AN: Hello again, dear readers! I should probably be studying for an important exam I've got coming up, but here I am, sitting at my laptop writing this. Well, it should be fine. Hopefully. Maybe I'll just leave the biology textbook open on my desk and sneak a peek every now and then. Yeah, that'll be enough.
Anyway, if that didn't make it clear, I will be quite busy with studying this semester, but not too busy to cease writing! And only having to juggle between two stories instead of three like back when I was writing Changing Fate also helps.
Not much else to say, so let's get back to the story!
Chapter 2 – Second Meeting
"I'll see you again on Monday, sensei."
I closed the door behind me as I exited one of the many lecture rooms at the University and let out a sigh. They certainly don't make it easy… I took out my phone from my pocket and checked the time, confirming that I still had over an hour until our designated meeting time. After quickly sending a reply to Yuri's message about her leaving work that I had received earlier, I pocketed my phone again and looked down the hallway, where a familiar figure was walking closer.
"How did it go, Yuzuru-kun?" Kotegawa Yui asked as she walked up to me, offering a can of tea to me with one hand, which I accepted from her.
"Yagami-sensei said it was possible, but difficult. My easiest choice would be to drop out and then reapply for the healthcare course next year. Since I've already put so much time and effort into this, though, I don't really feel like doing that – even if I managed sort something out with the faculty that allowed me to skip ahead in my studies, seeing as I've already finished everything from my first year." I explained to Yui as I opened the can of tea, then began to down the liquid, my throat feeling a bit dry after talking with my teacher. It would mean that I could reapply at the same time as Yuri, but even then, I will likely get to advance in my studies immediately, while Yuri would have to go through her first year like normal.
"That… does seem unfortunate… Ah, b-but if you're doing it for my sake, you d-don't have to go that far! I won't cease being your f-friend just because we started going to different classes and lectures." Yui fidgeted in place as her gaze darted around, a slight tint of red making its way onto her cheeks.
"I know that, Yui-san." I replied and smiled at her, which seemed to finally get Yui to focus her gaze on me. "I just don't feel like wasting all the effort I've put into studying, since my interest in healthcare is only a recent development. Haah… I'll need to talk to Yuri about this as well, see if she already knows what she's going to apply for next year..." I lifted up the can again to take a sip, and saw Yui staring at me intently.
"You… should do what you want to do, Yuzuru-kun. Don't think of the time you've spent in economics as wasted – you've learned a lot, have you not? If you really want to become a doctor, like you did back in… your previous life, then you should follow that dream." Yui said to me, then smiled gently. "I know that you of all people are capable of achieving your dreams, Yuzuru-kun." A few moments of silence passed as we simply stared at each other, before Yui blushed again and looked away, beginning to fiddle with a strand of her black hair. "S-sorry, was it weird for me to s-say that?" A small chuckle escaped my lips, and Yui glanced at me with a questioning look. Yui-san… I really am glad we were able to become friends.
"Not at all, no. You… make a lot of sense, but..." I looked away from Yui, my gaze landing on the can of tea in my hands. "...To be honest, I don't really know what my dream is. I spent high school trying to figure out a future, and just ended up going for economics, since I knew it would land me a job regardless of what I did in the future. Then all of this stuff with Yuri happened, and… well, there's only one thing I know for sure." I looked back up at Yui, meeting her brown eyes with my own. "I want to stay together with Yuri. As long as I'm with her, I'm sure things will work out." A few seconds of silence passed, before I realized what I had just said, feeling a twinge of guilt go through me. Yui-san… "A-ah, sorry, was that… insensitive of me to say in front of you?" Yui blinked once, then shook her head at me.
"No, it's fine, Yuzuru-kun. I know that after you initially told us about your relationship with her, you've been avoiding the subject around me and Tachibana-san." Yui said to me, and I guiltily looked away. "I… appreciate you being thoughtful, Yuzuru-kun, but I don't want you to not talk about it. I've accepted it already, so you don't have to worry about me. I know Nakamura-san makes you happy, and you being happy makes me happy as well. So… don't shy away from talking about it." I looked back at Yui, who was now smiling at me, and I felt a smile of my own forming on my face. If Yuri hadn't appeared like this, I'm sure I would have eventually fallen in love with Yui-san instead. But, I am glad things did turn out this way.
"...Thanks, Yui-san. I'm lucky to have been able to get a friend like you." I replied to her with a smile, pushing away the guilt I felt upon saying it. "Though it would have been nice if you weren't so hostile with me for the longest time." I then continued with a teasing tone, seeing Yui's cheeks redden again.
"T-that was… Hmph, your time with Nakamura-san has made you cheeky..." Yui let out a sigh, but kept smiling. "Anyway, shouldn't you get going, soon? You were going to meet up with those 'Afterlife friends' of yours, right?" She then asked me, prompting me to check the time quickly.
"There's still plenty of time, we aren't meeting up until half past three. Kanade hasn't even finished for today, yet." Yui nodded to me in reply. "Since I've got some time to kill… Should we head to La Soleil and wait for Kanade there? We were going to meet up there together with Mikado-sensei anyway before heading to the net cafe where the proper meeting is being held." I took another sip of my drink as Yui's eyes widened at my words. We were initially going to hold the meeting at La Soleil this time, but then ultimately decided against it, considering that with Mikado-sensei now joining us, our group size has only grown. The net cafe had great privacy, so I'm not complaining.
