Dramatical Murder - Granny

Granny

When I enter the residential area and walk a bit further, I see my familiar house.

Aoba: I'm ho...

Tae: Get a grip already!! You stupid grandson!!!

A thunder shakes my eardrums as soon as I open the door. My ears ring.

Aoba: So... loooooud...

Tae: Of course! I'm yelling so you can hear me clearly!

The real source of the thunder... Granny stands at the platform of the entrance, snorting and scowling at me.

I've always wondered, where does she get that loud voice from? It's so mysterious. I can't help it.

Aoba: What now, why are you angry?

Tae: Of course I'm angry! It's the key, the key!

Aoba: Key?

Tae: When you go to work, take the entrance key and close the door by kicking! I've told you so many times!

Aoba: Aah... I see. Sorry.

When I woke up today I was almost late to my part-time job, so I panicked and flew out of the house.

Tae: Don't 'sorry' me! Really, why did I raise a child with such a bad memory?

Aoba: Jeez, I couldn't help it. I forgot.

Tae: Of course you overslept and dashed out again. Really, even though you turned 23 you're still so helpless. It's so sad I could cry.

Aoba: But I said I'm sorry! Is there any human being around that hasn't been careless at some point?

Tae: What, are you aiming for the world championship of carelessness? How many times has this happened already?

Aoba: ...Six times?

Tae: Honestly... A child like you...

Granny began trembling with anger.
A blue vein is clearly visible on her forehead, this could be getting dangerous.

Granny could faint if too much blood goes to her head, so this isn't a joke...

Aoba: I get it, I get it! I'll be more careful starting tomorrow, so don't shout anymore!

Tae: ...Hmph. How many times have I heard those words too? When you're like that, I can't just fall and die.

Grandma lets out a rough snort and goes back towards the kitchen while making loud footsteps.

Tae: Hey, come in already.

...It seemed she's settled down for a while, anyway.

Relieved, I take off my shoes and enter the hallway.

Shouting happens every day like this, but our relationship isn't that ad. It's rather good, actually.

Granny's shouting is a proof that she's fine. If her shouting disappeared one day, I'd feel lonely.

I feel thankful to Granny for raising me by herself, and I also respect her. It would be embarrassing to tell her, so I won't.

In the kitchen, Granny moves something that was just stir-fried in the frying pan to a plate.

I wash my hands by the sink, pick out chopsticks from a shelf, and arrange them on the table.

My parents were also living together with us, but they were free spirits by nature and were never in the house.

When the year passed and I'd think they'll never return, they would suddenly come back, and disappear again...

That was the case ever since I was small, so living together with just Granny became everyday life for me.

That's why I was unexpectedly calm even if my parents didn't come home. It's really thanks to Granny.

Even though I've made her worry about me over many things, I want to cherish the time I'm living with Granny.

Even without any special luxuries, living like this is enough.

Tae: Well then, let's eat.

Somen noodles, tuna, stir-fried shiitake mushrooms and boiled greens, deep fried fish and miso soup are all lined up on the table.

I took a seat with Granny and put both hands together.

Tae: Thank you for the food.

Aoba: Thank you for the food. Granny, this is delicious.

Tae: Is that so?

Being chased by the police made me hungry, so Granny's home made cooking really hits the spot.

While I scarf down my food, a sharp pain runs through my head.

Aaah, it came...
The usual pain...

Aoba: Ow, ow, ow...

Tae: The usual? Don't forget to take your medicine after the meal.

Aoba: Yeah.

A long time ago, when I did stupid stuff and got hospitalized, the headaches became very frequent. This was the second time today.

I had many things inspected in the hospital, but they said the cause was unknown.

Since then, I've taken a medicine Granny prescribed to me.

Granny has a medical licence, and she examines old people from the neighborhood and prescribes medicine.

Being safer than an unskilled doctor who takes only lots of money, she has a bit of a reputation in the neighborhood.

Other medicine are useless, but when I take Granny's medicine, the headaches always stop quickly.

That's sure reason to be able to call her skilled.

Aoba: Thanks for the meal.

When I finish eating, I take the medicine, and after I clear off the tableware I go up to the second floor.

