～Chapter 1 ～

Characters

Miu Kuon…She is a third-year student at Midorigaoka High School. Her parents run an inn, “Rainy Day”
Sora Aoi…He is Miu's friend from childhood. He is back in Midorigaoka during the holiday.


-Rainy Day-

Though it was before the rainy season, I felt the summery heat. I turned on the old air-conditioner for the first time this year. Then it started rumbling and tried to cool down the temperature of the room.
Since it was in the middle of Golden Week, a number of people were trying to get out of the city and seek a place for recreation and relaxation.
This town had been developed as a new residential area that was supposed to be close to the metropolitan area. However, it took ninety minutes to get to the city by express train, so many businessmen might be late for work unless they took the first train in the morning.
Despite the distance to the metropolitan area, Midorigaoka was popular as an urban resort area. Many people kept moving into town every year. My parents also used to live in the city, then moved here and started an inn, “Rainy Day.” It was their dream come true.

～Chapter 2～

-Bouillabaisse-

“Miu, get up Miu!”
I heard my mom calling my name from downstairs. That was the first day of Golden Week. I wished I could sleep more in this air-conditioned room, but it seemed like I had to get up and help my parents. I had a feeling that my mom was going to make me run down to the harbor, which was five kilometers away, and get some food for dinner for the guests.
Midorigaoka was literally a town of green leaves. Also, you could see mountains in the west and ocean in the east.
“We got two special bouillabaisse orders today so we need ingredients for six. Got it, Miu?”
I heard footsteps of two people going out of the house and our compact car driving away from the backyard. My mom left the house without knowing that I was still in bed.
“Why me…”
I moaned and decided to get up. My sister Miyu must have gone to the grocery store with mom. I got dressed, grabbed the key to my scooter and ran downstairs.

～Chapter 3～

-Meeting Again-

Students were allowed to go to school by motorcycle in this district, because there were few local trains running here. Also, these trains already had been worn out in the city, so every car looked like a wreck.
Some students lived very far from school and sometimes their closest train station was further than school.
I was familiar with the street to the harbor because it was the same way to my high school. I had been walking this street for about three years.
I wished I had a boyfriend. After school, I could walk down this street with him… I never had a boyfriend though…
It was still late morning but a lot of cars that had come from other cities were on the main street and getting stuck in traffic. So I used my geographical advantage and made a detour. To get to the coastline, you just needed to go up the hill and you would see a railroad. Then, go along the tracks. I opened the throttle of my motorcycle and I was about to cross the railway track. Then my eyes were attracted to some guy on the platform.
I would never forget this surprising moment.

～Chapter 4～

-Blue Sky-

During the daytime, only two trains stopped at Midorigaoka station and passengers were mostly local people. So if you saw someone getting off the train with a suitcase, you knew that person was a stranger.
Some guy was sitting on the edge of the platform. He was holding a small suitcase and painting tools. He was not very tall and had a distant look.
“Oh, I have to go.”
I almost forgot that I was on the way to the harbor. There was no reason that I had to stop and stare at him. He was not that good looking… There were plenty of guys in my high school.
I started going up the steep hill again. Then I heard someone calling me.
“Miu, Miu, it's me!”
That was the guy on the platform, and he said.
“Don't you remember? It's me, Sora!”
How could I forget his unique name?

～Chapter 5 ～

-Homebound Train-

I have been living here for some time…
This is not where I was supposed to be…

Five years ago, no one would have expected us to move to here. When I was in elementary school, I always thought that I was going to go to the same junior high school that my classmates would go. Friends are friends. I thought friends were forever, to create and share memories together. I thought it was something that would never change.
When I first came to Tokyo, I always cried. The scenery from our new house, the new town, new friends… Everything made me nervous.
Every time I felt down, e-mails from Miu encouraged me. When Miu was in Kindergarten her father quit his job and her family moved to Midorigaoka. Our houses were next to each other, so we always played together. Since I did not have any brothers or sisters, Miu was like a sister to me. Neighbors used to complain about us, but as time went by, they began to think of us as a real brother and sister.
Miu and I used to e-mail each other. But as I got accustomed to life in Tokyo, the frequency of our e-mail exchanges decreased, and by the time we were in high school, we hardly e-mailed each other. I had no idea why we stopped talking.
Then one day my mom said, “Why don't you go to Midorigaoka sometime?” I could have taken an express train to Midorigaoka, but I took a local train so that I could take my time.

～Chapter 6 ～

-Stuttering Poet-

I became serious about drawing after I moved to Tokyo. I didn't really have a good reason to start drawing… In my junior high school, there was a rumor that if you did not join a club, you would not be able to get a good school report. That was why I decided to join the drawing club. I thought it wouldn't be too hard for me. Since I have a dialect, I hesitate when I speak. But when I'm in the drawing club, I don't have to talk, I just draw. That helped me a lot.
Brushes expressed my words, colors showed my emotion, and shading showed depth. Once Thomas Edison said “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” To me, that meant you would not succeed if you didn't have that one percent of inspiration.
When I started high school, I joined the drawing club there. Last year, one of my paintings was accepted by one of the most prestigious art exhibitions in Japan, and I was interviewed on TV and in magazines. However, the interviews were horrible. I was called a “Stuttering Poet” by the media. I'd much rather draw than have to speak.

