Chapter 50: “The 365-Day Festival Reached by Hacking the Laws of the World”
The summer dawn had arrived.
Sunlight streaming through the polychromatic resin walls filled the interior of the small floating house (dome) with a pure golden hue that stretched endlessly. In this place where once only the dull light of winter‚ blocked by thick clouds‚ could reach‚ a dazzlingly blue sky now spread out today.
Beyond the window. The sea that had once been stagnant and mud-colored no longer reflected the end of the world with its heavy‚ dark weight as it had back then. The surface‚ bathed in the morning sun‚ shimmered dazzlingly as if sapphire had been shattered into pieces. A breeze blew through‚ carrying the sound of waves washing in and out and a faintly moist summer scent.
“Nnnnnnnn~~~~!”
I leapt up vigorously from the dry cloth sleeping bag and thrust both arms high toward the sky. Gugu-gugu-gu‚ stretching every muscle fiber in my body as hard as I could.
“Uwaaaaaaaaah!”
It feels good. Extremely‚ special-deluxe-extra-large good!
To the right. To the left. Swinging both arms in big circles. Moving my legs dynamically. Pointing my toes‚ bending my knees deeply. And finally‚ bouncing on the spot once more with overflowing vitality.
“Yattaaaaaaaa!” Thud! “Nothing hurts even a single millimeter!”
“You’re noisy from the morning‚ single-cell.”
From beyond the sleeping bag came a familiar voice mixed with exasperation. Looking back‚ Rin-chan had only half her face poking out from the sheets. Her black hair still bounced wildly in every direction from bedhead. On her shoulder‚ peeking from a slightly oversized white summer shirt‚ the scars from the red rope that had once carried and pulled us along remained only as faint pale-pink medals of honor.
“What’s got you so happy?”
“Look at this!”
I thrust my left arm straight out. “It moves properly!” Next I lifted my right leg high. The dark bruises that had once been bound by AC adapters had been completely repaired to clean porcelain-white skin. “This too!”
I stepped in place—pyon‚ pyon. “Everything! Special-deluxe full recovery‚ complete operation!”
“I can see that. So stop jumping around for no reason. Don’t put unnecessary load on the dome’s structure from the morning‚ idiot Nagisa.”
“But!”
I spread both arms wide again.
Once. My left arm (Marshmallow) had stubbornly refused its master’s commands. I wanted to move it but couldn’t. I wanted to touch something but my fingertips couldn’t reach anywhere. My right leg‚ too—just taking a single step sent pain racing through it as if being bitten by an electric eel. Running toward the future at the same speed as everyone else had always been impossible for the me of those days.
But now.
“Uooooooooooooh!”
I dashed at full speed through the polychromatic dome.
“Hey! Wait‚ idiot Nagisa!” “Catch me if you can!” “Don’t start a game of tag in this limited narrow space!”
Right. Left. Circling around the awkward table‚ cutting through the air. I can run properly. I can stop properly. I can turn properly. Above all—no matter where I search in this body‚ there isn’t the slightest noise of pain.
“Ehehe…”
I stopped dead in my tracks without meaning to. My chest rose and fell heavily. I drew the fresh summer air deep into my lungs‚ to the very limit.
“…Amazing.”
A small sigh slipped out‚ so quiet I almost didn’t notice it myself.
“A human body was this free and warm‚ huh.”
For a moment‚ a gentle silence flowed through the dome. No one tried to add the next words. Not Rin-chan. Not Haru-kun‚ who stood firmly on his own two feet by the window and had opened his waxed notebook. They simply watched me quietly‚ and with affection.
Eventually.
“Yes.”
Haru-kun swayed his ash-silver curly hair and smiled softly. “Nagisa-san’s biological functions have all been fully restored to the normal range.”
“Fully restored!”
“Muscle strength. Neural transmission clock. Joint range of motion. Independent walking ability.”
Haru-kun lowered his gaze to his hands. There lay a string of numbers that would never be updated again—relics of the past.
Damage rate. Remaining function. Pain response. Survival probability.
Once‚ those cold calculations of survival cost had been necessary just to barely keep our lives tethered to the bottomless mud sea. But now‚ there was no longer any need to check them every morning in fear.
“All items—”
Haru-kun affectionately closed that archive quietly.
“Repair‚ all completed.”
That declaration rang like the greatest blessing bestowed by the ended world system.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
I thrust both hands high toward the sky. “Complete full recoveryyyyyyy!”
“I told you not to roar from the morning‚ single-cell!” “Rin-chan’s is completely repaired too!” “Yeah. In my physical laws (rules)‚ there isn’t a single error code.” “Momiji-chan too!”
My gaze turned to the coordinates of the transport sled. There‚ the heavy external skeleton (splints) that had once bound her and the cold IV circulation tubes had all been cleanly removed‚ and Momiji-chan‚ dressed in a dazzling white summer outfit‚ was smiling gently.
“Yes.”
The sound was as natural as a spring breeze melting the former winter. “I’m feeling wonderful too‚ Nagisa-chan.”
“Haru-kun’s ankle fracture too!”
“Yes.”
Haru-kun nodded‚ looking a little embarrassed as he gazed at his own feet.
No one—was damaged anymore.
That day. There hadn’t been a single human whose body wasn’t fatally broken somewhere. Arms that refused commands and wouldn’t move. Legs that screamed with every step. Machines that only kept breathing for life support. Cracked and broken bones. Bodies covered in wounds that had long since exceeded their limits.
Everyone had scraped away and lost something precious. And yet. We had survived humanly until this timeline called today.
“…Ah.”
At that moment‚ my gaze stopped dead in the center of the awkward table.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
“Waaaaaaaaah!” “What is it this time?!” “Everyone‚ look hereeeee!”
I dashed at full speed toward the scrap table. There was the small “field (patch)” that had once been nothing more than a modest mound of soil. On that brown earth‚ dazzling green had now exploded. Leaves growing lush and blue‚ absorbing the morning light. And—palm-sized bright red fruits glistening with morning dew.
“It’s tomato-saaaaaaan!” “You’ve seen them enough yesterday and the day before!” “Today’s tomato-san is special! It only exists on today’s timeline!”
Next‚ I slid my gaze to the side of that fresh life. “Cucumber-san is here looking so splendid too!”
The long‚ juicy green fruits shone like gem crystals as they transmitted the incoming sunlight. Unable to hold back my affection‚ I reached both hands toward the field.
“Look‚ Rin-chan!”
I turned around vigorously. Spreading both arms wide. And proudly pointed at the vegetables breathing on the modest earth.
“My left arm (Marshmallow) too!” Next‚ my right leg. “The leg that was covered in bruises too!” And the lush green field. “These kids too!”
The dazzling summer dawn. Everything in this world enclosing the closed cocoon was far too bright and kind.
“Everyone!”
I bloomed the biggest full smile of the day. “Special-deluxe full recovery‚ complete operation!”
Silence. For just a moment‚ everyone stared at me as if words had left them.
