Antique Shop?BEAR? - Chapter 36
Chapter 36 – Death Anniversary Candle
Just before boarding the bullet train, after buying lunch and drinks for dinner, she was overcome with drowsiness and dozed off.
“Nozomi.”
Startled by the voice, she lifted her face.
“Are you coming back this year as well?”
Upon hearing a voice next to her, she glanced to the side and saw her deceased sister, Aki, seated there. Her slim figure was dressed in a fluffy dark blue dress.
“Elder sister…” Nozomi rubbed her eyes. “Why… are you here?”
“Because we are in a dream.”
?????????
“Arriving at Kaihama Station.”
Nozomi snapped her eyes open. In a frantic effort, she scanned her surroundings but found no one in the seat next to her.
“A… dream huh…”
Her heart was pounding as though she had been struck in the heart. Occasionally this was how she dreamt about her sister, but since tomorrow was the anniversary of her death, it felt as if she had truly shown up. Hurrying to grab her luggage, she departed from the bullet train.
Since her father was picking her up at the station, he drove her back to their house. Having returned home during the Bon Festival, it didn’t feel like it had been that long.
Upon arriving home, the first thing she did was to head to the Buddhist altar and pray.
“Time sure flies fast.” Her mother, dressed in pajamas, took a seat adjacent to Nozomi.
“I can’t believe it’s already been four years.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Tomorrow will be the fourth anniversary of her sister’s death. In the photo, her sister was beaming with bliss. It was nothing but an ordinary photo taken due to the abrupt nature of the incident. Ever since her sister’s unexpected death, her mother has been sick frequently and has lost a considerable amount of weight. Even though she went to work part-time, she was a different version of the energetic mother of the past.
“Oh, yes.” From her bag, Nozomi took out the box that Aiba had given her. “I received it from someone at the company.”
“Oh, really? Then offer it to the altar. Let’s open it tomorrow.”
Nozomi placed the box on the altar.
After leaving the bath and entering the room, she turned on the air conditioner for it was hot.
The room was still the same as before; there were still bunk beds in the room. Even the two desks from her elementary school days were placed side by side, and next to them were two chests.
Nozomi lay down under the bunk bed. All of her sister’s things remained untouched. When she had asked her parents earlier if they were planning to clean up the place, they had both said they would still keep her belongings.
Closing her eyes, Nozomi drifted off to sleep.
“Nozomi.”
When she awakened, her father was standing in her room. From downstairs came the sound of her mother wailing.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your mother’s not feeling well. I’m taking her to the hospital.”
“Eh… will it be alright at this time of the night…? Ambulance?”
“No, I’ll drive her.”
When she went downstairs, her mother was in tears, lying on her side in the hallway, flailing.
“Is she… going to be okay?”
“Yeah. Just wait for me at home.”
Her father was sweating from his forehead, though he avoided showing his agitation on his face. While Nozomi was in a daze, he took her mother in his arms and drove to the hospital.
Once in her room and lying down, memories of her sister suddenly flooded back. She was the sister who constantly poked her head out from the top of the bunk bed and chatted with her.
“Nozomi, have you done your homework?”
“Nozomi, your clothes look weird.”
“Nozomi, you should clean up once in a while.”
“Nozomi, try to study hard for your test.”
“Nozomi, is there someone you have feelings for?”
“Nozomi, I have a boyfriend.”
“Nozomi, I’ve decided to move in with him.”
“Nozomi, now I can use my room as I like.”
“Nozomi, I’m pregnant.”
“Nozomi, I’m getting married.”
“Nozomi, please attend my wedding.”
“Nozomi… Thank you.”
“Nozomi…”
“Stop!” She screamed uncontrollably.
Her sister’s demise was a tragic one.
Four years ago, her sister was working as a receptionist at a local dentist. Nozomi had already left her hometown and was working at Kamata’s company, so she rarely met her sister more than a couple of times a year, but never in her dream would she have expected to suddenly part ways with her beloved sister.
Even now, she suspected that her sister would peek out from above, but that never happened.
The next morning, waking up from sleep, she prayed at the altar.
“Elder sister.”
Her parents hadn’t come home yet. After breakfast by herself, Nozomi headed out of the house.
Nozomi rode her bicycle along the beach. The salty smell of the sea breeze brought nostalgia. This was the place where her sister had passed away.
After parking her bicycle at the parking lot of the beach, Nozomi descended to the beach. In the distance, she could see people strolling along the beach. Sitting down on the beach, she gazed at the sea. In the past, she and her sister used to collect seashells and have family picnics here.
Gazing at the ocean, her mind went to peacefulness.
On her way home, she got off her bike at the curve where her sister was struck. For four years, her sister still reminded her of flowers frequently and even now she couldn’t believe it.
On this day four years ago, while on her way home from work, her sister was trying to ride her bike home to her parents’ house as opposed to the apartment where she lived with her boyfriend. Although she was advised not to ride her bike due to her early pregnancy, she seemed to be smiling and said, “Don’t worry!”.
The day was cool, the moon was beautiful, and the coastline was straight, making visibility smooth and tranquil.
A truck swerved out of the lane and crashed into her. The driver was under the influence of alcohol and was unaware that he had struck her, and stopped when he felt something amiss on the curve after running over her and her bicycle for about 20 meters. Even though the driver stepped out of the truck at one point and realized that he had run over someone, he became frightened and fled the scene. A following car that witnessed the incident immediately alerted the authorities, and he was promptly arrested, but her sister was run over and passed away in her original state. Even the baby in her belly died without being able to meet anyone.