～Chapter 7 ～

-Across the line and into the Trees-

“You look mature, Sora,” said Miu.
“Well…” said Sora.
Then Miu turned around and asked “What about me?”
Sora said “When I saw you I recognized you in a split second.”
“You haven't changed a bit either, Sora,” said Miu.
It had been a long time since they played together. They had both grown up. Miu was still full of life and had become more beautiful. Her hair was bundled loosely, and her outfit was casual but not too rough. That was why Sora liked her.
“I'm going to the harbor to get some food for tonight's guests,” said Miu.
“Then I'll be waiting here,” said Sora.
“Are you staying overnight or going home? Do you have some time to hang out?” asked Miu. When she spoke she reminded Sora of a small animal because of the way she moved. She looked charming and this made Sora smile. Her mischievous behavior was just like Azazel (a little demon).
Miu and Sora could talk forever after starting a conversation.
“I'm staying at Rainy Day,” said Sora.
“That's my house, Sora!” said Miu
“Yeah, I know,” answered Sora.
Miu puffed her cheeks and started her motorcycle.
Miu thought, I'm getting close to the harbor. Now I have to get my job done as soon as possible so I can get back to Rainy Day and be with Sora.
She had a troubled look on her face, but she was as happy as she could be.

～Chapter 8 ～

-Ride double-

Miu bought seafood from a middle aged man. He had known Miu for years, and he always knew what she needed. He would usually just stuff fresh fish and shellfish into the bag without speaking.
But today, the man said, “I'll give you an extra squid, Miu.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Miu, bowing.
The man became a little bashful and started stuffing more shrimp into the bag even though his wife was staring at him.
It is funny that you can see the same situation on the relief of an ancient monument from four thousand years ago. The same thing has been repeated endlessly since time began.
Miu was a model high school student who was full of life, a good cook, and polite. Some might say she was nothing special though.
A clock on the wall showed that it was past nine a.m. Miu paid for the seafood and got on the motorcycle. Her motorcycle had been modified so it could go faster. She would be able to get quickly back to the station where Sora was waiting.
“Were you bored, Sora?” asked Miu.
“No. Where is the food?” said Sora.
“It's under the seat on ice so it should be fine for a while,” said Miu.
Sora handed his canvas and bags to Miu, and then got on the motorcycle.
“We're not supposed to ride double on this motorcycle!” said Miu.
“Well, don't worry. This isn't a school bike lesson. Let's go! Marian” said Sora.
“You still remembered my nickname. All right, let's go,” said Miu.
Miu grabbed Sora's hand and sat on the tandem seat. She put her arms around Sora's back.

～Chapter 9 ～

-After the rain comes the rainbow-

A cool breeze passed by Miu's cheek. It felt good and let her forget about the heat during the daytime. This kind of weather always causes rain. It was getting cloudy as anticipated. How unlucky it was for those who were visiting this town on vacation.
“Sora, it's raining! I was hoping that it wouldn't rain until we got home,” said Miu. She was disappointed and pointing to the clouds over his shoulder. She moved her finger from left to right like a conductor.
“You must be the rain bringer, it always rains when you are with me,” said Sora.
“I'm surprised to hear you say that! You're the rain bringer!” said Miu.
Their names, Sora and Miu have meanings that are related to weather. Sora means sky, Miu means beautiful rain in Japanese. Maybe, they bring the rain together.
“We're almost there, hang on!” said Sora.
Sora and Miu sped down the hill on the motorcycle. Miu held Sora's back and it was just like riding a bike together when they were small.
Seasons come and go, and they have grown up. But, some things never change.
Sora had never realized that he could talk like this. He always wanted to talk to her like this, but he might have just been shy.
“After the rain comes the rainbow,” said Sora.
“Really,” said Miu.
Since Sora had a dialect, he did not feel like speaking to anyone when he was in Tokyo. But now he was back in his hometown and had a feeling that something great would happen to him. Whenever he comes back to Midorigaoka, he gets the same feeling.
After you make the tight curve halfway up the hill, you will see a familiar looking house. That house is Rainy Day: Miu's house.

～Chapter 10 ～

-Is this the world created? -

“Same old place…”
Sora killed the engine and parked the motorcycle in a shed where they used to park bicycles. It looked just like the old days. There was a little cabin in the backyard. In the garden seasonal flowers were blooming, and herbs were thriving. A lot of people visit Rainy Day every year just to enjoy the dishes prepared with fresh herbs from the garden. Rainy Day is also a restaurant and if you make a reservation, you can try these meals during the daytime. You can have delicious dishes with reasonable prices here.
“You could stop by anytime,” said Miu, running into the kitchen.
“Well, yeah…” Sora said.
“That was an indifferent response,” Miu said.
“No, I didn't mean that. I just thought I should've come here. I was old enough to take a train by myself to get here. Now I know it's not so hard to do,” said Sora.
Miu's parents created this place, Rainy Day. It was their dream come true. Her father used to work in the M&A section of a finance company, and he was very hard working. But one day, he collapsed at work. After that frightening experience, he decided to quit his job and moved the family to Midorigaoka, where he would be able to take better care of his medical condition.
Actually, they came back to their hometown. They grew up in Midorigaoka.
He spent a year renovating an old house. Who would have thought that a white-collar worker like him could be a good carpenter? But the house looked very nice. And, Miu's mother was a qualified chef, so they could start the inn, Rainy Day, within a year of moving to Midorigaoka.
It was not easy to start the business though. Miu's father poured his heart into the house: pillars, walls and everything else.

