Hoshizume Nao, president of the Student Council. One year above us, and Sanae's best friend. Responsible and helpful, but when necessary, strict and brutally honest. Not someone you want to cross. Those who do usually end up losing. In every sense. Still, she never meddles in people's affairs without a reason, so if she pulls someone aside for a private conversation, it usually doesn't mean anything good.
"President... Did you just ask if it even matters?" Ryūta said, still trying to believe he'd heard her correctly.
"I did," Nao confirmed without hesitation.
"How could it not matter? Of course it does! I–"
"If she were only pretending," Nao cut him off, "would you ignore her feelings?" Ryūta fell silent, stunned by the directness of the question. "I think her letter was clear enough," she added.
"How do you even know about that? Did she tell you something?" Ryūta's voice rose again. "And what do you mean 'if she were only pretending'? Are you saying she really did forget everything that happened over the past two days?"
"Not just that," Nao replied calmly. "She's forgotten everything from the past week, including the disappearance of Aizawa Himeko's body."
"Why…?" Ryūta muttered, barely audible as panic and disbelief spread across his face.
"Because she couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you because of her. That's why she chose to forget."
"She... chose to?" Ryūta echoed. "She chose this willingly? How is that even possible?"
Nao didn't answer right away. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, opaque blue pill. She held it out to him.
"What the hell is this?" Ryūta asked, his voice rising again as frustration took hold.
"The drug Sanae took. The one that erased her memories."
"But why are you giving it to me?" he asked, utterly bewildered.
"I'm giving you a chance to forget her and move on with your life."
"You expect me to take it?" Ryūta asked.
"No. Like I said, it's just an option possibility. The other one is to sever all ties with her. In that case, you get to keep your memories."
"And what if I say I don't like either of them?" Ryūta's gaze sharpened as he spoke. But instead of flinching, the president met it head-on, unshaken.
"Then you die."
Ryūta had always been stubborn. He rarely cared what others thought and never when threats were involved. But this time, cold sweat broke out across his forehead. Nao noticed, and with the same calmness as before, she went on:
"When, where, how, by whose hand, or whether it'll be fast or painful, no one knows. But your death is inevitable."
"You can't be sure..." Ryūta said, though even he didn't fully believe his own words anymore.
"I can. That's just how the underworld works. You don't have to decide right away, but don't wait too long. If you do, I won't be able to help you anymore."
With that, the president ended the conversation and turned to leave. Ryūta stood frozen for a moment, then snapped out of it just in time to call after her.
"Wait! Who are you, really?"
"Hoshizume Nao, the president of the Student Council of Honshitsu Preparatory High School. That's all you need to know."
As she disappeared down the hall, Ryūta looked once more at the pill she had given him. Then, with his hand clenched around it, he punched the wall.
"I can't accept this... Damn it!"
A few minutes later, the bell rang and classes began, forcing him to return to his seat. But he couldn't focus. The teachers' voices went in one ear and out the other. A couple of times he was called on, but never had to come up with an answer on the spot, so he managed to avoid getting chewed out.
Over and over again, Ryūta turned the blue pill over in his hand, replaying his conversation with the president in his mind, each time leaving him more uncertain.
"If I take this, I'll forget everything that's happened in the past week. I'll forget about Hime's body disappearing, and that scary night Sanae followed me home. I'll go on living my life like nothing ever happened. Like I never went to that teahouse with Shinji, or spent those quiet, intimate moments with Sanae. I'll be who I was two years ago... I don't want that! I don't want to be alone again!"
The hours passed, one after another, blurring together in his mind. Ryūta completely lost track of time. Even during the lunch break, he never got up from his seat. He only snapped out of it when he felt a hand on his shoulder. As he turned around, he saw his friend, and a quick glance around the classroom revealed that the final class had ended some time ago. Students were already gathering their things and getting ready to head home.
"I'm guessing that talk with Sanae this morning didn't go too well," Shinji said.
"That's an understatement…" Ryūta sighed bitterly.
"Given the situation, I figured it was best not to bother you," Shinji continued, "but if I hadn't said something, you'd probably still be sitting here after dark. And you haven't eaten all day."
"Putting that aside, I have a question," Ryūta cut in, deflecting the scolding with such sudden determination that Shinji was momentarily caught off guard.
"Y-yeah?"
"What kind of person is the president?"
"Where did that come from? Did something happen between you two?" Shinji asked, his eyes widening.
