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Just thought I'd pop in and say excellent fic so far; I like what you've done with your OC and where you're taking the story. Can't really say much that hasn't already been said before, so keep up the good work.

Though, I'd like to make a note that after reading scene 12, I went and got that exact topping combo on my pizza the next day. Kagami doesn't lie.

Solistor wrote:Though, I'd like to make a note that after reading scene 12, I went and got that exact topping combo on my pizza the next day. Kagami doesn't lie.

I swear by this. Literally my favorite pizza.

Having now read this, I immediately regret waiting so long to do so. I was a bit hesitant at first, admittedly, simply because I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The prospect of an OC seemed, to me, like it would wind up as a hit or miss, so I pushed this pseudo-route a ways down on my to-do list. Worst mistake I have ever made, because this is DEFINITELY a hit, I absolutely love it.

I was somewhat disappointed by the fact that none of the characters in the VN seemed musically inclined, especially since I enjoy playing music and was left absolutely amazed by the soundtrack (Which, to be honest, gave me a new appreciation for music.), so adding a violinist to the world is an outright wonderful idea, in my opinion.

All throughout the start, I kept brainstorming every sort of disability that would fit the circumstances you set forth, and I was pleasantly surprised by what it actually was. Very interesting choice, I hadn't even come remotely close to that possibility.

I eagerly await to see how things develop from here.

Hey everybody! Here's the first chapter of Act 3! Sorry about the pun title, I couldn't resist. Enjoy!

Act 3: Tritone

Scene 18: Out Standing in Her Field

It's Sunday, and I'm at a loss for what to do.

I idly check my phone to see if Kagami's responded to my text message yet, but she's probably not awake yet. We didn't say much in the way of goodbyes last night after we got off of the bus—just a quick hug—but I do have a completely indecipherable message from around 4 a.m. sitting in my inbox: "Hishwaaooo. Imdn drnk,. weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

So I guess I know what Kagami will be doing for the foreseeable future.

However, that particular tidbit of knowledge doesn't aid in abating the palpable ennui that's slowly settling over the room. I finished my homework this morning after I woke up—far too early, I might add. Stupid medication preventing me from going back to sleep. Thank god for coffee. I don't know what I'd do without the stuff.

Well, actually, I'd fall asleep in class. And unfortunately only one person in my class has a legitimate excuse for that.

Maybe I just need to get outside. Some physical activity couldn't hurt, especially since I skipped running yesterday and today's my day off.

Speaking of which, I wonder why Emi never responded to me yesterday. Another idle glance at my phone reveals nothing, same as it has been for the past hour and a half.

I let out a long sigh as I exit my room; it's the last in a long line of similarly exhaustive exhalations that don't seem to improve anything but still seem to escape my mouth. Kenji hasn't been around lately, I think to myself as I observe the still-darkened area under my hallmate's door. I wonder what he's been up to lately. I suppose I could ask Lilly if he's been coming to class- cripes, am I started to get worried about Kenji?

Outside. Right. Fresh air, good.

I step outside into the mid-July haze. The rain yesterday has morphed into a slightly warmer and slightly muggier blanket of air, yet still underneath an overcast sky. I briefly congratulate myself on my decision not to wear a sweater vest today. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I've worn jeans and a t-shirt. It feels good- like slipping into a pleasant, nonspecific memory.

Before I know it, I've made my way to the track, which is completely abandoned... save for a lone figure with short, red hair.

One that is currently disappearing into the woods on the other side of the track. Rin?

What the hell is she doing in the woods?

I quickly glance around, but there's no one else in view. Is she going by herself? I guess it wouldn't be too out of character.

For some reason, I find the edge of the woods drawing nearer as my feet carry me across small grassy field in the center of the track. I suppose I'm following her...? I briefly consider how my behavior might be misconstrued as creepy, but I'm honestly just curious about what she's doing. Plus, Rin misconstrues everything anyhow. I duck into the small forest trail in front of me.

Rin keeps a leisurely pace through the woods, not really keeping to a specific path, but stopping occasionally to look at a stream, or to brush up against a large tree with her foot, or to observe a beetle crawling on a bush. Her path doesn't seem completely aimless, though; we're definitely sticking to a specific direction. After ten minutes or so of this, she darts to her right, suddenly, obscuring herself behind a rather dense group of trees. She must have seen something really interesting.

As I move up to peek around the trees, Rin jumps out and plants herself firmly six inches from me, sticking her face in mine and quietly shouting, "Why are you following me, Hisao?"

I jump back in surprise—I didn't think I'd be found out so easily. I guess Rin's more observant than I thought.

"I-I'm sorry. I wasn't... I mean, I didn't think that..." C'mon, Nakai. Now is not the time to be fumbling over your words.

Rin cocks her head to the side, staring at me quizzically, raising her left eyebrow. Her paint-stained black capris complement the plain white tank top she's wearing. It droops lazily across her shoulders, exposing her malformed arms, which aren't really more than small stumps extending past the shoulder. I haven't seen them before... Although they're really not anything other than what I expected to be there, it's making it difficult for me to gather myself and give a coherent answer.

"Hisao?" Rin inquires again.

"Ahem," I say as I collect myself. "I was curious about what you were doing in the woods by yourself." There. That seems to be a sufficiently non-stalkerish answer.

"Uh-huh," Rin says, half-squinting. Then, apparently satisfied with my answer, she turns on a heel and proceeds to continue on her path through the woods. She gets about 10 or so meters away before she turns back. "Are you coming?"

"I guess I am."

Rin and I walk silently through the woods, me always a few paces behind, Rin continuing her pseudo-haphazard method of exploring the forest around her. I suppose I'd find her behavior strange coming from anyone else, but it seems to fit Rin's personality perfectly.

As Rin finishes observing a frog near a stream on our right, she turns back to me and breaks the now-comfortable silence between us.

"Rats."

"Something the matter?"

"We're here. Except that we're was just supposed to be I'm."

Just supposed to be... wha?

Rin notices the dumbfounded expression on my face and attempts to clarify. "I mean that we was supposed to be me. See?"

Oh. "You want to be alone."

Rin nods.

"Then why'd you ask if I was coming?"

"I wanted to know if you were or not. Is that not normally why people ask things?"

This girl is inscrutable. "Rin, I think that most people assume that if you ask someone if they're coming with you, it's a tacit invitation to do so."

"Tacit?"

"It's implied."

Rin pauses. After a moment's thought, she offers, "That's redundant."

"Huh?"

"If you assume something that's implied. That's two assumptions. That's two too many."

"No, that's still just one."

