Utsuro no Hako:Volume2 May 2 (ch4)

Utsuro no Hako:Volume2 May 2

May 02 (Saturday) 00:11

I woke up due to a rumbling sound on the desk.
I got up from the bed, took the mobile phone, which was the origin of that sound, in my hands and looked at the LCD screen.
«Maria Otonashi»
Maria Otonashi? Why does she phone me? She calls me even in this state of affairs, so does this mean that «Kazuki Hoshino» hasn't told her what is happening to him? ...no, I guess he couldn't tell his lover this absurd story about the 'box'. But I think she should notice his change, even when he hasn't told her... whatever.

I stopped racking my brains and accepted the call.
I mean, how should I resist the desire to talk with the girl I admire?
"Hello."
«Kazuki. Come to my room.»
Wow. Is she always like this to Kazuki Hoshino?
Well then, how should I answer?
I validated my situation.
Using this 'box', I'm able to take over «Kazuki Hoshino» completely within one week. To accomplish taking him over, it would be best to refrain from doing anything. Naturally it would be better to have no contact with Maria Otonashi.
But I must not misunderstand. This is not my aim.
The thing I want to do---that is, to torment Kazuki Hoshino so much to make him scratch his own neck sore, to make him succumb so heavily that he submits his own body with the words "Please do with me as you wish" while genuflecting, to steal his body perfectly by making him an empty shell by May 5, that only exists to surrender his body to me. That is my desire.
Why do I have this desire? That is, because by doing so I'm able to feel that I am Kazuki Hoshino.
If I don't feel that I'm Kazuki Hoshino, then it's like I'm just freeloading him. Then everything's meaningless.
I guess that I have to share this body with [Kazuki Hoshino] for a while is also because I wouldn't be able to gain the feeling of being Kazuki Hoshino otherwise. Gosh, this 'box' is really well-made.
«Hey, why are you silent?»
I see. So there's nothing to waver.
Maria Otonashi is without doubt an important existence for Kazuki Hoshino. If he loses her, he's going to suffer tremendous damage.
Therefore, [Yuuhei Ishihara] will steal Maria Otonashi from [Kazuki Hoshino].
This is absolutely necessary in order to fulfill this absolute desire of mine.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I was absorbed in thought."
While recalling [Kazuki Hoshino]'s way of talking, I opened my mouth.
"Err, your room. Okay, if you come for me."
Based on Maria Otonashi's phrasing, I gather that Kazuki Hoshino visits her room on a daily basis.
«Are you trying to get pampered? It isn't a distance you couldn't overcome by bicycle, is it?»
"My bicycle is in a bad condition right now, you know."
I tried to deceive her randomly. I don't know where she lives. Therefore I'll be in trouble if she doesn't come for me.
«Geez, while being the male of us you still want me to come for you? Isn't it the other way around normally? ...well, whatever. I'll come by bike, okay?»
"By bike you mean... a moped?"
«No... it's a 250cc?»
Damn! There's no way Kazuki Hoshino wouldn't know of Maria Otonashi's bike.
«Aah, I see. I haven't told you yet that I bought a bike.»
"Ah, y-yeah."
That was close! ...no, there's no need to get nervous, after all it's not like she saw through me with just this. But I'm getting nervous just because Maria Otonashi is the other party.
«Come to think of it, I'm not even old enough to get a license after all.»
You're unlicensed?! So it was rather the right decision to not pretend poorly to know about it.
«Well then, I'll be at your place in 15 minutes. Wait outside.»
The phone disconnected before I could answer.
"...Kazu-chan, who was that just now? Judging by what leaked to me, it was a girl, right? And anyway, why didn't you go to the veranda?"
A girl in underwear---probably Kazuki Hoshino's sister---said so. I see. Kazuki Hoshino doesn't phone inside when his older sister's here. I'll remember that for the time being.
"At this time, I don't think it was Kasumi Mogi-san..."
'Kasumi Mogi'? Who's that?

May 02 (Saturday) 00:31

Exactly 15 minutes later, Maria Otonashi arrived on a simple, boorish motorcycle.
"Come on."
Maria Otonashi threw a helmet to me. I caught it, but didn't know what to do. Because she stared silently at me, I put on the helmet for now.
"What are you idling there with the helmet put on? Hurry up and get on."
I sat down behind her as she said. After some hesitation I clasped her waist. Maria Otonashi didn't say anything. A slender waist. The waist of my adored Maria Otonashi.
After less than 10 minutes she stopped the bike in front of a 5-storey mansion. At first I was a bit reluctant to let go of her, but nonetheless I alighted the bike uprightly and inspected this building after taking off the helmet. It was made of bricks and seemed to be quite high class. And there's even self-locking. The rent might be quite expensive.
It's unlikely that she would bring her lover, on top of that deep in the night, into the mansion where her family lives. Probably she's living alone. And now she's leading her lover into this room. In other words... it's *that*. It has to.
My heart beat with an intense roar. She, however, didn't seem to care and got on the elevator. When the elevator had stopped, she opened the door of room «403» at last.
The instant I entered the room, I smelled a light touch of peppermint. It was a studio apartment of the size of 10 Tatami mats. I guess it's because there is almost no furniture that it feels extremely big.
"Why are you looking around so curiously? Nothing has changed since you were last here."
"...Yeah."
I tried to appear calm and sat down on a cushion. When Maria Otonashi had observed this with a side glance, she opened the closet and searched for something.
"Well then Kazuki, hurry up and stretch out your hands."
Stretch out my hands...? Does she plan to kiss the back of my hand or something?
"What are you hesitating? Like this."
Maria Otonashi stretched out both her hands. I imitated her as told.
*click*
What's this sound? - at the same time when I thought this, I felt a tightening sensation on my right wrist. I looked at the corresponding wrist.
Handcuffs.
"...what kind of joke is this, Otonashi-san?"
"Joke? I give this question back to you: what kind of joke is this? We're doing that every time, aren't we?"
Every time...? Handcuffing me?
"What? So you're in the mood today to do a resistance play? Geez... you really are beyond help."
"O-Ouch!"
Maria Otonashi twisted my hands forcefully behind my back with skillful hand movements and a bewitching smile, and applied the handcuffs also on my left wrist. She then applied foot cuffs to my feet and made me lie on the ground. I tried moving lightly. I'd probably be able to stand up, but except this I can't move freely.
"Shall we use that today, too?"
Maria Otonashi took out a black cloth, which was then wrapped round my eyes. My field of vision was blocked.
What a situation. My body is almost completely in restraint, my field of vision is blocked and I'm rolling on the floor like a hornworm. Almost as if I was captured by the enemy.
...Mh? Aah, I see.
"Seems like we're done with the preparations. Let's begin."
Maria Otonashi should have noticed that something is happening to Kazuki Hoshino.
There's no way she would still do things that are done between lovers.
So, assuming this --- as whom is Maria Otonashi currently treating me?
"Well---"
She continued her words.
"--- you aren't Kazuki Hoshino, so who are you?"
I see.
This means that everything up to now was just a play to constrain [me].
"Huhu..."
Brilliant. As expected from Maria Otonashi. That's the reason for my admiration for her. I'm really glad that I didn't have to abandon this illusion.
"Why are you laughing? It seems you're not aware of the situation you're in."
I'll try a last vain struggle just in case.
"No, no... Otonashi-san. You're being absurd."
"Stop this futile acting."
Aah, so it was useless after all. But right because of this, my laughing doesn't stop.
"You're an inscrutable guy. Why are you so joyful, although I just deceived you completely and constrained you?"
"May I ask? Why do you think that I am not Kazuki Hoshino?"
I stopped acting and asked her.
"I listened to your voice recording while knowing of the 'box'."
I understood with her frank statement. Not just the reason why she saw through me, but I also understood why she is a special existence.
"But even when you know about the 'box' and even when you heard this message, isn't that too little to figure out whether Kazuki Hoshino is [me] or [Kazuki Hoshino]? Since when did you know it's me?"
"Since you said «Hello» on the phone."
"...you're joking, right?"
There's no way it would be possible to distinguish a person with the exactly same type of voice just with this.
"Kazuki answers the phone with «Yes?». He doesn't use «Hello». Of course I wouldn't have taken heed of that if it wasn't for this situation. But I do know that Kazuki is involved in this 'box'. It's natural to be skeptic. What remained was to confirm. It was enough to talk purposefully until you made a fault. I'll tell you something good: Kazuki has never been in this room."
"That is indeed something good."
Because it would be unforgivable for someone pathetic like Kazuki Hoshino to visit the room of a noble lady like Maria Otonashi frequently.
"In other words, you deceived [me] and confirmed whether I really existed."
"There's no need to confirm such a trifle only now. I wanted to confirm whether you share the memory with Kazuki or not. Huhu, and as it seems you don't have Kazuki's memories."
"......"
So she was already a step ahead in terms of confirmation.
I admit that this is an important point. If [Yuuhei Ishihara] and [Kazuki Hoshino] shared their memories, then all information would leak when she tried to work out a plan with [Kazuki Hoshino]. She wouldn't be able to cooperate with [Kazuki Hoshino].
"Well now, let me ask: who are you?"
"Can't you see? I am Kazuki Hoshino!"
"Don't mess around with me and answer."
Lying on the ground, I shrugged my shoulders.
"I'm not messing around with you. I am Kazuki Hoshino. A being that was determined to become so, using the 'box'."
"...what do you mean?"
"I'm talking literally. My 'wish' was «to become Kazuki Hoshino». The 'box' grants any wish, doesn't it? Thus, I am Kazuki Hoshino. I can't call me any different."
On my words, Maria Otonashi kept silent.
"...«to become Kazuki Hoshino», you say? What an oddball... Why Kazuki of all people? I don't think «Kazuki Hoshino»'s body is so　desirable actually?"
"Because you're by his side."
I answered immediately.
"------I am?"
"Yeah, I admired you. This admired Maria Otonashi will be at my side. Just this was reason enough for me to take him over."
I heard Maria Otonashi letting out a sigh.
"...I never would have guessed that I am the main reason that made you want to take over Kazuki."
She complained like this, but regained her composure right away. Then she spoke to me.
"I understood that you insist on being Kazuki Hoshino. However, I can't call you Kazuki."
"Then just call me [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
"[Yuuhei Ishihara]? Never heard of that name. This isn't your real name, or is it?"
"Who knows?"
"Hmpf, whatever. But you have to tell me just one thing: how do you switch with Kazuki?"
"What meaning is there in asking this?"
"I don't need to answer your question."
"Well, then I don't need to answer either."
"I am amazed that you can say this in a state of having your hands and feet bound together."
"You can't deceive me! You can't do anything to me. After all, using violence against me is, in fact, violence against Kazuki Hoshino's body."
"There are countless ways of torture that have no impact on the body...but, I cannot use violence anyway..."
Maria Otonashi said something with a small voice.
"Did you say anything?"
"No, nothing. ...leaving that aside, you don't plan to tell me, do you?"
"Mh, let's see. To be honest, I don't mind either way, but I won't tell you."
"You don't mind either way?"
"Well, yeah. After all you're forced to do something about the 'box' or else [Kazuki Hoshino] will disappear when it's May 6. Could you alleviate the condition in any way when I told you such a triviality? I will absolutely not tell you how to take the 'box' out, you know? Or will you try killing me? Kazuki Hoshino would die as well, though!"
I laughed with a put-on voice.
How's that, Maria Otonashi? This situation is more hopeless than you would have ever imagined, isn't it?
"Huhuhu..."
But for some reason, she let out a silent laugh.
"...why are you laughing? Is the situation so hopeless that you can't help laughing?"
"Hopeless? This is? Huhu... This menace is just like a mosquito bustling about, compared to the rejection we set once against. The only menace I'm faced with right now is that you won't tell me how you switch with Kazuki, right? How is this hopeless?"
"The only solution is to kill Kazuki Hoshino - that's how I explained it to you, but did you perhaps not understand?"
"That's the reason for my spontaneous laugh. After all --- that's a lie."
I lost my tongue.
"I understand that you want to exhaust me, but I'm afraid I can't be deceived by such a lousy lie."
"...why do you think it's a lie?"
"You said it yourself. You said that you're Kazuki Hoshino. But Kazuki Hoshino doesn't have the 'box'. In brief, he can't be the 'owner'."
"What's this word play? You can't escape from reality with this!"
"You still don't get it? Okay then, I'll pose you a question."
Maria Otonashi spoke with a firm voice.

