【英語学習】【小説】半透明兄妹（２）
皆さま
こんにちは
今日も、英語の勉強をほんの少しだけしてみたいと思います。
翻訳は機械翻訳です。
＜英文＞
Chapter 2: The Zoo
"Preparations"
Saturday morning.
Yukito looked at himself in the mirror while adjusting his shirt collar.
His entire body was transparent like glassware, blending into the background. Even though he was used to it, he still took a little care before going outside. He kept the transparency low so that at least Miku wouldn't worry that he was “fading away.”
Meanwhile, Tohka swayed in her light blue dress, her hair softly curled.
Every time the light passed through her, her contours softened and melted, making her look a little more mature.
—Because I’m with Kurokawa. She muttered that excuse to herself.
"Meeting place"
The fountain square in front of the station.
Kurokawa arrived too early.
When Tohka appeared, he raised his hand, but his expression froze for a moment.
That was because Mikuro was standing next to him, clinging tightly to Yukito's arm.
“Good morning!”
Mikuro smiled brightly and looked up at Yukito.
Though she was small and childlike, the color in her eyes held a special light different from her sister Tohka's.
Yukito pretended not to notice, but her heart couldn't help but race a little.
Kuroka stood beside Tohka, matching her stride.
She kept the desire to hold hands hidden in her heart, but she still lacked the courage to take that step.
Tohka, too, blushed and averted her gaze toward the penguin enclosure.
"Inside the park"
Once through the entrance gate, the children's cheers mingled with the cries of the animals.
Tohka's translucent form looked even more fragile in the dappled sunlight.
Kurowa naturally slowed his pace, stealing glances at her profile and smiling softly.
At that moment, Mikuro was engrossed in the red panda on the other side of the fence.
“Hey, I can't see it! Pick me up!”
Mikuro reached out with both hands, and Yukito made a troubled face.
“...You're already a high school student, aren't you?”
“It's okay! I want to see it!”
Pressured by her childlike smile, Yukito reluctantly picked her up.
Mikuro clung to his arm and pointed at the red panda happily.
Mixed in with the other families around them, it was hard to believe there was only a one-year age difference between them.
Yukito could hear Mikuro's cheerful voice too close to his ear.
He had intended to treat her like a younger sister.
Trying to hide the heat rising to his cheeks, Yukito averted his gaze to the red panda's movements.
"Sunset"
By the time they left the zoo, the setting sun was casting its glow across the paths.
Kurowa finally gently touched Tohka's hand.
Tohka was surprised, but she didn't shake his hand off and continued walking.
Tohka's silhouette was silhouetted against the setting sun, and a faint light leaked from her fingertips.
Yukito glanced sideways at Mikuro, who was still walking with the warmth of his arm lingering.
“...Are you tired?”
“No, it was so much fun!”
Mikuro's outline was dark and solid, firmly present here.
Each of them still harbored unspoken feelings in their hearts—the distance between the four of them was beginning to change little by little.
＜日本語訳＞
第2話「動物園」
「支度」
土曜の朝。
雪透はシャツの襟を整えながら鏡に映る自分を見た。
ガラス細工のように全身が透けており、背景と混ざり合うその姿は、見慣れていても外に出る前には少し気を遣う。透過率を抑えめにして、少なくとも未黒に「消えかけた」なんて心配をさせないように。
一方、透花は水色のワンピースを揺らし、髪をほんのり巻いていた。
光が透けるたびに輪郭が柔らかく溶け、少しだけ大人びて見える。
──黒和と一緒だから。そう心の中で言い訳をつぶやきながら。
「待ち合わせ」
駅前の噴水広場。
黒和は早く着きすぎていた。
透花が姿を現すと、手を挙げたが、その表情が一瞬止まる。
隣で未黒が雪透の腕にぴったりとくっついていたからだ。
「おはよう！」
未黒は明るく笑い、雪透を見上げた。
小柄で子供っぽいはずなのに、その瞳に宿る色は妹の透花とは違う、特別な光を帯びていた。
雪透は気づかないふりをしながらも、心臓が少しだけ落ち着かない。
黒和は透花の隣に並びながら、歩幅を合わせる。
手を繋ぎたい気持ちを胸に秘め、けれど踏み出す勇気はまだ出ない。
透花もまた、頬を染めながら、視線をペンギン舎の方へ逸らしていた。
「園内」
入園ゲートを抜けると、子供たちの歓声と動物の鳴き声が重なり合う。
透花の半透明な姿は、木漏れ日の下で一層儚く見えた。
黒和は自然に歩く速度を落とし、彼女の横顔を盗み見ては小さく笑う。
その頃、未黒は柵の向こうのレッサーパンダに夢中だった。
「ねえ、見えないよ！抱っこ！」
勢いよく両手を伸ばしてきた未黒に、雪透は困った顔をする。
「……お前、もう高校生だろ」
「いいじゃん！見たいの！」
子供みたいな笑顔に押され、雪透は仕方なく抱き上げた。
未黒は腕にしがみつきながら、嬉しそうにレッサーパンダを指差す。
周囲の親子連れに混ざったその姿は、年齢差が一歳しかないとは思えないほどだった。
雪透の耳に、未黒の弾む声が近すぎる距離で届く。
──妹と同じように扱うつもりだったのに。
頬に熱が差す自分を誤魔化すように、雪透はレッサーパンダの仕草へと視線を逃がした。
「夕暮れ」
動物園を出る頃には西日が園路を染めていた。
黒和はついに、透花の手にそっと触れる。
透花は驚きつつも、その手を振り払わずに歩き続けた。
透花の輪郭が夕陽に透け、指先から淡い光が漏れる。
雪透は、まだ腕の温もりを残したまま歩く未黒を横目で見た。
「……疲れてないか？」
「ううん、すっごく楽しかった！」
笑顔を返す未黒の輪郭は濃く、しっかりとここに存在していた。
それぞれの心に、まだ言葉にならない想いを抱えたまま──四人の距離は少しずつ変わり始めていた。
TALESでも日本語版は、公開しております。
ご覧ください。
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