"Still too many."

"Maybe." Note to self: never assume anything with Rin.

Rin begins tapping her foot impatiently. Oh, right. She wants to be... hm.

"Rin?" I ask.

"Yes?"

"I have absolutely no idea where we are."

She blinks several times in quick succession, as if she doesn't understand the concept of being lost.

"Could you show me how to get back? Or at least tell me?"

"I dunno. I just walk until I find the worry tree, and then there's a stream, and then you're out. Easy." She smiles, satisfied with her explanation.

"What's the worry tree?" More importantly, why am I asking? The worry tree is definitely not the largest piece of the puzzle here.

"It's the one... hm," Rin half-answers.

After a moment's thought, she lets out a large sigh.

"Hisao. I am going to show you something now, but you have to promise to keep it a secret."

I falter visibly. "Uh... w-what exactly are you planning on showing me?"

"Didn't plan on it."

"Does that matter?"

"Yes."

I can't think of a response, so I stand with my eyebrows furrowed and my mouth slightly agape.

"Promise," Rin prompts again.

"O-okay, I promise," I state halfheartedly. I'm still not sure what it is she's planning on doing... I wonder if she knows how she sounds when she talks.

Rin darts up the small embankment to our left, through a small opening in between two trees. She stops at the top, ducks over, and motions with her head for me to follow her. I oblige, albeit much less gracefully than her—I almost lose my balance and tumble down the embankment on two separate occasions.

As I climb through the same opening that Rin has now disappeared from, I'm met with a large, open field, full of dandelions for at least several kilometers in every direction. Rin stands a few meters in front of me, slowly turning her head to observe the field around her.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?"

"Didn't want to. Had to."

"That's semantics."

Rin remains silent.

"It's beautiful," I say after a moment's pause.

Rin doesn't turn her head, but speaks as if I were directly in front of her. "I come here sometimes. When I can't think."

"You can't think?"

"I can think. I mean I can't think right. It's hard to paint if I can't think right."

"Hm," I respond. "Does it happen often?"

"I guess."

Another small pause.

"Why does it have to be a secret?"

"There's nobody here. If there were people here then I'd have to find a new place where there are no people to go."

"I'm here, though."

Rin gives a small frown. "You don't count, Hisao."

"Why don't I count?"

"Because you promised not to tell anyone. Two people knowing isn't so bad. That's only one more than before."

"Fair enough," I respond, giving a small laugh.

We stand in silence for a moment, before I suddenly remember that she and Emi are good friends. Or at least they spend a lot of time together.

"Rin, is Emi ok? I didn't see her yesterday morning."

Rin pauses, looking directly at me. "I'm not sure she'd want me to say anything. Emi is very private about some things, and this is one of them."

"One of what?"

Rin stares at me quizzically. "One of those things that she likes to be private about. You're not as observant as I thought you were, Hisao."

"I can be observant sometimes."

"On an average, though. If you're less observant sometimes, then you're not as observant as you would be if you were all the time. You're less observant."

I briefly give a small smile as I attempt to contain laughter. "I suppose you're right."

Rin frowns. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. You just phrased that weirdly, is all."

"Oh. I wasn't aware there was anything wrong with how I phrased that. I suppose that makes me less observant as well." She seems genuinely concerned about this for a moment, but eventually returns my small smile. "Emi is fine, strictly speaking. That's what she told me to say if anyone asked."

"Okay," I respond.

Rin takes the opportunity to seat herself on the hill, pressing her chest against her thighs and resting her chin on her knee. I follow suit, leaning backwards on my wrists and stretching my legs out in front of me.

"Hisao, do you like Emi?"

"She's a good friend," I respond, dodging the question. I suppose I haven't really given much thought to Emi as something more than a friend.

"I meant as a potential sexual partner," Rin clarifies.

I choke on the air halfway down my windpipe. "U-uh, that was awfully s-specific."

Rin turns her head, glancing at me lazily, waiting for a reply.

"I-I haven't really thought about it. I'm kind of seeing someone else at the moment," I say, hoping that will be the end of the conversation.

"Who?"

"Takahashi Kagami, from your class," I answer hesitantly, wondering what Rin will offer up about her.

Surprisingly, Rin gives another trademark half-smile. "I know of her. She seems nice. She plays violin and has a problem with her brain, right? She can't remember stuff."

"If we're being blunt about it."

"I suppose we are."

Rin lazily picks a dandelion with her left foot, gripping it between her toes. I'm kind of amazed at the amount of dexterity she has; although, she has had to live with no arms for her entire life.

"You know, Emi likes you," Rin states flatly.

Really? That seems odd. "I hadn't picked up on that, no. We don't really talk that much when we run as of late," I reply. "How can you tell?"

"Dunno. She gets up every morning to run with you, and Emi likes to sleep in usually."

"That hardly seems evidence enough."

"Does it?"

"I mean, I get up every day to run with her, and I'm not particularly interested in dating her."

"Hm. I suppose so," Rin says, twisting her ankle left and right to get a better look at the dandelion between her toes. "But you're interested in Takahashi."

"I suppose I am."

"You don't sound very confident, Hisao."

"Jeez, Rin. I am definitely, very interested in her."

"Uh huh," Rin trails off. A butterfly has since caught her attention.

Talking to this girl is like an out-of-body experience. I'm never quite sure what she's thinking, or what she's going to say next. I stand up to leave... right. I'm entirely dependent on Rin to get back to Yamaku. Maybe following her out here wasn't such a great idea, after all.

"Rin? How long do you want to stay out here?"

She turns her gaze from the butterfly and stares at me confusedly. "Longer. I like it out here. I haven't started thinking right, either."

I sigh. "I suppose that's fair. Are you sure you don't know where Yamaku is in relation to here?"

"Yes."

"Yes, you're sure? Or yes, you know your way back?"

"The first one."

Dammit. I suppose I'm stuck out here for the time being. Although, the situation could be worse. It could be rain-

I quickly stop myself before I jinx the weather. Although from the look of the clouds overhead, it might already be too late.

I idly slide my phone out of my pocket to check the time, and discover I have a new message from Kagami.

It reads, "I am up and entirely too hung over. Breakfast? I need coffee."

"I'm kind of out in the middle of nowhere right now. Decided to take a walk and got lost, essentially," I reply.

I shut my phone. Rin is currently on her feet and re-engaged with the butterfly, lazily following it around the hillside. My left hand buzzes three times in quick succession.

"You're lost? Where at? Need a rescue helicopter? ; )" reads my phone.

