"The Dream of the Bell Tree" Episode 14.4

Going back in time. First grade. Three-way meeting. Mr. Nakamura praised me highly, saying that the picture I drew was as sensitive and good as a sixth grader's. My mother was also very happy, and I was very happy about that.
November. I came back from the Shichigosan festival.
I was already feeling sleepy, but I wanted to eat some Chitose-ame, so I broke off a long piece of candy on my mother's bed and stuffed it into my mouth. Sweet... Delicious...
I fell asleep right there...!!! When I woke up, the candy had gotten tangled in my hair and was sticky and very gross.
I went to tell my mother about it, and she got really angry.
The bath had no shower. I tried to remove it with a bucket of hot water, but it was difficult to get it off.
In the end, my hair was cut off with a pair of large dressmaking scissors. In front of the mirror. I stroked my chubby cheeks...
The next day. "Kokeshi doll! Mushroom!" The boys at school teased me about my hairstyle.

I sat down in a sulky mood. You, who was sitting by the window, kept looking my way.

Me: "What's up?"

You: "No... I was just wondering if something happened..."

Me: "Nothing!" Sulking, I rested my chin on the desk.

You scratched his head and looked out the window, his profile showing a slight smile.

I looked curiously back and forth between his face and the blue sky with scaly clouds.
I felt like I had seen this somewhere before.
To be continued.

「鈴かけの木の夢」14.4話
時間がさかのぼる。小学一年生。三者懇談。中村先生が、私の描いた絵が6年生と同じくらい感受性が豊かで、上手だと、すごく褒めてくれた。母もすごく喜んでいて、私はそれがとても嬉しかった。
１１月。七五三参りから帰ってきた。
もう眠気がきていたけれど、千歳飴が食べたくて、母のベッドの上で長い飴を折って口に頬張る。甘い…美味しい…。
そのまま寝てしまって…。！！！気が付いたら、飴が髪に絡みついてべっとりとくっついて、とても気持ち悪い。
母に言いにいき、めっちゃ怒られる。

シャワーの無いお風呂。桶に入れたお湯で取ろうとするが、なかなか取れない。

結局、洋裁用の大きなハサミで、バッサリと髪を切られる。鏡の前。下ぶくれの頬をなでる…。
次の日。「こけし！きのこ！」学校で髪型を男子にからかわれる。

私は、不機嫌そうに席についた。窓際の席の、ゆう君がずっとこっちを見ている。

私「何よ！？」

ゆう「いや…。なんか、あったのかな？って思って…。」

私「何もないわ！」　ふてくされて、机にほおづえをつく私。

頭をかきながら、窓の外に目をやるゆう君の横顔が、少し微笑んでいる。　私は不思議そうに、その顔と、ウロコ雲付きの青い空を交互に見ている。

何か、前にも見たような気がしていた。
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