"Eh? With… me?" Yui asked, and I met her gaze with my own, now also noticing the blush having returned to her face. "Wouldn't you… much rather wait for Tachibana-san with Nakamura-san instead?" Yui looked away from me, only sending shy glances my way. She clearly still hasn't gotten over her feelings for me… It pains me a little, but… She did say not to worry about her.
"Yuri's still home in likelihood, as she said she needed to freshen up after work before she heads out again, and she'll tell me when she's coming to La Soleil to meet up with us. Just because I'm in a relationship with her doesn't mean I can't spend time with my friends, even if they are also girls." I smiled at Yui, who met my eyes again, then sighed and allowed a small smile onto her face.
"...You're right, of course. Sorry, Yuzuru-kun. I know you two trust each other fully, I shouldn't have doubted that." Yui said and shook her head briefly, then pointing down the hallway. "So… I-if you'll have me… Shall we go?" I let out a small chuckle of amusement at Yui's fidgeting, then, ignoring her questioning look, nodded in reply to her question and began to walk down the hallway, and Yui followed after me.
As the two of us made our way out of the University building, I could feel gazes from the other students on us. I doubted people suspected Yui and I of being in a relationship, but if they knew what she had been like with me before, they would undoubtedly be confused. The gazes didn't bother me much at all, but I could tell Yui was being overly conscious about them, as she slowed her gait slightly, so as to not walk right next to me. Though, the fact that she still spoke with me meant that her attempt at making it seem like we weren't walking together was more or less in vain.
After leaving the university grounds behind, Yui and I began to make our way to La Soleil. On the way, I sent a message to Kanade to inform her I'd be waiting for her there, as well as to Doctor Mikado and Yuri, receiving a reply from the latter saying that she'd be there by the time Kanade finished with her lecture. Yui seemed to become more comfortable with walking together with me, now that we were away from the prying eyes of the students at our Uni, and I mentally thanked her for that. I wasn't too fussed with people seeing us together – we are only friends, after all, and spreading rumours is more fit for High School than University – but knowing that she was feeling awkward about being with me only made me embarrassed as well. She said she's accepted the fact that Yuri and I are together already, but… Feelings like hers won't go away so easily. It will probably be a while before she's able to act more relaxed around me. Hmm… Maybe hanging out together with her while Yuri is with us could help..? I don't want to make her feel like a third wheel, though…
Before I let any mopey feelings make themselves known, I cleared my thoughts, just in time to see La Soleil appear as we turned a corner. It was a Friday, so there seemed to be more customers than usual, judging from the amount of people I could see entering and exiting. Kashou's "cat cafe" idea might have also taken off, which would undoubtedly bring more customers. I'd imagine he'd need to get a permit to start doing something like that officially, though. I glanced at Yui as we got closer, and she turned to me with a raised eyebrow when she noticed my gaze.
"Have you been to La Soleil this week, Yui-san? Yuri and I visited on Tuesday, but I haven't been here since." I asked from her.
"Yes, I came here yesterday. Why do you ask?" Yui replied and asked in turn as we arrived at the entrance to the cafe, stepping to the side to allow a middle-aged woman exit.
"Oh, I was just wondering if you knew anything about Kashou-san's… cat scheme or not, whether or not he's continuing it." I replied as we stepped inside, my gaze immediately being drawn to one of the tables off to the side. "...Though, I guess that partly answers my question." I pointed towards the table, and Yui followed it until her gaze met what I was also looking at.
Sitting alone at the table with what looked to be a cup of tea in front of her was a black-haired girl who seemed maybe a little younger than us. What had brought my attention to her, however, was the cat sitting in her lap. Its fur was a very light brown in colour – very much blonde, if I were to compare it to a hair colour – with a slight hint of orange in it. As the cat turned its head towards Yui and I, a pair of green eyes stared back at us, and the peculiar-looking curled ears at the top of its head twitched in curiosity. After it meowed at us as if in greeting, the girl holding it lifted her gaze to us, her blue eyes meeting mine as she did so.
"...An American Curl..." Yui's said quietly, as if in awe, and stared at the cat intently, before she began to make her way over to the girl currently holding it, who now shifted her gaze to Yui.
"Another one of Kashou-san's cats, huh? I guess he does need to get them used to customers if he's going to go through with his plans." I thought out loud as I followed after Yui, who was almost in a trance as she reached towards the cat, while the girl holding it frantically looked between the two of us.
"Um… What..? Can I..?" The girl's voice seemed to snap Yui out of her trance, as she stopped in place, blinked once, before taking a step away with a blush on her face.
"A-ah, sorry! I-I didn't mean to startle you." Yui apologized quickly in embarrassment, not meeting the gaze of the younger girl. "It's just… I've never seen an American Curl before in the flesh, so I got a bit excited..." Yui said as she fidgeted in place. So that's the cat breed, then? It must be named after those funky ears.
"I-it's okay, don't worry. I was just a little surprised." The girl replied, and the cat in her lap meowed again, as if in agreement. I've never seen her here before… Well, I've only really become a 'regular' at La Soleil recently, but she's definitely not a student at our Uni. Perhaps she's someone who Kashou-san knows?
"Oh, if it isn't Otonashi-san!" Upon hearing the familiar voice of Kashou, I turned around and saw him making his way over to us. "I didn't notice you entering. And you're… Kotegawa Yui-san, right?" Kashou then asked as he directed his attention to Yui, who nodded in reply.
"Ah, yes, I am. I… come here often, but we haven't talked much." Yui replied to Kashou, who smiled back at her. "Is… Is this cat yours, then?" Yui asked and pointed at the feline, still sitting in the lap of the black-haired girl, who I now noticed was looking at me quite intently.