"Har, har. If I knew where I was, I wouldn't be lost. I'll be fine, but you should probably get food on your own. I already ate, anyhow," I type.

Rin has, amazingly, gotten the butterfly to land on her nose somehow. It's slowly flapping its wings as she remains perfectly still.

"Holy crap, Rin. That's incredible," I call out. My voice causes the butterfly to detach from her nose and slowly flit away.

"Aww, you made him leave. He was giving me a hug," she says disappointedly.

"Sorry," I apologize.

Rin trots back over slowly, shaking her head loosely. "It's fine, I guess. Who were you texting?"

"Kagami," I say casually. "I thought it might be a good idea to let someone know I've disappeared to an unknown location."

"You should probably tell someone else, too," Rin says.

"She can remember things better than that, Rin," I reply, a tinge of agitation creeping into my voice.

Rin continues her approach, her brow furrowed. "Not that. She disappeared for a few weeks last year around this time."

"Wait, what?" I ask, startled and suddenly no longer annoyed.

"She missed exams. 'Swhy she had to repeat third year. They had search parties."

"I-I had no idea," I respond, more than slightly stunned. Kagami vanished for weeks? No wonder she failed her classes. I thought it might have had something to do with her memory, but this sounds like a different animal entirely. I wonder if I should ask her... I wonder if she even remembers.

"Do you know why she went missing?"

"They never said, no," Rin says, plopping down on the ground and resuming her original position. I remain standing.

My phone buzzes, indicating a new message. "Aww, ok. Well don't wander off too far. If you're not back by dark I'll have to organize a search party : P"

I slowly close my phone and sit down on the ground. I guess she doesn't remember... I'll reply in a minute.

"Rin, do you know anything else about Kagami?"

"She's a great violinist." She lies back into the grass and drapes her right leg across her left knee. "I wish I could paint like she plays," Rin continues, unaware that I'm still stuck on Kagami's disappearance. I guess I'll have to ask about it some other time.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw her play once. Nomiya took the art club to the city to see an exhibition last year. She was in a string quartet playing in the corner." Rin pauses, searching for words. "It was easy for her. Natural."

"Nomiya?"

"Art teacher. He's fat and usually wears pink," Rin states matter-of-factly. I don't think tact is something she does particularly well. "He wants me to do my own exhibition in the city."

"Huh," I remark. I didn't know Rin was that good. I mean, her mural was pretty fantastic, even though I didn't understand a bit of it. "Are you gonna do it?"

"I'm not sure. Probably not. I don't know if that's the Rin I want to be."

"What do you mean?" Rin's sentences are to clarity as Picasso is to realism.

Rin turns her head to face me. Her emerald eyes flash with deep thought. "The Rin I am right now doesn't want to have an exhibition. I'd have to be a different Rin if I wanted to do that."

"I'm not sure people change like that, Rin."

"Sure they do. They do all the time. You did."

"I did?"

"When you came to Yamaku, you were all mopey. Now you're not. You're a different Hisao. I like this one better."

"Thanks, I guess," I say, not sure how to feel about her very frank assessment of the last month and a half of my life.

"You're welcome."

Rin stares at the clouds for a few moments, carefully observing each. Her eyes dart back and forth across the sky.

"Rin, what did you mean when you said playing was easy for Kagami?"

"I... I just wish I could paint like that. Easy."

"Is it not?"

"Hm," Rin responds, once again sitting up and placing her chin back onto her knee. "No, I don't think it is. I have millions of... things floating around in my head and it's hard to get even one out and into a painting. And it never turns out how I want it."

"If you're saying what I think you are, then you and Kagami aren't so different after all. I'm pretty sure she feels the same way about her music," I offer, attempting to console her.

"You think so?"

"Sure."

"So..." Rin starts, before closing her mouth and furrowing her brow once again.

"I guess what I'm saying is that everyone is their own harshest critic."

"That's not what I meant."

I shrug in response. "Maybe you should do the exhibition. Kagami's playing a concerto with her orchestra at their next concert. That's sort of like an exhibition. It could be fun."

"Maybe."

Rin and I sit in silence for a few more moments. She stares lazily out at the horizon. I pull my phone out and attempt to compose a reply to Kagami, but I quickly realize that I can't think of the right way to ask her what I want to ask, so I simply type, "I'll be fine. Catch you later."

I settle back into the grass and attempt to look at the clouds the same way Rin's been doing. I'm midway through deciphering what looks to be a sheep's head surrounded by cotton candy before Rin's face blocks my view of the sky.

"See anything?" she asks as she stands over me.

"Sheep. Cotton candy. Other fluffy objects," I reply sarcastically.

Rin frowns. "You don't have a very active imagination, Hisao."

"I suppose not."

"I'm ready to go back now."

"Finally started to think right?"

Rin smiles and nods. "Yep."

I stand up and stretch my arms over my head, cracking my back rather enthusiastically. I turn around to follow Rin, who is already ducking into the woods once more.

The mugginess of the day gives way to a slight sprinkle as Rin and I trek back through the forest. The rain doesn't seem to affect Rin's speed, though. In fact, she slows down more than once to observe raindrops alight on the leaves of various ferns and bushes. I suppose I don't really mind; light rain is refreshing, and it's definitely nothing compared to the torrential downpour yesterday.

After a while, we exit the woods unceremoniously, where there's a lone jogger circling the track. Surprisingly, it's not Emi; it's Miura, from 3-3. She notices Rin and me, and waves her... stump... in greeting.

"Hey! What's up, Nakai? Tezuka?"

"Nothing much, Miura. How's your Sunday going so far?" Rin merely nods in greeting.

"For the hundredth time, call me Miki. You sit three seats over from me, for the love of god," she says, coming to a stop in front of Rin and me. "Also, pretty decent. I figured I'd get a few laps in while there was nobody here. What were you two doing in the woods?" she asks, winking.

"We took a walk," Rin says, apparently not picking up the subtext to Miki's question.

"Nothing like that," I add quickly. "We just went to- ow," I say, suddenly aware of a swift kick to my shin coming from Rin's direction.

"You promised," she says. Her eyes widen in pleading.

Well, this doesn't look very good, does it?

"Got it," Miki says, giving another wink. "Didn't figure you for the type to go after artists, Hisao."

"Like I said, it's not like that," I protest.

"But he is dating a musician," Rin adds. "So that's technically not true."

"Oh, really? Not even two months in and you already have yourself a ladyfriend? Well done, loverboy," Miki teases.

I roll my eyes so hard I'm pretty sure they steal some rotational momentum from the Earth.

"Thanks, I guess," I say.

