diaLOG "III"

"I had a feeling you'd be up here," she said.

The wind tousled her hair as she walked.

"You already had lunch, yeah?"

She must have noticed my hand on the concrete lightly grasping an onigiri wrapper from the convenience store.¹

"I wish I could eat lunch with my friends, but…" After I said that, I immediately regretted my choice of words, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Then allow me to fulfill your wish for you," she said while smoothly unpacking her colorful homemade bento on the concrete.

[REDACTED]

We were silent for some time. The distant sea reflected the light of the sun and the blue of the sky. The school's rooftop was wide and spacious, which is a bit of a rarity nowadays. Just a few weeks ago, this place was bustling with energetic first years, eager to enjoy their youth during their lunch break. Perhaps because it was getting hotter by the day, or because of the summer sun, or because they simply got bored of this place, now there were only two or three students besides us. True, the sunlight was a bit harsh today, but the wind was refreshing. Since it was blowing down from the mountains today, it didn't smell of sea salt.

"Just looking at this view makes me glad I chose to attend this high school," the girl said abruptly. She didn't seem to be bothered by the silence, though. What she said was how she really felt. It was normal for the two of us to just say whatever was on our minds.

"Even though we have to climb up a mountain path everyday… Well, I guess it's got its pros and cons. Morning hikes can be fun in some way." When I responded, she happily asked me a question in turn.

"Oh, did you get any good pictures today?"

"Pictures…? I didn't take any…" I replied.

Suddenly, she stopped moving. It was as if the world itself had frozen in place. For a split second, a shadow of dread passed over her face, but maybe I was just imagining it.

"I see, that's a shame," said the girl.

I couldn't really figure out how she was feeling or what she meant by that question, but since she cut herself off, I didn't pry any further. Her hair fluttered in the breeze and concealed her face.

For some reason, she took an interest in my simple hobby of looking at natural landscapes.

Ever since I was a kid, I never really cared about trendy toys or games. I preferred to just spend my time gazing at the sunset. The way clouds flowed across the sky like a stream, the way the breeze would create ripples on the surface of the water, the way thin clouds would form a halo of light around the moon—I could look at these forever and ever, but nobody seemed to understand. Though it's not like I really wanted anyone to understand me… My hobby was just something for myself.

But when I got into middle school, she would sometimes show up next to me. Whenever I was alone, just spacing out, she would sit next to me and gaze at the same thing I was looking at. Now that I have freedom to do the things I want to do, I take the train to go see sights I've never seen before. She doesn't accompany me on these trips, but she always seems to look forward to hearing about them. I guess she and I are both strange–a pair of kindred spirits cut from the same cloth.

The rusty and weathered speaker chimed the five-minute bell, causing the parched air to quiver. Its excessive volume could reach all the way to the sea.

"Have you gone to see the ocean yet?" she asked, standing as the hem of her skirt swayed in the wind. When I thought about it, I haven't been there before.

"They say that if you can do it whenever you want, you'll never get around to it," she told me.

"Really? I guess there's some truth to that."

She turned to face the rooftop's exit. I called out to her.

"Do you want to come with me next time?" She looked over her shoulder. "I know it's sudden but…maybe on the first day of summer vacation?"

"...I'd love to!" she replied, trying not to be drowned out by the sound of the wind as she opened the door leading back inside.

I don't know why she looked like she was about to cry.

The moment I heard the metallic clang of the door closing, I felt my sweat dripping down my back.