...I awoke from my dream, still feeling excited.

I must've had a very happy dream.

I already forgot what it was about... It felt as if there was a switch that automatically made me forget my dreams when I open my eyes.

...All I could remember is that it was a happy dream.

I look at the ceiling and enjoyed the happy feeling for a while.

It was Sunday today.

Outside the window, I could hear morning birdsong that sounded totally different from what I heard on weekdays.

The morning birdsong on weekdays sounds like they're in a rush, as if they're telling me to hurry to school... but on Sunday, it's different.

I could tell that the birds are singing simply because they want to tell everybody how great a morning it is.

I even felt like the birds that sing on weekdays must be different birds from the ones that sing on Sunday.

I wonder if there really are birds that only sing on Sunday.

It sounds like a very luxurious job, for some reason.

It's a waste to listen to such a valuable birdsong when you're not quite awake.

As I fully awaken, my normal, crude personality takes over, and I start feeling stupid to even think that there might be birds that sing only on Sunday.

"...Haww... Ahh..."

As I yawned and stretched, my blood started circulating through my entire body. It felt good.

I turn over and look at the clock, which says it's past 10 AM.

I used to go to my cram school on Sunday at 10 AM.

That was before I moved to Hinamizawa.

My parents made me go to several cram schools back then.

...I remember that the one I had to go to on the first and the third Sundays of the month was the hardest one of all, because I had to change trains several times to get there.

I was never allowed to sleep in so late back then.

My mom always woke me up early so that I didn't miss my classes.

That's probably why I've always dreamed of being able to wake up whenever I wanted on a Sunday.

...Needless to say, I don't feel that way anymore now that I moved to Hinamizawa.

After all, I can always sleep 'til noon on Sunday now.

My life has changed completely since I moved here.

Before, I used to think living in the countryside would be really inconvenient. To be honest, I wasn't even interested in living here.

But it was only the first few days that I felt that way.

Now, I don't feel attached to life in the city or its conveniences.

When I think about what part of my life in Hinamizawa I'm the most attached to...

I'd have to say

it's probably my friends.

I guess the reason why I'm being so sentimental is probably because I had so much fun yesterday in the water gun fight with all of my classmates.

Despite my age, I got so into it and had so much fun.

I bet the kids in the city wouldn't be able to play like that.

No... I should say they wouldn't even want to in the first place.

They wouldn't even realize how exciting a simple water gun fight could be.

I went downstairs and saw my parents watching a serious TV program, arguing about the topic together.

"First of all, telephone service charges in Japan are way too expensive.

It's because the state has a monopoly."

"But, private companies are profit-oriented organizations.

They're not exactly charitable.... I wonder if they can maintain uniform service nationwide."

The experts on TV were arguing about the same thing.

It seems like there's a possibility the telephone service will get privatized.

I'm too young to understand how privatization could make things better.

...But I can easily assume that people will start talking about privatizing the postal services in the near future too.

My parents were arguing about the topic fiercely, but they got along very well.

Let's put it this way: they get along well and that's why they argue.

I don't remember seeing them get along this well when we were living in the city.

...This is probably one of the things that got better since we moved to Hinamizawa.

A cold relationship between parents doesn't bring any benefits to their kids.

"Oh, Keiichi.

You're up early today.

Do you want to eat breakfast?"

"No thanks.

I'm going out today, so I don't need anything."

"Are you going out with your friends?

Is it those club activities that you always talk about?"

"No, it's not a club activity day.

It's the punishment for the game we played yesterday."

Someone rang the doorbell.

I looked at the clock and noticed it's time to meet Rena.

I guess I spent too much time enjoying waking up late!

I ran upstairs to get a change of clothes.