episode_0022

Amy continued to explain citizenship to us as we headed to the restaurant.

It seemed like he wanted to instill in her the awareness that it was that important, but Shine just continued to look around with an uninterested expression.

“Shine, are you listening?”

“Yeah.”

Shine walked around the hallway, responding dryly to Amy’s words.

However, seeing as she never left Amy’s certain radius, it seemed like Shine also relied on Amy a lot.

“Then how many levels of general citizenship are there?”

“3rd grade.”

“What did Jeff and Shine get?”

“5th grade.”

“Okay. You remember well.”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’ll ask you one last question.”

Shine, who had been wandering around here and there, stopped moving at Amy’s words.

“Okay. Let me ask you the last question.”

Amy made a subtle expression at Shine’s attitude as she spoke with her chest out and both hands on her waist as if she was listening.

“What is the maximum area that a 5th grade citizen can go to?”

“Zone 5.”

Fifth-grade citizenship, a high-grade citizenship that the average person cannot obtain even if they work hard for their entire life.

Amy gave us that citizenship so easily, for nothing.

I couldn’t even guess her identity.

Because I had never heard of anyone being able to easily obtain a 5th class citizenship.

Even listening to her, it seemed like she could be granted a higher level of citizenship.

The district I was born in is District 23.

A place where vagabonds without even citizenship live.

An area symbolized by a giant garbage mountain where trash from all over the world gathers.

I shook my head hurriedly as memories from my childhood came to mind.

“Amy.”

“Huh?”

“Is there a third-class citizenship next?”

“It exists, but it is a grade that cannot be obtained through normal means.”

“What’s good about having a high grade?”

“You can do a lot.”

“A lot?”

Shine seemed interested in citizenship.

She moves closer to Amy and takes her hand.

“Whatever you want?”

“Most of them are.”

“Can you have everything you want?”

Shine’s eyes begin to sparkle.

Amy looked into Shine’s eyes, then squatted down and met Shine’s gaze.

“Is there anything you want, Shine?”

“There are so many.”

“You can have it all later.”

Amy smiled slightly and patted Shine’s head.

We went into the restaurant and started eating.

Shine, who had become interested in citizenship, began to ask Amy a lot of questions, to the point of being annoying.

But Amy never got annoyed and answered all of Shine’s questions.

Among them, the difficult questions are vaguely passed over.

“I want to know Amy’s rank.”

“You’ll find out later.”

“I want to know too.”

“It’s meal time now, so be quiet.”

Amy said, putting a finger to her lips.

Only then did Shine and I look around.

It seemed like my voice had gotten louder without me realizing it.

All eyes around us were turned towards us.

I quickly lowered my head.

Because the gaze of many people was burdensome.

But Shine wasn’t like that.

Instead, he even glares at them as if asking why they are looking at him.

But people give Shine a small smile as if they find her actions cute.

After finishing the meal, when they returned to the room, Shine said to Amy.

“Amy, give me your citizenship card.”

“Are you sure you won’t lose it?”

Amy said, pulling a card out of her pocket.

“Yeah.”

“What about Jeff?”

“I’m good.”

I shook my head with an uninterested expression.

It is a citizenship that cannot be used once you return anyway.

Although it was a high grade item, I wasn’t interested because it was something I couldn’t use.

“Then I’ll take it!”

Shine jumped up from the floor and grabbed the two cards from Amy’s hands.

“Jeff, are you sure it doesn’t matter?”

“Yes.”

I nod my head as I look at Shine, who is holding my card and smiling brightly.

It was a story that Amy had, that Shine had, that didn’t matter to me.

Go back.

okay.

I have to go back.

I have to get out of here.

Forgotten memories come back to me.

The vague sense of purpose is gradually becoming clearer.

I look down at my hands blankly.

The little hand moves slowly.

It’s not my body.

“Jeff!”

“….”

“Jeff!”

“…Yeah”

A bright voice comes into my ear.

At him, I blankly raise my head.

Shine, smiling brightly, approaches me and holds up the card.

“I’ll have it.”

“Yeah.”

I nod.

Shine, that’s not important to me right now.

I sat down on a nearby chair, rubbing my forehead.

As the blurry memories become clearer, the headache becomes worse.

What have I been doing until now?

“Amy.”

“Huh?”

I put my hands on the table.

A small hand stretches out and knocks on the high table.

Make a consistent rhythmic sound with your little finger.

Knock-knock-knock-

A dull sound rings out several times.

I close my eyes and clear my mind.

“When can I go out?”

