The First Cherry #1 - Sakura Stroll
- OyakoDon
- 2020年4月19日
- 読了時間: 11分
更新日：2021年1月6日
01
Haruno Shizumiya. She is an ordinary female junior student at Maifu High School. She lives in Sakulem in Arco Island, where is famous for cherry blossoms. Sakulem was a beautiful and peaceful city. There was no crime for more than a decade.
And the girl, Haruno Shizumiya is absolutely me. I’m her. I’m me. I had lots of friends in the school, and one of my best friend was Meu Sakita. She was a cute, distinct, unique, and very interesting girl. She laughs a lot and always entertains me. I was sure that she won’t commit to any crimes, like kidnapping, manslaughter, or any criminal events.
02
“Several students were currently missing. All of them were in the same homeroom.”
A school president said in the school meeting on the morning of February 13th.
“Uh… This must be our classroom, right?” I muttered.
From the end of January, six students who were my close friends were missing. They weren’t in their home nor school. Unbelievably, the first one who was missing was my love interest. I loved him very much, and I asked him to go to a date! Where is he?! I hope he is fine. According to the our school president, however, teachers, police and their parents found all over the Sakulem for a week, and the students including my lovely sweet boy are still missing. My class had thirty students, and now, twenty-four students in my class is alive. Does this mean… that I have approximately twenty-four days left to leave this world and move to heaven? No way! I don’t want it. I’m too young to go to heaven. I should be careful… but how?
That day, I couldn’t concentrate at class at all, and was little scared, so I ran to my house without hanging out with my friends after school.
03
“To save students from recent kidnappings, we decided to shut down Maifu High School from today, February 25th, to April 8th. — The High School President”, said.
Students gathered in front of a bulletin board. I took one minute or so to understand this statement of the school president. I understand that there were 15 missing students, and it is unsafe. But why?! Don’t we have to take final exam? What about the graduation ceremony of seniors? Also, I guess, the school and the city should monitor students’ action to identify a crime, because the most of the cases it happened after school. I hopped to my close female friends, Zoe, Cam, and Meu, and asked “Why did the president decided to shut down?”
“To prevent expansion of the kidnapping, I guess.” Meu grumbled.
“I know. But how can the school find a criminal? And, you know, all the victims are came from our classroom. Why does the school shut down the entire school, not only our class?” I said.
“I’m pretty sure that a criminal, kidnaps students because he or she wants to kill them. So you guys should be careful.” Meu answered.
“Uh… okay!?” Zoe replied.
We didn’t speak for a while. There is an awkward silence. Finally, Meu opened her mouth approximately 30 seconds later, and remarked, “…There is a killer in our classroom.”
“…?”
“…?!”
“…?!?!”
Hey, what did you say, Meu?
Zoe, Cam, and I looked at each other with our mouths half-opened.
“Uh… what’s wrong w…”
“““Wait…Whaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!???????”””
“Happy ice cream!” Suddenly, Cam murmured because everyone screamed same thing at the same time, I guess.
“Shh! Others can hear you. And… I was just saying.” Meu soothed us.
“Phew… But, we still need to be careful, right?”
There was a long an awkward silence again. We stared at our faces for a few minutes, and broke up with out saying anything.
04
It is still March 28th. It has been a while since the school was shut down due to the mysterious kidnapping. In the morning, I received a letter from the school which told me that the class will begin from April 8th. It seemed like we don’t need to take final exam. I was little happy, but at the same time, I thought it was imprudent.
For a month, I spent my holiday to study for a next semester and reading books but at last they became boring. I still have few weeks!
In the evening, I decided to go for a walk to breath some clean air. The school said the outside is still dangerous, though. When I grabbed a door knob of my room, I heard someone was screaming.
“Was that… Zoe?!”
I opened the curtain as fast as possible, and checked the outside. There was Zoe who was caught by… Meu?!?!?!?!
“What are you doing, Meu?!” I tried to screamed, but I couldn’t make any sound. Oh my god. The criminal was my classmate, and she was my best friend. What should I do?! Should I get help? But if I go, I may be killed, too. Should I call the police? But if I call the police, Meu might escape.
Why don’t I have any courage? Go help her, Haruno! Let’s go!
While I went through my conflict, Meu and Zoe went away.
Holy s… I shouldn’t say that.
05
Next day… March 29th. I woke up at 8 o’clock in the morning. I gulped down a cup of coffee and rushed to Meu’s house. Her house is little farther: it is located in the northern area of Sakulem. The northern area has loads of cherry trees and usually they bloom in May. I jumped into my bicycle to talk to Meu. I know Meu will do something bad to me. I, however, wasn’t afraid. I need to cease her. I pedaled the bicycle desperately with anger against both Meu and myself.
