Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051600327232539
When you buy a 500-yen plastic umbrella, you don’t really think of it as “your own.” It’s part of the sharing economy—a temporary shelter from the rain—and is destined to be taken by someone else from a convenience store umbrella stand sooner or later.
But when it comes to a 30,000-yen luxury umbrella, it’s a different story. You keep it in the corner of your eye so you don’t lose it, you’re on guard against leaving it behind, and you carefully wipe off every drop of rain. In other words, people don’t own a 30,000-yen umbrella; they are mentally controlled by it.
That’s why I only ever buy 500-yen plastic umbrellas. Because when the value of one’s possessions rises, it directly means that human freedom diminishes.
It was 2:00 a.m. Sitting on my usual bench, I rolled a 100-yen can of cocoa in my hand while pondering such petty, small-minded risk management.
“…Minato!”
A voice, full of excitement, rang out from behind me.
I turned around to find Shizuku standing there, out of breath. She must have fled straight from the TV station’s green room; she had a coat hastily thrown over her elaborate, frilly stage costume.
“Look! Number one on the daily charts! We hit number one with our debut song!”
Shizuku held up her smartphone in the darkness, thrusting the screen right in front of my face.
Her face, illuminated by the screen’s light, was glowing brighter than ever. A sense of accomplishment and exhilaration. The aura of an idol who’d been the focus of thousands of gazes was radiating an almost overwhelming intensity into the late-night park.
“Number one on the Oricon charts… How about we have a parade in front of the National Diet Building to celebrate? ”
“What are you talking about? We’d get arrested. Anyway, come on, let’s celebrate! Buy me the usual!”
Shizuku moved closer, as she always did, to within fifteen centimeters of me, about to sit down next to me.
But I stood up without a word and placed the can of cocoa I was holding with a soft thud in the spot where she was supposed to sit.
“……Minato?”
Shizuku tilted her head in confusion. I took a step back from the bench, putting clear distance between us.
“I don’t have any change today. Besides, I have a rule: I don’t carry umbrellas worth more than 500 yen.”
“Huh? An umbrella? It’s not even raining.”
“It’s a metaphor. The other day, there was a hyena in this park with a bazooka-like telephoto lens. I chased him off by banging an empty can against the ground, but there’s a very high chance he’ll come back.”
“Oh…”
I could see the blood drain from Shizuku’s face.
“That’s why I told you. Shizuku, you’re no longer a daily necessity that can be handled at my standard of living. You’re a high-end umbrella that costs 30,000 yen. Just imagine if, by some chance, someone snapped a photo of you having a secret rendezvous with a college student in the middle of the night. In that instant, your market value would plummet, the shareholders would go berserk, and a flood of mud from the tabloids would crash into our peaceful daily lives.”
“N-no, that’s not it! I made sure to look around today, and there was no one there! Besides, I’m not some umbrella—I’m just—”
“Just what?”
I cut her off in a low voice.
“Shizuku, you’re already a ‘public asset,’ aren’t you? No administrator would leave a national treasure unattended in a park late at night.”
“Minato… are you… angry? I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful. I’ll make sure to disguise myself properly, and I’ll watch the time…”
Shizuku took a step forward and reached out to grab the sleeve of my hoodie. I coldly brushed her hand away.
“It’s not a matter of being careful or anything like that.”
A small snap echoed through the silent park. Shizuku’s hand froze in midair. Her eyes widened as if she were seeing something unbelievable.
“You’re a nuisance.”
I spoke in a deliberately flat tone, devoid of any emotion.
“I come here to rest my brain after a shift at my part-time job. I’m not sitting on this bench to keep watch for scandals or play Metal Gear Solid with tabloid reporters.”
“Eh…”
“Your very existence, Shizuku, has become a massive risk that threatens my environment. Don’t bring any more walking liabilities into my daily life.”
The perfect idol smile completely fell from Shizuku’s face.
Her lips trembled, and I could see the light rapidly fading from her wide-open eyes. A sharp, spasmodic gasp escaped from the back of her throat.
“…You’re lying, right? Because this is my…”
“This isn’t yours, Shizuku. It’s a public park owned by the city.”
I didn’t look at her face any longer and turned my back on her.
“Don’t ever come back here again. An idol wandering around late at night is unthinkable. Go back to your own timeline.”
I thought I heard a broken voice from behind me, as if she were pleading for something.
But I didn’t turn around; I hurried toward the park’s exit.
This is for the best. This is it. This way, I can protect her, and she won’t even think of chasing after me.
A park at 2 a.m. A broken streetlight.
On the bench that had lost its owner, only the super-sweet cocoa—its pull tab still unopened—continued to grow cold in silence.
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