5

 Monday, April 10th. Sera Sawako sat at a bus stop bench on the morning of Ashiharabashi High School’s entrance ceremony. She opened her eyes, expecting to see her smiling teacher standing before her with candy held out in her hands. But instead, all that filled her vision was filthy asphalt.

Sera rubbed her eyes. She wasn’t certain if she had been asleep, or simply reminiscing an old memory. With how sleepy she was, either seemed equally possible. She very well could have fallen asleep at a bus stop bench, or simply caught herself up in a vivid daydream.

She hadn’t slept much the previous night, but that kind of behavior was typical for her on the day before important events. She felt a yawn coming on and pushed it back by glancing up at the sky. A bright, clear blue filled her still-blurry vision.

The rain that had fallen for two days straight had finally calmed down, but left the unfortunate aftereffect of stripping the sakura blossoms from their trees. As she glanced down at her feet, she saw the many sakura petals sticking to the asphalt, their edges browning. The melancholy filling her chest in response served to fuel her persecution complex as she convinced herself that she, too, had nobody looking out for her.

Guess I’m a high schooler now, Sera mumbled in her head.

The transition was supposed to be normal, and happened to everyone, but she still couldn’t quite believe it. It had been a month since her graduation from junior high, and even then, she still hadn’t felt like a graduate. But she knew that the same thing happened when she graduated elementary school. Eventually, she just got used to being in junior high, whether she felt like a graduate or not.

Sera waited patiently for the bus, clutching her new commuter pass as she carefully kept her new school uniform clean. She had always walked to elementary and middle school, so it was the first time she needed to commute in a vehicle. A part of her couldn’t help but be excited about her new commuter pass.

Of course, in a month or so, it’s just gonna be normal, Sera mumbled in her mind.

A new uniform, a new pass, a new high schooler. She’d just get used to it all eventually. She’d be the same person that she was in middle school, but now she’d be taking the bus. She’d be called the same nickname, and live the same life.

But not if I can help it.

The girl reached into her pocket, her fingertips tapping onto something hard. The strawberry-flavored treat she had placed in there earlier.

It was a simple sweet made by mixing sugar, starch syrup, and flavoring, but it carried a new and unknown power. That one piece of candy was capable of destroying Sera’s entire world.

She was no longer the elementary schooler who believed whatever her teacher told her. She would make herself like everyone else, clever and more rational.

Her thoughts went back to that memory.

Something perfectly lovely. That sparkling sphere. It was like candy, yet even more lovely. But it was only inside of her, and when she opened her eyes, it would be gone.

But the world is full of lovely things, just like what’s inside of you, her teacher had said.

In reality, they weren’t anywhere. Or if they were, they were nowhere near her.

Hearing the sound of an engine, the girl turned her head. She was expecting to see the bus, but it was just a shipping company’s truck. She was about to lower her head to look back at her feet, but a boy in the distance caught her eye. He was wearing the Ashiharabashi High school uniform, just like Sera.

Is he a first-year, like me? Or maybe he’s my senpai?

Her interest ignited, she took several furtive glances at the boy. If he was headed to Ashiharabashi High as well, then they could be taking the same bus. Would they be seeing each other every day? In that case, should she strike up a conversation? The very thought made her feel a little shy.

He was walking on the sidewalk on the other end of the street. Right as he lined up directly in front of Sera on the bench, he stopped and bent over. He seemed to be picking something up from the ground at his feet.

Is that a marble?

It was a small, round, and blue-tinted sphere. The boy stood up, dropping it into his pocket.

Just then, the bus arrived at the stop. The boy who picked up the marble crossed the street and stood in line behind Sera.

Sera gently touched the back of her head, feeling a bit conscious of his gaze.

Sera was interested in the boy who had taken the back seat for some time after the bus started moving. But as high school got closer and closer, her attention shifted to other topics. She recalled her old teacher again.

“Close your eyes. Now, imagine something perfectly lovely,” the teacher instructed.

The younger Sera had great respect and affection for her teacher, so she obediently closed her eyes and tried imagining something lovely. What came to mind was a small, colorful sphere that fit in her palm and sparkled in the light.

Her teacher continued, “What you imagined is what makes you lovely. Deep inside of you, there is something incredibly lovely and pure.”

Sera believed her. She could see it there.

“When you open your eyes, you won’t see it anymore.”

That made sense. Her eyes still closed, Sera nodded, her little chin bobbing up and down.

“But the world is full of lovely things, just like what’s inside of you.”

It was? Really? If her teacher said so, it must have been true.

“Where are they?” Sera asked.

“They’re everywhere. In clean water, deep in the blue sky, tucked away in the back corner with the classroom cleaning supplies, and in all that you say and do.”

“They can’t be in all those places.”

“Oh, but they are. Just keep looking and compare what you see and what you think to that lovely object inside of you. I’m sure you’ll find many other lovely things.”

“Will I really?”

“You will. Now, open your eyes.”

Sera opened her eyes.

Her teacher was smiling. In her hands was a small piece of candy. “This is thanks for changing the vase’s water.”

The small, round candy was packaged in a transparent pouch. Sera couldn’t help but compare it to the lovely object she had just been imagining.

“Never let go of what’s lovely inside of you. As long as you hold on to it, you can find many other things that are lovely, no matter where you go,” her teacher said.

But…

Heading towards her new high school’s entrance ceremony, Sera Sawako put her right hand in her pocket.

It’s probably not very clever to waste your life away looking for things that are lovely.

Sera had put away a piece of candy in her pocket earlier.

It was just candy. But anything was lethal in the right amounts. That one piece of candy would be all it took to melt away all the worthless things inside of her whose only value was to be lovely.

I’m gonna eat candy at school.

She couldn’t hold back her derisive smirk. The plan could hardly be called malicious. In fact, it was such a minor infraction that she doubted anyone else would care. But it had taken all of Sera’s determination to put her plan into action. She was determined to cast aside all the dead weight that she had stubbornly held onto, stop worrying about being so pointlessly lovely, and reach for something more rational.

The bus reached its stop just outside of Ashiharabashi Senior High.

Sera disembarked, walking towards the school with slow steps. Several students surrounded her, all wearing brand-new uniforms like her. They paid her no mind, quickly outpacing her and walking ahead.

Sera walked up to the school gate, snuck away from the general crowd, and stopped in place. She carefully pulled her sucker out of her pocket.

Her fingers were trembling. She hadn’t even done anything yet. It was ridiculous. She reminded herself of the goal to be more clever. Clearly, she needed it.

Sera put a hand on the wrapper. Just then, a voice rang from behind her.

“Excuse me.”

Her breath caught in surprise. She slowly turned around to see… the boy who had picked up the marble. He spoke again.

“Are you alright?”

“Huh?”

“You looked like you weren’t feeling well.”

Sera figured her face had become tense and pulled into a grimace, giving her away. She returned her gaze to her sucker, saying, “It’s just… I was thinking about eating this.”

His tone light, the boy responded, “Then you better hurry up.”

It made her feel a little sad.

Nobody else knows what I’m dealing with.

“But it’s against the rules.” Sera’s irritation made her response clipped, even though she was simply stating the obvious.

The boy tilted his head slightly. “And that’s supposed to be worth something?”

Of course! her mind screamed. But she bit it back, shaking her head. “I don’t… think it’s a big deal or anything.” What was I expecting? To get reprimanded or something by this kid? For someone to passionately proclaim that rules should be followed, no matter what? As if.

Sera looked back down. Feeling like she was escaping his gaze, she ripped the wrapper from her sucker and popped it in her mouth. It was just candy. But it would melt away everything she had believed in up to that moment.

Her mouth was flooded with a slightly sour and powerfully sweet flavor. It was a flavor that had made her happy in the past. It tasted almost exactly like the candy that her teacher had given her back in elementary school.

But then, she couldn’t taste anything.

All that was perfectly lovely inside of her had vanished. The only feeling she was left with was loss.

“Hey, why are you crying?” the boy asked.

Only then did Sera notice the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

She shook her head, answering, “I don’t know.” Was this really the right thing to do? Is this how it feels to be clever?

She didn’t feel free in the slightest.

“Well, whatever.”

The boy’s calm and matter-of-fact tone was starting to get on her nerves.

“There’s no rule against eating candy at school anyway.”