During cycling, I passed the row of cherry blossom trees. The shower of pink petals flew to my face. Sweet smell of petals was perfume and covered me. I am a local girl of Sakulem but every time I see the trees, I was impressed. I believe everyone in Sakulem has same thought.
“…Wait.”
Wait a minute, wait a minute, Haruno? Something is wrong, right? The cherry blossom doesn’t bloom on March in Sakulem. What is happening? I was curious but didn’t have time to dig in. I was scared. I have a hunch that something bad will happen.
06
“I was waiting for you, Haruno.” Meu smiled.
I was staring at Meu. She was staring at me, too.
Meu and I are in the living room of Meu’s house. There was no place to walk. The room was overflowed by garbage bags. I could see lots of pants, shirts, and pajamas.
“Ugh… Where… Where is your parents?”
“They died this house when I was in the middle school. …I live in ease, though.”
“I, I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked…”
“I don’t mind. By the way, I think you want to ask me about the kidnapping, right?”
“Yes. Did you kidnap Zoe?”
“Yeah.”
“Why are you so optimistic?! Where is she?!?!”
“Well, she went to hell yesterday night.”
“…?”
What did you say, Meu? You meant… that you killed her?
“WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! I CAN’T BELIEVE! I DON’T WANT TO BELIEVE!”
“Why are you blushing? Take a deep breath.” Meu said calmly, but I didn’t listen to her.
“I can’t forgive you… I didn’t know that you were the criminal of everything…!”
Meu killed my love interest. Meu killed my friends. Meu destroyed my irreplaceable people and things. I don’t want to believe, but… everything was done by this girl, one of my classmates, and one of my best friend.
“…Give them back!”
When I screamed so, I raised a hand against Meu.
“Hey. It was little painful.”
Meu tumbled down from a chair, and giggled.
“…!? I’m sorry! Uh… Are you okay? I didn’t mean… Whoa!”
With a fearless smile, Meu pushed me down. Her left hand was on my neck. And a right hand… An old encyclopedia that has about two inches of thickness was grabbed by Meu’s right hand. The encyclopedia looked so heavy: I could see Meu’s right arm was shaking. I can easily guess what Meu is going to do.
“No… Please… I don’t wanna die!”
I burst into tears. I tried to scream but no voice came out.
“Mwahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This will be sooooo muuuuuch fuuuuun!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Meu! Stop! Please!”
07
“Hmm… Where am I…?”
“Finally. You woke up.” Meu said to me. It was night already.
“Meu… What did happen to me? What had you done to me?”
“I knocked you with an encyclopedia. Then, I took you to this cliff. According to a magazine, this cliff has the best scenery in Sakulem. What do you think?”
I didn’t answer. My brain was filled with fear. I tried to move, but I couldn’t, because I was tied to a tree with a rope. Now, I become a Damsels in Distress. This is little different from the princesses in the fairy tales… I’m pretty sure that there aren’t any knights on a white horse coming to rescue me.
“Haruno, do you know what this tree is?” Meu asked me. I didn’t answer.
“This is a cherry tree. When you came to my house, didn’t you see that the tree had bloomed?”
“…Yes. But. It is not May. It is still March. How can this happen?”
“Have you read a book called Under the Cherry Blossom by Motojirō Kajii?”
I read that book in this spring break. Motojirō Kajii is one of the most famous Japanese novelist in Shōwa Period. He is famous for the short story “Under the Cherry Blossom”, but why she is asking that right now?
“Why don’t you notice… Do you remember what’s on the first paragraph of the book?”
The first paragraph…? I thought it was something like…
08
Cadavers are buried under the cherry blossoms. This is what you need to know. How could the flowers of the cherry trees be so splendid? I spent few days to consider the question, why is the cherry trees have beautiful flowers, because I couldn't accept its beautifulness are natural. My consideration led me to one answer… the cadavers are buried under the chilly blossoms. This fact is what you must accept.
— Under the Cherry Blossom / Motojirō Kajii
09
“It can’t be.” It can’t be happening. However, it is happening. I must accept this, but I can’t.
“You must accept this. This fact is what you must accept.”
“Why… did you do that… Meu…?”
“I… I didn’t like to see that you got along with your friends. I saw that you asked a boy to go to a date, too.”
“So… You were jealous. But, ‘going to date with him’ doesn’t mean not to hang out with you anymore, Meu.”
“You don’t understand anything about me! How can you say that?!”
Huh? Don’t I understand Meu? What do you mean?!
“I… I love you, Haruno. It doesn’t mean ‘I love you as a friend’. I meant I love you as a love interest.”
“Huh?”
“Can’t you hear me?! I said that I lo…”
“I could hear you. I meant… I surprised that you are the… I’m sorry. I thought I am the person who has understanding, but I don’t know how to react…”
“Don’t worry. I think not a lot people can be calm in this situation. Anyway… Do you love me, Haruno?”
My answer was only one.
“Of course……. NOT!”
