ALL NOVEL They say everyone is born with different fortunes. And being born into a wealthy family, receiving an abundance of love, I was indeed a person overflowing with good luck.
At a young age, I met a kid who was perhaps receiving even more love than I was. It wouldn’t have been strange to feel jealousy in my innocent heart… but looking back, that kid seemed to know well how to erase such feelings effortlessly.
It was at Trinity Kindergarten where I met my first friend named Misono Mika.
I can’t express how fortunate I felt to have met her and to have formed a friendship. As I ingrained the teachings of my family to maintain dignity at all times and all places, the older I got, the more people tended to observe me from a distance rather than approach me.
Mika once said that one of the reasons people found me intimidating was because I spoke formally to everyone without discrimination, but by that point, the formalities had already become second nature to me. I had to repeat that I felt more comfortable speaking formally several times before she understood.
…I don’t know if I should be embarrassed or not, but I certainly lack Mika’s sociability. While Mika easily approached anyone and made friends, the only true close friend I had over the years was Mika.
Honestly, the reason I didn’t make more friends is largely because it was tough just managing one Mika. It might sound like an excuse, but Mika is genuinely talkative, mischievous, and while she can get along with anyone, she tends to stick to me.
Ah, there’s a bit of a misrepresentation in the idea that Mika can approach anyone easily. That’s because she has a pathological dislike for the students from Gehenna. Thankfully, when I or Yurizono Seiya try to dissuade her, she at least pretends to listen.
In this way, Mika is a friend with quite a few flaws. Sometimes I even question why I hang out with her.
Once, I brought this up in front of Mika, and I remember her response being quite the spectacle. What was it again? “You don’t know why Nagisa-chan keeps hanging out with me? Nagisa-chan is silly~ It’s only natural because I like you so much☆”? That’s not even funny! If she says that again, I’ll have to stuff that little mouth with a roll cake.
“…”
If I were to define what Mika means to me, she would probably be my irreplaceable comrade-in-arms.
…So it’s only natural that I’m worried about the fact that such a comrade has skipped class for the first time in her life, right? I can’t shake off my anxiety, wondering what weird things she could be up to.
I send her a message through Momotalk repeatedly, but not only does she not reply, there’s not even a read receipt. At first, I assumed that this fool just overslept, but as time passed noon, my worries began to outweigh those thoughts.
“Nagisa, have you heard from Mika?”
“No, she hasn’t even checked Momotalk. Even though Mika is an unpredictable fool, she wouldn’t just skip class without a word…”
“First, let’s try to calm down a bit. It’s probably nothing serious that happened to Mika. You know her combat capabilities too well, don’t you?”
“…That’s true, it’s hard to imagine that fool getting beaten up somewhere. It seems more plausible she’s up to something bizarre instead. Like robbing a bank in the black market…”
“Nagisa, I don’t think Mika is capable of that… or is she…? Hmm, probably not.”
“Fuu… Please let it really be nothing serious. If it turns out that way, I’ll ensure that mouth is forever sealed with a roll cake.”
There’s someone else I should be worried about. Mika, I won’t forgive you for this. If you hadn’t stubbornly insisted on redecorating your mansion, I wouldn’t be pacing back and forth like this.
Honestly, I know the current T-party host isn’t going to last long, but Mika, you need to be aware of who that host is. It’s not too much to ask, just show a bit of responsibility until Seiya takes over the host position.
…So please, contact me back.
*
“Mmm… It’s nice and quiet without Mika around. This is how tea time should be.”
“I feel a bit bad saying this about Mika, but I agree with that. She usually gets a little too loud.”
I try to suppress my burning anxiety with the bitter taste of tea, but today, the tea tastes especially bitter. I can’t help but think that this may just be counterproductive.
“However, speaking of tea time… aren’t we at a T-party? A party should primarily be lively to truly enjoy it.”
“Seiya… no matter how you look at it, that’s a bit too much.”
Seiya seems to be concerned about Mika as well, given how she is saying such strange things with a serious expression.
“Fufuh, is that so…? But isn’t the emptiness you feel growing just as much as the quietness without Mika here? At least, that’s how I feel. It’s quite the emotional experience to have in just half a day. I suppose Mika really is a more precious friend to me than I thought.”
