Part 11

27,755th time[]

"—I must kill myself."

…and so I desperately instruct myself. This is the only way. The only way to prevent myself from being possessed again by my fake 'self'.

I will abandon everything.

This is the only way I can think of to atone for my sins.

I thrust the kitchen knife into the middle of my torso.

I fall on top of Kazu-kun. His face is right in front of mine. He has finally realized what I have done and is looking at me with eyes wide open.

Please don't make such a face. I try to calm him down with a smile—but then I notice that I can't smile anymore. I have not smiled or cried in ages, after all.

My body temperature is dropping rapidly.

I hope the filth inside me will disappear along with my body heat…

—I absolutely refuse to abandon you to solitude!

Thank you. But that is not possible. It has been impossible from the very beginning.

How could anyone disagree? I mean—

—I already died a long time ago.

0th time[]

Aah, I'm going to die.

Even as I continued living for an unbelievable length of time after being blown away by the truck, these thoughts repeated over and over. I can't possibly survive such an impact. I'm going to die. My life ends here.

N-No, I don't want to—

These are the silly thoughts of someone who has never seriously considered the concept of death, even though she's thought about dying numerous times.

To die. To end. There's nothing ahead. I've finally realized its dreadfulness, now that I'm about to die.

If this was going to happen anyway, then couldn't it at least have happened before love changed my world?!

Now that I understand love!

I have a goal!

I haven't done anything for the one I love yet!

—this is just too cruel.

"Mhm, this is a situation that draws my interest."

A man (woman?) appears out of the blue. I have no clue as to where he came from. To begin with, how can he even speak to me normally? I can't even clearly perceive where he is standing. My body is so twisted that I don't even know where I'm looking. Still, that person looks straight at me. This is an impossible situation. Ah, no, that's not right. I've somehow been transported to an unfamiliar place and I'm now standing in front of that person. While this place leaves no impression on me at all, I realize that it's very special.

"Don't get me wrong, I am not talking about your accident. Such incidents are perfectly ordinary and happen all over the world. What draws my interest is that this accident happened near the boy that I am interested in."

What is he talking about?

I've heard that you see your life flash before your eyes when you die, but I haven't heard anything about being brought to such a weird place and talking to such a strange person.

Is this person the grim reaper or something?

He's a person who doesn't look like anyone in particular, while somehow resembling everyone at the same time.

One thing is for sure: he is deeply charming. His appearance, his voice, his fragrance—they all fascinate me.

"I want to see how this boy reacts to 'boxes' used in his vicinity. Ah, but I am also interested in how you use your box, of course. After all, I am interested in all of mankind. That being said, you're naturally but an 'extra'."

The person smiles as he says these incomprehensible things.

"Do you have a wish?"

A wish?

Of course I have one.

"This is a box that grants any wish."

I accept it.

I immediately realize that this box truly has the power to grant any wish. Therefore, I'm absolutely certain that I must hang onto this box.

If I can't change the end of my life, then please, let me just redo a bit of it. I'm fine even if I just get to change what I did yesterday. There is something I have left to do. Even if it's just yesterday, I can still convey my feelings. If I'm able to do just this, I'm sure that I won't have any regrets. No matter what his answer is, I won't have any regrets. Please, turn back time a tiny little bit. I'm aware that this is impossible. But still, it's what I wish for.

After I make that wish, the box opens like the mouth of a carnivorous beast and vanishes, merging with the space around me.

Alright. Things should be fine like this.

"Fufu—"

The charmingly smiling person comments on my wish with a single sentence.

"—that is what you get when you restrain yourself."

Then he disappears.

And I get thrown out of this special place that somehow left no impression whatsoever on me.

I'm now inside a chamber enveloped in darkness. An intense stench assaults my nose, as if countless corpses have been abandoned here. It's a disgusting room, so much so that a dank prison would seem like paradise in comparison. Aah, if I stay here for just an hour I'll collapse. But the room starts to get painted in white. The whiteness makes me lose sight of the boundaries of the room. Then, as if someone lit a stick of sweet incense, a sweet fragrance erases the rotten smell. Each time I blink, things like a blackboard, desks and chairs appear. The room is finally filled up, and the only thing left to do is to summon the necessary actors. Insert the people who were in our classroom yesterday. If that's possible, I can redo things. I can redo yesterday.

But no matter how cleanly painted over this place may be, it is still at heart that disgusting chamber and far worse than any prison.

This is the world after my death, full of white—oh so white—and sweet hope.

