Strange Memories With You, My Dear

Chapter 00.02

Prologue

Translated by KuroNeko
Edited by Omkar

In addition to the regular classes that begin at six o’clock, students enrolled in the summer course have morning classes three times a week at our cram school.

    The majority of the sixth graders at the school, including me, took part in the event, and some of them were only there for the summer course, so there were more people in the classroom than usual at the time.

    Some of the students decided to have lunch together on the way home after the first summer course of this summer break, and we headed to a fast food restaurant nearby.

    On a weekday afternoon, having lunch with only children was unusual. Inside the café, young university students worked on their laptops, while elderly folks read newspapers and books. We ate our lunch in a nook while conversing with one another.

    Then, as we were walking out of the restaurant, Tomoki said, “I know an interesting place; why don’t you come with me?”

    Some of the kids had plans in the afternoon, so they returned home, leaving me, Yuuko, Misato (a shy girl who usually wears her hair in a ponytail), and Tomoki to go to his apartment complex.

    Tomoki didn’t tell us what the “interesting place” was while we were walking along the summer road. We went to a convenience store and got some juice and chocolates since he suggested we should bring some beverages and snacks.

    We eventually made it to the apartment complex where he lived. In a vast area, there were several rectangular concrete buildings. I’d passed by this location numerous times before, but it was a lush green space with plenty of trees. The cicadas perched on the trees chirped noisily, and the flower beds along the paved pathway were brimming with lovely blooms.

    “Over here”

    Tomoki took the initiative and led us to a more quiet area of the complex.

    Then, just over our heads, there was a green tunnel. There was a wire netting arch with green vines wrapped tightly around it.

    “Come on in.”

    I was overwhelmed with a greenish light that seeped through the foliage as I got inside. There was a subtle fragrance of grass in the air, and it felt pleasant. And because the plants were blocking the sunshine, it felt chilly within the green tunnel. I could sense the change in temperature between the outside and the interior the moment I walked in.

    “Isn’t it interesting? It was created by the caretaker. It is a popular place for the kids in the complex to cool down.” Tomonori told us with pride.

    A three-meter-long rectangular block of concrete was put in the centre of the tunnel, most likely to sit on.

    “Yes,” Yuuko and Misato said enthusiastically. Perhaps it was because the sun wasn’t shining as brightly as it should have, but I felt a chilly feeling through the short trousers I was wearing as I sat on the pavement.

    “But there aren’t any mosquitoes?”

    Yuuko asked as she recalled. “It’s fine,” Tomoki said, nodding slightly proudly.

    “In this area, the grass is blended with plants that insects dislike. That’s why mosquitoes don’t bother me much when I’m here.”

    “Amazing.” Yuuko and Misato said in unison. Then we snacked and played cards Tomoki had brought with him.

    Yuuko was seated next to me. We were so close that our bodies were touching, and the entire time I could feel her sweaty body heat.

    The western sun was soon becoming crimson, and I could hear a high-pitched, mournful chirp from a woodcock.

    The green of the tunnel grew softer and gentler as it was drenched in crimson light. The tunnel, unbeknownst to us, was also becoming darker. Yuuko took her smartphone from her skirt pocket, glanced at her watch, and grumbled, “It’s already past five o’clock.”

    “I have to get home. Thank you for showing me a fantastic place to go,” I said to Tomoki as I stood up. He nodded and grinned.

    We exited from the tunnel. In the orange western sun, the concrete structures of the apartment complex created large, dark shadows on the landscape.

    “I’ll see you later.” We said our goodbyes to Tomoki and returned home.

◇

That night, during dinner with my mother, who had arrived home unusually early, I explained to her about the camp. When I mentioned that Yuuko’s father may be willing to act as guardian, even though I needed to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, my mother said, “But is that okay?”

    “What does Yukinari want?”

    “If I can go, I’d like to,” I answered hesitantly.

    “I see,” she pondered, and then…

    “The next time I call Fukuhara-san’s residence, I’ll ask him about the details, and then I’ll decide whether or not to allow it.” In a slightly stern tone, she said.

    “Yes,” I said. I didn’t want to cause Yuuko’s father any problems, and I also didn’t want to cause my mother any concerns. If it didn’t work out,  I would be sorry, but there was nothing I could do about it.

    After dinner, I cleaned the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water while my mother washed the dishes.

    When I returned to the living room and looked at the television, I noticed that it was still running a programme on the Tokyo Olympics. These are the only things I see these days. I sat there for a long time, watching the programme, which was as vibrant as a carnival.

    However, I had been restless since my conversation with my mother, so I went back to my room and played a game.

    I became bored with the second round of an RPG that I purchased with my New Year’s gift at the start of the year and have already finished, basking in the hazy air of the fan.

    I then took a bath, brushed my teeth, turned off the lights, and went to bed. With the air conditioner turned off, the room was hot and humid, and I had trouble sleeping.