～Chapter 11～

-What if-

“You didn't have to do all of it by yourself, Mr. Kuon” (Miu's father).
“Well… I felt like I was Don Quixote. I thought of myself as a knight with a retainer, Pancho, and a donkey, Rosinante, and it was just like rushing into the windmill. What do you think of that?”
Every time he talked about building the house, he quoted this story. Nobody would have expected a businessman like him could completely renovate an old house. He worked very hard to make his footprint. He had lived only half the lifetime of a healthy person, but he spent his time twice as fast. Cancer had spread throughout his body, but he worked so hard that he successfully finished rebuilding the house before he died. Somehow he knew that he was dying, so he got back to his hometown and did what he wanted to do. Once time passes, it is gone forever.
“Was Don Quixote a fool? I don't think so. He might have been a madman, though. Just because everyone thinks something is true, doesn't mean that it is.”

～Chapter 12～

-Mighty Wing-

“Well… Since I started going to high school, I hardly heard from you, Sora. Even though I got a motorcycle license, I was reluctant to see you,” said Miu, while she was wiping off the rain from the seat of her scooter.
“When I was small, my playing area was limited to walking distance. Then I started riding a bike, and I could go to the beach. After I got a scooter, I could go to the neighboring town. A scooter is like a magic carpet to me. Or it may be an angel's wing,” said Miu.
“Wing…”
They could have used the train to see each other. You don't need any license to get on the train, and trains depart and arrive on time. Trains run on tight schedules in Japan, and the railway system is not only the most complex system in the world but also the most precise. In the metropolitan area, trains are operated on second-to-second schedules during the rush hours. However, people are beginning to doubt this whole system since the big accident that happened in Osaka.
“I don't know why I didn't think about coming and seeing you. I thought the wing could carry only your body. I didn't think about it carrying your feelings, as well,” said Sora.
“Same here, Sora,” Miu answered.
Miu smiled at Sora and her smile eased his mind.

～Chapter 13～

-Cloud-

“Look! It stopped raining,” said Sora.
“Oh, yeah!” said Miu.
“Hey, do you remember the forest?” asked Sora.
“Sherwood!”
They said it in unison and smiled at each other. The real Sherwood Forest is in Nottingham, England. England's Sherwood Forest is the place where a medieval hero, Robin Hood, lived with his friends and fought against a corrupt sheriff over injustice to the poor. Robin Hood was married to Maid Marian.
When Miu and Sora were in elementary school, they romped around the forest in the park. One day, Miu's father said, “You guys are full of energy. You look just like Robin Hood's friends in the forest.” Then he showed them the movie Robin Hood. That was why they called the forest Sherwood.
“Will you escort me?” said Miu.
“Sure, Marian,” said Sora.
Sora walked on the wet gravel and restarted the scooter.

～Chapter 14～

-Here for you-

The forest that they called Sherwood is actually Midorigaoka Park. White birches and wildflowers grow along a hiking trail through the park. It is usually a relaxing place, but their shirts became sweaty because it was warm and had just rained. Miu wiped her forehead with her sleeve while she walked with Sora.
Most people who have met Sora become curious about his eyes. They are very unusual in that they are colored differently. This condition is called “odd eye”; although it doesn't affect a person's vision, it looks odd. Cats and dogs are much more likely to have odd eyes than people.
His right eye is black and his left eye is blue, so Sora was popular among a group of girls in junior high school, and received a lot of chocolate on Valentine's Day. But he didn't care much about it because they were still immature and didn't even know if Sora was cool or just shy.
“You are making girls cry, aren't you?” said Miu looking up at Sora with mischief in her eyes.
“With my eyes? No. Everybody used to make fun of it though,” Sora answered.
“What about now?” said Miu.
“It's still the same,” said Sora.
Sora's left eye looked at Miu with a grin. That look implied something to Miu. Miu was about to say something but Sora interrupted her and continued.
“You said if I couldn't find a girl to go out with because of my eyes, you would be the one.”
“I can't believe you still remember that promise!”
With her face blushing, Miu chased after Sora.

～Chapter 15～

-Hometown-

“The rain front will grow stronger and cover the entire archipelago of Japan,”a female weather forecaster said on the news last night. The Meteorological Agency and meteorologists don't have to be accurate. Even if their forecast is not right, their salary is not subject to change.
“If I could always correctly predict the weather, that would be stepping on God's territory. So, I can only give you a forecast of what the weather might be.” That was something the female forecaster had said before. She regularly gave the weather forecasts in the morning and evening on the local news program.
Midorigaoka is in a prefecture that is geographically divided into three parts: north, central, and south. Weather forecasts in Japan are generally made for the area where the capital city of a prefecture is located. Capital cities are usually in the central area of a prefecture. Midorigaoka is located in the southern part of its prefecture. However, the capital city of that prefecture is in a valley, unlike the southern part, so the forecasts and the weather are often completely different from the weather in Midorigaoka.
After the dinner, guests watch news on TV in the living room, and those from Tokyo always say “I like this relaxing atmosphere!” They hardly notice as the TV news shifts from national topics to regional topics. When you watch baseball on TV, you hear a message that says “we will continue this program except in certain areas.”
Then guests say, “Which areas do you think they mean?”
“It must be the boondocks!”
Well, this is one of those areas. Midorigaoka is the boondocks. How funny it is. As with the weather forecasts, Midorigaoka is outside of the urban areas and ignored by most people.
But, guests were here for the herb dishes. Bouillabaisse is always on the menu because it is a house specialty. Sometimes, the guests are surprised with a big plate of sashimi, served on an exotic platter. Fresh fish are cooked with different herbs, a variety of fish are used to make carpaccio, and sea bream is served with homemade mayonnaise. If there is a bouillabaisse order, the tentacles from the squid are served with pasta at the end of the meal.
You really have to know how to cook in order to keep customers coming. Now Miu cooks a variety of unique dishes just like her mother.

