"You're right... How is that possible with all this wind?"
"—These windmills don't turn with the wind, you know."
"!?"
Startled by the sudden voice behind us, Summer and I turned around together. Standing there was a girl with a gentle smile that matched the soft breeze on the hill.
"You're not from around here, are you? Just visiting?"
"Oh, um… actually, we just moved to this town today."
"Really? Also, you don't need to use formal language with me. We're the same age, right?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm in my third year of high school. Are you too?"
"Right, that's what I thought." Her confident assertion left me a bit flustered.
"Have I met her before…? No, it's clear I haven't."
Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist, and her beautiful, ocean-like irises sparkled. She looked more cute than beautiful, a face I wouldn't easily forget. Yet I had no memory of meeting her.
"Yep! I'm a third-year at Rainbow Hill High School. Is that girl behind you your sister?"
The mysterious girl quickly hid behind Summer, or rather, used her as a shield, smiling at her.
"Oh, yes! I'm this idiot's little sister."
"I'll kill you!"
"Hey, I was surprised! It's not my fault, right!?"
"You don't introduce someone you just met like that! Consider my position!"
"My big brother!"
"That's just your relationship, not a position!"
"Fufu. You two get along well."
"'We won't deny that.'"
As she listened to the harmonized words, the girl merely smiled sweetly. At least it was a relief that she wasn't being looked down upon...
"—The windmill."
"Excuse me?"
"The windmill here only turns when something special happens."
"Something special...?"
"Exactly. Something special. It's strange how it doesn't turn, no matter how strong the wind blows."
To me, it's even stranger that you're having this conversation with a complete stranger…
As I pondered what to say, Summer, who had emerged from behind me, posed a question to the girl.
"What do you mean by something special?"
That was indeed a pressing question. What kind of event would make it turn?
"Well, that's—"
Suddenly, a shadow crossed the girl's face. It was filled with sadness, as if she were desperately holding back some overwhelming emotion.
"I don't know either."
"…"
It was a lie—I felt that instinctively.
But I couldn't press her. I had no right to. Because—
"...Why are you crying...?"
The girl was crying, tears streaming down her smiling face.
Before I could ask her the reason, she quickly deflected.
"Well... I wonder why I'm crying? Oh, by the way, I haven't introduced myself yet."
Tears glistened on her beautiful face, adding a sorrowful touch, while her smile attempted to mask the loneliness behind it. Neither Summer nor I could muster a response. Yet the girl continued speaking, completely unaware of how we felt.
"—Nice to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you."
Tears of sorrow fell to the ground as the girl extended her hand towards us.
"I'm Kazami Jasper. You can call me whatever you like. Can I also get your names?"
She tilted her head slightly, as if she were unaware of her own tears. For a moment, I questioned whether what I had seen was merely an illusion. Yet, the damp streaks on her slightly flushed cheeks told a different story.
"...Big brother," Summer looked up at me, clearly troubled.
Honestly, I wasn't sure how to respond to her expression. Having someone approach us out of the blue and burst into tears naturally sparked suspicion. Yet, strangely, my mind was telling me that Jasper was safe.
It was an odd sensation—my instincts trusted her, independent of my thoughts. Was it simply because she was cute? Or perhaps because she exuded no malice? No... none of those answers felt right. After all, cuteness shouldn't be tied to trust.
Ah, forget it. I'd just go with my instincts; thinking was becoming a hassle.
I took Jasper's outstretched hand. It was warm and soft, and in that instant, a wave of comfort washed over me. I felt a growing sense of uncertainty about myself.
"I'm Shuhei Fukanagi, and this is my sister, Summer. It was a strange meeting with you, Jasper... Is it okay to say 'nice to meet you'?"
"Let's be friends!" Jasper replied brightly, dispelling my uncertainty with a warm smile. I echoed her words, but it came out as more of a question.
"Yeah, 'nice to meet you' is fine."
Jasper pulled out her smartphone from the pocket of her light cardigan and opened a messaging app.
"Do you want to be friends?"
"I'm surprised to see someone from the countryside with a smartphone."
I admired how naturally she took it out, just like any girl from the city.
"Well, it may be the countryside, but everyone here has a smartphone."
"That's surprising. Is a QR code okay?"
"Let's do the shaking thing! I really like that feature."
"Sure!"
"Here's my QR code. Once you register my brother, can you add me too?"
"Of course! Summer, let's do it together!"
As we shook our phones to complete the friend registration, Jasper sent a group invitation code. It seemed Summer received the same invite and looked at Jasper, seeking clarification.
"What's this group?"
"It's a group of my friends. You'll be coming to Dawn school, right? I'm planning to introduce you to them. Oh, they might be seniors to you, but it would be great if you don't worry too much about the hierarchy."
Honestly, there were so many points to address that I didn't know where to start. Dawn—somehow aware of why Summer and I were transferring to Rainbow Hill High School—suddenly introduced us to a person he had just met today. As a bonus, he told Summer not to worry about hierarchy.
"Um... Weatherby, can I ask you one thing?"
"Hmm? Well, if it's just one question, I'll answer anything you want."
