The windmills were spinning.
Despite the stillness of the air, they spun round and round. It was as if they sensed something, rotating endlessly. There were not just one or two, but dozens, even hundreds of windmills in motion.
What a strange sight. After all, windmills are supposed to turn only when the wind blows, right? Yet here, in this windless place, so many were turning—an occurrence that defies the laws of nature.
Or rather… is this even Anywhere? Despite having seen this place countless times, having walked these paths countless times, I couldn't remember why.
I believed that if I kept walking, something would trigger my memory. With that thought, I attempted to take a step forward.
"...?"
However, my feet ignored my will and stayed rooted in place. It felt as if I had been told not to move. I stubbornly tried to push ahead, but nothing changed.
Reluctantly, I gave up on moving and decided to devise a different plan. Since my feet wouldn't move, I mimicked the pose of Rodin's "The Thinker" with my hands, and for a brief moment, I felt a spark of wisdom.
"...Hmm?"
Suddenly, something caught my eye at the edge of my vision. My gaze turned naturally in that direction. There stood a girl, alone.
"..."
I didn't know her name or face. Yet, why did she evoke such a profound sense of nostalgia within me? Why did my heart feel like it was about to burst with emotion?
"—Please, remember me."
The girl seemed unaware of my presence. But in such an open space, that was odd. Perhaps she couldn't see me at all. This place felt strangely surreal.
It was as if I were in a dream. If I were told that, I would readily believe it. If this truly were a dream, it made sense that the girl didn't notice me. Dreams are peculiar; sometimes you're merely an observer, and other times, you take center stage. Right now, it felt like I was an observer.
So, I decided to watch her closely.
Her long black hair fell to her waist. The contours of her delicate face were more cute than beautiful. Her small, pale pink lips glistened, as if adorned with a gloss.
Yet what captivated me most were her eyes—deep blue irises reminiscent of the ocean, drawing me in with their allure. The more I looked, the stronger the feeling grew that I had met her somewhere before.
But I had no memory of this girl. She had an appearance that would be impossible to forget, so I knew there was no chance of memory loss.
"—Please, remember your existence."
She paused, and at her feet stood a windmill, unmoving and still.
The girl picked up the windmill gingerly and held it close to her chest.
"...I'm sorry," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
Several droplets fell from her trembling hands.
"...Next time, I promise I'll keep my word."
The mention of a promise tightened something in my chest.
A nagging doubt crept in: was there something important I had forgotten?
At that moment, a sudden gust of wind blew, and the windmill—once spinning wildly—came to an abrupt halt. I was rendered speechless by the strange sight. More astonishing was the windmill in the girl's hand, which started turning on its own.
"It's okay. You're still—"
My vision faded into a blinding white light, so bright I couldn't keep my eyes open. At the same time, a sensation of weightlessness enveloped me, and I lost all sense of my own position.
Part of me, oddly calm, thought, Ah, I must be waking from a dream. Maybe I'll tell my sister Summer about this strange dream once I'm awake.
"..."
Then, amid my fading awareness, a small question flickered in my mind.
Why am I dreaming?
I had no recollection of falling asleep.
If I am asleep, it's strange that I can't recall anything beforehand.
What was I doing just before drifting off?
…Oh no, it's slipping away. Why can't I remember? Why is it all so foggy?
My consciousness was fading, as if I might disappear completely. I could think no further. Just then, a familiar voice echoed in my mind.
"—You are still here."
To be continued.
"—Big brother. —Hey, big brother!"
I felt someone shaking my shoulder.
As I swayed back and forth, my awareness gradually sharpened. The familiar scent of citrus filled the air, and the voice that called me "big brother" became clear—
"—Big brother!!"
A sharp sting shot through my cheek. Ignoring the throbbing pain, I opened my eyes to find my beloved little sister peering at me with a worried expression.
"Are you okay, big brother?"
"…"
"Hey? Big bro? If you're alive, raise your right hand. If you're dead, raise your left!"
I raised my left hand in silence.
"Um, hello? Mom? I think my big brother is dead!"
"Wait, wait, wait!"
I knocked my phone, which was clearly in a call, off my lap and let out a dramatic sigh at my grinning sister.
Deep Nagi Summer—that's my sister's name. I'm Shuhei Nagi, and with a one-year age difference, we're known around the neighborhood as the inseparable siblings.
While it's said that teenage siblings quarrel constantly, that's not the case for us. Not at all. We've never had a single fight; if one of us is in trouble, the other jumps in without hesitation.
"Why did you slap me? That hurt."
"It's a love tap, big brother!"
"Your love—I'll accept it on this cheek."
"If you want, I can offer you a round-trip slap service."
"I'd respectfully decline that offer."
I have to admit, I am a genuine siscon. When it comes to Summer, no matter what choice threatens the fate of the Earth, my priority will always be her. A world without Summer holds no value... wait, in this case, choosing Summer would mean the end of the planet. Oh well.