    I tried to distract myself by thinking about the swimming pool I was going to and the camping trip I might be able to join with Yuuko. I wondered what type of mountain we’d be camping on, and I knew it’d be wonderful to hang out with Yuuko and her father, but as I thought about these things, I began to feel tired, and my consciousness gradually grew hazy.

◇

The next day, it was roughly midday. It was a very hot day, considerably hotter than the day before. The temperature was 38 degrees Celsius, according to the wearable equipment on my arm.

    Yuuko and I were coming home from the summer course in the morning under the hot heat when we noticed an elderly lady walking with a cane ahead of us. She staggered and fell down while we were wondering why she was wobbling.

    We were so taken aback that we dashed over to the elderly lady.

    “Are you okay?”

    When I reached out to her, she nodded and replied, “It’s okay, it’s okay…” She then attempted to stand up using the cane that had fallen nearby. However, she tripped again soon after, and Yuuko and I hurried to her aid.

    “What should I do, call an ambulance?”

    “It’s all right, it’s all right,” the elderly lady replied weakly again when Yuuko murmured with a concerned expression. She inhaled and exhaled many times before pointing to the end of the road and starting to walk unsteadily, adding, “The home is just there.”

    “I’ll carry you.”

    I said as I crouched in front of the elderly lady.

    “It’s fine,” the old lady murmured, but Yuuko said sharply, “No.”

    “Then I must ask you…… I’m sorry,” the elderly lady murmured as I carried her on my back.

    The elderly lady was lighter than I had anticipated. “Please tell me when we get closer to the home,” I added as I began walking.

    Yuuko, who was walking behind me, was encouraging us with a carpet pad. Every adult we saw on the road gave us anxious or reluctant looks.

    Eventually, a man wearing a shirt and a black bag on his shoulder asked, “What’s wrong?”

    “Let your uncle carry the old lady,” he suggested after Yuuko explained the situation. Despite her small weight, she was already sweating in this heat, so she was grateful, but the old lady pointed to a stationery store just ahead, saying, “Home, over there.”

    The signboard was green and said “Yoshida Stationery Store” in white lettering. It was a weathered-looking timber structure with a tiled roof. The paint on the corner of the sign was flaking away, revealing brown rust.

    When the uncle heard the old lady’s words, he went there on a short run and soon came out with an aunt in her fifties or so. 

    “W-what’s the matter with you, mother!?” She said in astonishment. We pushed open the glass door of the stationery store and took the elderly lady to the air-conditioned room in the back, where she laid down on a futon. Meanwhile, her aunt chastised her for venturing outside in such hot weather.

    “No, no, no, most of it was brought in by these kids. I didn’t do anything,” the uncle explained, adding, “I have work to do, so I’ll leave you to it. It may be heatstroke, so call an ambulance right away if she doesn’t appear to be recovering,” he said as he walked out.

    “Thank you,” she replied before serving us cold tea in a tatami room in the back of the store.

    When Yuuko told her she spotted the old lady on her way home from cram school, the aunt was impressed that we had studied so hard during the summer break, and she handed out some pencils and notebooks from the store and said, “Take one of each of your favourites.”

    “Do you really want to give us?”

    Yuuko kept her reserved demeanour.

    “It’s all right. That mechanical pencil is manufactured by a neighbouring company, but it is only available in stationery stores like ours. It’s nice and simple to use. You may use it for studying.”

    The aunt responded with a smile, and Yuuko bowed her head and said, “Thank you very much.”

    As we were leaving the store, the lady waved her hand in front of us and said, “Thank you. If you want, come back again.” the elderly lady replied as she sat up. I was relieved to see how much better she looked.

    “I got something out of it,” Yuuko said.

    It was past noon, and the sun was becoming hotter by the minute. In the heat, the asphalt road in the distance seemed to shimmer.

    “Yes,” I nodded as I walked along the road, where cicadas of all kinds were chirping noisily.

◇

On the day we were scheduled to go to the pool, Yuuko, Takashi, and I met at the foot of the Oe Bridge and walked early in the morning to the station where the rest of the group was due to meet. Yuuko was dressed in a light blue short-sleeved blouse, white shorts, and her regular red bag.

    It was already quite hot in the morning, with the sun scorching the asphalt and heat rising from underneath, and I was gradually sweating.

    We touched our IC cards to the ticket gates and proceeded down to the platform to wait for the train until the six of us, three boys and three girls, who were travelling together today (the other two couldn’t make it due to family obligations, so we’ll go together again next time) were all together. The sky we could see through the breach in the platform’s ceiling was a bright blue summer sky.

    We boarded the train, which arrived in about five minutes, and proceeded to the amusement park station. We had to change trains at Shin-Musashino station for the amusement park, but the train was packed with groups of elementary school kids like us, as well as parents and children.

    We got our tickets and proceeded to the pool area through the amusement park’s roller coasters and Ferris wheel.

