55 do you remember me, Satoru? 2

Reiko spoke. "What kind of person is Satoru?"

Keiko frowned slightly. "You spent time with him on the mission. You should know."

Reiko tilted her head. "I know some things. But I'd like to describe him and see if I've missed anything."

Keiko leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "Alright. Go ahead."Reiko took a deep breath before continuing her conversation with Keiko, her tone casual but thoughtful. "You know, Satoru struck me as a bit of a showoff—a guy who likes to flaunt his skills. But," she added quickly, "he has a heart of gold. Like, he genuinely cares about people."

Keiko's lips twitched slightly, but she remained quiet, choosing not to outright disagree. She motioned for Reiko to keep talking, though her silence suggested she didn't entirely agree with the description.

Reiko continued, leaning forward slightly. "He also seems like someone who overthinks everything. You can see it in how he acts—like he's always calculating something, even when he's just standing still. I'd say he's a brilliant strategist."

This time, Keiko nodded subtly. "That's accurate," she admitted internally but didn't voice it aloud.

Encouraged, Reiko pressed on. "But there's something else about him that's... different. When we fought those bandits, he seemed like he was holding back—not in terms of his abilities, but his intent. It's like he didn't want to end it quickly, even though he could. He stretched the fight out, almost like he was testing himself or enjoying it in some strange way. And that electric fence strategy of his? He waited until the last possible moment to use it. It felt like it was meant for much more than what he used it for."

Keiko froze at that, her mind flashing to her memories of Satoru annihilating the Zen'in clan. She knew what he was capable of, but this description left her confused. 'Holding himself back? Why would he do that?' she thought, though she chose not to interrupt.

Reiko, oblivious to Keiko's inner turmoil, kept talking, her voice softening as she rambled. "But you know, despite all of that, there's something really endearing about him. Like, the way he looks so serious, or how focused he gets... it's kind of... cute."

Keiko's expression hardened instantly, her eyes narrowing as her gaze snapped to Reiko. Shock and anger flickered across her face as she hissed, "So, you're that kind of person, huh?" She slammed her hands on the table, causing Reiko to flinch. "Stay away from Satoru!"

Before Reiko could respond, Keiko stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor as she stormed out of the cafeteria.

"Wait! Keiko-san!" Reiko called after her, her tone frantic as she tried to explain. "That's not what I meant—I was just saying—"

But Keiko didn't stop. Her back remained turned as she walked away, leaving Reiko sitting alone at the table, mortified and unsure how to fix the mess she had just created.

Keiko walked back toward where Tatsuo was waiting, her steps deliberate and her expression unreadable until she glanced through the window at Satoru's still figure. Her anger softened briefly into worry as she stared at him, lost in thought.

Tatsuo noticed her mood and asked cautiously, "Are you okay?" He had caught the angry look on her face earlier and suspected something had happened.

Keiko crossed her arms and sighed. "Reiko is bad news," she said bluntly.

Tatsuo tilted his head. "I already guessed that when I first looked at her," he replied with a shrug.

Keiko's lips twitched in faint acknowledgment before she turned her attention to the nurse preparing a bed for Satoru. "What did the doctor say?"

Tatsuo's expression darkened. "Same as last time. He's not going to wake up for a while."

Keiko's jaw tightened, but she nodded. "I'm going home after meeting his friends," she said quietly before walking away.

---

Within Satoru's mind, he found himself in a familiar place—a void of complete darkness. He couldn't see anything, but faint noises began to reach him, stirring an unsettling sense of déjà vu.

'Here again...?' Satoru thought uneasily. 'Am I going to hear something like last time?'

A door creaked open, and soft footsteps echoed in the silence. The steps were light, like those of a child.

Then, a woman's gentle humming broke through the void. The melody was strange yet comforting, pulling at something deep within him. A wave of nostalgia washed over Satoru, though he couldn't place where it came from.

"Mom, what are you cooking?" a child's voice asked.

The woman didn't reply, but Satoru could hear the boy chewing on something, as if she had given him a taste of her cooking.

Suddenly, another voice called out, "Satoru!"

The name pierced through him like lightning. Satoru froze, his mind racing. 'Did someone just call me?' He had expected to be a passive observer to whatever scenario was playing out, but now someone was directly addressing him.

"Satoru, what are you doing?" the voice called again, closer this time.

Then, Satoru felt something—warm, small fingers brushing against his face. A blindfold slipped away, and for the first time, light flooded his vision.

He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust, and found himself looking at a young boy, no older than three. The boy had strikingly familiar features—messy hair, sharp eyes, and a curious expression that mirrored his own.

The boy tilted his head and asked, "Why aren't you trying to catch me? I already counted to ten!"

Satoru hesitated, piecing together what was happening. 'A game? Is this supposed to be hide-and-seek?' He opened his mouth to respond, but a savory scent wafted toward him, stopping him in his tracks.

The smell of whatever the woman was cooking reached him, triggering a rush of emotions he couldn't suppress. His stomach growled loudly, betraying him.

