Time spent with family.

A time when one is treated like a sore spot by everyone.

When you spend time reading a book as if you’re escaping.

Time spent alone on the hill.

Spending time looking at the starry sky and thinking of Sho-chan.

As a triangle-shaped Hatsune, I have lived by holding myself back so as not to inconvenience anyone.

Life on this island didn’t give me a time to speak in my own words.

In that way, as time went by, I found myself humming my favorite songs only while spending time on the hilltop.

The song I hummed could have been anything.

During the time I am singing, I feel like I can speak honestly.

In pursuit of that sensation, I simply sing.

Before I knew it, I wanted a guitar.

Do not seek.

Do not desire.

I’ve been telling myself that, but my desire to play the guitar is growing stronger by the day.

With a guitar, you can play music anywhere.

How wonderful it would feel to sing as my true self, carried by the sound of the guitar.

So, I wanted a guitar.

🌙

The family eats together on Sunday afternoon.

On Sundays, the market is closed, so the foster father relaxes at home instead of going fishing.

In order for such a foster father to relax and rest, the mother prepares a slightly elaborate dish.

And my sister, rather than being annoyed on days off when the whole family is together, actually becomes even more talkative.

A picture-perfect family gathering, and me, the outsider.

That was a Sunday at the Triangle House.

That day at noon, I quietly ate my meal while listening to the cheerful conversations between Hatsuka and her parents gathered around the dining table as a family.

This unbearably uncomfortable time is excruciating.

However, I have no right to be so selfish as to eat alone in my room, so I eat mindlessly like an invisible person.

“…Oh, this child! They’re amazing!”

A program of an amateur singing contest coming from the TV that’s left on.

Hana raised her voice at the song she heard from the television.

“I heard they’re going for a third consecutive victory in the singing competition! It seems like they might win again this year.”

Drawn by curiosity, I listen intently to the singing voice without looking at the screen.

A singing voice that expresses joy in singing with all its might.

I could sense the strength of my core self within that honesty.

A hopeful singing voice that is completely different from me, who sings just a little to make it easier, like taking a breath.

“Maybe you’re not that different in age from my older sister. That’s amazing… you already look like an idol.”

I didn’t think it was envious.

It’s just too different, like a world far away… it feels just like watching a TV talent.

Surely, the person with this singing voice will walk a brilliant life.

Yet, without realizing it, I was gripping my hands under the desk.

If I could sing like this. If I could affirm myself like this.

Then, I might finally be able to tell Sho-chan my name this time.

The feelings that I’ve been holding back are about to overflow, and I want to express them.

Tightly closing my mouth, I then grit my teeth.

I have to endure.

I shouldn’t crave it. I shouldn’t cause trouble.

“──Hatsune. Are you okay?”

My adoptive father was looking at me with concern.

Gentle eyes are directed straight at me.

I have to say something.

There’s no need to worry, just responding like that.

And so I will become air again. I want to become transparent and invisible.

Yet, my mouth trembles.

“…Father-in-law”

My mouth is trying to spit out completely different words.

“Uh?”

“I… I… want a guitar…”

A voice that seems to be squeezed out. Ah, I said it.

I looked down in a hurry and felt ashamed of myself.

It sounds nice to say that I was moved by the singing coming from the television, but I was just craving for a guitar. Now that I’ve said it, there’s no turning back.

I was scared of the words that would come back from my adoptive father.

“I’m going out with Hatsune for a bit.”

“Yes,” was all my mother replied.

I simply looked up and saw my foster father.

My foster father simply nodded back at me.

Getting up from the chair, he cleaned up the used dishes, changed into some light clothes, and headed towards the entrance.

My mother lightly tapped my back, as I was just staring in astonishment.

“Have a good day. It’s like they are smiling and saying that.”

“Wow, that sounds great! I want to go too!”

Hana said, “Maybe next time,” as her mother soothed her.

And so I finally understood that my foster father was going to take me to buy a guitar.

I hurriedly got ready to go out and headed to the entrance to catch up with my foster father.

