Flag 7.1
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as soon as I came back to consciousness. The rain stopped pouring and now the sun was shining brightly in the clear azure skies. Everywhere I looked outside; there were little rainbows where the dew collides with the light. The gardens turned into one damp prism overnight. But everything, to my surprise, was upside-down.
"Did I wake you up, Kami-niisama?" Elsie whispered. She was cleaning at the other end of the room. There was the sound of her broom sweeping across the floor.
"Why are you cleaning on your very own vacation?" I muttered, still disoriented. I sat up from the uncomfortable position I was in- which was head down on the floor, feet at the bed - and groaned.
"I just feel relaxed when I am cleaning," she answered. "Just like how you feel content with your games."
I nodded in assent. It had been days since I last played a game. No wonder I feel grouchy.
"Say, Nii-sama, what were you dreaming about last night?" She suddenly asked.
"W-why are you asking?"
She shrugged. "You were saying those weird things in your sleep. Well, I barely see you sleep- but the whole thing is creeping me off-"
"Wait, what was I saying in my sleep?" My eyes narrowed down to Elsie. I winced, wondering what I might have said in my sleep.
"Something about 'Destiny' and 'not having beautiful eyes' and 'saying yes'… stuff like that," she recalled.
As soon as she said those words, my mind was filled with images from my dream. It wasn't as vivid as before, but it was enough for me to remember everything: the game, the game shop, the streets of Maijima, a game convention, and this strange girl who keeps appearing out of nowhere in each event that took place.
Elsie stood there waiting for my response. I remained silent, not meeting her gaze. She waited longer.
"I can't remember," I finally said, lying. I grabbed my glasses from the nightstand and repositioned it on the bridge of my nose. I said no more. I have no intention of telling everything to that nutcase.
She frowned. "Really? That's too bad. I was worried about you. You twitched uneasily in bed. Somehow, I had the feeling that you weren't okay…"
I let Elsie's voice drown against the background. I focused now on the window and tried to find where my resolve had gone. Ever since I came to Okinawa, I wasn't thinking or acting well. It took me far too long to figure things out. I could blame everything to the absence of the only gaming device I brought to the island. I've gone completely insane and I was itching for another game.
But then, I guess, it wasn't the real explanation for everything. There was something else, but I can't quite put my finger in it.
"Are you alright?" Elsie whispered. She was worried.
"I am dizzy, that's all," I mumbled as I got down the bed.
"Are you hungry?" She guessed. "Do you want to go someplace to eat? I know this cool seafood restaurant not far from here It's just by the boardwalk."
I shook my head. I didn't feel hungry. But I went for the walk. I needed to move around. Maybe it will do me much better.
We had breakfast at the resort's local restaurant that Elsie suggested. I picked on the sweet egg rolls on my plate as Elsie stuffed her mouth with fish and oysters. I hate sweets, but that was the only thing in the menu that didn't look like it came from hell. I just settled on that and the morsel dish of vegetable soup on the side. The meal went by slowly. When we finished, I stood up in a hurry to leave.
I pushed open the glass doors and immediately, the cool sea breeze rushed towards me. I stepped forward as my view filled with nothing but the endless stretch of sea. I sighed, wishing that this trip would be over soon and everything would be back to normal.
Out in the corner of my eye, I saw a bulletin board set on a stone wall. At the moment, a girl was looking at it.
It took me a second too late to recognize who it was before Elsie had.
"Azuka-san!" Elsie called out to her. At the sound of Elsie's voice, Azuka turned around and waved to us. She was wearing this nervous smile on her face. I dragged my feet sulkily as we came closer to her.
"Ah, Kaminii-sama, have you met Azuka-san?" Elsie asked me.
I winced as she used that exalting nickname on me in front of Azuka. She might have the wrong idea, just like every other girl I have encountered with, that I was perverted to the extent of having my sister call me that. Nevertheless, I let that slide. Azuka didn't seem to notice.
"I have," I finally informed her.
"But how-"
"We met when I woke up from the fall. You were away, remember?"
"Oh yeah. I forgot about that."
After that, there was a long awkward moment of silence.
"What were you looking at, by the way?" Elsie finally asked Azuka.
