The incident from that time is a day I’d like to forget, yet can’t. After all, I witnessed the trigger that caused my precious childhood friend’s family to collapse.
At that time, I was still unaware of my romantic feelings for Katsu. To me, he was just a boy I found somewhat interesting. Coupled with my aversion to the act of romance, I kept my distance from him, especially regarding interactions with the opposite sex.
Perhaps that’s why, when Midori showed me the evidence of the affair, I found myself at a loss, lacking the knowledge to respond effectively. In contrast, Midori took that damning evidence and acted decisively. The result was the worst possible outcome: Katsu’s mother’s disappearance and the denial of blood relations between Katsu and his father.
I understood that for Midori, her mother’s actions were intolerable, and her desire to expose the ongoing deception came from a sense of justice. However, we were simply lacking in experience. We absolutely did not have enough experience to anticipate that Katsu and his father were not connected by blood.
“Wait, what? Am I supposed to forget? No, this…”
Rather than forgetting such a harrowing scene that could contest for the most chaotic moment of my life, I found myself face-to-face with a Midori who had grown into a femme fatale since we last met. I couldn’t hold back my emotions.
Midori, perplexed yet in a state close to her soul’s essence, looked confused. “Hurry up and remember. I’m not exactly sitting around with nothing to do, you know.”
I was trying to shock her memory back to life, piecing together the jigsaw puzzle of her thoughts.
“Whoa! I can’t believe how deep I buried it!” I felt a sigh building, not due to my own actions but because it seemed characteristic of her cautious personality to hide her memories to such an extent.
“Couldn’t you wake me up a little more gently?” She murmured after a panicked outcry, her head slowly lifting.
“Stop being loud; why should I be gentle with you?”
“That’s terrible! I am your childhood friend, you know?”
In her expression, I saw the Midori from that day. Everything about her—the untrustworthy aura, her graceful lies, and that teasing smile—all matched the memories perfectly.
As the sense of disconnect faded, I finally stood at the starting line. “So, did I mess everything up?”
“Oh, you certainly did. It’s massive, but don’t tell me you don’t remember anything?”
“Sadly, no. What I’m currently experiencing is just the backup of my consciousness. I don’t know how long I can stay in this state.”
A memory backup. I couldn’t believe there existed a magic capable of doing such a thing on Earth.
“Alright, then let’s move on and figure out what happened to you.”
“The detailed story is written down in belongings left with my college friends living at the address I’m about to share. That woman should be your ally, right? Confirm it.”
She hinted with a glance that verbal communication wouldn’t suffice for what she needed to convey, smiling sadly as she spoke.
After revealing the address, I realized I had no further business with her. I had already gathered the necessary information; Evia-san would handle the verification.
Yet I found myself unwilling to leave.
“Still as meticulous as ever, aren’t you?”
I remained, convinced I couldn’t hold out much longer. Once gone, there would be no coming back.
I sensed her impending end, in a sense.
“That’s just me; I’ve been pushed into this state of memory residue, which is rather unfortunate.”
She shared my concern, knowing that once she had awakened, she likely wouldn’t wake up again.
Even so, her attitude persisted, and as she delegated her final moments to me, I resolved to act as if everything were normal. I held no kindness for her.
She responded with a smile as if recognizing my changing emotions.
“Who would have thought you were in contact with the otherworldly first?”
Feeling irritated by the sensation of being toyed with like in the old days, I pressed on while Midori seemed to delight in our conversation.
“I was just passing through while traveling and never intended to stay long. But then I ended up meeting someone from the otherworld.”
Her insistence that she didn’t seek pity revealed that she wanted to maintain her usual demeanor, especially since this was her last chance.
“What kind of person were they?”
What a troublesome issue this was.
Try to see it from my perspective, getting summoned like this.
“They were from a small tour company that offered guide services. But on the side, they appeared to be an organization gathering people like me.”
Midori, acknowledging my frustration, calmly described what transpired to her.
Had even a hint of regret crossed her voice, I would have wasted no time in cutting her off and leaving.
“I was gradually manipulated into a state where my consciousness was altered, and by the time I noticed it was too late; my free will had nearly vanished. I didn’t know what I was being made to do, but they were definitely marking my body somehow.”
Yet, her emotions showed no trace of guilt; rather, she was indulging in her last moments, unreserved in her approach. I recognized this attitude as her true nature.
“Sounds like a ritualistic marking to become a hero. It was cleverly concealed, but it was embedded in your body.”
Though pressed for time, she maintained her usual calm as she summarized.
It was as if she were discussing someone else’s plight.
“Right, I still don’t know what that was for, but I have a feeling I wasn’t used for anything good.”
Without doubting Evia-san’s words, she seemed to have a handle on the mess she had created, letting out a self-deprecating laugh.
