20

Hokage Aya suddenly awoke, sitting up lethargically in bed. The late afternoon sun had warmed the room to the point she was sweating, but despite that, it wasn’t that unpleasant of an awakening.

The dream she’d been having was an odd one. She was in a wide tatami room with a lot of other people, unable to get to sleep even if she tried. While she was tossing and turning as if from nightmares, even though she was already in a dream, suddenly the bedding was pulled from beneath her and she was cast out... Was that the shock that woke her up? With her vague memories growing indistinct, she was soon unable to remember.

Standing up to go wash her face, she went out into the hall. She passed by Saya’s room, but there was no sign of her little sister. Now that she thought of it, she felt like she had a hazy memory of seeing her sister’s face in that dream. It had looked like she was having fun. The way she’d been having a riot while her sister was tormented by nightmares, it was a little frustrating, but... It had been completely different from the usual taciturn impression she gave off.

Going down to the first floor, she washed her face in the washroom. Even though she hadn’t been asleep long, her head was clearer than it had been in a while. On her way back to her room, she looked towards the entrance hall. Saya’s shoes hadn’t returned yet. Come to think of it, she’d said something about going to see a friend.

The jolly laughter of Saya from the dream returned to her ears. It had been a surprising impression, but maybe that was how she acted when she was with her friends.

Aya threw on a pair of sandals and opened the front door. The mix of light purple and crimson created by the setting sun was beautiful, and for a while she remained captivated by it. A quiet evening had settled over the town. Behind Aya, there was a sound from the house. Her parents had apparently woken up, too.

I wonder if she’ll be back by dinner. Standing in the entrance hall, Aya subconsciously searched for Saya as she watched the town at twilight.

In the bedroom at Sakaimori Bed & Bedding, three people simultaneously regained consciousness.

They’d been sitting together on the sofa, and they fell asleep... Or it felt more like they’d had a momentary lapse of consciousness. Though they were surprised by the short rift in their memories, the three realized. For the first time in a while, the three had been able to sleep without resistance.

Had they done it, then? Had Saya and Hitsuji defeated the Suiju, and regained the sleep they had stolen?

The three looked to one another, nodding, and then leaned back on the sofa again. With Ran in the center, Kaede and Midori both leaned their heads against her. Closing their eyes, they went to sleep again, this time of their own volition. It was no match for Hitsuji’s power, but the feeling of security from having one’s companions nearby steadily lead them toward sleep.

They still did not know what Nightland was like now. However, if Saya and Hitsuji were still there, they had to go and get them.

Sparkling patterns danced in the darkness behind their eyelids. As they dove deeper into sleep, those patterns gradually transitioned into Nightland’s starry sky.

I woke in bed. It was quiet outside the curtained windows, and pitch dark inside the room.

Reaching out, I felt around beside me; when my fingers touched warm flesh, I was relieved.

I didn’t know what sort of place we had reached by traveling through Dayland and Nightland yet, but for now, I couldn’t sense any Suiju.

Her eyes opened, and I could feel her beginning to stir.

“...Morning.”

“Good morning.”

Even if I couldn’t see her, I knew she had smiled. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the little light that shone in through the curtains. As if a beast in human form was lying there.