[Short Story] Summer White Light

※The timeline is a few months after 'The Finder of Pale Indigo'.


　Outside the window, everything was wrapped in light. The summer sun shone brilliantly, looking at no one. That arrogance was actually convenient for me. Except for the heat. Unable to endure the sweltering heat day after day, I have had the air conditioning running in this room for hours. "What should I do?" I'm not exactly free. About half of the thin stack of textbooks on my desk remains untouched. But these are things I have to do. Right now, I want to discard such things for a moment. With this heat, a place with air conditioning would be nice, but... I've been to the shopping mall many times accompanying my sisters. How many times has it been this month? Even though they treat me to things I want or food I want to eat while I accompany them on their shopping trips, I've grown tired of it. Besides, my sisters are away today for their own errands. That said, the city is still crowded. I don't like crowds. Just cutting through the waves of people coming from the front and sides is exhausting. I have a desire to see nature, but... Looking outside, as you can see, the contrast between light and shadow stood out as sharply as it could. The leaves of the trees shone with a dazzling green. It is a scorching heat that is by no means suitable for going outside. People walking by are also wiping sweat falling from their foreheads with handkerchiefs. However, I wanted to go outside. I couldn't stay inside no matter what. I get up from the bed and take my white shoulder bag from the bag storage area. It's a bag with a simple cuteness that doesn't feel cloying despite the abundance of lace. Lately, I've been using this one exclusively. I take off my loungewear, which is the color of blue diluted as it is, and put on the small floral dress that caught my eye the moment I opened the closet. This one is also based in white. Small pink and lavender colors dance wildly on it. White, white, pure white. I suppose this happened because I am obsessed only with light. Suddenly, I remembered the light blue digital camera. That camera I found in the spring. Was it still in the back of the closet? Or in the desk drawer? Although it is relatively organized, I don't have a grasp of where things are. I searched around for various things, but in the end, the digital camera was in the desk drawer. How long has it been here? But I don't have time to think about such things. It took quite a bit of time. I intended to go to the park at the top from a nearby bus stop, but at this rate, I'll be late. I hurried down the stairs and opened the front door. My eyes were dazzled by the heat and brightness. Even so, I went out to the street and somehow managed to catch the bus.
　It takes two stops to get to the park. It's quite close. However, the road from my house to the park has a fairly steep slope waiting for me. It's tough even on a normal day, but in this kind of heat, it's going to be hell. Perhaps because many people know this, the bus was full. Even though I thought I didn't like crowded places, for some reason I had forgotten that the bus would be in this state. While looking at my smartphone, I suddenly look out the window. It feels a bit strange to see the road I usually walk on from the roadway. Even though I should be used to seeing the cafes, convenience stores, and everything else, it feels unfamiliar. After passing the last stop, the bus climbs the steep slope. It's still an amazing road. However, the way the greenery gradually increases after passing through the residential area makes me feel like I'm being invited to something extraordinary, and I find it a little interesting.
　When I arrived at the park stop and was released from the crowded bus, I entered a small path that branched off from the main street where everyone else was heading. If you continue straight on the main street, there is an event plaza, but I'm not in that mood today. I just keep going down the small path. The trees stand straight and orderly, and it is one of the quietest places in the park. If you look at your feet, flowers are blooming here and there. There are few people, and I pass by someone occasionally. Perhaps they are practicing an instrument, as the sound of brass instruments can be heard from between the trees. It's a free place. I sometimes read here. But since I went to the trouble of bringing a camera today, I thought I would try taking some pictures. The light blue digital camera was a lighter color than I imagined when illuminated by the strong light of the sun. Is it because of the reflection? I was nervous because I forgot to check if it was charged, but it worked properly. How would the view I am seeing now look through this camera? Thinking that, I pressed the shutter. As always, the resolution is quite coarse. Perhaps thanks to that, the white light of the sun was captured just as it was. Dazzling. Dazzling. A splendor that contains calmness. An ecstasy like anesthesia. Nostalgia. I don't see things this vividly. This time, I pressed the shutter on the shoulder bag placed in the shade. The white shoulder bag is captured vaguely in the center. A presence that is detached from reality, like something someone left behind. Like a ghost that appeared in the middle of the day. It seems I have obtained something good. I am becoming fulfilled. It became fun, and I suddenly started laughing by myself. It's a good thing no one passed by. I felt like this camera had something that my own eyes couldn't capture.
　I feel like quite a bit of time has passed. No, it might have been just an instant. It seems I was quite absorbed. Before, I had only taken one picture in my room at night. Even then, I was just soaking in the atmosphere that this camera captures. Suddenly, I realized I was hungry and decided to go home. I pass through the intricate small paths and come out to the main street. It was as lively as ever. Families with children, people who seem to be close friends, an elderly couple. It seems it was a fairly large event today. Cutting through that traffic, I head to the bus stop. I found a secret pleasure rather than the lively enjoyment of the plaza. There is nothing happier than this.