"Yes, one of the six I own." Kashou said and reached out towards the cat, and it raised its head to meet his hand as he gave it a few scratches behind the ears and under the chin, causing the cat to purr happily. "She's called Maple, and she's the second oldest of the cats I own. She's like a calm and refined lady, so I figured she'd be able to behave herself and fit in well with the customers. And while she's only been with Nakano-san so far, it seems my guess was correct." The black-haired girl reacted to what I assumed was her name being said, as she shifted her gaze from me to Kashou, then quickly back to me and Yui.
"Um, sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Nakano Reimi." The black-haired girl gave us a small bow, and I noticed a piercing on her earlobe as her hair fell past it.
"I'm Otonashi Yuzuru, nice to meet you." I introduced myself as Nakano raised her head.
"And I'm Kotegawa Yui, as Kashou-san just said." Yui followed up after me.
"Hehee… Look at you, Otonashi-san, bringing in another girl to my establishment." Kashou said with a grin and playfully patted me on the shoulder. "You youngsters these days just can't commit to one relationship. Are you sure you won't get scolded if I tell on you?" Yui seemed to shrink in embarrassment at Kashou's implications, while I simply sighed.
"Stop it, Kashou-san. Yui-san and I are friends and classmates, that is all. Oh, but I am curious about you two. Is Nakano-san a friend of yours, Kashou-san? Seeing as you've entrusted Maple here with her and all." I asked in turn to shift the conversation in another direction, which Yui seemed to appreciate. Besides, Yuri knows I'm here with Yui-san, so there's nothing for her to worry about – and she trusts me enough to not worry in the first place.
"Oh, no, we only met today." Kashou replied with a smile, glancing at Nakano briefly, who met his eyes with her own. "She walked in here a while ago and looked a little lost, so I figured Maple could keep her some company." Kashou reached out to Maple again and gave the cat some more scratches under the chin. Heh, that cat is like pudding in his hands… Kashou-san's cats must be very used to getting attention from him back home.
"D-don't say it like that. I… I heard about this place from a friend of mine, so I wanted to come and check it out… Kashou-san asking me to look after Maple came as a surprise." Nakano said as Kashou pulled his hands back, and Maple let out another meow. I guess she must know someone at the University, then? Maybe an older sibling, since she seems to be high school aged. Though, I would think that she wouldn't refer to a sibling as a 'friend'.
"You're welcome to come here any time for her, Nakano-san. I'd bet you Maple has taken a liking to you – while she is a good kitty, she is often too prideful to lie on the laps of strangers, but you seem to be an exception." Kashou said with a grin, then turned to Yui and I. "Well, this is purely a trial run so far, though. I'm expecting an acquaintance of mine to come and check my establishment before I can start to fully advertise it with the cats and such. But, enough idle chit-chat. You two will no doubt want to order something, eh?"
"Yes, we very much would." I replied to Kashou, then shifted my gaze to Nakano. "Do you mind if we sit here? We're waiting to meet some friends of ours."
"Uh, sure, I don't mind." Nakano replied, and I nodded to her, then moved to sit down on the free seat next to her, while Yui took the seat opposite to me. "Ah, um..." The younger girl's eyes seemed to widen as I sat down, and I lifted an eyebrow in confusion at her. Hm? Did she… not want me to sit here..? "S-sorry, nothing." Nakano averted her gaze from me, and the cat in her lap looked upwards curiously. What was with that reaction..? Is she not comfortable with me sitting next to her? She doesn't seem to be objecting, though.
"So, what can I get you two?"
After we gave Kashou our orders I double-checked the time, confirming that there was still time before Kanade was finished for today. Doctor Mikado had also replied to me with an apology, saying that she'd meet us at the specified meeting location, as something had suddenly come up and she wouldn't have time to come to La Soleil. I sent her a reply acknowledging the slight change of plans and confirmed that she knew where the net cafe we would be meeting at was located before putting my phone away again.
Nakano Reimi kept silent while taking small sips of her own drink as Yui and I talked about my plans to change courses, though she kept stealing glances at me every now and then. Just before I could ask her anything, our orders – a vanilla and chocolate milkshake for Yui and a Maple tea for me – were brought to us.
"Kashou-san had these done pretty quickly." I commented as Kashou left our table, lifting up my cup of tea to take a sip. I guess this tea is then named after Maple the cat, huh..? Now that I think about it, there was also a Coconut milkshake on the menu… Are all of them named after Kashou-san's cats, I wonder?
"Um..." After I had my first sip of the sweet tea, the girl sitting next to me looked me in the eyes for the first time in a few minutes and spoke. "I… assume you two go to the nearby University, then? Since you were like, talking about that kinda stuff." Nakano said, first looking at me but then shifting her gaze to Yui on the opposite side of the table.
"Yes, we are, both Economics students, though Yuzuru-kun is thinking of changing to healthcare, as you heard." Yui replied to the younger girl, who nodded in response.
"What about you, Nakano-san?" I asked, and the black-haired girl turned her blue eyes to me. "You're a high school student, right? Do you go to the one just a couple blocks away from the Uni?" In reply, she shook her head at me.
"No, I go to a different one. I'm… not from around these parts." Nakano said and lowered her gaze to the cat still contently sitting in her lap, then gently started to pet it on the head.
