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??? POV

'Hey, don't you have any parents? I haven't seen anyone visit you, not even once.'

'I don't have parents.'

'Hmm. . .what about your relatives? Don't they care about you?'

'They don't. I don't even know my relatives' faces or what their names are.'

'That's strange.'

'Is it?'

I have no parents. Those 'demons' are not my parents. They are merely the reason why I was born here. Relatives? I don't think I ever held a conversation with them, not even once.

'It is strange!! Because—

—they are supposed to care about you, right?'

'Is it like that? Really?'

'Hmm. . .I'm not sure, because—'

•__________________________________________________________•

When I woke up, there were tears in my eyes. I don't know why, though. It felt like a moment lasted forever.

'What a strange feeling.'

I looked around, and she was still reading a book. I wonder if she never gets tired of doing the same thing over and over for days. Reading, playing games, drinking coffee, and sleeping.

'Wait a minute, that doesn't sound bad at all. If nothing else, it's an ideal day-day routine.'

"Um—"

I was about to ask her something but—

"Did you have a good dream?"

"Eh? I-. . .don't remember."

"Is that so?"

An awkward pause, just like always. I'm so used to it, and I figured that I should be the one to initiate the conversation.

"Did you sleep?"

". . .Yeah, I did."

". . . . ."

I couldn't help but stare.

'She's so direct, and she always answers truthfully.'

". . .What?"

"You— Can you tell me something about yourself?"

". . .Didn't we already talk a lot about myself?"

"By letters, you mean. Not that kind of detail."

"Then what do you want to know?"

"You can read my thoughts, right?"

"Not all the time."

"Really?"

'Hmm. . .so it's not all the time.'

"What do you want to know?"

"Promise me you won't get mad or throw me out first."

". . .Hmm"

I waited for her confirmation. What I'm about to ask is probably taboo, but I have to ask her, or I'll get nowhere.

"Will you promise?"

". . .It depends on the question. But I'll do my best to restrain myself if I get mad."

"Is that an ok, then?"

". . . . ."

'Then, here goes.'

"Why. . .did I. . .kill you?"

I asked her with a hesitant voice. It must be clear as day that I'm afraid. I kept looking at her to see what her reaction would be.

". . . . ."

Fortunately, she didn't seem mad, but as expected, it wasn't a question that was easy to answer. It'd be a miracle if she even responds.

"That's. . ."

I shrunk back, afraid that she might've snapped. I was so nervous that I rubbed my hands to keep them from trembling.

"You. . .wanted to fit in with others. So. . .you killed me."

"Fit in. . .with others?"

". . . . ."

"What do you—"

"Just as I said, you. . .wanted to be like everyone else. You wanted to be in a group of friends, so. . .you killed me, but in the end, you didn't fit in, much less make any friends."

'I was confused with what she was saying, I get the 'I wanted to fit in with others part', but what I don't get is killing her to achieve that. What does that mean?'

"Why did I need to kill you to gain friends?"

"That's. . .because I was in the way?"

"Did you prevent me from getting along with others?"

"Somehow, yeah. . .that's how it turned out."

"But still. . .killing is not something. . .you can do so casually. I don't think I will kill for something so petty."

"You still did it."

"Why didn't you want me to get along with others?"

"It's not like I didn't want you to have friends, I just didn't want you to get along with others knowing that they won't get along with you either."

"I don't think you're the type of person who would do that. From the time I spent with you here, you're quiet, kind and—"

She turned around and faced me with a calm expression. She smiled, but it wasn't a smile of pure happiness. It was a forced smile, a cold and bitter one.

". . .You're right. I'm merely a person who avoids trouble, a quiet person, definitely not kind though."

". . . . ."

Her voice was trembling, but it was direct. She didn't stutter her words, but it was forceful.

"And. . .I don't like getting along with a bunch of people who talks about small things. Why do I have to fit in with other people? Why. . .do I have to change myself just to get acknowledged?"

It was like. . .confronting a cornered animal, her eyes were looking straight at me. Who was she talking to?

'This person. . .'

"Friends? I don't need them. I don't need anyone. From the very start, I didn't have any expectations for anyone to stay with me. In the end, everyone. . .will leave."

Her words contained a mocking tone. It's as if she doesn't believe that someone would stay by her side.

"!!"

'She's just spilling everything out now.'

"Alright, alright, I get it. Let's calm down for a second."

"I am calm. I just answered your question, that's all."

'No, you're not calm at all! It seems that this topic is a landmine for her.'

"Anyway, let's end this topic, shall we?"

'I feel like I did something wrong.'

sigh*

I sighed. I got the answer but—

'Those words— who were they directed to?'

She said I killed her because she didn't want me to get along with people who wouldn't get along with me, and she was right.

She was born here but was with me in the past.

She was my friend, I guess?

". . .No, I'm not."

My train of thought stopped because of her sudden words.

'Ah, the telepathy-like thing activated again.'

"I wasn't with you. We weren't friends. We never had any contact."

"Then how—"

'Ha! Maybe—'

"I'm not a stalker, either."

"Then how—"

"I'm going to sleep now, so that's enough talk for today."

She stood up and walked towards me, signifying that I should get up. But—

"Eh? You. . .actually sleep?"

". . . . ."

Her face suddenly turned grim.

I regret every word that just came out of my mouth. I stood up quickly and kneeled.

"I apologize. I just wanted to make you laugh. Sorry, please don't throw me out."

". . ."

She closed her eyes and stayed calm after a while.

"I did promise that I wouldn't throw you out anymore."

She laid on the bed and covered herself with the blanket. Her sleeping posture was exactly like mine.

"Hey—"

"I'm sleeping right now. If you have anything to ask, ask it after I wake up."

"Uh— right, right, I'll be quiet."

I headed towards the table and sat on the floor. There was a pillow right behind me, which made it extra comfy for my back. It was a chance for me to investigate.

With this, I can learn more about her, the books that she reads, and the games that she plays.

'I have a mission, and I'll do it as quietly as possible.'

•__________________________________________________________•

'Ahh. . .I can hear the clock ticking. The sound of the keyboard. The flipping pages of the book.'

The sound was colliding with one another.

'Ahh. . .my head hurts.'

It was only after a while that the sounds stopped, and the girl was finally able to sleep.

Going deeper and deeper until—

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