"No, nothing special. Just curious," Ryūta lied, he didn't want to worry his friend any more than he already had.
"She's really kind. Honestly, I don't think I know anyone kinder than her. Sure, she might seem strict or cold sometimes, but that's just how she comes across. Deep down, she's incredibly warmhearted and compassionate. That's why I want to help her however I can. I've still got a lot to learn, but I hope that someday, I'll be able to stand beside her as an equal."
The boy didn't need another word. Hearing Shinji speak of her with such admiration, almost worship, and seeing the pride sparkling in his eyes, Ryūta couldn't help but begin to trust her, even if just a little.
"I see. I've got something to take care of, so go on ahead. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, then turned and left his dreamy-eyed friend behind. Shinji didn't even notice he was gone until a few moments later, when Ryūta had already disappeared through the door.
"If Shinji's right, then the president didn't mean to scare me. She was really just trying to warn and help me. That probably means that if I don't cut ties with Sanae, I might actually be in danger. Still, I'm not entirely convinced this isn't just some elaborate prank. But is it worth the risk? If it's real, and the underworld is involved, I don't stand a chance. The smartest thing would be to just give up…"
Those thoughts were running through his mind when he nearly bumped into Sanae again at the stairwell.
"Oh, you're still here?" he said, stopping just in time to avoid crashing into her.
"Y-yeah… I left my notebook on my desk," she said, turning her eyes away.
"I see… Why won't she look at me? Is she still upset about this morning? Honestly, I wouldn't blame her. I put her in a pretty awkward position, even if I didn't mean to." Ryūta hesitated, lost in thought, not noticing that Sanae was trying to slip past him.
"Um…"
"Maybe she hates me now… Well, I've got nothing to lose anymore."
"Do you need something from me?" Sanae asked again, this time a bit more directly.
"Four hundred and twenty-six yen," Ryūta replied without hesitation. Their eyes finally met. Seeing the uncertainty in hers, he went on: "That's how much the fish that got burned last night cost."
"Oh, right…" Sanae mumbled, already reaching into her bag for her wallet, until she realized he'd tricked her. Lowering her gaze, she stood still in front of him as he confronted her:
"So you do remember... Why the act? You even dragged the president into it."
"Because I thought maybe you'd give up."
"Is this really just about not wanting me to get hurt?"
"Mhm..." Sanae nodded, and Ryūta let out a long sigh.
"Sanae, do you remember what you said to me last night? You said you trusted me."
"I do."
"We agreed that I wouldn't ask questions, and in return, you'd let me know if you needed help."
"I never promised anything like that!" she laughed suddenly, catching Ryūta off guard. He frowned, stepped closer, and grabbed her cheeks with both hands, pulling on them until her voice distorted.
"Ow ow! Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I did, I did!"
"Well, since you didn't hold up your end of the deal, I'll ask anyway. What is it that you really want?"
"What I want doesn't matter. It never has..." she answered bitterly, and without warning, turned on her heel and ran off.
"Sanae!" Ryūta called after her, but she didn't respond. "Great. Nailed it again... What was I even thinking? I touched her without asking, like we're close or something. I can't even say I really know her. I don't know her, do I?" he mumbled, then suddenly clutched his head. A sharp, stabbing pain shot through his skull, blinding him for a split second. "What the hell was that? Felt like my eye was about to explode… And I saw something just for a second. Like a memory, but... I can't pull it back. Doesn't matter. I have to apologize to her!"
The pain faded almost as quickly as it came, and with it, the memory of the strange sensation blurred as well. Ryūta exhaled deeply, already focused on making things right. He remembered she'd left her notebook behind, so he headed back to the classroom, hoping that if he returned it, it might give him a chance to talk to her again.
Looking out the window, Ryūta spotted Sanae almost immediately. To his surprise, she hadn't gotten far. She was sitting on a bench in the school courtyard, not too far from the main building where he stood. As he approached, the reason became clear. Both of her knees were scraped raw.
As much as he wanted to ask about her injuries right away, he decided it was best to start with the reason he'd come after her in the first place.
"Can I sit with you?" he asked.
She nodded, and he sat beside her.
"I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't stick my nose into things that aren't my business."
This time, Sanae shook her head.
"No, I should be the one apologizing. It wasn't fair of me to run off like that. You were only trying to help. And... this is what I got for it." She motioned toward her legs.
"Those look really bad. Can you stand? I'll walk you to the nurse's office," he offered.
"No need. They'll heal soon."
"What?"
