[Novel: Venus Syndrome] [207] Declaration of Independence

Chapter 1: At the Ryubo Department Store

“Next is Tsubogawa, Tsubogawa.”

Following the in-car announcement, the rhythm of 'Toshin Doi' echoed as if piercing through the entire train car.
The Yui Rail station chime struck with the sound pressure of a celebratory roar, playing that melody known as a staple of Kachaashi.
That passage, reconstructed in electronic sound as if the strings of a sanshin were slicing through the air, struck Riko's eardrums directly.

Ah, this is Okinawa.
She looked out the train window and gazed up at the contrast between the humid clouds and the piercing blue sky.

—

Ryubo, a long-established department store at the entrance of Naha's Kokusai-dori.
On the 6th-floor event space, an exhibition for the dress brand "Felice(Felice)" was being held.
The theme was 'Bingata x Ceremony.' Centered on wedding dresses incorporating traditional Okinawan Bingata dyeing, ceremonial dresses for Coming-of-Age ceremonies and costumes for commemorative photos were also on display.

Standing at the center of it all was Felice's exclusive "Mannequin-san," Riko Takekuma.

—

She was wearing a bare-shoulder white wedding dress.
On the fabric where red, yellow, and indigo flowers spread like the Okinawan sunlight, there were no unnecessary decorations; only the structure quietly supported its beauty.
Riko's body, lacking shoulders and arms, did not clash with the dress's design, and the 'absence of what should be there' actually accentuated the drape of the fabric.

There was a moderate flow of people on the department store floor, and the voices of the staff echoed softly.

“You can also make reservations for that one.”
“Riko-san, your next position is fine here.”

The exhibition's reputation was excellent.
Okinawan women were bright and very practical.
A mother pointing at her daughter's shoulder width, saying, “What would it look like if my daughter wore this for her Coming-of-Age ceremony?”
A young woman excitedly saying, “Wow, this color, isn't it amazing in photos? It'll look great!”
Responding to the customers' voices, Riko quietly changed the angle of her body, adjusting her posture so as not to disturb the hem of the dress.

—

And then, just past 3:00 PM.

Something changed. The sound was different.
First, the sound of a megaphone cracking could be heard from afar.

“...Huh? Isn't it... noisy outside?”

The Felice staff member folding a dress next to her tilted her head.
Riko also looked from the back of the exhibition space toward the entrance.

Outside the main entrance, she saw a banner with red letters on a white background.
And a crowd. Amidst it, she caught a glimpse of security guards moving busily.

“Something is gathering in front of the department store.”
“Is this... the police here? Wait, what's going on?”

Riko remained still beside the display stand, feeling the hem of her skirt sway slightly in the wind.

That wind seemed to be carrying the memory of the word 'Ryukyu' and the air of a city that had been somehow disconnected at the same time.

Chapter 2: Amidst the Commotion“Attention customers. We have confirmed a protest gathering by an external group in front of the main entrance. To ensure safety, we will be restricting some of the entrances and exits.”The moment the announcement played, the air on the exhibition floor changed.The background music faded, and only the sound of the ceiling lights became strangely noticeable. The parent and child who had been comparing dresses turned around, and the surrounding staff exchanged silent glances.Riko kept her pose in the dress, turning only her gaze toward the entrance.She could see security guards in black uniforms and men in suits entering in a hurry from the escalator landing.It was the floor manager. The chief of Felice's Okinawa team was also called over, and a meeting started immediately.“What happened?”“Just now, outside, there were some flags...”“They said it was written 'Independence.' They seemed to be shouting something.”As the murmurs spread, Riko was lightly tapped on the shoulder by one of the staff members.“Riko-san, please go to the waiting room. Just in case.”—Although it was called a waiting room, it was a temporary fitting space at the back of the event floor.Behind the white cloth partition, Riko broke her standing pose and waited while loosening the straps of her sandals.The voices of customers and staff were all swaying on the other side of the single cloth.“...What is it, independence?”“They were calling themselves the 'Republic of Ryukyu' or something.”“Whoa, it's on the internet. It's already spreading.”One of the staff members held up a smartphone and shared the screen.It showed a video of about 20 people gathered in front of the Ryubo Department Store, holding a banner that read 'We declare Ryukyu independence' and giving a speech.It seemed some activist was live-streaming it, and the comment section was filled with words like 'Is this fake?', 'Is it for real?', and 'Anyway, they're in the way.'—Eventually, she saw several police officers passing through the security line outside the floor.A person in uniform with shoulder boards was repeating a warning with a small megaphone in one hand.“We are now ordering you to disperse regarding the unauthorized use of the road. I repeat, you are obstructing traffic in the vicinity...”They could not go outside the department store, and the exhibition floor was effectively 'closed.'The elevators were stopped, and although the emergency stairs were opened, they were requested to stay inside the building to avoid congestion on the lower floors.Riko watched the staff members removing the display pins one by one and smiled, looking a bit troubled, saying, “Oh, I wonder if I can change out of this properly.”—Sitting on a folding chair in a corner of the waiting room, Riko listened to the building announcement once more.This time, in a calm voice, it continued as follows:“Thank you very much for visiting us today. The exhibition will close today at 4:00 PM.”The clock was still at 3:37 PM.

