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V10 Story II – Part 01

I have a question for you.

Let’s say you had the chance to hit rewind on life—what would you do?

Life’s a bit like a maze, but not exactly. Unlike a maze, there’s no going back. Move ahead, and the paths behind you crumble away, sort of harshly. There’s no way to turn around.

And there you are, standing alone. Now, when it comes to the mouse, they’re not so unfortunate.

See, where the mouse wanders is a maze itself. A gentle grasp from behind, and it gets dragged back a step.

The observer is magnanimous as a god. Fortune will be with the mouse for a while.

Mistakes that could be fatal don’t really end up that way. It’s enough to shed tears of joy.

One could say, however, that being stuck in a maze means the mouse is already in deep water.

Every now and then, the observer decides to give the mouse a bit of a push forward. It’s all in good fun, though. Just watching the mouse’s antics gets hilariously boring. Entertainment comes with its own set of challenges.

No one’s really wishing for a fairy-tale ending. If you’re after a happy outcome, maybe don’t throw the mouse into a maze. Moreover, the poor mouse is oddly accepting of its bad luck.

Take daily life, for example.

Living a day-to-day life based on someone else’s misfortune is simply crazy.

But everyone needs a breather. Let’s agree on that. The mouse is a bit lost and maybe a tad worn out.

So, here’s the plan: let’s take a break. Sip some tea and wait it out.

In the end, it’s all just a bit of a show.

Yawn, take in the view, goof around, and share a laugh.

And if it gets old, toss it aside and let it slip your mind.

---

Azuma’s arrest dominated the headlines for several days.

The discovery of bodies stashed in the refrigerator sent shockwaves through the media, extending the coverage to Azuma’s childhood home and school. After days of relentless reporting, it felt as though every aspect of his private life had been exposed. Looking at old photos, he appeared like a stranger to me.

With Azuma’s vague testimonies and the items in his house, more bodies were found. The rising body count heightened media scrutiny, with special programs airing repeatedly. Crime psychologists offered their insights, and discussions delved into broader societal issues and the darker aspects of the youth’s psyche. However, the heat had since died down.

It was unclear whether Azuma’s story had grown stale or if his ambiguous statements led to temporary media restrictions. Whatever the case, I had not bothered turning on the TV since then.

The confusion and madness Azuma harbored remained a mystery to everyone except those who had met him face to face. Information about someone I both knew and didn’t know ended there.

As for Mayuzumi, she swiftly returned to her mundane daily routine. Today, she lounged on the couch, wearing a discontented pout.

“My intuition was way off,” she grumbled. “A very rare case, if I do say so myself. By the way, Odagiri-kun, I don’t like the look on your face. Ridiculing someone’s boredom is not nice, you know?”

Even her sulking face was flawlessly crafted, but her voice was terrifyingly low. Glaring at me, she rested her chin on the pillow, the small hat on her head tilting slightly.

The hat, tied with a ribbon under her chin, was fringed with delicate black lace. Her glossy dress lacked any embellishments, resembling mourning attire. Perhaps it was Mayuzumi’s way of expressing, ‘I’m so bored I want to die.’ She was full of life despite the disturbance.

The more bored Mayuzumi became, the more peaceful the world was. She had no choice but to sacrifice herself and endure it.

“Ignoring your own depravity while criticizing others is not very commendable, Mayu-san. If your intuition was off, then so be it. Let’s make good use of the time. If you’re in the mood to go out, I’ll drive you. How about going out for chocolate for once?”

“Hah, I’ll pass. I don’t feel like going out on my own. Besides, even if I go out, it won’t cure my boredom. It’s about time you’ve learned that, don’t you think?”

“Oh, believe me, I have. I suppose we’ll never agree on this point. Let’s work on relieving boredom while also improving our lifestyle.”

“I’ll refuse as many times as needed, Odagiri-kun. If you seriously want to do something about me, how about removing a part of my frontal lobe? Unless you do something that drastic, I won’t change at all.”

Mayuzumi chuckled lightly. We stared at each other in silence. Then, Mayuzumi suddenly averted her gaze and buried her face in the pillow. She had even grown tired of the staring contest. Her boredom had reached critical levels. Suddenly I was worried.

I quickly approached her. “Uh, Mayu-san, are you okay?” I asked, crouching next to the couch. “Would you like a refill of hot chocolate?”

But there was no response.

“Odagiri-kun’s… stomach,” she muttered to herself. “Split… improve… mood… hehe…”

Hearing the horrifying words, I swiftly jumped back. I sensed extreme danger. As I pondered whether to leave or stay, the doorbell rang.

We had a visitor. I didn’t usually like clients, but this time, I welcomed their arrival. I dashed out of the living room into the hallway, grabbed the doorknob, and swung the door open.