"Do you really believe it's possible for a soul to dwell in the body of another human?"


"W-"
Well---
"You can't reply immediately, huh?"
Aah... damn.
I don't know why. I don't know why, but it seemed to me like a bad mistake that I had become speechless in this timing.
"The 'box' grants 'wishes' completely. A person that thinks more or less rational is unable to fully believe that his 'wish' gets granted. And as I thought, you don't believe from the bottom of your heart either, judging from your reaction to my question. The 'box' incorporates the doubts when it grants a 'wish'. Hence, the 'owner' was not able to take over Kazuki Hoshino."
"......"
"Which means that the 'owner' exists as before without having taken over Kazuki Hoshino's body. ---separately from you."
Without minding my silence, she asked me.
"So what are you, when you're not the 'owner'?"
I couldn't answer.
"If you don't know, I'll say it for you. You are an artificial being that came forth by the distortion of the 'wish'. You're just the fake imitation of the 'owner'. Right, to name it --- a «fabrication»"
She laughed silently and continued.
"And since you're just a «fabrication», you are not the 'owner' I'm supposed to search for."
I see. So that's why --- I don't have the 'box'.
"Hahaha"
But so what?
To begin with, I put this 'wish' into the 'box' because I wanted to throw away such a bastard as myself anyway. I'm not even the 'owner'? I'm a fabrication? I'm rather glad of that!
Exactly because I am nobody, I can without doubt become Kazuki Hoshino.
"...what does this laugh mean, [Yuuhei Ishihara]?"
"Huhu, does that really matter? However, there's something I want to ask. So I am a fabrication. I'll admit that! But who are you who could see through that?"
"Who I am, you ask...?"
For some reason Maria Otonashi was at a loss of words.
"......you are a fabrication. And I am---"
"Why are you brooding like this? Actually, I'm just asking because I want to know why you're so knowledgeable about the 'box'."
"...Aah. What, that's all?"
When she comprehended my intention, she regained the usual firm tone in her voice.
"I am a 'box' myself. And since I am a 'box' myself, I am naturally versed in the characteristics of the 'box'."
"...you're a 'box'? Is this some kind of metaphor?"
"Interpret it as you please."
A 'box', huh? If she's telling the truth, then that would really match perfectly.
"By the way, there was something I had to tell you, wasn't there?"
"...what are you talking about?"
"Oh? Didn't I tell you properly? Yesterday night, that I'd say it to you tomorrow. Since the day finally changed, I'll say it now!"
I then spoke with a smile that was so broad that I felt regretful for only being able to show her half of it because of the blindfold.
"I love you, Maria Otonashi."
She classified herself as 'box'. I think that matches perfectly. I really think that matches perfectly; for being an object to obtain and for being my enemy.

