Track 2 - Sun Mark

“What kind of mark do you want to make for our secret signal? Let’s make it something you like, Ren,” Renga said as he handed me the chalk.

I couldn’t decide, but if it was a secret signal between me and him, then…

I thought something like him would be best.

“...I want to make it the sun,” I said, feeling a bit nervous about whether it was okay for me to decide. Renga looked at me, amused, and said, “Sure, but why do you like the sun so much?”

Because the sun is――...just like you.

And I really love the sun when it shines over HAMA. When it rises from deep beneath the ocean in the morning, its strong presence seems to melt everything with its light.

“Of course, you’re always drawn to the light…” Renga smiles sadly.

I didn’t understand why he looked so sad.

But soon, his face brightened up. “Then let's do something cool,” he said, thinking of a sun mark and drawing it on the ground.

“Wow, you’re really good at coming up with these kinds of things.”

I was so happy we made our own secret mark that I tried my best to copy it down on the piece of brick, but in the end, the picture I drew was ugly.

Even though the mark he drew was a very neat and beautiful circle.

“Yours looks good...but mine is all crooked and weird-looking.”

“I like the one that Ren drew better. Look, the two suns we drew on the front and back of the brick have finally come together to become one sun. Isn’t it awesome?” he says, resting his head against mine.

As we leaned our heads together and looked down at the piece of brick, I started to think the ugly mark I drew didn’t seem so awful.

I felt something warm light up, deep inside my chest.

Then suddenly, he took the chalk he was holding and doodled the same mark on the palm of my hand.

“That tickles!”

“You can draw it on me too.”

“Ehhー...but you’ll get dirty.”

But it won’t hurt if it’s just for a little bit, right?

I drew the same mark on his palm.

Then he held my hand, pressing our marks together.

“Chalk rubbing contest!”

“Hahaha! Stop that, it tickles…”

We laughed like idiots in the back alley.

The two of us clung so close to each other in the dim corner of the alleyway that we completely forgot about getting dirty.

Before long, we laid down on the ground next to each other, looking up at the thin strip of blue sky seen through the gap between the buildings.

“Hey, Ren. Let’s go out together next time. When you don’t gotta pick up junk.”

“...Go out?”

What does it mean to go out?

For someone like me who lives on the streets, the only places I can go are narrow back alleys.

But I know there are normal people out there who dress up a little and go somewhere with the people they like and call it “going out.”

There are always a lot of people like that near the red brick warehouse where I go to pick up junk.

But that sort of thing had nothing to do with me, so I didn’t get what he was saying.

“The reason I could come this time was because I got the top grades at school.”

“...Isn’t that amazing? That’s an amazing thing, isn’t it? I knew you were smart.”

“But more importantly, I got some pocket money, and they’re letting me go out on my own for a day as a reward for my grades.”

His words were like something from a faraway world, a dream.

Getting the top grades at school, deciding for yourself where you want to go, having pocket money to spend on whatever you want…

All of it was so far removed from me that I couldn’t even imagine it.

“So yeah, I want to make that day the day I go out with you, Ren. I have pocket money, so I can pay for it.”

As he said this, Renga’s distant, dream-like words suddenly became about me.

I was shocked.

“...I-I’d feel bad if you paid for me.”

I don’t have anything, but that doesn’t mean I want him to give things to me.

Because I think of us as friends.

“I’m doing it because I want to. Really, it’s the whole reason I worked so hard. Can’t you come with me as a favor?”

“...Uhm. If you say so... B-but, it’ll be embarrassing for you if you’re with someone who looks all ragged like me. I don’t think they’ll let me in anywhere...”

“No problem. I’ll just bring some old clothes I don’t wear anymore. We look alike, so they’ll fit and look good on you.”

“But...”

Where are we going? Is it really okay for me to be seen with you?

Renga, who’s like the sun, with an unsightly child like me.

“I want to make memories with you, Ren. It has to be now. Pretty please? I’ve worked so hard for this.”

Renga, who had been lying beside me, sits up halfway to peek at my face.

He looked a bit distressed.

But that distressed expression perfectly conveyed his feelings.

Renga really, really wanted to go out with me.

Once I realized that, I couldn’t say no anymore.

“Alright...if you’re okay with me going with you, I’ll do it.”

When I finally agreed, he smiled, his eyes sparkling. His whole body relaxed, and he let out a sigh of relief.

Why did he want to go out with me so badly?

Those were my thoughts, but deep down, I was happy.

After all, even though Renga probably has tons of other friends, he wanted to spend his day off with me. He chose me. Isn’t that amazing?

In a good mood, he stood up and grabbed my arm.

“Where do you want to go? I want to go wherever you want to go. Just tell me and I’ll take you anywhere!” Renga asked cheerfully. I hummed in thought.

As we left the back alley, the sight of the sun sinking into the horizon greeted us, illuminating the surrounding buildings with its golden light.

When I looked up into the sky I could see a tower rising majestically beyond the buildings.

Even I have a place I’ve always wanted to visit.

As my heart thumped loudly, I pointed to the big tower in the distance.

“There...I want to climb up there.”

Since I was born, from where I lived on the side of the road, I’ve always been able to see that huge tower.

It’s the closest place to the sun around here.

Renga told me once that you can see the whole area from the tower.

――This town you grew up in is called HAMA Ward 3. My family has held the position of tourism ward mayor for generations, and we’ve all been entrusted to carry the hopes of this town on our shoulders.

Before he told me this, I didn’t even know the name of the town I was born and raised in.

I live in a tiny world, but if I were to look down from the top of the tower, I wonder if I could see the same view as the sun. I couldn’t help but be curious about it.

Even so, I thought I’d probably never get the chance to...but if I could, I wanted to see it:

The way the town looks when the sun gazes down on it.

Renga smiled brightly and nodded.

“Alright then. Let’s climb that tower together. Let’s make memories we’ll treasure forever no matter what, Ren.