Chapter 4: Romantic Warrior (Part 4)
After that, it became routine to join Boogiepop on the roof everyday as he 'kept watch.'
"I'm not really part of my class anymore," I complained to him.
"You aren't taking exams?"
"No, my father knows someone who owns a design firm, so I've been working there part time. He said that I had good sense and that I shouldn't bother with college. That I'd be better off just starting to work for him directly."
"The boss' favorite craftsman, then."
Touka had once said, "Are you sure? Sounds risky to me..." but Boogiepop sounded impressed.
Happily, I enthused, "Exactly, a craftsman. That's what a designer is, really. We make what we've been asked to make."
"Seems like you've got both feet on the ground," Boogiepop said, sounding almost jealous.
He lived half in some unearthly realm that only he could see.
"But Miyashita thinks it sounds dangerous."
"She would. I don't know her all that well, but there are far more girls who shun romantic men than there are those who are attracted to them."
"Really? I mean, romantic?" It was an embarrassing word.
"I have no such hopes, but I believe humans need some sort of dream. Am I wrong?" Boogiepop always looked especially serious when he said things like this.
"I don't know," I muttered.
"When you have no dream, when you can't imagine a future, that means something in this world is flawed. Unfortunately, it is not I who will battle the flaw, but you and Miyashita Touka," the self-described defender of the world said, staring into the distance.
Based on his words, and on his outfit, it was impossible to think of him as anything but a clown. After all, he had a woman's face, but he talked like a man.
But I thought if he was a clown, then I wanted to be a clown too.
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Being with him, talking with him, I could see no traces of Touka anywhere. What had happened to her to make him appear?
"When did you first come out?" I asked one day.
"About five years ago. Miyashita's parents were fighting, considering divorce. Her uncertain feelings at the time may have produced a stubborn creature like me. But I, myself, was far too busy fighting a killer that was stalking the streets to really pay much attention."
I had a hunch which killer he was talking about. Five years ago, a serial killer had murdered five girls, and hung himself when it seemed they were about to catch him. It was a very well-known story, so it made sense for it to be incorporated into this delusion.
"Miyashita's mother sounded like she knew about you."
"Mm, she's seen me a few times. We're talking back in Junior High, after all. Miyashita Touka was not exactly free to move around. She even caught me climbing out the window once."
"Must have been surprised."
"She was hysterical, which caused me no end of trouble. She locked me in the house, so I had to knock the woman out to make my escape. Danger was approaching, after all."
"Seriously?" No wonder her mother was freaked.
It also explained why the Miyashita household didn't let her have a phone in her room.
"After that, I suspect Miyashita Touka was dragged off to a psychologist, but I can only speculate. I never appeared."
"She didn't show any... Unusual signs?"
Since the condition was almost unheard of in Japan, the doctor probably didn't believe a word of it.
"Probably not. I imagine that they had their doubts about the mother, though. After all, they were having marital problems at the time. But apparently, the whole fuss caused her father to blame himself and make amends. Things settled down after that."
"Hmm..."
This reminded me of something from the book I'd read. Not a multiple personality case, but a manic-depressive girl. At school, she never spoke a word to anyone, but she was always bright and happy at home. Her parents and grandparents were apathetic and cold, and she desperately tried to brighten up the gloomy atmosphere. Unfortunately, the stress was too much for her, and its effects started to manifest externally. Her behavior grew stranger and stranger, until finally she was taken to a doctor and the truth came out. She was treated, her family repented, and the house became a much more peaceful place. This sort of "peace making" psychological disorder is apparently referred to as "the Trickster."
For some reason, it sounded a lot like Boogiepop to me.
"So," I said, and explained all this to him.
He made that strange expression again.
"Miyashita Touka may well see it that way."
"But you're still here, even though that situation is over. Why? You never come out at home anymore, right?"
"Right."
"Then why?"
"I can't explain it. I simply have my duty to fulfill."
"You'll just disappear when this 'danger' is over?"
"Yes. I will be a little sad to go this time, though. I won't be able to see you again."
This surprised me.
"You won't."
"Right. Miyashita Touka will be here, of course. I imagine you prefer her," his shoulders slumped a little.
I couldn't think of anything to say, so I remained silent.
The two of us stared quietly up at the evening sky.
Boogiepop began to whistle. The tune was fast and bright, his breathing skillfully alternating fast and slow, but it was a whistle, so it sounded rather sad somehow.
I remembered that Touka couldn't whistle.
(A suppressed possibility...?)
Even as her boyfriend, I suppose I was suppressing some part of her.
This thought weighed heavily upon me.
He finished whistling, and I applauded.
"You're good. What song is that?"
"Overture to the first act of 'Die Meistersinger von Numberg'."
"Of what?"
"The most flamboyant piece this noisily, romantic, old composer Wagner ever wrote."
"Classical? Huh. Thought it was rock..."
"You'd have preferred 'Atom Heart Mother'? I tend to like the old music," he said, narrowing one eye.
All of our twilight ramblings passed in this fashion.
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