May 02 (Saturday) 07:06

I have slept in an unfamiliar room with handcuffs applied.
"......err.."
My head didn't work properly since I had just awoken. A white room. I smelled a pleasant odor. I heard the sound of a shower. My back was hurting. A Futon was laid out. But I had also foot cuffs applied.
Wait.
What is this?
My sleepiness was swept away at once. I tried hurriedly to stand up, but tumbled again.
While holding my two arms under my hurting nose, I sat up and looked around again. There was a semi-double bed, a table, a notebook and speakers on the table, a difficult-looking book. On the whole, there aren't much things. Looking at the sailor uniform at the edge of the closet, I noticed that I was probably in the room of a girl.
The deed of [Yuuhei Ishihara]? Right, of course it is.
The sound of the shower stopped. After a while I heard the sound of a hair drier. I assume it's the occupant of this room who's in the dressing room. Which means, a girl...?
So a naked girl is on the other side of this wall...? What's this situation... And anyway, what on earth have I, no, has [Yuuhei Ishihara] done to this girl?!
The sound of the hair drier stopped and the door to the dressing room opened.
"U-Uwa!!"
Seeing the appearance of her only wearing a white shirt, I hurriedly averted my eyes.
"Ah, you woke up?"
My thought process stopped at a blow upon hearing this extremely familiar voice.
"Eh?"
The face of a familiar person awaited me when I looked up reflexively.
"Ah, Otonashi-san...?"
"Who else do I look like?"
Being said so, I viewed her full body. Yeah, it's unmistakably Maria Otonashi.
Then I suddenly noticed that I was actually staring at her in only underwear and a thin shirt and averted my eyes hurriedly.
"S-Since you know that I'm here, be a bit more careful please!"
"What is there to panic? About this much is nothing to fret about, is it?"
...this is just wrong as a statement of a girl. That was something that Haruaki would likely say when he sexually harasses Kokone.
- When I was about to tell her this, she preempted me with a outrageous words.
"To begin with, haven't you seen much more of me than just underwear, yesterday? Is there still the need to get nervous just by this?"
"......Eh?"
"I never would have thought you would do *that* as soon you enter my room despite the well-behaved face you made at first. Geez, you really got me there."
"W-What are you talking about...?"
But the current situation implies that she's telling the truth. After all this is her room, she just took a shower and walks around in scanty clothing---
"T-This is a joke, right?"
I asked timidly.
"Yeah, it's a joke."
Otonashi-san answered frankly.
"Huh?"
"...uh-huh, I see. So you're [Kazuki Hoshino]. This idiotic reaction when you open your mouth gaping wide is quite hard to imitate, after all."
What may this unbearable feeling be that's emerging in me although it was a joke as I wished...?
"......Otonashi-san. Say, the fact that I'm here before I knew means in other words that you talked with [Yuuhei Ishihara], ri--- huh?"
While I was speaking, Otonashi-san had come up close to me that was lying clumsily on the ground. She was so near that I could smell a pleasant odor from her long hair... probably shampoo or some treatment or something.
"W-What is?"
A clicking sound made me realize that Otonashi-san was removing my foot cuffs. ...well, that's good, but she could have at least told me briefly.
When she had finished removing the foot cuffs, Otonashi-san kneeled up in front of me.
"Umm..."
I followed her example and kneeled, too.
Then she opened slowly her mouth.
"Kazuki, who am I?"
What is she saying out of the blue?
She is Maria Otonashi. I can answer so without hesitation. But why is she asking such a question in this situation?
"Call the 'Rejecting Classroom' to mind."
"Eh? ...ah!"
Now that she mentioned it, I could recall a scene where she let me write her name similarly to now.
At the time, Otonashi-san asked for her own name to have someone write «Maria» - a name which could only be known to someone who retained their memory.
So for what sake is she asking for this now?
For the sake of distinguishing me. Otonashi-san is asking for this to distinguish [me] from [Yuuhei Ishihara]. Because if I say a name of her which only [I] can know, she's able to identify me as [me].
"---Aya Otonashi."
Therefore I spit out this name. The name she had once spoken out in the 'Rejecting Classroom' which only [I] can know.
But that she asks for this means that she doesn't know which one I am right now? I have to go so far to make her recognize that it's [me]?
This is somehow --- very mortifying.
"Aya Otonashi, huh?"
For some reason she murmured so, heavy-heartedly.
"...was my answer wrong?"
"No, you're right. I just didn't expect that you would be able to answer this clearly. That's all."
"......Okay then. But so you understood that it's [me]?"
"For the time being, yeah. I think you know already, but I grasped the overall situation by now. I have also already heard the voice file [Yuuhei Ishihara] recorded."
"Okay."
"I have also talked to [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
"...How was he? Did he tell you anything?"
"Mhh, I can't say for sure."
Otonashi-san answered bluntly somehow.
"Ah, but wasn't he ferocious? After all you had to apply foot cuffs."
"Of course I considered this possibility and thus applied them. No, it's more correct to say that I rather applied them for you, Kazuki."
"...huh?"
"How did you react when you realized that you're constrained? What actions did you take?"
"Well, I became confused... I even stumbled after all."
"I wanted to call forth this reaction."
"......you wanted to bully me?"
"No. I thought I could observe the second when [Yuuhei Ishihara] switches to [Kazuki Hoshino] by waiting for this agitated reaction. In the end I missed the scene, though, because I was taking a shower. It's a real pity that I couldn't see this funny reaction of yours."
So she wanted to bully me eventually!
"Okay then, that's it for now. Kazuki, we're leaving."
"...huh?"
Otonashi-san made an amazed expression for some reason.
"Of course to your home. What time do you think it is!"
"Eh?"
I looked around in the room and found a clock. It's 07:15AM.
"Or do you want to come late? It's time to go to school."
"Hah..."
We only have at the second and fourth Saturday off in our school.
"What is 'Hah'? Do you plan to go to school with empty hands?"
...She has a point. We have to go to my home.
"......Um, may I also go home alone?"
"What are you saying? You don't even know how to reach your house from here, do you? Can you go back home alone? And anyway, you wouldn't make it in time by foot. I'll give you a ride on my bike."
"O-Okay."
What should I do...?
I mean, it wasn't by choice but I slept over without permission. How would it look to them seeing me come home at early morning? I tried checking my mobile phone and saw, as expected, several incoming calls from my mom in the message history. This is bad. If there was in addition a girl of the same age by my side---
"Um, Otonashi-san. Could you please hide yourself when we reached my home...?"
"Why?"
Otonashi-san stared to me in puzzlement. Of course my intent didn't reach her...
There is nothing else for it but to slip into the house and prepare myself without mom noticing.

May 02 (Saturday) 07:34

My attempt to return without being noticed ended in an absolute failure.
"That was a failure."
Otonashi-san murmured while walking towards the station after having parked the bike near my home.
"......indeed."
I concurred with a sigh.

My mom discovered me right when I was about to climb the stairs.
Of course, a sermon followed.
That can't be helped. I properly understand that mom had to get angry at me since I stayed out overnight without any notice. It can't be helped, but---
With the time passing, Otonashi-san naturally became tired of waiting in front of the house.
And as expected, mom concluded that the suddenly appeared Otonashi-san was the origin of my staying out and stared at her. Surprisingly, Otonashi-san reacted with a soft smile to this gaze and spoke the following:
"It's not like Kazuki was out in the nightlife. He was merely together with me the entire time, until morning. I haven't called any other people to my room. We were completely alone, so please be at ease."
...no, this is not what you should say in this situation, is it?
My mom froze so clearly she was almost pitiful, as she isn't what one could call a mother that had managed letting go of her children. Otonashi-san didn't comprehend this attitude and continued with a frown.
"...? As I said, Kazuki didn't go anywhere and just slept in my room. There is no problem with this, is there? Aah, but occasionally I was a bit rough, though."
Mom looked silently at my wrist. There were still the reddened traces of the handcuffs.
My mom collapsed right there.
When Otonashi-san had held her up reflexively, she finally understood with a "Aah!".
"I see. We are a boy and a girl in our teens, huh?"

"How should I only face her from now on...?"
Remembering this scene, I sighed deeply.
"What are you talking about?"
"Huh? Didn't you say 'that was a failure' just now?"
"Yeah, I said. I was talking about the bike."
"The bike?"
For now I understood that she didn't share my worry at all.
"I gave you a ride on the bike, right? Including [Yuuhei Ishihara], two times even. I called this a failure."
"...? Why so?"
"Try imagining what would have happened if [Kazuki Hoshino] and [Yuuhei Ishihara] switched while riding. It wouldn't be surprising if you let go of my waist and fall down just like you did when you were surprised by the handcuffs before."
"Ah..."
So that's why she left the bike in front of my home.
"What a careless failure, considering it's me... I'll be careful from now on."
"Yeah. ...By the way, Otonashi-san. Could you tell me now what happened when you were with [Yuuhei Ishihara]?"
The moment I asked this--
"------"
Otonashi-san stopped.
And looked at me.
Expressionlessly.
"Eh...?"
Why this face?
She opened her mouth, still expressionless.
"I cannot tell you what happened."
"W-Wh---"
"Why? Didn't I tell you before?"
Then she spat out her next words expressionlessly.
"That I won't trust you anymore."
She did tell me. I indeed heard those words before. There's no way I'd forget. But---
"But wasn't this revoked...?"
After all it's not like the time when we didn't know the state of affairs anymore. Otonashi-san understood the reason for my inexplicable behavior.
"Don't revoke that on your own accord. You didn't get anything, did you? To begin with, we don't know how much truth is in [Yuuhei Ishihara]'s words. Maybe he does in fact have the memory of [Kazuki Hoshino] and uses both of those personalities for his benefit."
"T-That's unreasonable!"
"Indeed, I might be overthinking it. But there's still nothing that proves it."
"But---"
"Let's assume that the characteristics of the 'box' are true as [Yuuhei Ishihara] told us. Even so---"
Otonashi-san clapped suddenly her hands.
I closed my eyes reflexively to this sound.
"Now assume that the shifting occurred in this instant. I have no means to ascertain this. So I would be talking to you as [Kazuki Hoshino], not noticing that you switched to [Yuuhei Ishihara] really. We don't know when you switch. An important plan might leak to [Yuuhei Ishihara]. Therefore it's dangerous. It's basically the same as the case with the bike just now."
Indeed, that's right. ...But I am [Kazuki Hoshino].
"This is an example --- you consider yourself as [Kazuki Hoshino], right?"
"Of course I do!"
"But what if you were someone that's convinced of being [Kazuki Hoshino]?"
"That's im---"
'That's impossible' is what I was about to say, but then I kept silent.
So is there anything that proves that I am really [Kazuki Hoshino]? My appearance? My personality? My memory? But then what makes [Yuuhei Ishihara] [Yuuhei Ishihara]? After all he exists in the same body.
No, that's wrong.
I am [Kazuki Hoshino]. I won't mistake this. I will absolutely not doubt this.
"This was just an example. Don't think too deeply about it. But Kazuki, you understood why I can't trust you, right? I have yet to comprehend this 'box' - the 'Sevennight in Mud'. Until then, I can't trust the personalities that dwell in Kazuki Hoshino."
So when is it that this 'Sevennight in Mud' gets clarified and I'm trusted again? Won't this be as long as [Yuuhei Ishihara] is within me?
I am not trusted.
Though Otonashi-san is supposedly my ally, I am not trusted by this ally.
The nearby station came in sight.
I halted.
"Why are you standing still? There's not much time left until the train arrives."
"...why do I go to school?"
I forgot because I was together with Otonashi-san. If this was the everyday life, I would naturally go to school. No, even if it was not, I would still go just to offer resistance. But if I go now, I'll destroy my place to be completely, although one could say I've lost this place already.
"To collect information about [Yuuhei Ishihara]. There's no doubt that he is someone near to us. In the first place, only the students of our school have contact with both you and me. The importance of collecting data in school should be obvious."
"But there's no need for me to be there, is there...?"
"The conditions change greatly from when you're there and when you're not. Today is the last day of school before the consecutive holidays. We mustn't let this chance escape."
She said.
She said that she doesn't care if my everyday life gets destroyed in order to obtain the 'box'.
I misunderstood her. I had considered her as an unconditional ally.
But that's not true. I mean, Otonashi-san isn't together with me to save me, but to meet '0' and obtain a 'box'.
So what am I to her? Most likely---
---just bait to catch '0'.
"...Kazuki, I understand that going to school must depress you. But you gather that this is the best action to take, don't you? Not acting while being aware of this isn't like you."
Otonashi-san said to me reprovingly.
Surely to accomplish her own goal.
Otonashi-san doesn't trust me.
However, since I'm neither able to see [Yuuhei Ishihara], nor to oppose him directly, I'm dependent on a supporter. And no one comes to mind except her.
To trust my supporter in this situation is just like entrusting him with my life. I have no other choice but to blindly believe the words of my supporter. If Otonashi-san wanted to ruin me, she could easily set a trap for me.
"...what should I do at school?"
But still, she's the only supporter I have.
"Let's see, for example---"
She proposed various things to which I agreed. She had easily thought of effective plans as anticipated, but exactly because of that I'd be afraid if she... betrayed me.
"Do you also have a something?"
One thing came to mind:
"How about changing our naming?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Instead of «Otonashi-san», I'm going to call you «Aya» from now on. [Yuuhei Ishihara] doesn't know of that name, so he won't call you like this for sure. Therefore, calling you «Aya» proves that I'm [me]. How is this?"
Otonashi-san kept quiet.
"Is this plan unusable?"
"......no, I think it's quite effective. Let's use it."
She agreed. But, for some reason she seemed slightly displeased.
But still... «Aya Otonashi», huh?
«Aya Otonashi» was the name of an illusion that doesn't exist within our everyday life.
Furthermore---it was once the name of my enemy.
Those were thoughts that flashed through my mind at once.