The boy giggled. "You're hungry!" he declared. "Wait here. I'll bring you something to eat, and then we can play again!"

Satoru watched in stunned silence as the boy ran off, his small feet pattering against the ground. The child's cheerful demeanor contrasted starkly with the heavy, unexplainable feeling in Satoru's chest. 'Who is he...?'

Satoru turned to his right, his gaze falling on a pile of toys scattered across the room. His eyes settled on a ball, small and worn, with a faint drop of blood staining its surface. As he picked it up, a memory flashed vividly in his mind—he was falling, clutching this very ball, and the sharp pain of hitting the floor, hurt his chin, washed over him.

The memory faded as he heard the woman's voice from the other room. "It's too hot! You'll spill it everywhere if you take it by yourself." Her tone was firm yet warm, filled with care.

"Take this and feed them both," she said, addressing someone else.

A moment later, a taller boy, seemingly older, appeared with the smaller boy, the two walking hand in hand toward Satoru. The older one, whom Satoru had not seen before, carried a steaming bowl with him.

"Sit down," the older boy instructed, setting the bowl on a low table and pulling out a spoon. He blew on the first spoonful and gently fed it to the smaller boy, who cheered happily after tasting it.

The older boy smiled, scooping another portion and cooling it before turning to Satoru. "Your turn." He held out the spoon but paused, noticing the blank look on Satoru's face. With a teasing smirk, he asked, "What's with that face? Don't tell me you don't remember me."

Satoru froze, his mind racing to place this boy. 'Do I know him? Should I?' But the scent of the food overpowered his thoughts, and he leaned forward, taking a bite.

The flavor exploded in his mouth, a perfect combination of warmth and comfort that sent shivers down his spine. An overwhelming sense of peace and bliss enveloped him, and tears began to well up in his eyes, sliding down his cheeks before he could stop them.

The smaller boy, Hōshin, noticed Satoru's tears and immediately panicked. "Satoru's crying!" he exclaimed, his own eyes filling with tears. "It's all your fault, Tensei! You made him cry!"

The older boy, whom Hōshin had called Tensei when Satoru wasn't listening, let out a hearty laugh, amused by the dramatic reactions of the two younger ones. He ruffled Hōshin's hair before picking Satoru up effortlessly, hoisting him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Uppies! Uppies!" Hōshin demanded, bouncing on his toes.

With an exasperated but playful sigh, the older boy lifted Hōshin as well, balancing him on his other arm. He carried both of them toward the woman, who turned around at their arrival, her hands wiping on an apron.

"Looks like Satoru's forgotten me again," Tensei said with a mock pout, gently handing Satoru over to the woman.

She took Satoru in her arms, an amused yet surprised look on her face. "Really?" she said, her lips curling into a smile. Her tone held an affectionate teasing as she studied Satoru's confused expression.

Satoru frowned, struggling to make sense of the situation. His mind was blank until a single word floated to the surface, unbidden.

"Ten-Ten nii..." he mumbled aloud.

Tensei's laughter rang through the room. "Ten-Ten nii, huh? I'll take it," he said, clearly delighted by that nickname.

Before Satoru could ask anything more, the scene began to blur. The comforting scent of the food, the warmth of the laughter, and the soft hum of the woman's tune all faded, leaving him alone again.

Satoru's eyes snapped open, and he found himself back in the real world.

Satoru's eyes fluttered open, the blurred outlines of figures surrounding his bed slowly coming into focus. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, and realized that the room was filled with familiar faces—friends, family, colleagues, and even a random nurse lingering near the door.

Keiko stepped forward, her concern etched on her face, ready to ask him how he was feeling. But before she could say anything, Reiko darted past her and reached Satoru's side first.

"Satoru! Are you alright?" Reiko asked, her voice brimming with urgency.

Satoru turned his head toward her, but his vision was still hazy. Amidst the blurry figures, his gaze locked onto a tray nearby, its contents unmistakable—a bowl of semi-solid porridge.

Without a word, he moved Reiko aside, his movements startlingly quick, and grabbed the bowl. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Satoru began devouring the food with an intensity that left Reiko gaping in shock.

Spoonful after spoonful, Satoru ate as though he hadn't seen food in days. The bowl was empty in moments, and he stared at it with a look of deep disappointment, as if it had betrayed him.

Tatsuo, bewildered by his reaction, asked cautiously, "Didn't like the taste? Or do you want more?"

Satoru sighed, setting the empty bowl on the tray. "In my dreams, someone fed me something that tasted like heaven itself," he explained. "Now, everything else feels... bland."

Tatsuo exchanged a glance with the nurse, who quickly slipped out of the room, presumably to fetch a doctor.

One by one, the others approached Satoru, each asking him how he felt. Keiko's expression softened as she finally got her chance to speak to him, though she held herself back, observing his strange behavior.

Satoru leaned back against the pillows, his gaze drifting to each person in turn. "What happened while I was out?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity.