Chapter 24 - A God’s Whim part 2

We turned 18 this year, and graduated from high school.

I moved to Tokyo with Mika, since she got a lot of work offers ever since the management changed, and she became pretty popular because the investors wanted to invest in her. She’s still affiliated with Dreamin.co and now most people recognize her as the poster girl of the company.

She once wanted to quit being a model, but she didn’t want the company her father built go down with the death of the CEO…

I managed her schedule myself, because she refused to get any manager for the time being because she can’t trust anyone more than me. She became less and less talkative toward other people besides me and my family. I had to forward what she said because she stopped talking to other people directly.

But one day… Suddenly, a youngster barged into the photo shooting set and shoved a microphone in front of her.

“So, regarding the rumor I hear around in Kyoto, it seems that you’ve lost your father to a tragic incident. How are you able to get over that?”

“Hu… Huh? … Ahh… huh…”

Mika finally broke into tears when that guy without ethics asked about how she feels when she loses her father.

Even though she had never even mentioned losing her father on the mass media, just where did that guy get the info from!?

I hurried and snatched the microphone from him, and crushed the camera rolling. Since it’s to protect Mika, I’ll use Mikazuki-san’s money if I was asked for compensation.

But it seems that guy was live streaming the whole ordeal, and so it is easy for people to make a clip out of it.

The video of Mika’s breakdown went viral on the internet, the news about her father’s dad reemerges, and she became known as the [tragic daughter], destroying the mature and pure image she built so far in her modeling career.

All of her effort so far, crushed by one stigma.

And later that year… she announced that wanted to take a break from the industry, and we moved back to Kyoto, to my family’s house.

>X<

We turned 19 this year. In the winter, I went out with my little sister for some shopping.

“Still to think Onii-chan would ask me out on a date~”

“To buy another woman’s birthday present, yeah.”

“Come to think of it, you two still aren’t going out?”

“... no.”

“Haah… Why is my Onii-chan so dumb…”

Whatever.

“Still, to think that the meet and greet that reunited the two of you was actually MIKA-chan’s birthday, no wonder she took it like it was a fateful event and suddenly proposed to you~”

“Yeah, it hits the top 10 shocking moments of my life.” I had too many shocking moments throughout my life that I don’t want to count.

“I would like to say good job to myself. Good job, Haruka~”

“Yeah. Really, thanks for that.”

“If only you could be that honest with MIKA-chan~” She elbowed me lightly.

We finally arrived at the shop.

“Oni- aba- huh- what? Are you serious!?”

“Yeah. I need your help since I’m not sure about these kinds of things.”

“Can you tell me sooner!? If I had known earlier, I could’ve done some research beforehands! Agh, why are you so dumb, Onii-chan!?”

>X<

On Mika’s birthday. Yeah, I know she would snuggle up to my bed again.

“Mika, let’s go on a date,” I said to her while she’s still half asleep in pajamas.

“Okay… huh… wait, a date?” The word snapped her out of drowsiness, it seems.

“Today’s your birthday after all. If you don’t like my phrasing, we can just call it hanging out.”

“No… I mean, I never thought Yuu-kun would say things like date…” She covered her beet red face with my pillow.

“Of course, it is the first time I used the word after all. We’ll get out by 10, is that okay with you?”

“Eh? Uh… yes!”

>X<

We went to a skate rink.

I’ve been secretly practicing for 2 months at the begining of this year, how to casually skate.

When I managed to do a 2 spin jump on my second week, the instructor clapped so hard. Because for a newbie to even connect a spin is a hard thing to do.

Though, I had no intention of doing so today.

I led Mika’s hands as she tried to stand still on the rink.

“Ah–”

She immediately lost balance, and I caught her before she fell.

“You okay?”

“Yuu-kun… this is so hard…” She’s holding onto my arm.

“Don’t worry. Even if you fall, I’ll catch you.”

I led her, slowly but safely.

“Why… are we in the rink in the first place?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

After a few minutes passed, Mika finally did her first push by herself.

“I did it! I did it, Yuu-kun!” She smiled so excitedly.

“Yeah. Well done.” I patted her head. “Then, let’s go!”

“Eh? Aaah!”

I dragged her hand and pulled her to do some laps. She panicked at first, but she started to have fun while doing so.

When I did some acceleration, she got excited as well. She had a really bright smile throughout the whole skate.

“That’s so much fun!”

“Glad you liked it.”

“Oh, Yuu-chan~ Long time no see~”

The Onee instructor who taught me how to skate came to us. Mika hid herself behind me since she’s been kinda closed to strangers ever since she lost her dad.

“Long time no see, Natsukawa-san.”

“Geez~ I told you to call me Nacchan, right~”

He’s the same as always, so friendly. I think that is what I like about Onees, they talk because they are having fun.

I don’t judge others about what they like, when the people aren't even giving others any trouble.

And I also have respect for him teaching me how to skate, so thus why I still address him that way.

“Oh, you brought your girlfriend today? That’s nice~”

“Gir–” Mika was caught off guard by that remark. Dang, that’s cute, let’s chime in.