Then.
“…Hmph.”
Rin-chan snorted a little shyly through her thin nose. “In your case‚ being too noisy might be the normal value.”
“That’s right!” “I’m saying I’m not praising you‚ idiot.” “Ehehe!”
Beside her‚ Momiji-chan softened her sunset-like eyes and made an affectionate sound deep in her throat.
“But.”
She gently gazed at the surface of the lush waving leaves as if cherishing them. “It really… has become summer‚ hasn’t it‚ Nagisa-chan.”
At that whisper‚ I once again turned my gaze toward the outer world beyond the resin walls.
A piercing blue sky. A gently calm sapphire sea. A sun so bright it dazzled the eyes. And—the vivid contrast of red tomatoes and green cucumbers nurtured inside this small floating house (our home).
That day. Facing the cold mound of soil‚ we had continued saying only the prayer of “Good morning” every morning. Back when even the log of a small sprout hadn’t been updated yet. The world had been sealed in a blanket of gray. Survival probability wasn’t visible anywhere.
Even so. We greeted a new morning every day with the same breath. And before we knew it—spring arrived‚ and now the promised summer had come.
“…It’s true.”
I smiled a little from happiness. “It really became our summer‚ huh.”
“Yes.”
Quietly‚ yet with warm body heat in his voice‚ Haru-kun responded. Still holding the waxed waterproof notebook carefully to his chest‚ he gazed at the clear blue world as if cherishing it.
“The future—”
In those gray eyes‚ the frozen equations of despair from that day were no longer reflected at all.
“Has truly come to us‚ hasn’t it.”
A pleasant sea breeze blew through. Carrying the fresh scent of summer pregnant with the breath of life. The lush green leaves swayed as if humming‚ and the bright red tomatoes flickered silver as they bathed in the sunlight. It was as if the very radiance of the small lives repaired by the four of us.
That day. Standing still at the end of the world system‚ we had simply defined by our own will that we would live just 365 days longer than the world. But. The future that should have been uncertain had kindly walked right up to our coordinates.
“So then! Let’s swim! When it’s summer‚ it’s special-deluxe sea bathing!”
“Don’t try to take off your clothes‚ idiot Nagisa! There’s a man named Haru right there! Don’t strip in this narrow space‚ or rather don’t jump into that incomplete sea!” “Haha… that’s a Nagisa-san-like activity. I’ll take refuge over there (the curtain sanctuary) for now.” “Momiji‚ stop laughing and protect this runaway single-cell!” “Fufu‚ then… shall I swim with you too?” “You just removed your external skeleton‚ you can’t dive recklessly yet!” “That’s right. Statistically‚ Momiji-san’s biological parameters are still safer if we keep underwater operation stopped.” “Then Haru-kun‚ swim with us in a white T-shirt too!”
Waa-waa‚ gyaa-gyaa—.
Inside the polychromatic dome‚ the liveliest laughter of the day burst forth.
And today too. The dazzling summer dawn‚ with a clear face as if the harsh despair until yesterday had never existed‚ quietly and kindly began our new day (Day 300’s log).
Just before noon.
The sun had fully climbed to the zenith of the sky‚ illuminating this new world with light that was endlessly bright and purely cruel. On the newly built deck attached to the outer wall of the small floating house (dome)‚ the four of us stood side by side‚ quietly gazing at the calm water surface.
The summer sea of life.
It was literally a different thing from the sea on the day of that desperate expedition. The sludge that had looked muddy and seemed to have swallowed everything on the ground into a bottomless stomach now received the straight sunlight and scattered countless silver particles in glittering reflections.
Glitter. Glitter.
Each time the gentle ripples swayed‚ it was as if the world beautifully shattered into tiny crystals of light.
“…It’s beautiful‚ isn’t it.”
Without meaning to‚ the voice of my heart spilled from my lips as a prayer-like whisper.
“Yes‚ it is.”
Right beside me‚ Haru-kun responded calmly‚ entrusting his ash-silver curly hair to the summer wind.
If it had been the us of before‚ there wouldn’t have been even a second of mental leeway to leisurely gaze at the expanse of the sea like this. Water pollution level‚ acid content‚ heavy metal toxicity‚ remaining life count‚ life support limit time. For the us of those days‚ the sea had always been nothing but a cold and terrifying mass of numbers pressing to erase the four of us as unnecessary data.
But. Today is different.
“Aright!”
I firmly gripped the handmade fishing rod carved from scrap porous steel with both hands. “I’m gonna completely collect all the special-deluxe sea delicacies!”
“Are you planning to drive the fish in this sector to extinction‚ single-cell.”
Rin-chan sitting beside me let out a deep‚ long sigh of exasperation. From the cuffs of her slightly large summer clothes‚ her thin arms peeked out‚ and as usual she furrowed her brows that were both sharp and kind.
“Just because the marine ecosystem is recovering smoothly doesn’t mean the logic allows eating them one after another.”
“But!”
I pointed at the overwhelming blue spreading before my eyes. “Look‚ Rin-chan! There’s an infinite sea like that!”
“The surface area of this Earth and the black-hole capacity of your stomach don’t scale proportionally.”
“They do!” “They don’t.” “They absolutely do!” “Idiot Nagisa.” “Ehehe!”
The usual‚ beloved exchange with no boundaries. It was so everyday and so peaceful that just that much beloved irrationality made my chest tighten with warmth and happiness.
At the edge of the deck‚ four simple wooden chairs built by interlocking scrap materials were neatly lined up. Not restraints to fix someone’s collapsing body like on those harsh winter days. Not dead space for arranging heavy IV drips or circulation machines for someone’s life support.
Just. Kind living coordinates for the four of us to sit close‚ feel the summer heat‚ burn the infinite blue onto our retinas‚ and leisurely sit down.
“…Then‚ shall we begin the activity.”
Haru-kun softened his gray eyes and smiled quietly.
“Yes!” “Yeah.” “Fufu‚ I’m looking forward to it‚ Haru-kun.”
Completely freed from the constraints of the transport sled‚ standing firmly on her own feet and sitting in the chair‚ Momiji-chan also smiled softly‚ her dazzling white clothes fluttering in the sea breeze.
The four of us simultaneously. Slowly cast the fishing lines loaded with our respective wisdom toward the glittering sapphire water surface.
Plop. Plop.
Four modest water sounds rang pleasantly‚ and circular marble-patterned ripples spread across the surface. Eventually‚ supreme silence enveloped the surroundings of the dome.
“…………” “…………” “…………” “…………”
Only the pleasant sea breeze pregnant with the residual heat of summer stroked the four of our cheeks as it blew past.
Far away. A silver shadow of one bird leisurely crossed the overwhelming cloudless blue sky.
“Ah!”
I raised my right hand and pointed straight at the sky. “I spotted a bird-san again!”
Pure white wings. Beautiful feathers spread to the limit. Entrusting itself to the flow of the atmosphere‚ swimming freely through the endless sky.
