DNA: Under The Sun

The summer heat was so intense that even the air seemed to boil, making it feel as if they were trapped inside a steaming furnace. It was hard to even notice the air's presence.

The cicadas' cries rang out especially loud.

Rinichi crouched down, gently petting a stray cat. The cat obediently accepted his touch.

Nearby, Narumiya Mei adjusted the brim of his cap. Sweat was already running uncontrollably down his forehead, his expression showing his discomfort.

Seeing Rinichi completely absorbed in petting the cat, Mei stayed quiet for a moment.

Rin really does like cats…

But he couldn't take it anymore.

"Ugh, it's so hot…"

"Rin, let's go back. I can't stand it."

Completely immersed in the joy of petting the cat, Rinichi didn't pay much attention to him and answered absentmindedly,

"Just a little longer."

Mei's temper flared.

"Fine, do what you want. I'm leaving."

He turned to go—

"Three hundred yen," Rinichi suddenly said.

Mei stopped mid-step, blinking in surprise. His face couldn't quite hide the delight in his eyes, though he tried to act calm.

"What's 300 yen?"

"Ice cream."

Mei made a show of reluctant surrender.

"Ah… fine, I can't say no to you."

He turned back and squatted beside Rinichi, eyeing the purring cat with slight disdain.

"Hey…"

"What?"

"If you like cats so much, why don't you just get one? Why do you have to come outside to pet strays?" Mei muttered.

Logically speaking, Rinichi's parents were pretty open-minded. They probably wouldn't forbid him from having a cat. At least, that's how Mei remembered them.

"Because my brother doesn't like them."

Mei blinked.

"Ryu-niisan?"

"Mm. When he was little, a cat scratched him. He's been traumatized ever since."

Mei: "…"

For some reason, when Rinichi said it, it carried an almost natural hint of mockery.

"What about rhinoceros beetles? Do you like those?" Mei asked without much thought.

Those things were more common in the countryside.

Not long ago, he'd even seen some classmates crowding around a box containing one.

"Well… no."

Rinichi added, "I don't like any kind of insect."

"Why not?"

"Because they're gross."

Mei: "…"

He thought for a moment.

"True… enough."

Rinichi suddenly gave him a sideways glance.

"You like bugs?"

Mei: "…"

"No."

Rinichi fell silent. After a while, he withdrew his hand from the cat's fur and stood up.

"Let's go."

When he said "just a little longer," he really meant just a little longer.

That was one thing Mei really liked about Rinichi—he never went back on his word or dragged things out once he'd agreed to something.

They walked side by side.

You could almost see the heat in the air. Their pace was slow. Sweat kept pouring down Mei's face, and Rinichi didn't look much better.

"Ah… so hot… we should've just stayed home with the air conditioning."

Rinichi glanced at him.

"Weren't you the one insisting we come out to play?"

Mei had no comeback for that. He simply ignored the comment and kept muttering under his breath,

"Ice cream… ice cream…"

"Honestly… I don't know who's supposed to be the 'older brother' here."

"Obviously me!" Mei shot back immediately, oddly sensitive about the topic.

They fell silent again.

"Rin."

"What?"

"When are you going back to Kanagawa?"

"Of course, just a few days before school starts."

Mei grumbled in dissatisfaction.

"It'd be so much better if you just stayed in Tokyo. We could go to the same school and everything."

Rinichi was a little surprised by that. He smiled.

"Mom likes Kanagawa."

"But, we'll definitely move back to Tokyo someday… at least, that's what Dad says."

"How long is someday supposed to be…" Mei sighed.

"No idea." Rinichi's answer was blunt and honest.

As they walked, they passed a soccer field. Someone on the field called out,

"Mei!"

Rinichi glanced at him. Unexpectedly, Mei seemed pretty popular.

Mei beamed and waved at them, his golden hair making his smile shine even brighter—like a little sun.

The sun…

For some reason, that image made Rinichi think of someone else.

"Mei, want to come play soccer?" one of the boys shouted.

Rinichi thought he'd refuse, given how hot it was.

"I'm in!" Mei replied.

"Hey, one more!"

"Bring my little brother too!"

Whenever there were people around, Mei loved emphasizing the "little brother" part.

Rinichi: "…"

He really dares to say that…

"I'm not going." Rinichi frowned. Sports were the thing he hated most.

But Mei didn't wait for his answer—he just grabbed him and dragged him over.

Rinichi's slow, unenthusiastic movements earned a few looks of disdain from the others.

"I told you, I don't know how to play soccer."

He must have said that countless times on the way to the field.

"It's fine, it's fine. Any goals my little brother lets in, I'll score back myself!" Mei thumped his chest confidently.

Rinichi couldn't understand him at all. If he couldn't play, why force him in? And yet, Mei kept passing him the ball.

Dragging someone who couldn't play into the game…

That was just like Mei.

Still, Rinichi was smart enough to keep up.

After a few back-and-forth plays, all the goals really did come from Narumiya Mei.

Rinichi: "…"

Mei's face, wearing a grin and smudged with a streak of dirt, turned toward him.

"So? Starting to like soccer yet?"

Rinichi averted his gaze, rubbing his fingertips together, and answered sluggishly,

"It's… okay."

Truth was, not long after he started playing, he found he actually kind of liked it—especially the part where he could pass the ball to someone else.

"That's your answer?" Mei frowned. "If we end up going to the same high school, how about we play soccer together? I bet we'd make the perfect duo."

Does soccer even need 'duos'? Rinichi wondered.

Besides, they were only in elementary school—wasn't it way too early to be talking about high school?

—Luckily, because of the heat, Mei didn't plan on playing for too long.

The two of them headed to a small shop.

Mei happily dug into the ice cream he'd been craving, looking completely satisfied. Rinichi, on the other hand, bought a bottle of orange juice.

"Huh? Rin, you're not getting ice cream? Don't tell me you skipped it so your big brother could get the one he wanted—"

"No!" Rinichi shot back immediately.

Of course, Mei was only teasing. He knew full well that Rinichi's pocket money wasn't anywhere near running out.

And so, eating and drinking, the two began walking home.

The sweltering air was so hot, Rinichi felt like it was going to turn his orange juice into room temperature water.

Out of the blue, he asked,

"You like soccer?"

Do I? Mei thought.

He realized he didn't have anything he was really into. No real hobbies. Maybe only people with hobbies could truly be called special.

"It's okay… I wouldn't say I love it… but for now, yeah, I like it."

Rinichi was a little surprised by that answer.

"So, did today change how you feel about sports?" Mei asked.

"It's… okay."

Mei frowned, almost offended.

"What kind of answer is that? You just copied mine!"

Rinichi: "…"

If he remembered correctly, he was the one who said "it's okay" first.

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