The Girl in the Cave
I stretched as I heard a bell.
Suginami: How about lunch, Sakurai?
I turned around and saw Suginami standing with a meaningful smile on his face.
Yoshiyuki: Sure, I don't care. How about you, Wataru?
I called over to Wataru, who had his face down.
Wataru: Nah, I'll pass. Enjoy your sweet time alone together.
He waved his hand without lifting his head.
He was completely lethargic.
Suginami: Hmm, then let us snuggle up together for our sweet lunch.
Yoshiyuki: Don't say something so sickening.
Anzu: I see. That pairing could work.
Akane: I know, right? All kinds of things I shouldn't be thinking just... What about you, Koko-chan?
Koko: Feh?! W-Why are you asking me?
Akane: Because you like stuff like that, Koko-chan.
Koko: That's not true.
Anzu: Be honest with your desires. That's the best, Koko.
Koko: B-But I'm telling you it's not true.
Behind us, the three girls, Setsugekka, are having their own fun.
What are they thinking anyway?
Yoshiyuki: So, where are we going? The cafeteria or the store?
Suginami: Heh, heh, heh... Just follow me without a word. I'll introduce you to a very special place.
He grinned and walked out of the classroom.
Yoshiyuki: Okay, I'm coming.
I followed Suginami.
Yoshiyuki: So how far are we going?
We changed into our shoes at the entrance and went outside.
Suginami: It's just a little further.
We passed through the school gate,
Crossed the street lined with cherry blossom trees,
Went through the park,
Down a rough road,
And the next thing I knew, we were in a dense forest.
A dense forest?
Where are we?
There was a gaping entrance to a cave in front of me.
Suginami: Well, I just happened to find this cave yesterday.
He spoke proudly and loudly.
Suginami: Look! Look at this cave just sitting here in the middle of nowhere! It's covered with ivy, and there's barbed wire in front of the entrance. Furthermore, there's a "no trespassing" sign. That appearance clearly leads to the conclusion that no man has set foot in this cave for many years. No matter how you look at it, there must be some kind of secret hidden in this wonderful spot, don't you think?
Yoshiyuki: What about lunch?
Suginami: .........
Yoshiyuki: .........
Suginami: Lunch? Is that the only word that can come from your mouth with this wonderful spot before you? I'm disappointed in you, Sakurai.
Yoshiyuki: I'm hungry.
We glared at each other.
I felt stupid, so I stopped glaring.
What's the point of glaring at Suginami here?
That won't fill my stomach, and since we're already here, I don't have much choice but to go along with him.
I don't know how to get back anyway.
Yoshiyuki: Hah.
I might as well get it over with quickly.
Yoshiyuki: Oh well, come on, let's go in.
Suginami: Oh, there's my comrade, Sakurai. You know how it should be.
Yoshiyuki: I just want to get it over with so we can eat lunch. What are we going to do with this?
I touched the barbed wire that was fencing off the entrance.
Suginami: Use this.
I don't know where he took it out from, but Suginami held a wire cutter in his hand.
Suginami: Always be prepared for anything and carry tools. That's just common sense.
What kind of common sense is that?
What tools does he carry around anyway?
We cut the barbed wires with the wire cutters.
Yoshiyuki: Here we go.
We proceeded into the cave.
Suginami: It's dark. We need a light.
He took out a flashlight.
Suginami: Here's tool number two.
The dim light of the flashlight faintly lit up our surroundings.
Yoshiyuki: This is bigger than I thought.
My voice echoed deep in the cave.
Suginami: Hmmoh! This... is jackpot!
Yoshiyuki: What did we find?
Suginami: You don't get it? Don't you feel its presence? Without a doubt, he exists within this cave!
He?
Is he talking about Nessie?
No, this is Hatsunejima, so it's Hassie.
Suginami: With this, a front page headline in Nuu magazine is all mine. Heh, heh, heh.
I walked with Suginami who was totally excited about this.
Our footsteps echoed.
The path seemed to head downhill.
It went on further than I expected.
I started to feel dampness in the air.
