Chapter 2: My Daily Life Without Memories
I have amnesia.
I have no memories from more than three months ago, and when I woke up, I didn’t even know who I was.
Am I anxious about losing my memories? Of course I am, and not knowing who you are is terrifying.
Fortunately, I have an older sister, my only blood relative, so I didn’t end up in the terrible situation of not even knowing my own name.
My name is Katsuki Shirakawa.
The younger brother of my only family member, Hakua Shirakawa.
That’s all I need to know if I’m going to live as myself.
My morning, as Katsuki Shirakawa who’s currently suffering from amnesia, starts with making breakfast.
I put on a white apron, check if the rice is cooked in the rice cooker, and take ingredients out of the fridge.
“Sis, wake up!”
After calling out to wake up my sister who’s about to head to work, I skillfully crack eggs and mix them.
“I’ve gotten used to this somehow.”
I started making breakfast about two months ago.
Seeing my amnesiac self being taken care of by Hakua-neesan with her clumsy housework, I wanted to be useful to her, so I started taking the initiative in doing chores and cooking.
“…”
Even after three months, there’s no sign of my past memories returning.
Fortunately, it seems I still have common sense intact, so I can understand what I can and can’t do, which is a bit reassuring.
“Kat-chan, I’m hungry~”
I hear a sleepy voice from the living room.
“Hakua-neesan, it’ll take a little longer, so go change first.”
“Eh~”
“You have work today, remember?”
My sister rubs her eyes sleepily and lets out a yawn.
She’s my benefactor who has been taking care of me since I lost my memories in an accident, and my only family.
She’s also a nurse working at a nearby hospital.
“Kat-chan has become so responsible…”
“Yeah, yeah.”
The name Katsuki Shirakawa still feels a bit unfamiliar, but when Hakua-neesan calls me “Kat-chan,” I strangely accept it without any discomfort, feeling like it’s natural that I’m being called.
“Hakua-neesan, you’re like a three-year-old usually, so at least act properly in the morning.”
“Ugh… W-well, I’m less than a year old, so it can’t be helped.”
“That’s not an excuse at all. What’s with that ‘less than a year old’ joke?”
As my sister sluggishly changes clothes and moves to the table where breakfast is laid out, I place a wrapped bento box near her.
“Here’s your lunch. It’s not all homemade, though.”
“That’s fine, that’s fine… What’s inside?”
I learned to cook over these two months.
To be honest, I can’t say I’m good at it yet, and about half of it is still frozen food and such.
“My masterpiece. Cold Chinese noodles.”
“Noodles?! No way!”
“Haha, just kidding. Come on, let’s eat breakfast.”
I need to eat and go to my part-time job too.
If my sister hadn’t introduced me to it, I would have just been dependent on her.
I didn’t want that, so I insisted a bit and got permission to work.
…For some reason, my sister specified where I should work, but it’s a nice place, so I don’t mind.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Thanks for the meal~”
After finishing breakfast, both my sister and I start preparing.
“Hey, Kat-chan.”
“Hm?”
My sister suddenly calls out to me.
“Are you happy now?”
Maybe she’s worried about me, who has no memories.
If so, there’s no need to worry.
“Haha, you’re a strange sister. Of course I’m happy. Well, I don’t have my memories though!”
“…Ah. Y-yeah, that’s right. Then… it’s fine.”
For just a moment, my sister’s expression clouds over.
I need to get my memories back soon, so I don’t make her worry.
I make that resolution as I sling my bag over my shoulder.
“Well, I’m off to my part-time job.”
[Gao!]
“Oops, I almost forgot about you. Shiro.”
The one that climbed into my bag is a mechanical-looking palm-sized dog named [Shiro].
It’s white and above all, cute and friendly.
But I know it’s not an ordinary robot, so I’ve told it not to show itself in public.
“Ah, h-have a good day!”
“I’m off.”
I reply to my sister and step out the door.
It’s been three months since I lost my memories.
I don’t know what my original memories were like, but I’m sure the previous me lived like this too.
Coffee shop [Circinus].
That’s the part-time job my sister introduced me to, a coffee and sandwich shop not far from our apartment building.
As an employee there, I’m immediately tasked with customer service, greeting customers as they arrive.
“Welcome. How many in your party?”
“Ah, two people.”
“Two people, I see. Please, this way to your table.”
After guiding the two women to a table seat, I pour them some water and wait for their order while doing other tasks.