“Well, yeah. She’s cute, right?”

“Wha- Yuu-kun!?” I took a glance at her beet red face. She really is cute.

“Oh my, how unthoughtful of me. Okay then, I’ll leave the two lovebirds alone~”

And so, Natsukawa-san skated away and went back to teaching the kids.

Mika behind me, punched me lightly.

“... even though you never said that you loved me…”

I think she’s sulking because I basically like admitting that we’re a couple, even though I never make things straight to her.

“Okay-okay, that’s my bad.”

Even so, I still won’t make it straight. At least, for now.

“After grabbing some lunch, let’s go to the next place.”

“Next place?”

>X<

*SPLASH* We’re at the aquarium now, watching a dolphin show in the front seat.

“Who wants to give the signal for the dolphins~?”

The kids in the audience straight up put their hands up in the air, but amongst them was Mika.

“ME! ME!”

“Okay, that excited Onee-san over there! Please come to the front!”

Mika jumped out excitedly like a little kid, forgetting her fear of strangers for a moment. That almost brought me to tears.

“Now, please raise your hands up from below your leg, quickly to the top!”

“Okay!”

She excitedly swung her hands up, and *SPLASH* The dolphin jumped up, and splashed the water, making almost all the front seaters wet.

When I say almost, everyone except me. Because I borrowed the umbrella at the entrance.

Mika got splashed the most, and she’s drenching right now. I stood up and ran to her side.

“Wow! This is the first time I’ve been to a real dolphin show!”

I covered her with my jacket, and handed her the clothes to change(I asked my little sister to secretly pick one last night).

“I once saw you watching them on TV with beaming eyes after all.”

“Did I?”

“Yeah. It’s bad if you catch a cold, so wipe your body with this towel and get changed into that. We’re going to the next place after this.”

“Okay… huh? There’s more?”

>X<

I don’t think I have ever prayed to god in my life because it was full of tragedies.

I lost Lucky, then I lost my dad, and Mika lost her father.

I have never prayed to god for them to go to heaven, because I believe if we’re looking for heaven, we shouldn’t really have to struggle to keep living.

But I believe god does exist, and they are to decide whether we live or die.

So… dear god, please let me out of today in one piece.

“AAAAHHHHH!!!” I screamed as the roller coaster was taking a sudden drop.

“WOOOOW!!! THIS IS MY FIRST TIME RIDING A ROLLER COASTER! It was so fun, wasn't it!?” Mika was getting excited that she didn’t realize I am in agony right now

“... Glad you… enjoyed it… urp…” I was holding myself from puking out…

“Ah! That! Let’s ride that next!”

She pointed at a ride that said [EXTREME FALL] which you can guess by the name, you will be dropped suddenly from the height of… 50 meters!?

“Yuu-kun! Let’s line up!”

“Hahaha… okay…” I couldn’t say no to her today.

And after that, we rode some other extreme rides… that I had to finally give up and lose my consciousness…

That she had me resting my head on her lap.

“Sorry, Mika… I can’t really keep up with the extreme rides anymore…”

“No, Yuu-kun. I’m also sorry for being so excited that I didn’t realize you were forcing yourself for me…”

“At least you were having fun…”

“Yeah… this is also my first time going to an amusement park… thank you, Yuu-kun.”

“No need to… hey, can we ride the ferris wheel before we go home?”

“Ferris wheel! I’ve been wanting to ride one since forever!”

“It’s decided then… but sorry, let me rest a little bit longer.”

“Yup!”

…

At the very last, we rode the ferris wheel. The silent cargo with just the two of us, and the scenery we see through the window.

She’s looking at the city illumination with beaming eyes.

It’s about time I will spill things out, huh.

I opened my bag and took out a small handy note.

“Here, take a look.”

“What’s that?”

“Just read it.”

“Okay…” She started flipping through pages, and widened her eyes. “This is… my father’s handwritings…”

“Yeah, I coincidentally found the list of every promise your father had to break to you. He for some reason took notes of it, I think it is to make it up to you someday. Since he’s not with us anymore, I think I could at least fulfill his wish.”

He entrusted his daughter to me after all.

“I see… so you were just following this list, huh…” She sounded a little bit disappointed.

That’s now what I meant, but I can’t blame her since she knew how much of a softie I am.

I admit that I purposely wanted to fulfill those promises in her father’s place, but I’m not that kind enough to do this to just anyone.

It’s because it’s her… that’s why I wanted to do all of this…

I guess it’s about the right time, since the cargo we’re in is reaching the top position.

“Also, there is something that is not on that list that I wanted to do.”

“... Yuu-kun…?”

I kneeled down, and took out a box I had kept in my bag for the whole day.

I opened it in front of her. Inside it is a ring with a subtle shape of a heart, made with gold. (Since my little sister said that Mika loves things with heart patterns, and she indeed got so many heart shaped belongings now that I think of it)

She froze for a moment, looking at the ring.

“Wait, is this for real…?”

