Chapter 115
Chapter 115
Part 2, God Reigns in Heaven
I left my nostalgic family home and got into my father's car. On the passenger seat were the belongings to take to my mother's hospital.
I sat in the back seat. How long had it been since I last looked at my father's profile as he drove? Back then, I used to look up at him from the booster seat, but now the distance felt much closer.
"Did you forget anything?"
"No... Dad."
"What is it?"
I poured out twenty years' worth of feelings.
"Welcome back."
"We're just leaving now, you know."
My father laughed in exasperation. The spring breeze brushing through the slightly open window stroked my cheek.
Before I could get sentimental, the streets of Tokyo flowed past. Some streets were unchanged from my memories, while others had unfamiliar shops and buildings. The faces of the people passing by looked the same.
While turning the steering wheel, my father spoke.
"Esato sent you a graduation gift."
"Esato did?"
"Just sent money, not even a letter. That's just like her. She looked after you while I was gone, so I can't complain..."
The crowd outside the car window passed by. In the waves of black-haired heads, I searched for a familiar face. I knew I wouldn't find one, but I couldn't help but wonder if Katagishi and the others might be among them.
The light turned red, and my father stepped on the brake. With the gentle jolt, I felt something roll inside my pocket. I reached into the inside of my suit. There was something slightly thicker and harder than a pen. I took it out.
"Rei, what's that?"
"It's nothing."
I instinctively gripped it tightly. It was a penlight, blackened with soot.
Just as the light turned green, someone tapped on the driver's side window. My father looked outside with a puzzled expression. Reflected in the glass stood a thin body, as if covering the window.
The surrounding cars began to move, and horns blared. My father waved the person off and pulled the car to the shoulder, lowering the window halfway.
A nervous young man's voice came in.
"Um, hey, uh..."
"What is it?"
My father furrowed his brow. It was a deep, gruff tone I had never heard him use before.
The young man fell silent for a moment, then spoke.
"Your car was making a weird noise. I think the fan belt's loose. You might crash if you keep driving like this."
"What?"
"I'll fix it. I work part-time at a garage. I've got tools with me, so..."
The young man leaned into the driver's seat to show a toolbox, then ran to the back of the car. I could see his head bobbing up and down through the rear window. My father looked back, puzzled.
"This isn't some scam, is it?"
"I think he means well."
I stifled a laugh.
After a while, the young man returned, out of breath.
"It's fixed now."
My father, no longer suspicious, reached for his wallet.
"Thanks, I appreciate it. It's not much, but..."
"Forget the money. We help each other when we're in trouble, right? The trains were down, and I had time to kill anyway."
Even as he said that, the young man didn't move from the window. My father leaned out from the driver's seat.
"At least let us give you a ride. That okay with you, Rei?"
"Of course."
The young man hesitated, shoulders twitching, then gave a small nod.
"Then to Tokyo Station, please."
I scooted over to make room for him. The young man opened the door and slipped in. The car started moving again, filled with the quiet hum of the engine.
The young man held his toolbox, his legs fidgeting as if waiting for something. Even though it was early spring, he wore only a thin aloha shirt. His sneakers were dirty, and his hair was messy.
In a hushed voice so my father wouldn't hear, I said,
"So that's the real you, Uyuu."
Uyuu Sadahito looked startled, like he'd been shot with a bean pellet. Then he broke into a boyish smile.
"You remembered, huh..."
My father turned on the radio. The broken-up audio slowly filled the car. I leaned in toward Uyuu.
"You remember too, don't you, Uyuu?"
"Yeah. I've always seen weird things, different from others. Or maybe it's because I got too close to the God Who Is There."
"What about the others?"
"Haven't found them at all. I've been searching like mad since then, but I don't have the same power I used to. It's tough."
"I see..."
"Umemura was an assistant professor in a university medical department. And Ryouko... maybe you don't know her, Rei. She's scarier than a god, and she's working at the same university. If her memories come back, she might flip out."
Uyuu grinned, showing his teeth.
"What are you doing now, Uyuu?"
"Part-time jobs. I don't have a family register, so I can't get good work, but I'm working hard. Trying to live properly."
He narrowed his eyes, as if seeing something else in the city of Tokyo.
Then, I saw something strange between the buildings. Normally, Tokyo Tower would be towering red in that spot.
But now, between the towering white skyscrapers, a giant green tree like a cumulonimbus cloud sat enthroned.
"What is that..."
A grainy noise came from the radio. My father turned up the volume.
"So it's Shishidoori after all. Looks like it'll take a while for the trains to be restored."
"Shishidoori?"
My father pulled the car to the shoulder. Other cars followed suit, clearing the road as if waiting for something to pass.
At that moment, the car shook as if caught in a wave. Dust clouded the view outside the window.
I widened my eyes. The center of the road was filled with sand-colored smoke. A solemn sound rang out from all directions.