"Mom is terrible, right? Suddenly telling us to live together—what is this, a dating sim?"
Just like Summer said, we were starting our life together today. Right now, we were on a train heading to our new place. Apparently, I had been sleeping and Summer woke me up.
The scenery outside the window was as monotonous as ever. It was amusing how the landscape shifted from urban to rural, like rewinding time, but now all I could focus on was how inconvenient our new life would be.
"Seriously, why send us to such a rural area? It feels like going back to the Stone Age."
"Mom says it's all part of our education! Can you believe that? It makes no sense."
"When I go to school and my friends ask, 'Aren't you supposed to be expelled?' I swear I felt real rage towards Mom."
I never imagined that a parent would go through the process of withdrawing their child from school without telling them. After that, I landed a fierce chop to Mom's head alongside Summer. Just thinking about that moment frustrates me.
"Hey, big brother, do you want some chocolate?"
"Sure! Chocolate really is best when it's milk chocolate."
The sweetness of the chocolate soothes my irritated mind.
Why do sweet things offer such comfort? I ponder as I let the chocolate melt on my tongue.
"They say eating too much chocolate can cause nosebleeds, right?"
"No, that's just a myth."
I respond while gazing out at the passing scenery. There's no scientific basis for nosebleeds caused by too much chocolate; it's purely a superstition.
"Yeah, I know."
"Hey, Summer. You're really bored right now, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
When Summer engages in shallow conversation like this, it's usually a sign of her boredom. The topics lack any real substance and are merely a way to pass the time.
"Stuck in the same position, staring at the same view. The last piece of chocolate is sitting in your mouth. It's no wonder you're bored."
"…"
While the first two comments are fine, it's frustrating to be blamed for the last one...
"By the way, big brother, which station are we getting off at? We shouldn't have to change trains, right?"
"Nijigaoka. No transfers."
"Is the name of the town Rainbow Hill? I wonder what it's like."
The town we're moving to today is called Rainbow Hill.
From what I researched beforehand, it seems like a typical rural town with nothing remarkable about it. There weren't even any signs of activities that might interest young people.
However, I became intrigued by a place known as Jasper Hill. According to online information, that hill has countless wind turbines planted in the ground. What's more, I heard that they don't actually spin even when the wind blows, and my curiosity was naturally piqued by that.
Since I love fun and interesting things more than anything else, I plan to take Summer there once we arrive in Rainbow Hill.
"I'm not expecting a shopping mall, but there has to be at least a convenience store, right?"
"Of course there is. If there isn't, our lives would be in jeopardy."
"Given that we both can cook, but tend to be lazy about it, what will we do if there's no convenience store?"
"We'll have no choice but to cook for ourselves. Is there any other option?"
"I'll go home. To my parents' place."
"If you could do that, you'd be home already."
It seems to be one of those adult matters. What circumstances would allow someone to send their child off to the countryside like this? The only silver lining is that they deposit living expenses into my account every month.
"How much longer until we arrive?"
As Summer sighs, the sound of a man's voice, presumably the conductor, crackles through the old speakers installed on the train.
"Next stop: Nijigaoka. We will be stopping at Nijigaoka."
"Looks like it's our stop. Time to get ready to disembark."
"Yeah. Once we get off, let's look for a convenience store. I'm starving."
"Agreed."
The clock had just passed noon, and I hadn't eaten breakfast, so my stomach was also making its demands known. Before heading to Wind Jasper Hill, a meal was essential. The only concern was whether there would actually be a convenience store nearby... but I choose to believe there will be. If not, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
***
"Mountains everywhere."
"Yeah, mountains."
The view was dominated by hills and peaks. It seemed true that the town was enveloped by mountains.
"A river too."
"Yeah, a river."
A stream flowed right beside the station. The water was clear enough to see the riverbed below.
"Oh, look! A sleeping cat."
"Adorable."
Summer pointed at a cat dozing on top of a mailbox, smiling. Watching her made me feel at ease.
"This place feels so rural."
"Definitely rural."
There was none of the usual urban noise or towering buildings—just a sense that time had stood still here.
"There's nothing here."
"Absolutely nothing."
"…Sigh."
Summer let out a sigh for what felt like the umpteenth time. After taking a few sips from the juice she had just bought from the vending machine outside the station, she tossed it to me. Then, stretching her arms wide, she gazed up at the clear blue sky.
"—I want to go home...!!" Summer cried out with desperation.
I completely understood her feelings. I wanted to go home too. Rainbow Hill Town was more rural than we had ever imagined. A convenience store? No way. I was a fool to even hope for one.
"Hey, big brother, what are we having for lunch?"
"Do you see those white flowers over there? Those are called dokudami..."
"I'm not eating that! And definitely not raw!"
Yeah, I figured she'd say that. Dokudami can actually be delicious when fried, and in some countries, it's commonly eaten, but in Japan, it's more famous as a tea.
"So what are we going to do? It's clear we won't find a decent meal anywhere."