Just as I thought, I wasn’t really expecting anything out of this.
“Because of the earlier fire, I’m covered head to toe in soot. I’d really like to take a shower...” As soon as I muttered this to myself, though, Kousuke led me to a place that seemed like it had just what I wanted.
Actually, how did he even find this place? He’s always been rather sharp-eyed, but... Apparently, Kousuke had explored every nook and cranny of this amusement park and now had a firm grasp of its entire geography.
This place was right under the merry-go-round, where I ran across that bizarre TV girl. I was slightly wary of being back here, but the TV girl seems to have disappeared. The horses with their heads torn off were also stopped for some reason. It might be closing time.
We move through a gap in the ominous, carcass-like horses towards the back. Moving aside an object that looked like an enshrined wedding cake, Kousuke revealed a ladder that led underground.
Really, I wondered, how the heck did he find this? It was placed so that you wouldn’t notice it unless you knew there was an underground room in the area.
The room appeared to be something like a guard’s room or security station, placed in such a way that park goers would not be able to get in. Kousuke called it a “control room.” In the confined space, a countless number of monitors were lined up. And behind that was a small door, through which was a barebones shower.
Compared to the surface— the amusement park— this room had basically no decorations at all. It was a drab place. In any case, I was just happy to be able to take a shower, and I devoted myself to diligently cleaning off all the dirt on me.
The water turned black enough to surprise even me, although only a little.
“I feel so refreshed.” I used the soap that Kousuke gave me to clean both my body and my hair. Cracking open the door, I call out to Kousuke, who was sitting on the floor of the control room. “Hey, is there a towel or something?”
“I left it over there,” he replied. I have no idea what Kousuke is so embarrassed about, but he refused to look this way. He was sitting down with his eyes closed, like he was a monk in training, or something. It kind of made me want to prank him, but I don’t really have the composure in my heart to do that in this place. So for now, I just wiped my body off with the towel. I felt warm all over, and actually had a bit of steam rising off me still.
I was just as dirty as when I was a child, and the two of us would run around playing, until we were both covered in mud. I remember when we used to get into the bath together, but we’re too old now. My breasts have grown a little, and I could even get pregnant now. It was a tough age to be fostering friendship between the sexes.
“Is there a change of clothes?” I call out.
“No,” he replied. “Besides, I don’t even know what size you wear. But that towel was something I took from the gift shop, so you can go rummage around there for something later.”
“Hmm... Then for now, I’ll just put my uniform back on,” I decided. “Thanks, Kousuke.” I ended up really being helped by him.
Now that I think about it, it feels like it’s been several years since we’ve talked like this. That’s why I ended up acting a little distant; it probably wouldn’t be good to keep getting spoiled by him.
Obediently, I put on my uniform, and after some debate I ended up putting my apron and bandana back on, too. I definitely don’t need the apron and bandana, but they’re some of the precious few things I managed to bring in with me from the real world and my daily life, so I found it hard to throw them away.
If I dress like I’m working, then I feel like I can act like an employee instead of like regular old Denkiya Hitomi. It’ll help me to not get involved with others more than necessary. This is like my armor and helmet. Until I can accurately grasp the distance I should put between myself and Kousuke and the others, I want to be just an employee of an electronics store.
“I’m feeling pretty refreshed... Later, let’s let Torii and Utena use this shower, too. The both of them also got caught in the fire and are covered in soot.”
“I don’t think this is the time for caring about your appearances, though,” Kousuke argued. “Women really are nothing but trouble, they’re so slow... In that sense, Hitomi, you’ve really become a ‘girl’ now, haven’t you?”
“I’ve been a girl from the very beginning,” I said. “Kousuke, why don’t you take a shower, too? That costume must be really hot inside. You’re dripping with sweat, aren’t you?”
“Don’t need one,” he scoffed. “It’s annoying.”
“Actually, why are you wearing a mascot costume?” I wondered.
“I was thinking it would be bad to get caught by a park employee,” he explained. “This way, no one will think I’m suspicious, even if I just wander around. Anyway, I hate that you’re looking down at me, so take a seat already.”
After being prompted, I popped a squat next to Kousuke. He had already taken off the costume, and it was flung haphazardly all over the room. Finally, I saw his face up close for the first time in years. Kurashima was a man of effeminate features, but Kousuke felt like a normal guy: he had short hair, which was trimmed neatly, and he had solid muscle and bone structure, like a hunting dog. He was wearing the familiar male uniform, but he had taken off his jacket and, for some reason, had it wrapped around his waist like a mantle.
Kousuke was just a little shorter than Kurashima was, but he looked heavier because of his muscles and so on, although there’s not really any point in comparing the two... The men in our town tended to have well-arranged looks, brimming with a wild feel. That’s why Utena had him wait on her, like she was showing him off.
I’ve known him since he was little enough to be sleeping and drooling with his belly button out, though. So while I do feel academic curiosity as to how that image could grow to be Kousuke as he is now, he doesn’t make my heart beat. It’s kind of unclear right now, but he’s something like family to me.
I must have been acting solemn, because Kousuke started glaring at me, annoyed. “Hey, stop staring so much,” he said. “You reek of soap, keep your face away from me.”
“Soap doesn’t reek,” I protested. “Anyway, sorry. I was just thinking, ‘Oh, this is what you look like,’ because it’s been a while. Is there a dryer here? My hair is still damp and it feels gross.”
“I have no clue, I’m not gonna go that far for you,” he retorted. “There might be one if you look around, though.”
“Sorry,” I apologized, “I made you wait because I wanted a shower. I didn’t want to get out because then I’d have to go back to the weirdness of the park... So I kind of figured I’d just stay in a little longer.”
“It’s fine, girls take too long no matter what they do. I know, Kagamimori was also like that, too.”
“You call Kagamimori by her last name?” I asked curiously. “I thought you were closer than that.”
“We’re not close, not really...do you mind if I smoke?” he asked. After talking at length about stuff both meaningless and somehow important, Kousuke suddenly let a bombshell slip. I was surprised: we’re both 16, an age where we’re not allowed to smoke by law.
While I was reeling from the shock, Kousuke took out a cigarette pack from his uniform pocket. Taking out a cigarette like it was a precious treasure, he lit it with a practiced motion, and smoke hung about in the cramped underground room.