While we were having a meal, I heard some sounds outside the house. She stood up swiftly and walked to a window to see outside.
“It’s the police.” She looked back at me. “Sorry. Go up to the loft and hide in there.”
I stood up and looked around the room. Then, I grabbed my jacket and walked to the back of the room. As I saw her bringing my dish to the kitchen, I climbed up the ladder.
There were a mattress and a blanket in the loft. A small lamp, several books, and notebooks were piled up at the corner of the space.
I decided to hide in the blanket. But, if someone came up to this space, then I would be found easily.
I heard a vehicle approaching. It seemed that she opened the door and got outside.
Silence prevailed. I only heard the sound of a car door opening just once. I could not hear the conversation. Without a window, I could not see outside at all from this attic.
I wrapped myself from head to foot with the blanket, and kept on closing my eyes.
I will check the runway later. When I have to do so, I can just get on the biplane and take off. Does the engine have the starter? I recalled how the cockpit looked like. I thought there was no such switch. Still, she flew the plane by herself. The most challenging part would be the time during which the plane would be towed to outside.
Again, I heard the sound of the car door. Then, a little later, a loud noise echoed. It seemed that someone was getting into the house.
I kept still in the blanket.
A creaking sound. Is it the ladder?
Someone is climbing up.
I may be done here.
Then, I felt someone just near me.
Suito Kusanagi is shooting at me. I saw the illusion at the moment.
The blanket was pulled off. At the same time, a hand touched my body.
It was her.
“That’s okay. They went back.” She whispered to me.
“Why has the police come here?”
“Well, I am still in such a position. Sheriffs sometimes come to see me. They confirm that I am alive here.”
“Did the topic about me pop up during the conversation?”
“No.” She shook her head horizontally. “No worries.”
She lay down beside me.
Then, she put her arms around my back, and brought her body close to mine.
“Oh, it is a nostalgic feeling for me. You know, I have been living alone. I have forgotten about such warmth of humans. Sorry. Do you mind?”
“No.”
“If so, may I stay here like this just for a while?”
“Sure.”
She embraced me tightly as a child would do.
“Just by doing this, I am ...” Her voice and breath caressed my ear. “Oh, I feel so happy. Hey, aren’t you recalling the memory of your childhood?”
She was looking delighted. I could sense that her body was quivering a little. I did not understand why she was mentioning the time in childhood. Was she referring to the memory, in which her mother embraced her? Or is she implying that she played such a game with her friend?
I too put my arms on her back and drew her body close to me. Little by little, her body temperature was being transferred to me. She touched my hair and stroked it gently. I kept silent. Although I thought about what to say, I could not come up with it.
“While doing this, don’t you become composed?” She asked.
“No, not in particular.”
She seemed to be smiling slightly. I felt it with the subtle vibration of her body.
“I don’t think such medical treatment is good.” The strength of her embrace on me was weakened. “It might be counterproductive. That’s a problem.”
“No, I’m okay.”
“Thank you for accepting me.” Her voice sounded joyful. “It’s mysterious. All pilots I know are not aggressive at all. Same to you, too. I thought you were more sensitive. But, you are not such a type at all. Very calm and gentle.”
“While on duty, I become sensitive.”
“Yes, but I wonder why? Why do gentle people like you fight in the sky while shedding each other’s blood? Why do you and your enemies shoot at each other?”
“Well, I’m not sure,” I answered just with the words.
I knew the reason.
It is entirely the same as the reason why she and I are embracing each other. We embrace the opponents with the control stick to assure the one’s warmth, and turn the machine gun toward the target as if in kissing him or her.
Is this love?
Is that love?
She became silent.
I stayed quiet as well.
After a couple of her breathing, she started separating herself from me. She got up, smoothed her hair once, smiled at me, and put her feet on a tread of the ladder.
“Aren’t you tired? Why don’t you sleep for a while?”
“No, I slept on the train along the way.”
“Do you have anything you want to do?”
“What about the meal?”
“Oh, that’s right.” She uttered. “Sorry. You are not done, are you? I put away your dishes. I will warm it up and serve you again.”
“No, I don’t need that. I am afraid that you were not done with the meal.”
“Umm, I’m okay as well.”
“May I take a walk around here?” I asked her while getting up.
“Taking a walk? But it is cold, and there is nothing interesting around here.”
“It is much colder in the sky, and literally there is nothing up there.”
“Well, you’re right.” She curved her lips and nodded. “There might be a wider variety of things around here than there is in the sky.”
-4-