I push my way through the creeping, myriad noises of the city,
And find my way to a small park bench in a heavily treaded area.
There’s a tortoise-shell cat already there, looking over at me as if annoyed;
I give my regards and take a seat.

Suddenly I notice a young boy in a blue shirt that seems to be playing alone,
Surround by boys in red hats.
Eventually the blue mixed in with the red,
And the laughing voices began to ring even louder,
Into the same sky… the same clouds.

The bell signaling the end of lunch fades away,
Though the noise of the city continues on.
In this game of musical chairs,
Kicking someone off, only to get kicked off yourself:
“Alright, I’ve passed one round!”

While the sleeping breath of the previous occupant continues on…

Dreams and hopes, and discontent and despair, are of a thousand different kinds,
But if you look above, we all see the same sky, the same clouds.
If, through strife, you find your place among feelings of superiority,
You won’t even be able to get a laugh out of reading Ina-chuu!*

If I get outstripped, I’ll send my opponent off with a clap,
Thinking that, surely,
He’s been gritting his teeth this whole time, just a bit more than me.
Even if I click my tongue and count my discontents,
There hasn’t been a single injustice done.

Hurry up and “catch me”!

If we could simply play an innocent game of tag,
Like when our reds and blues simply blended together…
This petty world, in which we hurt and steal from one other,
Could finally change.

Please let my wish come true!

Shadows the shape of park lanterns’ disappear into the western sky.
As I thrust my pointer finger to the sky, the shouts of those young boys became one!

If, like when the red and blue just blended together,
We could simply play an innocent game of tag,
This petty world, in which we hurt and steal from one other,
Could finally change.

The city’s myriad noises formed this dreary song; let’s at least sing along to try and drown it out!
If, for some reason, we can’t make that noise lose its footing… we need only hurry on ahead!

This sky will never change,

So, try and “catch me”!