May 02 (Saturday) 08:11

I realized that the air had frozen right when I entered the classroom together with Otonashi-san.
Of course, no one greeted me.
Daiya naturally didn't, but neither did Haruaki. Kokone's seat was still empty. Maybe she's going to be absent today. ...Because of me? --Of course.
I guess even Otonashi-san did not expect my situation to be this bad. She darted a sad glance at me. But then she pulled herself up, focused on my classmates and clapped her hands two times.
"Listen everyone!"
Their gazes focused on her immediately which is probably because they paid attention to us anyway.
"Is there anyone that knows a person named 'Yuuhei Ishihara'?"
Upon hearing this, several students suspiciously exchanged glances.
Otonashi-san said that the probability is high that the 'owner' would be one of my classmates. Since it wouldn't be logical to seek an unknown person's body so much as to use a 'box', I suppose she's right on that point.
But isn't the 'owner' the [Yuuhei Ishihara] inside me? Or does she mean that there exists another entity separate from him?
I don't really get it.
However, for the time being, I do think it's effective to just ask the class about the name «Yuuhei Ishihara».
"Hey, you, what are you up to?"
Miyazawa-kun addressed us with an awfully disdaining glance at me.
"You again? What? Do you know Yuuhei Ishihara?"
Miyazawa-kun sneered at us and replied with something that was unrelated to her question.
"Why can you two still be together like this, after «such a thing»?"
What does he refer to with this?
I looked at my other classmates. Anger dwelled in their eyes. This anger has probably emerged from some kind of righteous indignation against me.
In other words, those classmates cannot forgive me for being together with Otonashi-san?.
"What are your excuses, Hoshino?"
I was stuck for an answer since I didn't know why they couldn't forgive this. And I mustn't ask for that «thing» that [Yuuhei Ishihara] had done.
Therefore, I had no other choice but to keep silent.
Miyazawa-kun reacted with a plastic sigh to my silence.
"Whatever. I won't broach that subject again! ---This is going to be personal now."
Miyazawa-kun continued loathingly.
"The de facto husband of my mother... ah, this might be out of context. Yuuhei Ishihara is the de facto husband of my mother.."
A sudden acknowledgement.
"...Miyazawa. Will you tell us more about Yuuhei Ishihara?"
"No, no... just by hearing our relationship should give you an idea of how hard it is to speak about it."
"We have our reasons. Isn't the fact that I said the name 'Yuuhei Ishihara' reason enough to tell me more?"
Miyazawa-kun frowned, but agreed even so reluctantly with a "...okay, got it".
Because of the delicate subject, he urged us to change the place to the corridor.
"Well, it's not like I'm hiding anything---"
With these words, Miyazawa-kun introduced the talk.
His parents divorced when he was in the first year of middle school. Reason was the change of the emotions of the spouses. Both of them found new lovers and chose to live together with them. And in the case of the mother, the new partner was Yuuhei Ishihara.
Both Miyazawa-kun's true father and his true mother didn't want to take him along into their new households since he was a symbol of their past family life. They didn't display it bluntly, but since it was not something one can hide, Miyazawa-kun sensed it.
He didn't know why this happened to his parents. But for him, as their son, those circumstances didn't matter. This was without doubt betrayal, and something that cannot possibly be forgiven.
Eventually, after some argument, his father took custody of him. But it was unthinkable for him to build a new household with his father and the new mother. When he had refused to live together with them, he started living alone in an apartment in the second year of middle school, receiving only living expenses from his father.
As it seems---during middle school he considered himself to be the unluckiest human on earth, being in this unhappy family which appeared often in cheap dramas, but is only seldomly found in reality with one's own eyes.
Thus, he naturally bore a grudge. Against his parents who were responsible for this environment, against his new mother, and against Yuuhei Ishihara.
"So I think they should just die."
Miyazawa-kun cursed at them without any emotion in his voice.
"I understand your feelings, but you shouldn't say such things."
"Thank you very much for this naïve word of advice."
Miyazawa replied, with a sardonic laugh.
"Is this enough already?"
"...Yes. I'm thankful that you spoke with us about this delicate subject."
"Oh? That's not like you."
"Surprisingly, you have your troubles, too, huh?"
"Thanks for the sympathy."
The chime rang at this point.
"Well then, I'll return to my seat. Ah, and Hoshino---"
While returning to the classroom, Miyazawa-kun darted me a glance for the first time since we began the discussion about Yuuhei Ishihara.
"Don't get me wrong. The fact that I answered Otonashi's questions doesn't mean that I forgave what you've done. I cannot forgive you."
Spitting out those words, he walked to his seat.
The other class members smiled at him to praise his straightforwardness against me.
Though, he probably intentionally said that while walking back, so that the others heard those words, too.
......That's just cruel.
I laid on my desk and covered my head with my arms.
"Kazuki, I'll return to my own classroom. You haven't forgotten what I told you on the way to here, right? Try doing it."
I raised my head reluctantly, took my mobile phone and sent Otonashi-san an empty mail.
Otonashi-san checked the mail and nodded. I then erased this sent mail from the outbox.
"Don't forget sending this mail during classes!"
Send me a mail every 10 minutes. That was Otonashi-san's instruction.
By doing so, she's able to probe the switch between [Yuuhei Ishihara] and [me].
That is because [Yuuhei Ishihara] doesn't know of this instruction and will hence not send the empty mail.
But well, since we don't know all characteristics of the 'Sevennight in Mud' yet, we can't call it a reliable method.
"Still need anything?"
"Nope, Aya."
Otonashi-san looked astonished for just a second, but in the end she didn't say anything else and left the classroom.
I sighed.
...Yuuhei Ishihara is Miyazawa-kun's mother's de facto husband? This person is the [he] in my body? Somehow it didn't stand to reason that a foreign adult would desire the body of «Kazuki Hoshino».
Suddenly, my mobile phone vibrated inside my pocket. I took it out instantly and opened it. A new mail arrived. I opened the mail inbox.
The name «Maria Otonashi» was displayed.
Hm, did she perhaps forget to mention anything? Ah, or was it something she can't speak out loud?
There was only one line of text in the mail. A very simple line, which was probably written with the possibility of me being [Yuuhei Ishihara] in mind.
«Don't believe.»
Ah, that.
Why does Miyazawa-kun interfere with us since yesterday? There is one reason that comes to mind immediately:
That is---because Miyazawa-kun is an ally of [Yuuhei Ishihara].
Because of that, he came approaching us forcedly. In order to tell [Yuuhei Ishihara] about us.
I mustn't believe Miyazawa-kun's words, since he might be in this position. I guess that's what she tried to convey with this mail.
Sure enough, I don't really think that Yuuhei Ishihara is the same person as the [Yuuhei Ishihara] in me. But on the other hand, I don't think that all he has told us is a lie either. Those feelings that he showed while speaking about his family affairs cannot be fake.
I returned my gaze to my mobile phone. I read her simple mail once more.
«Don't believe.»
...Ah, maybe she means something different. Maybe she doesn't mean "«don't believe» «what Ryuu Miyazawa said»".
Rather, I mustn't believe---anything.
I can only find out about what [Yuuhei Ishihara] has done while controlling my body, by hearing about it from others. But I have no allies among those others. Even Miyazawa-kun, Haruaki, Kokone, Daiya and Aya Otonashi aren't my allies.
I erased the mail. I'm instructed to delete any mail from Otonashi-san immediately.
I clenched my fist.
"---why"
Why do I have no allies when even [Yuuhei Ishihara] has one?

