This is the 20th Chapter of The Summer Hikaru Died manga series, written and illustrated by Mokumokuren.
Synopsis[]
The boys take shelter in Kurebayashi-san’s home following their recent run-in with an impurity. What could she know about the insidious creature that attacked them?[1]
Plot[]
In the past, a younger Kurebayashi Rie held her unconscious son while crying and apologizing to him. She glared into the darkened room revealed by the cracked sliding door in her home.
In the present, Kurebayashi asks if "Hikaru" is the boy Yoshiki told her about the last time they met, which Yoshiki confirms.[2] She then explains what occurred in Casual Diner America: the thing that attacked them was a very old and very strong impurity, controlled by something like a curse to attack them. But she was able to get it to return to the Other Side and close the distortion that had formed in the curtain between That World and This World. She then says that "Hikaru" is like a lightning rod that attracts impurities, which is why impurities mostly remained in the mountains when "Hikaru" was there, but are now entering the village now that "Hikaru" has come down.
"Hikaru" then wakes up, extremely relieved to find that Yoshiki is safe. Kurebayashi reassures "Hikaru" that she doesn't plan to do anything about him, even though she's figured out what he is. She invites them both to sit at the table and offers them food. She then tells them the story of her deceased husband.
He had returned from the dead as an impurity, and he stayed in their house in a small room contained behind a sliding door. He would play video games with their son, Iori. Though Kurebayashi had a feeling that it wasn't right to let things continue this way, she didn't do anything. One day, she heard Iori scream and ran over to find him lying unconscious on the ground, in front of the open sliding door. Her husband peeked through the pitch-black crack between the door, crying.
Kurebayashi admits to the boys that her husband was simply an impurity, but "Hikaru" is something different – he appears to be something that exists outside of the cycle of Saṃsāra (the cycle of death and rebirth, or reincarnation). Yoshiki asks if she knows about "the Great Brain-snatcher," but she doesn't have any knowledge of it. She emphasizes that if impurities continue increasing in the town, many people will die. When she asks what they want to do, "Hikaru" considers running away and leaving all this behind, but knows that Yoshiki would never do that. He decides that things Yoshiki values, such as human life, are important to him too. He says that he's found somewhere he belongs and wants to protect it. Yoshiki, in turn, states that he's decided to stick with "Hikaru," but has no intention of ignoring the people who die because of it. Kurebayashi then offers her help in figuring out what to do about the impurities. As the boys leave, Kurebayashi warns "Hikaru" that Yoshiki will eventually no longer be able to return to the human world if "Hikaru" continues to mix with him.
In the forest, the Hunting Dog runs toward Tanaka and through his body. Tanaka then gains the memories that the Dog experienced since it was summoned, including its confrontation with Yoshiki and "Hikaru."
Later that night, the doorbell rings at the Tsujinaka house. Yoshiki answers the door and finds "Hikaru" standing silently. "Hikaru" stares at him and observes Yoshiki's soul. Confused, Yoshiki tells him to come inside, but "Hikaru" just apologizes and leaves.
Character Appearances[]
- Kurebayashi Rie
- Kurebayashi Iori (flashback)
- Tsujinaka Yoshiki
- "Hikaru"
- Kurebayashi's Husband (mentioned; flashback)
- Tanaka
Gallery[]
References
- ↑ Yen Press: The Summer Hikaru Died, Chapter 20
- ↑ Chapter 5 (Vol. 1)
[]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||