Yoshiyuki: Still, who would have expected such a big cave to be on this island.
This would make anyone excited, not just Suginami.
The excitement I felt was similar to when I played in a secret fort as a child.
I couldn't help imagining something was actually hidden deep inside of the cave.
Suginami: You still have a lot to learn, comrade Sakurai. Strange things are usually closer than expected.
Yoshiyuki: Strange things, huh?
Come to think of it, the Everlasting Cherry Blossom Tree is strange.
I'm so used to it now that I don't even feel like it's strange.
Suginami: The world is filled with more mysteries than we all realize. Ghosts, UFOs, UMA, time travelers... and unknown caves. It's up to you whether to notice it or not...
The flashlight lit an open area.
Suginami: Heh, looks like this is the climax.
At the end of the path, we came out to an opening that was like a big room.
Suginami: This is wonderful!
Suginami exclaimed.
The room was about 20m by 20m. The walls looked manmade.
The ceiling was high.
Yoshiyuki: Hmm? What's that?
In the middle of the room, there was a box that was big enough to hold a person.
There was something extending from the box to the ceiling.
Yoshiyuki: ...Suginami.
Suginami: Yeah, time for our first encounter.
We slowly approached it.
As we got closer, we could see the outline.
It was a rectangular box with rounded corners and what looked like a glass lid attached.
There was a pipe coming out from the side of it and it was attached to the ceiling.
Suginami: I see, so that's it.
Suginami clapped his hands.
Yoshiyuki: What do you mean by that?
Suginami: Don't you know? Look at that shape and this situation. There's only one thing.
Yoshiyuki: No, I don't get it at all.
Suginami: .........
Suginami looked at me as if he was looking at a pile of trash.
Even if he looked at me that way, I still didn't get it.
Besides, don't expect me to think the same way as you do.
Suginami: ...Haven't you heard of cold sleep before?
Yoshiyuki: Huh? Cold sleep? Do you mean from science fiction novels?
Suginami: Yes, It's a technique for freezing a living human being so they can wake up in the future. In most cases, a capsule is used for it.
Yoshiyuki: Are you saying there's cryopreserved human in there?
Suginami: Exactly!
Yoshiyuki: Don't be ridiculous. This isn't a game or a comic book. How could that be possible?
I can't believe he would even go that far.
Suginami: Well, we'll find out once we check.
We came close to the capsule.
Suginami lit the inside of the capsule with the flashlight.
Yoshiyuki: .........
Suginami: .........
Yoshiyuki: .........
Suginami: .........
Yoshiyuki: ...This can't be true.
Suginami: This is for real.
Yoshiyuki: But, but...
There was a girl sleeping in the capsule.
She was like a doll.
Yoshiyuki: This is too strange, isn't it?
I couldn't help but stare at her.
When I looked carefully, I could see her chest faintly moving up and down.
Suginami: It looks like she's alive.
Yoshiyuki: ...This must be a joke.
Suginami: If this was a joke, this girl would be too pitiful.
Yoshiyuki: But...
I just couldn't believe it.
I just couldn't believe there was a girl put into cold sleep here.
How ridiculous. This isn't a game.
Suginami: However, since she's breathing, this isn't cold sleep.
Is that so?
But when I thought calmly, that made sense.
This isn't some fantasy setting; she's simply sleeping here for some reason.
It was more natural to think that way.
Suginami: ...That means, she could be hibernating...
As Suginami mumbled, I looked at the girl again.
She had navy blue hair and well-organized facial features.
She was beautiful.
She gave a somewhat mysterious impression.
She had a small figure, and cords attached to both of her arms.
The cords extended into the pipe.
Suginami: I guess the cords are connected to something through this pipe.
Suginami looked at the ceiling.
Yoshiyuki: Who's this?
Suginami: Even I don't know that.
Yoshiyuki: What are we going to do?
Suginami: Let's see, for now...
He walked around the capsule.
As he walked, he examined it.
Suginami: Oh, look at this, Sakurai.
Suginami pointed the capsule when he reached the opposite end.
