Society fears that young people don’t want to be literary godfathers

and so.

Mochizuki, who had never gone shopping with Kurihara's mother, nor had she ever gone out with anyone on Christmas Eve, responded quite clearly:

"After I finish washing the dishes, let's go for a walk together? After all, this is our "Sloth Fish"'s first team building."

"...Oh, you will wash the dishes today, right?"

"?"

Only then did he realize that he had accidentally promised something terrible, and Mochizuki's expression instantly separated:

"No, there is no such thing, it was just a slip of the tongue——"

"Don't go back on your promises easily."

"...Gu, okay."

"Remember to take out the trash for me too."

"I got it, Nobi Saki."

"Thank you, Doraemon~"

"...This is a new nickname, it's so disgusting."

"Is it disgusting... Then I'll call you Ah Li from now on, how about that?"

"It doesn't matter what it is...as long as it's not an abstract nickname."

"Pfft... ok."

After the laughter, the slightly frigid jokes of boys and girls echoed in the gradually warming winter day.

........

Pushing Kurihara's mother's wheelchair, Mochizuki and the girl walked together on the street in the early winter.

The sky was as clear as a blue, and the burning stream of light penetrated the winter breeze and shot down from the gaps between the dense pine needles, forming thick and thin beams of light, illuminating the tree shadows filled with gauze-like mist.

Autumn is gone and winter is coming.

Looking at the sparse people on the street and the silver-haired girl sitting in a wheelchair with a calm expression, the young man couldn't help but speak softly:

"I always feel that when winter comes, the whole world changes."

"........yes."

Kurihara Saki tightened the pure white cotton gloves on her hands and said in a clear voice:

"I probably haven't told you... Actually, before I got into a wheelchair, I always liked to wander around at times like this."

"Does this mean that if I push you out, it will be considered as fulfilling your wish?"

"Haha...right."

Responding ambiguously to Mochizuki, a withdrawn young man who almost never reveals his true feelings to others, Kurihara Saki's eyes seemed to have changed a bit when he talked about the past——

But, before her voice changed to a slightly sad tone.

The girl's expression has undergone some changes.

"Oh, so beautiful."

Attracted by the beautiful scenery not far away, the bitter thoughts in the girl's heart were also thrown away.

As if she was overflowing with curiosity, the girl looked at this moment with gleaming eyes. The artificial beach seemed to be solidified with memory soon. There was a look on her face that seemed to only be seen by a child, stained with... Some childlike expectations:

"It's so beautiful...Although I occasionally walked home on this road before I was disabled, I have never noticed how beautiful this artificial beach is."

".......Clam?"

Mochizuki was stunned, as if the stepmother next door suddenly changed her mood and felt a little numb:

"It's just an artificial beach...Isn't this strange?"

"So you really have no interest, Ah Li."

Pulling Mochizuki Ri's sleeve playfully, Kurihara Saki looked at Mochizuki Ri in front of her with hopeful eyes:

"In order to restore your innocence... let's go down and take a look together?"

"no--"

Mochizuki hurriedly waved his hand and refused:

"What's so good to see here...isn't it just an artificial beach?"

"Well... boring..."

"Don't put on such a helpless expression... I'm the most speechless one, okay?"

Looking at Kurihara Saki's bulging face, the boy held his forehead speechlessly, pointed to the artificial beach, and patiently explained to Kurihara's mother, whose aura had degenerated into that of a girl of the same generation:

"Don't you know that artificial beaches are very dirty? There are many parasites under the water - well, just the pool on the beach in the direction of my finger. God knows how long the water has not been changed... there are so many There are old people and children playing down there, and just thinking about it makes me feel like this thing is so dirty...hiss, disgusting!"

"You're right, but it's winter now and no one is playing anymore."

Kurihara Saki waved her hands and complained:

"So Ali really has no interest...it's such a beautiful scenery, but when you said that, it suddenly became disgusting——"

"You are quite idealistic... In short, I won't go down anyway. When I see these dirty things, goosebumps fall to the ground. Believe it or not, you should go home quickly." , don’t stay outside for too long, lest your parents worry..."

...

In the not-too-distant past, Mochizuki really thought that he would never go down to the artificial beach and imitate the naive children born in the Reiwa era who played there.

........But it was obvious that the boy's face had been slapped inadvertently:

"...You guy, don't be so willful!"

Mochizuki tilted his head and looked at Kurihara Saki who held his sleeves and insisted on keeping him by his side. He was speechless for a moment:

"That's almost it... Let me tell you in advance, you will never go into the water!"

"I understand - and I can't go into the water, so don't worry."

