Sadalmelik

Uu-chan also lost his family in an accident. He must have had many troubles.

Nevertheless, when I ended up in similar circumstances, Uu-chan was concerned for me, and stayed with me everyday.

“Muu-chan, let’s go home together again. Wanna stay over until dinner?”

“I intruded yesterday, and the day before, too. Isn’t it annoying?”

“I mean, it’s just Mamarobo at home anyway.”

“Today’s when Weekly Shounen Dive releases, isn’t it?”

“I can read it with you there. Don’t act so cold.”

Uu-chan isn’t straightforward, but he’s truly a good, kind man.

☆

That’s why I talked to him about everything.

What I’d seen. What I should do from there.

All of the truths that the grown-ups didn’t believe, that not a single one of my classmates were likely to believe either.

“…which is why, that blinding light must be what a UFO emits when it performs an abduction.”

“Huuuh.”

“In the past, there have been cases of UFO sightings in various countries. And in one of those countries, after the UFO left, they apparently found deceased cattle torn limb from limb. But dad just disappeared. So there’s a high chance he’s still alive.”

“Mhm.”

“You’re not going to laugh?”

“It’s not like you’re gonna lie. I believe you.”

I was happy.

Happy that there was even just one person in the world who believed my story.

“My father was taken. So… I want to bring him back.”

“‘Course you would.”

“Will you assist me, Uu-chan?”

“Sure thing.”

I was happy.

Happy that Uu-chan agreed far more readily than I imagined.

“So what now? Do you have a plan?”

“A rather textbook one, yes. If I recreate the moment my father was abducted, don’t you think a UFO will appear again?”

“Sounds like it’s worth a shot.”

“However, the equipment we used was taken along with my father. I’ll have to prepare everything myself from now on.”

“Wow~ sounds tough~”

Uu-chan laughed and made a show of shrugging his shoulders, but his behaviour didn’t feel like it was making fun of me at all.

And then—

“Got it. Just let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

He said it as though it were simply natural to do so.

Uu-chan is truly the kindest.

☆

Preparing to recreate that day required a considerable amount of time.

I couldn’t buy high-grade communication equipment on an elementary student’s allowance, and the memory of what exactly my father used was hazy, so it took a number of years to gather what seemed right.

It then took even more years to learn the ins and outs of the wireless technology my father was skilled with.

By the time the preparations were finally in good order, Uu-chan and I were twelve years old.

Nevertheless, the reason I could get it all properly done was thanks to Uu-chan’s cooperation.

I gazed up at the pitch black sky from my window and thought.

Tomorrow night would mark six years since my father disappeared. Failure was not an option.

I’d make sure I succeeded. Absolutely.

Then, as I was thoroughly inspecting the equipment—

“Muneuji, are you still awake? Come downstairs! We need to talk about tomorrow!”

It was my mother’s voice.

“…”

I didn't… want to go.

So I impulsively pretended I didn’t hear her.

I told myself I had a duty more important than anything else tomorrow.

All the while feeling that it’s like I was in my rebellious period.

However, realising I wasn’t going to respond, my mother ascended the stairs.

“Come now, I’m calling for you. Hurry up downstairs.”

“…Fine.”

Greeting us in the living room was the voice of an eloquent man.

“Well, it can’t be helped. Muneuji-kun’s at that age where he’ll want to be alone at times, you know?”

“…”

“But he won’t listen at all about our trip tomorrow.”

“…”

“Yes, that’s true.”

The man scratched his head, looking troubled, and turned to face me, choosing his words carefully as he spoke.

“Sorry about calling for you and all.”

I…

“I was wondering if you didn’t want to go, Muneuji-kun?”

I…

“Since it’s finally summer vacation, I’m sure it’d be fun if we could all go on a trip or something…”

I—

“I won’t go.”

“W-wait, Muneuji!”

“Ah—… right, I see…”

“I have something more important to do tomorrow. Excuse me, then.”

That night, I grabbed all the communication equipment, and fled the house.

I didn’t tell my mother, nor the man smiling with his eyebrows lowered next to her, where I was going.