Yoshiyuki: What is it?
I went around and looked at it.
Suginami: There's some kind of writing on here.
Yoshiyuki: Writing?
I bend down to look at it closely.
-Click!
Yoshiyuki: Ah!
My knee touched the capsule.
I felt like my knee pushed in something.
It was like I pushed a switch.
Suginami: What is it, Sakurai?
Yoshiyuki: I just felt something odd on my knee...
-Beep, beep, beep, beep...
Yoshiyuki: .........
Suginami: .........
Suginami lit my knee are without saying a word.
My knee was touching a switch like bump on the side of the capsule.
A red light was flashing.
Yoshiyuki: .........
Suginami: .........
-Beep, beep, beep, beep...
The rhythical beeping continued.
Yoshiyuki: What are we going to do?
Suginami: Hmm, well, the switch was already pushed. We'll see what happens.
Yoshiyuki: Is that it?
Suginami: What else can we do at this point?
He was right.
Yoshiyuki: What do you think this is?
Suginami: I don't know. The only thing I can think of is...
-Beep, beep, beep.
The beeping stopped as if its work was finished.
Yoshiyuki: What can you think of?
Suginami: This.
I followed what Suginami was looking at.
The girl inside of the capsule.
Our eyes met.
Yoshiyuki: ...I see.
Just the outcome we expected.
The girl was glaring at me.
Her fists were shaking.
She raised herself up.
Quickly, at that.
Wait.
Slam!
Minatsu: Aargh!
Yoshiyuki: .........
Suginami: .........
A nice sound rang out.
The mystery disappeared instantly.
The glass lid rattled.
Minatsu: You! You tricked me!
No, I didn't.
Yoshiyuki: ...Is it my fault?
Suginami: Hmm, it's hard to say.
No matter how I looked at it, I didn't think it was my fault.
The girl was trying to work something inside of the capsule.
With the whir of a motor, the glass lid slid open to each side.
Minatsu: Tsk!
The girl clicked her tongue loudly as she got up.
Her forehead was red.
Yoshiyuki: Ahh, are you okay...?
Minatsu: Was that you?
Yoshiyuki: W-What?
Minatsu: I'm asking if you're the one who activated Minatsu?
Suginami: Activate? Do you mean?
Minatsu: Shut up, you're an outsider!
She gave him a sharp shout.
Suginami: Mm, mmm.
Minatsu: Why did you activate Minatsu? What's your purpose?
Her voice was low and she was suppressing her emotion.
She was looking at me with eyes full of hostility.
The air around us started to get tense.
Oops, sorry about that.
I came into the cave out of pure curiosity and accidentally activated you when my knee bumped into the switch as I bent over.
If I said that right now, I'm sure she'd kill me.
I better choose what I say very carefully.
Suginami: Hmph. It was merely an accident. His knee simply bumped into the switch when he bent over.
Yoshiyuki: You, idiot!
My voice cracked.
Yoshiyuki: Why are you telling the truth?
Minatsu: ...I see. Your knee did... Huh?
I'm as stupid as him!
It was too late to regret it.
The girl slowly raised herself and stood up out of the capsule.
Minatsu: ...Did you say... accidentally?
She stretched and cracked her neck.
She took a fighting position while holding her fists tightly.
Minatsu: ...How dare you!
Yoshiyuki: W-Wait a minute! C-Calm down, let's talk, okay? Please?
Minatsu: just the thought of coexisting with humans... makes me feel sick.
Yoshiyuki: I-I'm sorry for pushing the activation button, I really am. But I don't think being violent solves anything. Right, don't you think so too, Suginami?
Suginami: Sorry, as an outsider, she'll get angry if I speak so allow me to refrain from commenting.
Damn you!
Minatsu: Remember this. I have but two things in this world which I detest. One is bananas and the other is... humans!
The girl came closer to me.
Minatsu: I wanted to stay asleep forever. You forced me to wake up, and you're telling me it was just an accident? Do you think I'd buy that? That's why I hate humans!
She swung her right fist.