Something unknown passed through the hazy street.
At the front was a figure cloaked in black robes, face covered with a white cloth. They walked forward holding a dull-colored staff and a candlestick bearing flames.
Behind them followed something like a massive festival float.
Its height easily surpassed the buildings on either side. A mass of fabric layered in red, purple, and five colors bore a golden horn and an eboshi at its peak.
A procession of monstrous gods continued walking down the city's main street.
Beside me, stunned, Uyuu licked his dry lips.
"I guess that means nothing's really over yet."
The dust vanished. The mysterious procession had left no trace. My father revved the engine as if nothing had happened and started driving again. The surrounding cars calmly merged and began moving in the same direction.
I stared at the giant tree peeking between the buildings. There are still things in this world beyond human understanding.
The car arrived at Tokyo Station as if nothing had happened. The red-brick station building shone brilliantly under the spring sun.
Uyuu thanked us and got out. As I tried to follow him, my father called out to me.
"Are you going with him?"
"Yeah. Thanks for the send-off."
"No, I mean... he doesn't seem like a bad guy, but..."
His awkward words almost made me laugh.
"It's okay. I know he's a good person."
"You know him?"
I gave a vague answer and opened the door.
The area near the ticket gates was packed with people. Under the dim canopy of the station building, a murky, lukewarm air hung in the air.
I was swallowed by the crowd and followed after Uyuu.
"Where are we headed? The trains seem to be down."
"I had a meeting with someone. Or maybe something."
Pushing aside the shoulder of my suit, I saw an empty space near the ticket gate. People avoided that spot like it was sacred.
In the center stood a slender figure. Their pale presence shimmered in the light of the display board announcing suspended service. It felt like we had just met, and also like I had seen her long ago.
"Akitsu..."
"You didn't erase us—or the god."
"Didn't I say we'd meet again?"
The god Akitsu looked both joyful and sorrowful.
"What did Miyaki wish for?"
"That those who tried to protect both gods and people—and the world—would be rewarded."
"...That's more of a prayer than a wish. Gods persist through faith. So maybe that's why The God Who Is There wasn't destroyed."
"Is that god safe too?"
"For a while, the power to reshape the world probably won't return."
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Was this really okay for Miyaki?"
"Yes, it's enough. Besides, I think trying to erase all gods would cause contradictions somewhere."
"You're right. If the one granting the wish to erase gods is also a god, then the premise becomes ambiguous."
I nodded and looked up at the display board. The words "Power outage due to Shishidoori" scrolled across it.
"Even without the god of the nation's birth, Territorial Divine Offenses continue to be born, huh."
"If she's the one who creates gods, then how was she born? In the end, we never found out anything."
Uyuu came to stand beside us.
"As long as humans exist, gods will too, right?"
"I think so too."
"But the special investigation division's gone now. Who's going to investigate and handle things? Isn't that dangerous?"
Akitsu said in a flat voice.
"Even in this remade world, there might be organizations like yours. If not, I'll create one."
"Then let me join too. I need a way to earn money."
"I'll help out too."
The god in human form quietly nodded.
The automatic gate opened, and a flood of people poured in from the back of the platform. We stepped aside to the edge of the wall.
The crowd flowed past. Amid the echoing voices, there was a familiar tone.
"Misaki, do I really have to go too?"
"Oh, come on. Saying that now? You just don't want to see your brother."
"You know I'm not good with him."
"Doesn't seem like he feels the same way though."
"Don't jinx it."
My eyes were glued to the scene. In the crowd, only the two of them stood out as if cut from the rest. The view of a happy young couple you could find anywhere.
They walked a bit, and the woman came to a stop.
"Huh, my pass case is gone. I got it from Daigo. Did I drop it?"
"You had it on your bag, right? Let's go back to the platform for now."
On the ground where colorful shoes passed by, a pass case embroidered with a red lycoris flower had fallen. I instinctively dashed out and picked it up before it could be stepped on.
"Excuse me!"
The couple turned around. I approached the surprised pair and handed over the pass case.
"Did you drop this?"
The woman smiled so brightly the mole under her eye almost disappeared.
"Thank you. It's something very important to me."
"Sorry to trouble you."
Her husband bowed his head. His formal gesture gave me a slight pang in the chest, but seeing their smiles made it fade away.
I felt like everything had been worth it. This is what I wanted to protect.
"And also, I'll return this too."
I took a penlight from my pocket, wiped off the dirt, and handed it over. The moment our fingers touched, he flinched like a static shock had run through him.
"Have we... met somewhere?"
Katagishi looked at me.
Maybe the power had come back—the dim Station Building was now filled with light. Through the glass atrium, blue sky poured in.
The world had changed completely. I couldn't say all was well. But in this moment, something unchanging remained.
I hope it stays that way. I pray—because I know the god who hears me is now closer to the heavens.
<Territorial Divine Offenses Part 3 - End>