“Katsuki.”
“Yes?”
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In the quiet atmosphere with a moderate number of customers, a well-built man wearing an apron, grinding coffee beans at the counter, calls out to me.
“What is it, Master?”
The master of Circinus, Mr. Tsukasa Shindo, who hired amnesiac me.
While keeping an eye on the customers, I respond, and he speaks in a grave tone.
“What do you think about these strange things called Frappuccinos that are popular lately?”
I’m taken aback by such a youthful word coming from his gruff appearance, but I answer.
“…? They’re sweet and delicious, aren’t they?”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
! Image
He wasn’t asking for my opinion on Frappuccinos…?
“These days, young people are always drinking sweet coffee, bubble tea, California rolls, and other fancy stuff.”
“Isn’t California roll sushi?”
“Maybe we need to go with the times too.”
He just ignored the California roll part…
This person is good for hiring me, but he has some quirks.
But I think it’s better not to change the taste too much since this coffee shop has regular customers.
As I’m about to say that, I overhear a conversation between the female customers looking at the menu.
“The Black Knight still hasn’t been found, it seems.”
“I wonder what we’ll do if aliens come again…”
As one of the women mutters anxiously, the other’s face darkens.
“They say the person inside is about high school age, right? …Somehow, it’s pitiful.”
“Come to think of it, such a young person was protecting our lives.”
“I hope they’re found safe.”
“Yeah…”
The Black Knight, huh.
I unconsciously stop wiping the table, and the Master, who seems interested too, listens to the women’s conversation.
“The world is still talking about the Black Knight. How carefree.”
“It can’t be helped. I heard it was something amazing, though I don’t remember.”
It seems some incredible incident happened before I woke up, and it was stopped by someone called the Black Knight.
“Well, it’s not related to you anyway.”
“I guess not. But I hope that Black Knight person is safe.”
“…Yeah.”
It seems I lost my memories because I got caught up in that incident, but it’s not the Black Knight’s fault, so I don’t feel anything special about it.
“Excuse me~”
“Coming!”
Looks like I’m being called.
“Well, I’ll be going then.”
“Yeah, yeah, get to work. Don’t make me lower your wages.”
“I know, I know~”
I head over there with a wry smile at the Master’s words.
As an employee, I need to work hard.
After the busy hours pass and there are hardly any customers left in the evening twilight.
Having finished most of the work, I was wiping the moisture off the washed dishes with a cloth.
“To be honest, at first, I was against hiring you.”
The Master suddenly said such a thing to me as I was silently wiping the plates.
I pause for a moment and give a reproachful look to the Master who’s smoking a cigarette near the ventilation fan.
“You’re being quite frank, aren’t you?”
“I said ‘at first,’ didn’t I? Don’t get so worked up.”
As befitting a master, he’s wearing a neat, predominantly black outfit, and he blows purple smoke towards the ventilation fan.
“You really give off that ‘master of a coffee shop’ vibe, you know?”
“Idiot. It’s not just about the vibe. We’re particular about our coffee too. We’re quite popular, you know.”
“Then please don’t get sidetracked with bubble tea or other trends.”
“Shut up, you’ve got to keep up with trends or you’ll lose out.”
Is bubble tea really a trend…?
I smile wryly at his words and start moving my hands again.
“…When Shirakawa-nee brought you in, you were like a child who couldn’t be separated from his sister. I even thought about firing you if you said anything silly.”
“I was anxious because of my amnesia, you know.”
In fact, I was scared to go outside.
I was afraid of meeting someone.
What if there was someone who knew the previous me? What would they say?
Would they deny who I am now?
For some reason, that was terribly frightening.
“Amnesia, huh. I can’t even imagine what it’s like. How does it feel?”
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s like… there’s a hole in my heart.”
I don’t fully understand it myself, but I try to put it into words.
“I feel like I need to remember something. But I don’t know what it is or why I can’t remember it. It’s a vague feeling that still continues even now.”
“…Is it painful?”
“No, not at all. Because Hakua-neesan and you, Master, care about me.”
“Hah, you’re quite the smooth talker for someone with amnesia.”
The Master chuckles at my joke and puts out his cigarette in a portable ashtray.
Leaving the ventilation fan running, he sits on a bar stool and starts talking to me.
“No way, I was surprised that such a person existed… But I see. The you in your past memories is only in the past.”
“…Pardon?”
I couldn’t help but ask again.
“What’s your name?”
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