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V6 Story III – Part 01

Story III

A rhythmical beating emanated from the imitation of a heart.

It was loud, too loud for me to fall asleep.

It seemed like my body contains organs, just like humans.

Yet, this was a fact I couldn’t ascertain, for my body was born from the depths of my subconscious.

My real self was nothing more than a lump of clay-like flesh, a humanoid amoeba that appears in horror movies. Whether I had organs inside me or not was up to my mind.

Perhaps my stomach was in my chest and my lungs in my abdomen.

My organs could be in random places, and were working simply because of some miraculous connection.

As long as my outward appearance was correct, the contents shouldn’t matter. But still the beating of my heart filled me with anxiety.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

Was it even the beating of a heart?

What exists within my chest could be something else entirely, a pulsating tumor perhaps.

My thoughts left me sleepless, like a child frightened by monsters.

My vision began to swirl. It felt like my arms were melting away.

Forgetting my form, I began to crumble from the tips of my body.

Every time I was scared, I thought about her. She would affirm that I was human. Despite the chaotic arrangement of my organs, she would call me a friend.

But I killed her.

There was no one left to recognize me as human. I wanted to be human, but that was too much to ask.

Yet I remained in my human form. Am I okay with this? What am I doing?

Huh?

What? Huh? Wait a minute. Really?

Can I really stay like this? Am I making a mistake?

Huh?

“Keep it down. Stop worrying, and go to sleep.”

“Sorry, Nanami-san.”

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a small, drafty room. Studying the stained ceiling, I sneezed. I slid back into the thin futon and curled myself up. I could see my hands and feet. After blinking a few times, they melted into the darkness.

My eyes were still open, but my vision was plunged back into blackness.

A week had passed since we returned from Mukai’s house, and I was currently resting in my own apartment.

On the way back from Mukai’s place, my vision briefly returned to normal. The face of Mayuzumi that I saw then was still burned into my eyes. After that, my vision gradually improved. Occasionally, I would suddenly go blind, but it didn’t affect my everyday life. As my vision improved, my stomach also stabilized.

The shock of having my eyeballs gouged out and my doubts about the man’s choice didn’t remain for long. The nature of Mukai’s ability and the true identity of the woman didn’t affect the child in my belly. I had grown accustomed to bizarre events, and now I was trying to get back to my daily routine.

Food had run out, so I took it as an opportunity to request a day off. I couldn’t stay by Mayuzumi’s side forever. She readily approved, and I was able to finally return home.

There was no smell of chocolate in this room.

I was able to feel relaxed for the first time in a long time.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I slipped back under the covers and decided to sleep all day. The pain in my belly prevented me from having any good sleep at Mayuzumi’s place.

I fell back asleep. Then after a while, a knock came at the door. Opening my eyes, I heard voices coming from outside the door.

“Good morning. Are you there, Odagiri-san?”

“You there, Odagiri?”

A high and a low voice. Nanami and Aya. Rubbing my eyes, I rose to my feet. I told them to wait as I dressed myself. I then unlocked the door to see Nanami standing there.

“Good morning,” she greeted. “How are your eyes?”

My eyesight returned again. Round eyes peered at me through fluffy pigtails. Aya was standing next to her, wearing a reddish-brown tracksuit, which she apparently preferred lately for ease of movement.

I already briefed them of my situation when I returned last night. I received a good talking-to for being away for two weeks, but they also expressed concern about my visual impairment. They came today to check up on me.

Aya brought her cold hand to my forehead. “Hmm, no fever. That’s good. You should feel better in no time.”

“He doesn’t have a cold,” Nanami said with a smile. “His temperature does not matter.”

Aya didn’t seem to understand anyway. She thought every abnormality in the body was attributed to a cold.

I showed them inside. The moment I sat down beside the messy futon, my vision went dark.

Their figures became faint masses of color. I squinted. I could somehow make out Nanami, but Aya had turned into a white lump that did not resemble a human shape, squirming about. I blinked several times.

“So, Odagiri-san. How are your eyes? Can you see?” Nanami asked.

“I could see just a moment ago, but now I can’t. I regularly lose my eyesight. But I can handle daily stuff, so don’t worry about it.”

“Hmm, I’m still worried. What if there’s a fire? I’ll make some food in advance. You can pay for the ingredients and labor later. Aya-san will do the laundry and cleaning.”

“Rest assured. Just leave it to me!” The white mass declared proudly. I decided not to touch on her appearance.

I appreciated the offer, but I couldn’t imagine Aya doing the laundry or cleaning. She lacked some common sense. She once turned my shirt into a piece of cloth, claiming it was practice for laundry.