～Chapter 16～

-Enriched lifetime-

They came back to Rainy Day from “Sherwood” forest. Miu had so much fun that she was exhausted. If they had a car instead of a scooter, she would have been sleeping on the passenger seat. They got back to Rainy Day and said, “We are back!” Miyu came out of a living room with a big smile and hugged Sora. “Welcome back, Sora!” she said.
Miyu entered high school this spring and she became a mature woman that you would never imagine before. If you say Miu was a “Brunhilde”, Miyu was “Kriemhilde.” (Brunhilde and Kriemhilde are characters in German and Scandinavian mythology. They are Valkyries, which means belonged to a group of warrior-maidens.)
Miyu's bleached shorthair was colored maroon and it had golden highlights here and there. She was wearing a washed-out white cotton shirt and jeans as she hopped in front of Sora. Her big eyes looked more attractive because of the blue contact lenses.
That appearance made her look imprudent, but she was actually smart. You cannot judge people by the way they look. Miyu was going to an elite high school that had flexible rules. If you just follow the rules, then you would never be punished. That may be a good thing; however, ‘just following rules' can dim a person's initiative.
“You haven't changed a bit, Sora,” said Miyu, as she gave him a look that was 80 percent curiosity and 20 percent mistrust.
“Both you guys said the same thing to me. You should have said something like, ‘You became handsome,' or something like that” said Sora.
“Hey you look handsome, Sora,” said Miyu, and she put her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. Sora looked at Miu as if he wasn't sure what had happened, but Miu became quite agitated.
“What was that?” Miu asked incredulously.
“You haven't kissed him yet? Excuse me!” Then, Miyu slipped away from Sora, as if she were dancing a tango. Sora was still in a daze and Miu was still angry, while Miyu left them behind running up the stairs with laughter.

～Chapter 17～

-Beautiful snow-

Miyu ran into her room and locked the door.
“Sora is back!” When she thought about Sora, it made her heart beat so fast. The glow of the sunset through the window was shining on her back when she touched her lip with her index finger. She imagined Sora being up here with her.
Rainy Day means not only the “day of rain”, but also “be prepared just in case.” Miyu had never really thought about the timing of her first kiss with Sora. Miyu always thought it could happen anytime. Miyu was ready anytime because she had always liked Sora, ever since she was a child.
“Is there anybody who liked a guy so much and never got a chance to be with him?” thought Miyu. To Miyu, Sora was thce guy. Sora and Miu got along together. They were Robin and Marian. When the three of them played together, Miyu was just a little sister to Sora and Miu. Back then, before Miyu even realized it, she had gotten a crush on Sora. And ever since Sora left Midorigaoka, his eyes had been sparkling in Miyu's mind.
“I was going to give my first real kiss to Sora,” thought Miyu. Tears started to form in her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and ran into the bathroom. “That was a kiss you would give a little sister…” Miyu thought as she looked up at the ceiling while the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

～Chapter 18～

-Weight of the world-

　Some people say that in order to keep going, you must leave your painful memories behind, or if you can't forget them, just don't try to remember them.
The ancient Roman politician, Cicero, once said, “we forget our pleasures, we remember our sufferings.”
　 Sora wondered how many things he had lost in his life. He always remembered Midorigaoka. When he was small, he had done everything he wanted to do. He had learned most of the lessons of life at kindergarten, the playground, ‘Sherwood Forest,' and Rainy Day. Places within a few kilometers from his house were the whole world to Sora.
　 Since Sora moved to Tokyo, he had been lonely, then depressed, and had never tried to make friends. When he talked to Miu on the phone or received a letter from her, he would later think about Miu and his hometown, Midorigaogka. When he was alone, he tried to find something entertaining to do so he could forget the loneliness.
　 After all, his past experiences and Miu had helped Sora grow up.

～Chapter 19～

-Sentimental blvd-

　 No matter where you go, you will sometimes wander along the sentimental boulevard. It seemed as though Sora, Miu, and Miyu had gotten stuck on the sentimental boulevard. They needed to get away from there.
　 “It's not too late. I have to do something…” Miu said a prayer to forget the moment of the kiss between Miyu and Sora. After she said the prayer several times, she felt like the kiss was forgotten. In the meantime, she had a lot of work to do.
　 “I have to be prepared to cook before mom gets home.”
Food that she had bought at the harbor was laid out on a solid timber table. Her father once told her that bouillabaisse originated in Marseilles, France, a port town. Fishermen there made a dish of stewed fish that were not big enough to sell.
　 There is a Bouillabaisse Charter in Marseilles. If you want to try real good bouillabaisse, restaurants that are members of the Charter are recommended. Bouillabaisse is not just a potpourri. You need to take time in order to make it just like the dish you enjoy at a restaurant. Shrimp and blue mussels should not be in bouillabaisse. However, Japanese like to eat a variety of fish and seafood, so Miu cooked with shrimp that she had bought at the harbor and herbs from the backyard. She also prepared a good stock with olives and garlic and other ingredients to cook a special dish.
　 “It's time to go, Miu,” said Miu to herself.
Bouillabaisse is boiled for only a short period of time. The key to a good bouillabaisse is boiling the fish quickly for a short time and then slowly simmering it. If you prepare well, good results will follow.
　 “What if I fail?” Miu asked herself.
　 “Just think about it. If you make an extra effort, you will be twice as happy when you succeed. If you fail, your sorrow will only be half as much because the important thing is trying. Besides, the standard for success is not the same for everyone. When you feel satisfied, it's a success. You can always give up later, after you have tried your best. Learning something in the process is the key.”
　 Marseilles has its own recipe. But you don't have to follow the rules all the time if you can create something better. There isn't only ‘one answer' for each thing.