    After going under an archway named “Irisawa Amusement Park Pool,” there were two big tents serving as changing rooms. We separated into males and females, changed clothes, and decided to meet outside beneath the tree.

    The air was stifling and heated within the tent of the male’s changing room. I opened the nearest locker and pulled out my sandals, bathing suit, and a towel from my backpack, followed by my plastic bag containing sunscreen and my change purse, which I stowed.

    Then I stripped my T-shirt, wrapped a towel around my waist, removed my pants and shorts, and changed into my swimming suit. Then I closed my locker, wrapped a band over my wrist to contain the key’s metal part, and stepped out.

    It only took the boys about five minutes to change, and Takashi, Tomoki, and I were ready with our bags. The girls, on the other hand, were not ready. Last year, I think we had to wait around 10 minutes as well.

    Others were streaming into the water, laying plastic sheets and tiny tents around the pool while we stood in the shade of a nearby tree.

    “I’ll go look for a place. Let’s go together, Takashi. Yukinari, please wait for the girls. I’ll return for you later.”

    Tomoki said this as he stood up.

    “Yeah.” They grabbed their bags and floats and headed toward the pool as I nodded.

    Yuuko and the others gradually finished their preparations and stepped from the tent as I stood alone in the shade.

    Yuuko wore her hair in a bun and a red swimsuit that looked like a skirt, while Misato wore a blue one-piece swimsuit. Minami, the other girl, was a bit taller than the other two, and she was wearing a different swimsuit that made her appear like a grown-up sister, and I almost turned away in dismay at how uneven her figure was. She typically dresses like an adult, but the girl in front of me appeared to be my age.

    “What happened to Tomoki and the others?” When Yuuko noticed me standing alone, she was intrigued.

    “We’re going to grab a place,” I fidgeted as Takashi approached us. We followed him to the location they had reserved for us. We were close to the wave pool and it wasn’t too crowded yet, so we stretched out our plastic sheets and set down our baggage.

    We went straight to the pool. We began by playing in the shallow end, but after a while, we moved to the far end, where we could see the waves.

    I approached the device that generated it.

    There was a safety fence in front of the machine, and a rumbling sound reverberated from the darkness behind it, as waves rushed towards us at a regular pace. We’d stare into the depths and dive in the deep water, or when we were weary, we’d hang on to the fence and watch the girls in the shallows, or we’d play with the beach balls Takashi had brought.

    It was a lovely day. The chirping of the cicadas was as loud as the music playing in the backdrop of the pool. There isn’t a cloud in the clear blue sky. The dark green foliage of the trees planted around the pool glowed brilliantly in the sunshine. There were frequent notifications that the UV rays were intense today, so please be cautious about sunburn.

    We exited the pool when it was time for lunch. We bought lunch at one of the food vendors near the pool and ate it on a plastic sheet. The three boys and three girls were seated some distance apart, but I got pleasure when I looked at the girl whose hair was damp and wet.

    “Minami’s in trouble, isn’t she?” Tomoki whispered to Takashi and me, and we nodded. It made me feel a bit better to know that everyone else was thinking the same thing. But for some reason, Yuuko drew my attention more than the more stylish Minami. Perhaps it was because we normally went home together, but seeing her in her swimsuit and her hair damp made me feel strangely fidgety. It was strange because it didn’t happen last year.

    Later, we went to different sorts of pools. When we arrived at the water slide, the boys played in the flowing pool and the three girls in the regular pool. When we became tired, we went to the concession stand and sat in the shade. Takashi stood up and stretched at that precise time.

    “What are you up to?” Tomoki asked, puzzled.

    “This…”

    Takashi showed us with a dark mass of some sort. It was a huge beetle. The six legs were moving in an undulating motion.

    “Whoa.”

    When Tomoki and I saw the disgusting underbelly of the beetle, our attention quickly peaked, and we gazed closely at the insect that Takashi had lowered to the ground. It had amazing horns, and its body glistened black in the light of the fire as it walked about me quietly and warily.

    “I haven’t seen a beetle in a long time,” I said.

    “I saw one for sale the other day at a home improvement store,” Tomoki added.

    “I suppose he will have some juice.”

    I dribbled some orange juice from my glass next to the insect. It left a tiny smear on the floor. The beetle stopped crawling near the stain, but I couldn’t determine if it was drinking. In quiet, we studied them for a time.

    As I stared at the insect’s huge, shiny black body, I pondered how such an unusually formed creature could be there, and I wondered.

    “How are you going to deal with it?” Tomoki ultimately spoke up.

    He groaned for a minute, as if contemplating, and then added, “I can’t take it back with me, so I’ll give it back.” Takashi grabbed the beetle once again and tossed it to the top of the tree. We sat back down, took up our straws, and finished our drink.

    There were so many people in the pool, and the sounds of vibrant discussion and laughing resonated across the area, coupled with the sound of cicadas. The light fluctuated as it bounced off the water’s surface, splashing in numerous areas that likewise shone silver.

◇