May 02 (Saturday) 09:05

Surprisingly [Kazuki Hoshino] was taking classes. I was sure he'd still be constrained by cuffs in Maria Otonashi's room. It honestly astonishes me that [Kazuki Hoshino] came to school despite the terrible scene here.
Did Maria Otonashi make him do it? Because she wanted to gather information? If so, then she's heartless.
Well, whatever.
The outcome won't change either way.
Kazuki Hoshino's everyday life will get destroyed either way.
After all I arranged things so that Kazuki Hoshino's everyday life is going to get destroyed just by being with Maria Otonashi.
Why did I confess to Kokone Kirino? Of course, to destroy Kazuki Hoshino's everyday life.
But the reason that I specially chose this method is just a whim of my revenge. I mean, can this be forgiven? To have a such intimate female friend while being blessed with a lover like Maria Otonashi?
Thus I chose to destroy this relationship by using a confession.
And it had bore fruit immediately. On top of that, the repercussions were tremendous. The confession to Kirino was a more vehement bomb than I had expected.
I got smacked by Oomine. To tell the truth, the statement from me that brought this situation forth was not even made with the intention to offend her feelings.
I merely said:
«Come on, let me hear your reply!»
I said this simply to sound out the situation between us.
But Kirino got shocked for some reason and broke out in tears, to which Oomine reacted oversensitively and smacked me.
Why did this happen? I didn't understand at the time, but thinking about it now, it's simple. [Kazuki Hoshino] and [Yuuhei Ishihara] don't share their memories. For example let's assume that Kirino has already given [Kazuki Hoshino] her reply to the confession. Now, I asked her this question. How would she have perceived those words? I can't say for sure, but I believe they would have hurt her feelings.
I still don't know why Oomine reacted oversensitively, though. I had heard rumors about him having special feelings for Kirino. I hadn't been able to confirm anything about this by observing his attitude, but those rumors might just be true.
I haven't seen myself what I'm going to tell now, but I have noticed this later on after listening to Haruaki Usui.
As it seems, at the point in time when I was attacked by Oomine, most of the members of the class 2-3 were assuming that this was a quarrel that started because Kazuki confessed to Kirino.
The problem is that Maria Otonashi appeared.
Kazuki followed her without hesitation. As if clinging to her. Completely ignoring the emotions of the crying Kokone Kirino--the girl he had apparently confessed to.
And even after this, Kazuki Hoshino kept being together with Maria Otonashi as if nothing had happened.
It's only natural that his classmates became mad with anger when he deserted the popular Kokone Kirino like this. However, since Hoshino had no other choice but to rely on her, he couldn't act independently.
Like this, Kazuki Hoshino's everyday life is gradually getting lost.
Not because of me, but because of [Kazuki Hoshino]'s own behavior.
Heck, this is just too great.

I informed the teacher that I'd go to the toilet and went to the corridor. When I had done so, Maria Otonashi already awaited me. She opened her mouth with a frown.
"Why are you laughing?"
My mouth bent without me noticing, it seems.
"I guess because you were waiting for me, Otonashi-san."
"Hmpf, trying to act like [Kazuki Hoshino], [Yuuhei Ishihara]?"
She could make out that I'm [Yuuhei Ishihara] just from this?
No, that's not what should astound me. She rushed to the classroom 2-3 right after the shift.
Probably because she knew that [Kazuki Hoshino] switched to [me].
I assumed that they made some kind of agreement to distinguish the two of us.
"Follow me."
She instructed me.
"Where do you plan to lead me to?"
She smiled faintly to my question.
"What are you saying? Didn't you announce the destination yourself?"
"Hah?"
"You're going to go to the toilet, aren't you?"

May 02 (Saturday) 09:14

"You really don't mind? If people found out that you're here with Kazuki Hoshino, wouldn't this become a serious matter for the two of you?"
She had led me to a stall in the girls' restroom.
"...he"
Maria Otonashi sneered at me when she had seen me entering mindlessly.
What on earth is she thinking? Certainly, the restrooms on the third floor of the second building are hardly ever used since there are only special classrooms here. Even less during classes. But even so, I don't get the reason why she brought me specially to such a place.
"I guess so. We'd get suspended from school. We'd get pointed at by our classmates."
"You're already somewhat out of despair? If so, shall I make some noise as you wish?"
"Feel free to do so."
She said relaxedly and sneered at me. ...Apparently she saw through me that I had no intention to do so.
Kazuki Hoshino's current environment is going to become my own. I may have harmed his everyday life more than planned, but there's no way I'd long for an even more cumbersome situation.
"Okay [Yuuhei Ishihara], open Kazuki's mobile phone."
"...why so suddenly?"
"Open the image. The third one from the top in the data folder."
This provoked an urge to resist, but since it won't do any good to pick a quarrel here, I obeyed her honestly.
I opened the image. It was the picture of a lovely girl in pajamas, probably self-taken.
"So tell me, who is that?"
"...what meaning is there in this question?"
"I won't answer since it would worsen my conditions."
What a frank answer.
I looked at it again. An unknown girl. Telling her honestly that I don't know this girl would probably be to my own disadvantage, I suppose.
I shifted my attention to the background. This is without doubt a hospital. Come to think of it, I've heard of a big accident about two months ago in the vicinity. Is she maybe the victim of then? The name of the victim was... I don't remember.
...I don't know anyway. So let's venture a guess.
"'Kasumi Mogi'."
I tried saying the name I had priorly heard from the underwear-girl, Ruka Hoshino.
"I'm afraid you're wrong."
Didn't work, huh? I smiled bitterly without thinking.
"Well, I didn't know her name--so what?"
"It's a lie."
"Hah?"
"It's a lie that you were wrong. It is indeed Kasumi Mogi. But you have never seen her as it seems."
Maria Otonashi said so without changing her expression a bit.
"......aren't you unfair?"
"What is unfair? You are too naïve to think that it would work out somehow by guessing right. Well then, I'll pose another question. How are Kazuki Hoshino and Kasumi Mogi related?"
I have no clue what's the point of those question. Well, I guess it's also on purpose that I don't understand her intent.
I groped in my mind for a vague answer.
"......they're friends."
"And?"
So Maria Otonashi doesn't let me get away with such an answer, after all.
"How should I give you a better answer when I don't know Kasumi Mogi?"
This is a natural consequence. An obvious answer since I've already told her that I don't know that girl. There should be no problem with this answer.
"You don't know Kasumi Mogi?"
Nevertheless, Maria Otonashi spoke as if I made a fatal mistake.
"...Didn't I say so from the start? I've never seen the girl on this photograph."
"Yeah, you've never seen her. You said that. But how is 'never seen' equivalent to 'do not know'?"
"...You're being cryptical. I have never seen her, so there's no way I'd kno---"
---wait, that's not true.
"I see. With this, I grasped your true identity fairly well. You are no student of class 2-3."
......that was what she had been planning.
«Kasumi Mogi» has probably not come to school because she's hospitalized. Thus I have never seen her. Students of the class 2-3 do, however, know her even when they have never seen her. It's only natural that they would mind the name of the person whose seat is always empty, and they would have an occasion where this name is mentioned, no doubt.
Right, the intention of those questions was--to narrow down the suspect.
"Hmpf, to be honest, it appeared likely to me that Ryuu Miyazawa was the 'owner'. But since you're not a student of the class 2-3, it seems I was wrong."
Ryuu Miyazawa?
Why does she mention this name?
Don't tell me that he acted on his own accord because I was unable to give him instructions today, being captured by Otonashi-san?
"You... no, to be accurate the 'owner,' has to be someone who's not our classmate but knows us well. I don't think that there are many people that know much about us. He is a person Kazuki and I can think of easily, right?"
Of course, I didn't say anything in reply.
"Further, I have one more thought. It's about Yuuhei Ishihara. Ryuu Miyazawa called Yuuhei Ishihara the de facto husband of his mother. When searching for the reason he told us about this, following reason comes naturally to mind. Right ---"
Maria Otonashi declared.
"---Yuuhei Ishihara does not exist."
I held my breath.
"This name was random from the start. But either you or Ryuu Miyazawa thought about using this to your advantage. You contemplated to conceal the identity of the 'owner' by making us think that «Yuuhei Ishihara» really exists, right? And you chose this complicated relationship of a de facto husband because it would be hard to investigate this matter like this, no?"
He doesn't exist, hence we can conceal him--huh? I see. She's almost right.
But she's wrong. Yuuhei Ishihara is indeed the de facto husband of Ryuu Miyazawa's mother. However, we can say that he doesn't exist anymore.
After all Yuuhei Ishihara is already dead.
"Was this all? If so, is it my turn now?"
I guess she became cautious because of my sudden question. Maria Otonashi scowled.
"...What do you want to discuss?"
"It should attract your interest, I think! Perhaps it's even something you searched for with all your might."
I opened my mouth with a smile.
"I'll explain it to you. How the 'Sevennight in Mud' works."