～Chapter 20 ～

-Walk on water-

　 A loud vacuuming noise from the second floor irritated Miu's tired eardrums. Miyu started cleaning up the guest rooms. Sora was chatting with their mother in the living room. Their mother and Sora's mother kept in touch with each other on a regular basis.
　 It was a week ago. Miu's mother was enjoying the luscious flavor of rose tea while she talked on the phone with Sora's mother. It was not hard to guess whom her mom was talking to because she always drinks rose tea when she talks to Sora's mom on the phone.
　 “Miharu, I think it's going to take a while longer for Sora to grow up. He can be so foolish when he sees a girl. I wish that Miu and Sora had stayed close… they could be dating by now,” said Sora's mother.
　 “I think so, too,” said Miharu (Miu's mother).
　 “Yes, they should be together,” said Sora's mother.
Then Miharu chuckled on the phone and said, “Why don't you ask Sora to come to Midorigaoka during Golden Week? Miu doesn't seem to have a boyfriend, and she and Sora used to be so close until they started going to high school.”
　 “That's a nice idea. I'll send him!”
The two mothers sounded just like they were master puppeteers. In other words, they had very effectively pulled the strings to bring their two children together…
　 “God is not everywhere. That is why mothers are here,” they said with laughter. Mothers are able to manipulate children's fate.
　 “Don't you know? When children are happy, we are happy. But sometimes, parents have to accomplish the impossible. If you hit rock bottom, we're always there to catch you. Isn't that right?”

～Chapter 21～

-Shattered skies-

　 “Eat and drink in adequate amounts, then get enough rest. That is a universal panacea.” This is a quote of a famous French painter, Eugene Delacroix. Sora thought it would be a good idea to take this advice now. Miu's mother guided Sora to a guest room after they had a pleasant talk.
　 Rainy Day is always clean and tidy. Sora had a favorite room since he was small, and it was called Shattered Sky. The walls have a marbled pattern that looks like clouds in the sky, and the ceiling is studded with orange limestone that gives the illusion of stars in the sky at night.
　 Miu's father had once told Sora that a shattered sky refers to those places in the sky where it is ‘broken up' by the sun, the moon, clouds, or stars. Mankind has had a longing for the stars since the beginning of time. When looking up at the sky, a little baby tries to grab the stars. Now, stars don't seem to be as far away as they once were. Mankind gained knowledge and developed technology that seems to have shortened the distance to stars. Trying to reach the moon forty years ago was a huge project. Nowadays our technology has improved. So space missions are going to places that would have been impossible to reach in the past, for example, the Mars Odyssey mission was recently launched.
　 What had happened to Sora since he left Midorigaoka? He could feel himself being torn apart, little by little and day by day. It was just like he was a meteor entering the earth's atmosphere and quickly burning out as it falls to the earth.
　 Shattered Sky was a nice cozy room with a comfortable double bed. The room smelled like it had just been cleaned up a minute ago. He put his hands on the wall next to the wide-open window and stretched. When the going gets tough, the tough get going; you have to be prepared for difficult times.
　 “I'm here to find myself, Mr. Kuon. I'm in my last year of high school now,” thought Sora. The ‘clouds' and ‘stars' in the room surrounded him as he stood facing the breeze coming in from the sea.

～Chapter 22～

-Dinner-

　 Guests and staff were busy getting ready for the evening. Sora, too, couldn't sit still, so he went downstairs and offered to help. Of course, they refused his offer to help, as he had anticipated.
　 In fact, there was no need for his help because the teamwork between sisters and mother worked perfectly. The smell of herb dishes from the kitchen drew guests into the dining room. It was just like moths being drawn to a flame.
　 Exclamations were heard from every table. Sight, smell, touch, and taste …the first course of the meal in front of the guests was already exciting all of their senses.
　 “This is the first dish of the day, an assorted sashimi plate,” Miyu said as she served each table.
　 “Is this an assorted sashimi plate?” a young man asked with a look of surprise and curiosity.
　 “Well, you don't see it served like this at other inns. But ours is different. The fish were just caught this morning by local fishermen. From the left, red snapper dressed with olive oil, sea bream with basil sauce…”
　 Guests were surprised at first, but Miyu's smile melted their apprehension. Besides, she looked like a first-rate curator of food.

～Chapter 23～

-Riddle & Reason-

　 First timers at Rainy Day always ask questions about dishes. Miyu, her mom, and sister called it “Riddle & Reason.” Regular guests would enjoy the meal without questioning the ingredients or preparation of the food. However, they too had played “Riddle & Reason” when they first dined at Rainy Day. The man who had asked the question about the sashimi plate gingerly picked up some snapper with chopsticks. After he had tasted it, he gave his solid approval of the fish to his girlfriend. Miyu knew a lot about food, herbs, tea, and hospitality even though she was still in high school.
　 Smiling faces and the laughter of guests filled the dining room. An old couple had requested Bouillabaisse as a special order for this evening. However, the couple couldn't eat it all, so they shared it with the other diners. After the meal was finished, the guests' satisfaction could be observed at every table. Then, guests can choose an herb tea using a chart to find the right one for whatever their needs may be.
　 Sora saw the two sisters and mother congratulating each other in the kitchen after dinner. “Thank you very much for a great meal,” said Sora.
　 “I wouldn't expect hearing something like that from you, Sora. I'm flattered,” said Miharu.
　 “I mean it. It's not my nature to flatter people,” said Sora.
　 “Of course, you wouldn't. I really appreciate it, Sora,” said Miharu.
　 She took out a beer from the refrigerator as she took off her apron. Then she pulled the tab and said, “People drink alcohol for five reasons: number one for celebration, number two to forget the past, number three to not think about the future, number four for its health benefits, and the last … for anything! Guess why I'm drinking today?”
　 Miharu's arch smile was far from the image of a mother who had two high school daughters.