"You two have fun doing... whatever it is that you're doing," Miki says, shaking her head. "I'm gonna finish my run before this rain gets any worse. See ya around, Hisao. Rin."

Miki dashes off, completing the corner and sprinting down the straightaway with renewed energy. Rin and I cross over the track and head up the hill that leads to the rest of campus.

As we approach the dormitories, Rin turns to me. "I am going to eat lunch. Are you coming?"

I give a bemused stare.

"It's tacit."

My bewildered expression gives way to a small smile. Gotta give the girl credit for trying. "Thanks, Rin, but I'm going to see what Kagami's up to for lunch. I appreciate the offer, though."

Rin shrugs. "Ok. Goodbye, Hisao." She pivots on her heel and enters the girls' dorm in search of food. I enter the boys' dorm. I should probably change; my shirt is a little damp from the rain as well as sweat.

I pull out my phone as I walk through the halls and send a quick, "Lunch?" to Kagami's phone. I quickly change into a dry sweater vest—I've had enough variation for today—and by the time I finish pulling it over my head, I have a response waiting for me.

"Sure. My room? I have curry. Also, I have something to ask you!"

Hm. Looks like I'm not the only one with questions. I wonder what she wants to ask me.

__________

Prev|Next

For a second I was trying to find where the pun in the word Tritone was.

Then I realized what you actually meant.

Anyway, this is an awesome chapter, as usual. I'm mostly curious about how this exchange with Rin will tie in to the main plot but I'm assuming you have something planned; maybe just a change in Hisao's mindset or something.

I thought that the Rin was quite accurate, although I'm not the biggest Rin fan in general so my opinion doesn't mean that much in this matter. (On second thought, maybe the fact that I really liked this Rin means that she was blatantly out of character... just kidding)

On a sidenote, this fic has partially inspired me to start writing a bit of music again. Unfortunately, I'm incredibly slow at it (like a measure every fifteen minutes or something ridiculous like that) but it's slowly moving along. Thanks!

I didn't realize how much I was enjoying this chapter until it ended. The Rin didn't seem quite like the original, but I couldn't tell you what was off, and the difference was small and not a bad thing. Besides, it's Rin.

It's great to see this route run parallel to canon. I appreciated the humor, too.

Interesting that Kagami and Emi have their problems at the same time. If this were crackfic, Kagami would be the other driver in Emi's crash.

This chapter (specifically the Rin dialogue) put a Lucky Thompson song in my head, but I can't find its name for the life of me.

I let out a long sigh as I exit my room; the last in a long line of similarly exhaustive exhalations that don't seem to improve anything, but still seem to escape my mouth.

Parts two and three of this sentence aren't independent, so you shouldn't use that semicolon and comma-but.

Great chapter again!

Only a few nitpicks:

A pair of paint-stained black capris compliments the plain white tank top she's wearing.

Very polite capris those are...

If you assume something that's implied. That's two assumptions.

No, it's still only one.

Mirage_GSM wrote:

A pair of paint-stained black capris compliments the plain white tank top she's wearing.

Very polite capris those are...

That's an impressive catch.

neio wrote:

I let out a long sigh as I exit my room; the last in a long line of similarly exhaustive exhalations that don't seem to improve anything, but still seem to escape my mouth.

Parts two and three of this sentence aren't independent, so you shouldn't use that semicolon and comma-but.

Easy fix. Thanks for staying vigilant.

Speaking of vigilance...

Mirage_GSM wrote:

A pair of paint-stained black capris compliments the plain white tank top she's wearing.

Very polite capris those are...

I was so worried about the subject of this sentence and whether or not they complement or it complements that I completely missed the homophone. Impressive catch indeed.

Mirage_GSM wrote:

If you assume something that's implied. That's two assumptions.

No, it's still only one.

I originally meant for Hisao to correct Rin after that sentence but somehow I forgot...? I'm not sure.

neio wrote:I didn't realize how much I was enjoying this chapter until it ended. The Rin didn't seem quite like the original, but I couldn't tell you what was off, and the difference was small and not a bad thing. Besides, it's Rin.

Believe it or not I actually intended this effect. I'm not really changing Rin (whose dialog, believe me, I labored rather intensely over), I'm changing how Hisao reacts to Rin. One of the things that frustrated me most about Rin's route was how much of a bonehead Hisao was when it came to understanding what Rin was talking about. Since I'm writing Hisao to be a little sharper than that (mostly because I'd probably shoot myself if I were forced to write a narrator like that), the barrier to fruitful conversation with Rin is a little lower than it normally is. Thus, the aforementioned change. I'm glad it didn't take you out of the story too much.

forgetmenot wrote:

neio wrote:I didn't realize how much I was enjoying this chapter until it ended. The Rin didn't seem quite like the original, but I couldn't tell you what was off, and the difference was small and not a bad thing. Besides, it's Rin.

Believe it or not I actually intended this effect. I'm not really changing Rin (whose dialog, believe me, I labored rather intensely over), I'm changing how Hisao reacts to Rin. One of the things that frustrated me most about Rin's route was how much of a bonehead Hisao was when it came to understanding what Rin was talking about. Since I'm writing Hisao to be a little sharper than that (mostly because I'd probably shoot myself if I were forced to write a narrator like that), the barrier to fruitful conversation with Rin is a little lower than it normally is. Thus, the aforementioned change. I'm glad it didn't take you out of the story too much.

That explains it. Well done.

Time-travelling fan art by Suriko:
[shimmie]3695[/shimmie]

neio wrote:Time-travelling fan art by Suriko:
[shimmie]3695[/shimmie]

Would you believe that picture inspired this whole chapter? Down to how Rin was dressed and everything.

Loved this. Even though it didn't really have Kagami in it. Her presence is still felt throughout.

She stops at the top, ducked over, and motions with her head for me to follow her.

I'm surprised Mirage didn't notice this one. He's the one who's always pointing these out.

Love the story so far. Ex music major over here, so I dig how much you incorporate your own musical knowledge into the dialogue and subtext. As far as this chapter goes, I was a little put off by your Rin at first, but the more I read it the more I like what you have done with her.

Well done, looking forward for more.

Hooray for updates! Now we're getting into the meat of the story (a.k.a. the part that I already have mostly planned out). Enjoy!

Scene 19: Night Train

It's amazing how the gentle hum of a train engine metamorphoses into a dull roar when I press my ear to the glass barrier on my right. For a second, I think I must look somewhat ridiculous, placing my head against the window, then removing it, then putting it back, but the only other passenger in the car is Kagami, and she's currently nose-deep in a light novel she hasn't put down since we left Sendai station about an hour ago.

