A single tear was running down Hiratsuka’s cheek.
“This is because I’m happy. Yes, it’s amazing that you’ve regained your memories. But… no, never mind about me. You should get along well with Tanaka and Hanazono.”
I noticed the change in the atmosphere – something I wouldn’t have picked up on before. Hiratsuka was suppressing her own feelings, trying not to let me sense them.
“Hiratsuka and I were classmates.”
“Toudou?”
I could hear the confusion in Hiratsuka’s voice, but I kept talking. I had realized this was a critical turning point, though I didn’t know exactly what it meant for the future. I just felt that if I didn’t give it my all here, I might never see Hiratsuka again.
“I didn’t recognize Hiratsuka as a classmate.”
Hiratsuka had sat next to me, but I had no memory of her. If we hadn’t met that night, I wouldn’t have even known she existed.
“In middle school, I thought she was just a mean girl, not a friend or anything. I see, I must have erased my memories and awareness of Hiratsuka.”
That’s right, at some point I had stopped acknowledging Hiratsuka’s existence.
“Toudou! Don’t push yourself, you’ll break!”
My whole body was in pain, but it was a necessary pain – the consequences of the harm I had done to others.
So I would accept it.
“We were just classmates, right? We’d run into each other around town and say hi, that’s all. So you don’t need to worry about me.”
“No, that’s not right. Being forgotten is… sad and lonely. So–“
A commotion rose in my chest, a different feeling from with Tanaka.
I was desperately trying to uncover something that wasn’t imprinted on my soul.
“Besides Toudou, I hope you can be happy with someone other than me.”
Why wasn’t she hoping for her own happiness?
This girl from my middle school days, who I hadn’t recognized until recently.
We’ve been running into each other a lot lately, and she’s been giving me advice and encouragement.
Looking at Hiratsuka’s face, she’s a different type from Tanaka – more of a delinquent style.
The more I try to deeply recognize her, the more it hurts.
“I see, trying to recognize you causes interference. Hiratsuka, grab my hand.”
“Eh? Eeeeh!?”
“Do it quickly. This is… important.”
I could sense it. If I forcefully tried to recover my memories of Hiratsuka, I would become a wreck.
It’s different from Tanaka. There’s something missing that’s imprinted on my soul. But I don’t want to see Hiratsuka crying.
Hiratsuka timidly takes my hand. This feeling isn’t new – I must have held her hand before.
At that moment, a passionate flame ignites deep within me, a blinding light.
Parallel processing, recreating memories, evolving further – I send my consciousness back to the past.
My mind splits in two, so I can keep speaking to prevent my entire being from being pulled into the past.
“Recreating memories, searching through them? That summer day when I drank boba tea. Deeper than that… Walking together at dusk, and then–“
In an instant, Eri’s face fills my mind, and everything goes dark.
My instincts cut off the return. I can feel the power fading.
“Why did Eri appear…? Damn it, one more time–“
“Toudou, it’s really okay. I made a promise with Eri.”
“A promise with Eri?”
“Yeah, to watch over you. So the past doesn’t matter. You don’t need me, Toudou. You should get along with Hanazono and Tanaka.”
I speak to sort out my own feelings.
“There’s no unimportant person. I’ve formed a new relationship with Hiratsuka. But I didn’t even try to really know her. I didn’t erase Hiratsuka’s feelings, I erased my memories, and that’s why I lost my feelings for her. But why did my feelings for Tanaka remain even after I erased the memories?”
Hiratsuka gives me a gentle smile.
“I don’t really understand, but maybe it’s because you really loved Tanaka? You didn’t want to forget that feeling of love. Yeah, that’s probably it. I’m not special or anything.”
I loved Tanaka. And I also liked Hanazono. Does that mean Hiratsuka isn’t important to me?
“That’s not true – Hiratsuka is an important person to me too.”
As I speak, my words transform into soul. It’s something I was taught. So I murmur to myself.
My thoughts reach a conclusion. I never believed in intuition before, thinking logic was everything. But you can’t build human relationships with logic alone.
I don’t know how many times I’ve reset things.