～Chapter 24～

-Sleepless in Midorigaoka-

　 I went back to my room after I finished cleaning up the dining room. The air was stiflingly hot at night, so I decided to turn on the air conditioner. The remote control didn't seem to be working. I hit it a few times on the dresser to try to get it to work. After pushing the power button several times, the air conditioner started blowing hot air into the room. Just then, I heard two knocks on my door. I thought it was my mother because she always knocks twice, so it didn't occur to me to put a robe on over my t-shirt and shorts.
　 “It's open!” I answered bluntly while lying face down.
　 Then I heard Sora say, “All right.”
　 I almost jumped out of bed to grab a robe, but it was too late; he was already in the room.
　 “Sorry, were you asleep?” said Sora.
　 My face turned as red as a fire engine. My cheeks were burning.
　 “It's not good for you to lie on your face. You got marks on your forehead, see?” said Sora. I was hoping he wouldn't guess why my face was so red: I didn't want him to see me dressed in just a t-shirt and shorts.
　 He had a sad look on his face when he said, “I can't sleep …”

～Chapter 25～

-Talk to her-

　 “Since I came back to Midorigaoka, I've started to remember things that I had almost forgotten. The little shops and food stands that used to be around the train station are gone and there is a new shopping center instead. But there are things that haven't changed such as Rainy Day, ‘Sherwood Forest,' your mom and sister, and you.”
　 I brought an oil painting of mine from Tokyo to show Miu. The painting was covered with a black veil. I unveiled the painting revealing its subject to Miu.
　 “Is this　…,” said Miu.
　 Miu was like a deer caught in a car's headlights when she said, “Is it me?”
　 “I painted it using my imagination of you. Did you know I won a prize last year with it?”
　 “I saw your photo in the newspaper, but the painting was behind you, and I couldn't see what it was,” said Miu.
　 The newspaper that published the photo and story about Sora focused mainly on daily news such as politics and business. In fact, they didn't seem to care much about the arts. They wrote an article that emphasized Sora's background and showed him in the photo with a forced smile on his face. No wonder she couldn't see the painting.
　 “It's the beach here and Miu.”
　 Then Miu started to cry like a pouring rain. Just like a word may have a much deeper meaning than its simple definition to someone, a painting can convey much more than the picture on its surface. It was much more meaningful to me to see Miu moved to tears, than it was to win a prize at the nation's most famous painting contest.
　 “I don't know what to say,” said Miu.
　 She couldn't say a word. I didn't ask for an answer in the first place though. Sometimes the beauty of silence can transcend the words of the greatest poets.
　 Sora felt he had touched Miu's heart without using any words: his painting communicated his feelings about her.

～Chapter 26～

-Whitebait-

　 Though I wasn't fully awake yet, I went to the bathroom to wash my face. After the water had
warmed up, I washed my face to awaken my skin and mind. Then I washed my face in cold water. Washing your face in hot and cold water alternately a few times makes your skin firm and your mind sharp. Next, I put my hair up, not even caring that my golden highlighted bangs fell back around my face. Finally, it was time to apply my makeup, an ordeal that takes about 20 minutes. People might not think so by the way I look, but I'm actually a home-oriented person. Now, I was ready for the morning rush.
　 Since many people visit Rainy Day to enjoy the “fruits of the sea,” we don't serve a mundane
breakfast. Today's breakfast was a special dish of boiled whitebait, a kind of tiny saltwater
fish. The best whitebait is caught in the sea around Midorigaoka. Our whitebait is much better
than that sold in the supermarket because we get our whitebait from the local fishermen. They
catch and boil the fish themselves, so we can get the freshest whitebait available.
　 A dish of boiled whitebait is easily prepared. You put seaweed flakes and Japanese basil on
steamed rice and garnish whitebait on top. You could also put wasabi and soy sauce on it, but it
's really better to let the flavors of whitebait, seaweed and Japanese basil come through. We
also served miso soup seasoned with shrimp heads, which is a popular version of the classic 　
Japanese soup served at sushi bars around the port.
　 “Well, let's do it!” I took a few deep breaths and ran into the main house.

～Chapter 27～

-Aegis-

　 As Miu was coming out of the walk-in refrigerator with a big basket that contained whitebait, an elderly couple greeted her.
　 “Good morning, Miu,” the wife smiled at Miu as she was holding her husband's hand.
　 “Oh! Is that our breakfast?” the husband asked with a smile as he touched his beard.
　 “You'll see!” I answered with a smile.
　 “You still look good with that basket. Your basket looks just like Aegis. If I was younger, I would ask you out,” said the husband. Aegis is a shield that Zeus gave to Athena.
　 “I'll take that as a compliment,” I said. The elderly gentleman meant well, although his comment was inappropriate, and Miu thought, in poor taste.
　 “I like that smile!” said the husband.
　 “Excuse me!” the wife tapped his shoulder charmingly. Even though she had gray hair, she looked beautiful. Miu hoped that when she grew old she would have as much grace and beauty as that elderly woman has. She seemed wise and had a sense of humor. And it looked like she had a good relationship with her husband, even if he was a bit of a pig. I wondered how many couples were just like them. Some couples wear big diamond rings but don't even talk to each other. They look like couples only in their appearance. They are actually all alone. My father used to tell me, “Even if you get to live in a nice house, don't forget to appreciate your family.”
　 “We look forward to the breakfast,” said the couple.
　 “You bet. By the way, Athena was a goddess of war, right?” I asked.
　 “Yes, that's right,” the husband said, looking impressed. He added, “She was also the goddess of wisdom and crafts, so she was smart and beautiful, just like you.”
　 “Thank you!” Miu said, as she walked away with a smile on her face and a spring in her step.

