Part 213: 1/20/10

1/20/10

Aigis and I were hanging out, and just happened to run into that old woman with the cat and her grandson.



That old lady… She is Mewlie-san’s owner…
> You follow Aigis’s line of sight; that certainly is Mewlie’s owner.
> …She is with a male Gekkou High student.
Kiyoshi: Yo, Granny, I gots a date tonight.
But uh, I don’t have any money or anything, you know?
Mewlie’s Owner: Oh my, is that so? You poor dear.
You’re such a good boy, Kiyoshi… This advance on your allowance will just be between you and me.
Kiyoshi: …C’mon, quit it! I told you not to call me Kiyoshi!
Mewlie’s Owner: But it’s such a beautiful name! I picked it out, you know.
It was the name of a fine doctor from my home village…
Kiyoshi: …Yeah, I know. That’s only the 80 millionth time you’ve told me.
C’mon, hook me up already!
Mewlie’s Owner: Oh, yes, yes.
This isn’t much… try not to spend it all in one place!
Kiyoshi: Yeah, yeah. Seeya.
Mewlie’s Owner: Be careful, dear, and visit again soon!
> After taking the money, the male student trotted away…
This “Kiyoshi-san”… I wish to speak with him further.
> Aigis chased after Kiyoshi.

I wasn’t sure myself where she was going with this so I chased after her.



Kiyoshi: Geez! Don’t friggin’ call me that—
…H-Huh? A-Aigis-senpai?
Do you know me?
Kiyoshi: Well, doy… You’re famous!
I-I’m Kiyoshi Sakuma… a frosh.
Everyone calls me Joe, so if you could just—
I would like to ask you something, Kiyoshi-san. Is that alright?
Kiyoshi: ……
Uh, sure…
Kiyoshi-san… do you feel lonely when you are by yourself?
Kiyoshi: Huh? What…?
Your grandmother said that she is lonely, because she has nobody else.
Kiyoshi: …What is this, a lecture?
No, I… simply wish to know.
Why don’t you visit your grandmother more often?

I started to get where she was going with this after a bit. Oh, Aigis…



Kiyoshi: Nah, I’m just her grandson…
But I know a lecture when I hear it! Stay outta stuff that doesn’t concern you, okay?
Kiyoshi-san, have you ever considered what it means to live?
Kiyoshi: …To live?
Personally… I think the bonds between people are what’s most important.
That is what your grandmother is slowly losing.
Kiyoshi: ……
“To live”…? Are you kidding/ No one seriously talks like that.
What more do you need outta life than to have a blast?
“Having a blast”…
Kiyoshi: I mean, you’re happy when you’re having fun, right?
So hell yeah! We’re alive to be happy!
To be happy…
Kiyoshi: …So whaddya say, Aigis-senpai? Aelita-senpai, too!
If you got time, why don’t we—
Thank you, Kiyoshi-san.
Let’s go, Aelita-san.
Kiyoshi: Huh!? Wait wait wait wait!
That’s it? You really came and talked to me just to ask me that?
What is this, some kind of cult…? Scary, man…
> Kiyoshi ran away…

Yeah Aigis pretty much brushed him off, but I can’t say I thought it was the wrong thing to do.



…I can’t understand Kiyoshi-san’s feelings…
Did I do something wrong?
No, you didn’t.
I see…
I wonder why it is that having you reassure me that way is… well…
…It makes me happy.
> Aigis seems a little embarrassed.
I…
Ever since I decided to live…
I’ve been using words like “why” and “how” more frequently.
The more time I spend with you, the more things I discover that I cannot understand…
But the reason why I am not alive…
It remains a stumbling block.
……
Is this… “frustration”…?
But at the same time, I feel fortunate.
Although I’m not human, I enjoy a few privileges others do not…
After all, I am able to be near you, the one most precious to me…
It’s strange how two conflicting feelings can coexist…
> You can sense Aigis’ feelings for you…

It’s selfish but I kind of don’t want to share the time we have left together before the final battle.



To be honest…
My feelings toward Kiyoshi-san are… unusually harsh.
Kiyoshi-san has warm, soft hands he can use to feel those precious to him…
And yet, he…
……
What is this ugly feeling…?
I wonder… is this jealousy…?
Let’s stop this… It isn’t right.
Yes. I’ll stop right here.
…Shall we go home, then?
> You decide to go back to the dorm.

I just wish I knew how to make her believe that I don’t care about all the things she’s always worrying about. I guess I’ll just have to give it more time.