May 02 (Saturday) 10:00

Looking at each thing that entered my sight, I collected data and regained Kazuki Hoshino. The sky. Concrete. The ground. Sand. Maria Otonashi. My hand. Kazuki Hoshino. This place is the back of the school building. I am---me.
I got used to it, since I switched several times so far. But exactly because I got used to it, I noticed:
This is an apparent death.
I completely vanish during the time when I'm not myself. I don't even dream. This is a «death» that approaches me step by step. If I don't destroy the 'Sevennight in Mud' until May 05, I'm going to disappear forever. In other words, I'll «die».
"Kazuki?"
The girl in front of me asked. I nodded silently, but noticed that this won't suffice and thus added "Yes, Aya".
Otonashi-san looked at her watch and frowned.
I noticed the worn-out electric guitar at her feet.
"This? I brought this along from the light music club."
It's quite an old one, but since the strings are properly changed to new ones, I suppose that this guitar is still in regular use.
...I bet she brought this along without permission.
"I fiddled around with it in the 'Rejecting Classroom' to kill time, you know."
Otonashi-san picked the electric guitar up and started to play. She did so skillfully, much better than me who can hardly hold down the F-cord. She stopped her performance immediately and held the guitar out to me.
"Eh?"
"Play. I know that you inherited the guitar of your sister."
"Ah, no... I can't really play well, you know?"
"I don't care. Play the guitar all the time while I'm speaking. If you do so, I know it when you switch to [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
I see. So that's why she brought this guitar along.
I'm a very poor player of the guitar, so it's kind of embarrassing, but still I started playing a famous song of an older rock band that was in the practice book.
"I'm surprised you know that I've got the guitar of my older sister."
"There's nothing I don't know about you."
She said so boldly.
"...Do you not forget things from the 'Rejecting Classroom', Aya?"
This question came suddenly to mind, so I asked her while playing the guitar clumsily.
"Mh well, I remember everything. ...no, to be exact, I surely forgot some things since it was such a long time of similar happenings. But basically I remember most of it."
Otonashi-san frowned and looked at me.
"Is it perhaps different for you?"
"Yeah, I don't remember much about it anymore. I have no feelings that accompany those memories, so I'm rather oblivious. Kind of how you can't remember the face of every person you pass by in town."
Hearing those words of mine, Otonashi-san opened her eyes wide and stood completely still.
"Eh? What's wrong?"
"Ah, no---"
Seeing her obvious disturbance, I became perplexed all the more.
"So you remember almost nothing of what we did together in the 'box'?"
"W-Well, yeah."
"I...see..."
Otonashi-san kept silent for some reason. Waiting for her to continue, I gazed at her, but she hurriedly averted her eyes.
"Now that you say it, it's plausible. There's no way you'd remember like I do. Because you aren't an 'owner'. I see, it finally makes sense. So that's why---"
Then she continued murmuring with averted eyes.
"---that's why you call me Aya."
"Eh?"
"Nevermind."
Otonashi-san regained her gallant expression and scowled at me.
"Oi, Kazuki. You stopped playing the guitar."
I hurriedly started playing again. Since I forgot until where I played, I started the song again from the start.
"Geez, because you babbled nonessential things, I couldn't enter the main subject, could I?"
"Sorry. So, the main subject?"
"...mh, let's see. Since I don't know yet whether I can believe in [Yuuhei Ishihara]'s words, I'll leave that out for now. I want to talk to you about this time's 'box' while I'm still convinced that you're [Kazuki Hoshino]."
I nodded and suggested her to begin.
"To tell the truth, there are different kinds of 'boxes'. It might be faulty to express it like this, but to explain it simply, there are 'boxes' that operate to the inside and there are 'boxes' that operate to the outside. While the 'Rejecting Classroom' was more of an inside-type, this time's 'Sevennight in Mud' is more of an outside-type."
"...? What's the difference?"
"The inside-type 'box' is for the case when the 'owner' considers his 'wish' to be impossible in the real world. For example, Kasumi Mogi, who was the 'owner' of the 'Rejecting Classroom', didn't believe that it's possible to redo the past. Hence she created a space, removed from the real world, where she could believe in her 'wish'. Mogi crammed herself and her classmates into this 'box' where she could believe that her 'wish' is possible."
I nodded while playing the guitar.
"And then, the outside-type 'box' is for the case when the 'owner' considers his 'wish' to be possible in the real world. The 'owner' of this time's 'Sevennight in Mud' seems to perceive his 'wish' to be grantable if he had the power of the 'box'. Indeed, to take over a body may seem plausible to occur in real life. Which means that there's no need to specially create an unreal space. The reason that I still cannot properly perceive the 'box' also lies somewhere in that area."
"I don't really get it, but so if one can't believe that the miracle of the 'box' can occur in the real world, it becomes an inside-type, and if one can believe in it, it becomes an outside-type?"
"Yeah, pretty much. If we scored them with numbers with a maximum value of 10, the 'Rejecting Classroom' would get an inside level of 9 and the 'Sevennight in Mud' would get an outside level of 4. The higher the outside level, the more it would affect reality."
It's obvious that the influence of last time's 'Rejecting Classroom' was almost nonexistent, since the involved classmates cannot remember it.
But, so that means that this time's 'Sevennight in Mud' isn't like that? "Ah---"
I noticed the cruel nature of the situation in those words.
I'm currently scorned by all my classmates. Furthermore, my relationship with Daiya, Kokone and Haruaki have all been destroyed.
"So--so-, my destroyed everyday life---"
"Yeah, it won't return."
My hand that was playing the guitar halted.
Its sound vanished.
It won't return? My everyday life won't return? My everyday life was corroded and is beyond remedy now?
So------it doesn't exist anymore.
The thing I want to regain doesn't exist anymore.
The second I realized this, my sight turned black as if all breakers of this world had been turned off at one blow. I mean, I have no goal anymore. There's no meaning in destroying the 'box'. I completely lost sight of everything.
I don't care anymore.
I started walking away unsteadily. Otonashi-san said something, and I replied with something. I don't know what she said nor what I replied, but I don't care.
I want to scream.

May 02 (Saturday) 11:00

I was in a convenience store for some reason. In my hand I was holding a weekly Manga magazine. I checked the time on Kazuki Hoshino's mobile phone. Actually I should be taking the third lesson right now... so why am I in a convenience store?
I looked around, but Maria Otonashi wasn't anywhere.
What does this mean? Don't tell me they broke up?
I had the doubt that this might be a trap, but I couldn't let go of this chance to get in contact with Ryuu Miyazawa.
I typed his phone number by heart. The call sound resounded for a while. Well, he should be in the classroom, so he wouldn't be able to answer the phone right away.
I aborted the call and cleared the outgoing calls history. He immediately called me back.
"Hello? Ryuu Miyazawa?"
«......hey, why do you call me by my full name?»
Ryuu Miyazawa asked so, seeming a bit ill-tempered.
"I am no one. «Someone» in your memory might have not called you by your full name, but for the current me, I thought this was the most natural way."
«...Is that so. So, you have something you want, don't you? What is it?»
"I think you have classes now, but you don't mind?"
«...Nothing's more important than you.»
"Is it okay to say that as class committee chairman, I wonder? But I'm happy you say so. Okay, I'd like to discuss how we're going proceed..."
«I don't think we should talk about that at school. Won't you come to my apartment?»
"I don't mind... But you do realize that I can't say whether 12:00 is my time or not, right?"
«That's why I proposed my apartment. We just have to restrain [Kazuki Hoshino] at my place before it's 12:00. 13:00 is your time again, isn't it?»
"I see. So let me teach you a nice way of restraining! It's actually how Maria Otonashi tricked me, you know---"
I gave him an explanation about handcuffs and footcuffs.
«Cuffs, huh? Sounds good. So can you buy some before we meet?»
"Sure."
«You know where I live, right?»
"Yeah. Later then."
I disconnected the call and cleared the call history with fast movements.
Ryuu Miyazawa's apartment, huh?
Now that I think about it, this is the first time I'll be there. Up to now I restrained myself from going there. What an irony that I'm first able to go now that I got into this body.