I enter my room and take Ren, who's in sleep mde, out of my bag and start him up.

My head still hurts...

I think about getting some fresh air and head out to the veranda.

I step out on the veranda and lean on the handrail.
The slightly cool wind feels comfortable.

When I let out a small breath and look up to the sky, only the shadows of the folded buildings reflect in my field of view.

The scenery wasn't like this in the past.
It was more beaitiful. This island...

Midorijima floats in the remote sea southwest of the Japanese Island, Honshu.

The selling points of the island are the blue sea, white sand, and rich green foliage... Or so they were.

Those are all stories from the past.

Now on the east side, Platinum Jail occupies approximately a one-third of the island in a lordly manner.

Because Platinum Jail and the Old Resident District are cut off with a huge wall, we can't see inside it from this side.

I've seen the representative of Toue Inc., the company that built Platinum Jail, on television and network several times.

Apparently, when I was a kid, Toue Inc. required eviction of the inhabitants during the development of the island.

However, they were promised luxurious houses and lots of money, so most of the inhabitants left the island depending on negotiations.

But still there were some stubborn inhabitants who wouldn't go away. We're like that, too.

No matter how good the conditions they were offered, theu couldn'y abandon their hometown where they were born and raised: they kept ignoring the eviction demand again and again.

After a while, Toue's side said no more.

They began to give up, and the reason was officially "Because they didn't want coercion".

If you don't want to accept negotiations, so be it. Live or die, it's up to you.

And then, Toue dealt his next hand.

Saying that it was maintenance for the island, the supply lines of water service, gas and goods were narrowed rapidly and the surviving inhabitants were driven away to the present Old Resident District as a result.

The once beautiful Midorijima was ruined... No matter how anyone describes it, a country cannot allow such tyranny.

The inhabitants who believed in that appealed to the main land wanting them to do something.

But, since nothing has changed even now, it was useless to hope for better.

About three years ago, when going from the Old Resident District to the main land, you had to obtain the permission of the Administration Bureau, which belonged to Toue.

In other words, the inhabitants of the Old Resident District can't step out of the island without the permission of Toue.

Such permission is never granted. Never.

It's Toue's way of saying that the people who rejected the evictions were wrong.

While I was staring out into space, something makes a sound by my feet.

Ren: Aoba. What will you do with the data that was downloaded earlier today?

Aoba: ...? ...Downloaded?

I was leaning on the handrail, but Ren's words startle me and make me stand up straight.

...That's right. I completely forgot.
It was when the brats came into the shop today.

Before I knew it, a download complete screen had popped up. Was it...?

Aoba: Did the data contain a virus?

Ren: I didn't detect anything.

Aoba: Contents?

Ren: It's a type of game where a player performs movement and information gathering by manipulating a character, fights with an enemy character, acquires an experience value and raises a level.

Aoba: Ah, an RPG, huh? Do I have to pay?

Ren: You don't have to pay for it.

Aoba: Huh... so I didn't accidentally pay for ir because of those brats. Is it some kind of trial application?

Ren: That is unknown.

Aoba: Well, if there's nothing weird I could try it. Just to kill some time.

Ren: Shall I start it?

Aoba: Please do.

Ren: Understood.

I take Ren in my arms, return to the room and sit on my bed.

[the screen of the game appears]

Aoba: That's a really retro screen.

Kio, Nao and Mio's generation has probably never seen any thing like this.

Even I haven't seen this type of an old game anywhere else but on video sites.

After the message from the princess was over, a title logo appeared.

[Logo]

...It's so old, it's almost strangely refreshing.

While the odd feeling rises inside of me, I push "START".

[plays the game]

Aoba: Huh? This'll continue? Are the parts delivered periodically?

Ren: Looks like it.

Aoba: I see. It's exactly the shortness of a game you can play when you have time to kill.

I don't know if it was entertaining or not, but if a sequel comes out, I might play it again.

As soon as I close the game screen, I yawn.

I was so focused on the game I didn't realize how tired I was.

Aoba: I think it's time to get ready for bed.

I close the window and curtain to the veranda and leave my room to go to the washroom.