So, yeah. If it looks like I can't achieve my goal—

—I will have to destroy this box myself. Before the pretty decorations here come unstuck, exposing the shameful and disgusting sight of that chamber to me once more.

5,000th time[]

"Why not just kill him?"

Haruaki-kun jokingly offers this off-the-wall idea after I consult with him.

6,000th time[]

"Why not just kill him?"

Haruaki-kun jokingly offers me the same solution for the n-th time after I consult with him.

7,000th time[]

"Why not just kill him?"

Haruaki-kun jokingly offers this reasonable solution.

8,000th time[]

"Why not just kill him?"

Haruaki-kun jokingly offers this logical conclusion.

9,000th time[]

"Why not just kill him?"

Haruaki-kun jokingly offers this self-evident truth.

9,999th time[]

Haruaki's own words have already taught me how to erase him.

"How you can make sure that you definitely don't meet a certain person anymore?"

Haruaki has offered me various solutions – so many solutions that I'm sick of hearing about them. Eventually, we arrived at the conclusion that feelings of guilt are the best way to make oneself avoid a certain person. It's the same conclusion yet again.

And, just like always, he also tells me how to create those feelings towards someone.

"Why not just kill him?"

Haruaki-kun jokingly suggests the last method that's left to me.

"That's the ultimate solution. Well, if you do kill him, it's not even a matter of meeting or not anymore, heh!"

Why is it necessary to 'reject' Haruaki-kun? Well, it's because I think his disappearance will have a big impact on me and Kazu-kun.

Living in this world is like playing a Tetris game that never ends. At first you try your best to reach a new high score. And that's fun. But midway through, you stop caring about your score. After all, it doesn't matter whether you reach a new high score or not; it's just a game that's going to be reset and then you have to start all over again. Nothing changes even when you reach Game Over. You still try your best to have some fun, but if you play half-heartedly, the screen fills up in no time. It gets boring. It gets uninteresting. It gets tough on you. It gets painful. You lose the will to even rotate the blocks. You just don't care. But even though you don't care, the blocks keep coming. No matter how often they reach the top, you can't stop the game. If I stop, I'll die. And I don't want that. After all, I still have a goal. I have to spend today with no regrets. That's why I must somehow change this system as a whole.

And Haruaki's an important part of this system.

Therefore, I have to 'reject' him.

"...can you tell me once more how I can create feelings of guilt?"

"…what's wrong Kasumi? Well, not that I mind…" Haruaki says, just like always.

"Why not just kill him?"

It's exactly the 1,000th time he's given me this reply.

Right! That's the only way. Yeah, it can't be helped. You understand, right? You already told me this 1,000 times, so you understand, don't you? Rather, you want me to do it, right?

—you want me to kill you, right?

10,000th time[]

"Please stop! Please don't kill me!"

I will ignore his pleas.

I will kill Haruaki Usui.

After all, this was his own suggestion, right?

I ****ed Haruaki Usui.

And then I vanished. The person who was once Kasumi Mogi vanished. I guess I won't ever see the 'me' again who was crushed in agony, ground to dust and blown away somewhere. Nevertheless, my body will repeatedly be resurrected. My body will never stop coming back to life, even though it's empty inside.

I feel something entering my empty body.

It's something filthy that was born in this box. Something unbelievably grotesque that smells as nasty as a bunch of dead bugs stuck together with feces. I reject it. I continuously reject it. But I know very well: I can reject it as much as I want, yet this thing will gradually enter my body through its gaps. It sniffs out my weak spots like a hyena and starts to dye me pitch black by eating into my weaknesses. I become pitch black and even lose awareness of my own identity. I become a fake who is still wearing my own face.

But still, I can't let it end yet.

I will definitely spend today without regrets!

—spend today without regrets?

"Hahaha."

Am I stupid? How would I be able to do that here? This is the world after my death. So how would my regrets in the real world disappear if I do something in this parallel world? Even if Kazuki confessed to me in this world, it would be meaningless. I mean, how would I ever become satisfied by a completely separated "today?" …Nothing comes to mind.

The outcome I longed for.

In order to pursue it, I've tried my best during the utter standstill of all these iterations.

But I didn't even know what this outcome that I've been longing for was.

I've groped for it all this time without even knowing what it was.

And then, I came to the conclusion in the end that there is no such outcome.

"I don't want to die!"

Aah—Heh. I finally figured it out.

So that was my wish.

So that's why my wish can't be eternally fulfilled.

