Eat me! Harder!!!

In that moment…

“Extra News” “Extra News”

Suddenly the radio crackled, and a formal Japanese voice cut through the music. I faced toward it, my lips forming the words “Oh, by gosh.”             “We are continuing to reporting on the phenomenon that synchronises the heartbeats of people in your immediate vicinity.” “As far as we know, no deaths have occurred to date.” “All those affected are advised to remain as calm as possible and…”

Oh my, it was happening again. I’m sure the announcer felt the same way I did. As soon as he had finished reading his stiff lines, he promptly returned the broadcast back to Sinatra. But Sinatra’s song had already finished, ending with him whispering a final “Merry Christmas”. I decided to quietly turn off the radio and leave the bedroom. It was 6 p.m. in Tokyo. The sky had taken on the dark blue colour of the night, with only a string of orange left at the horizon. The city heading towards Christmas, was decorated and wrapped in a warm neon lights. A hectic and restless atmosphere hung in the air; it was like you’d get swept away by someone if you hesitated your steps. In the middle of it was Shirou, with the usual arrogant expression on his face. He was standing next to the Setagaya Station, in front of an old message board. The weak lights of the Christmas decorations were sparkling on his head. “…..” He looked up when he noticed me. Ba-dum My heart jumped the moment our eyes met. …The left side of my chest began to burn, the sensation spreading through my body, as if someone had thrust a knife in me and blood was oozing out. …What was that? That feeling. As I crossed paths with the people leaving the station, I stopped short. Every single one of them was holding onto their chests, rushing past me. The radio had mentioned something about a “phenomenon that synchronises the heartbeats of people in your immediate vicinity.”, right? …Which meant the reason for my heart beating this way was Shirou. We looked at each other as the crowd passed me, a small smile playing on my lips. Once the crowed had vanished, I walked up to him and greeted him in a formal manner. “Good evening.” “…..” “How long have you been waiting?” “Doesn’t matter.” “Your nose is red. You seem cold.” “…Let’s just hurry up and go.” Shirou said, exhaling a long, white breath. Instead of the trains, he faced the direction of the arcade. The reason why we ended up meeting in front of the station goes as follows: When I woke up this morning, a letter was laying by my pillow. Written on it in clean, formal handwriting was something along the lines of… “6 pm. I’ll be waiting at the Setagaya Station.” Any other person would probably think that whoever had wrote the letter was challenging them to a fight, but I immediately knew that it had been a love letter from Shirou. I wrote “I understand” on the back, then turned it around and handed it to him. The rest of the day went by, just like every other day off. Shirou did some repairs on his camera, while I made a simple meal for lunch. Then we watched TV together in the bedroom. However around 5 pm. Shirou disappeared. It was then that I got dressed and came to the station. “Why did you write me a letter?” I asked him as we walked together through the city. Normally I would have asked him about it right away, but it wasn’t the most romantic atmosphere at home, so I decided against it. “Because you wouldn’t wake up.” “Oh my.” Not a very romantic reason. Even if it had been fun, it felt like our relationship as lovers was growing in distance.

“Tell me, why do you always sleep so long?” “Since we had the day was off and there was nothing I could help with, I thought that it would be fine to sleep in for once.” “For once? Who’s the one who keeps going back to sleep shortly after waking up when I’m working…?” “I do that?” “You always say, ‘just a bit more’ and then you’re asleep two seconds later.” “Being awake for just two seconds doesn’t count. Which means I don’t wake up at all and just sleep the whole time.” “~Well that may be true!?” Shirou’s lives a meticulous life, he sleeps no more or no less than seven hours a day. I, on the other hand, can sleep for ten full hours, and even then, I still want to sleep more. For now, he seemed to have accepted my response and gave up on the argument. “…. Whatever.  Just stop turning off the alarm at my place.” “I do that too?” “You do.” “I don’t think I do, though….” “…Should I install a video camera to show you evidence?” “You’re saying such lewd things…” “Hha?!” “Going all the way to buy a video camera and putting it in the bedroom…” “Don’t say that shit outside….!!!” Shirou yelled at me in an usually quiet voice, with a panicked looked on his face. A passerby grabbed their chest and collapsed. They needed help, but Shirou just walked away loudy. I-I’m sure the person should be fine with the distance between them…. I also was a bit mean to him. Shirou’s heart was delicate, so even if you were to tease it just a bit, it would start beating faster. And its throbbing was also affecting me, making it hard to breath. Shirou had the same indifferent expression on his face and probably didn’t even notice the change that was happening around him and inside me. …Maybe he didn’t even know that another incident was happening again. If I hadn’t listened to the radio, I myself would have gone to the hospital thinking I have a disease. …Even now, the city was filled with strange phenomena. Every week something strange happened, as though we were in an anime. What’s happening or who’s responsible— these were questions I couldn’t answer. Stuck in my own confusion, the phenomena were over before I even noticed it. Or rather, should I say, until someone put it to an end, without us having to intervene. In my mind, we were becoming background characters in an anime with the names like “Citizens A”. And I was happy about that. “Where are you taking me today?” “…” This year’s Christmas would take place on a weekday, so Shirou would have to work. I wondered what it would be like if we could go to a party at a nice house….

