Life I wanted to give Birth to…
The two of them met in one of the countless summers.
What kind of influence did the interpretation of the Laurants have on the girl?
Life...
“It’s me, Takahiko…”
“Oh, you’re there already?”
“Sorry, let me bring the car over real quick. Just wait a moment!”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve last met. The last time was…“
“Auntie’s seventh deathday…?”
“Wait, what was that noise?”
“Are you okay, Tsukhito?”
“Hey, can you hear me, Tsukhito?”
On a summer day, I chanced upon you
And I’ve decided that I’ll wait for you in the future
After taking the <Kuze teaching certification exam> again
When I transferred to middle school
The city’s board of education was kind to me
But I could not say the same of the prefectural board
So I took <the Nagioka Prefecture Public High School teaching certification exam> again
“Hey, Himeko.”
“Teacher!?”
“What a hot and humid night.”
“Yeah-”
“But I guess it’s always summer here.”
“...”
“The four seasons of Akitsu all make me sentimental,
But I love the season when I met you the most.”
“And more than anything, [cicadas] really get me in the feels!
They lie in the dark underground, waiting for years for their turn on the stage,
But have to bow out as soon as they emerge! Hahahahaha!”
“How joyful-”
Your eyes tangled with the summer grass
Reminded me…of someone else-
Tenrei 15 February
But I can’t recall…
In this <⛩️orizon>where I have <Lost or Forgotten>
[The existence of Love] or the [meaning of being born] in a life that goes around
Why do I still feel a nostalgic light!?
The wavering star behind him
Was so very beautiful
And so I counted those nights
Like the empty husks of fallen cicadas
There is nothing I want taken from me
There is nothing I want to take
And there never was
And there never was
I realize this now
I realize this now
“I can’t…taste miso soup…
I discovered this fact right before the last month of my pregnancy…
And my results came back positive, as light as the symptoms were…
The lack of hospital vacancies led to an uptick in patients waiting for their turn…
And the pregnant women amongst those patients would lose a place to give birth…
It’s not that anyone is at fault here, really…
Everyone is simply exhausted and anxious…”
My water broke before my expected due date
Though they kept trying to find somewhere that would take me in
My father and grandmother eventually got impatient
And took me out in their car
Footing the pedal from one birthing center to another
Swayed by the waves that come and go
I remember days gone past-
If you regret the morning of your arrival
Then you shouldn’t give birth to more sadness
If you acknowledge the night of your departure
Then that child should also-
“Of all times…I’m out of luck here. Maybe I should just get off and go on foot? But…”
“Looks like there’s an accident ahead causing all this jam…”
“Hey there, princey!’
“Who are you!? Stand down!”
“Saruta-kun, why are you here!?”
“Like that matters! Get on!”
“Is this someone you know? Aaah!!”
Turned away at the door
Darkness seeps inside the car
Hauled around for three thousand miles—-----
*It’s not like I counted the miles, but that’s just how it felt to me…
But if that’s all it takes for me to break…
<I don’t need any tears>[No more cry]
I wouldn’t have tried to [give birth] in the first place
Shrine maiden, can you hear me?
There’s no time, and this is our last resort
We’ll help you deliver the child in our shrine
Make haste, don’t waste another second!
All of this happiness and all of this sadness
“Pant pant blow! Pant pant blow!”
A wish that transcended many <visiting paths> for the future
“Pant pant blow! Pant pant blow!”
The pain around my abdomen is tearing me apart
“Ouch..!”
At the end of my clear-minded consciousness
“You’ll be okay, Hime-chan! Just hang on for a bit more!”
I feel your breath—-------------------
“We’re all here for you, Himeko!”
Perhaps you did not gather enough factors
In an attempt to reach a <story> of <his (for convenience’s sake)> birth?
Arriving in the embrace of winter,
Its cries will never reach the heavens…
Life I wanted to give Birth to…