[Friday 13 April 2018]

[07:52 - Road to School]

Clouds filled the sky of Kusanagi City in the morning. It appeared that it would rain soon. The weather forecast said this rain would last until the afternoon. Because of this, all the children brought their umbrellas to school.

The twins walked side by side on the road to school while they talked about their assigned homework.

"Kurusu-sensei gave me essay homework. I think he will give you the same task today." Riku shook his head. "You won't be able to copy mine, Rimu."

"I understand!" Rimu pouted, "Essays are quite troublesome, but I think I can do something about it."

She said smugly, "Just replace some words and presto! Homework done!"

Riku sighed, as usual Rimu will forcefully copy his homework again. He thought something changed about Rimu but in the end everything was the same as usual. He felt relieved. Rimu is Rimu. She was still his ponkotsu¹ポンコツ (ponkotsu). Ponkotsu is an adjective that describes a useless and/or unreliable character. An individual could be a ponkotsu character, meaning that they often makes mistakes and has embraced this characteristic as a part of their persona. twin sister that he know.

Behind him, Rimu let out a grin. Hehe, essay homework? Even if the teacher gave the final grade test, it still wouldn’t be a problem at all.

She had reviewed the entire 5th grade textbook secretly while Riku was asleep, reclaiming her forgotten knowledge. Even if she couldn't reach a perfect score, at least she could get an 80%.

The reason why she decided to copy Riku's homework was to lower his guard, making him think Rimu was still his old ignorant sister, without the benefit of time travel.

'Riku has started to be suspicious of me. Yesterday's events are the proof of it. I must be careful from now on.'

To get on Riku's bad side is the thing Rimu wanted to avoid at all costs. This shota was a future CEO, a dragon among bumpkins. Making enemies with him is a foolish thing to do. Instead, she must hug this golden thigh²hug thigh = get on his good side. http://www.kirinmandarin.com/blog/chinese-learning-what-抱大腿!

At the crossroads, Kouta was waiting for them. He greeted the twins.

"Yo! We met by quite the coincidence, right?"

Riku & Rimu, "..."

"Good morning." "Chii~su"

Both of them simultaneously thought...

Coincidence my ass. You have been waiting for us, haven’t you?
Your house isn’t even in this direction school but you're always here every morning.
It's too obvious, Kouta!

The twins looked at each other and nodded, they decided to pretend they don't know anything.

♦♦♦

 

[Kisara's Manor]

Mikoto sat calmly on the balcony on the second floor of a huge manor. This manor was the residence of her best friend, as well as her former love rival, Kirihara Kisara.

After the twins have gone out to school, she decided to stop by. Fortunately, the owner of the manor didn't have any work scheduled for today and was able to receive her.

She was gazing at an enormous garden from her elevated viewing position when a young woman wearing a white lab coat with unkempt hair and eye bags appeared. She was the owner of this manor, Kirihara Kisara. She should be a beautiful woman if only she is properly tidying her appearance.

She came from the kitchen... with a glass of tomato juice in each of her hands.

"Want some?" Kisara offered a glass to Mikoto.

"... No thanks."

Mikoto reluctantly declined.

‘It looks like blood. Sorry friend but I'm still human.’

Kisara only shrugged from Mikoto's refusal, she then said as she drank the juice.

"Why not? Tomatoes are nutritious, very good for your health."

Mikoto laughed wryly, waiting for her to finish her drink. Kisara placed the empty glass on the table. She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and looked Mikoto in the eyes.

"And, do you have something you need from me?" Kisara inquired.

Mikoto rested her chin on her hands and asked her a question in a serious tone.

"By the way, Kisara... Do you think people can suddenly change their nature?"

Hearing Mikoto's question, Kisara frowned.

"I'm not a doctor in psychology. I can't ensure you that my answer is the correct one, but I think is not." She paused for a moment and continued.

"Unless, the person had an impactful experience. For example, an epiphany or perhaps a traumatizing incident."

Mikoto gasped.

"Humans can't change their nature easily. They can hide it but changing it is a different matter. If it was that easy to change someone's nature, perhaps that person's wife would be me." Kisara played with her fingers, not noticing the changes on Mikoto's face.

Her eyes darted to the other glass of tomato juice.

"Can I drink it?"

"... Sure."

Ignoring Kisara, Mikoto's mind wandered elsewhere.

"Traumatizing... huh?"

There was something that Mikoto has kept a secret from other people. That she had experienced time-travel twice!

'I don't understand how this time-travel thing works, but from my experience, the trigger to this phenomenon should be "regret".'

The first time Mikoto time-traveled was because she got swindled and her family was forced to shoulder a huge debt. At that time, she regretted how she trusted that crook so easily.

And the second time was because she regretted not confessing to her crush, Seigo, and watched him marry another woman.

The third time hasn't happened yet but Mikoto prayed that something needed her to regret would never happen.

After watching Rimu for a few days, something has clicked inside her. Rimu suddenly became affable to her twin brother. Then, at yesterday's family meeting, she acted as if she was totally familiar with smartphones, even though she had never touched one before. More importantly, the current Rimu had an air to her which was very familiar to Mikoto.

Her mood was the same as Mikoto's when she had just time-traveled!

'Rimu has experienced grief in the future and regretted something!'

Kisara had finished drinking the other glass of tomato juice. She curiously asked.

"By the way, why did you ask something like that? Did someone you know-"

"It's nothing, I am just curious. That's all."

Mikoto quickly denied her words before Kisara could finish her words.

Kisara, "... I see."

'... There is no way you bothered to come here in this rain just because of curiosity.
But well, it's none of my business if you didn't want to talk.'

Mikoto stood up from the chair, her gaze wandered to the rain outside while thinking about Rimu. She will probably keep everything a secret from her as Mikoto did in her past. If Rimu doesn't want to tell anyone, then so be it. As a mother, she will support her daughter secretly.

She sighed and once more looked at the unkempt hair of Kisara. Looking at her, it seemed that she hadn't bathed for a few days.

'Before I go back, I shall enjoy myself here.'

Mikoto's eyes turned scary.

"Well then, that's enough chit-chat. Let's get to the business, shall we? I suddenly want a second bath."

"...Eh? Mikoto, your eyes are kinda scary... Why are you moving your hands as if you want to pounce on me?"

Kisara was terrified, somehow, she had a bad feeling. She felt her chastity was in danger.