That day. When we first detected that bird’s shadow beyond the resin walls of the dome. We held our breath and completely lost our words. Life exists. That simple fact alone eloquently taught us more than anyone that the core of life still pulsed in this reset world system.
“It looks healthy.”
Haru-kun squinted against the brightness and murmured while looking up at the sky cleared of leaden colors.
“The bird-san?” “Yes.”
Swaying his curly hair‚ he relaxed his mouth a little proudly. “Compared to when I scanned before‚ the number of individuals in the sector has clearly increased.”
“Is that because there are special-deluxe lots of fish-san swimming in the sea?”
“That probability is extremely high statistically as well.”
“Then the bird-san is also special-deluxe full recovery grand victory!”
“…Nagisa-san.”
Haru-kun shook his shoulders with a troubled chuckle. “Please don’t try to process every phenomenon with ‘special-deluxe.’”
“Ehehe!”
It was that trivial moment.
“…Hey.”
Rin-chan’s low‚ sharp voice rang across the deck.
“What is it‚ Rin-chan?” “It moved.” “Eh?”
Everyone’s gazes converged at once on her hands. The handmade fishing rod built from scrap. The ultra-fine nylon line stretching from it into the infinite blue—.
Twitch. Twitch.
Modestly‚ yet clearly trembling.
“Oh!”
I sprang up from the chair. “Rin-chan! You got a bite?!”
“Not yet‚ don’t rush.”
Twitch.
“It’s already a complete hit!” “Wait. The depth is still shallow—”
Gugu-guu!!
“—It’s here!” “Waaaaaaaah!” “I said don’t make noise‚ it’ll escape from the vibration!”
Rin-chan snapped her wrist and pulled the rod up all at once. But—midway through the parabolic arc‚ all the resistance suddenly vanished.
“…Hm?” “What happened?” “…A miss. It got away.”
For a moment‚ a quiet calm fell on the floorboards.
“…………” “…………” “…………” “…………”
“…It got away‚ huh.” “…Completely got away.” “Fish-san is special-deluxe expert at hacking Rin-chan’s physical laws!” “Don’t be impressed by that‚ single-cell.”
Rin-chan furrowed her thin brows a little regretfully‚ checked the rig at the tip of the hook‚ and readied herself again. “Next time‚ I’ll definitely catch it.”
“Leader‚ do your best!” “You look at your own rod too‚ idiot Nagisa.”
“Ah!”
Hastily returning my gaze to the grip held in my only free right hand. “…Mine isn’t moving even a bit.”
“Of course. If fish came just from shouting‚ I’d be out of the mechanic business.”
“Then I’ll be quiet too.” “Do that from the start.”
“…………” “…………” “…………”
“…I’m hungry‚ everyone.” “Your silence only lasts three seconds‚ single-cell!” “Ehehe!”
Again‚ the four of us’s dazzling laughter spread over the sapphire sea.
It was then.
“…Ah.”
The one who let out surprise was Haru-kun. He was staring intently at his own rod with his gray eyes.
“Haru-kun?” “…It’s coming‚ a bite.” “Eh?”
The tip of the handmade rod was pulled deeply toward the depths of the sea.
“Oh!”
Haru-kun stood up firmly‚ kicking the floorboards. In that moment‚ my chest trembled and I held my breath without meaning to.
Haru-kun was firmly planting his healthy both feet on the deck and standing tall.
In the everyday before the world sank‚ there might not have been a need to confirm such an ordinary action in my heart each time. But—knowing his conflict when he hung his head holding his cracked and broken ankle‚ thinking he was a burden. Knowing those winter days when even standing independently was a life-or-death battle.
Now‚ he was looking straight at the unobstructed summer sea. With strong legs fully healed from injury‚ firmly stepping on the residual heat of the earth.
“…Alright.”
He gripped the grip tightly again. Leaned his center of gravity largely backward.
“Haru-kun‚ don’t lose!” “It’s fine.”
Without turning around‚ Haru-kun wore a smile full of reliability on his lips. “This time‚ I won’t let it throw the hook!”
Gugu-guu!!
The rod bent in a beautiful arc. “Ooooooh!” Unable to contain my excitement‚ I clenched both hands. “Haru-kun‚ do your best!” “Be quiet‚ idiot.” Rin-chan immediately restrained me. “The catch will thrash.” “But!” “It’s fine‚ Nagisa-chan. It’s already completely swallowed the hook.” Momiji-chan chuckled affectionately deep in her throat. “See‚ Momiji-chan is prophesying too!” “I said be quiet‚ idiot Nagisa.”
While that exchange continued‚ Haru-kun took one step‚ then another. Firmly bracing with his fully healed both feet so as not to lose to the enormous pull trying to drag him into the infinite blue‚ he rapidly reeled in the line.
And then.
“…!”
Guiii!!
Finally‚ releasing all his body’s strength at once‚ he raised the rod high toward the sky.
Zappan!!
“…!”
The sapphire surface burst vividly‚ and a silver flash leapt into the air.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Bathing its entire body in the dazzling summer sunlight‚ it scattered rainbow-colored sparks in the midday space. It was a real fish.
“It’s a fish-saaaaaaan!”
Flap-flap-flap! The fish that landed on the wooden deck’s floorboards jumped around vigorously with overwhelming vitality.
“It’s aliveeeee!” “Of course it’s alive‚ it’s a fish‚ idiot!” “But but! It really got caught on our timeline!”
Kneeling‚ I ran over to that life. A plump body shining silver. Freshly wet scales. A gracefully dancing tail fin. Even in this very moment‚ it was desperately carving the pulse of life.
Flap. Flap.
“…Amazing.”
The previous uproar suddenly quieted as if it had been a lie. Holding our breath‚ we gazed at the palm-sized miracle.
In the depths of this deep sea. In the cold dark world beyond where no one observed. These children had continued passing the baton of life all along. Even when the adults of the old world despaired that it had ended and gave up on everything. Even when we were subtracting how many more days we could live with cold numbers. These fragments of life had properly‚ nobly lived out their own time.
“…It really was living beyond our predictions.”
Haru-kun knelt beside me and murmured quietly as if chewing on the words.
“Yes.” Momiji-chan nodded deeply and kindly. “It was properly living in this dark world.”
A dazzling summer sea breeze blew through‚ and far in the sky a seabird cried. That voice reached the four of our chests much closer and warmer than on the winter day when the strong acid rain stopped.
Haru-kun‚ still gazing at the leaping silver trajectory‚ slowly bloomed a smile full of pride from the heart.
“The complete recovery of Earth’s marine ecosystem—”
One beat. A kind‚ endlessly clear silence.
“Is progressing extremely smoothly‚ status is all green!”
In that voice‚ the cold observer’s tone that had once bound him was nowhere to be found. He simply looked truly happy. Not with logic but from the bottom of his heart‚ rejoicing at living as a human.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
And the next moment. My brain was completely overwritten by appetite.