"Books are tricky for me. I have to read ones I can finish in a day or less, otherwise... well, y'know. It's not really worth it," she said as I was placing our luggage in the overhead storage area.

I glance down at my own book. The library's copy of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? lies idly in my lap. I wasn't really sure how far I was through it when I absentmindedly stuffed it in my bag, but having finished it thirty minutes ago, I silently curse myself for not bringing something else to read. I twiddle the folded-up sheet of loose-leaf paper that's been acting as a bookmark between my thumbs, still pressing my face against the window in the same rhythmic motion.

I surreptitiously glance over at Kagami, whose eyes dart back and forth quickly as she reads. She's beautiful when she concentrates, even when it's not with the same intensity that comes when she plays violin. I find myself craning my neck, trying to get a better look into her eyes — as if I could somehow know what's going on inside Kagami's head just by gazing into them from the right angle.

She turns her head up — apparently I'm not as sneaky as I thought — and gives a wink and a small smile before diving back into her reading. It's the same small smile she gave me a few days ago when she greeted me at her door after I accepted her invitation to dinner.


"Hisao! You made it!"

"Was I not supposed to? You aren't laying booby traps for me, I hope," I reply as I step into Kagami's room, removing my shoes at the door.

"Well, if I have been, you're very good at avoiding them," she muses.

"That doesn't entirely answer my question- oof," I say as I trip over the exposed corner of her throw rug. Whoever said God didn't have a sense of irony was a liar.

Kagami places her hand over her mouth in a muted giggle. "I think that does."

I roll my eyes. "That could have just been the first one I stepped into."

Kagami frowns and places her hands on her hips, directing her gaze to the offending corner of the rug. "That corner does not want to stay down. I have a whole post-it dedicated to it somewhere around here. Unfortunately I only saw it today after I tripped coming back from a shower and made a second post-it to remind myself." She looks back up at me and blushes a small amount. "So now I have two post-its for it, I guess," she says, shrugging.

I stifle a small guffaw. Kagami opens her mouth in a small 'o' in mock indignation. "Finding something funny about my tragic disability, Hisao? Shame on you."

I purse my lips and squint, extending my face toward hers as her stern expression gives way to mirth. That face has come in handy several times for disarming her attempts at being offended.

"Dammit, Hisao," she manages to interject between fits of laughter. "That face is ridiculous."

"That's the point," I say, crossing my arms and leaning back against her doorframe.

Kagami removes her glasses and wipes the laughter from her eyes. "Whatever, I guess. Now, are we gonna eat, or what?"


The green and yellow of the Japanese countryside whirs by the window of the train, like dots of paint left at the top of a canvas, streaking across the blank page and creating their own landscape of blurred color. Trees up close transform into washed-out green and brown blobs, while houses and rice paddies in the distance scroll slowly across my field of vision, like the painted-glass backgrounds in early anime.

I guess picturesque is the word I'm looking for. Maybe idyllic? I'm not sure.

"Hisao?"

I look away from the window to see Kagami staring at me, her glasses low on her nose.

"You seem lost in thought."

"Not really. Just looking, I guess."

"Hm. Ever been out this way?"

"Not really. I guess I've never really been this far south before."

"Be glad it's not Osaka, then. That's a hell of a train ride." Kagami says, giggling.

"You've been?"

"When I was little. I hardly remember it. A lot of families we knew summered up north, near Sapporo. My mother was never much for the whole rural thing, though."

I pause for a moment. "If- if you don't mind my asking..."

"I don't," Kagami says sweetly.

"How well-off is your family? I only ask because it's not exactly working-class to use 'summer' as a verb."

She laughs. "I suppose I've really never thought about it. I can tell you we weren't exactly the wealthiest family around. I knew this one girl whose summer home was next to our cottage. It was absolutely gigantic. I guess her father owned a large chain of music shops all across Japan." She pauses, lost in a distant memory. "She played the piano, so I would always take my violin over to her house and we'd play together, much to the her father's displeasure — we were pretty terrible back then."

She laughs quietly to herself.

"We'd always play in a room off to the side of the house that had a big bay window looking out over the beach. It'd get really hot in there so we'd leave the door open to let the air in, which always irritated her father. I remember their maid chastising us for playing after nine thirty. 'Master Kotobuki will be most upset if you continue to make such racket,'" she says, mocking the maid in a throaty growl.

"So, they had a maid? Was that typical?"

"Well, we specifically didn't. It wasn't uncommon in the area, though... so I guess you could say we were on the lower end of that social group as far as wealth goes. But I suppose we were pretty well-off, yes."

"You remember a lot about the past, don't you?" I ask absentmindedly, then silently rebuke myself for being so insensitive.

Kagami shrugs it off. "It's all I have, Hisao. No new memories clouding out the old ones." She winks. "I haven't seen or heard from anyone from my past in a long time, though. That was sort of before cell phones. I remember Mugi getting one and being insanely jealous. I begged my mother over and over to let me have one, but she never gave in."

"Mugi?"

"Tsumugi. My friend who played the piano."

"Hm," I respond, pausing. "How long did you two know each other?"

"Oh, wow. Ages. Her family owned the summer home next to ours for as long as I can remember. I think they lived in Kyoto, so Mugi and I never really saw each other outside of summer. But the last time we went there, she made me promise to call her the moment I got my own phone."

Kagami lets out a long, wistful sigh.

"I misplaced her number at some point. Never did hear anything after... well, y'know." Kagami's mood dampens visibly as she finishes her sentence.

"Your mother — she must have given in eventually, with the cell phone," I say, attempting to steer the conversation away from the direction it's currently headed.

A despondent look creeps across her face. "Never did, actually. I think my uncle bought me this," she says, picking her phone up from the seat next to her and waving it around.

"Ah," I respond, not sure of what else I can say. I still feel slightly uneasy about asking Kagami too much about her past, even though she's more than made it clear she doesn't mind. Her mother seems a particularly sensitive issue.

Kagami, having sensed the lull in the conversation, turns her nose back into her book. I direct my gaze out the window once more.


"Hisao? You with me?"

I shake my head, trying my best to swallow the mouthful of curry currently burning the insides of my cheeks. "Mhmm," I mumble as I gulp down the spicy morsel.

"I made it too hot, didn't I?"

I shake my head, vehemently this time. "No, of course not. I-I like it spicy," I say, attempting to suppress a cough.

Kagami frowns. "I knew venturing into Thai recipes was a bad idea. I rather like spicy food, but... I take it you're not much for wasabi either, then?"

