Always Write Important Stuff Down
By SentCents
Summary: Shiori always makes it a habit to write important things in a book, just in case there is something that she doesn't remember. One-shot.
(Space)
At some point along this week, there are gaps within her usually good memory that seem to manifest.
Shiori doesn't know what it did, all that she could remember at this point in time was the fact that she had to apologize for the ruckus that she did about the recent decisions that the Student Council did regarding the library. At least, she finally manages to let her voice be heard, which in turn, did make what she had fought for actually worth it.
She did save her world - the world that she had wanted to keep within herself and want other students to see the magnificence of it….
…but deep inside, she knew that something had changed within her.
Why did she suddenly have the confidence to speak out towards them? She was always scared of being vocal about things towards people as she didn't want to cause any trouble. This was the only time that she ever did use her voice and her actions to fight for a cause that she truly believed in.
Was it all merely her own development as a person or was it something else?
This sudden development is not a mere coincidence. She knows that as she was having vague images that she can picture inside her mind, remembering some sort of male teenager that she talked to within the library. Shiori thinks that it is related to that person despite not having any concrete evidence that he is.
Because after all, she doesn't recall anyone besides that person who had strongly given her an impression of someone… important? She had read a lot of stories that had a character with amnesia on that, some even included this exact scenario where a person came to their lives, changed it entirely for the good, and disappear from their minds after some point in time – identity and all.
She couldn't put her finger on the title, but it wasn't important right now.
What is important, however, was the fact that she left one of her precious books in the library after the meeting with the Student Council in regards to the dilemma that was dropped on her table a while ago.
The process of throwing some of the books to be turned into audiovisual was something that some of the members of the Student Council were still pushing for despite Fujiidera's agreements on not disposing of the books– she managed to convince them to not do so, but rather make it an option for the school to have access the same books digitally on their online website – something that she had learned on some technology books that she had read.
It would satiate those that want audio–visual books while keeping the library intact with no more books being thrown in the trash!
It would mean that Shiori would have more responsibility in watching the library as she has to check a lot of the books that were getting in and out of the e-library, but it was something that she was willing to do for the sake of her books. After all, there was a small part of her that wanted for this plan to be seamless as there might be some people that want to borrow the physical copy if they ever did glance at the digital copy.
It was a reach to expand her love of books to other people, but as long as her World is never threatened, she is contented at that forefront.
Checking her desk, which had some paperwork that she needed to check for tomorrow, she finally found the book that she was looking for. It wasn't a storybook nor a guide of some sort that she usually reads, but rather, it was her personal journal. Shiori uses it to keep track of any reminders that she might have forgotten or written her thoughts in the book in general.
After all, even if her mind manages to absorb all the information that the library might offer, it doesn't mean that her memory will be ever flawless. That's why she uses this as a precautionary measure for her not to forget all of the important things, especially when she carries them around every time she leaves the library.
It has all of the things important... all of her thoughts from before and…
P…l…ease…. R….m…. b…
She blinked, taking a look around the library. She heard something, a voice that seemingly was calling out towards her. There wasn't anyone here as the library was closed!
Was there a specter of ghosts calling out to her? She did read on theories why ghosts could possibly exist; their souls being left around as they are unable to pass through the afterlife –
Wait, does that mean there are ghosts in the library?
Shiori smashes down those ever-increasing paranoid thoughts as she refused to believe them. There weren't any records of deaths nor graveyards that were built before Majima – so that case was just farfetched and stupid,
Maybe she was just tired? It had been a long day after all. Conversing with people had always puckered her a lot as she wasn't used to people actually listening and giving opinions back to her, which had taken quite a lot of focus considering she wanted to give a good impression for the plan to be fully set.
She let out a quiet sigh, grabbing the book so that she can finally leave the library –
O…pen… the …book!
Shiori would have screamed right there and now at the voice right now if it weren't for the fact that she felt a huge wave of pain towards her head. She winced, hearing the voice ring throughout her mind in a forceful manner. What was this… demand of opening the said book all of the sudden?
Maybe the spirit theory was true all this time and possessed the book that she cares so deeply about that she'll end up seeing some weird phrases and characters in the book?
Pl….ease… o…pe… the…. Bo…ok…
Shiori couldn't do anything but to oblige with that particular request, the growing headache seemed to disappear as she did open it. It was weirding her out that the pain went away like that, her realistic mind is already on the fence against the mind that believed ghosts exist.
Her eyes scanned the recent pages dating back a week ago, which simultaneously, made her eyes widened at the contents.
" Damn that… that… person. Having an opinion like that… it was so embarrassing that I had to speak out towards him like that! I should've kept my mouth shut!