But even if it was impossible, I wouldn’t feel lonely staying at home. After all, he had invited me to meet him at this place right before Christmas. “Should I have high expectation, then?” I looked at Shirou while asking. His eyebrows were hidden, and his lips pursed in an angry expression. And yet his cheeks were turning red, he was blushing. …I started to feel dizzy again. The cause was his heartbeat.   Why did I keep getting caught up over Shirou’s heart every single time….? Why couldn’t I just walk after him in silence? Once I noticed that he had some kind of surprise for me, it made me so happy that I just couldn’t keep myself from asking unnecessary questions. “Christmas…will be here soon… that’s why…” “That’s right.” “…The city looks pretty, right?” “It does.” “…And that’s the reason I wanted to go together with you.” My heart was throbbing. “Nothing else. There was no particular place I wanted to go to…” It was hard to breath. “…Are you disappointed?” I stopped walking. The moment Shirou had said the city lights were pretty, they suddenly looked even more dazzling and beautiful to me. Shirou turned around. In front of a big Christmas tree by the entrance of an arcade. “Did you think I had something for you?... Actually yes, I do, so follow me.” “!” (Wait a second.) (Wait!) (What?) I could see the small box partially peeking out from his pocket. “Hurry up and come!” “Wa-wait!” (Ri-right now.) (It isn’t the time for that!) “Just come over here.” “…!”

I grasped my chest. But for the sake of being by his side, and to keep his mouth closed, I mustered my strength and walked over to him. “Your ring, I know I was the one who gave it to you…” “Um, wait a moment-” (Let’s stop it for today.) (No, I really appreciate Shirou’s feelings, but…) “Originally it was my mother’s ring, not mine.” “Um, Shirou, I really will die.” (St-stop.) (Please don’t take it out of your pocket.) “That’s why I got you a new ring…” “I’m suffering because of you…!” I grabbed Shirou’s right hand and held it in place. “Please don’t take it out of your pocket.” “…” “You probably don’t know this, but another strange phenomenon is taking place right now. Whenever I’m too close to you, my heart…” “I know about that...!” “!?” Once I had calmed down, I loosened my grip on his hand, which he took out of his pocket. Inside his hand was a white velvet ring case. (Wai-) “That ring is already too tight for your finger, isn’t it?” “So….!” “…Take mine!” “!!!” Sitting inside the open case was a silver ring. It looked like the halo of an angel, making me think I had already died. My knees gave in, and I collapse on the ground like someone had cut the threads, that were holding me upright. Only on one knee was keeping me up. Covering my mouth with my hands, I desperately tried to calm down my heart. Shirou was looking down on me, a hard expression formed on his face.” “Ha….?” “Forgive me…” “….” “I can’t take Shirou’s heartbeats anymore…!” “I’m the one who is suffering here, though!?” “…?” “You’re affecting me here! Our synchronised heartbeats are your fault!” “You’re wrong, it’s yours.” “It’s your fault, idiot…. Just hurry and take a deep breath!” “……” I took a three-second-long breath, then exhaled for another five seconds just as Shirou had instructed me. Wanting to live, I breathed deeply with my hands still over covering my mouth. As the air slowly flowed in and out of my body, my heartbeat mysteriously also began to calm down. …I looked up at Shirou once again. His eyebrow was raised, then he sighed out of relief and amazement at the same time. Then what in the world…. “I had thought you were causing the heartbeats the whole time, so then what was that?” “How should I know.” “When I got the letter from you, I looked at the calendar and just assumed. So, my heart was beating so fast on its own accord….?” “I don’t know, idiot!... Now hurry up and hold out your finger!” The ring Shirou presented was sparkling so beautifully, like it wasn’t made in this world. I’m sure it took him a lot of time to decide on it. Looking for it on his way home and in unfamiliar places, always with me on his mind.

I knew that because the ring had the same white colour as my hero form. Still kneeling in front of him like a knight, I presented my left hand to Shirou. He took off the ring. Then placed the new, bigger ring on my cold ring finger. It felt heavy and hot, but also soft like it could dissolve any moment. Shirou returned the other ring back to the case. …Every time I had been in pain, I had kissed the ring like a prayer. And had extended the size, just to not get rid of it. The way Shirou covered the almost broken ring told me he knew all about that. “…Your heartbeats are getting worse again.” “It’s all your fault.” “~You’re still saying that?!” It was true that my heart was beating fast, and you were the one who had set it off. So, it was your fault after all. I finally stood up. Once I straightened my posture, Shirou raised his head and gave me a bored look. “Now, let’s go to the hospital.” “You always say that, when something happens. This is probably the work of a kaiju, so we just have to rely on the help of a hero.” “And you’re the one who always responds with this…” Shirou suddenly started walking away. “I’m done here, let’s head back home.” Even if he sounded angry, he didn’t let go of my left hand. I looked back from the corner of my eyes. In a few days, everything, even the beautiful Christmas tree would be gone. But soon a new season would begin, and new decorations would probably light up the city again. Someday Sangenjaya would develop, and big buildings like the one in Shibuya would be standing there. And once that happened, I would like to look down on its nightscape and talk about today’s Christmas memory.