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??? POV
'Hey, is it time yet?'
'Time for what?'
'Time to go outside?'
'Why would I go outside?'
'You don't want to?'
'. . .I want to, but I'm afraid that I'll just be disappointed again.'
'You're right, but we won't make it like this.'
'. . .Then, will you come with me?'
'. . .Of course, I will.'
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Ever since that time, I grew wary of her. She averts her gaze whenever I look at her. I wonder if it's because of that story.
'So even I had those times, huh? Betrayal. . .I wonder how I felt?'
While I was pondering over this, I didn't realize that I stopped my hands when I was washing the dishes, the water kept on flowing.
"Hey, you're wasting the water."
She turned the tap off. I flinched at the sudden appearance and unconsciously stepped back.
"Uh! I'm sorry. I was out of it."
". . .Is that so?"
"Sleep if you're tired then."
She was about to cover my eyes again, she was about to make me fall asleep again. I can't let that happen.
I turned my head away from her hand.
". . .!"
"Ah! It's not what you think! It's just that━well, I don't want to sleep."
I was afraid that she'll misunderstand, so I explained my intentions right away.
". . .Is that so?"
I had to do something about this suffocating feeling, so I grabbed her hand in an attempt to change the subject.
"Um! H-How's the favorability today?"
". . .Well, I guess it IS about time."
"Hm? Time?"
"Let's see. . .about 90%, I guess?"
"90 already?"
"Right. . .it should be about time."
She said that as she stared outside. It was still raining.
'Time for what?'
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After an hour or so, she suddenly called out to me while she was grabbing a book.
"Come here. It's our story-telling time."
I made myself comfortable and sat down right beside her.
She put down a strange book that had no title. I wonder what story it will be this time.
"This. . .will be the last story that I'll tell you."
"Eh? Last?"
"That's right. Even so, you still may not get your memories back. At that time, we'll try another method."
"Alright, let's do that."
"Well then━"
〚 A few years ago, there was a young girl. She was a kind, cheerful child. She was dependable. Whenever others were in trouble, they would approach her and seek her help. 〛
〚 She was a kind child. She helped everyone. Yet━〛
〚 Whenever she was in trouble, no one would come help.〛
〚 Even so, she didn't give up. She believed. Believed that it will be worth it. Everything will go right. One day.〛
〚 It didn't.〛
〚 Indeed, she was very dependable, no━〛
〚 She was convenient for people to use.〛
〚 Nothing went right.〛
〚 Her parents divorced. She was abandoned. She had no friends. Her so-called 'relatives' didn't care for her.〛
〚 Little by little, she started to lose it. And in the end, she broke down.〛
〚 Then one day, in that white room, when there was no one else, she grabbed a knife for cutting fruits, and━〛
"Wait!"
I exclaimed and closed my eyes. I didn't want to know what will happen, no, it was because I knew what will happen, that's why I stopped her.
I don't want to hear it.
". . .What's the matter? It's not over yet."
"But, that's. . .that's just━"
I could feel my voice breaking down. My heart ached, it felt like it was being pulled down. It hurts.
"You have to. You want to remember, right?"
"That's. . ."
"You said you wanted to get out. If so━hear it till the very end."
". . ."
〚 That's right, she cut her wrist. One, two, three, she didn't even cry out as she was doing it.〛
〚 Was it painless? Of course not. It's just that━〛
〚 Compared to the pain she endured up until now, it was simply nothing. She was tired.〛
〚 But━she survived.〛
〚 Fortunately, someone noticed it, and it got treated immediately.〛
〚 Was it good that she survived? Who knows?〛
〚 Did she really intend to die? I wonder about that too.〛
〚 All I know is that in that room, she stared outside and smiled once again. An empty smile. A lifeless smile.〛
〚 'How unfortunate.' she said. No one heard her. No one knew.〛
〚 What was she thinking? No one knew.〛
〚 No one.〛
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