Diary entry

Date: 23rd November 2028 - 7:55 pm

I cannot understand my dreams anymore. They mainly consist of myself walking through this strange plot of land, it is even Earth I'm in? I am not sure, but that was what they used to consist of. Now, I'm walking in darkness. Nothing but large looking lights staring at me. No wait, it's more like a dark violet colour, not completely black and not completely solid either. Ah, what was the name for it again? Damn, I have to ask Renko but she might question it. Oh no, I'm going into a tangent again.

Regardless, thinking too much about it causes my head to spin. It just doesn't make sense, surely dreams can't cause you trauma?

And those awful nightmares, did something happen in my youth I blocked out of my memory? Something horrible that I didn't want to remember? It makes me curious yet worried, I want to know what happened. Yet, if it was something my brain had to remove from my memory, should I try to retrieve it? Would it make my symptoms worse, change them? Change me? I do not know, and I wish to keep it that way for now. My decision may change in time, but I do not wish to open the box with a 50% chance of the cat being dead.

References aside, I am still worried about Renko. Whatever happened to her two years ago still has its grip on her and now she wants to go back to the same place that cause her misery. That accident is the only reason why I never brought up that shrine since, as any mention of it caused her to quieten through the first month or two of her recovery. Now, it feels like she completely disregards it and pretends it never happened, which I believe resulted in that argument in the cafe a few days ago. I swear her impulsiveness and stubbornness will be her downfall one day. It's funny to think that she was quite shy when we first met, although it was pretty coincidental now that I think about it.

But anyway, I hope these new dreams won't cause any more trouble for myself. Or have become worse, that I fear. Which is the topic I am finally getting to in this diary entry. Something strange happened earlier, something I'm not quite sure is even real. Was it a dream perhaps? My imagination, maybe? At a logical view, I would say so, but I was definitely awake when it happened. There were witnesses, however they couldn't seem to account for Renko strangely. I mean, she was greeted by them when she arrived in the library…

I don't know anymore…

4 hours and 55 minutes ago

Location: Campus Library

Maribel looked up from her laptop to the sound of books crashing to the floor. Immediately, she spotted Renko bowing apologetically to another student before helping them pick up the falling books to place onto the shelves of the bookcases. Maribel gave a silent laugh through her nose, shaking her head as Renko noticed her and walked over to her table.

"I swear one day, you're going to knock over one of the bookcases in your usually clumsy way."

Renko shrugged, before taking a seat on the opposite side of the table so she was facing Maribel.

"I'm happy to pay for them, it's really no big deal."

Maribel rose an eyebrow questioningly. Since when did Renko completely disregard her teasing?

'Must not be in a happy mood.'

"So, any particular reason you're at the library? From what I remember, we didn't agree to meet here and from the time, shouldn't you be in class?"

Renko shrugged, grabbing her hat and placing it on the table. A look of...something flashed across her face. A look Maribel couldn't pinpoint on what it was, but one that Renko definitely does not pull. Lowering the screen slightly, she leaned over to ask.

"Are you alright? You're not feeling sick are you?"

Renko somehow looked offended.

"I am perfectly fine, thank you! Just because I skip one class doesn't mean I'm suddenly cursed with a sickness."

The brunette huffed as she crossed her arms in annoyance, turning her head to stare angrily into one of the nearest bookcases. Maribel narrowed her eyes at the brunette, something felt off with her. Off course, there was the odd time Renko arrived in a bad mood, but this was different somehow. As if she switched personality, but that's impossible...Right?

"Ok! Sorry! I was just curious, jeez."

She continued on her assignment in silence as Renko grabbed one of the books the blonde had on the table and began reading it. Every now and then looking up from the book, which Maribel noted was actually upside down, to stare at the blonde and quickly turning back to the book when Maribel looked up from her laptop. This continued for a few more minutes until they both looked up at the same time, in which Maribel chuckled nervously.

"What? Is something wrong?"

Renko shook her head before placing a finger on her chin in thought.

"No...well, actually yes. there's something that's been on my mind lately."