And because I couldn't figure that out earlier, I distorted the box horribly. This distorted wish of mine changed into 'shackles' that won't disappear anymore. They're already inside the box, so they'll never disappear.

These 'shackles' will remain inside me and continue to animate the fake me.

So I'm sure that even when I disappear, this box won't. Not ever.

27,755th time[]

"I absolutely refuse to abandon you to solitude!"

Just hearing those words could transform me to the Kasumi Mogi I once was for a brief moment.

"I am an idiot."

Didn't I decide already? Didn't I decide at the very beginning that I'd destroy the box before I lost sight of my goal and disgraced myself?

But those countless recurrences gradually weakened my determination until it finally disappeared entirely.

Once I killed a certain person whose name I don't even remember anymore, I should have lost my ability to return.

But—

"Just because of this, just because of such a phrase, I—"

—it was still possible.

My love has saved me at the last possible moment.

But I know that I'm going to get captured again right away.

I'm going to get captured by the box.

Therefore, while I'm still 'Kasumi Mogi'—I must kill myself.

"Goodbye, Kazu-kun."

And now, the box that couldn't bring me happiness despite everything it offered, is coming to an end.

I will pass away so close to my beloved one. Maybe this is a rather happy turn of events. It all turned out for the best in the end. I am fine.

I close my eyes.

I will certainly not open them any—

"Who permitted you to die?"

I'm startled into opening my eyes.

The unidentifiable person who originally gave me my box is standing nearby. Kazu-kun doesn't seem to have noticed him, so I guess I'm the only one who can see him.

When our eyes meet, that person smiles calmly.

"I still want to observe that boy. It will bother me if you end this outstanding opportunity for unlimited observation of your own accord."

What? …What is he saying?

"But well, I suppose it's not so thrilling if I keep observing similar situations over and over again. Let's see… it's against my principles, but may I take care of the box? I'll tamper with it just a little bit. You were planning to destroy it anyway, so you won't mind, will you?"

Without waiting for my answer, he places his hand on my chest. The moment he does so…

"Ugh, aaaah! AAaaAAahhh!!"

I experience an intense pain exceeding all my imaginings. This pain makes me scream out, even though I've become accustomed to being struck by a truck, and I didn't even raise my voice when I stabbed myself. This kind of pain is different. I feel as if my soul is being cut into a thousand pieces. It's a pain that directly attacks the nerves and can't be eased.

He takes out the hand-sized box and smiles.

"Aah, I think you've already figured this out, but this box can't function without you anymore. So, you'll have to get into the box."

As he says this, he starts to fold me up.

He folds me and folds me, and then he stuffs me into the box.

Kazu-kun. Please, Kazu-kun.

I know I'm being selfish. I also know it's a ridiculous request after everything I've done to you. But, but—I can't—I can't hold it in anymore—

Kazu-kun, help me—

27,756th time[]

I have to end the Rejecting Classroom and regain my everyday life.

What's the greatest barrier I might face?

Some kind of giant obstacle? For instance, being forced to use a narrow thread to cross from one building to another? Having to repeat the same day a million times?

I don't think that's the case. I mean, I could still figure out how to beat those obstacles. As difficult as it might be, I could still acquire the necessary skills during the nearly infinite amount of time that I have access to.

No, I believe the worst thing I might face would be not knowing what the obstacle is.

If I don't know what I need to do, I'm pretty much powerless. But since time is frozen here, its passage won't solve the problem for me.

And right now—I'm facing the worst case scenario.

"What's wrong, Hoshii? There's something strange about you today."

During the break after the first lesson, Haruaki speaks to me while laughing lightly.

The lesson has just ended, so no one's left the classroom yet. Mogi-san is still sitting in her seat. Right—all 38 of my classmates are present.

I tried to figure out why the 'rejected' people have returned, but for some reason, I have forgotten almost everything from the last loop. I feel like we discovered something, but I can't remember anything.

But that's fine. That's still fine.

If we managed to discover something important, we'll rediscover it in no time flat. The return of all my classmates remains a mystery, but that doesn't affect my mission.

That's not the problem.

"But today sure is boring～. Nothing's happening at all!"

Nothing special happened.

Kokone's remark causes a dull pain to run through my chest.

I don't want to believe that. I don't want to acknowledge the current situation.

"Daiya."

I address Daiya, who's behind me, in a pleading voice. He turns his head toward me, waiting to hear my query.

