•__________________________________________________________•
??? POV
'Hehe. . .'
'. . .Why are you laughing?'
'Today, that girl said I'm amazing, that I'm really good at things that I do.'
'Is that so?'
'. . .Can't you be happier for me?'
'I am happy for you.'
'. . .Is that so? I'm really happy when I'm with her. Do you think it's okay for me to feel comfortable with her?'
'. . .I wonder?'
'I really like her a lot.'
'Is that so?'
'Yup, that's why━'
•__________________________________________________________•
'This is so depressing.'
After I read the book of tragedy, I suddenly had a bad feeling. A feeling that wouldn't go away for days. I have to cheer up. I have to clear this depressing fog in the whole room.
slap*
I slapped my cheeks in an attempt to wake myself up from this atmosphere.
'NEVER FORGET THE GOAL━ GET OUT OF HERE!!'
I shook my head and walked towards Naiko.
"I want to get out of this place. Would you tell me how?"
I asked her a direct question. Surely, this time, it won't be like 'I don't want to.' kind of answer.
". . .That depends on you. I have no control over that."
"Huh? What do you mean it depends on me? What do I have to do?"
I was overly excited about the fact that I finally got to hear a different answer this time that I bombarded her with questions.
". . .I wonder. I don't know either."
"No way. . ."
I went from hyper to hypo. If she doesn't know how then━
"Isn't this usually the type where I have to conquer my fears and go to the next stage or something?"
"If this was a game, then maybe, I guess?"
She casually answered while reading another book.
"Nothing ever fazes you, huh?"
". . . ."
She suddenly looked at me with her usual, unreadable expression.
"Better than getting so worked up all the time."
". . .I can't argue with that."
"You should just calm down and analyze things in order."
"Haa. . ."
I fumbled and laid on the bed. Casually staring at the ceiling of the room.
'Now that you think about it━'
"Hey, you said there are other people here, right? Are they also a part of me?"
I sat right up and asked.
". . .Yes. They are the same as me. A mere part of you."
"How can I meet them?"
". . . . ."
"You. . .don't want to tell me?"
". . .They won't appear before you. Yet, that is."
I assumed that they don't want to show themselves to me because they also hate me. Did I reject them too? That made me feel bad.
'Would an apology even work?'
As I kept on thinking about what I should do when I meet them, she suddenly spoke up.
"You don't have to feel bad. I. . .No. Actually, I won't lie. I hate you for rejecting who I am. But, at the same time, I keep on thinking that it can't be helped. People feel lonely when they are alone all the time."
". . . . ."
"Even I. . .don't hate people. I do want to converse with other people. Just that. . .it's really rare to find people who can appreciate deep conversations with me."
"You're being awfully honest right now."
"I'm always honest."
"But other than that, you're talking a lot more than when we first met."
". . . . ."
I approached her with a bright smile on my face. She suddenly flinched.
". . .What is it?"
"Hehe. . .that means you're comfortable with me, right?"
"!!"
I was so happy that I kept on chuckling. On the other hand, she looked away, abruptly. She may have thought that she could hide it, but I could slightly see that she was blushing.
'How cute. Ah! Thinking like this, am I a narcissist?'
I was ridiculing myself when she suddenly━
"58%."
"Huh?"
"If this was a game, my favorability percentage towards you would be 58%"
"That's. . .more than half!!"
What happens if it gets to 100%━
"If I get a 100, what would━"
"I'll let you see Kan."
"Kan?"
"Another part of you."
"Eh? Really? When I get to a 100? Promise?"
". . .Promise."
"Alright!!"
I raised my hands in a banzai form. But, as if to stop a celebration━
shut*
She forcefully closed her book. Making the sound of the book echo throughout the whole room.
"I'm telling you, it won't be easy. So, don't get ahead of yourself."
"Ahh. . .right."
I quivered in fear as she coldly glanced at me. I withdrew and went back to lie on the bed.
'I wonder what should I do after I get out of here? What is the current state of my body? In a coma? Or am I near death?'
A hand suddenly covered my eyes while I was deep in thought.
"Quiet down now. Sleep."
Like a spell cast on me. As I was drifting off to sleep, I barely saw something in the corner of my eye. What was it?
•__________________________________________________________•
As the girl headed to the kitchen, she grabbed a knife and stared at it for a while, and sighed.
'Haa. . .I'm really tired of this.'
drip* drip*
The sound of rain outside the room overwhelmed her deep sigh. She looked out the window and affirmed that it was indeed raining.
'Rain? In here?'
She glanced at the girl who was deeply asleep and smiled.
'Right. . .I know. This. . .isn't bad at all.'
'No one will be able to tell, no one would know. It will all be swept away due to the sound of rain.'
She placed her hand on the window, revealing some strange marks on her wrists. She smiled bitterly.
'No one will know, no one will tell. . .'
She kept on repeating the same words over and over like a chant.
•__________________________________________________________•
