This is the 26th Chapter of The Summer Hikaru Died manga series, written and illustrated by Mokumokuren.
Synopsis[]
After briefly splitting up, the boys reconvene to share their discoveries. But the mood is somber, and Yoshiki seems distracted...”Hikaru” suggests a trip to the beach, though will what he has in mind really be the pick-me-up his friend needs?[1]
Plot[]
Kurebayashi sends "Hikaru" home without doing anything to him because Indou Hikaru has a family that is expecting their son to come home as they always have. There's a ring at the doorbell, and when she answers it, she's surprised to see the person on the other side of the door.
"Hikaru" and Yoshiki sit in the park after buying a pool floatie for Kaoru. Yoshiki starts to explain that he found out what the "sin" of the Indou family was and asks if "Hikaru" has any memories of his time as Nounuki-sama. "Hikaru" feels like he's forgotten all of it for a long time and only recently started to recall them. He believes it's true that he can grant any wish that Yoshiki asks for, but Yoshiki decides not to wish for anything since it feels like it'd bring trouble. He laments that they still don't know anything they can do about the large number of impurities in the village. Mince-aniki arrives, and "Hikaru" picks him up to play around with him, but Mincemeat struggles away shortly after.
"Hikaru" then suggests going to the beach so that he can see the ocean at least once. It'll take them almost two hours by train. Looking at the bruise on his arm during the ride, Yoshiki is reminded that he had to bring a gift to Mikasa's place as thanks for fixing Kaoru's yukata. When he passed by the torii gate, he felt a strange sensation, but then he was able to pass through normally. "Hikaru" assumes it's because Yoshiki is getting more and more mixed up with him.
They arrive at the beach during the evening, and it's empty except for them. "Hikaru" excitedly removes his shoes and runs to the water. He stops when he finds a snake staring back at him, but quickly goes to join Yoshiki further down the shore. "Hikaru" runs through the water until he's knee-deep in it. When Yoshiki approaches, "Hikaru" confesses that when they were in the Indou family shrine, he remembered what happened when he went into Hikaru's body.
Hikaru's dying wishes were things like "I don't want anyone to be sad" and "I don't want Yoshiki to be alone." "Hikaru" apologizes that he won't be able to fulfill those wishes anymore because he'll be returning to the mountain. He explains that although it probably won't make sense to a human, he's a type of being that desires souls to fill up the empty parts of himself, and that he already killed a lot of people and may kill again in the future. Even though Yoshiki is upset and repeatedly tells him not to leave, "Hikaru" encourages him by saying that Yoshiki can finally accept Hikaru's death and live happily as a human. He points out multiple differences between himself and Indou Hikaru, saying that even though he might just be a replacement, he has genuinely come to love Yoshiki. He specifies that even though they might not be the same as romantic or platonic feelings, they are definitely his own feelings, not Hikaru's. He thanks Yoshiki for everything.
Agitated, Yoshiki grabs him by the shirt and shouts that he's not a replacement for Hikaru and that this is the same as giving up. He demands that "Hikaru" stops trying to force him to accept this as a happy ending, without them resolving things together.
Just then, Tanaka suddenly appears behind "Hikaru" and claims that "Hikaru" returning to the mountain won't do any good because he isn't actually Nounuki-sama.
Character Appearances[]
- Kurebayashi Rie
- "Hikaru"
- Tsujinaka Yoshiki
- Tsujinaka Kaoru (mentioned)
- Mince-aniki
- Tsujinaka Satoko (flashback)
- Indou Hikaru (mentioned)
- Tanaka
Gallery[]
References
- ↑ Rakuten Kobo: The Summer Hikaru Died, Chapter 26
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