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KAGEROU DAZE II

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I had a terrible, hateful dream. A dream where you went away, right before my eyes.
    I had it time, and time, and time again.
    I had it yesterday. I saw everything.

    How many times will I have seen it today?
    How many times does yesterday make?

    How many times have we talked to each other in this park?
    It’s the first time for you, maybe, but I lost count long ago.
    I remember talking to you about this before.
    Many times before. And you always believed in me.
    You were always so seriously concerned.

    But every time, you always die in the end.
    When I bring up this topic with you, you get worried for me. You get sad.
    So I decided to stop talking about it any longer.

    It’s all right. Now, it’s all right.
    I’ve even started to like talking to you, here in the park.

    Just listening to you speak is enough.
    You’ve told me the same thing so many times, I’ve memorized every word.
    But that’s fine.
    That’s fine, so I just wanted you to keep talking.

    Because when I hear your voice, I don’t have to listen to the cicadas’ noise.
    Because I can focus on nothing but that voice.
    I look at my watch. It was just about half past noon.

    “Wanna head home?”

    I extended a hand and you grabbed it, looking terribly embarrassed as you did.
    So uncomfortable with me, right up to the end…
    No wonder I was never popular.

    Well, our time’s just about up. Better get going.
    Thanks for everything, Hibiya.

    The noisy cicadas,
    the haze shimmering across the road

    …I hate everything about summer. 



    —As I looked up, the steel pole was just about to land on my face.


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