"Ah, I see. I was just wondering, on the off-chance that you had known someone by the name of Otonashi Hatsune. She's my little sister, you see, and she goes to that high school, which is where I also graduated from. Though, I guess she isn't going there now, and won't be for a while..." I took another sip of tea, and saw Nakano looking at me with a curious expression. "Hatsune is in hospital right now. She broke both of her legs last week in an accident, so she won't be attending school any time soon." I explained to her, and saw her eyes widening slightly.
"Oh, um… S-sorry. Is she… okay? I mean, I know you just said she's in the hospital, but, like..." Nakano's eyes shifted between me and the cat in her lap frantically as her voice trailed off. She reminds me a little bit of Yui-san when she's embarrassed, heh.
"She just has some broken bones, so she'll be fine once they heal. Nothing to worry about." An expression of relief appeared on Nakano's face, before she quickly looked away from me again. I'm starting to think that there's something on my face… "Anyway, what are you planning on doing after high school? Our University is the biggest one in the city, but you did say that you aren't from around here. Sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions, I'm just curious." I then asked from the girl after a few moments of silence.
"It's fine, I don't mind it. But, my plans..." Nakano fixated her gaze on the cup in front of her, seemingly falling deep into thought for a few seconds before speaking again. "I'm… a third-year student, but I haven't really given it much thought until recently. A... friend of mine is planning on going to the same university as you two go to, and… I think I might want to… go there with her. Although, well, we only really met a couple of days ago, but… I want to be with her… Is it weird if I think that?" Nakano lifted her gaze to meet mine, and I smiled at her in return.
"How long you've known someone for doesn't affect whether you can call them your friend or not. I'm a prime example of this. Some time ago, I met someone by chance, and within the same day, we were already the best of friends. Well, I guess there was something else at play there as well that we didn't know about at that time, but… It doesn't change the fact that we became so close in such little time. So, no, I don't think it's weird that you want to stay with your friend. But, you should really think about what you want to do in the future, and make your choices based on that. I didn't think enough, and that's why I'm in the situation I am in now. I keep telling the same thing to my little sister, but I'm not sure she's taking my advice to heart." Nakano looked downwards thoughtfully, and I lifted my cup to my lips to sip my tea again. Like Yui-san said, I shouldn't regret the time I spent studying economics – and I won't. If Nakano-san wants to follow her friend, I won't stop her, but I don't want her to find herself questioning if she regrets her decisions in the future.
"...You're right, Otonashi-san." Nakano spoke again after some time, returning her gaze to me. "I'm… like you, in a way. I haven't thought enough. But the one thing I know for sure is that I want to be with her." Nakano wore a confident smile on her face, and I felt myself smiling as well. Heh, with a line like that, there's even more we have in common. "Are... the entrance exams for your university difficult?" Nakano then asked, glancing between Yui and I.
"Not particularly, no, though they do require higher than average academic knowledge." Yui answered the girl. "Unlike many other universities, ours has the same entrance exams for everyone, no matter which course they want to enrol in, given that your first year will have you studying the same base subjects as everyone else. You will need to make a decision about your course quite soon, however, as you'll start to study the subjects unique to that course towards the end of your first year, and then once you advance to your second year and your desired course, you will study subjects for that course almost exclusively. So, while the entrance exams aren't difficult, many study for their desired course well in advance in order to prepare." Yui explained thoroughly, and Nakano nodded in understanding. "But, you also shouldn't just choose your course based on your friend's choice. Even if you two take separate courses, it doesn't mean your friendship is over. This is the choice you make about your future, it isn't to be taken lightly." Yui glanced at me as she spoke, while Nakano lowered her gaze again, silence falling onto us for a few moments.
"I… know that. And… I'm fine with us not being on the same course, as long as we can go to the same University. I… I'll need to think about this a lot more, but..." Nakano's gaze shifted between the two of us, before she bowed her head. "Thanks a lot. Even this little bit of advice has helped me make up my mind on things." The girl lifted her head and a small smile could be visible on her face, which I returned to her.
"If you're one day going to be a kouhai, then it's the least I can do." I replied to her with a smile, and she seemed to blush briefly before looking away. "Though, depending on how things go, I might start at the same time as you if I manage to change courses, so I'm not actually sure if I'll be your senpai or not." I then continued with a slight chuckle and sipped my tea again, and Nakano turned her gaze to me again with an inquisitive look on her face.
"If… You don't mind me asking something from you in return… Why are you trying to change courses in the first place?" Nakano asked from me as I lowered my teacup. I don't think she'd believe me if I told her the full story, so… I briefly met Yui's eyes, before looking back at the girl sitting next to me.
"I have… some medical skills, but I haven't ever put them into use. And recently, I've learned to appreciate the work that doctors do. As I said, my sister is in the hospital right now, but I actually spent the last weekend there as well due to getting a concussion. A… lot of things happened during my time there, as well as before with all the events leading up to it, but I won't trouble you with all the details. In essence, everything I've experienced recently has made me want to become a doctor myself. Though, I am still not exactly sure whether that is the path I really want to take. So, like you, I still have some thinking to do." Nakano nodded to me in reply, and looked like she was going to say something, but she was interrupted by a buzzing coming from her pocket.
"Ah, sorry, it's my phone." Nakano said as she reached into her pocket and took out her phone, her eyes widening as she looked at the screen. Surprising news? "...I… Must not have noticed how much time had passed..." She said after a few seconds, as if to herself, then pocketed her phone again, with Maple taking the chance to nudge her hand as she lowered it. "Sorry, it looks like I'll have to go now. You… knew Kashou-san, right? He shouldn't mind if I left Maple to you..?" Reacting to her name, the cat in her lap meowed, and I nodded to her in response.
