Utsuro no Hako:Volume2 May 3 (ch5)

Utsuro no Hako:Volume2 May 3

May 03 (Sunday) 07:12

I woke up. It wasn't the sensation of switching, but the normal sensation of awakening.
I was lying on the ground of Miyazawa's room with cuffs applied to both my hands and feet.
Miyazawa-kun was sitting on the bed. Dark circles were under his eyes. Maybe he hadn't slept properly in the last few days.
When he had noticed that I had awoken, he took out a washcloth and wiped my face. The menthol in the washcloth wiped away my sleepiness.
"I'll instruct you now."
Having finished wiping my face, he said so without greeting me.
"You will restrain Otonashi by handcuffing and footcuffing her and demonstrate your will of betrayal by doing so. You just need to do that. Simple, isn't it?"
"...really?"

"Ah?"
"Will you really believe that I surrendered if I do so?"
[He] is free to judge how he wants to. He might not be able to accept this as 'surrendered' and request an even worse absurdity.
"He said that he'd be satisfied when he just can steal Maria Otonashi from you."
"Steal...?"
A mail from some time came suddenly to mind.
«I was able to grant my earnest desire. Now I can go out with you.»
I finally understood the meaning of this text.
Seems like [he]'s mistaking us for lovers. Thus he's under the impression that he could go out with her when he completed the 'Sevennight in Mud'.
But this is unreasonable. It's impossible to obtain everything from me just by taking me over.
"You cannot steal her from me!"
«I can.»
I took almost a leap. A voice answered to my murmur, which shouldn't be here.
«I am Kazuki Hoshino and no one else! Hence, I'm able to obtain her like this.»
The voice originated from the speakers besides the computer that was controlled by Miyazawa-kun.
«Do you think this is absurd? Do you think I cannot become Kazuki Hoshino because you are?»
Of course. Only [I] am Kazuki Hoshino, no one else could be.
«So tell me, what makes Kazuki Hoshino? At the very least you can't notice the difference by the personality. After all you would still recognize someone you haven't met in ages as the same person, even if this person's atmosphere and personality have changed completely, right?»
Hearing [his] words, I recalled the words I had once heard from that person.
«So tell me: when you see someone acting a bit unusually, would you think right away 'This is someone else. Someone took him over.'?»
"------ugh!"
Indeed, Daiya, Kokone and Haruaki have all recognized [him] as Kazuki Hoshino. Even Otonashi-san, with whom I have spent more time together than with anyone else,---
«Even Maria Otonashi cannot distinguish [Kazuki Hoshino] from [Yuuhei Ishihara], does she?»
"...uh"
«Well, but since she knows of the 'boxes', she might perceive [Kazuki Hoshino]'s vanishment as vanishment of Kazuki Hoshino's existence as a whole. Therefore I'll teach her that Kazuki Hoshino won't disappear when I become him. Doing so, Kazuki Hoshino will continue to exist in her.»
A chuckle resounded from the speakers.
«And then I'll be able to obtain her.»
As long the looks stay like Kazuki Hoshino, he will be recognized as Kazuki Hoshino, even when the inside changed. This is certainly true. Therefore I don't think he's talking complete nonsense.
...but it's an overstatement that he could become Kazuki Hoshino.
"Do you think it's extreme logic?"
I closed my mouth when Miyazawa-kun judged me correctly.
"Hoshino, what would you do if you learned that an important person to you had split personality?"
"Eh?"
I frowned at this example he suddenly threw toward me.
"Is your important person only one of those personalities? Would you distinguish each personality carefully and say «that one is important to me», «I don't need that one», «I don't mind that one»? No, you wouldn't, right? Regardless of the personalities, this important person is in the end only one human."
"......Could be."
"Thus, it doesn't really matter whether the inside is [Kazuki Hoshino] or [Yuuhei Ishihara]. If she accepts that it's Kazuki Hoshino, her emotions will be maintained. It's not [your] personality what Maria Otonashi considers important. I'm sure, it's rather---"
Miyazawa-kun continued without altering his expression a slightest bit.
"---Kazuki Hoshino's existence itself."
Some sort of power was contained in those words.
He did not only say them to corner me.
"...but I'm afraid I'm not such an important human to her."
He smiled wryly.
"You might have not noticed since you're the person concerned. But I know. Otonashi is dependent on you! Therefore it will be hard for Maria Otonashi to endure the loss of you when your personality disappears. She will then try to make up for this loss with something. It's obvious what she would use as compensation, isn't it?"
"...you think it's [Yuuhei Ishihara]?"
"Not exactly. It's Kazuki Hoshino who does certainly still live, though slightly altered."
"That's why [he] will obtain her eventually...? This is only your suitable guess. Why can you be so convinced?"
"Because she's the same as me."
Miyazawa-kun said so annoyingly.
"Eh?"
"Because I'm depending on someone like Maria Otonashi does. That's why I easily know what she's going to do."
I finally understood the reason why there's such a power in his words.
Miyazawa-kun knows it. He knows the sensation when an important person disappears and turns into something different.
"Stop being so nitpicking. You just have to betray Maria Otonashi. If you do so, she will start mixing up [Kazuki Hoshino] and [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
"...Why so?"
"Otonashi would never dream of [Kazuki Hoshino] betraying her. Even if you were the one that handcuffed her, she would think it was [Yuuhei Ishihara]. But in fact it was [Kazuki Hoshino] who did. Consequently, she will become unable to distinguish the two of you confidently. The borderline between [Kazuki Hoshino] and [Yuuhei Ishihara] will disappear."
And then she's going to consider [me] and [him] as the same.
If she's like this by May 06, Otonashi-san will accept it with no resistance, even if [he] steals everything from me. That's what Miyazawa-kun is saying.
"Did you get me? Okay, I'll instruct you, then."
"...Wait a sec."
I interrupted him.
"What?"
"What do you plan to do when [he]'s not convinced of having stolen Otonashi-san completely from me?"
I think it's going to be like this.
We aren't going out, after all. Hence, it's not possible to steal her from me. It can't go as [he] planned.
"Won't you cause her suffering? Won't you still use me?"
Miyazawa-kun kept silent for a moment and admitted it by saying, "I guess so."
And added without reserve---
"So what?"
"'So what'...? U-Under no circumstances could I... do that. I surely decided to betray her. But that doesn't mean that I want to trouble her so---"
"Do you want me to hit you again?"
"......Even so, I won't be able to!"
I don't care if I have to suffer. In that case, I merely have to endure the pain.
But I absolutely do not want that someone has to get hurt because of me. This has nothing to do with her being my ally or not, I just cannot accept it.
He observed me for a while, but in the end he just sighed regretfully for some reason.
"You're okay with that?"
"......with what?"
"If there's no meaning in violence, then we just have to use another kind of threat, you know?"
"...What do you mean?"
Miyazawa-kun didn't answer to my question and kept silent thereafter.