For a moment, his words failed to register. Then, a slight, “Wha–?” managed to squeak out of her throat.

“You can’t eat or drink during class, but it doesn’t really matter outside of that,” the boy confidently proclaimed.

Sera instinctively patted the inner pocket of her school uniform. It was where she always kept her junior high student handbook, which listed out the school rules. But there was nothing there. And of course there wasn’t. She hadn’t gotten her student handbook yet. They were most likely going to be handed out during the entrance ceremony.

I’m such a blockhead.

All throughout her elementary and middle school days, eating outside of lunch time was strictly prohibited. She had just assumed it would be the same in high school. She had gone to all that trouble trying to break a school rule that didn’t even exist.

What do I do now? This is so embarrassing. I can feel my face heating up.

But at the same time, she felt relieved. It was like all the strength had left her body, and yet at the same time she felt so light. She felt the freedom that she had thought would only come from letting what was lovely melt away.

At some point, the boy had put on a gentle smile. “And hey, if you ask me, it’s worth following the rules.”

With that as his parting comment, the boy turned away. Sera wanted to say something, but before she could form the right words, he was already walking off.

The candy was already melting in her mouth. But it wasn’t lethal any more. All she could feel was the happiness that the flavor gave her.

The boy blended into the crowd, and she couldn’t make him out any longer.

Is there still something lovely inside of me?

Sera Sawako closed her eyes.

✽

“…and that’s about it,” Asai Kei finished.

Tsushima Shintarou sat in the Service Club clubroom, listening to the boy’s report. Every now and then, his gaze flicked over to Haruki Misora.

“So, do you believe Sera Sawako’s issue is resolved now?” Tsushima asked.

Kei gave a quick shake of his head. “Hard to say. It’s always possible that it could happen again.”

“What could be done to prevent future incidents?”

“I can’t really think of anything right now, not as long as she still has her ability.”

He was right, of course. Abilities were activated at the user’s wish. Short of removing her ability, there would be no guarantees.

Tsushima dismissively waved his hand in front of his face. “Alright, I get the jist of it. Go on, get outta here.”

“Very well. Until next time.” Kei and Haruki stood from the sofa. Then, just before leaving the room, the boy asked, “I very much appreciate you accepting my selfish demands.”

“Selfish?”

“Waiting to reset until the very last moment. I look forward to working with you more in the future. Until next time.” The two left the room.

After making sure the door closed correctly, Tsushima glanced back down at the two application forms on the table.

Asai Kei.

That boy’s a real puzzle. Tsushima could never tell if he was being sincere or just spouting nonsense.

Of course, by pure metrics, Haruki Misora’s ability was definitely stronger. Asai Kei’s perfect recall was officially only a second fiddle to hers. But whenever there was a problem with abilities, that boy managed to insert himself right into the center of it. He truly understood abilities better than anyone.

But why? Tsushima just couldn’t figure it out. It didn’t make sense that the boy should know any more than other students did, especially since he had only made himself at home in Sakurada four years ago.

Tushima couldn’t help but think that the phrase “made himself at home” fit the boy to a T. No matter where he was, he did what he wanted. He always seemed to have it all together, with the perfect understanding of everyone’s abilities to boot. And not just the functionality, but how it tied together with the user’s wants and wishes.

Well, it is what it is. At least Sera’s coming to school.

Asai Kei had completed his work. Another problem was off the ledger, as planned. Getting good results was always worth celebrating.

Tsushima had never had someone like that boy at his disposal before, someone who could so effectively take care of a problem. After all, nobody but Asai Kei was willing to step even an inch outside of the Administration Bureau’s boundary lines.

That kid might just be the one I can rely on.

Tsushima smiled at the thought. It was a smile of self-mockery.

A teacher was about to push the work he couldn’t do onto his student. That certainly wasn’t right. But even the wrong methods could still produce results.

There was a student that he absolutely needed to get back in school. She hadn’t attended once since last summer. Just like Sera, she was trapped within her ability, though her imprisonment took a different form.

What would happen if that girl were to cross paths with Asai Kei?

Another smile made its way onto Tsushima’s face as he picked up the boy’s application form.

He didn’t know exactly how it would go down, but he had a hunch that it just might work out.

A Marbled World and a Candied Resistance – END