After our little ordeal at the ticket booth, we finally managed to make our way into Washuzan Highland.
A samba stage greeted us immediately past the main gate. I could certainly feel Brazilian Park Washuzan Highland’s fiery passion for the dance. Unfortunately, being Japanese, I didn't exactly share that same burning fervor. We gave the stage a wide berth and headed straight for the attractions.
Washuzan Highland has your standard merry-go-rounds and Ferris wheels, but the real stars of the show were clearly the coasters. There were four of them in total.
You had the Ultra Twister, which lived up to its name by spinning you sideways mid-run; the Standing Coaster, which you rode while on your feet; the Back Nanjyer, which raced backward; and then the Chupy Coaster. The latter offered a different kind of terror altogether—the screech of rusted iron was a grim testament to the decades it had been in operation. Indeed, about a third of the park’s attractions were roller coasters. It was anyone’s guess where the Brazilian theme fit into all that.
Chupy, the park’s mascot, lent his name to that last one. He was a mouse, though he had absolutely no relation to a certain other mouse from a famous kingdom of dreams. He even had a female counterpart named Chuly-chan, though again, they were totally distinct from any other famous amusement park mascots. According to the official website, Chupy-kun’s favorite food was yakiniku and his specialty was bungee jumping. He was surprisingly rugged for a local mascot. He was born on January 1st, 1994, which made him... well, let’s just say he’d seen a few things and leave it at that.
"So, Kuro... where do you want to start?"
"Hmm... I want to try this Sky Cycle!"
"...O-Okay. Sure. Let's go."
I had to hand it to her; she had a real eye for the highlights. The Sky Cycle is practically the face of Washuzan Highland, a staple of almost every online review. It was a two-person, bicycle-like vehicle that ran along a rail high above the ground. While it sounded like a quaint "Cycle Monorail" you'd find at a kiddie park, the one here was a completely different beast.
For starters, it was built right onto a steep mountain slope. If the cart were solid, it might actually have been a graceful way to enjoy the scenery, but the design was bare-bones: just handlebars, a saddle, pedals, and a chain attached to a frame. That was it. To put it bluntly, if your foot slipped, it felt like you were going over. Most people would expect heavy-duty safety gear, but a single ride was enough to shatter that hope. The only thing keeping you in was a single, loose seatbelt. There were no nets, no nothing. It had gained quite a reputation on TV as one of the most terrifying rides in the country.
I realized I’d have to brace myself for this.
"Kaito-kun? You're looking a little pale. Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine."
"Regardless, wow! Look at that view! You can even see the ocean!"
I knew what to expect, but this was still terrifying! The thing kept wobbling in small increments! Were the wheels even on right? And we were so much higher than I’d imagined. To make matters worse, since it was adjustable for kids, the handlebars were set low, forcing me into a terrifying forward lean. Stray branches brushed against the course, adding to the general sense of impending doom. I didn't remember it being this scary when I was a kid. My father always said he’d never ride it again, even though I used to beg for another round back then. Now, I finally understood how he felt.
This was seriously frightening... especially the parts jutting out toward the sea.
In stark contrast to me, however, Kuro seemed to be having the time of her life. She gripped the handlebars happily, taking in the view, until—
"Oh."
"Wait!? Kuro!?"
"I accidentally used too much strength and the handlebar... well, it came off. Hehe."
"Don't 'hehe' me! What are we going to do!?"
I often forgot because she usually controlled it so well, but Kuro’s strength was beyond human. She could snap a steel handle as easily as a piece of dry pasta.
"There we go."
"Wait... is it fixed?"
"Yep! I can fix something like this in a heartbeat."
"I see... Thank God."
"Well, let’s get back to it! Kaito-kun, can I go a little faster?"
"No! No! I have a very bad feeling about that! This thing wasn't built to withstand your leg strength!"
I shook my head with all my might. I could only see a future where we launched off the rails. After desperately persuading Kuro to slow down and struggling with a new fear that she might break the pedals next, we somehow managed to finish the lap.
"That was fun! I want to go again!"
"Kuro! Look, that coaster over there is famous! Let's go do that instead! Right now!!"
"Oh? Well, if you say so, Kaito-kun..."
I realized I really had to be careful, or things were going to get out of hand.
After that, I walked around the rest of Washuzan Highland with Kuro.
"Kaito-kun, what’s this?"
"It's a height restriction. 140 centimeters... You're a little short, aren't you? Let's find something else—"
"Eh? No, look. I'm tall enough."
"...Wait. Kuro, did you just grow ten centimeters?"
"It's your imagination."
"Why are you dodging the question?"
I could only watch in exasperation as she used her shapeshifting abilities to cheat the height checks. Then there was the skating.
"Kaito-kun? Are you okay?"
"I'm falling! I'm definitely falling!"
"Here, grab onto me."
"Thanks... But seriously, how are you so good at this? This is your first time on inline skates, right?"
"Is it hard? I'm just sliding along."
I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at how effortlessly her high-spec body handled everything. Even though we were at a Brazilian-themed park, we ended up having okonomiyaki for lunch at Kuro's request. Then came the bowling.
"I did it! Kaito-kun, look! I broke them all!"
"That's not how it works! You're supposed to knock them over, not turn them into gravel! Fix them, quickly!"
"Oh, really? Okay... Hup."
"And another thing... don't throw the ball overhand! You're supposed to roll it!"
"Wait, really?"
Watching her hurl a sixteen-pound ball like a cannonball was a truly terrifying sight.
Despite the chaos, the day flew by. As the sun began to set, we decided to end our trip on the Ferris wheel—the Rainbow Warp. Since the park sat atop a mountain, the view from the top was truly breathtaking.
"Wow... it's beautiful. The ocean is sparkling in the sunset."
"Yeah. The Ferris wheel is the perfect way to wrap up the day. So, Kuro? Did you have fun?"
"Mhm! It was amazing! Everything was so new... Thank you for bringing me, Kaito-kun!"
She gave me a smile so radiant it was almost blinding. I’d never been on an amusement park date before, but it felt like the day had vanished in an instant. I was just glad I’d come here with her. As I stood there lost in the view, I felt a soft, warm weight on my arm. Kuro was leaning into me, her hands clasped around my arm.
"Kuro?"
"Ehehe... Hey, Kaito-kun?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"...Yeah. I love you too."
Just the two of us in the cabin, suspended above a world painted in the colors of the sunset. It was the perfect atmosphere. My heart felt warm and incredibly calm; a deep, natural sense of affection for her welled up inside me. Kuro seemed to feel it too. She gave a bashful smile and looked straight at me, her eyes full of love. I wondered if the flush on her cheeks was from the setting sun or something else. I probably looked exactly the same. In the comfortable silence, we drew closer, our feelings naturally aligning until we finally shared a kiss.