"Yeah, that's fine. We'll let Kashou-san know." I said to Nakano, and she gave me a small nod.
"Right, thanks. For that, and… for the talk. It was… enjoyable." Nakano smiled at me, then lifted Maple off her lap, letting the cat sit down in her seat as she herself stood up. After giving the cat one last scratch under the chin, she drank what was left of her tea and offered us a small wave. "Hopefully… we'll meet again in the future."
"I'm sure we will, Nakano-san. Be sure to introduce that friend of yours next time as well – if she's the one who told you about La Soleil, they must be a great person." I replied with a raised hand.
"You can come to me for any questions you have regarding University. Make sure you think carefully about what you want to do, and I'll be able to help you more." Yui said with a gentle smile and raised her own hand as well.
"...I will, thank you." Nakano gave us a bow, then began to make her way towards the doors, briefly glancing back towards me before exiting La Soleil.
"I wouldn't mind having a cute kouhai like her." I said and offered my hand for Maple to sniff it, then gave the cat some scratches here and there, before turning to look at Yui again and seeing her staring back at me. "Hm? What is it?" Is there really something on my face?
"...I guess you didn't notice it then." Yui replied with a sigh and lifted her milkshake up to her lips. Eh? So there was something? I tried to feel around my face, and even brought out my phone to use the screen as a mirror, but couldn't see anything. "Nevermind, it's nothing, Yuzuru-kun. M-more importantly..." I raised an eyebrow in question as Yui suddenly began to fidget, before she shyly pointed a finger at Maple. "Do you… Could I..?" Oh, I see. I smiled to myself and looked at Maple, the cat meeting my gaze.
"I think Yui-san wants to give you some attention, Maple." I said to the cat and pointed at Yui, who now began to blush. Will she even understand me..? "Go on, she's waiting for you." I gestured to Yui again, and Maple glanced at her, before meowing at me and jumping down from the chair, then walking to the other side of the table and jumping onto the seat next to Yui. Heh, clever girl…
"Ah! M-Maple..." Yui looked at the cat in silence, then slowly reached towards it with a hand, and Maple moved to meet her hand, sniffing it first, then rubbing her head against it.
"Good for you, Yui-san. You'll be friends in no time." I said with a smile, but Yui didn't even seem to register my words as she kept playing with Maple, almost as if she was in a trance. I think she has mentioned before that she liked cats, but I wouldn't have guessed it was to this degree…
It took a little while before I was able to make Yui remember my existence again, and even after I managed to do so, she kept quiet out of embarrassment, since she had shown me her vulnerable side. The awkward atmosphere didn't last too long, though, and soon enough Yuri appeared as well. Immediately she began teasing me about being "on a date" with Yui, but I silenced her by giving her a surprise kiss on the forehead. It was quite embarrassing to show such a public display of affection, but Yuri's face dyed a deep crimson made it worth it.
After recovering from her embarrassment, Yuri settled down to wait for Kanade with us, which didn't take very long, as she informed me via a text message that she had finished for today soon after Yuri's appearance, and arrived at La Soleil herself not too long afterwards. Since we were all now here – with the exception of Doctor Mikado, who I told the others was going straight to the net cafe – I sent a message to Iwasawa and Hinata to inform them that we'd be on our way.
Then, with a goodbye to Yui, who stayed with Maple, we departed La Soleil and started to make our way to our second meeting with the members of the Afterlife Battlefront.
"...So, yeah, in short, Yuri and I are in a relationship."
I gripped onto Yuzuru's hand tighter as Hinata, Yui and Iwasawa stared at us, the former two with looks shocked surprise and the latter with a knowing smile. It's… more embarrassing to tell them like this than I anticipated…
"Well, took you two long enough." Iwasawa said as she crossed her arms. "So, which one of you made the first move?" She then continued with a grin, her gaze flicking between Yuzuru and I. I… guess technically Yuzuru was the first to confess… Then again, would he have done it if I hadn't ran to his apartment that day?
"Wait wait, slow down a little." Hinata said and held out a hand. "Yurippe… You and Otonashi? Together? Because you love each other?" Yuzuru and I looked at each other, then nodded to the blue-haired young man. "I can't believe it… Ah, and here I thought you and I had something special together, Otonashi-kun… Wait, is this something that was even a thing back in the Afterlife?! What about the time we spent together there, Yurippe? Does it mean nothing to- OW!" Yui shut up her boyfriend by smacking him on the head, her expression now one of annoyance and anger. I know they've said before that I was close with Hinata in the Afterlife, and I know for sure that he likes to joke around, but… How close exactly were we..?
"Hey, I am right here, you know?" Yui said in irritation, then sighed and looked to Yuzuru and I again. "This is really surprising, but… Well, they can't even remember anything from back then anyway, you big idiot. That's why we're here today, right?" Yui then continued, shifting her gaze to Doctor Mikado – who was wearing more casual clothes compared to her doctor attire that I had gotten used to – standing to the side.
"Well… about that..." Yuzuru said and rubbed the back of his neck, first glancing at me, then looking towards Kanade, who had taken a seat next opposite to where Iwasawa, Yui and Hinata were sitting.
"Yuzuru was in love with me in the Afterlife, and those feelings were mutual." Kanade's blunt words seemed to catch everyone by surprise as they turned their gazes to the white-haired girl. I've gotten used to her bluntness, but… Did she have to be so direct? "So, no, their feelings don't originate from there. Or, at least Yuzuru's don't, judging by what we know, though I cannot speak for Yuri yet, I suppose."