The words that were difficult to utter were an expression of wanting to go out, wanting to get out of this place.

Disparate memories blur together.

Memories passing by before my eyes.

But that’s not my memory.

Memories of being with Shine? That’s ridiculous.

Fragments of disparate memories that I took for granted and considered to be my own are falling away.

My memories that come to mind after that.

The trigger was a memory from my childhood.

A huge mountain of trash rises, pushing away memories of happy childhood with Shine.

“Jeff?”

Shine’s curious voice flies in.

I raise my hand urgently.

“Shine. Wait… .”

It gets blurry when she comes.

Something very important is sinking deep.

I get up from my seat and start to back away.

Shine, who had been looking at me with a puzzled look on her face, then suddenly realized something and made a surprised expression before hurriedly running towards me.

Shine, who came running as if flying, hugs my body.

Memories that came to mind vividly fade away in an instant.

A body falling backwards, silver threads scattering.

Amy reaches out her hand towards us, seemingly surprised.

All the scenes start to fall apart.

I hear noise.

I fell to the floor and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The whitened gaze soon begins to recover.

The fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling are dazzling.

I raised my hand and rubbed my eyes.

“Jeff.”

I was rubbing my eyes when I turned my head to Shine’s words that flowed out as if whispering in my ear.

Shine, who was hugging me tightly, was looking at me.

“Shine.”

“Jeff, hold on a sec.”

I nod.

As she said, as she wanted.

The headache begins to go away quickly.

Fragmented memories begin to forcibly piece together.

A faint fog descends in a huge volume, as if covering the original spot.

“Hey guys, are you okay?”

“Amy.”

A huge shadow appears above the head that was lying down.

I let out a faint smile at the sight of Amy appearing with her back to the fluorescent light.

Amy, with a worried look on her face, reaches out and helps me and Shine up.

The body that was staggering quickly regains its original sense of balance.

“Amy. What did I just say?”

Memories are vaguely mixed.

I asked Amy, gently pushing Shine away from my arms.

“Just now?”

Amy tilts her head at my question.

She stroked her chin and then shook her head.

“No, I didn’t say anything.”

“That’s right. I didn’t say anything.”

Shine, who had escaped from my arms, looked up at Amy and said.

As she said, I said nothing.

just.

just.

What were you trying to do?

I made a sad face.

I felt like I was thinking of something important just now, but now I can’t remember anything.

Is this really the story that was important?

I feel a great sense of confusion at the fact that I cannot remember, at the feeling that only traces remain.

Shine’s gaze looking at me.

My appearance reflected in her eyes.

The girl who looks exactly like her is definitely me.

it’s me.

That is an undeniable fact.

“Shine… . I’m weird… .”

weird.

It’s really weird.

Aren’t the arms a little longer?

I think the legs were longer too.

His fingers were also thicker.

He wasn’t this short.

“No, Jeff. You’re not weird.”

Shine comes to me.

Arms outstretched.

A warm embrace that embraces me.

I bury my head in her arms.

The confused head begins to settle down quickly.

“Jeff was trying to watch television.”

Shine’s voice flows out quietly.

I nod.

Yes, that’s right.

I was going to watch television.

The thoughts that had previously been in my head quickly subsided.

I turn my head and check my watch.

It just so happens that my favorite show’s airtime is almost over.

“That’s right… .”

“Yeah. Jeff.”

The sadness disappears and a smile appears in its place.

“Amy.”

“Huh?”

I call Amy.

Because something I wanted to say to her came to mind.

My gaze flies across the room.

The candy fell down.

I ate it all.

I can’t remember how many cookies I’ve devoured with this small body.

“We’re out of candy.”

“There’s no cola.”

Shine also nods.

“Already?”

When Amy asked back in surprise, I nodded.

“You mean you already ate all that?”

Amy says this and looks at the trash can in the corner of the room.

Bags of overflowing snacks.

And empty plastic bottles.

Recycling separation was the result of thoughtless, ignorant shoving.

“I’ll understand since you’re growing up.”

Amy let out a small sigh, walked to the door, and started putting on her shoes.

“I’m going too.”

Shine, who had been clinging to me, fell away and ran to Amy.

I feel regret for the warmth that has disappeared.

I, who was caressing my empty arms, waved to them and bid them farewell.

Just after Shine and Amy left the room.

I stood up from my seat and grabbed the remote control.

Her little finger presses a button on the remote control.

A button that is pressed with a clicking feeling.

Then the television screen lights up.

The girl’s figure on the black screen disappears in an instant.