Normally, I would have easily rebutted her statement, but for some reason, today, I can hardly speak. However, I can’t deny that Mika’s absence feels more significant than expected.
After wrapping up the tasks I could manage with Seiya, the afternoon classes turned out to be pure torture. I can’t help but resent Mika for putting me through this ordeal. Yes, I really am upset.
Anyway, with my mind completely elsewhere and unable to concentrate on my studies, I finally made up my mind.
[Something feels off. Mika, are you okay? Please reply as soon as you can. I can’t focus on my studies because I’m worried about you.]
In the end, I committed an unforgivable act of using my phone during class for the first time.
As is expected, once a dam breaks, fulfilling my duty becomes impossible. Frequently checking my phone for replies, I decided to send Mika another message through Momotalk and resolved to visit her directly.
After that, studying was completely pushed aside, and I spent the entire time until the end of class thinking of dozens of things to say when I finally saw Mika.
I briefly felt embarrassed at how I was now acting just like those students I used to look down upon for not paying attention in class. Finally, when school ended, I headed straight to Mika’s house without telling the students assigned to escort me where I was going.
Not having any clue about what absurd situation awaited me.
*
Once I arrived in front of Mika’s house, I hesitated, wondering what if Mika wasn’t home. However, I couldn’t just stand there for life, so I steeled my nerves, placed my hand on the doorbell, and pressed down. I hoped the cat inside the box was perfectly fine.
Ding dong——
The doorbell rang several times, but Mika didn’t open the front door even after a minute.
If she’s not at home, where on earth is Mika? The nagging thought in my mind, despite any bad feelings, was that there was no reason for her not to check Momotalk wherever she was. The only possibility might be if she left her phone at home.
I decided to press the doorbell once more, hoping against hope that Mika would answer me. When I pressed it, this time, I could finally hear some sounds from inside.
A very faint sound of Mika’s voice reached me. I couldn’t quite make out the content, but I caught at least one word.
Memory.
That one word didn’t give me a clue, so I shrugged it off, but then, with a click, the front door finally opened. It looked like it was time for some inquiries… or so I thought.
Mika’s appearance was a sight to behold. Her hair was all over the place as if she had just woken up, and even though it was close to evening, she was still dressed in her pajamas. What’s more, she stared blankly at my face without saying a word, looking far from okay.
“…Hello, Mika. You seem… um, not so well. You didn’t happen to spend the whole day sleeping, did you?”
Honestly, anyone could tell she had definitely been sleeping all day. I decided to postpone my questioning as the atmosphere felt different from usual, but since she had me worrying all this time with her sleeping, I already had my heart set on cramming her mouth with a roll cake as punishment.
I’ll end you, Misono Mika.
If you have any semblance of regret, I hope you’ll comply easily. After all, you’ve grown accustomed to it whenever you’ve made a mistake, right? Just this time, I suggest you prepare yourself a bit—
“Hey… are you Nagisa-chan?”
Huh?
“I was waiting for someone saved in my messenger as Nagisa-chan to visit, and I thought you’d be able to tell me who I am and what kind of person I was.”
I blurted out some random noise without meaning to, but Mika didn’t give me the chance to feel any embarrassment as she continued to spew out incomprehensible words.
At that moment, my brain, desperately trying to make some sense of Mika’s nonsensical ramblings, finally waved the white flag. I couldn’t understand what she meant at all.
“Wait, wait a minute. Mika, what are you talking about? Why are you acting like this is the first time we’ve met? I don’t get it… and what could I possibly…”
What could I teach…
In an instant, a terrible possibility flashed through my mind. Please, let it not be true; it absolutely must not be.
Once I finally grasped why Mika was staring at my face so closely, I couldn’t find any joy in that understanding. Please tell me that everything she’s said so far is just a joke, Mika. I’d be willing to completely forgive and overlook this, just this once. So please…
Ah, now I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore. While Mika expresses a sorry look upon seeing my bewilderment, the world around me feels like it’s caving in.
“…I’m sorry. But I can’t remember anything at all. Everything in my head is a jumbled mess.”
…
“F-fufu… Mika, I can’t believe you thought I’d fall for that level of trick…”
As white sparks flew before my eyes, a profound fear settled deep within my heart. The terror that I might have lost my most precious friend forever clouds my vision.
The last thing I saw was Mika looking down at me with a worried expression, and then I fainted.