Chapter 7: “Reunion on the Rooftop”
The rain covered the city without interruption‚ and the streets had sunk even deeper. More than half of the utility poles were hidden beneath the water’s surface‚ and the light from the streetlamps reflected on the wavering waves‚ flickering like stars.
Nagisa walked side by side with Rin‚ holding her sketchbook in her arms.
“Hey hey‚ let’s go to the rooftop again! That place is like a secret base and it’s so fun!”
“…It’s dangerous‚ but the view is good.”
Rin answered briefly‚ pulling her hood down low to shield herself from the rain.
The two carefully climbed the wet stairs and stepped out onto the rooftop. The sound of rain echoed even louder‚ and the place overlooking the entire city was the only open space in the sinking world.
“Waa… it really is amazing! You can see the whoooole city!”
Nagisa spread her arms and raised her voice while getting soaked by the rain.
Rin quietly stood beside her and looked down at the sinking city. The lights wavering on the water’s surface were fantastical‚ yet somehow sad.
“…A reunion‚ huh.”
“That’s right! We came back here! It’s our secret base again!”
Nagisa’s smile was bright enough to rival the rain‚ lighting a small flame in Rin’s heart.
In one corner of the rooftop‚ the broken umbrella and the old lantern they had found before were still there. Even while getting wet in the rain‚ they quietly proved the girls’ “reunion.”
Sitting down in a corner of the rooftop‚ Nagisa opened her soaked sketchbook. Gripping her pencil tightly‚ she began drawing the lights of the rain-shaken city.
“Waa… the lights reflected in the water really look like stars! If I try drawing them‚ it might look like the night sky!”
She happily moved her pencil‚ but raindrops fell onto the paper and made the lines blur.
Seeing this‚ Rin quietly opened the umbrella and held it out.
“…This should keep it from getting too wet.”
“Thank you! Rin-chan‚ you’re so kind!”
Nagisa smiled and moved her sketchbook under the umbrella‚ continuing to draw.
The pencil lines traced the streetlights wavering in the rain‚ scattering the reflections on the waves like stars.
“Hey hey‚ Rin-chan‚ want to try drawing too? It’s even more fun if we draw together!”
“…I’m bad at it.”
“It’s fine‚ it’s fine! It doesn’t matter if you’re good or bad!”
Nagisa held out the pencil‚ and after a moment of hesitation‚ Rin accepted it.
Rin drew a few short lines and began sketching the outline of the city. With efficient strokes‚ she carved the shadows of the sinking buildings onto the page.
“…Like this.”
“Waa! Amazing! Rin-chan‚ you really do have a sense for it!”
Nagisa’s eyes sparkled‚ and the two drawings gradually began to overlap.
On the rooftop wrapped in the sound of rain‚ the laughter of the girls echoed. With the sinking city as their backdrop‚ their sketch had surely become “proof of their reunion.”
The page of Nagisa’s sketchbook was suddenly whipped by a strong gust of wind.
“Kyaa! The paper’s flying away!”
She hurriedly stood up and chased after the page sliding across the rooftop.
Rin moved calmly‚ holding down the pencil and lantern that were about to be blown away.
“…You’ll fall. Be careful.”
“But the drawing!”
Nagisa desperately reached out‚ but the page flew all the way to the edge of the roof.
At that moment‚ Rin quickly ran over and grabbed the page. The rain-soaked paper was about to tear‚ but she carefully lifted it and handed it back to Nagisa.
“…Here.”
“Thank you! Rin-chan‚ nice catch!”
Nagisa hugged the page with a smile and let out a relieved breath.
But with the next gust of wind‚ the broken umbrella toppled over and rolled toward the edge of the roof.
“Wah! Even the umbrella!”
The two ran at the same time and picked it up. Even though they almost slipped on the wet roof‚ they supported each other and held their ground.
“…That was dangerous. But we protected it.”
“Yeah! If it’s the two of us‚ we’ll be fine!”
Nagisa beamed with a full smile‚ and Rin narrowed her eyes slightly.
On the rooftop wrapped in the sound of rain‚ the girls overcame a small trouble. Even in the sinking city‚ it was a moment that nurtured a certain bond.
The rain continued to beat against the rooftop without stopping. Yet somehow‚ its sound had become a melody that calmed the heart. Nagisa held the wet sketchbook to her chest and looked out at the sky beside Rin.
“Hey hey‚ today’s drawing will definitely become a treasure! Because we drew it together‚ Rin-chan!”
“…It’s nothing special.”
“That’s not true! It’s special because we drew it together!”
Nagisa’s voice rang brightly‚ louder than the rain‚ and Rin’s lips softened into a faint smile.
In the corner of the rooftop‚ the broken umbrella and the old lantern were lined up together. They were useless‚ but to the two girls they were “proof of the secret base.”
Wrapped in the sound of rain‚ that small space had surely become a special place.
In the distance‚ a train whistle sounded. 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 the next stage.
Looking over the sinking city‚ the water level had risen even more‚ and the street signs were almost completely hidden beneath the water.
“…The city is changing.”
“But we’re changing too! If we’re together‚ we’ll manage somehow!”
Nagisa’s words blended into the sound of the rain and lit a certain flame in Rin’s heart.
At that moment‚ footsteps could be heard from below the rooftop. Momiji’s shadow quietly approached. The girls’ reunion was announcing the beginning of the next story.
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