Saying this very gently, Kurihara Saki sat quietly in the wheelchair, with a rare smile like a flower:

"Just watch it from here, pretending that we are really at the beach and blowing the sea breeze."

"...There is sea everywhere in Japan, why do you still stay on this small artificial beach?"

Mochizuki complained while looking at the artificial beach that seemed to have floating golden lines:

"What's so good about this thing...I think about it, but it doesn't have the feeling of vast expanse of blue like the sea."

".......you do not understand."

Kurihara Saki smiled, raised his head, looked at the gradually blurring sky, his voice was slightly blurred:

"With my current body, I can't go very far with you... Even going to a real beach is a bit troublesome, isn't it?"

"What do you mean, the transportation is so developed now, if you want to, it's absolutely no problem."

"...You still don't understand, Ali."

With his head slightly drooped, Kurihara Saki's voice was calm, but there was obviously some bitterness in it:

"With my current body, even if I can really follow you to the beach, to further places, to bigger cities, I'm afraid it will cause you trouble..."

That's it.

The girl in the wheelchair stretched out her little hand, as if she wanted to touch the small artificial beach, and her voice seemed a little ambiguous:

"...Actually, I am very satisfied. Even if I can only accompany you to a place like this, even if there is no chance to continue our partnership in the future, I have no regrets -"

"What does it mean?"

"...No, it's nothing..."

A faint cowardice emerged, and Kurihara Saki, who had always seemed relatively cold, now felt a little shrinking:

"I just feel a little emotional about how time flies. In the blink of an eye, it's almost my senior year of high school - by the way, have you decided which university you want to apply for?"

"I... I think I will go to Tokyo. Tokyo University may be difficult, but Waseda is still possible."

"...You are really scary. Even though you are so good at singing, your academic performance is not bad. Unlike me, I can do nothing but help arrange music."

That's it.

Kurihara Saki's smile disappeared instantly.

"...That's right, Ah Li."

The girl in the wheelchair heard a voice:

"...If I sing a duet with you, I might hold you back. Is it really okay?"

"I told you that this is not the case. You are my partner. How can I not know your level?"

"...However, the reason for the attention that time was due to my extraordinary performance. I may not be able to take advantage of this kind of warmer song——"

"...Are you scared? Kurihara."

Mochizuki was silent for a moment before asking a question.

And it was at this moment that Kurihara Saki's expression fell into a dull state.

"........Yes."

After a long time, the girl nodded slowly:

“The thought of Sloth Fish’s transformation, the chorus being released on Christmas Day, and the fact that our time together is drawing to a close….. scares me.”

"........."

Hearing this, Mochizuki was slightly startled.

At this time, he vaguely understood why Kurihara Saki wanted to write this song for himself as the third year of high school was approaching and Christmas was approaching——

The girl finally revealed her vaguely complicated thoughts to herself.

And for the first time, the boy who was so clearly aware of Kurihara's thoughts was gradually occupied by inexplicable emotions:

"Why do you...why care about these things?"

"...Because this is the first song I've written for you, and I don't know if I'll have the chance to write it again in the future -"

"........"

At this moment, a stream of light flashed in front of the young man's eyes.

Feeling a faint warmth welling up in his heart, the young man looked at the girl who turned her head and her voice was trembling slightly, her expression as clear as ever:

"Okay, don't be so nervous...Didn't I say it? We are only 16 years old. It doesn't matter if we encounter setbacks or even failures. After all, there are no green hills in life, right?"

"And to be honest, as far as our fans' expectations for you are concerned, don't you think you have already won as long as you sing again... After all, many people are looking forward to you opening your voice again. "

".......Well."

Responding slightly stiffly, Kurihara Saki still didn't turn his little head back:

"Really, what a cunning rhetoric... If I don't perform well and get insulted by disappointed fans, wouldn't it be over?"

"It's okay, I'm still here."

"........"

Hearing what Mochizuki said, Kurihara Saki's thin body that was a little shrunken also started to tremble faintly at this moment.

The girl who turned her head slightly, with evasive eyes and a faint blush on her ears, also trembled in her voice at this moment:

"Really, really...?"

"Of course it's true - after all, this is a chorus, so don't worry. If you encounter something that cannot be solved, I will help cover it up."

"Are you kidding? I don't believe this kind of empty promise——"

"Then, shall I make you a promise?"

The young man clapped his fingers and his voice was smooth and steady, but it made the girl feel an unprecedented peace of mind:

"In times of crisis, shout three times in your heart: Heroes! Heroes! Heroes! - and I will come to the rescue."

"Pfft."

Amused by the boy's sudden silly words, Kurihara Saki's hidden emotions disappeared without a trace, and she couldn't help laughing: