星の花が降るころに安東みきえ 銀木犀の花は甘い香りで、白く小さな星の形

星の花が降るころに
安東みきえ


銀木犀の花は甘い香りで、白く小さな星の形をしている。そして雪が降るように音もなく落ちてくる。去年の秋、夏実と二人で木の真下に立ち、花が散るのを長いこと見上げていた。気がつくと、地面が白い星形でいっぱいになっていた。これじゃ踏めない、これじゃもう動けない、と夏実は幹に体を寄せ、二人で木に閉じ込められた、そう言って笑った。

──ガタン！
びっくりした。去年の秋のことをぼんやり思い出していたら、机にいきなり戸部君がぶつかってきた。戸部君は振り返ると、後ろの男子に向かってどなった。
「やめろよ。押すなよなあ。おれがわざとぶつかったみたいだろ。」
自習時間が終わり、昼休みに入った教室はがやがやしていた。
私は戸部君をにらんだ。
「なんか用？」
「宿題をきこうと思って来たんだよ。そしたらあいつらがいきなり押してきて。」
戸部君はサッカー部のだれかといつもふざけてじゃれ合っている。そしてちょっとしたこづき合いが高じてすぐに本気のけんかになる。わけがわからない。
塾のプリントを、戸部君は私の前に差し出した。
「この問題わかんねえんだよ。『あたかも』という言葉を使って文章を作りなさい、だって。おまえ得意だろ、こういうの。」
私だってわからない。いっしょだった小学生のころからわからないままだ。なんで戸部君はいつも私にからんでくるのか。なんで同じ塾に入ってくるのか。なんでサッカー部なのに先輩のように格好よくないのか。
「わかんないよ。そんなの自分で考えなよ。」
隣の教室の授業も終わったらしく、いすを引く音がガタガタと聞こえてきた。私は戸部君を押しのけるようにして立ち上がると廊下に向かった。
戸部君に関わり合っている暇はない。今日こそは仲直りをすると決めてきたのだ。はられたポスターや掲示を眺めるふりをしながら、廊下で夏実が出てくるのを待った。
夏実とは中学に上がってもずっと親友でいようと約束をしていた。だから春の間はクラスが違っても必ずいっしょに帰っていた。それなのに、何度か小さなすれ違いや誤解が重なるうち、別々に帰るようになってしまった。お互いに意地を張っていたのかもしれない。
お守りみたいな小さなビニール袋をポケットの上からそっとなでた。中には銀木犀の花が入っている。もう香りはなくなっているけれどかまわない。去年の秋、この花で何か手作りに挑戦しようと言ってそのままになっていた。香水はもう無理でも試しにせっけんを作ってみよう、そして秋になったら新しい花を拾って、それでポプリなんかも作ってみよう……そう誘ってみるつもりだった。夏実だって、私から言いだすのをきっと待っているはずだ。
夏実の姿が目に入った。教室を出てこちらに向かってくる。
そのとたん、私は自分の心臓がどこにあるのかがはっきりわかった。どきどき鳴る胸をなだめるように一つ息を吸ってはくと、ぎこちなく足を踏み出した。
「あの、夏実──」
私が声をかけたのと、隣のクラスの子が夏実に話しかけたのが同時だった。夏実は一瞬とまどったような顔でこちらを見た後、隣の子に何か答えながら私からすっと顔を背けた。そして目の前を通り過ぎて行ってしまった。音のないこま送りの映像を見ているように、変に長く感じられた。
騒々しさがやっと耳に戻ったとき、教室の中の戸部君がこちらを見ていることに気づいた。私はきっとひどい顔をしている。唇がふるえているし、目の縁が熱い。きまりが悪くてはじかれたようにその場を離れると、窓に駆け寄って下をのぞいた。裏門にも、コンクリートの通路にも人の姿はない。どこも強い日差しのせいで、色が飛んでしまったみたい。貧血を起こしたときに見える白々とした光景によく似ている。
私は外にいる友達を探しているふうに熱心に下を眺めた。本当は友達なんていないのに。夏実の他には友達とよびたい人なんてだれもいないのに。

帰りは図書委員の集まりがあったせいで遅くなった。のろのろと靴を履き替えていると、校庭からサッカー部のかけ声が聞こえてきた。
もう九月というのに、昨日も真夏日だった。校庭に出ると、毛穴という毛穴から魂がぬるぬると溶け出してしまいそうに暑かった。
運動部のみんなはサバンナの動物みたいで、入れ替わり立ち替わり水を飲みにやって来る。水飲み場の近くに座って戸部君を探した。夏実とのことを見られたのが気がかりだった。繊細さのかけらもない戸部君だから、みんなの前で何を言いだすか知れたものじゃない。どこまでわかっているのか探っておきたかった。だいたいなんであんな場面をのんびりと眺めていたのだろう。それを考えると弱みを握られた気分になり、八つ当たりとわかってもにくらしくてしかたがなかった。
戸部君の姿がやっと見つかった。
なかなか探せないはずだ。サッカーの練習をしているみんなとは離れた所で、一人ボールをみがいていた。
サッカーボールは縫い目が弱い。そこからほころびる。だからグリスをぬってやらないとだめなんだ。使いたいときだけ使って、手入れをしないでいるのはだめなんだ。いつか戸部君がそう言っていたのを思い出した。
日陰もない校庭の隅っこで背中を丸め、黙々とボールみがきをしている戸部君を見ていたら、なんだか急に自分の考えていたことがひどく小さく、くだらないことに思えてきた。
立ち上がって水道の蛇口をひねった。水をぱしゃぱしゃと顔にかけた。冷たかった。溶け出していた魂がもう一度引っ込み、やっと顔の輪郭が戻ってきたような気がした。
てのひらに水を受けて何度もほおをたたいていると、足音が近づいてきた。後ろから「おい。」と声をかけられた。戸部君だ。ずっと耳になじんでいた声だからすぐわかる。
顔をふきながら振り返ると、戸部君が言った。
「おれ、考えたんだ。」
ハンドタオルから目だけを出して戸部君を見つめた。何を言われるのか少しこわくて黙っていた。
「ほら、『あたかも』という言葉を使って文を作りなさいってやつ。」
「ああ、なんだ。あれのこと。」
「いいか、よく聞けよ……おまえはおれを意外とハンサムだと思ったことが──」にやりと笑った。「──あたかもしれない。」
やっぱり戸部君って、わけがわからない。
二人で顔を見合わせてふき出した。中学生になってちゃんと向き合ったことがなかったから気づかなかったけれど、私より低かったはずの戸部君の背はいつのまにか私よりずっと高くなっている。
私はタオルを当てて笑っていた。涙がにじんできたのはあんまり笑いすぎたせいだ、たぶん。

学校からの帰り、少し回り道をして銀木犀のある公園に立ち寄った。
銀木犀は常緑樹だから一年中葉っぱがしげっている。それをきれいに丸く刈り込むので、木の下に入れば丸屋根の部屋のようだ。夏実と私はここが大好きで、二人だけの秘密基地と決めていた。ここにいれば大丈夫、どんなことからも木が守ってくれる。そう信じていられた。
夕方に近くなっても日差しはまだ強い。木の下は陰になって涼しかった。
掃除をしているおばさんが、草むしりの手を休めて話しかけてきた。
「いい木だよねえ、こんな時期は木陰になってくれて。けど春先は、葉っぱが落ちて案外厄介なんだよ、掃除がさ。」
私は首をかしげた。常緑樹は一年中葉っぱがしげっているはずなのに。
「え、葉っぱはずっと落ちないんじゃないんですか。」
「まさか。どんどん古い葉っぱを落っことして、その代わりに新しい葉っぱを生やすんだよ。そりゃそうさ。でなきゃあんた、いくら木だって生きていけないよ。」
帽子の中の顔は暗くてよくわからなかったけれど、笑った歯だけは白く見えた。おばさんは、よいしょと言って掃除道具を抱えると公園の反対側に歩いていった。
私は真下に立って銀木犀の木を見上げた。
かたむいた陽が葉っぱの間からちらちらと差し、半円球の宙にまたたく星みたいに光っていた。
ポケットからビニール袋を取り出した。花びらは小さく縮んで、もう色がすっかりあせている。
袋の口を開けて、星形の花を土の上にぱらぱらと落とした。
ここでいつかまた夏実と花を拾える日が来るかもしれない。それとも違うだれかと拾うかもしれない。あるいはそんなことはもうしないかもしれない。
どちらだっていい。大丈夫、きっとなんとかやっていける。
私は銀木犀の木の下をくぐって出た。

結果 (英語) 1:

When it stars flowers
Ando Miki eh


silver osmanthus flowers are sweet, has a small star-shaped white. And no sound like it's going to snow falling. Last fall, summer fruit and flower, standing beneath the tree in two people were looking up at long. In the notice the ground white star had become filled. It's owning, it cannot move anymore, and summer fruit with two people trapped in trees, body trunk said and laughed.

─ ─ Gaetan!
I was surprised.Last fall, I was dimly recall on the desk has knocked you Tobe suddenly. Tobe you turned around and shouted at behind men's.
"Stop. I like hitting. It's like deliberately bumped into me. '
Was noisily classroom study time is over, went to the lunch break.
I glared you Tobe.
"Something for? '
' I wanna take my homework I'm here. Then I suddenly pushed them. 」
Tobe is always flirting with someone of the football team, are playing each other. And a little こづき, quickly becomes a serious fight each other. Do not know it.
Cram print is Tobe held out in front of me.
"This problem don't know it's. "As if, that is, make sentences using the words. Good you'll like this. '
I do not know. It's elementary school went from not knowing.Why is Tobe is always me or closely related. Why come to the same school? Why do football, though looking like seniors isn't good for you.
"I'm not. Like that idea so much of yourself. '
Pull the Chair will be ended next to the classroom teaching sound heard and rattled. Mandated to Tobe and I got up and headed to the corridor.
No time related to you Tobe. I have decided to make peace with it.Waited while watching was poster and posted pretending to come out summer fruit in the hallway.
Had promised and with my best friend too much up to junior high school and summer fruit. So different classes during the spring was back to be sure. Despite this, several small a misunderstanding and parted out separately to take I. It might have had stubbornness to each other.
Kissed talisman, like the small plastic bag from the top of the Pocket.While in silver sweet osmanthus flowers. The scent is gone now, but I don't care. Was supposed to leave, saying last fall, try something handmade in this flower. Perfume is picking up a new flower, let's make a SOAP to try even more unreasonable in and autumn comes, so let's make a ポプリ are also... It was going to look so inviting. Summer fruit even begin to say from me should surely waiting.
Figure of summer fruit into your eyes.Out of the classroom to come.
What I have where my heart as soon as that has been clearly understood. Chest pounding sound to appease one sucking the breath and foil, awkwardly step.
", Natsumi ─ ─ '
I called and spoke to summer fruit next to the class children were at the same time. After Natsumi saw this face momentarily puzzled answer next to the child while I abruptly turned away. And we went past the front.Are watching the video sound not spinning top feed changed to a long felt.
Noticed that when the tumult I finally went back to the ear, is Tobe in the classroom are watching here. I will have look awful. Trembling lips, hot eye rim. Jump was too embarrassed, looked down and ran to the window and left the venue. Back gate nor concrete walkway was not. Nowhere because of strong sunlight in color had to fly.Very similar to the clearness and the spectacle look anemic when.
I looked under way looking for my friends out in the intently. It is really no friends. But nobody who want other summer fruit with my friends and I don't.

Was late because of return were collections of the Library Committee. Wear shoes change slowly, and heard the cheer of football, from the schoolyard.
Anymore even though September, yesterday was a midsummer day. Leaving school grounds, andMelt and slimy souls from the pore was hot so I put out.
Everyone in the Athletic Department at like animals of the savanna, drinking all kinds of ways to come. Sitting near the water fountain, I looked for you Tobe. Seen with summer fruit that was worrisome. No shred of subtlety not Tobe you from in front of everyone saying what you know. Know where ever I wanted to explore.It would roughly in what was looking relaxed and like that scene. Happy seized weaknesses and think about it, take it out and you know にくらしくて and had no other way.
Tobe your form is finally found.
Should find it. Away and everyone to soccer practice, had brushed his balls alone.
Soccer ball seams are weak. Apart from there. It's so useless and not do it through the grease. Use only if you want to use theIt's that do not care for it. One day reminded me of Tobe you had said so.
In the corner of the shade is not grounds to back rounding, and ball have Polish seemed to be that I thought my seeing you Tobe terribly small and crappy.
Stood up and turned on the faucet. Water of splashing water and put on the face. Cold. The soul was to melt again, finally back the contours of the face care.
Palm is tapping on the cheek several times with the water approaching footsteps. From behind the ' dude. "And was called. Tobe-Kun. Village had become familiar with ears have been understood soon.
While blowing the face looking back is Tobe said.
"Me, I thought. '
Tobe you stared, eyes only out of hand towel. Or told what a little afraid, was silent.
"You know,"as if they were' that we make a sentence using the word guy. '
' Yeah,.That's that. '
' Okay, listen up... That thought and you surprise me handsome ─ ─ ' grin. "─ ─ as if they might be. '
I Tobe-Kun, I'm not sure.
Opted out by two people face and began to blow. The notice never faced Chan and become a junior high school student, but it should be lower than my Tobe your tall somewhere along the line I have been higher than that.
Focused my towel and had to laugh.Has been soaked with the tears because of too much laughter is, maybe.

From the school and at the back, a little detour, shiroki Rhino Park.
Silver osmanthus Evergreen because all year round しげって leaves. Dome room's like a prune cleans round it, so you put under the tree. Summer fruit and I here is love, had decided that only two of the secret base. If you're here from okay, whatever that will protect trees. So were not believed.
Even getting close to the evening sun is still strong. Tree is in shadow, it was cool.
Time weeding out aunt who cleaned and spoke to me.
"It's good wood Hey, this shade was a me. But early spring is bare of leaves unexpectedly nasty I am clean is. '
I was puzzled. Even though evergreens year round leaves しげって is supposed to be.
See, is nothing like the leaf doesn't fall far. '
' Believe it or not.I'm getting old leaves sprout new leaves as falling. Oh yeah. I can not afford you much tree it live. "
A face in the hat looked white as teeth dark and I couldn't, but I laughed. My aunt is good. and say with a broom and walked to the other side of the Park.
Silver osmanthus trees and looked, I stood just below.
Sinking Sun sunshine glimmered and from between the leaves,Shone like stars twinkling in the semi-spherical air.
Pocket out of plastic bags. Squashed smaller petals, already completely faded colors.
Open the mouth of the bag, dropped the star-shaped flowers and sat on.
May come, here some day and summer fruit and flowers can be found at. Or you could pick up with someone different. Or might not do that anymore.
Which is OK. Okay, I managed to get.
I got the silver osmanthus trees.

結果 (英語) 3:

By the time the star falls the flower of fragrant olive Ando Mikie stress in sweet smelling flowers, a small white star. Then, as the snow falling down without a sound. Last autumn, summer and in two of the tree and looked up at that long to fall. And the ground is white star was full. This is not, this is another one is stuck, and by the stem, trapped in a tree, he laughed. He snapped up! An amazed.I vaguely remember that last fall, all of a sudden you tobe bumped against the desk. Look back, and you tobe back toward the man shouted.
「 it. A push. I would like a hit on purpose. " At the end of the study time, lunch break the noise entering the classroom. I thought you tobe. I
「 for? " I do my homework
「 troubling to think. Then they suddenly pushed. " AtYou tobe and who always like playing football. And like to be around a little soon serious quarrel. I don't know why. At the school, you tobe printed out in front of me.
「 he know this problem. The word "if", even to make a sentence. You will be good at this. " I don't know. I don't know from me was when I was in elementary school.Why do you always put me tobe come in. Why are in the same school will come. So why is not cool, but senior football club. I don't know
「. I think of myself. " At the end of it on the other side of the classroom teaching, and pull the chairs. I went up in the hallway as tobe push you. You tobe at no time matching relation. I decided to make up that day.Put posters and pretended to look at the post, while in the hallway and waited for the coming summer. At which all good friends and promised to Natsumi junior high and rising. So during the spring back is always different classes together. However, some small misunderstanding and overlap each other, one has to go. Each of his might. At a stroke from a pocket on the charm of a small plastic bag.Are composed of Osmanthus fragrans flowers. Though there may be no more fragrance. Last fall, this flower is trying to say something that is handmade. Perfume is already impossible even to try to make soap, and in the fall when the new flowers picked up, so... I also made potpourri... I was going to do me in. Natsumi, I should tell you to wait. Natsumi figure of his eye.Leave the classroom in this way. At that moment, I felt my heart where it is found. In a soothing sounds to beat breast suck on one breath, and awkward. And that
「, Natsumi (1993), and I was simultaneously the child to Natsumi next class. Natsumi like him in the face for a moment and look after the children while you say something to me quickly turned away. Then, before passing away.Like a top feed without sound, watching video, have long felt strange. At the time, the noise is finally returned to the ears, you tobe noticed in the classroom can see here. I will have to face. His lips are hot, one's eyes. Embarrassed as bad flipped and leave the window and looked down over. In the back of the concrete is not the passage of a person. Where is the strong sunlight, like flying.When causing anemia, and are very similar to the scene. I looked down on the way, looking for a friend. Though there is no truth. Natsumi on other people and not with my friends. At the back of the library collection and because he was late. And they left shoe, and slowly I heard shouts from the football club. September, while at the other was a hot day yesterday. In the schoolyardFrom the pores and pores of the soul out of the slimy and melted so hot. Everyone at the club like a savannah animals, will come to drink the water one after another. Looking for you tobe sitting near the water. It was found that care and love. You tobe no fine particles, in front of everyone not know what to tell you. I wanted to know where are explored.What's more or less in the scene view and will slow down. In the mood becomes one to think of it, there was no other way にくらしく it and take it out. At the sight of you tobe found at last. Should look at it. Where they have left to soccer practice, the Polish one ball. The soccer ball is weak at the seams. Apart from there. No! Not so when the grease. Only when you want to useYou don't have to care. When you remember tobe said. At the back of the schoolyard rounded corner no shade when I was watching the ball polishing is tobe you silently, I thought that I was small, it seemed silly. At the turn of the rising water. The bathtub with water and put in the face. Cold. Soul again in fact, I feel like I finally returned to the contour of the face. AtIn the palm to the water again on the cheeks and the approaching footsteps. From "back in." And a voice. You tobe. Find the right fit from the voice heard for a long time. And while wiping his face looking back at you, "said tobe.
「 I think. " Stare at you from the hand towel tobe than an eye. What you said was silent a little scared. Look, if
「 "words" and make a sentence with me. " Oh, what a
「.That's it. " Well, I
「 listen... You smiled and thought, "which makes me quite handsome. -- "if." You tobe. After all, I don't know why. They looked at each other in the face wiped out. I didn't notice it because I was faced by junior high school student, I was supposed tobe taller than me you had much higher. I laughed at it with a towel.Due to too much laughter, tears welled up in it too. Home from school, I dropped in a park of Osmanthus fragrans round. The fragrant olive tree leaves that are green all year round. Clean it up, so cut like a dome of the tree in the room. Natsumi here and I love, I only decided secret base. All right, if any, from here to protect the trees. I believed in it. AtIn the evening, the sun was still strong. The tree was cool in the shade. The lady at the hands of weeding, spoke to me.
「 good, this time in the shade of a tree. But the spring leaf fell unexpectedly awkward, to clean up. " I was puzzled. Evergreen trees have green leaves throughout the year.
「, don't you ever fallen leaves ".
「 surely.More and more old leaves dropped, instead I grow new leaves. There is no doubt about it. You have to live in, how much is the tree. " In the face of the dark hat wasn't sure, but only smile teeth whitening. She walked on the other side of the park and say alley-oop cleaning tools. I looked up at the silver olive trees standing beneath. From among the leaves on the sunshine,Shimmering semicircle sphere in the air like the stars twinkle. At the plastic bag out of his pocket. The small petals shrinks more faded completely. At the opening of the bag mouth, I dropped the star-shaped flowers on earth. Here again someday and Natsumi might come up that day. Different from who may pick up. Or that I might not. At which you want. Okay, we should try to get rid of you. AtI went through the fragrant olive tree. At