Please, violence is wrong!
Minatsu: Take this!
I heard her fist cut through the air.
At the moment her first came within an inch away from me,
Mizukoshi: That's far enough!
A sharp voice rang out.
Yoshiyuki: Guahh!
Swoosh... Slam... Tumble, tumble, tumble...
My body flew in the air and rolled on the ground.
Minatsu: Shit!
Mizukoshi: I guess we made it in time.
I don't know who you are, but no, you didn't make it in time!
I stood up, holding my throbbing cheek and looked in the direction the voice had come from.
Mizukoshi: You're type HM-A06, Minatsu, right?
The calm voice belonged to a woman accompanied by several tough looking men.
Yoshiyuki: M-Mizukoshi-sensei!?
She was Mizukoshi Maika-sensei from the nurse's office.
Why is Mizukoshi-sensei here?
Mizukoshi: Ah, so it was you gys who caused this mischief. Jeez.
She gave a sigh of amazement.
Yoshiyuki: S-Sorry.
Mizukoshi: That's okay. So how do you feel to be awake, Minatsu-san?
Minatsu: Do you need to ask? I feel horrible!
Mizukoshi: I'm sorry. We didn't mean to wake you up. But since you woke up...
Mizukoshi-sensei gave a signal to the men behind her and they closed in on the girl, surrounding her.
Minatsu: I won't run away.
Mizukoshi: Good, I'm glad to hear that. Okay, take her now.
Man: Understood.
Then the men took the girl away keeping her surrounded.
Wh-What's going on?
There was a strange capsule in the cave, a girl was sleeping inside of it, and when the alarm sounded Mizukoshi-sensei showed up...
Type HM-A06? Minatsu?
I'm totally confused.
Calm down.
I need to organize the information first-
Minatsu: What's your name?
Yoshiyuki: Heh?
My train of thought was broken when she suddenly spoke to me.
Minatsu: Are you stupid? I'm asking you for your name.
Yoshiyuki: Uh, umm, uhh, Sakurai Yoshiyuki.
Minatsu: Sakurai, huh? I'll remember the name.
She glared at me.
No, you don't need to remember.
The men continued to lead the girl away.
Mizukoshi: Gosh, didn't you see the "no trespassing" sign? It said "no trespassing". Barbed wire should have been securely placed around the entrance too?
Suginami: No, the barbed wire was already cut when we got here. We didn't notice the sign.
Suginami lied without hesitation.
Suginami: By the way, what about the girl? I thought I heard you call her type HM-A06.
Mizukoshi: Hah, I guess I have to tell you. She's a robot. Type Hm-A06. Her development code is Minatsu.
Yoshiyuki: A robot?
I was so surprised I screamed.
Suginami: ...Minatsu?
Mizukoshi: Yeah, that's right.
Yoshiyuki: But, she was full of emotion for a robot.
It's true that robotics have reached amazing standards nowadays.
I've seen a robot called Mu that's for sale now and it sure does look like a real human.
But I didn't know a robot that could move and talk with such emotions actually existed.
Suginami: Hmm, I've never seen a robot that behaved like a human so well before either.
Mizukoshi: She's a special one. That's why she was sleeping here.
Mizukoshi: You sure created extra work for us.
Yoshiyuki: I'm sorry.
Mizukoshi: I know, if you really feel sorry for what you've done, why don't you help me, Sakurai Yoshiyuki-kun?
Yoshiyuki: S-Sure. If there's something I can do.
Mizukoshi: Sure. Okay, then I'll call you throught the intercom later. Anyways, you should hurry back. Class will start soon.
Mizukoshi-sensei clapped her hands to make us leave.
Yoshiyuki: Okay, we'll be going.
I bowed to Mizukoshi-sensei and started to walk.
Mizukoshi: Ah, by the way. Forget about everything that happened here.
She spoke to us as we walked away.
She spoke quietly but sharply.
Mizukoshi: I'm not asking you to. You know what I mean, right?
Suginami: Of course we do.
Mizukoshi: Good, that's fine then.
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