Bigger Than the Whole World
categoryStory:
Character:
levelBond:
世界よりも大切なもの
| category | story | ending | Body | levelBond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YuiYagi's Story | Bigger Than the Whole World | Bigger Than the Whole World |
Before starting elementary school, Yui Yagi often went on picnics with her parents. With her parents too busy for proper vacations, their most frequent getaway was a suburban park just thirty minutes from home. Unlike families who went fishing or rock climbing, the Yagis' tradition was simple: three folding chairs lined up in a row. Her parents would sip coffee while reading, and even little Yui – clutching orange juice in both hands – would wrestle with science primers that were just a bit too advanced for her age. Ever since preschool, Yui Yagi had always preferred books – or perhaps she simply never picked up any other hobbies. While the other kids were in the sandbox, busy with their castles and plastic toys, she methodically worked her way through every picture book she could find. Now, before even starting elementary school, she was already tackling materials meant for students several years older. Under the warm gaze of her parents, Yui Yagi delved earnestly into the worlds held by her books. The secret behind a firefly's glowing tail. The essential difference between dry ice and ordinary ice. The Big Bang theory on the origin of the universe. With rapt fascination, she devoured knowledge from every page, packing the universe's truths into her impossibly young mind. When she realized it was getting late, she looked up to find her father smiling, gently stroking her head. "It's already six o'clock, Yui." The sky on the far horizon had already turned red. Unwilling to disturb Yui, who was lost in her book, her parents waited quietly nearby. "So, how's the book?" Her father asked, the rich aroma of coffee wafting from the mug in his hand. Yui took a bite of the handmade cookie her mother offered, nodding her head. "Fascinating. It showed me so many things I'd never known." "You're amazing, Yui – already exploring the mysteries of the world." "Hmm... but..." "But what?" "...Dad." Yui's words caught in her throat – too young to name the quiet unease coiling beneath her ribs. These reading sessions with her parents should have been pure contentment, yet something clenched in her chest each time. With every finished book came a restlessness that outlasted the final page. "After finishing a book, there's always this... heaviness in my chest. Why is that..." "Reading is wonderful. What is it that troubles you?" "Mmm..." Young Yui tried to express her unease to her father, using her tender, childlike words. She longed to share the wonders she'd gleaned from those dense pages – the miracles of nature, the universe's whispered secrets – with the other kids, who were busy with their sandcastles and games of make-believe. But she didn't know how to do it. How can I make them want to listen? How do I explain it so they'll understand? How... how can I make friends with them? She'd devoured libraries but still couldn't master what came effortlessly to others. Saline liquid welled up – even these tears, she knew, were made of many kinds of tiny particles, and themselves were filled with even more minuscule ones. The world was so fascinating, she truly believed... yet that very belief found no pathway to other hearts. "It's alright, Yui. Someday, you'll meet someone who means more to you than the entire world." Her father leaned down and gently said to Yui. "When there's someone who truly understands you, share with them everything – from the birth of the universe to the tiny worlds we can't see with the naked eye." Her father smiled, gently petting her head with his large, warm hand. Even now, the warmth of that moment lingers in her memory.< |
絆レベル3 |