“Sashimiiiiii!” “That bug’s started again.” Rin-chan pressed her white forehead. “Grilled fish!” “We’ve only caught one.” “White fish fry!” “Don’t arbitrarily increase the cooking menu.” “Special-deluxe seafood rice bowl!”
Toward the dazzling summer sea‚ I thrust my only free right hand high toward the sky. “Opening!” “Opening of what‚ idiot Nagisa!” “Of the special-deluxe seafood kingdom!” “Such a country doesn’t exist in the physical laws (rules)!” “It does!” “Where exactly?!” “In our home (here)‚ of course!”
I puffed out my white chest proudly. “From today‚ grand opening of the country!” “Don’t found an independent nation in your stomach on your own‚ single-cell!” “Ehehe!”
Again‚ the four of us laughed together in unison‚ shaking the closed cocoon.
A piercing blue sky. A sun so bright it dazzled. A sapphire sea that gently reflected all light. And—at our feet‚ a beloved small life leaping with overwhelming vitality.
Haru-kun’s waterproof notebook. On that festival night‚ a modest item in the “dream map” he had left by sliding his pen across a blank page.
—I want to catch fish and eat them.
That wish. Today‚ on this sea. Just now. Had become real.
I had thought the future was farther away‚ an uncertain coordinate beyond our reach. Someday. Eventually. Much later.
But it was completely different.
The future is when one morning you wake up and the left arm that stubbornly wouldn’t move starts moving freely like whipped cream. When juicy bright red tomatoes fruit in the scrap field. And—when midday arrives‚ a glittering real fish is caught from the cleared mud sea.
Like that‚ with a completely ordinary face. Before we knew it‚ it had walked up right beside us.
A seabird once more gently crossed the overwhelming blue sky. Under that blessing‚ we began another trivial‚ supremely peaceful argument over “whose rod will get the next hit.”
Beyond the end of the world‚ such a dazzling summer day had been waiting for us.
We caught a fish.
Just that one event‚ yet our small floating house (dome) was enveloped in a pleasant festival atmosphere for a while.
“Sashimiiii!” “It’s still alive!” “Grilled fish!” “…Then I can process it with my heat management (rules).” “Special-deluxe seafood rice bowl!” “Completely exceeding the appropriate volume for breakfast!”
Rin-chan’s precise angry voice flew. But my voltage didn’t drop at all. Because there is a fish. In the sea that was once a death sector. A real fish properly pulsing with life.
“Nfufufufufu…”
On the special deck‚ I was staring intently at the silver trajectory that had just been reeled in.
Flap‚ flap-flap. Reflecting the midday sunlight irregularly‚ the silver fresh body jumped around energetically.
“…It’s alive.”
Without meaning to‚ that realization spilled from the bottom of my soul.
“Of course.”
Rin-chan crossed her arms awkwardly. “We caught it alive.”
“But.”
I tilted my head. “Before‚ no matter where we looked‚ it was barren‚ right?”
At that casual remark‚ for a moment the four of our voices completely stopped‚ and only the sound of gentle waves washing in and out filled the surroundings of the cocoon.
The sea had been dead all along. At least‚ to us whose eyes had been burned by despair‚ it had looked that way. Water completely turbid with the malice of strong acid. An inorganic surface that rejected any residual heat of life. An endless sea of erasure that only repeated barren gray no matter how far we went.
And now‚ there is a fish. Birds dance in the great sky. And we are about to share and eat that miracle.
“…Fufu.”
In a place completely freed from the constraints of the transport sled‚ Momiji-chan laughed quietly.
“Somehow‚ it’s mysterious‚ Nagisa-chan.”
“What is?”
“That we are ‘living’ like this as humans.”
She gently pressed her sunset-like red hair swaying softly in the summer wind with a thin hand while gazing at the endlessly transparent sapphire sea. “Before‚ just surviving one day used up all our computational resources for each other‚ right?”
None of us could add words. Surely everyone was synchronizing the same dark past logs in their chests.
To greet the next dawn. To maintain life until the next timeline. Filtering impurities to secure water‚ storing electricity from static‚ managing oxygen concentration inside the dome‚ searching for scant fuel (calories) from mountains of scrap. To somehow‚ somehow keep the bug-ridden broken body operating just for today.
Such days of scraping away at tomorrow. There was no room anywhere to freely decorate the future. Even tomorrow’s promise had seemed too far‚ hazed beyond the mist.
“But.”
Momiji-chan slowly‚ yet with definite will‚ stood up from that spot. The hem of her dazzling white summer one-piece waved softly as if filled with the sea breeze. She walked smoothly toward the edge of the deck just like that.
Slowly. Yet firmly stepping on the earth with her own healthy both feet. Without anyone supporting her aching body‚ without connecting cold IV tubes for life support‚ she stood there proudly as one noble girl.
I gazed at that dazzling pure white back as if burning it onto my retinas.
Once‚ exposing her body to the outer world without wearing protective gadgets would have been absolutely impossible. Oxygen concentrator. Heavy external skeleton (splints). Multiple painful circulation tubes. The cold machines she needed for life support. But the current her needs nothing. She is simply wearing a white one-piece that sways pleasantly in the sea breeze.
“……”
Momiji-chan slowly spread both arms toward the sky. The dazzling summer wind gently stroked her sunset-like hair. And—quietly closed those beautiful eyes.
Suu‚ deeply‚ endlessly deeply‚ she inhaled the air of this great sky.
Her white chest expanded greatly. Endlessly pure. Without coughing painfully midway‚ without Haru-kun scanning abnormal vital numbers and turning pale‚ without Rin-chan hastily adjusting the machine’s output.
Just‚ the endlessly transparent summer components were sucked straight into her fully healed body.
And—slowly‚ affectionately exhaled.
“……”
Once more. Suu‚ so full her chest seemed about to burst.
“…………Delicious.”
A whisper so modest it seemed about to melt and disappear into the sound of the ripples.
“Eh?”
When I asked back without meaning to‚ Momiji-chan‚ still with closed eyes‚ softened her lips just a little.
“The air.”
That clear voice trembled slightly with emotion welling up from within. “It’s this… delicious‚ Nagisa-chan.”
A sea breeze blew through. No one could immediately spin the next words. I simply gazed at her proud figure. The depths of my chest grew hot as if tightly gripped by intense gravity.
“…Momiji-chan.”
“Yes.”
“You can… inhale as much as you want.”
“Yes.”
“Special-deluxe free refills!”
“Fufu…”
Momiji-chan slowly turned around and smiled shyly. The moment I saw that carefree‚ fully repaired smile of one girl‚ somehow even my vision blurred and I felt like crying.
“Yes… I’ll inhale lots‚ special-deluxe.”
Suu— this time more dynamically‚ Momiji-chan inhaled. As if inhaling everything of this dazzling summer world into her chest.
“…Haaaaa.”
With a look of utmost satisfaction‚ she exhaled a heavy breath happily.
“Nagisa-chan.” “What?”
“For you… what was the most delicious meal until now?”
