Ken yo, kaku katariki – 97
05 – Beyond the Sound of Waves
‘…Arghh! I lost again…!’
‘Damn it. You make it so obvious.’
‘You say that, Millie. But you’ve come in 3rd three times in a row.’
‘Ughh! It’s you guys who are too good at bluffing! Alnera acts the same whether she wins or loses!’
(…Are they playing with cards?)
Yukito chuckled at the voices he could hear from the other room.
They probably should have been more careful so that they didn’t disturb the other guests, but thankfully, they were at the far end of the hall.
As for the room where the male students were… It seemed to be empty. Perhaps they had gone out.
A four-day journey by train. They must be enjoying themselves.
(A journey, huh…)
He turned his eyes to the passing scenery beyond the window glass.
It was almost six months since he came down from the mountain. He would likely not have traveled anywhere had he not met Ms. Iria and the Count.
This world was not what he had expected, and things would have gone very differently.
The world was so much bigger than he thought.
Perhaps he could go out and see the rest of it one day…
(Well, I better focus on what is in front of me right now.)
He walked down the hallway, chatted with the male students in the dining car, and then arrived in the far back. The luggage car.
As for the reason—it was Kuro.
“Hmm?”
In a dark corner of the car. He stopped in front of Kuro’s cage.
There…a girl was sitting on the floor.
She looked up.
Yukito couldn’t help but gasp.
She was very pretty. With her dark hair and fair skin, she looked like the kind of noble daughter who rarely went outside.
However, there was something familiar about her as well.
“Wou!”
Kuro barked. He was wagging his tail. The girl turned in surprise.
“Are you the owner?”
“Uh, yes…”
“I’m sorry! I wasn’t doing anything…”
“I know.”
He chuckled. She was holding some dried meat in her hands.
She turned red and lowered her hands.
It made no matter, as Kuro was not on his guard around her.
“Um, my name is Sumia.”
“I’m Yukito. And this is Kuro.”
Kuro barked in reply.
She put a hand to her mouth and laughed.
“Kuro. What a smart boy you are.”
“Yes. I think he can understand what people are saying. Don’t you, Kuro?”
“Wou!”
Kuro was intelligent. There were times when I thought he was smarter than most people.
It was probably related to the fact that he was a monster. A black wolf.
“May I pet him?”
“Yes. If he is fine with it.”
‘Can I pet you?’ she asked, and Kuro lay down silently.
She stretched out hesitantly and stoked his fur.
“He is very…warm.”
“Living creatures generally are.”
“…Yes.”
It was quiet, with only the sounds of the train echoing around them. And it felt peaceful.
“So, Ms. Sumia. Who are you here?”
“Ah…”
As if realizing something, she picked up the bag at her feet and stood up.
“I’m sorry. I had business in the special cargo compartment.”
She said as she frantically bowed her head and then rushed away.
That was the car right being this one. Where there were locked safes and security guards. It cost money to store things there, but they would be safer.
“If you rush like that, you’ll…”
“Ah!”
She must have tripped on something, as she fell to the floor in a great puff of dust.
Yukito chuckled and offered his hand.
“Tha…thank you…”
She took his hand and blushed.
Just then.
(!?)
A feeling like having a stake piercing your heart.
It was familiar.
Something far away…
“…Mr. Yukito?”
“Ah, sorry.”
He was brought back to reality and then let go of her hand.
The sensation dissipated like mist.
“Um…I was wondering if I could visit Kuro again sometime?”
“Uh…well…”
“Wou!”
“He doesn’t mind, apparently.”
“Oh! Thank you!”
She bowed again and then went through the door to the next car.
Yukito looked down at his hand.
What was that?
A dreamlike haze. It was hard to even remember what it was like now.
The sound of waves. He thought he heard something like that, deep down.
During the next four days, Yukito met Ms. Sumia every time she visited Kuro.
Perhaps she was good at listening, as before he knew it, he was telling her all kinds of things.
About living in the mountains, meeting Kuro.
What he did in the old capital.
There were things he couldn’t say, but regardless of the subject, she always seemed interested.
“I have an older brother.”
She said while feeding Kuro some dried meat.
“We used to live together in the capital… But I got sick, and I was told to move to the countryside for my health.”
And her brother had stayed in order to work.
“So you are going to meet him?”
“Yes.”
Apparently, her brother had sent her the ticket.
Though, she had been annoyed that there wasn’t even a letter with it. ‘He is an awkward man,’ she said with a smile.
And then her expression darkened.
“He had been reckless in order to protect me… But he pretends that it is nothing. And I have not been able to return the favor at all…”
Yukito had no siblings. In this life or the previous one.
He was alone after his parents died. The people at the orphanage were like family, but he hadn’t realized it at the time.
“I’m sorry. For complaining.”
“No.”
“Wou!”
Kuro sensed the atmosphere and barked.
Ms. Sumia smiled and thanked him by petting him on the back.
“…I don’t have any siblings, so I don’t understand how you feel… But I suppose he is working hard so you will be happy. So if you want to show your gratitude, I suppose you should convey your feelings in your own way.”
Her eyes lit up and she thanked Yukito with a smile.
re upload by mistake?