"You were right about what you said yesterday. I do have an ability that heals my smaller wounds almost instantly. I've tested it a few more times since then," she said softly, eyes lowered. Then she showed him her left hand.
"What did you do to yourself?"
Her palm and fingers were covered in pale scars. Ryūta was certain none of them had been there the night before. And from the look of them, they'd once been long and deep wounds that should've taken weeks to heal.
"There were even more, but those were smaller. Like last night, they healed instantly."
"How is that even possible?" Ryūta asked, but the uncertainty in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. "I see..." he murmured, then continued. "Yesterday, you said that what you want doesn't matter. That it never has. But that's not true. At least, not to me." Sanae looked up. "I won't push you. But I need to hear it from you. What is it that you want?"
Just like back in the school building, Sanae tried to run away again. But this time, Ryūta was ready for it and grabbed her hand before she could even get up.
"Whatever it is, I'll respect it. If you tell me to leave and never show my face again, I will. But I won't let go until you say it clearly and honestly."
Her voice trembled as she replied.
"I... wan... be... frien..."
"I can't hear you," Ryūta urged gently.
"I... wanna... be... your frien... Ka...gayaki-kun..."
"Still not getting it."
"I want to be your friend, Kagayaki-kun!" she finally blurted out, nearly shouting, completely overcome by her emotions.
"Then be my friend!" Ryūta shouted back, just as passionately.
"I can't!" she protested, jumping to her feet. Ryūta immediately followed.
"Why not? Because I'll be in danger? Do I look like I care?!"
"You have no idea what you're up against!"
"Then I'll get stronger! I'll find a way to protect you!"
Stunned, Sanae realized she couldn't break his resolve. At last, she gave in and looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Will you really protect me? Can I trust you?"
"You have my word. I won't let anything happen to you."
That was all she needed. Her lips quivered, her eyes welled up with tears and moments later, she threw herself into Ryūta's arms, sobbing.
"H-Hey, don't cry!"
"I can't help it! I'm just... so touched!"
"All right, all right," Ryūta said, gently patting her head as he drifted into thought. "Yeah, maybe giving up would be the smart thing to do, but it wouldn't be right. Sanae would still be in danger, and I can't just stick my head in the sand. Besides, it might actually be worth staying on good terms with her and with the president. I can't explain why, but I feel like Mafuyu isn't just some dream. She feels real, and Sanae's connected to her somehow. As for the president, she talked about the underworld like she knew it personally, but she doesn't seem like a bad person. There's still nothing new in the investigation and honestly, I don't think there will be. Regular criminals don't go around stealing corpses. There's something bigger going on here. And if I can earn the president's trust, maybe she'll help me figure out what it is."
"Ryūta?"
"Huh? What? What's wrong?" He blinked, snapping out of his thoughts.
"You spaced out for a second. Is everything okay?" Sanae asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine... Wait, did you just call me Ryūta?"
"Oh! I'm sorry! I just thought, since you call me by my first name and we're officially friends now... maybe it wouldn't bother you..." she trailed off, looking sheepish.
"No, not at all! I'm glad, really. It just caught me off guard," he reassured her with a smile.
"Thank goodness! I was afraid I might've crossed a line..." Sanae exhaled, visibly relieved.
A pause settled between them before Ryūta spoke again.
"How's your leg, by the way?"
"Completely healed. Look," she said, taking a step back so he could see for himself.
"It really is unbelievable... but I'm glad," the boy said, smiling with a warmth that, though it faded slightly, never left his face, even as Sanae looked at him with concern.
"So... what now?"
"I don't know yet," Ryūta admitted. "But we'll figure it out. Together. Let's go home."
"Yeah!" she replied with newfound cheer, and the two of them started walking toward the school gate side by side.
"This isn't just about Mafuyu or Hime. I want to protect Sanae—and I will. No matter what it takes..."
Hours later, as Ryūta stepped over the threshold of his apartment, the door suddenly slammed shut behind him. A cold draft had swept through the place. It was coming from his room, where he found the window wide open.
It wasn't like him to forget to close it, but he didn't rule it out entirely. Maybe he'd just been careless. He tried to stay calm, and he managed to, until he reached his desk.
He found Sanae's farewell letter there, the very same letter he had taken with him that morning and had somehow lost in the school courtyard.
Her neat, round handwriting was still visible on the slightly crumpled paper, but above her words, a message was smeared across the top of the page, written in what looked like dried blood:
"Wrong choice."