah! The umbrella’s flying away!”
Nagisa hurried after it‚ but nearly slipped on the wet roof.
Rin immediately reached out and grabbed Nagisa’s arm.
“…Careful.”
A short warning and a calm motion. Nagisa widened her eyes‚ then quickly smiled.
“Thanks! Rin-chan‚ you’re really reliable!”
The umbrella had caught on the edge of the roof. The two of them worked together to retrieve it. The fabric was torn‚ but the frame was still sturdy.
“Tadaaa! The guardian of our secret base!”
“…It’s just a broken umbrella.”
“But if we leave it here‚ it adds atmosphere!”
Nagisa happily set the umbrella back in the corner of the rooftop.
At that moment‚ a page of the sketchbook was caught by the wind and slid across the roof.
“Kyaa! My drawing’s flying away!”
Nagisa chased after it desperately‚ but the paper grew heavy from the rain and stopped near the edge of the roof. Rin quickly picked it up and handed the wet page back to her.
“…Here.”
“Thanks! Nice catch‚ Rin-chan!”
The two of them laughed together in the rain. Even small troubles could be overcome if they supported each other. That realization was nurturing a firm bond between them.
In the corner of the rooftop‚ the old lantern had lost its light under the rain. Yet the girls’ smiles shone in its place.
The rain continued to beat against the rooftop without stopping. Yet somehow the sound had become a melody that calmed the heart. Hugging her damp sketchbook to her chest‚ Nagisa looked up at the sky beside Rin.
“Hey‚ you know… even though the rain keeps falling… when we sit like this‚ it sounds kind of gentle.”
“…Yeah. It’s quiet.”
At Rin’s brief reply‚ Nagisa smiled brightly.
The two of them sat in the corner of the rooftop‚ gazing out over the sinking town. The streetlights shimmering on the water flickered like stars.
“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 why we balance each other!”
At Nagisa’s words‚ Rin’s lips softened slightly.
In the corner of the rooftop stood the broken umbrella and the old lantern side by side. They were useless‚ yet to the two of them they were proof of their “secret base.” Wrapped in the sound of rain‚ that small space had truly become a special place.
A distant 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 on to its next stage.
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