短編小説 "A DEVIL'S SLEEVE" 第1-2章 | 山田維史の遊卵画廊

(1-2)Chapter of The Beginning

　…In a room of a hotel that allowed to stay only for a couple, since he had presented this gift to the girl, a perplexity showed on her face. And she looked up at him. Not because it was very expensive gift.
　"I don't know where I have to keep this in my house. Maybe my mother will notice this. I had't locked my chest once. …I don't know what make you to think."
　Without reply he opened a Boston bag which he had carried, and took out a frisodé, an obi (long and broad sash), an obijimé (band for an obi), an obiagé (bustle for an obi), an obidomé (clip for an obi), a pair of tabi (Japanese-style socks), a juban (long undergarment) and so, …he displayed one after another a compete set of kimono-things.
　"Now, put on," he said.
　He sat with his leg's crossed right under her nose, pointing the frisode by his jaw.
　"I can't put on kimono-things. Because I can't even tie an obi by myself."
　"I'll help you. Come here. Learn it in today."
　Three walls which surrounded a bed were completely covered with large mirror. On the ceiling which was covered with black velvet, scores of little lamps were installed with queer arrangement. And the lamps beamed in crimson light going on and off like Christmas's ornaments.

　When the last training had finished they were quite in sweat. Disheveled hair of the girl were sticking to her cheeks. She looked up the man with her deep eyes without even winks with exhaustion. He shuddered his back strange.
　"Looks very well. Beautiful. Charming you are," the man said in her hair, hugging her tight in his chest.
　"I breath with difficulty, painful, no, …no…"
　He felt her gasps on his chest, and imagined himself who drove her into a corner as if he get a little bird.

　Now, the very frisodé was heavily moist with a sea breeze.
　He understood the grief of the girl. Her frisodé might be the most expensive things of her own possessions. However, the frisodé was her best clothes though, she couldn't go to anywhere, if it was even a place for formal, with the frisodé in her daily life which was none of the man's business. It was sure that she came to here with being prepared to die.
　"Our love will get immortality by our death, you know," he said in a tone like that a father admonished his daughter.
　"Yes"
　The girl gazed straight the man. Her only right earlobe was shinning in orange color with setting sun, and it was in striking contrast with her pale face in the shadow.
　For her, he was the first lover. She met him two years ago when she was fourteen years old. She had became intimate with him previous to her experience which it would be worthy love for fourteen. The man had come down to her dream. While dreaming she suffered awful pain. Her bleeding gone on for two days.
　The man had married, and had a eight years old boy. But the girl knew those his details long late. She utterly surprised the facts than that she was piqued by his thoughtless remark, and she only opened her eyes wide in his arms. However, by that time, her love for him was that it could be difficult to go to back.

　…A two-piece sailor suit with dark blue color was hang on the lintel in her room. It was the school uniform of her girls' high school. Sitting at her desk, and looking at out of window, she caught the sailor suit in a corner of her eye. The cloth of the back of suit, or of the tops of the skirt's pleats, shone like to look worn. She averted her eyes unconsciously, got rid of the uniform from her sight. But unpleasant shining light didn't disappeared. On the contrary, it threatened her senses much more, even smelled of fishy, and gleamed more and more like an animal's eye. Almost uttering a cry, she would come to herself.
　There were many things which she had to think about. Although it was a fragmentary fact, she knew a strife of his home. Her wish of becoming his wife was special problem though, all problems were realistically too much for her. She hadn't any capacity. Only her love for him grew up whenever they saw each other. And her grief also increased.

　"I'll die together with you."
　Tears ran down her cheeks softly. It was her tear of the second time, she didn't shed tears ordinary though. The first time was when she had connection with the man …
　Like that time, it wrung the man's chest to feel her tears dropping in his heart, and he wiped her tears away with his finger. Taking his the very hand, the girl pressed it to against her chilled cheek, turned her eyes toward the sea and the far sky.

　They kissed the last in this world, tied each wrists with a under-sash of the frisodé.
　And they leaped immediately into the angry waves of the sea.
　The long sleeves of the girl's frisodé, as it was the robe of an angel, flew high up in the crimson sky at sunset, wrapped lover's back like embracing him. The white of tabi of her feet changed into a dot of light. The couple's hair were dyed red, were entangled like flames in the air. Her zori (Japanese sandals for kimono) with pink color which remained at the cliff were swallowed by the dark.

　However, it was then, the under-sash which tied each wrists, suddenly snapped.
　・・・・・・・・・・・

(Continued: つづく）

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