Oze
“Mamoru!”
I shouted before I could stop myself, staring out the window Oomi had been fixed on.
There he was—Mamoru—gazing at me with that sweet face that looked like he was about to call me “big bro.”Without a second thought, I ran toward the window.
“Oze-san! Come back!”
Oomi tried to stop me from behind, but I didn’t care.
The moment I pressed my hand against the glass, Mamoru vanished.
“What…?”
Was I so desperate I hallucinated him?But no—Oomi had seen him too.
“Oomi, you saw him just now, didn’t you?”
I turned to confirm. Oomi nodded, his face pale.
“Oze-san, you think there’s a deck outside that window, don’t you?But it’s nothing but sea out there.”
His voice shook. But that didn’t matter to me.
“So what? He’s dead. Maybe floating’s just something the dead can do.Not like I’d know—I’ve never died.”
“Are you two seriously saying he was there?”
Aochi’s voice pulled me back.Right. I’d forgotten he was even here.
“Well, look who finally spoke.”
The Harvester of Hearts casually said what I hadn’t dared to.Funny thing was, even though we’d barely talked, my wariness toward him was already gone.
Even now, his tall frame, broad shoulders, and thick chest were imposing.But the deep wrinkles on his face, framed by that tied-back white hair, looked far gentler than when we first met.There was something almost human in him now.
Still, Aochi remained on edge around him, and Oomi—ever the loyal junior—was no less guarded.
Oomi’s voice dropped as he explained to Aochi.
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“Oze-san and I saw a dead boy. He’s gone now, but he was definitely the same boy who was in my room earlier.Mr. Harvester, do you know where he went?”
He sounded calm, but his hands, resting on the table, were pale and trembling slightly.
How could anyone be afraid of Mamoru? Even as a ghost, he was adorable.
The Harvester looked faintly pleased at being called “Mr. Harvester.” That kind of reaction made it hard to dislike the guy.
“I don’t know where all of them are, but that one’s probably coming here soon.I hear footsteps.”
I didn’t hear a thing.But I didn’t care—I was going to meet him.My body moved on its own toward the door.
Then a huge hand gripped my arm—it was the Harvester’s.His hand wasn’t as cold as I’d imagined.
“There’s a rule you should know. I can’t tell who’s dead and who’s alive.But if someone knows they’re dead—don’t follow them, don’t go to meet them.Or you’ll be swallowed by the dead.”
What the hell did that mean?I glanced at the others—Aochi had moved to stand protectively in front of Oomi, shielding him against the wall.
So Oomi protects Aochi from the Harvester, and Aochi protects Oomi from the dead.Whatever. Let them do what they want. I’m not afraid of either.
Just then, the door creaked loudly.
Mamoru?
The door opened a little… then closed… opened again… then closed.Too heavy for him to push. It made me want to cry.I asked the Harvester,
“Is opening the door for him the same as ‘going to meet him’?”
The Harvester stopped me with one hand, and opened the door with the other.
So… I’m not even allowed to do that?
First I saw a tiny hand…Then, Mamoru’s beaming face.My knees buckled and hit the floor.
“Big bro.”
That familiar, childlike voice.I pressed a hand over my mouth, trying not to sob.
Mamoru reached out to touch my face.
His fingertips were ice cold—like they’d been frozen.That was all it took. The tears spilled out.
“Mamoru… are you cold?”
The words just slipped out—stupid question. He’s dead.But my chest was too full.
“Are you okay, big bro?”
He ignored the question and worried about me instead.Still the same good kid he always was.
I took his cold hand and held it tight.
“I’m okay. I’m just really happy I got to see you again.”
“Um…”
A tiny voice came from behind me—Oomi.
“I’m sorry, Mamoru-kun.When I was your age, I met this man… the Harvester.Ever since then, I’ve been able to see dead people.It scared me—over and over again.So when I saw you, I ran away.”
“That was ‘meeting’? Looked more like abandoning.”
The Harvester muttered, clearly still holding a grudge.
“This old man isn’t scary.”
Mamoru, kind as ever, didn’t just refuse to say the Harvester was scary—he even called him “old man” instead of “grandpa,” sparing his pride.
“Are you big bro’s little brother?”
he asked Oomi, tilting his head.
“I’m… big bro’s junior.Can you say Oomi?”
“Oomi-san…”
He smiled at Oomi, looking a little shy.They’d get along fine.
But the problem was—
“What are you looking at over there?”
Aochi.He still couldn’t see a thing.
“So the cool big bro can’t see me, huh…”
Mamoru said with a pout.
Suddenly, I hated Aochi.He just stood there looking confused—and he got called “cool”?Kids like that kind of guy? Really?Mamoru was the cutest kid ever, and this clueless guy couldn’t even see him.
“He’s just a little slow. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
Mamoru, with shining eyes, looked at all of us and said,
“Big bro, let’s go to the bridge!”