(Prologue)Chapter 1 - Do you love me ?
How often have you thought about the fact that your relationship ... failed?
Hmm, oh yeah ... Sorry, I have to introduce myself where my manners are. My name is Akira, Kisaragi Akira.
I wish I could say that it's nice to meet you, but I can't.
* splash *
What was it? Sixth or seventh?
What's happening?
My own girlfriend is killing me.
*one day ago*
"Noriko, is something wrong?" -, I asked the girl sitting opposite me.
August, 26th. Half a year since we are already together. Is it bad? Well, more likely no than yes. Noriko's paranoia grows and grows every day. Questions: Where are you and who are you with? sounded more often than How do you feel? ... much more often.
"Akira, I already told you that I don't want to see these ..." these "..."
Noriko's cute face, framed by shoulder-length brown hair, had only one emotion, disgust. Anger splashed in Noriko's blue eyes, but at that moment it was not clear to me who he was directed at.
* sip *
Noriko took a sip of hot coffee as if she was trying not to pronounce the word "b * tch".
"Lord ... Noriko, that's enough. You are 23 years old, and your brain seems to still remember the times when we were 18. What did you do yesterday? You came and shouted at my sister and aunt, called them .. . "that". Then you remembered that they are my relatives and, as if nothing had happened, spoke to them. We have been dating for half a year, and before that we were friends since elementary school, have you really forgotten my relatives?"
I felt that I began to get angry and in order not to heat up the situation, I tried to calm down.
* inhale * * exhale *
"* sigh * Sorry, Akira. You know that I love you madly ... I just lose my head when I see you next to any girl."
"Even with my sister?"
"Sister is still a girl, I can't change it."
I rubbed the bridge of my nose.
All my friends said that Noriko and I are not a couple. In such moments of jealousy, I cannot disagree with them, but still. We have known each other for a very long time, during the time spent with her I realized that I like her, no, not that way. I love her. Our first kiss at the mall where we had our first date. Dinner at her house, I remember how she was worried about whether I like her food or not. Our vacation on the beach ... Our first time we did "this" ... Apart from her jealousy scenes, she would be the perfect girl ...
"Will you order anything else?"
The waitress brought me out of my thoughts. Busty blonde 18-19 years old, I remember before my relationship with Noriko, I dreamed of a night with a girl like her.
"Oh, forgive me ... Please, this ... this ... and this ... Oh, this one more. That's all."
The girl took my order, nodded and walked over to Noriko.
"I will be all the same as him."
The waitress nodded and left.
"So how?"
Noriko asked with pursed lips.
"How? What how?"
"Do not pretend to be an idiot! Surely in your thoughts you managed to undress her ..."
"Noriko ..."
"... and then you start fucking her ..."
"Noriko ..."
"... you will meet her parents and live happily ever after.End."
The restaurant faded in my eyes, the surroundings faded. I tried to stop Noriko, but she continued and continued with her inventions. Anger boiled up in me and she saw it, but did not stop, on the contrary, it seemed to be a "proof" of her rightness. I wanted to hit her, I really wanted to, but I restrained myself even with gritting teeth.
(Author: I am against violence against women. The actions of the characters in my work are dictated by their personalities and characters as I see them)
"Here's the money for dinner, you can wrap it up and take it home."
I threw money to her. I didn't see how many, but there was more than enough to pay for both my and her order.
"What ... do you mean? You ..."
"I'm leaving, our date is over today. Oh, and so, before I forget, my gift."
I took out a red velvet box from the bag that had been with me all day and threw it to her. Due to the stupor, Noriko did not have time to react and the box fell, revealing the contents. Ring.
When Noriko finally woke up ... I was no longer at the restaurant.
* Evening of the same day *
I slowly opened the door, and the more I stepped back from the anger, the more I felt empty.
* clack *
Somehow I was already in bed ...
23:52.
This awful day will soon be over.
Despite the fact that I felt terribly tired, the dream still did not go and all that remained for me was to look at how slowly the minutes replace each other.
23:53
...
23:54
...
23:59
...
02:16
...
09:41
What ... Oh my God ... Work! Ah, just a minute. I took a day off, expecting a "depraved" night.
At a quiet measured pace, I took a shower, chose a perfume at random (because my nose does not smell), drank hot black tea (I could not stand the green one) and finally got ready to go to Noriko. Talk to her about yesterday and apologize because I shouldn't have left her like this. Finally I opened the door ...
"Nori? ..."
* splash *
Due to the shock, the pain did not come immediately, but when I became aware of the situation, the pain flared up in my right lung like fire.
"Akira. I love you"quietly whispered Noriko, she was in yesterday's dress, under the eyes could be seen flowing carcasses and bags under the eyes from lack of sleep.
"Akira. Akira. Akira ..."
* splash *
"Akira. Mine. My Akira!"
* splash *
"Ugh"
After the third blow, I could no longer stand. My brain refused to perceive the situation in which I was.
* bang *
I collapsed to the floor, but the pain of blowing is nothing compared to the pain of stab wounds.
Noriko sat gently on my stomach and tilted her head.
"Ak-akira ... I am so ... happy. I dreamed so much about the day when we could get married ... For so many years. I endured. I cried. I looked at you. I will not let you escape."