“I’ll not joke about such things like this. I have no stable incoming yet, nor do I feel like I have the power to support you. But I’ll definitely make you happy, so–”

“Yes!”

“Please go out with me with the purpose of–LET ME FINISH MY LINE!”

It took me so much practice and I didn’t get the chance to finish!

“No, sorry, it’s just… I’m so happy that I… I never thought you would come to like someone like me… who only knows how to cry and being a nuisance…” She started tearing up.

“If it’s about nuisance, I don’t think you can top my mom’s and little sister’s.”

“Well… Haha, I kinda agree with that…”

I know how hard she has tried to get me all this year, and to be honest, I think I already fell in love with her for so long. It’s just that I don’t want to be half-hearted and go out with her without even knowing her.

In some place inside my heart, I think I had the leeway of her not gonna turn to anybody else… and that must’ve given her a lot of anxiety.

Let’s get things straight now. I’ll make up for her, by making her happy so many times than any White Day gifts could ever convey.

“Mika… no, Yumemi.”

“Yes!?” It seems like she was startled because I called her by her name.

Come to think of it, I think this is the first time I called her by her real name.

I’ve decided to only do so when I propose. Mika was just a nickname and it holds special meanings for us too, but I wanted to get it properly. That the one I wanted to live together with until death parts us apart, is Mikazuki Yumemi.

“... may I put this on?”

“Yeah…”

She offered her hands, and I took it. I put the ring on her left middle finger.

That day, we got engaged.

>X<

“Alright! Today is the day! Mikazuki-dou, re-opens!”

““YEAAHHHH!!!””

With the money Yumemi’s father left, we reopened Mikazuki-dou. And it’ll also be the first job of MIKA the model, introducing all the menus of Mikazuki-dou that were made by the very same staff from back then.

They were indebted to Yumemi’s father and wanted to be of help.

Of course it’s not common to eat everything, so she took 2-3 bites from each menu and the rest will be eaten by the staff.

And for the curry, she made it herself. Also the secret ingredient his father uses, kecap manis. Yumemi ate it with a delightful face, but the rest of us were competing to decide who to devour the overly sweet, sickening Kecap Manis Curry…

We posted Yumemi posing with all the menus for instabye and chwitter, meanwhile we made the review video… and they didn’t edit out the scene where I ate Kecap Manis Curry, spoonfed by Yumemi and how my body immediately jolted from the sweetness rejecting it with all my existence. I just pray that Yumemi won’t get diabetes in the future, that’s what I genuinely thought.

The shop gained a lot of attraction, and it’s busy everyday. My mom and little sister also started to work there.

>X<

Summer, Yumemi wanted to pay me back for last year’s proposal, so she invited me for a trip.

It seems like she got some hot spring family ticket for 4 from one of the investors, but when she invited my mom and little sister, they said in unison “WE WILL FILL SOME SCHEDULE THAT DAY, SO WE CAN’T GO”

Can they be more subtle? As expected of a mother and her daughter, even their idiocy level reached the same wavelength. Though I didn’t remember ever raising my little sister to such an idiot.

“Yuu-kun, were you badmouthing those two?”

“You’re as sharp as always, huh.”

She has become so good at guessing what I thought in the past year, even though she had no clue that I’ve fallen in love with her for so long.

We’re taking a long bus route, so I let Yumemi fall asleep on my shoulder.

In the midst of the journey, passengers keep changing.

There is this skimpy guy in loose clothes, watching outside the window.

A sleep deprived salaryman being knocked out.

Then enters a mother with a child holding a plushie, that made me remember my little sister when she’s still so pure.

… and then, it all suddenly went black…

>X<

I was in a room of nothingness. I can’t even feel my body, but suddenly…

“I greet you, Shindou Yuuma. I’ve been waiting a long time for your arrival!” I heard a voice, directly to my head.

“Huh?”

“You lost your dog as the result of him saving you, your father as the result of you teaching him English, and your crush's father as you made him get into the perfect situation for the culprit to strike. All of them, indirectly caused by your action! You’re too interesting to miss out on!”

I know all of that, but those kinds of thoughts will just defile their death in my opinion.

But to think he knew all of that… just who is this person talking to me!?

“Me? I’m God.” He replied as if he knew what I was thinking right now. “Well, of course. In this space, I am free to read what’s going through your mind.”

“May I go home now?” This must be a dream.

“Sadly, you’re not able to just go home like that. Like, none of you can. Since this is how the bus all of you were riding looks now.”

The self-proclaimed god showed me into my head, the look of the bus that we were riding. It crashed with a JSDF truck.

“I’ve taken an interest in you. But to be honest, I don't have any interest in the others, but it can’t be helped since it is hard to choose only one person to do this, so I chose you and your surroundings to go on a trial! Good luck and survive, okay~”

I lost consciousness after that.

I slowly opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by rubbles… and me with the freshly regained memories, finally found out…

“… I see… so god does exist… on top of it, he’s a scum…”

Huh… what is with this warm red fluid…?

My sight was filled with red, it felt like something was covering my eyes…