An unexpected sight greeted me. A towering sago palm, its sharp, splendid leaves swaying up and down.

The tropical plant was contained within a pot. Beneath it protruded a pair of legs clad in jeans. My thoughts came to an abrupt halt at the sight of the unexpected and peculiar guest.

“O-Odagiri-san, please open the door,” the plant-human said weakly. “I beg you.”

“It’s already open. Wait, is that you, Yusuke?”

The sago palm swayed. He was nodding. Upon closer inspection, the plant-human was indeed Yusuke. His arms were shaking, holding the ceramic pot and a paper bag.

“C-Come inside. Watch your step.”

“How can I watch my step? I can only see the palm. The future is dark. Ah!”

Despite the warning, Yusuke stumbled over the step into the hallway, still wearing his shoes. The momentum carried him all the way to the living room, dirt spilling from the tilted pot. Just before toppling over, Yusuke regained his balance and placed the pot on the floor.

“All right! Ah, Mayuzumi-san, hello. I’m coming in.”

“You’re already in, Yusuke-kun. Long time no see. I’m dying of boredom, but you seem well. It’s good that you can enjoy a normal life,” Mayuzumi said languidly. Her eyes were exceedingly dull.

Yusuke brushed off the dirt on his hands. “Yeah, fortunately,” he replied with a somewhat tired smile. “I guess I’m back to normal. Whatever normal means.”

Suddenly, his expression vanished. His vacant eyes stared at a spot on the floor where Hirugao had lain down before. He seemed at a loss.

“Both Karakuri Maihime and Kugutsu told me to stay well despite the changes in my life. So, I decided to do just that… I’m back to normal, right?”

“I don’t know if you’re back to normal or not. Neither am I interested. Besides, what does normal even refer to? What state do you consider as your true self? That’s something only you would know.”

Snap.

Mayuzumi bit into the chocolate. Yusuke blinked several times. With a chuckle, his expression shifted.

“So, I had some free time today, and I came over with a souvenir!” he said cheerfully. “It’s a dish and chocolates I bought at the supermarket. I had it before, and it was good, so… Wait, it’s melting!” Yusuke cried as he looked into the paper bag.

He took out a stylish, translucent container. The chocolates inside had crumbled.

“Yusuke, it’s winter right now. How did it melt?”

“I put it in the same bag as the freshly cooked dish. I shouldn’t have done that. Here, take this.” Slightly downcast, Yusuke handed me the bag.

I could see crushed croquettes inside.

“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll have this for dinner. So, anyway.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I get it. Well, there’s a lot to explain.”

Yusuke and I turned our gazes to the potted plant sitting in the corner of the room.

The scenery in the office rarely changed. The gigantic sago palm stood out like a sore thumb.

“Explain yourself. Why in the world did you drag a sago palm into the office?”

“So it goes like this. Once upon a time, on a certain street, Saga Yusuke stumbled upon an elderly lady lugging around a pot that she won in a florist’s lottery. Feeling sorry for her and her back, he said, ‘I can carry it for you, if you don’t mind.’ And bam, she just hightailed it out of there.

“…Talk about bad luck.”

“Right? I mean, she just bolted away while casting me a sidelong glance.”

I nodded, sharing Yusuke’s frustration. So now what do we do with the palm? I thought having a houseplant around would be a good idea, but when I glanced at Mayuzumi, she shot back a sharp glare.

“Unfortunately, Odagiri-kun, I’m allergic to prickly things.”

“I’m pretty sure you came up with that excuse just now. And it doesn’t even sound like an actual allergy.”

“Yeah, you just collapse when you see chestnuts or urchins.”

“Um…”

Frowning, Mayuzumi bit into her chocolate, snapping the puppy’s neck.

I studied the sago palm once more. Its vibrant green leaves swayed. It momentarily reminded me of the empty scene I’d seen recently—fake plants packed together, conjuring a tropical vibe.

In the midst of the greenery stood a lean man. The bright colors were beautiful in a deranged way.

The strong impression came flooding back. The image was still burned in my mind. I felt a twinge of discomfort. I sifted through my mind for other sources of unease besides the Azuma incident.

I’d always fretted about whether Yusuke could safely return to a normal life.

The green leaves before me stirred—a souvenir from Yusuke. The seed of unease and the vivid colors etched in my memory fused, forging a new twist.

But it was nothing. It was just a normal object.

I turned around. Pale legs wriggled on the leather couch. The reclining woman lazily crossed her legs, the hem of her red kimono hem rolling up, revealing fleshy thighs.

She raised her slender hands, flashing a sweet smile.

“You’re reading into it too much. There’s nothing unusual here.”

And so, the show resumed.