"Did you hear anything about a transfer student today?" I say, faintly hoping that he'll nod in response. But my question is—

"Hah? What are you talking about?"

—denied with a frown, as expected.

Right—Aya Otonashi doesn't 'transfer' anymore.

Thus, I'm at a loss as to what to do now.

Find the owner. And then, what? Remove his box? Destroy the box? How do I do that?

I intended to find a solution together with Maria. But that was just my being lazy. I was completely dependent on her, so I don't know what to do now that she's not here.

✵

"But listen, isn't there no difference between living our everyday life or being captured by that Rejecting Classroom?" Haruaki says in response to my question.

I consulted with him because I didn't know what else to do. So I took him to the rear of the school building during lunch break; that's the answer he gave me after I finished telling him the whole story.

I know Haruaki well. He's not answering that way because he can't believe my absurd story.

"The same…?"

"Ah, no. It's not that I don't believe you, I swear. Just, well, let's say we really are inside that Rejecting Classroom. How's that any different from the everyday life you long for?"

"What's different? They're completely—"

"Equal, aren't they? The guys who seemed to have disappeared, me included, have returned. Aya Otonashi wasn't a member of this class anyway. Everything got reset to its original state. Or am I wrong?"

Everything just returned to its original state?

…Maybe.

After all, I might have never met Maria but for the Rejecting Classroom.

No one knows who she is. That's perfectly natural. Aya Otonashi's existence was never properly part of class 1-6 to begin with.

Maybe it was all just a dream? Maybe I just imagined her entire existence?

…I don't know. But it's still 'March 2nd' today.

"But you know, if we're still inside the Rejecting Classroom, then today's 'March 2nd' will never end. So how can you equate it with our everyday life?"

I was sure Haruaki would agree with me. But…

"Actually, I had already considered that."

Contrary to my expectations, he tilts his head and continues.

I am left agape by his straightforward response. Haruaki awkwardly scratches his head when he sees the look on my face.

"I know what you want to say. But look, aren't you only uncomfortable when you're aware that you're caught in a time loop? What if, for example, your everyday life up until now had been full of such long, repeated days? You wouldn't have noticed, right? In fact, I don't feel anything different right now, either. I'm convinced that I'm living my usual everyday life at this very moment. Even if, for argument's sake, I'm actually trapped by the Rejecting Classroom."

He's—right.

I only feel discomfort and disgust because I'm aware of this recurrence. If I didn't know about it, I wouldn't feel troubled at all.

I wouldn't feel this conflict right now if I didn't know about the Rejecting Classroom. Even if the day were repeating, I could fully enjoy the version of everyday life presented to me. I could spend my time without knowledge of a certain person's tragic fate. My life would be convenient and full of happiness.

To destroy this is no more than mere selfishness.

"I'm sure you understand now, Hoshii. You know what you should do, right?"

"Yeah. I know what I have to do."

"Right? Well then—"

Haruaki stops suddenly. I turn around in surprise, and see Mogi-san standing beside me.

"What's the matter?" I ask.

"I'd like to borrow Kazuki. Okay?"

Haruaki and I exchange glances.

"Umm, Hoshii. Are you set for now? If there's anything else you want to tell me, I'll be there for you."

"Yeah—thanks, Haruaki."

Haruaki leaves, saying "You're welcome."

I wonder what she wants from me. Did she go out of her way to find me?

I focus on her face. What a pretty face. After I make that observation, I can't stand to look at her anymore and avert my eyes.

"———"

Even though she is the one who came to me, Mogi-san frowns.

"…I'm going to ask a strange question, but please answer without hesitation."

"Ah, okay…"

I nod, but Mogi-san just keeps frowning. She's having trouble getting started. After a while, she apparently comes to a decision and looks me straight in the eye.

"Am I Kasumi Mogi?"

—Hah?

Because that question is so completely unexpected, I can't even act surprised. Instead, I just stand there, looking serious.

Mogi-san averts her eyes uncomfortably.

"...Um, Mogi-san? Did you lose your memory or something?"

"…I can understand your confusion. But please answer my question."

"Of course you're Kasumi Mogi, Mogi-san…"

Oh wow, I'd never say something like that in the course of my everyday life.

For some reason, she murmurs "I see…" Mogi-san looks a little desolate.

"Well then. This may sound unbelievable, but prepare yourself and listen. I am—"

Then, Kasumi Mogi, the girl I love, says something completely bizarre.

"—Aya Otonashi."

