CHILDREN RECORD VI

The heat of the day finally loosened up, making it much easier to remain outside.

The sky was already a shade of deep purple, the streetlights only beginning to pop into life.

“Are you…serious…?”

I doubted my eyes for a moment, but there was no point checking and rechecking. Reality, in its purest form, spread before me.

We were in front of a vending machine nearby our hideout.

Occasionally you’d see machines that give you a second can of soda if you matched three symbols on the slot machine–type LCD display. I thought those were BS my whole life—I assumed it was just for show, having never heard of anyone actually winning a free drink—but the chintzy electronic display on the top of the machine clearly flashed WINNER! in bold lettering.

“So it wasn’t an urban legend…!”

I thrust my hand into the bottom compartment. My fingers detected the clear presence of two wet, cold-to-the-touch plastic bottles.

Taking them out, I was greeted with the warm, inviting sight of two sodas.

An intoxicating elixir of joy circulated from my palm to the rest of my body.

How wonderful it would’ve been to drain their contents right there, on the spot. Instead, I forced myself to retain a modicum of patience.

“Saves me from having to buy two, I guess.”

I handed a bottle over to Konoha. “Uh, thanks,” he said, no trace of emotion present in his acknowledgment.

We stood side by side in front of the machine, both greedily guzzling our respective drinks.

The pleasant sensation of sugar pulsed down my throat, steamrolling through my esophagus and providing its sweet delights to every other organ on the way to my stomach.

Ahh…Yes. That’s the stuff.

This fabled land, this paradise, known only to those who experienced a summer death-march hike like mine.

I was at its peak now, having a heart-to-heart conversation with the soda.

It was a feast for every bodily sense, growing deeper, sultrier, more intense as it continued.

This was what it was. Soda, a passport to the heavens, provided by God in equal measures for all of His creations.

“Praise be to soda…”

“Wh-what?”

Oops.

I was soda-ing it up so much that I left Konoha to himself.

But, realizing that the soda in Konoha’s hand was no longer full either, I experienced a joyous sense of glee.

“Good, huh?”

Konoha briskly nodded twice.

Before long the sky settled into the color of cola.

It was a long day, as summer days generally are, and it was finally over.

“Funny how time flies when you aren’t paying attention, huh?”

Konoha was blithely staring at the sky as well.

He was hiding it with his bottle, but there was a gaping hole in his clothing.

I finished off my soda and tossed the container into the recycle bin next to the vending machine.

“Hey, Konoha.”

“Yes?”

He turned to face me, expressionless.

I was starting to understand now. This was just how he was.

He never showed it on his face, but there was nothing expressionless about his heart.

I thought he was some kind of freak at first. But I was wrong. He’s pretty much just a nice guy, is all.

“You said you were my friend earlier, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Konoha replied curtly.

“So, listen, don’t make yourself shoulder all the pain, okay? ’Cause I felt terrible down there.”

This guy just saved my life.

I knew I was in no position to harp on him about that. But no way did I want to feel that way again.

“Yeah,” he said again. I couldn’t tell if he understood or not.

Yet I felt like this second “yeah” somehow had more feeling behind it than the first “yeah.” The thought made me a bit happier.

“…We better get back. The boss is probably gonna kill us.”

“Yeah.”

After a short walk, we were face-to-face with the creepy-looking building with the 107 plate on it.

Stepping inside, we were greeted by Kido and Marie, chirping “Hello!” in unison.

I was practically dead on my feet.

I sat on the sofa and groggily stared at the ceiling.

As I stared into space, Marie began mending Konoha’s clothing. “Kagerou Daze…,” Kido said to herself, still proud of the term.

Suddenly, I heard the front door open, followed by a familiar set of loud, tromping footsteps.

I drummed up my last remaining bit of strength to greet the voice I knew too well.

“Yeah…Welcome back…”