Maribel rose an eyebrow as she lowered her laptop screen, giving Renko her full attention. Deciding that her essay could wait another few minutes, it wasn't like it was due the very next day anyway. She prompted Renko to continue, in which the brunette did so.

"I've always wondered, how can you see your 'visions'? I mean, can you control when and where you see them or something?"

Maribel narrowed her eyes. Didn't she already tell Renko about this? She definitely recalls sharing this with her, so it's either because she didn't actually and only thought she did. Or Renko has a terrible memory, which as of right now wasn't that unusual considering her attitude.

"I thought I told you already."

Renko stopped messing around with her hat for some reason, almost dropping it onto the table again and simply stared at Maribel with blank eyes, in which began to unsettle her as the brunette looked as if she wasn't going to say anything.

"Huh...you did? I don't remember you telling me."

Renko chuckled apologetically, smiling in a way that didn't seem like herself, no more like it was forced. Maribel raised an eyebrow unconvinced however and instead of refreshing her memory, decided to call her out on it.

"I'm surprised at that. Since your the one who said and I quote 'it'll be better if I was the one who recorded anything related to the Sealing Club' is it not?"

Renko only huffed in response, crossing her arms in the process, prompting Maribel to continue.

"And since it was regarding the club and the fact it was a personal matter I trusted you to know, I would have expected more respect from you to at least remember this and not ask questions regarding it in a public place where others can easily misuse that information for their own gain, Renko."

Renko raised her hands in defence, a look of annoyance as she slid the chair she was sitting on backwards and began to stand up. It might have been the trick of the light or Maribel's eyes, but the blonde swore she saw Renko fizzle out of existence for just a moment, like a game glitching out. But immediately disregarded it to being tired.

"Fine, I guess your not in the mood to talk then. I browse some books in the meantime."

Renko turned and walked away towards the bookcases, leaving a very confused and annoyed Maribel at the table.

'what the hell is wrong with her today? First skipping class, then being pissed off for no reason and taking it out on me! Honestly…'

Maribel shook her head in frustration before continuing with her essay she started, hoping to finish much as possible before leaving the library later.

"Hey, Merry...wake up."

A gentle shake to her shoulder slowly brought Maribel into consciousness, groaning quietly as she slowly blinked her eyes open. Realising that she had fallen asleep as she sat up groggily, rubbing her hand to bring feeling back into it as she had rested on it. Turning to face Renko in confusion.

"Merry, are you ok? I've been told you've been asleep for a while…"

Maribel sighed, rubbing her face tiredly. Looking around to see that the books she had were neatly stacked in a neat pile, her laptop lid closed, most likely out of battery. The soda can, that was already empty by the time she supposedly drifted off, gone. Renko must have thrown it into the bin beforehand.

"How long have I been asleep?"

Renko thought for a few minutes, trying to remember what she was told by the time she entered the library.

"Erm, I think it was a few hours? I wasn't paying much attention as I was trying to find you, I literally came here around fifteen minutes ago after almost an hour looking for you as you weren't answering my texts or calls."

A few hours? that would mean...Maribel fished her phone out of her pocket and turning her phone on to check the time, noticing the missed calls and few unread texts pop up. Realising that it was half five, meaning that she fell asleep around the time Renko arrived.

Wait…

"You didn't skip class today?"

Renko gave Maribel a confused look, laughing slightly at the question.

"What? Why? No, I don't really have an incentive to skip classes. Besides I already said I was looking for you after."

Maribel frowned, turning to her phone again to make sure the time was right, which it unfortunately was. Pocketing her phone as the messaging pop ups only showed the real truth and not the one she experienced. She felt Renko's hand on her shoulder, most likely to comfort her in some way. Sighing as she rubbed her head tiredly, wondering if it was time consuming to think about it.

"I thought you were already here earlier. I mean even some students acknowledged you. You were a little rude, but I was awake."

Renko shook her head, moving away from the table and turning back to the blonde. Waiting for her to follow.

"Wasn't me. I was cooped up in a stuffy room writing notes. Maybe it was my doppelganger."

Sighing as she picked up her things, Maribel followed a chuckling Renko out of the library. Rubbing her eyes, was it a dream? A hallucination maybe?

'Am I going mad?'