I Will Inspire Your Insipid Days - Volume 1 Chapter 2.4

Finding

“Thank you for the detailed explanation. Do you often visit museums, Komachi-san?”

“I do go… but unlike galleries, they charge an admission fee. Though it’s only about 200 or 300 yen, including transportation costs, it ends up being about the same as a day’s worth of meals.”

It seems, then, that there’s no need for an admission fee today. I put my wallet, which I had started to take out, back into my bag.

As we cautiously entered through the door, a narrow, elongated corridor came into view.

Following Komachi-san with the floor creaking beneath us, we moved deeper inside.

“It’s a solemn atmosphere. I didn’t expect such a place hidden in an ordinary building.”

“There was a step when entering the corridor. Maybe they’ve laid down some tatami mats?”

“Where are you looking at? It’s a mood killer.”

Komachi-san’s tone abruptly rose, and she was gently reprimanded by the staff to “please keep quiet inside the facility…” to which she apologized with a bow of her head.

Stepping into the gallery, a space as if carved out into a perfect tetrahedron unfolded before us. The walls were densely adorned with paintings.

“Amazing…”

Each painting exuded a strong presence, filling the space with their respective worldviews.

The dim, dusty space seemed to intentionally focus my attention on the art in front of me.

I couldn’t help but picture Natsume-san, usually seen in her room.

Placed in this space, she would seamlessly blend in without any sense of dissonance—this thought crossed my mind.

Looking at a satirical painting caught my eye, and I noticed the price tags displayed were either five or six digits. It’s a world where art has value, and I felt overwhelmed by its strangeness..

Standing beside me and observing the same painting, Komachi-san spoke up.

“To create something good, you need to be exposed to something good. Since we’ve enrolled in Akamonzuka… wandering back and forth on a dead-end street doesn’t make any sense.”

A dead-end street.

Back and forth.

…What does that mean?

Before I could unravel the intent behind her words, Komachi-san pointed to a particular piece.

“──Ah, there it is. The one I was looking for.”

A series of works by a certain artist spread out before us.

Drawn towards it, Komachi-san continued.

“This exhibition, it sublimates negative things like society’s darkness, future anxieties, and daily stresses into art, mainly satirical pieces. And speaking of satire—naturally, this person’s work is indispensable.”

“Natsume.”

Indeed, that’s what was written there.

My roommate’s paintings, exuding an otherworldly presence, were assembled here.

Looking closer, each piece was embedded with a variety of human expressions—fear, agitation, despair—transmitting negative emotions from each work.

Focusing further, I discovered something new.

For instance, the “red” often used in Natsume-san’s works. It wasn’t just a single shade of paint thickly applied but included a variety of red hues. There was vermilion like the red spider lilies, dark red like venous blood, and orange reminiscent of summer’s setting sun.

All these elements coalesced, forming each piece with delicate strokes.

Landscapes, humans, deformed animals as if out of a caricature. What they represented was beyond my grasp.

“She’s… this famous…”

I knew Natsume-san was a renowned painter and was witnessing her works as an observer. However, the fact that her creations exhibited alongside many others still stood out with a significant presence was simply overwhelming.

Beside me, as Komachi-san enthusiastically enjoyed the artwork, she spoke again.

“I’m sure ‘Natsume’ is inheriting the lineage of Surrealism. Famous ones include Dalí… ah, Salvador Dalí. Then there’s Max Ernst, René Magritte. Others like Paul Nash, and in modern times, Jan Švankmajer. Probably, such works aren’t forcibly interpreted with different meanings but rather, ‘Natsume’s’ own vision of the world naturally takes this form.”

“Ah… It’s informative…”

Unable to find an appropriate response, I fumbled. Does it relate to what Satsuki-san said? I don’t understand the technical stuff. Digging into what I don’t know only makes it more confusing. I’ve heard of Surrealism, at least. I remembered its outline from reading a dictionary in the past. “Supernaturalism”… But the details are still unclear.

Ignorant of my astonished state, Komachi-san went on.

“According to one theory, ‘Natsume’ is incredibly young. It’s not public information, but devoted fans have speculated. Descriptions of buildings and the fashion of characters in her works suggest modernity. Some even say she might be around our age. Here I am, coming to see her works to alleviate my own anxieties, but if she truly is our age, it’s unbelievable.”

No comment on that.

Without understanding art history, trying to logically comprehend her works is difficult for me. Therefore, I decided to view them more intuitively and approached another piece that caught my eye.

The title, “Glitched.”

A diagram of a head’s cross-section. Something insect-like has invaded the exposed brain, using the skull as if it were a cockpit.

What kind of thought process led to its creation?

How do humans appear to Natsume-san?

“Ugh,”

Komachi-san made a face as if she had bitten into something bitter.

“Suppose,”

She murmured softly.

“If ‘Natsume’ truly is someone our age…”

“…If she is?”

“I’d like to talk to her. I want to know what kind of environment she grew up in, what thoughts she has while living, and how she feels creating such intense works. She must sincerely engage with her creations, possessing countless means to express her ideas.”

No comment again.

I don’t know much about Natsume-san. What I do know is that she’s eccentric, her lifestyle is incredibly sloppy, she’s lax with time, struggles to blend into crowded spaces, and her sleep cycle is out of sync with ordinary people.

“Man, I’m tired from walking. How about we take a break?”

“That’s fine, but…”

Komachi-san’s unexpected suggestion prompted an automatic nod from me, and she added,

“I’ve got something I want to discuss with the class rep, too.”