I Thought I Was Dreaming

Why does Kafka…

We’re not sure if he’ll live to 20, and even if he does live until then…

*gasp*

(A dream… Was everything…? No, where did it end?)

(No, they already did the operation. I’m still alive.)

*sigh…*

(I’m…back here again.)

*gasp* Y-You’re awake…?! Are you okay…?

…Renga.

Ah, don’t get up! The doctor said you shouldn’t move…

Um, the chief is talking to your family right now, and Sakujiro’s taking care of all of the paperwork. Everyone else is, uh, they were just here, but they’ll be back soon…

…Okay.

…Are you feeling alright?

I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you… I’m a terrible mayor.

…No, you’re not.

Ahaha, when I woke up just now, I thought everything that happened up until today was one long dream.

I thought my surgery had failed, and I went back to lying in this bed, useless and struggling to even stay alive.

……

I can’t believe I fainted after just dancing for a little bit. It’s pathetic. Did I disappoint you?

…Stop talking about yourself like that.

…I’m telling the truth.

Oh, but don’t worry. I expected this would happen, so I prepared an AI that can do my work for me while I’m gone.

Sakujiro knows how to activate it, and I’m sure you can do the concert without me if you have to. I was just overdoing things because I knew you have a copy of me to rely o⁠—

…Shut the hell up!!

……

An AI can’t replace you!

You’re the one who said that hospitality has value because it’s something that machines can’t do…!

…!

I’m stupid, so I don’t get a lot of things, but…I know that it’s not right to push yourself this hard just because there’s an AI who can do the work for you.

You might be the Ward 0 mayor, but you’re also a member of the Morning Team… So I’m your leader…!

Rely on me, for god’s sake! There’s so much you can do that I can’t!

Renga…

Don’t call yourself useless. You’re amazing…

……

I never thought I’d be lectured by you, Renga.

I’m only doing it because you don’t take care of your health…!

…Haha. I’m sorry.

I’ll take it back. Well, I was telling the truth about the AI, but…

That was the first time in my life I felt that I could devote myself to something and work at it for my future.

Maybe dancing isn’t for me, but it felt like a school club, so…I was having fun. I’ve never experienced school life first hand.

Oh…

But still… You shouldn’t push yourself so hard!

Yeah. You’re right… I’m just worried.

…But you’re so smart.

Ahaha, what does that have to do with anything?

…I’m a lot like my mother. Frustratingly so.

Oh, I think I know about her. She was a famous scientist…

Yeah. She was also beautiful and perfect at everything. Just like me.

Y-Yeah.

She died when I was still young… She had a weak constitution.

……

She achieved a lot while she was alive, but she never finished the last research project she was working on.

When her time was almost up, I still remember seeing her crying, saying that she didn’t want to die, all the while trying to hide those feelings from me.

She acted brave in front of me, but she was afraid of dying without accomplishing anything…or so my dad told me.

I saw it sometimes when I was little.

That…must’ve been hard.

Yeah. That’s why I’m worried. I don’t want to die without achieving my goal like my mom did.

……

…But whatever. I’m just whining now.

…I know how hard it is to lose a family member. Something like that can…change your whole life.

…Renga.

But you’re not your mother, and I… I’m not my grandmother.

You can’t be someone you’re not. It doesn’t matter how similar you are, you’ll never turn into them.

…I won’t tell you to stop worrying. But let yourself be pampered sometimes! I mean, you’re our president, so order us around!

…Huh?

You made us live in those dorms even though we didn’t want to and dragged us out on a study trip… You’re pushy as hell!

So why’re you tryna to hold yourself back in the worst ways? Aren’t presidents supposed to be selfish?

Huhh? Ahaha… What are you talking about?

You’re scared of failing. I’m…really scared too. If I fail now…Ward 3 is done for. So I’m worried too.

You’re out here overseeing all of HAMA, and you even put in all of your assets and bet your whole life on this…so I know that you feel like you have to succeed.

But you’re the one who said that teamwork is important! So… I’ll come visit you here every day and dance for you!

