Elements by Reki Kawahara

Author:Reki Kawahara [Kawahara, Reki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction
Publisher: Yen Press
Published: 2017-12-19T05:00:00+00:00

5

Of the 120 Umesato Junior High eighth graders, the sixty-one who had chosen the Henoko/Yoron Island plan were staying in a large resort hotel with over four hundred guest rooms. Built facing the wide, shallow beach of the cape that was once known as Camp Schwab, the northern windows had a view of the deep green of the peak of Henoko, while the southern windows looked out over the far-reaching Pacific Ocean.

However, stepping out of the elevator, Kuroyukihime moved briskly down the hallway without so much as a glance at the windows. As she approached 728, the room she had been allocated, a window to lock and unlock the door was displayed on her virtual desktop. The icon blinking to the right of the window indicated that the person she shared the room with was inside.

She stopped in front of the thick natural-wood door and took a deep breath before knocking twice. “Megumi. It’s me. I’m coming in,” she said to the intercom window that opened automatically, and without waiting for a reply, she unlocked the door, turned the knob, and opened it.

The ocean-view room, slightly luxurious for junior high students on a school trip, was dim. All the lights were off, and only the gold of the sea melting in the evening sun pushed through the lace curtain on the southern window.

The room ran long from north to south, with two beds lined up against the western wall. In a pile, blankets decorated the bed farther in. On the side cabinet, there was a small purple paper bag.

Kuroyukihime stepped onto the carpet in bare feet and crossed the room, coming to sit on the edge of the nearer bed.

Curled up like a child beneath the blanket, Megumi was apparently not asleep; Kuroyukihime could feel the twitch of her body pulling back through the mattress. At this, so like a young child who had been hurt, Kuroyukihime’s heart throbbed sharply once more.

I really know nothing about her. And I’ve never even tried to learn.

Gritting her teeth with the pain of this awareness, Kuroyukihime opened her mouth. “I’m sorry, Megumi. I was a fool.”

“That’s not it.” The response came from beneath the pile fabric sooner than she expected. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Hime. I…I just sort of assumed. I thought during this trip…for just these seven days, I could…have you all to myself.”

After a moment of silence, Megumi tugged the edge of the blanket and pulled herself into an even smaller ball. “Ah, ha-ha-ha! What am I even talking about? I’m sorry, Hime. I always say this weird stuff. Just forget it. Forget the whole thing. It’s okay. I just need a minute and I’ll be back to my usual self…so…” Contrary to her words, the end of her sentence shook fiercely, as if it was dampened by tears.

Kuroyukihime bit her lip hard, and, resolving herself, she turned around, got on top of the sheets, and placed her right hand gently on Megumi’s back. She softly stroked the slender, trembling body and murmured through the blanket, “Megumi.

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