Drawn Mochi Volume 5 Chapter 16.1: To The Wide, Wide Land*3

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　When I listened carefully, I realized that it wasn’t about receiving a package. The signature was an autograph. It’s something you ask famous people to do.

　…why!?

“I understand… Here.” (Lila)

　Lila was signing the cover of the woman’s notebook with the pen she was given. …Oh, I’ve seen this before. It’s the signature Lila put on her own painting. In short, a signature that she had put in so that people would know it was a “Fake”.

　The woman was very happy to see it. Her voice was subdued, but the expression on her face showed how happy she was. Yes, I understand. I can tell. If you look at her face, you can tell that she is really happy.

“Ah, uh, Mr. Tougo Uezora, if you don’t mind…” (Staff)

“I um……” (Tougo)

　I was at a loss when Lila silently handed me the notebook and pen. A signature. An autograph. I’m not that big of a person.

　…However, the woman seems to be really looking forward to it, and Lila has a look on her face that says, “Go ahead and write.” Uhhh….

　…In the end, I wrote “上空桐吾/Tougo Uezora.” Not in the characters of this world, but in kanji.

　It looks like the four characters are grouped into a square, similar to a seal engraving. I guess if I surrounded it with a square at the end, it would look a little better.

　Well, after entering high school, I chose calligraphy as my art class. When I tried to choose painting, my parents had a sour look, so I decided to at least choose calligraphy, which involves holding a brush, and I feel like that has helped me now. Yep.

　I also wrote my signature, and once the two signatures were in the woman’s notebook, she thanked me over and over again, to the point where I felt sorry for her.

　…Was it really okay to use my signature? Uugh.

“Well, I really like your paintings.” (Staff)

　As I was feeling sorry for myself, the woman began to talk.

“The fact that you separately submitted joint themed paintings to the competition is very innovative, and I was also drawn to the fact that as a result of the dragon’s mischief, both of your name tags ended up in the correct positions. However, the joint painting was very innovative. Even when I looked at it separately, even without the dragon’s mischief, I was always drawn to that picture… because they are so beautiful.” (Staff)

　I listen to the words of the woman who speaks so enthusiastically leaving a refreshing air. I wonder what it is… umm, I wonder what this is.

“Lila Raswald’s paintings look like they were cut out of a real storm. I feel like I’m there too. It’s cold and lonely and scary… It’s such an unsettling feeling, but it’s refreshing.”

　When I glanced at Lila, I saw that she looked a little bashful. Yeah. That’s true. That’s the kind of face she is having.

“Then, when I look at Tougo Uezora’s painting, how do I say it… I feel saved. I think, ‘Yes, here I am!’ I wonder if it’s the feeling of ‘someone who knows me exists’. Or the feeling of being able to find someone in the middle of a storm? Umm, it’s difficult, but I feel like I’ve been seen, I’ve been saved. It makes me feel like that.” (Staff)

　…My heart is pounding.

　It’s not the same as being nervous, but it’s a feeling like your feet are unsteady. I’m not afraid, but I’m happy. The reason I feel like I’m unsteady on my feet is probably because I feel like I am floating!

“Ms. Lila, your painting was beautifully composed! The power of the tree looking up from below and the way the rain is falling in scattered patches are so beautiful. …Mr. Tougo’s picture is a nice contrast to Ms. Lila’s in its composition, but most of all, the clear colors make me feel inspired. I thought to myself, ‘Oh, this person has eyes that can look at a stormy forest and be moved by it’. I feel as if I, too, have such eyes… when I see the painting.” (Staff)

Am I allowed to be this happy? This woman is so happy to talk to me, but is it okay? Is this really, really okay?

“The first day I saw your paintings, I went out to this park in the evening and looked up at the trees. It had been a long time since I had done that. The setting sun leaking through the leaves of the trees was so sparklingly beautiful, and I realized that, oh, there were so many beautiful things around me…After I saw that painting, I began to see the world a little more beautifully. I especially like rainy days I really love them!” (Staff)

“Thank you.” (Tougo)

　…The next thing I knew, I was holding the woman’s hand.

　When I saw the woman go silent with a slightly surprised look on her face, I realized what I had done. However, this feeling of wanting to hold her hand is real.

“…I’m really, really happy. I am glad to make you think so.” (Tougo)

　I’m sorry that I speak rather stuttered, but I can’t help it. I’m not good at putting my thoughts into words, and I’m even worse at saying them.

　… But when the woman heard what I said, she was a little surprised, smiled, and squeezed my hand back.

“I’m glad. Thank you for showing me such a wonderful painting!” (Staff)

“…Tougo looks floaty. He looks like he’s floating in the sky.” (Fay)

“Tougo Float-to-the-Sky…” (Laocles)

“Laocles. So, you can also joke like that…?” (Croix)

　…Everyone is saying something, but I just can’t get it out of my head. And above all, it seems like I’m allowed to stay as I am, so I decided to let myself be absentminded a little longer.

　Somehow… my heart is full. I’m so happy, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

　I wonder if it’s okay to be so happy, but then I repeat in my head what the woman said earlier, and I’m happy again.

　I start to wonder why I am so happy, but as I think about it, I start to get happy again and there is no end to it!

　Oh… it doesn’t matter me, my case, the bird, the Ryuu, or anything else, it just makes me so, so happy that people really like my paintings…!

“…You’ve been looking quite happy for a while now!” (Lila)

　Then, Lila pinched my cheek, and I had no choice but to come to my senses.

“Well, I understand. I’m happy too. It’s great to hear someone say something like that.” (Lila)

“…Yes.” (Tougo)

　I see. So, Lila is happy, too? She doesn’t seem to be as distracted as I am, but maybe that’s just a matter of getting used to it.

　Then, I thought to myself, “Well, I want more people to see my paintings.”

“The person you just met is an employee of the museum, isn’t she? So, in a sense, she is the same as the director of the museum, right? They saw our paintings in the competition and was made to thought something.” (Lila)

　Lila said and poked me a little.

“There are people who think like that. The director of the museum and the person who just saw the painting felt differently. Some people think something about the painting, while others think something about the incident behind it or something else, even though the conditions are the same. There are all kinds of people in the world. I think that’s how it is.” (Lila)

　…Yep. There are all kinds of people.

　There are people like my parents, there are people like Teacher. There are people like me, and there are people like Mr. Argent, the king, and people like that. On the other hand… there are people like Fay, Laocles, Ms. Croix, Lian, Angel and Lila who are friendly with people like me.

“So, I want a lot of people to see my paintings. Not all of them don’t see my paintings. There are people who look at my paintings, not at my name, so I want my paintings to be displayed and seen by many people. If many people see my paintings, I think there will be people who will like my paintings like the person who just met us.” (Lila)

　After Lila said all that in one breath… she suddenly looked a little sullen, and embarrassed, and looked at me with a slightly teary look on her face.

“…Just like you found ‘Orin Hulk’.” (Lila)

　…Somehow, I understood.

The reason why Lila wants to display her painting in the museum.