May 02 (Saturday) 11:47

Ryuu Miyazawa's apartment was in a wooden two-story building, two levels less than the mansion Maria Otonashi was living in. It wasn't self-locking either. I walked to the door on the second story and rang the bell.
Ryuu Miyazawa showed his face promptly.
"Here---a present."
Saying so, I handed him a brown paper bag over. A pair of handcuffs and footcuffs were inside. Ryuu Miyazawa accepted it with almost no change in his expression.
I took off my shoes and entered the room. The room was about of the size of six Tatami mats. The room was very small, but he had been keeping things tidy and in order. While being amazed at how much place the computer takes, I sat down on the floor.
"Ah right, I've been wanting to complain to you. You acted on your own accord and told Maria Otonashi unnecessary things, didn't you?"
Ryuu Miyazawa smiled wryly, "That 'you' didn't sound kind.".
"That girl got wind of your attempt at concealing. It seems she noticed already that you and I are working together."
"So it's as I had expected."
I raised an eyebrow because he said it very easily.
"...I don't get you. So you purposely revealed that you're my assistant?"
"Well, I guess so?"
Hey... that sounds like a really lame excuse.
"Maria Otonashi doubted me just because I tried to come in contact with Kazuki Hoshino. We're up against such a gal. Therefore I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't be able to deceive her."
"But there's no need to purposely tell her!"
"...Your aim is to make [Kazuki Hoshino] submit himself, right?"
"It is, ---so?"
"Without doubt, Otonashi will stand in your way before you can do so, because you cannot attack [Kazuki Hoshino] directly. In other words, you can only attack [Kazuki Hoshino] via Otonashi. But as you know, she's smart. So your attack via Otonashi would be parried easily."
"Well, you have a point..."
"Therefore I came up with the idea that you just need someone who can attack [Kazuki Hoshino] directly, instead of doing it via Otonashi. Of course I'm the only one possible."
"...I see."
"For this purpose, it's best to make clear that I'm your assistant. But if I had revealed it to her openly, she would have been on guard. That's why I did like this!"
He said this indifferently.
A wry smile floated over my face spontaneously. I didn't think he'd considered things this much. I already considered him to be reliable, but he is even more so than I thought.
"I already have a plan!"
"Tell me more."
"We'll show him a corpse."
Ryuu Miyazawa said so.
"Do you really think we can make him fall into despair with that? Well, of course he'd get a shock when seeing a corpse, but well..."
Ryuu Miyazawa's mouth curled up upon hearing my question.
"'You killed this person just now.' How about telling him that?"
This is---most interesting.
Instinctively, my mouth curled as well.
"I'll make [Kazuki Hoshino] fall into despair. Don't worry."
Ryuu Miyazawa declared so, ransacked the bag and threw the cuffs to me.

May 02 (Saturday) 12:00

Who is the guy in front of me? I peered at him and noticed that it was the sharp gaze of Ryuu Miyazawa, only without glasses.
Why is Miyazawa-kun...?
I was hand- and footcuffed in a small room I had never seen before. The seriousness of the situation was clear to me.
What did I do again, before I switched? ...I can't remember. When I had been told that my ordinary life won't return, my sight became black --- and then I was here before I knew.
"This is my room. I restrained you."
"...Why?"
"Why, you ask? Didn't [Yuuhei Ishihara] explain it to you? To make you surrender."
In other words, Miyazawa-kun doesn't act for his own sake, but for the sake of [Yuuhei Ishihara]?
"Hoshino. Has Otonashi told you about the details of this box?"
I shook my head.
"So she kept it secret, huh. Well, admittedly, it is an appropriate decision. [Yuuhei Ishihara] said that he had told her with the expectation that she'd inform you, you know?"
Come to think of it, I think she was about to tell me something that she had heard from [Yuuhei Ishihara].
"I'll explain it to you instead! ...haha! It really is less cumbersome now that I've revealed my enmity."
"...enmity? What?"
"Nothing. ...so, you know that this box will erase your existence within one week, right?"
"Yes ...But may I ask something first?"
"What is it?"
"I cannot trust your words. After all you're my enemy, aren't you? I can't just believe your explanation since, in fact, you have been trying to deceive me already."
"Quite right."
Miyazawa-kun accepted my words readily and didn't show any unrest whatsoever.
"I myself have started wondering if I have a talent as a swindler. That's a new discovery for me. But I'm only going to tell you the truth now. Feel free to make sure whether it is true or not. If you don't want to listen, just block your ears. ...Well, you wouldn't be able to because of the handcuffs, though."
Miyazawa-kun said without emotions, approached me and handed over a cut-off piece from a notebook to me.

00-01	01-02	23-24	1st day
02-03	03-04	04-05	2nd day
11-12	13-14	15-16	3rd day
09-10			4th day
			5th day
			6th day
			7th day End

"This is a note [Yuuhei Ishihara] gave me."
Which means that [Yuuhei Ishihara] wrote it. His handwriting, with rounded letters, was surprisingly neat.
"Today's the fourth day."
«09-10» was all that was written on the fourth line. Though there were always three number pairs, on this line was only one. There were none from there on, either.
"What on earth do those numbers mean...?"
"Hoshino, have you not noticed that your time decreases day by day?"
"...Huh?"
"[Kazuki Hoshino]'s time gets stolen by [Yuuhei Ishihara] bit by bit everyday! This note is a listing of the hours that have been stolen from you. For example, «00-01» means that the time from 00:00 until 01:00 has been stolen from [Kazuki Hoshino] by [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
I looked again at the note. The number pair «09-10» at the date mark of today. Which means that [Yuuhei Ishihara] controlled this body today from nine o'clock until ten o'clock. Indeed, I wasn't conscious at that time.
"But then he just steals three hours of my day? It doesn't get more for him!"
"...hey, you ought to think a little more before you speak. I said 'the time gets stolen'. The time isn't stolen for only that day. This time stays in the possession of [Yuuhei Ishihara] thereafter. For example, the hour that has been stolen from you between 00:00 and 01:00 won't be [Kazuki Hoshino]'s again."
I still had troubles understanding.
"Gosh, do you still not get it? Mh... maybe it's easier if you divide one day into 24 blocks and imagine having three of them stolen every day. Your blocks decrease to 21 on the first day. 18 on the second day. 15 on the third day. And on the seventh day, there will only be 3 left. The moment the date changes to the eight day, none remains. In other words: Game Over."
I finally understood.
I also understood why he explained this to me. To teach me about the 'Sevennight in Mud' becomes a disadvantage for [Yuuhei Ishihara]. The reason why he taught me anyway is ---
"Ah, seems like you noticed. You get it, right? Therefore, this can't be a lie. A lie yields hope when you realize it's a lie. On the other hand, when you feel that a cruel fact is reality, you fall into despair all the more. And you realize, if you think back a little, that this is reality of what happened to you, right?"
Right. My body tells me that it's the truth, too.
"Shall I calculate for you? [Kazuki Hoshino] has 7 blocks left today, including the time now. 9 tomorrow, May 03. 6 at May 04. 3 at May 05. 24 altogether. Do you get it? You don't even have one day's time left!"
Miyazawa-kun spoke in order to corner me.
"To corner you by telling you the truth. This is the reason why [Yuuhei Ishihara] reveals this fact. Thus, this is nothing but the truth."
'I still have four days left'. I certainly had been thinking like this. But this was a big mistake. The progress of the battle has already inclined clearly towards [Yuuhei Ishihara].
When just considering the time we spend in this body, [Kazuki Hoshino] has already become the irregular existence of us.
Furthermore, he has Ryuu Miyazawa as his partner.
Oh. It really is hopeless already.
"I'm surprised you're so composed."
Now that he mentions it... Despite this hopeless situation, I was calm.
Which is... plausible.
After all, I've already fallen into despair, even without this.
"Hey, Miyazawa-kun. May I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Why do you assist [Yuuhei Ishihara]?"
Seemingly it was an unexpected question---Miyazawa-kun kept silent.
"You wouldn't assist him if there wasn't a quite important reason, would you? Furthermore, if [Yuuhei Ishihara] told you that he's in my body, you wouldn't believe such a thing readily. Right?"
...Mhh, yeah. Let's try to trick him.
"How about such a reason? For example --- you yourself are [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
An irrational argument which would cause a big laughter if it was wrong.
But Miyazawa-kun maintained his sharp gaze and kept quiet.
"......I myself am [Yuuhei Ishihara] really, huh? Well ---"
Miyazawa-kun smiled bitterly once and continued.
"That's right."
"---Huh?"
Those unexpected words made me lose my tongue.
"Honestly, I was tired of it already. I would have never dreamed that hiding this would exhaust me like this. So I want to tell you my circumstances to find some relief."
Miyazawa-kun sighed, seeming very tired.
"Hoshino. Is there something that's important to you?"
"...There is."
Maybe «There was» would be more accurate. My everyday life was destroyed after all.
"So you may understand my feelings. In my opinion, a really important thing is not something you take care of with utmost devotion nor something you concentrate your lovey-dovey love-love on. I think a really important thing is something that becomes your stem. Therefore if it gets lost, you break as if your spine was removed and turn into an empty shell. Therefore, a really important thing is --- equal to oneself."
"Your «That's right» just now didn't mean that you yourself are [Yuuhei Ishihara], huh?"
"Of course not. If I was him, I would never allow such a detestable conduct."
But he is supporting [Yuuhei Ishihara] who does so. Because [Yuuhei Ishihara] is really important to him.
"If he wishes for this, I'll do it. If it's to protect him I'll do anything. Even if it's not right to do."
This attitude was neither proud nor stubborn. He was bitterly biting on his lips and his eyes showed resignation somewhere, but were without wavering.
"...I understand what you mean! But why is [Yuuhei Ishihara] such an important existence to you?"
Miyazawa-kun muttered "...hm." and continued.
"Probably... no, not probably. I'm sure of it. The reason why he is so important to me, that's---"
He spitted out his next words, seeming unpleased.
"--- because I'm his older brother."
"Older brother? Huh?" I couldn't comprehend those sudden words right away. "So the relationship between you and Yuuhei Ishihara was a lie? ...huh? But...eeh..."
"Yuuhei Ishihara is the de facto husband of my mother. This is true."
"...umm, so, Yuuhei Ishihara and [Yuuhei Ishihara] are completely different individuals to begin with?"
"Yeah. Using this bastard's name made it a bit complicated, but it's like you say."
"So not Yuuhei Ishihara but your younger brother's inside me..."
Is [Yuuhei Ishihara] so important to Miyazawa-kun as to make him call himself [Yuuhei Ishihara], just because they're relative by blood? ...no, I can't really understand this emotion. I have an older sister. Of course she's important to me. But I'd never do anything for my sister, Ruu-chan.
"Didn't I tell you? My family environment."
Miyazawa-kun said so, without answering directly to my question.
"All of it is true, except of the fact that I concealed being his brother. My life until then was destroyed with the divorce matter. Children have to rely on their parents, don't they? But those parents say «We don't need you!». That I'm a hindrance. That I'm trash. That I'm a mistake of their past. Everything was destroyed for me. It may sound clichéd, but this was total despair. I wasn't a human anymore at the time."
He smiled in self derision and continued.
"But I wasn't the only one that was no longer human. He, who was taken charge of by my mother. This other non-human was what saved me. I guess it was a mistaken dependence. But I returned to life thanks to this dependence. He became my stem and, like my spine, I cannot live without him."
He then scowled at me.
"I don't want to return to when I was inhuman. I will protect---me."
I thoroughly understood that Miyazawa-kun's younger brother is an irreplaceable existence for him.
"...But I can't comprehend it."
Miyazawa-kun urged me wordlessly to continue.
"How is it real happiness when [he] becomes Kazuki Hoshino? I also don't think that this means protecting him. I think that he has to find the right way being himself."
"You're right, I guess."
Surprisingly, Miyazawa-kun agreed without hesitation.
"So---"
"Don't spell it out! I know. I know all of that. But it's already too late!"
"...Huh?"