At the sudden question‚ I tilted my head‚ swaying my fluffy blue hair. “Hmm…”
Hard bread recovered from the observatory‚ sweet rations‚ dried vegetables baked on the residual heat of a bonfire‚ special-deluxe soup shared in a warped aluminum pot. Various memories raced through my head at high speed.
“…There are so many delicious memories that my computational domain can’t decide!”
“Fufu‚ I see.”
“What about you‚ Momiji-chan?”
She thought a little affectionately. And then—.
“Perhaps what the four of us will eat from now.”
That’s what she said.
“Because.”
Momiji-chan ran her gaze beyond the deck. The sapphire sea‚ the overwhelming blue sky‚ the circling silver seabirds‚ and the small home we had protected with the four of our body heats.
“Today‚ for me.”
She gently placed a thin hand on her white chest. “I’m properly… healthily hungry.”
I couldn’t return any words. Rin-chan and Haru-kun too simply‚ truly affectionately‚ wore calm smiles like a lagoon.
“…I see.”
Rin-chan murmured quietly. “The sensation of getting hungry isn’t bad when savored like this.”
----------------------------------------------------------Latter Half-----------------------------------
“Not just not bad‚ Leader!”
Unable to endure‚ I immediately shouted. “It’s special-deluxe the best!”
“In the end‚ your thought clock returns there‚ single-cell.”
“We live to eat!” “The logic (rule) is reversed. We eat to live.” “Both are one trillion points!” “A rough formula…”
While sighing‚ Rin-chan’s lips were definitely curved upward.
“Everyone.”
Haru-kun lifted the vigorously jumping silver catch. “Shall we move on to today’s main cooking soon?”
“Oooooooh!”
I raised both hands high toward the sky. “Emergency holding of the midsummer seafood festival!” “Who named it that.” “Just now‚ my brain system!” “Just now‚ huh…”
After that‚ we busily moved around the special deck and the inside of the dome more than usual. Rin-chan skillfully processed the fish with precise logic‚ Haru-kun started up the homemade heating device. Momiji-chan affectionately harvested the bright red tomatoes from the small patch (field) on the table as if handling something fragile. And as for me—.
“Cucumber-san‚ completely secured!” “Don’t yank it out‚ idiot Nagisa! Cut at the base so you don’t destroy the structure!” “Yes!” “Only the processing speed of your replies is world-class!”
Everyone was moving actively. With their own fully healed healthy bodies. With their free limbs. As if the former despair had been a lie‚ like an ordinary‚ nothing-special everyday. Every single one of those actions somehow made me uncontrollably happy‚ and I felt the depths of my chest grow hot.
◇
““““Itadakimasu””””
The four voices pleasantly overlapped inside the small floating house (our home).
On the awkward table was lined the finest dining table we had obtained with our own hands today. The silver life reeled in from the sea. Bright red tomatoes just harvested from the small patch. Juicy green cucumbers. And—emergency rations carefully saved just like always.
It wasn’t some luxurious full course. But in my eyes‚ it reflected as the world’s greatest miracle dining table.
“Nmu!”
First‚ one bite of the fillet Haru-kun caught.
“Nnnnnnnnn!” “What is it this time.” “Delicious!” “So chew quietly and savor it a little‚ single-cell!” “Because until just now it was alive in the sea!” “I don’t understand the contextual logic.” “It’s definitely getting through!”
Momiji-chan affectionately shook her thin shoulders with a chuckle. “Fufu‚ just as Nagisa-chan says. The precious thing that was living at the bottom‚ we are now welcoming into our bodies like this.”
At those words‚ I slowly chewed the rich texture in my mouth once more.
In the deep sea‚ this life had certainly been swimming. And caught on Haru-kun’s rig‚ it had come to this awkward table. We receive that pulse. That life will become our blood from now on and connect to the energy of new bodies.
“…Life.”
Haru-kun quietly spun words. His gray eyes stared intently at one plate on the table. “Connects to someone else like this‚ doesn’t it.”
Rin-chan raised her face from the cuffs of her slightly oversized summer clothes. “You suddenly went into philosopher mode‚ Haru.”
“Is that so.”
“Well.” Rin-chan took a bite of the bright red tomato flesh. “That interpretation itself isn’t wrong.”
“Rin-chan acknowledged Haru-kun’s logic!” “I said be quiet‚ idiot Nagisa!”
Even though it was a shout‚ the residual echo ringing through the dome was endlessly soft and kind.
Momiji-chan slowly brought the tomato to her lips. And—quietly closed those beautiful eyes.
“…Sweet.”
She spilled it quietly as if confirming a treasure.
“Is it delicious?” “Yes.” “You can have as many refills as you want!” “Thank you‚ Nagisa-chan.” “Special-deluxe!” “So you…”
Rin-chan shrugged in exasperation‚ Haru-kun smiled softly‚ and Momiji-chan also raised her voice in laughter. That full laughter pleasantly reflected off the marble-patterned resin walls.
While listening to that dazzling laughter‚ I suddenly recalled past memories.
Those harsh winter days. Eating had been nothing more than a task for surviving. One bite‚ another bite. Just fueling to supply a little life support energy and tether life until the time limit called tomorrow. That was all.
But this moment the four of us surround today—.
“…It’s delicious‚ everyone.”
I said quietly as if chewing. The three gazes captured me all at once.
“What’s suddenly started with you.” Rin-chan asked suspiciously.
“Everything.”
I showed the biggest full smile of today’s timeline.
The silver life we reeled in. The tomatoes and cucumbers Momiji-chan harvested. This scrap table. Everyone’s smiling faces. The clear blue sapphire sea spreading beyond the window.
“Everything is special-deluxe delicious!”
For a moment‚ no one tried to add the next words. The polychromatic cocoon calmed with warm temperature.
Then.
“…Yes‚ Nagisa-chan.”
Momiji-chan slowly‚ deeply nodded. “Really… that’s exactly right.”
And she once more inhaled affectionately as if her chest would burst. There is no suffering anywhere. No noise of pain. Without borrowing anyone’s help‚ she can properly inhale all the way to the end with her own healthy lungs.
“The summer air too.”
Momiji-chan smiled like a sunbeam. “This first dinner (meal) too.” And she gazed at us affectionately as if embracing us.
“Everything is delicious.”
A summer wind containing sea breeze gently passed through the inside of the dome. No matter where one searched in this space‚ the inorganic machine sounds that had once bound the four of us no longer existed. The warning sounds of life support IVs‚ the cold alerts to tether life—would never ring again.
Instead‚ filling our pulses is.
“Refill!” “Processing speed is too fast!” “You’ve only cleared the first cup‚ Haru!” “Because my body is complete full recovery‚ my stomach’s fuel efficiency is special-deluxe!” “What kind of statistical logic is that!”
Bursting laughter. The clear sound of empty can dishes. The melody of waves washing in and out. And far in the great sky‚ the voice of a seabird sounding blessing.
Ah‚ I quietly carved in my heart.
This—might be the true meaning of “living as a human.”