"——Huh? Aya Otonashi…? Mogi-san is Maria? What's the meaning of this?"

I'm overcome with surprise, but Mogi-san continues.

"Yeah, I am Aya Otonashi. I was about to lose confidence in myself because, as absurd as it sounds, literally everyone is addressing me as Kasumi Mogi. They're doing so despite my differing appearance and manner of speech—but I am definitely Aya Otonashi."

Well, the person standing in front of me is Kasumi Mogi. I admit that I also get the feeling that her appearance and manner of speech are a perfect match for that of the Aya Otonashi I remember, but…

"Err… right, there's that split personality thing that comes up all the time in mangas, right? Are you perhaps dealing with such a problem right now…?"

That's quite absurd as well, but it's still within the realm of reason.

"I considered that too. But if that were the case, you should be confused by my new behavior, and I shouldn't know the name 'Aya Otonashi.' Right?"

Right, I never said the name 'Aya Otonashi' in her presence.

"Wait, why did you suddenly turn into Mogi-san?"

"…don't phrase it so ambiguously. I merely got swapped into the position of 'Kasumi Mogi'. It's not like I transformed into her. Well… anyhow, how could I explain this situation… Right, you gathered that there can't be a 'Kasumi Mogi' in this 27,756th iteration if I'm 'Aya Otonashi,' right?"

I nod.

"'Kasumi Mogi' disappeared. Her position became empty. Do you still remember what I told you: I didn't become a transfer student of my own accord? Perhaps I was placed into the empty position this time instead of being made a transfer student."

That's just too…contrived.

"There's no way I, no, the entire class would mistake you for Mogi-san!"

"Indeed, I also found that problematic. But while dealing with that issue, I simultaneously came up with a solution to another problem. The owner of the Rejecting Classroom experienced all 27,755 loops. Thus, her personality should have changed, too. Yet, no one noticed."

That might be correct.

"It's safe to assume that there's a rule within the Rejecting Classroom that prevents others from noticing the changes in the owner. Furthermore, the change in the owner isn't affected by her relationships. Kasumi Mogi was the owner but disappeared for some reason. And I replaced her. The rule kicks in, so no one notices anything, although both my appearance and personality, those of 'Aya Otonashi,' are completely different."

Mogi-san's explanation sounds plausible for now.

If she really is Maria, that would be a reason to rejoice. It should be. I mean, on my own, I'm clueless. But Maria will surely be able to guide me.

However—

"I don't believe this."

—I can't accept it.

Mogi-san seems surprised by my forceful resistance and widens her eyes.

"…I know it sounds unbelievable, but that's no reason to oppose me."

I bite my lip.

"Ah, I see. You just don't want to accept the facts. Accepting them would also mean admitting that Mogi's the owner. And you don't want to admit that, which is fair enough. After all you love M—"

"Stop it!!" I shout reflexively.

You're exactly right! I absolutely do not want to accept that. But I'm not referring to the assertion that she's the owner. What I can't accept is—

"...I love Mogi-san," I choke out.

"I know."

Mogi-san raises an eyebrow, as if to indicate that I don't have to tell her right now.

"Therefore—you can't possibly be Maria…!!"

I clench my fists. Seeing them tremble, she should understand what I'm trying to say. She opens her eyes wide and closes her mouth.

I love Mogi-san.

That feeling has not changed, even now.

That feeling has not changed—even though Mogi-san is now acting just like 'Aya Otonashi.'

If everything Mogi-san says is true, then I'm a hopeless fool. Not noticing that my beloved person changed. Not noticing that my beloved person was replaced by Maria. I have no problem with her, it's just that I can't deal with my own feelings.

Love is blind, they say. But this takes that expression to a totally new level.

Fake.

The love that I have felt for such an unbelievably long time would turn out to be fake.

Therefore, I cannot accept it. I can't accept that she's 'Aya Otonashi.' The moment I accept it, this love is going to end.

"I love Mogi-san!" I spit out as if I were declaring war on her.

She looks down without saying a word.

I just made the worst love confession ever. I didn't even think about the other party while confessing. I only did it to deny reality.

I clench my fists even more tightly. But still, I have to say it.

"If you insist that you're Maria, then prove it to me!"

She continues to stare at the ground for a few moments.

But before long she opens her eyes and speaks with determination.

"Kazuki. Even if you give in to the Rejecting Classroom, my mission won't change. So at first, I considered leaving you alone. However, I decided against doing that. I don't want you to fall down on your knees because of something like this."