"Eh? Wait, does that mean..?" Hinata first looked at Kanade in surprise, then shifted his gaze to Yuzuru and I.
"...I guess that's as good of a way to bring up the topic as any." Yuzuru said, glancing at Kanade briefly before looking towards Hinata and Yui again. "While I was in the hospital this weekend… I recovered my memories. All of them. And Kanade did too." Kanade nodded along with Yuzuru, and the eyes of the others widened in surprise.
"Wait, really? That's… Awesome!" Hinata practically jumped from his seat, a beaming smile now on his face. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Hinata grabbed Yuzuru by the shoulders, and he was forced to take a step back.
"Well… I figured it would be best if we told you when we were face-to-face like this. Plus… there was a lot going on over the weekend and at the start of this week, like Yuri and I getting together, so there wasn't really any chance to tell you all..." Yuzuru rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, and Hinata let go of his shoulders.
"When did you recover your memories exactly, Otonashi? Did you already have them when I visited you on Sunday?" Iwasawa was now the one asking the question, and Hinata turned to face her as well. "And how did you and Kanade regain your memories exactly?" Yuzuru suddenly flinched next to me, which was not left unseen by Iwasawa's keen eyes. Kanade has already said she and Yuzuru loved each other in the Afterlife, but are they going to tell what happened? I don't think Kanade would mind, but…
"A-ah, no, I didn't. I… remembered everything on Sunday evening, when… Kanade came to visit me in the hospital. Then I spent most of the night sleepless as I mused over all of my memories and… other things." Meaning his feelings regarding Kanade and myself, like he told me after everything that happened on Monday… Heh, we were both so stupid for such a long time. Yuzuru was attracted to me for the longest time without realizing it, and didn't know about my feelings either. Well, at least things turned out fine in the end. "As for how I regained my memories… The near-death experience I had on Friday helped a little, but ultimately..." Yuzuru trailed off as his gaze moved between Kanade, myself, and Doctor Mikado, who smiled at him as she held a pen and notebook in her hands. Oh, he's never going to be able to say it out loud.
"Yuzuru and Kanade loved each other in the Afterlife, like Kanade said, and this love of theirs had linked them together, even in this life." I said, and everyone's gazes turned to me. "So, when the two of them shared… an intimate moment together, they were able to remember everything." Yuzuru blushed next to me, and I could even see a hint of red on Kanade's cheeks as well – a truly rare sight to behold – while the expressions of the others ranged from various degrees of surprise to shock.
"I-it was just a kiss!" Yuzuru quickly added after I finished, and despite the situation, I felt myself grinning at his embarrassment. "But… yeah, that's how things went."
"Well, that certainly explains your reluctance to talk about what had happened between Tachibana-san and yourself when I interrupted you two that evening." Doctor Mikado said with a sly smirk, her gaze shifting between Yuzuru and Kanade.
"...I guess that does make a bit of sense, given that each of us has so far had unique ways of regaining our memories from our past lives and the Afterlife, if the two of them loved each other in the Afterlife." Iwasawa seemed to have been caught off-guard by everything as well, as she seemed a bit more awkward than normal. "But that does bring up another question." Iwasawa said after a brief pause and met my gaze with her own. "Otonashi-kun and Tachibana-san have managed to regain their memories, so how about you, Yuri?" In response, I let out a sigh.
"Apart from what little I remembered from the Afterlife on Friday and the memories of my previous life, nothing. I… thought – or perhaps hoped – that being with Yuzuru would help, but… so far that doesn't seem to be the case." I replied to Iwasawa. I still don't even know what I could try and do to regain my memories either. Iwasawa had her music, Yui and Hinata had each other, and the same goes for Yuzuru and Kanade, but me? Yuzuru and the others weren't really able to come up with anything that was significant enough to me to possibly act as a 'trigger'...
"And that is exactly why we've gathered like this, Yuri." I turned to Yuzuru as he smiled at me. "We all remember the Afterlife, and we remember Yuri from it. We've seen the different sides to her, so I'm sure that together we can help her remember as well." The others nodded in agreement to Yuzuru's words, and I felt a smile of my own appearing on my face. I feel like every moment I spend together with Yuzuru I'm reminded of why I fell in love with him. And that is not a bad thing.
"That's right, Yurippe! You've already made progress, remembering your past life, so I'm sure it will be no time before you'll remember everything from the Afterlife as well! Then we can see about finding everyone else from the SSS." Hinata said energetically, then turned to Mikado. "Oh, but… Mikado-sensei? You told us that you wanted to… study our peculiarities, right?"
"That is correct. Iwasawa-san already told me a great deal when he visited the hospital over the weekend, but there is still a lot to know, and I would love to hear everything the rest of you have to say." Mikado said, her gaze landing on each of us in turn. "Feel free to talk amongst yourselves, I'll be taking notes about my own thoughts and the things you say, and I'll ask any questions when they arise, if that is fine with you? I understand that this is all very important to you, so I don't wish to be a bother."
"Yeah, that sounds great to me. I can probably tell you the most out of us here, since Yuri and I were among those who were in the Afterlife for the longest time… But Tachibana-san will have some interesting things to tell, I'm sure." Hinata turned to look at Kanade. "You messed with that Angel Player thing, right? With your Guard skills?" Kanade nodded in return. Yes, we've spoken about this… We believed her to be an angel at first, but her powers turned out to be 'programmed'… The Afterlife must have been one mysterious place…
"...Maybe with Mikado-sensei's help and insight, we'll be able to understand the Afterlife more, which might then help me regain my memories?" I said, almost musing to myself, then glanced at everyone, while Mikado looked upwards in thought.
