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And because we’ve been avoiding Miura for so long, why not double up?



Chapter 36: Keitaro Miura 3




Music: LONER (Azusa Chiba)









It’s still there, hiding behind all those elaborate curtains. That Sentinel… It’s what brought me here.

Consider Time Travel

(Before the war, my uncle gave me a sci-fi novel. A story about traveling through time to the future. It only ever felt like a far-off fantasy… To think it’d ever become a reality.)

Consider American Weapons

I checked the library for any records of such a weapon. But in all of history, nothing like it has ever existed. Not in the U.S.. Not anywhere. …What was that thing?

Consider 1985



I’m proud my country could rebuild after what happened. But… I won’t accept this future. Now that I know we lose the war… that’s all the more reason to go back.



It’s my duty to fight and protect the people. I have to save as many of them as I can.



(But what if it’s impossible for me to go back? What if I’m trapped here…? Chihiro… …All right, that’s enough. Get it together. Don’t get discouraged. You *will* make it back. No matter what it takes. Hmm… I wonder… What if I never actually traveled through time? It’s possible that spacetime here is warped somehow. But it could just be a local effect. I should try heading toward the school. Maybe time is flowing normally over there.)

What? Why would things be different there?




Consider 1985

(Despite a catastrophic loss, Japan recovered quite well. It seems to have entered a prosperous new era. Almost too prosperous…)

Yeah, it was quite the shock seeing Kiryu get all that money beaten out of him by Mr. Shakedown on the way over here.





Looks like the school’s still here.



Isn’t that…?

Music: BUDDIES (Azusa Chiba)




Miura-kun?






I’ve gotta say… You had me pretty worried. I had no idea where you went.
I just… I can’t believe you’re here, too.
I couldn’t find you anywhere. I thought you got snatched up and hauled off to Area 51. But anyway, what have you been up to?
Wait… first…
Where have you been?



…A kind student’s been letting me stay at his place. Aside from that, I’ve been sleeping outdoors.




Consider Natsuno Minami





(She certainly is quite… yes. I admit, she’s bright, cheerful… attractive. B-But right now… I have more urgent matters to tend to.)



This is my mess, so I have to figure out how to clean it up.



I can’t really bring a boy into the house… Oh yeah! Granny Tamao went on a trip. So Juro-kun should be the only one home. That house *does* have a lot of rooms…





Then we’ll head over to the Kurabes’ house.



Music: Feeling At Ease (Rikako Watanabe)








*sad whimper*
You don’t have to cry. It’s not like you did this on purpose. I’m sure Uncle isn’t mad about it anymore.
What about you? Are you mad?
Of course not. I’m your big brother. I’ll always be on your side, Chihiro.





You must’ve been playing pretty rough.




‘Cause the ghosts smash all the houses… And more of them keep coming.

Huh. I’m sure that’s nothing.

Such strange ghosts. Did you come up with them yourself?
No. Tamao told me about them.



My father has quite a short temper.

With good reason, this is a rental!



Tamao-san.
It only happened because I told Chihiro-chan about my dreams.



Mhm. I’ve been feeling much better lately. And I have Gouto-san from Tokyo to thank for that. He’s been sharing some foreign medicine with me.



Ever since I started taking it, I keep having strange dreams. But they feel like more than just dreams.



Getting a little heavy in front of the young child there, Tamao.



The sirens…





Music: The Chills (Yoshimi Kudo)



Enemies flying at low altitude. More air units to be expected. To prepare against the coming invasion… We ask all citizens to unite as we fortify our air defenses.



We have to hurry to a bombproof shelter.



We have to go.




Couldn’t you have knocked first?
C’mon, your granny Tamao and I are best buds. We’re neighbors! Think I don’t know my way around the place? Anyway, I’ve got a favor to ask…






Do you need something from him?
It’s not what it looks like!





Music: Forty Winks (Rikako Watanabe)




Who are you?



So, um… It’s kinda complicated, but yeah. I need you to let him stay over for a few days.
What? How do you know Minami-san?
*blushing* Come on, I know you have a spare room. Just let him stay until your granny’s back. In exchange… I won’t tell anyone you’re living with a girl.

BLACKMAIL, BAYBEE

That’s not—
The details don’t matter. Just let him stay, all right? Thanks. See ya.



It’s fine, it’s fine. I live super close by. So if you need anything, just let me know!






I know Natsuno-san’s intentions are good, but… I really don’t want to be an inconvenience.
…… Are you hungry? Why don’t you join us for dinner?
No, I shouldn’t… *stomach growls*



No, that was, uh…
I’ll go fix you a plate.




Is she in good health?
Grandma? She’s fit as a fiddle. She’s visiting relatives back in Shimane. That’s why she isn’t here.
Shimane… She must be with her mother’s side of the family in Iwami.



…Yes.
You do, huh… So then…



Not long. Just until I can make my way back home.
Well, all right. If that’s the case, it shouldn’t be a problem. Just try not to cause any trouble. Feel free to use the guest room on the first floor.
…Thank you.




It’s been lightly remodeled, but it’s the same house. I could’ve sworn it burned to the ground…





And it wasn’t changed when they remodeled.



(…Then it should be right here. Chihiro left a dent in this pillar.)



Oh fuck me, this again



…There was a wooden, single-story house. It was built in the middle of the 20th century. That humble little place stood for about 100 years. My grandfather often told me stories about it. Some of his fondest childhood memories were at that house.
That sounds lovely. I’ll have it produced for you.

In the background, beeping can be heard. It seems Miura is receiving another call.

You will? But all I have left are old photographs.
That’s fine. I can restore them for you.
Thank you, Miura-san. I’m looking forward to it.




Were you just on a call with someone else?
With Professor Kurabe, yes. We were discussing the layout of the residential zone.
Oh, that’s right. Professor Kurabe was born in the 21st century. She’s 120 years old, right? I know that she’s receiving nanomachine treatment… but she still looks so young.
She’s Professor Morimura’s mentor, I hear. Quite an intelligent individual.
Well, yeah. She *is* the foremost expert on AI, after all.
Right… Anyway, is something wrong?
Why does something have to be wrong for me to call? Well, I just so happen to have a *really* urgent problem. I need emotional support, stat. And I need it from you.
Oh, that does sound urgent. Then I’ll be waiting.



Uhhhhh




We can unlock Miura again, but we’ll probably move on to someone else for now.



We also make another update to the board, this time adding the mysteries “Kurabe House Discrepancy” and “2188.” Made the latter a little bigger because it feels… kind of huge, but I’m sure none it’s making any sense at the moment so we’ll leave it at that.