I…I… should apologize soon. I don't want him to have an opinion like that… especially on a time like this…"
She… doesn't remember ever writing anything like this yet her mind was seemingly resonating with whatever that was written inside here. It felt familiar as if something was filling the gaps of her mind seamlessly as if filing the information onto the gaps. It was like… a well-needed clarity that needed to satiate her ever-growing questions of before.
Plea…se… remem…ber!
The voice rang more into her head, but she didn't acknowledge it. Her eyes look towards the entry that she wrote the day after that.
"That was so… so embarrassing! Why did I say that?! I was just going to apologize to him, but I had to hit him!
Why can't I do a simple thing like the one in the novels? Was the "Steps for Apologizing – A Guide to Make an Effective Apology" incorrect?!
Fuuuuh… I don't know what to do… I feel like I am just making a mistake every time I keep trying to talk to him… or to anyone like that rather…
Can I just get better at this? Can I just speak out my mind?!
Why… why… but… I have to keep trying to interact with him. I don't know why… but I have to.
I feel like he can understand."
Understand…?
Her heart started beating quickly as her mind was assaulted with more memories and scenes as if it was something that she should have remembered from the start. All of the scenes that were described in the book were flying towards her mind, manifesting all of the things as if they happened in real life.
From the previous shadowed face with incomplete features, she can finally picture the person in her find. Brown hair… with glasses… thin frame… his handsome face-
Shiori quickly shook her head, his cheeks flustered a deep shade of crimson. The feeling… the feeling towards that particular person… it felt intensified. It was something that she felt that was locked out of her mind, finally unshackled and unleashed in quick succession.
Her eyes were kept down, looking towards the open book that held the memories that she apparently had lacked throughout the week. Although there were things that she still can't remember – the moment of the strike that she felt that he was involved in there as well – but…
"He… does understand what it means to live in another world.
He understands! He understands!
The fact that he described it perfectly… as if he was reading my mind… reading it like an open book. I don't know how he does it… but as if he knows what I was going to say….
I…I need to know more about him… but…
Maybe… maybe after the event…"
She felt the joy and lounging from the writing that she did… and she felt it resonate within her as well. Her eyes were closed, already picturing the exact event that was written in paraphrase… into the actual meeting that had happened before where she was hiding behind the bookshelf before having the actual courage to meet face to face with him… to talk with him…
Please remember!
…it was the turning point in her mind. He was that person that gave her the courage to push through what had happened before the strike. He gave her that courage to fight… to try and do so in a moment of her lowest low. Even if he wasn't the exact reason, she knows that he was the beacon that made her feel that she was going in the right direction.
She never remembered being obsessed with a person like this before, not even the fictional characters of her books. It was probably not an obsession of some sort, but rather, an investigation on how this person had thoroughly affected her life after the strike.
For the first time in her life, Shiori Shiomiya had her interests shifted towards something that isn't booked.
And she wants to know how this person is and possibly confront them.
But how can she do that? After all, she is just someone that hangs out in the library majority of her time if she isn't in class. Shiori doubts that they share the same class as well because she doesn't remember someone sharing the same stature and looks around her fellow classmates.
Can she be bold enough to actually ask about the person at hand to Fujidera?
…probably not. She can't handle the teasing or the questions that she would get from that.
Despite the flood of memories, there was still one thing that was still a gap in her mind. There is no doubt that this was the person that given her all the courage, but how did he? Why can't she remember him at all till today?
Try… and find out!
Shiori sighed, closing the book as the wave of tiredness from the emotions she felt wavered through her body. She'll dwell more on to this mystery on another day, she already has a lot answered by her book alone with her apparent writing that had contributed to filling up the gaps of what she couldn't remember.
If this person was the key to remembering that part of the event, then, she'll… try harder to find him out in her own way! She knows what he looks like after all, she'll eventually spot him someday!
It will take time, but she will eventually get her to answer one way or another.
Very… good!
The voice… she hadn't really acknowledged it as much as she was more focused on her thoughts. It sounded quite child-like all things considered, was it a child spirit helping her out on the apparent memories that she had lost?
Shaking her head, it wasn't the time or place to think about it with a tired mind. She'll get her answers towards that as well, presumably the person had something to do with that. She wasn't sure if he did, but she was willing to bet that it is connected.
After all, it is not a coincidence that the spirit seemed to unlock her memory about the person anyways.
On that note, Shiori finally exited the library, clutching the book that had reminded her about the person that had given her the courage to where she is now.
But she didn't know what the root of the voices was behind her all this time, looking at her with a satisfied smile on her face before disappearing, as if she wasn't there at all.
(Space)
Something that I thought would be fun to explore is a lil' bit subtler Goddess tinkering on the hosts' memories that they have to find who Keima is before they can remember their entire conquest. Sure, it probably doesn't work like that, but it was something that I wanted to plot about with Shiori. :p
Hope you guys enjoyed the read as it was a blast to write about a fandom that had given me loads of inspiration throughout the years.
-Cents