"I really haven't had enough to decide."

Her gaze narrows. "Hisao. You are Japanese, for crying out loud. Show a little national pride."

I shrug, taking a few gulps of water from the nearby glass. "Sorry."

Kagami flicks her neck, sending her ponytail behind her back. "Anyhow, about my question earlier."

I think back to the conversation preceding the fireball that I placed in my mouth. "Hm, no, I didn't really have any plans for the long weekend. I guess I was just gonna go home."

A devilish smile spreads across Kagami's face. "That's what I hoped you'd say. Then, if you have no plans, I'd like to invite you to come with me."

"Where are you going?"

"Home. To Tokyo. I'll be staying at my father's apartment downtown."

"Y-your father? Will he be there?" I ask, remembering that her father is usually out of the house for work-related reasons.

"Um..." Kagami says, faltering. "Sort of. He won't be there until Saturday evening, and we would leave Sunday. Work stuff."

"It's a little early in the relationship to be meeting the parents, isn't it?"

"I had a feeling you'd say that. I suppose we're not officially in a relationship, so it'd be kind of weird..."

"W-well that wasn't a definitive no, either," I respond hastily.

Her face brightens. "Really? I promise he's not that bad. He'd probably be too busy to know we were even there, honestly."

I contemplate her offer while taking another unbearably spicy bite of curry. I think my face is turning visibly red.

"Please~!" Kagami begs. "I need someone to go to my MRI with me, and my uncle is busy with work and my aunt is busy with the museum, and-"

"Slow down," I say, swallowing quickly. "MRI? Uncle? Museum?"

"Oh. I suppose I haven't told you about them."

"I suppose you haven't," I say.

"Well, I have an MRI that's been scheduled for a while on Friday afternoon. I have one every six months, as a check-up on my... you know." She points to her head. "My uncle works... somewhere..." Her eyes shift back and forth, searching for a piece of information that isn't there. Thankfully, she moves on quickly. "My aunt is a curator at the museum of modern art in Tokyo. One of the perks of having the Takahashi name." She beams.

I give a sidelong glance, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Or at least that's what she told me when we talked earlier today," she says, giving a terse smile and lowering her voice near the end of her sentence.

"Ah, I see."

"Can't let me have one, can you?"

"Sorry." I give a playful smile, which Kagami returns, thankfully.

"You can make it up to me by saying yes~" she coos.

I roll my eyes. "Well, I suppose I'd have to let my parents know..."

Her glassy grey eyes brighten. "Really? Oh my God, thank you!" She leans over our bowls of curry and embraces me in a tight, awkward hug. Her shoulder forces my Adam's apple deep into my windpipe, while her opposite arm clamps my chest, preventing my lung from expanding.

"Kagami," I sputter.

"Mm?" she asks, burying her face in my shoulder.

"I c-can't really breathe."

"Oh, sorry," she says absentmindedly, not loosening her grip in the slightest. I think I might be starting to turn blue.

"Thank you so much, Hisao."

This would be a very sweet moment if I weren't about to pass out.


The sun hangs lower and lower in the sky as the train chugs effortlessly through the countryside. It bathes the scenery in fiery oranges and reds that gleam off of the hillsides, catching in Kagami's glasses and shooting sparks into her eyes as she reads, like the pages in front of her have been lit ablaze.

"Damn sun makes it impossible to read. Stupid glasses. Stupid eyes," she remarks.

"Aww. I think the sun makes you look pretty," I comment.

She blushes. "Why thank you, mister Nakai. Such a gentleman. Still doesn't help with my reading."

She removes her glasses from her face and places them gently on top of her book, which she's set on the seat beside her. She crosses her legs demurely and leans towards me. "So, Hisao. What do you want to do in Tokyo?"

Tokyo... I squint as I try to remember everything I've heard there is to do there. Tokyo Disneyland? Nah, far too crowded. Maybe see the Imperial Palace? Isn't that mostly closed off to the public anyhow? I think there's a pretty large fish market somewhere in the city...

Wow, Hisao. Really? A fish market? You certainly know how to show a girl a good time.

"I haven't thought about it, really."

"Recurring theme with you, it seems."

"Hey. I've made plans before," I protest. Although, have I really? "Sort of."

She laughs. "It was a joke, but okay."

"Anything you want to do in the city?" I ask, returning her question.

"Hm. Well, I suppose we could get my aunt to give us a tour of the museum. From what she's told me, there's a decent post-cubism... er, post-something exhibition happening."

"Sounds like something Rin would like," I remark.

"Rin?"

"Artist. She's in your class." Kagami stares blankly. I sigh. "No arms?"

Kagami thinks for a moment. "Nope. Not ringing a bell." She pauses for a moment. "No arms? How does she...?"

"With her feet." I lift my leg up above the seat, as if illustration was somehow needed.

"Wow. That's... impressive."

"She's actually good in her own right. She paints quite well, even compared to someone with... arms." Again, I wave my arms in illustration. I really need to stop that.

"Even more impressive. Do you two talk much?"

"Not really. She's kind of... difficult to talk to. We ran into each other a few days ago. She mentioned..." I begin, but quickly cut myself off as I realize I still don't quite know how to broach the subject of her disappearance.

"She mentioned what?" Kagami asks, leaning closer.

"N-nothing," I reply idly, knowing full well that it won't satiate the curiosity I've just bated.

"Not nothing. What did she say?"

"I... uh..." Dammit. "She mentioned... something about you disappearing for a few weeks last year around this time," I respond hesitantly. I really need to become a better liar.

Kagami's expression turns to one of shock. "I... uh... I don't... remember... I disappeared?"

"That's just what she said," I respond quickly, raising a hand. "Maybe you just had your MRI or something," I say, neglecting to reveal Rin's mention of search parties.

"That doesn't sound... hm." Kagami stares blankly into the seat next to me. I can see her fist balling up into her leg.

"It's probably nothing," I add, hoping to quell the awkward mood that's settled over our small cabin.

Kagami frowns. "Did... did she say anything else? About..."

"Not really," I lie. "It was more in passing than anything else."

"So it's... it's common knowledge, then."

"I dunno. She made it seem like a big deal, which I'm not sure it was. You can never tell with Rin." I smile awkwardly.

Kagami's frown widens. I don't think I'm doing very well at assuaging her worsening mood. We sit in silence for a few moments. Kagami occasionally glances out the window, but her fist remains balled and pressed firmly into her leg.

"I think... I think I need to get some fresh air," she says, breaking the lull and rising from her seat.

"Kagami..."

