I Became the Final Subjugation Target of That Era’s Light Novel

That’s really strange.

When I was younger, hot weather was hot weather, and humidity was humidity, yet somehow, when I played outside, I often forgot about those things.

It was rare for me to go out in the middle of a hot summer night unless it was something really important.

Well, if it’s important enough to step out into the festival-filled street with friends, then it is indeed important. Especially if mom is joining. If I think about it, I might have done the same if I had a friend to drink with.

Dressed lightly without a yukata, I stepped outside. Kagami didn’t follow right behind me.

When I first ventured out into the festival, Kagami was still quite young. Given the circumstances, as a child who probably hadn’t been to a festival like this with family, they likely wanted to enjoy it by my side even more.

But years have passed since then.

Kagami can still be called young. The fact that they could be of an age to have a daughter is true, but considering it from the standpoint of the 21st century, one could argue it’s a bit early, and it would be tough for someone of that age to have a fairly grown daughter like me.

However, spending time with their daughter has led Kagami to gradually mature.

While enjoying the festival together, I figured that giving their daughter some separate time is better than sticking too close. They also understood that not interfering too much with my affairs is a good thing.

So, it was the same this time.

Although Kagami came out to the festival with me, they allowed Mako and me to move separately. In exchange, they stayed with the uncle who played the father role.

Having been with Kagami for a while, I realized that being away for a bit wasn’t a big deal. After all, we hadn’t gone far. We were just at a neighborhood festival, so there was no reason we would get lost here.

“Mako!”

“Wow!”

When I was in Tokyo, I was mostly the one receiving care.

Even if I didn’t demand it, those around me made an effort to take care of me. After all, I was perceived as a somewhat pitiful child.

…In reality, I didn’t feel pitiful about my situation, but I also didn’t want to completely push Harumi and Yuuki away, nor did I really want to fight, so I just let it be.

Yet, ironically, it was only after coming this far that Kagami and I became ordinary.

For Kagami, this might be a somewhat burdensome situation. The uncle, acting as the husband, didn’t particularly touch Kagami. Even if he treated us like family in private, maintaining that false pretense in front of others was definitely a heavy burden.

Somehow, now that we’ve come this far, I understand why Kagami couldn’t leave Tokyo. From Yamashita’s point of view, hiding someone away like this is burdensome for many reasons. Besides, Kagami likely couldn’t have imagined coming here without any protective measures.

At that time, Kagami was even younger than now. Going to someone much older than them and asking, “I want to live far away—please help me” couldn’t have been easy.

…

Eventually, it turned out that way.

“I’ll eat well!”

Mako shouted happily as she received an apple candy that I offered.

Mako was dressed in a yukata. The slightly dark blue outfit suited her really well. Holding an apple candy in her hand made her truly look festive.

Every time I experience this festival atmosphere, it’s just so enjoyable. I feel that even if I don’t buy anything or eat something, just watching people bustle about is quite fun. Even just looking at others enjoying food in front of stalls made time fly.

Especially when I see my friends having fun.

Well, thinking about it, they’re only elementary school students. It’s only natural that it’s nice to see them having fun.

“Takoyaki!”

Mako, who usually isn’t that loud, seemed to be swept up in the atmosphere, her face a bit brightened.

“Shall we eat together?”

“I’ll treat this time!”

Mako dashed toward the stall before I could even respond, perhaps feeling obliged since I bought her the apple candy.

I decided to just quietly let her treat me. Mako surely had some pocket money she could use here.

I’ve slowly learned over the past few years that being too one-sided in giving can be a burden on the other person.

As we munched on warm takoyaki balls, we walked along.

Then—

“…Goldfish fishing.”

I muttered that without realizing it.

“Uh, do you want to do it?”

Mako quickly picked up on my words and asked.

“Shall we?”

“Let’s do it, let’s do it!”

When I asked, Mako nodded enthusiastically.

The reason I muttered goldfish fishing was simple: I had a goldfish I used to keep.

Unlike the one I kept that died early in childhood, my pet, Badu, has been well taken care of by Kagami, with changes of water on time and an appropriately sized tank as Badu grew up. Plus, I even bought a filter… In the end, the space my goldfish thrived in turned out to be larger than I initially thought.

It didn’t act like a cat or dog. It didn’t respond when I called its name and mostly just swam leisurely in the tank.

But whenever I approached to feed it, for some reason, it would quickly swim over to me and dart around.

Its size had grown much larger than I imagined, creating quite a bit of fun in keeping it.

Now, it was no longer around.

It was Mako who first picked up the net.

“…Ah!”

But Mako couldn’t catch a goldfish easily. The paper net tore apart every time she swung it in the water.

Even with so many goldfish in the tank, she couldn’t catch even one, causing her to pout a bit.

After a small laugh at that sight, I grabbed a net this time.

I tried just once.

And I managed to scoop up one goldfish that looked quite similar to my Badu.

This was a technique passed down from Harumi.

Harumi really enjoyed goldfish scooping. Maybe it was because she was naturally outgoing?

Though neither of us kept pets at home, she never threw away the goldfish that she caught. So, there was a fairly large goldfish tank in her house. Inside, a few goldfish swam leisurely.

Harumi, Yuuki, and I would sometimes sit in front of it like entranced cats, watching the goldfish swim.

“Here.”

“Eh?”

Mako looked a bit surprised when I handed over the goldfish. Though she took it, her expression said she was unsure if it was really okay.

Well, if we’re going to keep it, it might be better in the place we’re living now rather than the old apartment where Kagami and I used to live. After all, it has become much bigger.

But somehow… I didn’t want to do that.

If I were to go out again, I’d leave it behind anyway.

In that case, I’d rather someone else raise it. Someone who lives in a much more ordinary place than I do. Someone who could take it along even if they moved far away and raise it well.

This is… kind of selfish, but isn’t it said that goldfish can live for 30 years if properly cared for?

Not quite that long—but—

When that goldfish swims leisurely in its tank, I’d like it to remember that it had a friend named me, even if only for a moment.

That its face might be blurry and its name forgotten, I just hope it remembers that there was someone like that nearby.

What about Harumi and Yuuki?

The time I spent with those two is also part of my ‘childhood’.

Even if my friends were from the upper grades of elementary school, I’d forget them when I became an adult. That’s likely unless I continued to be in touch with them until then.

…I guess I’ll forget. By the time I hit high school, that’s how it usually goes.

I hope Mako at least remembers me.

“…Take care of it.”

As I voiced that wish, Mako blinked once, then enthusiastically nodded.

“Yeah! I’ll take care of it! So it can live a long, long time!”

“…Okay.”

At Mako’s response, I felt a little relieved.

Then, a small sense of heaviness settled in my chest again.

How ridiculous to ask someone I had only known for a few months to remember me.

Is this a sign that I think this life won’t last long?

“…”

Well, to be honest, I don’t really know.

Mako and I continued walking. Slowly strolling back toward where our parents were.

Mako’s father, the uncle acting as my dad, and Kagami were engaged in conversation. The adults’ chat had an awkward yet polite atmosphere.

“Mako.”

“Koto Ne!”

As we headed toward where our respective fathers and mothers were, they exchanged those lines.

“Mom.”

I said, tugging at Kagami’s sleeve.

“Let’s go see the fireworks.”

“Sure!”

Kagami responded brightly, as if very pleased by my suggestion.

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