In order to be with everyone in the future… In order for me to grow more…
To face everyone after the reset…
“Someday, I have to break the reset.”
A strong will fills my voice. The next moment – the remnants of the Return drag my consciousness back into the past.
It’s a bird’s-eye view of my own past. These are memories I don’t know, the lingering traces of that long night I spent with Hiratsuka.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
Before my third-year summer vacation, I met Hiratsuka in Shinjuku. Hiratsuka teased me for being a stranger in the city. I thought we’d part ways without incident, but I felt an unpleasant presence following Hiratsuka. As a shy person, I mustered my courage.
“Hiratsuka, I don’t know Shinjuku very well. Could you show me around?”
“Huh? You’re interested in me? Didn’t you like Hanazono?”
“Well, Hanazono is an important friend. I’m not that interested in you.”
“Ugh, how annoying! …Whatever, I’ll kill some time with you.”
At that moment, I was so focused on watching behind me that I wasn’t paying much attention to the people coming from the front.
A man’s shoulder bumped into me – no, it wasn’t just a bump, he deliberately shoved me.
“Hey, watch where you’re going! That hurt… Pay the medical fees. Come with me.”
–The remnants of the Return shift the scene.
In the back alleys of Shinjuku, I run up the stairs with Hiratsuka’s hand in mine. Pursuers are closing in behind us.
“Haa… What’s going on? Why am I about to get kidnapped? Are they delinquents?”
“That’s not the same group as before. They’re from an extremist research facility.”
“Huh? Why would they… Wait, how do you know that, Toudou?”
“It’s not relevant to you. But this is bad – the one chasing us is [Miko Shiba]. I’d consider him on par with me. He’s famous in the research world for his high-speed precognition.”
“But I don’t care about that! What if I get kidnapped?”
“You’d likely be brainwashed. Just like me.”
“I don’t get it, but you have to save me! We’re classmates, right?”
We can’t escape this way. We’re led up to the rooftop.
“Hmm, we’ll jump down from here.”
“Huh? This is the roof! How are we…?”
“Hold on to me tightly.”
–The remnants of the Return shift the scene again.
The beautiful evening sky fades away to a dark night. We walk away from Shinjuku, avoiding the trains, heading towards Ichigaya.
“My feet hurt from all this walking… But the sunset was so pretty! It felt super romantic, don’t you think? You know, when you talk, you seem pretty normal. Sorry for making fun of you.”
“Hmm, it’s nice to hear that.”
Hiratsuka is holding my hand. Seems like the abnormal situation was scary for her. The extraordinary is encroaching on the ordinary.
“Well, I’m glad I got to be friends with you today, Toudou! My boring daily life has changed a little. By the way, you and Hanazono aren’t dating, right?”
“Hmm? Hanazono and I aren’t in a romantic relationship, but…”
“Then, maybe we could… Huh?”
“What–“
The other party was one step ahead. I hadn’t let my guard down. But the gentle passage of time had settled my heart. This was my mistake.
The sound of screeching tires and gunshots – Hiratsuka is taken away.
The hand I was holding slips away–
–The remnants of the Return shift the scene.
[I’m a little angry. That person is a civilian. This is a formal request to you. Protect Hiratsuka Sumire. Use any means necessary. Their location is–]
A message from Eri. I grip my phone tightly.
Back in Shinjuku again. The remnants of the Return rapidly change the scenes.
The red-light district, back alleys, a Chinese restaurant, a game center, the hotel district.
And then, once more, Hiratsuka and I are alone in the apartment building.
“Toudou… You should just run. It’s fine, you don’t need to get hurt anymore… If I get caught again, that’s okay.”
“No, that would make Hiratsuka sad. We’ve only just met, but I can tell you’re a good person. I don’t need a reason to save you.”
“But it’s impossible… Toudou, you’re covered in blood…”
“Nothing is impossible. What’s about to happen, keep it to yourself. Hiratsuka and I never met tonight. If I act like I’ve forgotten you in the classroom, don’t mind it. I’ll make sure you can have a normal life.”
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