"I'll be back in a bit, Hisao. D-don't go anywhere, okay?"

"...okay, I guess."

Kagami exits the cabin, sliding the door closed behind her.

And I'm alone with the sunset.


"I'm back!" Kagami exclaims, peeking around her post-it splattered door.

"Oh, good. I almost burned the place down while you were gone."

"Very irresponsible of you, Hisao," Kagami says, seating herself across from me between the now-empty bowls of curry. "What'd your parents say?"

I shrug, waving my phone. "They didn't answer. I left a message. I'm sure it'll be fine, though."

"Really? They won't be worried about their son going to a far away city with a girl they don't know for a romantic weekend getaway?"

"I'd hardly call a doctor's appointment romantic," I reply. "Besides, I didn't... I wasn't exactly planning on mentioning it was with a girl."

"Oh! Scandalous! And I'm a little offended," she huffs.

"Don't worry. I'm sure I'll tell them... eventually." I give a small wink.

"How very non-confrontational of you. This'll be one for the rumor mill," she says, rolling her eyes behind her glasses.

I shrug, letting a small silence come over the room. Kagami shifts her weight onto her hip and stretches her legs out beside her, balancing her upper body on her palm.

"Hey. Thanks for coming with me. I'll really appreciate having someone with me for all of the doctor stuff."

"No problem at all. I understand how awful being in a hospital alone is, believe me."

Kagami playfully bites her lip. "Well, that's only part of it. There's also a few college visits I'd like to do while we're in town, if you don't mind accompanying me."

"College visits?"

"Yeah. Tokyo College of Music, specifically. I've been interested in auditioning there ever since the beginning of high school, and I think going for a visit will help my chances." She gives a small smile. "Ito — my orchestra conductor — gave me a personal recommendation."

"We've met," I reply casually.

"Oh, great! What do you think of him? He's awesome, right?"

I give a slight instinctual frown, but correct it quickly. Kagami still notices.

"We've had this conversation before, haven't we?" she asks, her brow falling.

"Uh... yeah."

"Dammit. I'm sorry. It's... dammit."

Kagami directs her gaze at the floor, as if she were counting the threads in the carpet.

"Hey, it's no problem. I understand," I say, placing my hand on her shoulder.

"Ugh. Stupid memory getting in the way again," she laments.

"It's really not a thing, Kagami. Trust me." I smile, looking deep into her eyes. She removes her glasses from her face and gazes back into mine, approaching me slowly. Her lips plant themselves on mine as she places her hand around the back of my head.

We kiss for a moment before she pulls away. "Thanks, Hisao. I'm sorry again," she says sheepishly.

"W-what were we talking about again?" I say playfully. This earns a big grin from Kagami, who then quickly crawls across the emptied curry bowls to embrace and kiss me once again, this time pushing me down to the floor, our lips locked.

She carefully slips her tongue inside my mouth, which I'm all too happy to allow, and we kiss slowly and passionately for what seems like hours.

Eventually, Kagami breaks the kiss, her flushed face hovering inches from my own.

"W-well that was unexpected," I say, still reeling from the kiss. Er, kisses.

"Too forward?" Kagami asks, sitting up slightly.

"No. Not at all."

She smiles. "Good." And she leans forward, placing her lips on mine once more.


The sun has nearly fully set, and I'm still in the train car alone. If I had something to pass the time, I'd be content to wait for her return, but as it is, I'm rather bored and slightly worried about my compatriot. It's been... 45 minutes? Holy hell. Where could she possibly be?

I know she told me to stay put, but I can't help wondering... where the hell is she? I fidget in my seat for a bit, trying to lose myself in observation of the countryside again, but it's no use. I can hardly see anything with the sun this low. It's probably not good for me to be staring at the sun for this long anyhow.

That's it. I'm going to find her.

I stand, thinking about where she could have gone. She said she needed fresh air... she could be outside, standing in the small area between cars. I briefly marvel that a train like this exists in this day and age, but I suppose that's what happens when you pick the scenic rail instead of the bullet train. "It has charm," Kagami said when she bought the tickets.

I exit the cabin, looking up and down the corridor, but don't spy Kagami anywhere. I suppose I'll try the landing on our end of the car first. I make my way to the end of the car, steadying myself against the railing. This train sure shakes a good bit. I guess that's the charm.

I open the door to the outside, but Kagami's nowhere to be seen. A small surge of disappointment emanates from my stomach, and my worry grows slightly.

This process repeats itself several times, as I make my way to the front of the train. Eventually I reach the conductor's cabin without seeing any sign of Kagami. The knot in my stomach grows tighter as I turn around and begin making my way to the other end of the train.

It takes a few minutes to travel to the caboose as I meander through the rows of passengers, most of whom are napping. Searching car after car yields no fruit. Finally, I reach the door that opens onto the last outside landing before the end of the train.

Please let her be out here. I don't want to have to check the roof.

"Kagami?" I say, spying her at the left side of the train, the wind whipping her braid around her neck.

She reels around. "Hisao?" she exclaims, trying in vain to hide the flask clutched in her right hand behind her back.

I frown. "You're drinking?"

"Well..." she says, attempting to suppress a hiccup rather unsuccessfully. "Jus... s' a little bit."

We stand awkwardly in the growing darkness, the wind whistling around the back of the train.

"You're that upset?" I offer.

"I..."

"Kagami..."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Do leopards have spots?" I say, attempting to lighten the mood.

Kagami frowns, clutching the small aluminum container in front of her and twisting her foot into the metal beneath, as if she were trying to dig her way through. "It's not fair."

"What's not?" I ask, even though I know full well how she'll respond.

"Fuck, Hisao. I go missing for weeks and I can't even remember it? I knew I failed my classes last year, but I never really wrote why in my journal. I just assumed it was because of my fucking shit memory. And now I find out that I pulled a Houdini right before exams?"

"Houdini?"

"Never mind. I disappeared, Hisao. I don't remember it. How would you deal with something like that?" she exclaims into the night, her shouts carried away by the wind.

I twist my hands nervously. I want to tell her that it doesn't matter; that I care deeply for her no matter what, but the words stick in my throat.

I don't respond.

"Fuck this." She takes a long pull from the flask.

"Kagami, stop. You don't have to..."

"Don't have to what?" she says, wincing from the burn of the alcohol. "What do I look like to you, Hisao? Am I self-medicating because I don't know how to deal with my fucked up head, or am I just a fucking alcoholic?" she shouts.

Again, I find myself at a loss for words. I stand with my mouth slightly agape, the wind filling in the silence between Kagami and me.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's fine," I interrupt. "You're upset."