Inhaling deeply‚ sharing warm meals‚ laughing with beloved someone‚ becoming full. And greeting the morning awakening the same way in the country called tomorrow.
Such‚ in the former world so ordinary it didn’t matter‚ yet for the us of that winter‚ an uncertain miracle that somehow remained out of reach.
Today’s day was quietly‚ and with hopeless amounts of heat‚ filled to the brim with such “ordinary happiness.”
Night had arrived.
A sea breeze faintly retaining the daytime heat slowly flowed over the calmed water surface. The wooden deck newly provided on the polychromatic floating house (dome). The four of us sat side by side‚ quietly looking up at the expanse of the heavens. No one tried to speak immediately.
Far below‚ gentle waves played a small melody.
Zaaa…. Zaaa….
It was no longer the threatening ground rumble that melted the earth and led the world to collapse. Just the gentle breathing sound of the sea continuing to exist as the sea.
Spreading overhead was a sky full of stars. The late summer night sky was surprisingly clear and transparent far into the distance.
“Nfuh…”
In the silence‚ the first to speak was‚ of course‚ me. “Summer will end soon‚ huh.”
To my quiet murmur‚ Rin-chan sitting to my right responded while still looking up at the twinkling of the stars.
“Yeah.”
A short word. Yet the resonance of that voice was endlessly kind and calm. “…But when autumn comes around‚ we’ll be able to grow new crops in that field again.”
“Fluffy baked sweet potatoes!” “I haven’t defined the next variety yet.” “Autumn means special-deluxe baked sweet potatoes!” “Listen to the end of people’s talk‚ single-cell.” “Opening of baked sweet potato parfait country!” “So!” “On top of warm baked sweet potato‚ pile cold vanilla whip as much as possible…” “Not a calorie variable to hear in the middle of the night‚ idiot!”
Rin-chan flew her usual exasperated shout. But I know.
The Rin-chan of those harsh winter days could never have spoken about the next season like this. The probability that the four of us would continue surviving until the next cycle wasn’t guaranteed anywhere in that world.
Winter ends. Spring arrives. Believing even such ordinary cycles as a given premise was a luxury not permitted to the us of those days.
So.
“…Autumn‚ huh.”
I once more looked up at the dazzling array of stars. “I’m really looking forward to it‚ Rin-chan.”
The resonance of those words themselves somehow felt madly mysterious. Looking forward from the heart to the coming of the still-unseen autumn season. Just that ordinary thing filled the depths of my chest gradually with warm body heat.
“Yes.”
From the opposite side came a voice as small as a water droplet. It was Momiji-chan. The hem of her dazzling white one-piece swayed quietly‚ filled with the night wind. She hugged her own healthy both knees and slowly looked up at the twinkling of the stars.
“Since this home (dome) was completed…”
Pausing a little affectionately as if tracing the memory archive. “More than half a year has already passed.”
Half a year. Put into words‚ it’s nothing more than that array. But for us who crossed the despair mud sea‚ it was an immeasurably long and densest history.
“In those winter days.”
Momiji-chan quietly spun words. “Just connecting breath used up all our computational resources…”
A sea breeze blew strongly. No one responded immediately. Because everyone properly knew the absolute weight of that one word in the depths of their souls.
Oxygen concentrator. IV tubes wrapping around the limbs. The inorganic machine warning sounds that dominated the inside of the dome. The cold chains of life connected to the body every day as a duty just to maintain breathing.
The Momiji-chan of those days‚ when speaking of the future‚ always smiled a little sadly and troubled. Because she couldn’t see whether she would truly reach that future.
But now. Momiji-chan is certainly here. In the cool night wind‚ with only her own lungs‚ deeply and purely carving breaths. And—speaking of the still-unseen next season humanly like this.
“…Half a year‚ huh.”
I murmured absentmindedly while gazing at the night sky. “Somehow… it feels like it passed in a flash.”
“Long‚ was it.”
Haru-kun took over those words. A little behind us‚ leaning his back against the deck wall‚ looking up at the dazzling array of stars.
“Yes.”
And—as usual. Yet with a voice harboring definite human body heat completely different from the cold equations of that day. “It was long. …Truly‚ up to here.”
Pale starlight faintly illuminated his ash-silver curly hair and profile.
“It was long.”
In that one word was packed‚ probably not just this half year‚ but much more harsh history. Cracked and broken feet. Bodies that refused the master’s commands and wouldn’t move. Diminishing stockpiles. Unceasing strong acid rain. And—the old world sinking bottomlessly. A timeline of despair where even the morning called tomorrow was never a given.
“But.”
There‚ Haru-kun softened his lips a little shyly. “When it ended. We properly arrived at this promised place.”
Rin-chan‚ still with arms through the sleeves of her slightly oversized white shirt‚ snorted awkwardly.
“Of course.”
“Eh?”
“Coming this far was defined by our will (rules). There’s no way we’d lose to the system. So we had no choice but to come.”
The ruler of physical laws‚ arms still crossed‚ stared at the night sea defiantly yet somehow affectionately. At those words‚ Haru-kun rounded his gray eyes a little as if taken by surprise. Then.
“…Yes.”
Quietly‚ truly happily swaying his curly hair. “That’s right‚ Rin-san.”
While gazing at the two lined up‚ somehow warm laughter welled up uncontrollably from the depths of my chest.
“Hey.”
I ran my gaze over the three precious ones clad in the night wind.
“Haru-kun.” “Yes‚ Nagisa-san.” “Rin-chan.” “What is it‚ noisy.” “Momiji-chan.” “What is it‚ Nagisa-chan?”
Properly‚ the three unique voices returned to this silence. The three are certainly living in the same place. That ordinary fact suddenly became so beloved that my vision blurred and I wanted to cry.
“…Everyone is properly here.”
For a moment‚ a gentle silence fell on the polychromatic deck. Ah‚ I said something weird again. I panicked a little.
But.
“Yeah.”
Rin-chan responded while still gazing at the stars. “We are here.”
“Yes.” Momiji-chan also smiled while swaying the hem of her white clothes. “Certainly‚ we are.”
“Yes.” Haru-kun also nodded deeply while holding the waxed notebook to his chest. “I am here too.”
I couldn’t hold back and laughed quietly.
“Ehehe…”
Just that was more than enough‚ far more than enough.
Saving the collapsing world system‚ or changing grand history. Honestly‚ such difficult things are beyond my computational domain. But even when the new morning called tomorrow comes‚ these three beloved ones will certainly be beside me. Even when autumn comes around‚ we will surely surround the awkward table and eat special-deluxe meals.
Rin-chan will shout in exasperation‚ Momiji-chan will laugh like a spring breeze‚ Haru-kun will continue carving future plans into the notebook. And I will probably‚ no matter how many times deleted‚ unrepentantly demand the founding of baked sweet potato parfait country.
That’s fine. Just that fills our timeline perfectly.
“We—”
Haru-kun opened his mouth quietly yet with definite body heat. We naturally turned toward him.