Huh…

You’ll memorize the choreo if you see it that often, right? I’m good at physical stuff like this, so leave it all to me!

……

Haha…

?!

W-Why are you laughing?!

No, it’s just… You’re gonna come in here to dance? Every day?

Yeah, that’s what I just said!

Aha, ahaha…!

Huhhh?! What’s so funny?! Are you feeling loopy from a fever or something…?!

…Sorry, haha, you really got me… I can’t breathe, hahaha…

I heard someone laughing from outside. Kafka, you’re awake. That’s a relief.

Ah, Yukikaze! Hey, can you watch me dance for a moment and lemme know if I got the choreo down?

…? Sure, but why here?

I told Kafka that I’d come visit every day and dance for him. He can memorize it that way, right?

Ah, I see. That’s a good idea. But we have that video of Yachiyo showing us the choreography, right? Couldn’t he just watch that?

Wh… Ah… W-We do…

Ahahahaha!

Kafka! You knew the whole time, didn’t you?!

Ahh, my stomach hurts…

I was tryna be nice… Dammit, you can just watch the video then…

…Nah. Renga, I want you to come visit and dance for me.

Huh?!

And that’s an order from your president. ♪

…!

Dammit… Fine. I’ll do it! You better be grateful!

Yeah… This is the first time I’ve been glad to have you as our leader. Thanks, Renga.

Wait, so that means you didn’t approve of me before?!

Ahaha, hey, don’t get mad at me. I’m just a sickly patient, remember?

(I don’t know what happened, but they seem closer than before.)

My little brothers are working so hard.

I’m not your little brother. And I need you to work hard too, you know.

Of course. I’ll keep that in mind.

…Ah, am I interrupting?

…!

No, we just got started. Kafka’s awake.

……

Kafka… Um… Are you okay?

…Yeah.

(Things are still awkward since we had that fight. I should apologize, but I still don’t want him to push himself…)

…Did you two have a fight or something?

Well, not really, I guess…

What the hell?! Chief was worried like crazy about you. It was like the world was about to end.

Let’s get outta here, Yukikaze!

Huh? Renga-kun?

I’m leaving you two here on your own! So talk things out! Um… That’s an order from your leader.

He’s right. You need to make up.

Kafka… I’m sorry I called you a dumbass the other day…

…Is it true?

Huh?

Renga said you were so worried about me that it felt like the world was about to end… Is that true?

W-Well yeah, of course! I’m always worried about you…

…I can’t keep this up. I wanted to stay composed in front of you…

Kafka?

But it’s fine. I’m happy… Chief… Um… I was being stubborn too.

…! So it’s all behind us, right?

…Yeah!

Oh, but I expect you to come visit me every day. Even Renga’s going to do that.

Come on, are you trying to make me run errands for you again?

Is that a bad thing? I think I’d recover faster if I got to see your face.

…Oh, fine! But just this once!

(I’m glad that Kafka’s case wasn’t anything too serious. But he has to stay in the hospital for a few days just in case…)

Phew. That quad didn’t feel right. I need to figure out how to make my jumps more stable…

(Is this the only goal I can ever pursue…?)

Yukikaze.

Is something wrong, Dad? If it’s about my quads today, I⁠—

Ah, we can talk about that later. But for now, take a look at this.

This is…

You have to submit your proposal for the Ward 2 tour, right? You can use this. I came up with it.

……

You have upcoming competitions you need to prepare for. I can handle all of your mayoral work, so you should focus on skating.

This…is almost the exact same plan as the one we used three years ago.

Is that a problem? This plan pulled in the most guests in recent years. It works fine.

But…

You still haven’t cleaned up your quads, so you don’t have any time to devote to other matters.

……

Don’t worry about it. The plan shouldn’t fail.

As long as you do what I say, it’ll work out. That’s how it’s worked for years, Yukikaze.

(…Renga will probably be visiting Kafka in the hospital to dance for him today.)

(And Kafka works hard to the point of collapse. But I…)

(Between my skating and my work as mayor… Even my life itself… Is this really what I want…?)