Chapter 3: A Quiet Escape

4:00 PM. The exhibition closed earlier than scheduled.
Although the truth of the commotion was not yet certain, the department store's decision was swift.

To avoid any 'what-ifs,' staff and related personnel were quietly encouraged to go home.
With the help of the staff, Riko slowly took off the dress in the backyard.
The Bingata-patterned fabric seemed to still hold the heat of her body even after she took it off.

When she untied her hair, which had been styled in a low bun, the air suddenly felt lighter.
—
“Riko-san, it seems there are boarding restrictions at some Yui Rail stations right now.”

“Oh, is it stopped?”

“No, it's not stopped, but the police are saying it's 'for guidance just in case.' It seems you can still get to the airport.”

The Felice staff member in charge of Okinawa explained while operating her smartphone.

The emergency exit from the back of the department store was usually a quiet entrance that no one but staff entered, but today, security guards were standing there, and a system was in place to check faces and let people through one by one.
—
When she stepped out onto the street, the sky was wide.

Okinawa after the rainy season. The reflection from the asphalt was still strong, and the sound of cicadas echoed as if pushing back the air.
While waiting for the traffic light, Riko suddenly looked back.
The Ryubo Department Store building stood exactly as it had before. Only one police vehicle was parked next to the entrance.

Someone who looked like a reporter was filming with a smartphone, and a female announcer was holding a microphone and saying something.
“In the center of Naha City this afternoon, a group advocating for 'Ryukyu independence’...”
She heard a little bit.

Riko looked away and headed straight to the station.

—
At the Yui Rail ticket gate, more guides were stationed than usual.

A young male staff member in uniform was talking to a parent and child, giving directions in English.

“Currently, there is guidance for partial traffic at Tsubogawa Station and Kencho-mae Station.”
Such a notice was on the electronic board, but operations toward the airport were normal.

The inside of the train was calm.
People who looked like tourists were relaxing with their sandals off, and local high school students were quietly fiddling with their smartphones.

Riko stood near the door, watching the passing scenery.

“The city is moving on as if nothing happened.”
Only that feeling was completely unrelated to the intense rhythm of 'Toshin Doi'.

—

The security checkpoint at Naha Airport was crowded but not chaotic.Some media crews were standing near the passageway, but there were no special restrictions, and Riko headed to the boarding gate as usual.When she briefly typed 'Arrived at the airport safely' into the Felice headquarters group chat, 'read' receipts lined up immediately.“Good work! It was tough today, wasn't it?”“The dress was really beautiful.”“Let's have a party when you get back safely~”Closing the screen, Riko gently touched the pin case in her bag.—She boarded the plane and fastened her seatbelt.Outside, it was already dusk. Beyond the runway, the outline of the island was blurring.“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard—”While listening to the English announcement, Riko took one deep breath and closed her eyes.As the aircraft slowly began to move, her body sank slightly.And then, into the sky.Leaving behind the dress, the voices, and the flags,the airplane left the sky of Ryukyu behind.

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