🌙

On the return ferry, I was sitting tightly hugging a brand new guitar case.

Acoustic guitar. It is something I have wanted for a long time, but I had given up on it somewhere along the way, and now it is in my arms.

The weight of the hard case feels pleasantly heavy, making me love it even more.

I want to try playing it soon. I want to try singing it.

My feelings are rushing forward, forward.

I glanced at the adoptive father sitting next to me.

There hasn’t been any conversation that felt like a real conversation from the beginning until now.

“Are you ready?” “Which one is good?” “Got it.”

Really, that much.

You silently bought the guitar that I had chosen hesitantly.

The case, accessories, and other various items were definitely not cheap.

I haven’t done anything to deserve being bought anything.

“What happened?”

My adoptive father, noticing my gaze, asks gently with his voice.

I feel a little relief at that calm and gentle voice.

As I looked at my adoptive father’s face, I tightened my grip on the guitar.

“Um… why… the guitar?”

Did you buy it for me?

I wanted to hear that, but I was too scared to ask what came next, so I kept silent.

My foster father suddenly smiled and gently patted my head once.

“Ah…”

Just that alone made my eyes well up with heat, and I hurriedly hid my face with the guitar case.

I don’t know why, but my heart feels hot and warm deep inside. I can’t help but think that if I could turn this feeling into a song and someday let this person hear it…

I don’t have that kind of qualification. I have to endure from now on too.

But just for now, is it okay to honestly be a little happy that you bought me a guitar?

Through the edge of my vision hidden behind the guitar case, I could see the port of the island illuminated by the sunset outside the window.

A place where I live that is merely suffocating. I’ve always spent my time hiding and escaping on that hill.

I think I will stay home today.

Taking a slight breath, I relaxed my grip on the guitar case and leaned back against the chair’s backrest.

This is the truth.

It’s a story that can only be told because the existence of the adoptive father is hardly mentioned in the main story…

Hana’s acoustic guitar is a Morris G-021 SBK.

The entry-level model costs around 40,000 yen, so I might be wondering if I bought it myself? It’s quite a dilemma.

If it were a six-digit acoustic guitar like the Momokan, I could understand why I would still get it.

Even in sumimi, I’m using a 7-string…

It was a psychological depiction that made you think, “You were doing it, right!?”

I got to read something good.

I want to know about the encounter with Hatsune’s music.

That genius-level skill.

I guess they probably bought it since there are probably no instrument stores on that island, yeah.

I wish Hatsune could take even a single step forward, but there’s really nothing I can do about it now…

It was a good weird document.

I’m quite interested in stories from Hatsune’s island era.

Mana-chan is appearing for a moment…

Good document

So if they said that I’m not blood-related to Hoshika, that would definitely be shocking.

The more these things happen, the more I feel that Mahoka stepped on the biggest landmine, and that’s painful.

I think I started making music around that time because it was the beginning of being a liar.

It’s that damn old man, it’s that damn old man.

I was worried I would be rejected because it was 100% fabricated, but I’m glad…

It’s a good story.

I think that, unless something extraordinary happens, it’s not likely that a child can leave that island alone.

If I were to leave with just one more person, it would probably become the talk of the island…

It’s just that as soon as Shoko arrives, a taxi comes, right?

You can write anything you want now!

I gained the courage to write my own fantasies, thank you.

I was feeling suffocated, but I was sad when my foster father died.

I feel that he was probably an awkward father.

Hatsuka, who treated me like her own daughter, is the one speaking, and I definitely felt the love.

It might be the biggest mystery that even in Sumimi, there’s a scene of holding a 7-string guitar.

What kind of idol is that…

Even though I was loved so much, I didn’t shed a single tear, did I, big sister!

Hatsune’s musical background, who does songwriting, composing, and guitar vocals, is too mysterious.

Personally, I believe that the genius behind this work is consistently supported by intense focus, so I don’t mind the background such as experience with instruments.

The mother may have some musical talent and education.