"When was your first time?"
Now's not the moment for that.
"...If that's really what you want to know, I could tell you."
"Why can you be so familiar with someone you've just met?"
That's pretty blunt. Even I wouldn't ask it that directly.
"Do you dislike being familiar?"
But Jasper seemed completely unfazed. He directed his question to Summer, and it felt as if he already knew the answer.
"No... actually, I prefer it. I'm not fond of extremes, but Weatherby seems to understand personal space... I just didn't feel uncomfortable."
"If you don't mind, then that's what matters, right?"
Jasper spoke as if reciting a pre-prepared line.
"I will meet the two of you here today. I knew it would feel like the beginning of a dream. That's why I decided to encounter you both, to keep dreaming my dream."
"What kind of dream is that?"
Even though there are countless questions I want to ask, I can't help but be intensely curious about that answer.
"It's a really fun dream. One that I want to last forever."
"Are you saying that to experience the fun dream you're talking about, we are essential?"
"Yes, absolutely."
Jasper replied without hesitation.
Deep within her blue irises, I could see a determination that words couldn't convey. Yet, I couldn't grasp why she clung to this dream or why she hid her sadness behind a smile.
"But no matter how wonderful it is, there's no dream that doesn't wake you up, right? Every dream must come to an end; there's no dream without an ending. That's why I continue to dream—to bring the dream to its conclusion."
"…What you're saying is completely nonsensical. I don't understand at all. What are you trying to say, Jasper?"
"There's only one thing I want to express."
Jasper raised her index finger, then turned away. Her back facing me looked lonely, yet her voice carried a sense of joy.
"Let's enjoy our days together. So until next time, Dawn, Ethan, Summer."
As Jasper abruptly cut off the conversation, he turned and walked back the way he came. During that time, I couldn't find the words, and it wasn't until his figure disappeared from view that I finally spoke up.
"…So, you know Summer?"
"Unfortunately, I don't have any friends like that quirky girl."
"When someone approaches you so boldly on a first meeting, it's hard to know how to react."
"There were moments when it felt like she knew about us, like mentioning Dawn's school."
I didn't need Summer to point out the oddities; they were clear as day. Despite being obviously suspicious, there was a strange comfort in having her around.
"Fun days ahead, huh?"
"Brother?"
"Why not? Let's go with it."
If I spent my days with Jasper, I'd gradually understand what those words really meant. Besides, I wasn't uninterested in the fun times he spoke of; in fact, I could feel a sense of excitement growing inside me.
"Well, I figured you'd say that, big brother. Anything that sounds fun is good enough, right?"
"It's not that anything goes. I have my doubts too. But... I think Jasper will be fine. There's no solid proof, but there's something about him that inspires trust."
The sense of reassurance I felt when I held his hand was something I couldn't shake. It sounds strange, but I knew that feeling well, even if I couldn't recall when I'd felt it before. Still, I could assert, without hesitation, that I recognized that sensation.
"Hey, Summer. I just thought of something."
"Yeah?"
"What if Jasper is actually our childhood friend and we've just forgotten about him?"
"No way. Hearing that from you seriously confuses me."
"I was hoping to see you smile, Summer. I never expected a serious response."
"Honestly, I was prepared to laugh, but... it just didn't feel right. I don't hate Weatherby, but I can't say I like him either."
"Well... I guess he does have a specific taste."
Personally, I found her kind of attractive, but I knew if I said that, Summer would have something to say, so I kept quiet.
"Shall we pick up the pickles and dumplings I ordered?"
"Yeah, we need to organize our stuff anyway. Do you think we'll finish today?"
"We don't have to push ourselves to finish today. We're tired from the long trip; let's take our time over a few days. Besides, we have school."
"I want to skip school."
Summer sighed dramatically.
"Let's head home, big brother. The house is calling for me."
We followed the weary figure of Summer as we left Jasper Hill behind us.
To be continued.
"…Mmm."
The morning sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, waking me up. The fact that I can wake up without an alarm must be a sign of a well-regulated sleep schedule.
"...School is such a drag."
I grumbled as I changed into my newly purchased uniform for Rainbow Hill High School. The uniforms for both boys and girls were blazers—simple and plain, lacking the elaborate designs seen in anime and manga.
"Should I wake Summer up for breakfast?"
On the way back from Jasper Hill yesterday, I picked up some sweet bread for breakfast at the convenience store. I had considered cooking for myself, but it was easier to rely on pastries—cooking just felt like too much of a hassle.
"Summer? You awake?"
Having finished changing, I moved to Summer's room and called out while knocking on the door, but there was no response from inside.
I expected as much. Once she goes to sleep, Summer rarely wakes up on her own; she only manages to rise voluntarily about once a year. So, before I moved here, it had become my job to wake her up, or else I'd face her unreasonable wrath.
"I'm coming in!"
Knowing I wouldn't get an answer, I just walked into her room. You'd be hard-pressed to find another brother barging into his sister's room without permission like this.
The place was still a mess, with things strewn everywhere. Among the clutter were undergarments and other items that made it difficult for a boy my age to know where to look.