“What’s with that look?” Aya said. “People can grow, you know. Besides, I’m saving up my allowance to pay for your tie and shirt! Polka dots are fine, right?”

“You’re giving me weird vibes,” I replied. “Just get me the same ones.”

“What is this about a tie and shirt?” Nanami asked.

“I-It’s nothing!” The white mass straightened itself.

It was an odd sight, but funny nevertheless.

I blinked, and my vision returned to normal. Aya in human form was in front of me. I studied her.

Aya pouted her lips. “Why are you looking at me like that? You creep. You look like there’s kimchi on your eyelids.”

“I’m very curious how you came up with that simile,” I said.

“That’s enough,” Nanami cut in. “I’ll make some food. Aya-san, you go buy groceries.”

“Roger that, Nanami-san!” Aya straightened up again.

Nanami checked the contents of the fridge. She produced a pen and memo pad from her pouch and listed the ingredients she needed.

“Some of the stuff here have gone bad while you’re away. I’ll throw them out, okay?”

“Sorry to bother you so much,” I said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“In that case, please lay out the futon and rest. It’s just like a cold, isn’t it? I was shocked to learn about your eyes, but if time can heal it, that’s good news. I still don’t understand how that happened, though.”

Nanami closed the fridge and smiled gently. She didn’t pry any further into the matter, and I was grateful for that.

“Aya-san,” Nanami called, “please go buy the things on this list.”

“With pleasuuure!” Nanami sprang to her feet.

Her response sounded a bit strange.

Aya took the list and walked away. Nanami put the spoiled foodstuff into a trash bag. Just as Aya opened the door, someone unexpected appeared.

“Hello! Long time, no see! It’s me, Saga Yusuke! Wait, who?”

Nanami’s reaction was quick. She pulled out a withered carrot from the vegetable compartment of the fridge. Her pigtails bounced as she swung her arms with everything she got.

She threw the carrot like a spear with deadly accuracy, hitting Saga Yusuke on his right cheek.

“What are you doing here, you roach?”

“Why am I kneeling on the floor, when I’m the victim? This is outrageous. Did I do something wrong?!” He bounced, still keeping the same position.

He did not, in fact, do anything wrong. But something always happens whenever he appears. I had just about enough of him showing up invited every single time. Nanami crossed her arms and stared him down, exuding an inexplicable pressure from her small figure.

“So, to what do we owe this pleasure, you inconsiderate roach?”

“You’re way meaner than usual.” Yusuke turned his gaze to me. “Is there something special going on today?” He was completely clueless.

“You haven’t heard anything from Mayu-san?” I asked.

“Hear about what? Is there something interesting going on?”

I quickly explained the situation. When I mentioned the trouble with my eyesight, Yusuke nodded gravely. At the same time, my vision went black. Yusuke’s figure turned into faint colors. Beside him was Aya in the shape of a white blob.

“I see. There’s something wrong with your eyes. Wait, why throw a carrot at me, then? I don’t see the connection, teach!” Yusuke raised his hand.

Nanami sighed. “There is a connection, roach. Nothing good ever happens when you show up. You’re probably just here for food anyway.”

“That’s absurd! I can help with something. Got any job for me? Groceries maybe?”

“That’s Aya-san’s job.”

Yusuke turned his face. Skin more vivid than Nanami’s tilted inquisitively. The white mass gave a wary start.

“Who’s this, Odagiri-san?”

“You don’t remember her?”

Aya shrank back. Yusuke and Aya met during the fox incident. Back then, he called her bad news. My eyesight returned. Yusuke narrowed his eyes. He was silent for a while, wearing a scowl.

Seconds later, he nodded. “Ah, that woman. Her vibe’s completely different. It’s like she’s a different person.”

“…”

He pointed at Aya. “Did she like, reset herself or something?”

It was a very vague question, but he was right on point. Aya’s body crumbled once. When that happened, she experienced a psychological change.

Aya’s face darkened, and she shrank even more. Nanami rolled her arm, and a small onion burst on Yusuke’s right cheek.

“Why did you hit me on the exact same spot?!”

“Stop yapping, and go shopping, you roach,” Nanami said, arms crossed. “Aya-san, you’re on laundry and cleaning duty. Understood?”

Yusuke rubbed his face, mumbling something.

Nanami thrust her hand out. “Give that back.”

“Give what back?” Yusuke asked.

Nanami shot him a cold look. “We’re having meat and potato stew for lunch,” she said with a smile that touched her lips alone.