“From that day we defined by our own will to ‘live longer than the world system.’”
A little‚ Haru-kun closed those eyes affectionately. “Already half a year’s time has accumulated.”
A gentle wind crossed the late summer night sea as if stroking it.
“Our fully healed bodies too—”
Haru-kun gazed at his own both hands under the starlight. Gazing at his own feet that once couldn’t operate as desired in the frozen cage of equations‚ where even independence was desperate.
“This world too.”
This time‚ he stared at the night sea beyond the window. The gently calm sapphire surface. An endlessly spreading world that is no longer darkness.
“Properly… has been reborn into new life.”
That one word wasn’t some grand victory declaration directed at someone. Just a voice of the soul for properly receiving the history we had stacked with our lives on the line.
Ah‚ that’s right. We were reborn.
Not just holding our breath and letting the erasure pass in our bug-ridden broken state. Not desperately dragging yesterday’s survival cost into today. We properly hold in our chests now what we didn’t have in those winter days.
The future. Tomorrow. The next season. And—the infinite possibilities continuing beyond.
“Then!”
I spread my right hand largely toward the dazzling array of stars.
“When autumn comes around!” “Um.” “When winter comes around!” “We’ll need logic to maximize heat efficiency for cold protection.” “When spring comes around!” “Preparation for the next planting calculations‚ right.” “And then it becomes special-deluxe full recovery summer again!” “I said don’t arbitrarily skip people’s timelines‚ idiot!” “With this‚ a perfect year!”
I shouted with all my might toward the star-filled sky.
“Properly‚ our year is complete!”
At those words‚ everyone placed a little affectionate silence.
One year‚ 365 days. For the us of the past‚ it was a despair time limit far too distant to process. Today‚ tomorrow‚ the next survival rate. Just that reached the limit values.
But now‚ everything was different.
“…Yes‚ Nagisa-chan.”
Momiji-chan smiled kindly like a sunbeam. “Again‚ our new year.”
“Yeah.”
Rin-chan nodded deeply and defiantly. “In the next cycle‚ I’ll hack even more perfectly.”
“What will you hack‚ Leader?” “The structure of that patch (field).” “Rin-chan is in special-deluxe agriculture developer mode again!” “In the life support of one unit (team)‚ improving food self-sufficiency rate is the top priority basic rule.” “But fluffy baked sweet potato parfait is!” “Priority is lowest.” “Highest!” “I said lowest‚ idiot!”
Momiji-chan laughed like rolling bells. Haru-kun too laughed without sound‚ swaying his curly hair. And—I too laughed so hard the dome seemed to shake.
The residual of the four of our laughter slowly‚ beautifully melted over the calmed midsummer night sea.
The world system has not yet been fully restored to its original state. There are things lost. There is irreversible time that can never be rewound. Things that sank to the cold dark bottom and completely disappeared—surely as many as the stars.
But. Even so.
The dazzling summer ends‚ and a new autumn cycle comes. And in the world beyond‚ the timeline of seasons still undefined continues endlessly.
That strict rule of life was hopelessly‚ madly delightful.
No one. No longer counted the end of the old world in fear. Instead‚ we exchanged talk of the still-unseen next season with smiles.
Just acquiring that ordinary human-ness was more than enough for us to feel we had obtained an “invincible future” in our palms.
In the late summer night sky‚ countless stars shone brilliantly. And—on that special deck above the sapphire sea that gently received all light‚ we.
Still‚ properly‚ were living humanly.
The night had grown quite deep.
Into the polychromatic resin walls‚ pale moonlight beautifully melted. A quiet‚ transparent midnight blue different from the daytime dazzle. Gently wrapping the interior walls of the small floating house (dome) in a marble pattern somehow like a dream of the deep sea.
The low humming of the engine. The quiet water sound flowing through the porous purification device. And far below‚ gentle waves slowly crossing as if stroking the bottom of the floating house.
Everyone was already asleep. …Probably‚ except for me.
“Nfuh…”
From beyond the dry cloth sleeping bag came a familiar hungry sleep-talk. My voice. “Baked sweet potato…” After a little interval. “Parfait…”
“…Don’t prey while sleeping‚ single-cell.”
Rin-chan murmured in a voice half-melted into sleep.
“I’m not eating…” “Don’t reply to the log inside the dream.” “In the dream timeline‚ I’m eating special-deluxe…” “Do as you like then.”
After spitting just that‚ Rin-chan completely burrowed into the sheets. Silence fell again.
A few seconds later.
“Nfuh…” “You’re still not completely asleep.” “I’m sleeping…” “Which is it.”
Beyond the darkness‚ Haru-kun couldn’t hold back and laughed quietly.
Then—he gently took the waxed waterproof notebook that had been on the scrap table into his palm. On the well-used cover were letters with slightly rounded corners from being wet many times by strong acid rain and dried many times by the heat of the magnetic engine.
—“Future Dream Map.”
Haru-kun must surely be recalling the day he first scrawled letters onto this blank page. That day. Survival probability wasn’t defined anywhere in this world. Surviving today‚ greeting the morning called tomorrow. Just that was the limit of computational resources. Talking about dreams was the most illogical and cruel luxury‚ he had thought.
But I said it. “Let’s write what we want to do.” Before the world system ends. No‚ even if the world completely disappears. If we are living here‚ we can decide what we want to do with free rules‚ can’t we.
Haru-kun quietly opened the notebook.
The first page. There remain clumsy strings of characters from when nothing had yet been fulfilled. Lines trembling a little from fear. Fading brushstrokes. Yet the first log as humans that certainly desired tomorrow.
Lovingly tracing back the paper one sheet‚ another sheet. In the middle of the timeline were vivid traces rewritten many times. Crossed-out double lines. Redrawn arrows. Strings hastily added in the margins. And—small yet resolutely stamped check marks there.
Haru-kun opened the last page. There‚ with density enough to fill the paper‚ orderly lined check marks proving achievement next to the countless dreams the four of us had spun.
☑ Buds sprouted from the field.
☑ Vegetables fruited.
☑ Harvested together.
☑ Caught fish.
☑ Ate fish.
☑ Momiji-san breathed without machines.
☑ Nagisa-san ran.
☑ Rin-san walked on her own feet.
☑ The four of us healthily greeted summer.
“……”
Haru-kun gazed at that perfectly filled page for a while.
We did it all. Of course‚ there were times we almost gave up midway. Times we thought it was already the system limit‚ more than once or twice. Bodies were damaged. The world system had collapsed. Stockpiles‚ pure water‚ free time—everything was overwhelmingly insufficient.
Even so—one by one. Truly one by one‚ we increased the things executable by our own rules. Before we knew it‚ the things we could do had become far more than the things we couldn’t.
“…Amazing.”
Without meaning to‚ a hoarse voice leaked from his lips. “Truly.”
Not directed at anyone‚ Haru-kun softened his gray eyes and smiled a little. “Amazing‚ we are.”