"Perhaps, though based on the things I already know, this 'Afterlife' didn't really follow any sort of common logic we know – the whole idea of such a thing clashes with the current scientific understanding of the world." Mikado turned her gaze to me and smiled warmly. "Your friends are the experts here, but I would be happy to help you in any way I can, Nakamura-san."
"Thank you, Mikado-sensei." I gave the older woman a slight bow, before turning to the others. I'll take any help I can get for regaining my memories. If I can't, however… I'll be okay with that as well, as long as I can be together with Yuzuru. But, I do want to remember everything from the Afterlife, if only to find out whether I loved him back then or not. "So, with all the 'announcements' out of the way, let's get this meeting going. The sooner we can get my memories to return the better."
We all took our seats around the table in the private cubicle, with Yuzuru, Kanade and myself on one side and Hinata, Yui and Iwasawa on the other. Doctor Mikado stayed on the side, as she had said, her pen and notebook ready for our discussion. Hinata began by asking questions from Yuzuru about his memories of the Afterlife, with the focus quickly shifting to Kanade, who had the most unique experience of the Afterlife out of all of us. Kanade told us how she came to the Afterlife in order to find Yuzuru, so she could thank him for saving her in her previous life by being her donor, as not being able to do so was her only regret in life. Once she was able to do so after "the shadow incident" and our "graduation" (both events that I had been central in, apparently), she attained peace of mind and was able to pass on. Yuzuru in turn said how he spent a bit of time alone in the Afterlife after Kanade's disappearance, but that he didn't stay for long before moving on himself. Judging by the looks on the faces of Yuzuru, Kanade and Hinata, whatever happened in the last moments they were in the Afterlife was significant to them, which made me frustrated that I couldn't remember anything.
Just like before, and any time Yuzuru had told me about the things he remembers, I could feel Déjà-vu when certain things or events were mentioned, but the feeling was quickly gone. Another problem arose in the fact that while I had been quite close with Hinata in the Afterlife – alongside Yuzuru and Kanade later on – none of them were able to pinpoint anything that could link me to any significant events in the Afterlife. I was able to regain the memories of my past life due to remembering arguably the most significant event in it – the death of my siblings – but while a multitude of various events had happened during my time in the Afterlife, none of the ones they told me about triggered any memories returning. After some musing from Hinata, Yuzuru and Kanade, the three were able to come to one conclusion that might help us: my role during what they had dubbed "the shadow incident".
It had been our last operation in the Afterlife, and I had apparently had a significant role in it – even more so than normally being the leader of our group. However… No-one knew what exactly had happened during its climax. Yuzuru, Kanade, Hinata and Naoi – the hypnotist who I was able to remember partly – had saved me from what they described as "a fate worse than disappearing" during it, but what I had done afterwards was a mystery to them. Whatever I did ended the "shadow incident", but I hadn't told anyone what had happened back then. They believed that it might be something that could act as the trigger for my memories returning, but without knowing what had transpired, there was no way to test that theory.
As the others were trying to come up with more significant events from the Afterlife, Doctor Mikado brought her attention to what Kanade had said about her time in the Afterlife. She had noted it before when I visited Yuzuru in the hospital, but the fact that Kanade had been present in the Afterlife even before Yuzuru arrived there – and had apparently been waiting there for quite some time as well – didn't make sense, considering he was her donor. Kanade said that Yuzuru's heart had indeed saved her and that she lived a content life, but her feelings of wanting to thank her donor pulled her into the Afterlife, where she began to help others who wound up there pass on while waiting for Yuzuru. Mikado had theorized that since the Afterlife and the existence of souls and reincarnation – things that are supernatural by definition – weren't supported by science and the laws of physics, the concept of linear time as we understand it may not apply to the Afterlife at all, and we all agreed with her (even if initially her jargon flew over our heads). We decided to leave the subject for now, as since even Kanade didn't know exactly how the Afterlife functioned, thinking too much would just make our heads hurt with all the wild speculation.
At that point, it had already been about an hour, and Yuzuru, Hinata and Yui – the ones who had been doing most of the talking – wanted to get some drinks for their dry throats and moved to the cafe part of the establishment to get some drinks, leaving the rest of us amongst ourselves in the cubicle.
"Haah… I feel like all this is doing is making me more discouraged about regaining my memories..." I said as I leaned on the table once the others had left. Even if this 'shadow incident' could be important enough to make my memories return, it was supposedly a combat operation, so I don't know what I could do that would relate to it…
"You'll do fine, Yuri. Just don't worry about it too much and make sure not to stress yourself out." Iwasawa said to me reassuringly from the other side of the table. "It's not like there's a big rush for you to regain your memories. I mean, we all just kind of got pretty lucky, I feel, and you have made progress. You remember your past life in its entirety, and that definitely counts for something." Well… that is true, I guess.
"I do find it interesting that what little memories you have from the Afterlife are so fragmented, though." Kanade said and took on a thoughtful pose, and I shifted my gaze to her. "You remembered everything from your past life all at once, and Iwasawa-san's, Yui-san's and Hinata-san's stories are similar – all of their memories came back over a short period of time upon finding a 'trigger'. Mine returned initially in parts, but when Yuzuru and I… kissed, everything else came back at once. We know that simply having others who have their memories speak to one about them doesn't work, even if the things they describe feel familiar, so there has to be something important for each of us that will work." Kanade turned her gaze to me, a small smile on her face. "We just have to work together to find it, Yuri." Hearing the silver-haired girl's words, I let out a sigh and smiled at her, while on the other side of the table, I could see Iwasawa was looking at the two of us intently.