May 02 (Saturday) 14:00

I found out the reason why it's «too late».
Though I couldn't grasp the situation when I was shown that suddenly, I realized that it was indeed too late.
"Those are the corpses of Yuuhei Ishihara and my mother."
I was again in an unknown home. It was a normal living room without noteworthy features.
If it wasn't for the red liquid splashed all over.
I looked at the corpses.
The corpse of a middle-aged woman. With the head split open. The cerebral matter scattered around and the shape of head changed into a crescent moon.
The corpse of a middle-aged man. This was probably the real Yuuhei Ishihara.
His head was split open like the woman's corpse. But not only that. His limbs were bent in incredible directions as if his joints were completely ignored. A gruesome scene, that let one feel that someone had an enormous grudge.
But anyway, it really stinks in here.
"Aah---"
The stench made me observe the corpses calmly, whereupon my thinking made a leap. Why---is this here?
"This is his attack against you!"
A fluorescent lamp illuminated the two corpses palely.
"This murder was committed using the body of Kazuki Hoshino. You know what that means, right? As long you're Kazuki Hoshino, you won't be able to get away from the sin of murder. When you get caught by the police, Kazuki Hoshino will undergo punishment."
His voice resounded already from far away and didn't reach my head.
Miyazawa-kun looked at me at first, but then let go a faint sigh.
"......which was the scenario we planned to use to corner you, but let's scrap that. As I told you before, despair that was born of a lie will become hope when the truth is revealed. Those corpses are the cause. The cause that made him want your body."
"The cause...?"
What if murdering those two was the trigger that made him want to steal my body?
Based on Miyazawa-kun's statements, I suppose [he] considers himself to be in misfortune. What would [he] 'wish' if he obtained the 'box' after causing such an incident? I don't think he would want to regain his lifestyle.
He wouldn't want himself. Therefore he would want to steal another one's body.
"...I understood why the 'owner' came to have such a 'wish'! But.. I don't really get the reason why you'd support him in realizing this 'Sevennight in Mud'. Wouldn't it be better to recommend him to destroy the 'box' and deliver himself up...?"
"If he went to prison, I wouldn't be able to be by his side anymore, would I?"
Indeed. But still, going to prison or becoming another person. Isn't the former one still the better choice...?
"You look like you can't comprehend me. ...ah, I see. Surely, you wouldn't know. Say, have you never wondered about this? If he's inside you, where is his original body right now?"
Come to think of it, I never thought of this. I was assuming that he vanished since he's inside my body.
"I'll give you the answer to this question! Take your phone out."
I understood with just this. I took out my mobile phone, opened the data folder and checked the voice files. There was a new one.
I played the file.
«My original body? I've already killed that!»
I stopped breathing.
So [he] committed suicide after killing Yuuhei Ishihara and his mother? Why such a foolish act...!!?
«I mean, wouldn't it be a hindrance? I have no need for that body - I'm not that kiddo anymore!»
......Wait! So in other words ---
"It's too late; got it? I cannot protect the person I want to protect anymore."
--- Right, it's already too late.
Not only for Miyazawa-kun, but also for me.
After all [his] original human died. Which means that the 'owner' died. Which further means that there's no way to destroy the 'box' anymore.
In short --- the 'Sevennight in Mud' cannot be prevented anymore.
It's too late. We are completely too late.
"I have no other choice but to make the 'Sevennight in Mud' come true."
He spat out those words so plainly that I immediately understood that he was choking off his emotions. He spoke distinctly:
"Thus, Hoshino --- I think I'm going to erase you."
He slowly raised his pale head; his eyes were---blank.
"I'll mow down your will of resisting entirely."
Without looking in my eyes, Miyazawa-kun proceeded his words.
"But I can't be at ease with just this. Because there's Maria Otonashi. So I've been thinking. Making you surrender and stopping Maria Otonashi. I've been thinking about how to accomplish both at the same time."
Miyazawa-kun's mouth distorted slightly, whereupon he continued.
"Capturing Otonashi. But by having you do it."
"...And this makes me surrender?"
"Yeah. Think about it: if we capture Otonashi and confine her until May 06, we're out of danger from her - which is obvious, though. If Otonashi doesn't move, the 'Sevennight in Mud' won't be averted."
So betraying Otonashi-san is equal to abandoning the last resort myself.
Hence, it would mean that I've surrendered.
"So let's move on to the execution. ---Hoshino, I'm going to confine you in my room now and I will use you as a trap to capture Otonashi. I'll take you with me, no matter how much you resist. I won't flinch from using violence. Well, no resistance will be of use as soon you switch again, though."
"Then... why don't you just wait that I switch?"
"If I did so, you might try to justify yourself by thinking that you were confined involuntarily. There's no meaning when you don't betray Maria Otonashi on your own accord. After all, we have to make you surrender."
......I see.
"So what will you do? Wanna try some resistance?"
Miyazawa-kun took some knuckle dusters out of his pockets and put them on. His eyes told me clearly that this wasn't a bluff.
Should I betray?
Her, Maria Otonashi --- no, Aya Otonashi.
What is there to betray? We don't trust each other to begin with. Also, Miyazawa-kun might not have noticed yet, but I don't feel like resisting anymore, since I came to know that my ordinary life won't return.
Should I fight against Miyazawa-kun? No way. Why should I choose the painful path to no avail?
"------"
And still, I can't say it.
I can't say a simple sentence as 'I will betray Otonashi-san'.
Why not? I don't get it. Nothing will change if I don't say it. I have already given up and when the time for the shift comes, I'm going to get confined. The outcome won't change. And still, when I try to vocalize my betrayal, my chest gets attacked by a burning ache.
"M-Miyazawa-kun, say---"
Bam.
"---Ugh!"
Miyazawa-kun performed violence. I prostrated without being able to even raise a proper voice.
Miyazawa-kun's expression was still blank when he looked down on me. He won't possibly lend my words an ear. He will strike with no mercy when I show any sign of resistance.
I know. I can only decide for betrayal.
Isn't it alright? After all Aya Otonashi's an enemy.
He grabbed my shoulders and made me stand. He held his fist against my defenseless stomach.
"Come on, let me hear your words of betrayal!"
"You may---"
Nothing would change, so there shouldn't be any reason to hesitate.
So why---
"You may---confine me."
Why does my heart seem to break just by speaking those words out?

May 02 (Saturday) 23:10

I'm dreaming.
I'm dreaming the same dream again.