Kagami slumps down against the railing as she starts to sob. I sit down next to her, letting the noise of the tracks engulf us for a few moments. She takes a few more drinks from her flask.

"How shitty is it that someone in my own goddamn class — who I don't even remember — knows more about my past than me?" She sniffles and brushes her sleeve against her nose.

"Uh... shitty, I guess."

"Damn right it is," she says, drinking again.

She gazes out into the quasi-darkness, tears continuing to form in the corners of her eyes. They're wicked backwards by the wind and streak across her face. I reach out and gently wipe them from her cheek.

"Thanks," she says meekly.

"Not a problem," I return. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

She turns her tear-stained visage towards me. "That means a lot, Hisao. Especially when I can't even be here for myself. I-I... I'm sorry for yelling at you."

I give a knowing smile. "I don't really think you were yelling at me, anyhow."

We sit in silence for a few more moments, my hand still resting on her cheek.

"Come on, let's go back inside. It's cold out here."

"I'm not cold."

"You've been drinking, silly."

"I... I don't have a witty comeback for that."

"Then it's settled." I stand up, offering my hand to the girl beside me. She gingerly takes it and stands, pausing for a moment before locking me in a tight embrace. I slowly wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her in closely as she buries her face in my chest.

Eventually, we break apart and make our way back through the train to our cabin. As we resume our seats, Kagami reaches up and pulls a small bag from her luggage, tossing it on the seat beside her before pulling her journal from it. She flips about halfway through and starts scribbling furiously.

"Kagami?" I ask.

"I'm tired and a little drunk, Hisao. I'll probably fall asleep soon, so I want to remember what I'm doing on this train when I wake up." She stops talking for a brief moment as she scratches a few more characters into the page. "Give this to me when we get to the city, okay? Assuming I don't wake up before-" She's interrupted by a large yawn.

"Okay, I will," I respond.

"Don't read it, okay?" she implores.

"I won't, I promise."

Kagami finishes her entry a few moments later and stuffs the journal in her bag before moving over to my side of the cabin and lying down on the seat next to me, placing her head in my lap.

"I'm using you as a pillow."

"I noticed," I respond. "I don't get a say in the matter?"

"Would... would you say no?" Kagami asks, yawning.

I laugh. "I suppose I wouldn't. Don't throw up in my lap, okay?"

Kagami gives a forced, "Heh." She shifts her position on the seat slightly. "I can handle... my... mmm, you're warm."

"I thought you said you weren't cold," I quip.

"Changed... my..." she forces, giving another yawn.

A few moments pass before I say anything. "Kagami?"

"Mmm... yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Never... better..." she whispers.

I'm not sure I believe her.


"Whew. You're something else," I say, parting myself from Kagami's lips once more.

"I'm quite the dynamo, wouldn't you know," she says flippantly, straddling my waist. I awkwardly adjust my shirt, the top few buttons of which have mysteriously come undone.

"I would, in fact," I reply.

"Smartass." Kagami dismounts, moving to the floor next to me. She lies on her side and pushes her chest against my arm.

"What, no more?" I ask playfully.

Kagami responds with a quick peck on the lips. "That's all you get."

I glance out the window. It's well and dark now, although I'm not quite sure of the exact time. "I think it's safe to say we're past curfew."

"Just a bunch of scandal and outrage today, isn't it? What if the neighbors found out?"

"Let them gossip," I say, playing along.

We enjoy a comfortable silence as Kagami idly traces her finger across my shirt, feeling the bump of my scar through the fabric. "Boy with the broken heart, huh?"

"You make it seem more poetic than it actually is."

"It is kind of poetic, when you think about it."

"Maybe in a different universe. Where I end up with someone infinitely more sappy," I quip.

"Aren't we mister sarcastic today? You might not want to be so rude to the girl who you're making out with. Just a thought," she says, giving a devilish smile.

I laugh quietly, and we continue to share a comfortable silence for a few moments.

"Hey, Kagami?"

"Yeah?"

"Earlier, when you said... we weren't officially in a relationship?"

"I guess I did say that. I mean, you never asked me..."

"I suppose not."

Another brief pause.

"Do you want to be?"

"What?"

"My... my girlfriend?"

Kagami pauses for a moment, before cracking a large smile and laughing hysterically. "Wow, Hisao. That is probably the worst way you could have asked me to date you. Some master of romance you are."

"H-hey!" I say, sitting up. "I didn't ask if you would be. I asked if you wanted to be."

"Semantics."

"Not at all," I reply, crossing my arms in mock indignation.

"Well, fine, if you want to be literal about it," she says, sitting up and facing me.

We stare at each other for a few moments before bursting out laughing in unison. The mirth lasts for a few moments as Kagami collects her glasses from the floor and places them back onto her face.

"We'll see," she says, still chuckling.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"About the whole boyfriend and girlfriend thing. We'll see."

"Is that a no?" I say, the laughter stopping abruptly.

"I... I don't really like labels. For now, let's just call it what it is. I like you, and you like me. We make out sometimes."

"So romantic," I reply sarcastically.

"Hey. Don't lose all hope, y'know. I'm not that hard to get," she says, winking.

"You certainly play at it."

"Oh, hush, you," Kagami says, pulling me into another kiss. I briefly consider protesting, but it's like she said: we like each other. And it wasn't a hard no.

And we make out sometimes.

I guess I can live with that.


The sleeping girl in my lap stirs gently. I don't really have the heart to wake her, even though it's obvious we're closer to the city by now. The neighborhoods whir by as the streetlamps shining through the window illuminate the cabin periodically.

I suppose it's for the best that she fell asleep. Hopefully she won't remember why she was so upset earlier... well, at least until she reads her journal.

I cringe at my train of thought. I shouldn't be thinking things like that. Someone with a normal memory would have to deal with their problems, same as Kagami does. Even if those problems weren't caused by not having a normal memory in the first place.

Ugh. This whole thought process leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You have a beautiful girl sleeping on your lap, Hisao. She likes you. You like her. Any other guy would feel lucky in your situation.

At least on the surface.

A long sigh escapes my lips as Kagami pushes her head deeper into my thigh. She must be dreaming; I can see her eyes dart back and forth below her closed eyelids. I wonder what she's dreaming about.

She exhales forcefully, and the smell of whiskey wafts up and assaults my nostrils.

I turn my face away to look out the window again. The moon has taken the place of the sun, shining brightly over the surrounding landscape, which has turned back to countryside mostly, but with more houses dotting the hills.

I wonder what will happen when this train finally arrives at its destination?

__________

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