～Chapter 28～

-Starting all over again-

　 Many people can cook a good meal, but few have a natural talent for cooking. The guests were very impressed by Miyu's specially prepared dish of boiled whitebait. Miyu also made scrambled eggs with herbs that were outstanding. You might think it's easy to make a simple dish taste delicious, but you would be wrong. Miyu excelled in the kitchen. Her special recipe for broth gave a superior flavor to the dish of boiled whitebait.
　 After the breakfast, I had some herb tea in the sunlight and thought about what to say to Miyu.
‘I'm not perfect. Sometimes I feel like a failure and regret things that I've done before. No one is perfect. You have to keep trying, whatever you do. Now, it's time for me to change because I've found someone that I need.' I was thinking about these things when Miyu approached me.
　 “Well, what do you think about my idea?” Miyu asked me in English.
　 Last night, Miyu told me that she had decided when she was in sixth grade that she wanted to study in Michigan for a few years. Miyu started learning English when she was small, so now she sounded like a native speaker. On the other hand, many people start studying English seriously after high school graduation, and then go to a language school to get ready to study abroad. Different ways work for different people. The important thing is that you find your dream.
　 “Excellent” I answered.
　 “I didn't know you could speak English, Sora,” said Miyu.
　 “Are you kidding?” I said.
　Miyu smiled at me and said, “Very good!”

～Chapter 29～

-Tannhauser-

　 Midorigaoka town hall is also known as ‘the little opera house.' It is one of those buildings that were built during the Japanese ‘bubble economy' by city councilors who appreciated art. Many of Richard Wagner's operas have been performed there, and one of his operas, “Tannhauser,” was being performed that month. The story of “Tannhauser” is easy to understand, so people who have not seen operas before can appreciate it.
　 Wagner transformed his own musical thought through his theory of ‘total work of art.' He wrote many masterpieces, so surely you have heard of one of those operas.
　 Most operas are tragedies. Seeing an opera on a date may not be a good idea, but Miu asked Sora out to the opera.
　 “What do you think of Siegfried?” Miu asked Sora.
　 “That's a character in a heroic German epic, right?” said Sora.
　 “Well, I asked because I thought you might be interested in mythical characters,” Miu answered.
　 Then, she took two tickets out of her pocket and said, “There's an opera at ‘the little opera house' tonight. I was going to go with a friend of mine, but she can't make it. So, I was wondering if you wanted to come.”

～Chapter 30 ～

-Have you ever needed someone so bad?-

　 Miyu gazed deeply at Sora so that she would be able to see him clearly in her mind after he had left. Memories bring back the good feelings of the times you spent with your friends.
　 “Sure. I'll come,” Sora said with a big smile.
　 “Are you sure?” Miyu asked.
　 “I wanted to see it anyway. Let's go together Miyu!” said Sora.
　 Miyu thought, “I will never forget this moment. If he had a girlfriend, I might cry. But my feeling for him would still be the same.”
　 It can be a sad thing when you don't have somebody to love. The feeling of love for someone is wonderful, even if that person doesn't share the same feeling for you.
　 “I have to dress up, right?”　asked Sora.
　 “Yes. You better wear something formal,” said Miyu.
　 Actually, Miyu wouldn't care what Sora wore. It didn't really matter to Miyu how Sora looked. Miyu thought Sora's eyes and smile were the most beautiful things in the world.

～Chapter 31～

-I am-

　 In Medieval Germany, knights were also minnesingers. Wagner wrote the opera, Tannhauser, based on the life of a real person. Tannhauser would win first place every time he entered a singing contest.
　 Tannhauser was in love with Elisabeth who was a daughter of the lord. Unfortunately, he needed the love of the goddess of beauty, Venus.
　 Afterwards, he regretted what he had done and started the journey of penance. And he never came back. Elisabeth devoted her life to his redemption.
　 It is a story of tragedy. Tragic stories are very popular in operas because people are generally drawn to tragic stories rather than happy-ending stories.
　 At the curtain call, actors were waving hands and making bows on the stage.
　 “Hey,” Miyu whispered in Sora's ear, so that he could hear her over the applause.
　 “What?”　answered Sora.
　 “What do you think of a girl like Elisabeth?” Miyu asked in a loud voice that could be heard clearly in the applause.
　 “She died for someone she loved…” said Miyu.
　 “That's right,” said Sora.
　 “What if there is somebody who likes you and she is willing to devote her life to save you, what would you do?” asked Miyu.
　 “Well, I wouldn't let her die,” said Sora.
　 When he was asked that question, he did not have any particular individual on his mind, but he was confident about what he said.
　 “Even if one of us had to devote a life to a god, I'd find a way that we could get through it and stay together,” said Sora.
　 This is the man whom Miyu fell in love with.