“Indeed. You participated in abduction and collaborated with terrorists.”
I chose not to deny that.
“Oh, that’s better than I imagined. I thought I would end up as a part of a plot for mass slaughter or suicide bombings. I expected to be a hitman utilizing my own body.”
Even as Midori accepted the absurd truths, she laughed.
I couldn’t help but think she must be out of her mind, yet this was her normalcy.
She accepted everything that had been left in the past.
It showed when her expression briefly contorted, as if she were enduring something.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yeah, it seems the makeshift technique didn’t allow for a long-lasting presence.”
I could sense her energy gradually fading. If I, who was ignorant about the state of souls, could notice, Evia-san might have a clearer understanding of her condition.
“Considering I learned the technique under duress, I didn’t expect it to be effective, but at least I can say it was worthwhile to have someone to talk to at the end,” she mused.
“…Let me hear one last thing.”
As she embraced her final moments and went into a state of self-conclusion, I felt compelled to ask this.
“What’s up?”
“Why did you choose to send me a message?”
This question needed a proper resolution; otherwise, I would be left with an unshakeable aftertaste.
Though it was said, our relationship had never been particularly good. To say it was bad wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
“Oh, is that what you’re wondering?”
Why did she choose someone she disliked as her last companion?
“I liked you, you know?”
“What?”
She boldly proclaimed an astonishing truth, as if dismissing my concerns.
“Don’t joke with me!”
“I’m not joking. At this final moment, it doesn’t make sense to joke around, nor would I leave you important information if it were just a joke. My revenge is at stake here!”
Though my emotions surged, Midori answered me with unwavering calm. I quickly regained my composure.
“Among those who only saw me as a model student, only Minami kept an eye on me. Everyone, including relatives and parents, only saw my excellence, but you were the only one who truly noticed me from the start.”
And then I recalled why I despised her.
“You were a nuisance, always wanting everything and never giving up, yet you constantly challenged me, like a little sister. Amidst a crowd that judged me through the lens of being a model student, you saw me as a person.”
Jealousy. I disliked this girl, who could do anything and received praise from everyone, possessing all the things I lacked.
Ah, I should clarify something. I claimed we were sworn enemies, but that was just my subjective statement.
“You were the only one who fought with me and pointed out different things for me. It felt refreshing. I initially questioned why, thinking it was unreasonable to be hated.”
The feeling of “dislike” is ultimately unidirectional.
Once mutual hatred occurs, it simply signals indifference.
The opposite of love is not hate; it’s indifference.
“However, it was thanks to you that I could express my true feelings. In a world where it felt normal to become friends, you taught me how to actually do it.”
If I had truly hated her, I would have forgotten her.
I wouldn’t have held onto any memory, nor would I have reacted so strongly upon our reunion.
“The reasons I disliked you were rather absurd, but you never actually avoided me.”
To dislike someone means to harbor some feelings towards them.
I understood that; it’s precisely because I accepted these emotions that I hated this girl.
Looking directly at her made me acutely aware of how small I truly was.
“So, that was your reason for spending your last moments with me? What about Katsu’s feelings?”
That’s why I attempted to divert the conversation.
I didn’t like it; it frustrated me.
This was the reason I lost to her back then.
“I didn’t want to be a burden to him. I felt you could easily forget about me.”
“You’re a despicable person.”
“Indeed, I am. You know that, right?”
“I hate that you know that and still say it.”
And then,
“I absolutely despise you for escaping with a victory.”
Time was up.
In the end, Midori revealed the things I wanted to know at the outset and then focused solely on her own story.
“Even a person like me, you still listened to all the way to the end. That’s why I liked you.”
Without even saying goodbye, she smiled and disappeared, as if gliding away. I had anticipated this outcome.
Fading out of consciousness, as I watched her tilt her head down like she was asleep, I could hardly believe it hadn’t all been a dream.
“…What was that?”
“That was the residue I know of you.”
The memories left behind by a conscious awakening led to confusion in the current Midori, and with her awakening, I found my need for her had vanished.
What I needed was the girl I fought with back on that day, the one I despised.
This unfamiliar girl before me? I had no need for her.
“Hey! Answer me! What was that!! What did you do to me!? Wait!!”
Ignoring her cries, I turned my back and left.
“Goodbye; until the end, you were just yourself.”
I gently offered my farewell to the girl who remained true to herself, while Evia-san sealed away the screaming girl once more as we left.
—
Today’s Note:
Noticing oddities can be quite challenging.
Thank you for your comments and pointing out typos each time.
If you find it interesting, please treat it favorably, and don’t forget to leave feedback, ratings, or bookmarks.
Currently, I’m also serializing another work titled “Pandora Pandemic Panic.” The Pandora’s box has been opened once more, and the organization is fighting against everything with various schemes. Please check it out too!
