Sand Sculpture of the Heart

(Following the second district, next is the 11th. That being said, an escape game… Will older participants be able to enjoy this too?

Hmph, let’s see what they can do…)

Oh! Oooooooooooo! Over there, over there is……..!!!!

!? Eek, y-you’re that guy from last time…!

I missed you! I wanted to see youuuuuuu! My best mate—!!

K-knock it off, don’t hug me…!

My pal who witnessed Ev3ns’s first tour that day together with me! Hassaku Shigematsu! As the longest serving Ev3ns’s fan, I wanted to meet you again-!!

Haah, haah, I-I’ve got it, so let go of me…

Alright! Let’s experience the tour together, Hassaku!

(I don’t want to…! Why does this only happen when I’m in charge of checking out the Evening Group’s activities…!!)

Thank you all for coming. Welcome to a [Mystic Tour of the Desert, A Journey Back to Childhood]. Please put on this headgear.

(A metaverse experience tour using the event space at a shopping center? Now I get it.)

Waaaaaaaaaah!! It’s Ev3ns’s ice prince and Shortcake-chan, the Kinyari-inspired tour—!

This is a divine once-in-a-lifetime event where I’ll get to interact with my favorite idols up close and personal…!! I’m on my way, Kinyari!!

(I see. For idol fans, this is a great opportunity to hear their idol’s thoughts and have a frank conversation through the metaverse. What a profound world… But honestly, I don’t quite understand it!)

Ooh, this is…

(The wind and humidity, even the texture of the sand are all realistically reproduced. Even so, it doesn’t feel like a burden on the body…)

Welcome, Kodama and Shigematsu. Thank you for signing up for the tour. Here, you can experience walking with your younger selves as you search for an oasis in the desert.

Ki-kinyari! You’re as cute as a cupcake, like always…!

My younger self…? What does that mean?

In just a moment, a younger version of you will appear before your very eyes. That is the other you that sleeps within your heart every day.

I hope that you’ll get along well, and aim for the goal together.

Oh, Kinyari disappeared!

(What on earth did he mean by a younger version of myself will appear…?)

Hey, future me.

Hm? Who is tugging on my jacket sleeve…?

It’s me.

! It’s me from when… I was young!?

Hehehe. Let’s search for the oasis together!

Boooo hoooooo hoooo….. Child me… is… so c-cute..!! Adorbs…!!!

(He’s looking at his childhood self and c-crying!?)

Don’t cry, Tatsuji! Save your tears for your fav!

Aaah, that’s right!! Let’s go, to where my favs lie in wait! I’ll carry you on my shoulders, little me!!

…

(I guess there are some people who haven’t changed much since they were a kid…)

Compared to that, I’m…

Let’s hold hands! Okay?

Well, I guess it can’t be helped.

Ah, they’re here. They’re here~ ! I was waiting for ya—! Chii-sama is going to give you the first hint for getting to the oasis, ‘kay~? ☆

Oughhhh, Chii!!! My heart can’t take such a sudden appearance of my ultimate fav…!!

Wow, so cute!! I want to make this one my bias…!

His taste hasn’t changed since youth, huh…

Hey, isn’t walking together like this fun? Let’s make a wish when we get to the oasis!

It wasn’t supposed to be that kind of a game though…

But it’s a happy thing to reach a goal, right? I have lots of dreams to make a wish for!

…

I can see it! That’s the tent of a band of thieves who make their base in the desert…!!

There’s a handsome guy in front of the tent!

Hey, good job making it this far. Let me give you the next hint. But before that, shall we have a chat if you’re feeling tired?

O-o-oh my gosh, a chat with the King of Melodies, Ev3ns’s leader, Raito Kitakata!?

Wh-wh-what an incredible touuuuuuuuuur!!! It’s practically free!!!

Actually, I’ve recently started to think that there might be a connection between the taste of ramen and the phases of the moon… If you bury pork bones in the ground on the night of a full moon, and then make soup stock…

W-what kind of conversation is this…? Something horror-related?

Ahaha, what an interesting guy!

Nice work! The finish line is right in front of you. Do you think you can push on a bit longer?

(It was unexpectedly fun solving the puzzles to get to this point. My child avatar even provided hints when I was stumped…)

Ahem! Taotao, I have a question!

Hm? What is it, Kodama-san?

Oof… I felt my heart skip a beat when he called my name. Ugh! My only chance is now. Hang in there, Tatsuji Kodama…!

Hey, what the heck are you trying to ask…?

Um! That mug cup that was in a photo on Chii’s dazzle two days ago…

Was that… Taotao’s!?

Huh? Ah, I’m not sure. I don’t really look at dazzle. But we do live together in the same dorm so something like that might happen.

H-how regrettable! N-no, but I also feel a sense of respect for their pair presence…! The storm of joy and jealousy is incredible!!

Um, but you looked at Chii’s dazzle, right? I’m sure he’d be overjoyed.

This emotion! What should I do with this emotion! I’m so glad Taotao is Chii’s stage pair—!!

(W-what are these emotional waves…? I guess I just can’t get along with this guy…)

That man is really devoted to what he loves, isn’t he! Watching him makes me feel cheery, too!

…

I can see it! The oasis—!

Standing at the entrance is… the 14th district’s Kuguri Domeki…

Hey, thanks for your efforts. You really went through all this work to walk through the desert, hmm? What strange fellows. I’ll give this to you as a reward.

Uhhooooohh, this is… an invitation to Kinyari and Kugurinu’s duo live!?

This is good fortune bestowed directly from the hands of an idol! You have now entered the spring of your life, Tatsuji Kodama..!!

(More precisely, it’s from a hologram’s hands, but… Oh, the 14th Ward Mayor has already disappeared….)

We made it! We made it! Solving the puzzles was so much fun!

It took us way longer than I expected since we were able to chat with everyone in Ev3ns.

Thanks for coming with, little me. You were very reliable~.

(There were this many participants? It seems like the system was setup so that you don’t encounter anyone other than the people you logged in with until you reach the finish line.

But why do I feel…?)

Future me, this is where we part ways.

…!

Um, here’s what Kinari intended for this tour. He wanted people to talk with their little selves as much as possible, so he made sure no one else could see us until the finish line.

I see…

Before we part, let’s hug reaaaaal tight!

What…! T-there’s no way I could do something so embarrassing…!!

Everyone else is doing it though?

Uuuuuooooooonnn! It pains me to have to separate from such an adorable little me!! Big hug!!

Here’s a hug back, future me!! I love you so much—!!

…

Future me.

Cough, well, if everyone else is doing it, then.

(So small… Even though he’s a hologram, there’s a warmth here.)

You’re very admirable for always working so hard, Hakkei.

…!

There’s no need to give up yet.

Because I’m always here for you. See you.

He disappeared…

(Was I really like that as a child? Full of hope, compassionate, and honest…)

I still feel the warmth in my hands…