"I know, Kanade, and I'm glad I have you all helping me." I lifted myself off the table and instead leaned backwards, looking up at the ceiling. "Just makes me a little frustrated, knowing that I haven't been able to do anything about this whole thing myself. And it makes me feel just a little bit left out, being the only one without my memories." I heard some shuffling and looked back down as Doctor Mikado took a seat next to Iwasawa and stretched, leaving her notebook and pen on the table.
"If I may offer a suggestion… Perhaps work that requires leadership might help? You were the leader of this 'Afterlife Battlefront' after all, if your friends are to be believed." Mikado said to me and began to look through her notebook, likely revisiting everything she had written down so far about our discussions. Hmmm… Maybe, but… A part-time worker with only a high school degree doesn't get offered many jobs like that… "Of course, there are medical ways of treating memory loss. Though they are mostly used for things such as amnesia or Alzheimer's, and not necessarily anything as outlandish as recalling things from a past life." She then added. Medical ways… I know we used Naoi's hypnosis in the Afterlife to make Yuzuru regain his memories…
"...Would something like hypnosis work? Ayato Naoi was able to make Yuzuru's memories return in the Afterlife by utilizing his skills with hypnosis, so one would think the same could work with me." I glanced between the other three people sitting down with me, my gaze stopping on Doctor Mikado.
"You're asking very difficult questions from a certified medical professional, Nakamura-san." Mikado replied to me with an amused smile, then shifted her gaze back to her notebook. "Had someone asked me something like that a couple of weeks ago, the answer would have been an instant no. Past life regression – recovering memories from a supposed past life via hypnosis – is a pseudoscience, and even hypnosis itself is questionable. Some aspects of it can be and are used clinically, but others are… Well, they are the reason it is generally regarded as a pseudoscience. However… The experiences you speak of could – if they are true like you believe – shake the very foundations of the scientific community and our understanding of the world. With the evidence from Otonashi-kun's medical records and my doubt about you all being so 'conveniently' delusional about the exact same things, I can't help but find myself questioning whether what you're suggesting could actually work." Doctor Mikado explained, and I smiled at her in return. I'm really glad Mikado-sensei doesn't just think we're nutcases, and seems genuinely interested in our unique experiences. I shifted my gaze from Mikado to Iwasawa, who seemed to be deep in thought as she looked at Kanade and I.
"Iwasawa? Is there something on your mind?" I asked from the girl, and she met my gaze with her own, before shifting it to Kanade.
"...Are you okay with this, Yuri?" I lifted an eyebrow in confusion. Okay with… what, exactly? Possibly not regaining my memories? "Tachibana-san said she and Otonashi-kun were in love in the Afterlife, and it seemed like those feelings carried over into this life as well. But, here, you are together with Otonashi-kun." Iwasawa met my eyes again. Ah, I see. So that's what she meant.
"Yuzuru… is still very dear to me." Kanade was the one to speak first, her gaze directed downwards. "Before I awakened these feelings towards him, I had never felt like it in my life. It was… an amazing new experience." Kanade smiled to herself and lifted her gaze, meeting Iwasawa's eyes with her own. "And I believed that were fated to be, but now… I know Yuzuru's happiness doesn't lie with me." Kanade looked towards me, reaching out to place her hand on top of mine. "Yuri is also someone dear to me, and if Yuzuru is happy being together with her, then I am okay with that. She proved to me… that fate can be changed. And that is fine – we shouldn't be shackled by things such as that, is what I have learned." I smiled back at the silver-haired girl and turned my hand around to grasp hers. Meeting Kanade was honestly one of the best things to have ever happened to me. She is such a great friend.
"There you heard it, Iwasawa." I said and turned to the girl on the opposite side of the table again. "I know the two of them had something special together in the Afterlife, and Yuzuru has told me that nothing can replace that time or those memories, those feelings. But… They don't have to be replaced. They can remain, just… in a different form." Just like Yuzuru told me. From romantic, fated lovers to a strong, platonic friendship. The bond stays, but the feelings change shape. "It's all just like Yuzuru said: what matters most is what we have right now, but without disregarding the past." Iwasawa seemed to chew on my words for a little bit, before she smiled and leaned back, her gaze directed at the ceiling.
"...Heh, that does sound like something he'd say. I didn't get to interact with Otonashi-kun much in the Afterlife, but… He always had the same vibes as you did, Yuri. The same vibes that made you our leader." As Iwasawa finished, the door of the cubicle was slid open suddenly, and Hinata stood in the doorway, his face full of excitement.
"Oh, Hinata. What's up? You finished with your drinks yet?" I asked from him, and he turned his gaze to me.
"Yurippe! We… We found another one!" Hinata said excitedly.
"Another… what?" I questioned, and saw looks of confusion on both Mikado's and Iwasawa's face as well. He needs to be more specific… Unless… he means...
"Another SSS member!"
AN: And finally we're done. Took a bit longer with this than what I would have liked, but at least I'm still keeping to the "one chapter per month" I promised. I have some great ideas for this story, and I am itching to start writing them, so you might see the next chapter come out a bit sooner than this one. But, as I am no oracle, I cannot say that for sure. I hope you'll all continue to stick with and support me in the future!
Until the next chapter, cheerio!