She grasps my right hand. My gaze wanders to her face. She is staring straight into my eyes.

"I want to make sure you realize that I'm definitely 'Aya Otonashi.'"

She brings my hand toward her chest.

"W-What—?"

"I am a box," she says scornfully. "Therefore, I am not the human 'Kasumi Mogi'."

"But you're merely having your wish granted, right? The same goes for Mogi-san! Showing me your box won't prove that you're 'Aya Otonashi!'"

She shakes her head.

"In fairy tales there are fairies who only grant a single wish, right? When you hear of such a story, have you ever thought: 'Why not just wish for unlimited wishes'?"

I nod. By doing so, one would have an infinite number of wishes. I've already thought about that as well.

"It's a bit embarrassing, but my wish was something similar," she says in a self-derisive tone. "My wish was—to grant the wishes of others. I became a being that grants wishes."

"That's—"

Just like the box.

But that seems like a very fine and upstanding wish, so why does she smile with such contempt for herself?

"But I couldn't fully believe in its feasibility. The box couldn't completely grant my wish. Every single person that used me as a box disappeared, because the box had incorporated my doubt that 'there's no way wishes would be granted so conveniently in the real world'."

I'm left speechless. Is there any limit to how much the boxes need to toy with our lives before they're satisfied?

"Kazuki, I'll let you touch my box. After that you won't be able to ask a stupid question like 'who are you' anymore."

She unfolds my hand and pushes it against her chest.

I feel her heartbeat.

At that moment—

"Ah—"

I sink to the bottom of the sea. Although I'm at the bottom of the sea, it's bright, almost as if the sun is there with me. It's beautiful. I'm fascinated by the water. But it's cold. I can't breathe.

Everyone seems happy. Everyone seems happy. Everyone seems happy. At the bottom of the sea. People frolic around with the fishes of the deep, suffocate, swell up, freeze, get crushed by water pressure, smile. There is no meaning. There are no interactions. People are playing their own puppet shows, their own picture shows, their own comedies. A tragedy where everyone is happy.

There's someone who's crying.

Only a single person is crying, surrounded by people happily HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA laughing.

I shake my head. This is my imagination. Just my imagination. I can't see anything here!

But I already realize one thing. I've grasped someone's feelings, and they're unlikely to let me go anymore.

Utter loneliness.

I crawl out from the bottom of the sea and return to where I was before.

She has released my hand.

I slowly remove my hand from her chest and drop to my knees, exhausted.

At the same time, I also notice that my cheeks are wet with tears.

I can't deny it anymore. After being shown that, I can't deny it anymore.

"This is my box—the Flawed Bliss."

She is—'Aya Otonashi.'

Mogi-san holds a box, too? That doesn't matter. It's not an argument that can be used to deny Maria. There's no need for logic. I realized just from touching her. I realized that she's Maria.

I'm sure she never wanted anyone to see this. Nonetheless, she showed it to me.

So that I won't lose to the Rejecting Classroom.

"Maria, I'm sorry…"

Maria shakes her head with a smile.

"—"

I can't stand my own feelings.

I've realized—I've realized that she's 'Aya Otonashi' and not 'Kasumi Mogi.' Yet my feelings toward her haven't changed. Her smile looks terribly cute to me. The remains of my love still confuse me instead of disappearing.

I feel so mortified by the strength of my attachment to that love that my tears just won't stop flowing.

"Kazuki."

Maria calls my name.

"Eh?"

And then she does something unbelievable.

She embraces me.

I know what she's doing, but I can't understand why.

Her embrace is timid, not what I expected from Maria at all.

"You were the only one who remembered my name."

Maria speaks in riddles.

"If it weren't for you, I would have been alone. I don't like to admit it, but you supported me, even while I thought you were the owner. So—"

I finally recognize what she is doing.

"—let me support you this time."

She closely embraces me. In contrast to her words, her embrace is weak, more like she's enveloping me rather than supporting me.

"I'm happy to treat you gently, at least while you still feel like you love me."

I don't know.

I don't know if this emotion is directed toward 'Kasumi Mogi,' 'Aya Otonashi,' or both.

The only thing I know is that I'm unbelievably happy.

"Ah."

Perhaps—

Perhaps Maria wasn't just letting me touch her box for my sake. After all, Maria didn't want me to call her 'Kasumi Mogi'. That means she wanted me to recognize her existence.

After considering that thesis for a brief moment, I have to admit I'm overthinking things and laugh unintentionally.