He must have wanted to tell the past self standing on those harsh winter days. It’s okay. Half a year later‚ you are properly standing here on healthy both feet. The world system has not yet completely disappeared. Everyone is properly sharing body heat and living. And you are repairing many of the dreams that should have been blank into reality.
Haru-kun once more properly gripped the pencil that had been on the scrap table.
The last blank. Below the page lined with check marks‚ a little luxurious blank still remained. There‚ he slowly carved new letters.
“Today is—”
The core tip slid over the waxed paper.
“The day we lived through the future—”
There he stopped the running fingertips a little. And—continuing as if loading the warmth in the depths of his chest.
“The best end of summer.”
Haru-kun gazed at the string of characters he himself had spun. Is this the end of all calculations? This notebook‚ the dream map‚ all lines are filled. So does our festival close the curtain here?
“……”
He thought a little affectionately. Then quietly shook his head sideways.
No. That was completely wrong.
Turning dreams into reality isn’t a bug leading to the end. Once one is cleared‚ the next phase is simply defined. When the dazzling summer ends‚ the harvest autumn arrives. When autumn ends‚ the warm soup winter comes. When winter ends‚ the beginning spring comes again.
Then the dreams we entrusted to the soil should repeat the exact same cycle.
Haru-kun once more gently placed the pencil on the paper. And with pressure free of hesitation‚ he added the continuation.
“Our festival (timeline) is—”
A little‚ he softened his lips affectionately.
“Will continue from now on. Forever.”
He finished writing all the strings. Haru-kun gently placed the pencil as if cherishing it.
It was a quiet night. But inside this closed cocoon (dome)‚ it wasn’t lonely at all. Just because the outer world is in complete silence‚ there’s no longer need to strain our ears in fear that someone’s life might be cut off. No longer need to become anxious and unable to sleep wondering if a new morning won’t be updated.
Just an endlessly calm and kind‚ humanly quiet night.
“…Haru-kun.”
Suddenly‚ a voice as small as a water droplet. Looking back‚ Momiji-chan was peeking out a little from the dry cloth sleeping bag.
“Were you awake‚ Momiji-san.” “Yes.”
Momiji-chan smiled softly like a sunbeam. “What were you writing so earnestly?” “The dream map.” “…The last blank?” “Yes.”
Momiji-chan narrowed her sunset-like eyes affectionately. “Have all four of our wants been fulfilled?”
Haru-kun lowered his gaze to the notebook on his knees. And answered firmly with conviction.
“Yes.”
Then—adding a little mischievously‚ words typical of him. “…At the current processing phase‚ that is.”
Momiji-chan chuckled‚ shaking her thin shoulders. “Yes. There will be next ones too.”
Receiving that kind voice with my ears‚ I rustled and moved my body inside the sleeping bag.
Was I really awake? Of course! On the world’s most special-deluxe happy night‚ there’s no way a single-cell like me could be sleeping!
“Nfuh…”
Pretending to be sleep-talking still seeing soup dreams‚ with both eyes closed‚ I murmured sloppily. “Then… the next… plan is…”
From beyond the darkness‚ I felt everyone’s gazes lock onto me all at once. Maintaining the pretense of sleep‚ I only softened my lips sloppily and bloomed a full smile.
“When autumn comes around… founding of fluffy baked sweet potato parfait…”
“……” “……” “……”
Supreme‚ beloved silence.
Then—.
“You—”
Rin-chan groaned low and bitterly from the depths of the sleeping bag. “Do you really only have the computational domain of that stomach‚ single-cell.”
“I do… properly have new plans too…” “You’re normally awake right now!” “This is… inside the dream timeline…” “I completely don’t understand the meaning of the logic!”
Momiji-chan finally exceeded her limit of endurance and laughed while pressing her face into the futon‚ suppressing her voice. Haru-kun too couldn’t hold back and laughed‚ violently swaying his ash-silver curly hair.
“…A new dream has been built.”
Haru-kun murmured affectionately a little and turned to the brand-new next page of the notebook. A pure white canvas still undefined‚ so white it seemed about to suck one in. There‚ he added the first letters of today‚ and the very first toward the future from now on.
“□ Eat baked sweet potato parfait.”
“Are you really writing that in the schedule‚ Haru-kun.”
Momiji-chan narrowed her sunset-like eyes and smiled enjoyably.
“Yes.”
Haru-kun also softened his lips while keeping a serious face. “Because it’s our new dream.”
“…Yes‚ it really is wonderful.”
At that moment. From inside the sleeping bag where Rin-chan lurked‚ a low yet resolute murmur leaked: “…Alright.”
“By the time autumn comes around‚ reverse-lookup from the archive the soil neutralization and construction methods for complete self-sufficiency of potato types.”
“Rin-chan joined the special-deluxe parfait plan too!” “I said don’t get up‚ idiot Nagisa!” “Rin-chan will make the world’s most delicious baked sweet potato parfait!” “I didn’t say that much!” “Yattaaaaa grand victory!” “So sleep already!”
The residual of the four of our lively laughter pleasantly overlapped and spread inside the small floating house (dome).
Polychromatic resin walls. Small patch. Awkward table. Four sleeping bags—. The irreplaceable sanctuary of only us that had broken many times and been repaired many times with our own body heat. The small‚ small scrap cocoon we had feared was left alone at the end of the world.
But. No longer is this the end of the world waiting only for erasure. It is simply our beloved “our home” continuing endlessly toward the still-unseen tomorrow.
Beyond the window. The quietly calm sapphire sea spreads endlessly kindly. The stars float in the great sky today too‚ and tomorrow too‚ surely a sun of the same temperature will illuminate the world.
Watering the scrap field‚ going to see the endlessly blue sea‚ making something‚ sharing something warm‚ laughing‚ having trivial fights. And—greeting the next tomorrow again.
Such ordinary human days will continue from now on for 365 days‚ and into the future beyond.
It isn’t a miracle caused by the whim of a god. It is the certain asset at the end of the footprints we have carved one step at a time every day with our own feet up to here.
So from now on‚ we just need to walk one day at a time with our steps.
Haru-kun gently closed the new future page.
The dream map log wasn’t ending here. Rather—from here it begins anew as the history of humans.
Until the day the world system ends.
—No. Even if the world completely disappears.
We will live longer than this world. Because we defined it so by our own will.
Inside the small floating house (our home)‚ the four of us again laughed together affectionately in unison.
The dazzling summer ends‚ the harvest autumn arrives‚ the warm soup winter comes. And again the new spring that is the beginning of everything comes. The seasons will from now on‚ as many times as needed‚ beautifully cycle above our heads.
Each time that cycle arrives‚ we just need to add one by one the number of newly fulfilled dreams to our dream map.
☑
☑
☑
And—toward the pure white‚ infinitely spreading future pages still undefined.
The endlessly beloved festival night reached by completely hacking the laws of the world. Quietly. And still pregnant with endlessly happy heat‚ continued toward the still-unseen tomorrow.
(“Repair Structure of the Sinking World” Complete)
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