Madness splashed in Noriko's eyes.
I was scared. What will happen to Noriko if she is found in this state.
"Nor-riko ... Wake up! Come to your senses! I want ..."
* splash *
The knife was stabbed in the throat this time. I knew immediately that it was over. At least for me. If I had reacted faster after the first blow, if it had not been for the shock and if the strength had not left me.
* splash *
"Ah, Ak-kira, w-we will always be together. Always, always, always always."
Everything in front of me faded, darkened as if I had closed my eyes. The only thing I could feel was a voice. Noriko's voice filled with madness.
* splash *
What was it? Sixth or seventh?
The body has already lost almost all senses.
... but Noriko's voice. He did not leave me.
***
"Akira, I'm sorry I'm late ..."
Noriko brought me out of my reverie. Despite the cold, Noriko was dressed quite lightly. I always wondered how girls are tolerant of heat and cold, maybe the problem is in me?
"No, nothing. I myself stand here for a couple of minutes."
A couple of tens of minutes. The end of February, it is still quite cold and such a person like me in this weather is extremely reluctant to leave the house.
Noriko looked around. We were in a small park near her house. It is surprising that even then she was able to be late.
"* sigh * Can we talk?"
I finally pulled myself together. At first I thought it would be easier than ever, because we have known each other for a very long time and I can invite her to meet. But. With every word I say, I get more and more nervous, Lord, it was easier for me even to offer my first girlfriend to meet than Noriko now.
"Noriko, we've known each other for a long time and ..."
I began to speak after her nod. With every word, my tongue became more and more entangled, as if my body itself discouraged me from this venture.
"... will you agree to be my girlfriend? I understand that this is unexpected and ..."
"Yes."
I raised my eyes down to the ground and looked into Noriko's face. She was crying, and it hurt me that I made her cry.
"I'm sorry I made you cry"
"No, it's okay. These are tears of happiness. Akira, do you love me?"
"I love you very much, Noriko"
***
I suddenly opened my eyes.
Where I am?
I was in the middle of absolute nothing. I did not see the source of light, but I clearly saw my naked body, but everything around was impenetrably black, only on the horizon was a line going endlessly to the left and to the right.
"What kind of place is it?"
"You died"
The line bounced up and down like an equalizer? I can't think of anything else what it looks like. I shook my head from side to side.
"Are you god?"
"Ahaha ... No. Call me ... Hmm, Truck? Yes, Truck, it doesn't matter in this place who we were and who we will be. We are us and there is not much sense in names."
The Truck's voice was robotic, but I could sense a living person behind that voice.
"What kind of place is it ?" I asked, rubbing my straw-colored hair, Noriko always tugged at my hand when I did that.
"This is the Crossroads. Hell if that makes sense."
"Wow, my personal hell, does everyone have such comfort with hell for everyone, or do I" deserve "something?"
The line faded somewhat, then returned to its color.
"No, you didn't deserve it. Everyone goes through this, even your girlfriend has already passed. Time in this place is quite a subjective thing. You can spend centuries or thousands of years here, while only a second will pass in your world."
"Girlfriend? Noriko? What's wrong with her ?!"
"Well, she ended her life almost immediately after you died when she realized she overdid it in order to 'take your blood so you couldn't escape', funny, don't you think?"
"I, it's my fault if I ..."
The line shone with more power, and the Truck's voice grew louder.
"It's only her fault. Don't put other people's sins on your back!"
With my brain, I understood this and agreed, but my heart and feelings, they did not agree.
"I understand."
"It doesn't look like it, but that's not my concern. Hmm, well, it's probably time to start the main part."
"Main part?"
"Yes, I've already looked over your life. Pathetic, but still not so insignificant."
"Um, thanks?"
"Not at all. So, the main part. I have two proposals for you. I send you to another world, I leave three wishes for you, but at the same time I erase all your memory of your previous life. All that you will remember is this. stay here or else, I send you to another world, but leave your former memory, just as depending on how you end this life, we can meet again. "
Is this what I heard about? Like Isekai?
"What's the point in leaving my memory?"
"This is your" punishment "for sins, in case of erasing memory, this is also a punishment, but if you do not have a memory of your previous life, you can calmly return to the cycle of rebirth after your next death."
"Still do not understand."
"Well, I don't want to explain any more than I have already done. What do you choose?"
The line almost faded to the point where it was barely visible.
"I would like to leave my memory"
"Are you sure? You can't refuse her anymore."
"Yes. Regardless of how it all ended, these memories are important to me."
"Well, I respect your choice. Now, see you, I hope you live a happy life as opposed to a bad one."
* after Akira disappeared *
A man in a mask similar to that of a harlequin appeared in space.
"Ho-ho, ha-ha, po-pa. What kind of a scaled figure, don't you think? You killed him, and now you are glad that he did not dare to forget you. Ho-ho, Noriko, you are a scaler, but behind this it is so funny watch, ha ha. "
"Get out"
"What are we mean, bye-bye"
The man scattered into particles of light and all that was left in the middle was nothing but a thin white line going endlessly to the sides.
"Akira, do you still love me?"