"Oh, it was nothing. It was nothing at all," she replied timidly, speaking for the first time. Her voice sounded hoarse, almost as if she just finished an episode of crying. Her eyes were quite heavy, too.
Elsie just chattered on, overlooking Azuka's haggard façade. "There are so many events in this place," she gestured towards the bulletin board filled with announcements and advertisements tacked on it. She especially pointed to a red-and-green poster announcing the summer festival that will be held tomorrow. "Are you going to the summer festival?"
The mere mention of the summer festival made me more apprehensive than ever. I've been to many summer festivals alone with girls before, but there was something different about this one.
…
Ugh. I shuddered away the thought.
In front of me, Azuka nodded silently to Azuka and turned back to the bulletin board.
"…"
She wasn't listening now. Her eyes were locked on something else. I followed her gaze and noticed a blue piece of paper tacked beside the summer festival poster. The heading printed in bold across the top especially caught my attention:
SUMMER KARAOKE NIGHT
When: ***** at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Seaside Lodge
Absolutely FREE admission with drinks on the house.
Everybody's welcome!
I looked at Azuka again. She was wistful this time. I had the feeling that she wanted to go. I wonder what she was thinking.
…
Wait a minute. I shouldn't concern myself with this, I thought. It is her problem, not mine.
"What are you all looking at?" Elsie asked, surprised that no one was listening to her anymore. She caught the sight of the same blue paper and then suddenly broke into excitement.
"Kami-niisama, Azuka-san, let's join this," she proposed, hopping up and down excitedly.
All I thought of at that very moment was 'Are you crazy? I'm not joining anything as stupendous as that!"
And it seems like I wasn't the only one objecting her. Azuka was waving her hands in front of her as if to say no. "I'm very sorry, Elly," she quivered. "I have a ton of things to do."
"Aw," Elsie sighed, sounding disappointed. "What kind of things?"
"You know-" Azuka looked for the right words to say "-stuff. I'm really sorry, but I can't go tonight."
From the way she said it, I sensed that she was lying. She wanted to go, but there was something keeping her from doing it.
"That's too bad," Elsie commented. "Oh well, I guess it'll just be me and Nii-sama."
I looked at her with horror. "What do you mean? Why are you taking me?" I yelled at her. "Whatever you do, I'm absolutely not going with you. It sounds dumb and it's just a waste of time."
Wait. That sounded a bit too much. Oh well. Never mind.
"Oh. Then I guess I'll be going by myself," Elsie sighed dejectedly.
Azuka rocked from heel to toe. Heel to toe. She couldn't stand still. She sighed before she turned back to Elsie. "Uhm, Elly, I could come with you if you like," she said quietly. "I could make time to come, if it makes you happy."
"Really? Are you sure?" Elsie's voice lifted up.
"I'm fine with it," she reassured her. "At least, I want to hear you sing onstage."
"Thank you Azuka-san!" Elsie sang as she flung her arms on her. Azuka just stood still, forcing a smile on her face as Elsie broke into a celebration. But when I examined her face, it was a different story. Something was bothering her.
I pondered for a long moment. There was absolutely something wrong with her.
….
Whatever it was, I didn't want to know. Like I said, it's her problem and not mine.
…
But then again, these things happen a lot in my games.
So I ask myself a series of questions.
What would happen if I knew what was causing her troubles? Would it benefit me in any way if I knew about it?
…
My brain started buzzing. If I knew her problem, I could put an end to it.
And if I can put an end to it, she'll be very thankful.
…
I might even get my PFP back.
…
…
"I'm going with you to Karaoke Night," I finally said.
"Eh? What made you change your mind?" Elsie asked, surprised.
"I just felt like it, since I figured that I'll just be doing nothing in my room," I said, making up an alibi.
"Geez. Why didn't you think of that earlier?" She complained. "But never mind. I'm glad that all of you will be coming. I hope that we will have a lot of fun tonight."
I looked over to Elsie then to Azuka, who looked back at me ambivalently, faint with a hint of disbelief.
If this works, then I was wrong about having lost my godly senses.
….
I sighed and prepared myself.
…
"I hope we do."