～Chapter 32～

-I'm ready. I'm willing-

　 “I want to make something sure,” said Miyu.
　 She met Sora at the park near her house. She gathered all her courage together when she spoke to Sora. She became so nervous that she could feel her heartbeat. It was a nerve-wrecking experience for her.
　 “I'm ready and willing to know,” said Miyu.
　 “What are you talking about?” said Sora.
　 “You love my sister, don't you?” said Miyu.
　 Miyu looked at her watch, timing the length of silence before Sora spoke. It felt like an eternity to her.
　 “I'm sorry,” said Sora.
　 “Please say no more. Please. I know what you think,” said Miyu.
　 Now it was obvious to her that he was in love with Miu. Miyu thought she knew that he was, but she wanted to ask Sora in person to make sure. Miyu wished she could just forget the whole thing and keep the love for him. But she just couldn't.
　 “My sister is waiting, she is waiting to hear from you,” said Miyu.
　 One of the streetlights was flashing as it slowly died out. It looked as though the light was showing her emotion.
　 “I see,” said Sora.
　 Miyu started running as soon as she heard the response from Sora. Miyu was unlucky in first love. But she was happy in a way because the love between Miu and Sora was about to come true.

～Chapter 33～

-Get me through the night-

　 It had been three days since Sora arrived in Midorigaoka. At 4:30 in the morning, the alarm clock started ringing loudly in the room. Miu tried to wake up as she reached to turn off the alarm clock.
　 “hmm…, what time is it?” said Miu.
Sunlight was starting to shine through the window. Miu tried to open her eyes as she struggled against the sleepiness. After a while, the alarm of her cell phone started ringing. Her ring-tone was a melody from a song by a new British punk rock band.
　 Miu thought, “Maybe it's not such a good idea to use music as an alarm. I'm too sleepy to listen to British punk rock in the morning.”
　 She got up from her bed and turned off the British punk band that played on her cell phone. She felt a little sweaty, so she washed her face. Then, she got dressed, grabbed the key to her scooter, and ran downstairs.
　 As she was going out the kitchen door, she saw Sora standing in front of her scooter with a canvas and his painting kit.
　 “You're up early, Sora,” said Miu.
　 “Who could sleep with an alarm that loud?” Sora smiled at Miu as he turned to face her.
“Are you going to the harbor to get some food? I need a ride, if you're going that way” said Sora.
　 “Are you going there to paint?” Miu asked.
　 “Yes, but I don't have much time though,” said Sora.
　 “Are you leaving so soon?” asked Miu.
　 “I just don't want to waste any time. And it's cooler in the morning. I could walk downtown, but I thought your wing (scooter) would be faster,” said Sora.
　 “I see. Well, you really just wanted to have fun with me after all, didn't you?” Miu said teasingly.

～Chapter 34～

-No one told me, she told me-

　 “Why don't you go to Midorigaoka? You've always wanted to go, Sora, haven't you?” Sora was remembering what his mother said.
　 Miu and Sora were going down the slope and were about to reach the intersection where the road crossed the highway. Sunlight came through the fresh green leaves of the trees and covered them with its warmth. They felt like they had become angels with wings for a moment.
　 As Sora squinted his eyes, he found that everything he saw, pavement, road signs, guardrails, and trees looked like a tapestry. Then, the clear waters of the ocean came into view.
　 Sora thought, “I just started to remember things that I forgot, mom.”
　 Sometimes, a person recalls a memory in bits and pieces, and it takes a while for a clear image to take shape.
　 “Hey,” said Miu.
　 “What?” said Sora.
　 “How long are you going to stay in town? You never told anybody when you were leaving. You could have told me,” Miu asked.
　 Sometimes things that are precious to you can be invisible.
　 “Hey, are you listening to me?”
　 Sora thought he could feel Miu's tear falling on him.

～Chapter 35～

-All tomorrows came yesterday-

　 Miu was carrying Sora's canvas on her back and felt the force of the sea breeze. At the same time, Miu was afraid of being apart from Sora again.
　 “To talk of loving a man or woman for life is like saying that a candle can burn forever.” This is a line of dialogue from the Kreutzer Sonata by Tolstoy. Miu had never had a serious romantic interest, although she did have boyfriends in junior high and high school. And, the same could be said of Sora: no true love, just girlfriends from junior high and high school.
　 Golden week was one day longer than usual this year. Still, Miu knew she would have to say goodbye to Sora for now, even though she wanted him to stay.
　 They approached the entrance to the harbor. As Sora gave a right-turn signal, he said, “I'll be leaving tomorrow.”
　 “Don't leave me alone,” said Miu without thinking. That was the first time for Miu to let Sora know how she really felt about him.
　 “We'll be apart physically. We'll live in different cities. But our hearts will always be together,” said Sora.
　 “I know,” said Miu.
　 “I'll be back next summer, and winter too. I won't leave you alone. I always want to be with you,” said Sora.

～Chapter 36～

-Sora-

A girl was crying.
She is young but she looked mature.
After a while, a boy hugged her.
Canvas thumped on the ground.
He always kept his words inside.
His brush showed his words and feelings on the canvas.
Finally he kissed her.
They kissed as though this was not the first time.

Memories fly into the sky.
Some of them stay in the air.
Some of them blow with the wind.
Some of them reach to the stars.
Memories don't disappear.
You can recall your memories whenever you want to.
Look, Sora. You've found the last piece of the puzzle, haven't you?

The inn “Rainy Day.”
Rainy Day was built by the combined effort of family members and friends.
Many people from the city visit Rainy Day to relax.
Rainy Day is a home away from home for everyone.
No matter where you are, our hearts are bound together.
Our journeys sometimes take us right back where we started.