I liked her. I loved her. As a FRIEND. Not as a LOVE INTEREST. Also, I can’t love the one who killed my friends.
“Oh… okay. I was pretty sure that you are going to say that, though.”
So, why did you ask me?!
“Phew… Do you want to know what I am going to do?” Meu spoke without emotion. She grabbed something and got closer to me. Distance between her face and my face was less than an inch. I could fell her breath. Then, she whispered into my ear happily.
“I’m going to kill you.”
10
When I glanced at her hands, she had a box of matches. Next to her, there is a gallon of kerosene. I understand what she is going to do in a 0.000000000001 second…
“Oh, before I kill you. I forgot do one thing!” Meu said.
I can hear my heart beats. It is so loud! To divert my fear, I made a foolish comment about my heart beats in my mind, but when I noticed, the distance between Meu’s face and my face was less than a half inch. Oh, no. I felt that Meu is cute. I have heard when two people stare each other for ten seconds in the short distance, like now, they will fall in love. I know that she is a bloodthirsty killer. But! She is so cute! Am I losing my sense?! She is a killer! She is a psychopath! I guess that she wants to kiss me, but should I accept it? Oh my god. What should I do! I can’t love her, Haruno! She is going to ki… Hmmmmmmmm!
11
It was longer than I expected. Was it about… one minute? I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed. I didn’t feel bad, though. Meu seems happy. I was little happy to see my ex-best friend’s happy face before I die. I can say “I love you!” to Meu and save my life, but if I say so, it will be a lie. We are just friends. This is enough. Strangely, I don’t feel bad to the fact that Meu is going to kill me. Maybe, if I got killed by someone else, my mental state can be different.
Let it be. Let it go. I give up. Kill me, Meu! I want you to take all my love!
“I love you, Meu.” I mumbled. Meu stared at me curiously.
“Kill me.” I spat out at Meu.
Meu nodded and grabbed a tank of kerosene. She poured the kerosene to me. It was stinky. I’m ready to go. Bring it on, Meu!
“Do you have anything to sa…”
“Nope. I’m ready.”
“Okay… But, are you alright? You are accepting this situation so cheerfully. I’m little worry…”
“I can’t believe that this is a remark from the killer, lol.”
“D… Don’t laugh…! I, I… I can’t kill you. Listen, Haruno. As you know, I lost my parents. I was so lonely. I… I demanded love. I am demanding love. When I listen that you said you love me, I was so happy. I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t, because I forgot how to cry…”
Meu spoke with sorrow. If I was not the damsel in distress, I would hug her. She is so adorable. She is so cute. I can’t leave her alone in this world. I… I…
“… Okay. I’m not gonna die. I love you so much, Meu.” I said.
I couldn’t stop my tears.
“…” Meu didn’t say anything.
I could see tears in her eyes.
“I want to hug you, but I can’t. So, can you hug me? …And, you are crying.”
With the surprised face, Meu walked close to me, and rub her eyes with a sleeve of her sweater. I hugged and kissed her much longer than before.
That night, we were up late.
12
Epilogue. Or rather, my life from that night. Meu and I told an outline of this case to my parents, teachers, and the Mayor of Sakulem. Of course, Meu had to go to a prison, but due to her age and circumstances, she got out from the prison in one week or so. I thought it was too short, but it was because people in Sakulem was not familiar with the murder cases. According to the police, this murder case happened the first time in more than ten years. Everyone in Sakulem is kind. That’s why we didn’t have the murder case and other crimes over ten years. That’s why Meu couldn’t kill me, and I decided not to die. We are kind because we are local ladies of Sakulem.
13
Then, we attended the Maifu High School together, graduated, and become college students. Meu and I live under the same roof. It doesn’t mean that we got married. We will, but not yet. In fact, the law which allows to us get married even if a couple with same gender was approved yesterday, and the law will promulgate six month later. What? Did I propose to Meu? Yes, of course. We signed marriage certificate this morning!
To Be Continued...
編集後記
別に物書きを専門にしているわけではないので、展開とか違和感があるかもしれません。脳内で構築されたストーリーをアウトプットしたかったので書いた、という感じです。
元々は、学校の英語の授業の課題として書いていたもので、提出後に先生から「学校の文芸誌に応募してみたら？」とのご意見をいただき、大幅な修正を加えたものがコレです。
「色々攻めすぎ」「子供は読まないほうがいい」という理由で落選してしまったので（当たり前だよなぁ？）、この場で公開したいと思います。
ところで、To Be Continued...（ﾃﾞｰﾚﾚｯ ﾃﾞｯﾃﾞｯﾃﾞｰﾚﾚｰﾚﾚｰ）となっていますが、続編はMV（二次創作）と断片小説（短編小説ではなく）の二本立てです。小説はMVを補完する目的で適当に書いているので、あくまでメインはMVですが。イラスト描くの頑張ります。
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