I opened my eyes.
How long have I been asleep, I asked myself. I should not have worked much, and yet I wonder if I had grown fatigued?

“Erm.”

I am under the water.
No, not under the water. I breathe just fine, and my feet are firmly affixed upon a ground.
Nevertheless, this is below the water surface.
After all——

The fish were swimming round me.

Crimson.
Azure.
Amber.
Grassy.
The fish vivid of shades, which I have no experience catching a sight of, were swimming round myself. Where no water were to be found, and, whilst tinged with a particles of light, they were swimming elegantly in mid air.

“What…”

I was at a loss for words.
I guess I am dreaming yet? It cannot be explained otherwise.
It is impossible to be material for so beautiful spectacle.

“Have you awoken?”

A girl is approaching. The child of art university, whom I encountered just a moment ago. The girl had a different air from that moment.
Her appearance is changeless, as well as her coiffure and manner of speech suffer no variation.
Even so, something was different.

“Ye, yeah. And this?”
“This is your Aquarium.”
“My Aquarium——”

Even now that she said this, I have no knowledge of any so marvellous place where the fish would as though winging its way in mid-air.
The girl, fillip, snapped her fingers. My hands, squelch, grew weighty. In my hands, a guitar have emerged there.

“You capable to play it, I understand? Kindly give me a tune.”

Where did a guitar come from? What do you mean?
However, my hands had taken an action arbitrarily.
The sound echoed. Notes resounded in spite of me holding no equipment.

Fish have set in motion in concert to the notes.
My voice disclosed.
This is the original song which I composed.
I have not sung at the live venue yet, nor I have a schedule to.

Audience were a girl and enigmatic fish.
Shifting its shades, the fish were dancing round me.
Amidst so marvellous a scene, I had just sung.

I was in tears.
The outcome that to be expected for my grandfather is unknown for me. Even recovering from illness he will not be up to resume manage this place well. Supposing he could, he would be at his limit. We cannot bring in a new fish, and we cannot do anything in regard of a deserted town.
This place must be closed.
But now, I am singing with all my might.
Probably the last reminiscence. The first and the last live at Aquarium.

Sayonara, my treasured place.

All the while fish kept its swim, happily.

“…Director-san, director-san.”

I addressed to yet sleeping young director-san.

“Huh?”

Arousing from sleep, she revealed a queer voice.

“The fish swimming in the air and the guitar…”
“What are you saying, were you dreaming?”
“Dream, dream…”

Woman snaps her eyes wide.
Before her, she saw an unfamiliar stage within a completely reformed aquarium.

“Did you do this?”
“Yes, I prepared it on the bullet train.”

That is false. I was allowed to employ the witchcraft to fullest. For it had also been committed as a physical article, so that it should not vanish for awhile, it consumed emotions fairly.
I adorned it with pictures of swimming fish. Desolated image have withdrawn, and the aquarium turned handsome.
Despite stage being small, singing here should be so picturesque as at a scene of the movie.

“These days, location have attain a public favour for taking a pictures, so this will attract lots of people. If you prefer, I shall promote it by appending a hashtag.”
“I guess.”
“My apologise. Perhaps, not so many a people would arrive. It should be vain, for you hold no fish, in the first place.”
“…Right.”
“But withal, I don’t think you have to just await for its downfall.”

I pointed at the stage in front.

“Please practice and work hard. If that wouldn’t work out, however, please give up.”

She responds with a titter.

“Sassy.”

Your striving heretofore are strange to me. However, I have been doing my best this far. You should endeavour to work a little more harder. The development of this remains unclear, however rather thus than merely cutting off it.

“For I’m not as versatile.”
“Thank you.”

It is in her hands to persist henceforth.

“Even so, it’s really amazing. Just like a magic. I can’t believe you have completed it in so short time. Have I been asleep that long?”
“No—, ha ha ha.”

An evasive chortle.
As one might imagine, it is a magic, however I have no mind to answer, “Correct.”

“Oh, I see.”
“What is it?”

She says, as she touched a picture of the fish with her hand.

“So this is how you showing yourself out.”

Myself—myself?

“I suppose.”

“Tsugumi” have found herself in art.

×　×　×

“Amazing, Kominato-kun, to have this accomplished in a twinkling!”
“Not really—.”

And professor and other students compliment me with: “Awesome!” “When have you done this?” and so forth.
Everyone else had a suggestion or a draft, but I was the only one who have actually had it all ready. That is what was praised.

“That’s amazing. Although usually so dull in the class, upon setting off outdoor you’re really great!”

…That was flattery, right?

Such was the climax of the Aquarium art project lesson, and for some or another reason I achieved a good mark.
We took the last bus from Aquarium. Young director-san waved at us. She was by no means that female of resigned mood, her refreshed visage left an impression upon me.
Not bad.
Such a phrase sprung up within my mind, as I placed my back upon a hard seat.

“…Eh? Which reminds me, where Maejima-san?”

Maejima-san was not on return bus.
I have not seen Maejima-san since we had a lunch. I wished to thank her for the meal once again, however she was gone. I wonder had she made her way homewards before us. Did she feel not well? I grew anxious.
Oh well. I shall came across her at university in no time any way.

Uh-huh, I happened upon her quite soon.

“Ma, Maejima-san?”

And now, an exceedingly bad situation have arisen.
Upon the following week, I have met her before class has started. She, wearing a blank look, stole my hand and guided me to an unpeopled branch of the school building.
Upon my thought I was brought in, she impatiently drove me to the wall, and placed her hand next to my face, so as preventing my escape.

“Uh, um, what’s wrong, Maejima-san?”

Say what? Is this a kabedon?¹ I have seen such happenings in shuojo manga at convenience store, however between females… Eh? my chastity is in crisis?
We, we need to resolve this matter peacefully, without intimidating a culprit!

“Wh, what is wrong, Maejima-san?”
“What is the meaning of this, Kominato-san?”

She brings her visage——well, her mobile phone to my eyes.
Thank goodness, first kiss had been guarded… so I thought first, however the crisis was yet ongoing.
A photo of a fish which were soaring through the air was displayed on the mobile screen.

1. [Kabedon] - slamming one’s hand into the wall in front of somebody—often viewed as romantic; back