Chapter 7 (1/2)
[Kile
I ran
I ran and ran along the rough forest path, repeating his name over and over
Taki-kun Taki-kun Taki-kun
— It’s okay I still reet
Before long, the light froaps in the trees, andon the winds
Taki-kun Taki-kun Taki-kun
In the sky above, Tia behind, sparkled brighter than the moon I screa fear
Your name is Taki-kun!
The ruine becaht beams shone into my eyes
“Tesshi+!” I yelled and ran towards the bike
“Mitsuha! Where the heck were you!?”
Tesshi+, wearing a big ridiculous hel cave exploring or so, scolded me Unfortunately, I couldn’t exactly explain what happened Instead, I conveyed Taki-kun’s words
“He said sorry for breaking your bike”
“Huh? Who?”
“Uh, me!”
Tesshi+ looked skeptical but didn’t question any further He cut the engine and, as he ran off, yelled, “You’re gonna explain everything later, okay?!”
Itomori Electrical Substation – Entry Forbidden
A plate with those words was attached to the metal fence, and beyond it lay the silhouettes of power transfor devices It was an unht came from the red lamps installed on the machines
“It’s gonna fall? That? For real?!” Tesshi+, looking up at the sky, asked me
We were standing in front of the fence surrounding the substation, gazing at the glittering comet above
“It’s gonna fall! I saith ht into Tesshi+’s eyes Only two hours until is
Tesshi+ gave me a suspicious look for a brief h see else “Oh, so you saw it, huh? Well then I guess we have no choice!” With renewed vigor, he zipped open his sports bag, revealing a cylinder shaped like a relay baton wrapped in brown paper tightly packed in there A water gel explosive I gulped at the sight of it Tesshi+ then took out a large pair of bolt cutters and began snipping away at the chains blocking the entrance to the substation “Mitsuha,” he said “Any further than this and it’s not just some prank”
“Please, keep going I’ll take all the responsibility”
“Are you durily, and for some reason turned a little red in the face “Noe’re partners in crime!”
As if to s severed rang loudly throughout the surrounding air
“Once the town’s power goes out, the school will switch to its eht away Then we can broadcast!” Tesshi+ yelled into his smartphone
I held his phone up to his mouth as he drove the motorcycle A few homes beside the prefectural road sporadically illuht amidst the dark mountains, our destination: Miyae sense of nostalgia suddenly overca period of absence
“Mitsuha, Saya-chin wants to talk to you”
“hello? Saya-chin?” I put the phone against my ear
“Ahhh Mitsuhaa!” She was crying, or at least on the verge of it “Hey, do I really have to do this!?”
A sharp pain shot through my chest when I heard her voice If I were in Saya-chin’s position, I would probably be crying too Just sneaking into the broadcast rooht alone by itself was no easy task
“I’ I could say would make her job easier “If we don’t do this, lots of people will die! Once you start broadcasting, keep going as long as possible!”
No response Only a faint sniffling
“Saya-chin? Saya-chin!”
As anxiety began to take hold of me, the speakers suddenly burst back to life
“Fine whatever! You and Tesshi+ owetime!”
“What did Saya-chin say?”
“You owe her big ti the phone away in h to be heard over the ine
“Alright, let’s go!”
The moment Tesshi+ let out his battle cry, the sound of a loud explosion, like that of a giant firework going off, rang out behind us Stopping the bike, the two of us turned around Two, three, four More explosions followed one after another, and fat coluan to rise up froo An enorradually tilted over, as if in slow motion
“Tesshi+!” My voice quivered
“Ha ha…” His breathing, which al, also trembled
Then, with an explosive bang, all the lights in the village abruptly went out We did it We really did it
All of a sudden, the violently loud, ear rupturing wails of the eency sirens burst out of speakers all around town The oiant, reflected off the e
Saya-chin She took over the wireless disaster systeot back on the motorcycle As we started out towards the shrine, Saya-chin’s voice began flowing from the speakers, as if to cheer us on She read exactly e had planned out in a voice so cal just o
<this is=”” the=”” town=”” hall=”” an=”” explosion=”” has=”” occurred=”” at=”” the=”” itoer=”” of=”” additional=”” explosions=”” as=”” well=”” as=”” a=”” wildfire=””>
Tesshi+ steered off thethis e could reach the back of theto drive up the stone staircase along the hout the village as I clung onto Tesshi+’s back inseat It was almost identical to her older sister’s voice; almost no one would doubt that it wasn’t an official broadcast
“This is it! Let’s go, Mitsuha!”
We juht of wooden stairs on the slope behind the shrine Through the gaps in the trees I could see the countless stalls lined up on the grounds and the crowds of people walking between the aimlessly in a dark, overcrowded tank As we ran, we threw off our helmets
<i repeat=”” this=”” is=”” the=”” town=”” hall=”” an=”” explosion=”” has=”” occurred=”” at=”” the=”” itoer=”” of=”” additional=”” explosions=”” as=”” well=”” as=”” a=”” wildfire…=””>
We reached the botto Surrounding us were the silhouettes of people gathered for the festival and rapidly growing seeds of uneasiness a each other, Tesshi+ and I sprinted through the crowd, yelling as ent
“Run away! Fire in the er here!”
Tesshi+’s voice was so loud it sounded like he was using a s out, not about to lose to hi, we reached the dead center of the shrine grounds
“Ehh, is there really a fire?” “Hey, let’s get out of here” “Do we have to walk to the high school?”
Our shouting see up Saya-chin’s orders on the wireless syste hands with their grandkids all shuffled hurriedly towards the exit I breathed a sigh of relief At this rate ould be fine All thanks to him… him?
“Mitsuha!” Tesshi+’s abrupt call caught my attention “This is bad!”
Following Tesshi+’s gaze, I noticed that there wereidly beside food carts or standing around chatting So around cheerfully
“If a fire doesn’t actually couys to move! We need the fire departo to the town hall and convince the mayor…”
Tesshi+ stood alht above me, yet his desperate shouts sounded far, far away
… him?
“Oi, Mitsuha… what’s wrong!?”
“… Tesshi+ what do I do?” Unable to think about anything else, before I knew it I had turned to Tesshi+ in distress “I can’t remember his name!”
“What are you talking about idiot!?” Tesshi+ yelled at lared at er and concern
Ih School… For the first ti with fear as she repeated her instructions on the speakers
“Go Mitsuha!” Tesshi+ yelled This ti“Go and convince your old man!”
I suddenly snapped back to the moment as if someone had slapped ht