May 03 (Sunday) 08:45

I was standing in front of Kazuki Hoshino's home.
"But your idea is really nasty, huh."
"How so? If it's for your sake, this idea is natural. And anyway, you are the one that executes it, aren't you?"
He said so, calmly.
"Do you think this underwear-girl will obey me politely? If not, she'd be pitiful."
"Well, I'll pray for it to go well!"
Ryuu Miyazawa returned shallow words, almost as if he had no interest in what's going to happen.
No --- Perhaps he really has no interest.
For him, who wasn't able to do anything against that incident, all other things might have become indifferent. This theory had no basis, but I thought so for some reason.
"Okay, I'll start."
"Ok."
It's a matter of course, but I opened the door without ringing the bell.
"I'm home."
I climbed to the second floor.
Ruka Hoshino was sleeping in underwear like always.

May 03 (Sunday) 10:06

Miyazawa-kun pressed a mobile phone against my ear.
«N-NOOO!!»
I heard a scream from the phone. I recognized the owner of this voice immediately. After all it's a voice I hear virtually every day.
"Ruu-chan...!!"
«Why do you do such a thing?! Stop it, Kazu-chan!!»
"Ah---"
What... what did he do!? What did he do to Ruu-chan, using my body!?
"This happened because you didn't listen to us like a good boy!"
"But Ruu-chan has absolutely nothing to do with it! So why did you do such a---!!"
"Because she has nothing to do with it, you suffer. Exactly because of that we're doing that!"
Having heard those words, I spontaneously tried to throw myself upon him --- but failed and fell unsightly to the ground. I had forgotten that I was restrained with footcuffs. Miyazawa-kun stepped on my crawling body and pressed the mobile phone against my ear.
"Uuh..."
Since I wasn't even able to cover my ears, I closed my eyes reflexively. Though this would be to no avail.
Such a voice came from the phone:
«Kidding~~~!»
"Huh...?"
«Kazu-chan, why do you want me to say such things? Big sis has become anxious about your future.»
I raised my head dumbfoundedly and looked at Miyazawa-kun.
What on earth? A joke...?
Miyazawa-kun removed his leg from my body. I sat up while keeping my gaze on him, who still didn't show any expression on his face.
"Why are you calming down, Hoshino?"
"Eh?"
"This were sound files recorded with the 'My Voice'-feature. It's not real time. What if I reversed the order of those files? Maybe the sound file you just heard happened before the other one?"
"Y-You can't...!"
"Just joking!"
"Ugh..."
I feel miserable for being so easily deceived.
"Geez... what are you swinging from joy to sorrow and back all the time. It's not the problem whether she was actually hurt or not, is it? The problem is that Ruka Hoshino's completely guardless against [Yuuhei Ishihara]'s actions. "
Saying so, Miyazawa-kun turned the foot on my body around.
"[Yuuhei Ishihara] will become Kazuki Hoshino. Can you imagine just how much of a hindrance the existence of a sister is then? Heck, you're living in the same room! Of course she'd notice Kazuki Hoshino's change and it would be impossible to terminate this relationship since you are siblings. She's the person that may become the greatest barrier. That seems to be the reason why he's indecisive. How should he deal with her?"
Having said this, Miyazawa-kun made a double click and started another voice file.
«You will betray Maria Otonashi for us, won't you [Kazuki Hoshino]?»
This was a threat.
A simple threat which meant that he would kill Ruka Hoshino if I didn't obey.
"So what will you do, Hoshino?"
If I handcuff Otonashi-san, she might end up hurt. But If I don't, Ruu-chan might have to die.
There's no way I could decide on one! ---However, Otonashi-san won't be killed. Also, if it's for her, she might be able to overcome the situation with her skills. No, of course she will.
---she will defeat us.

May 03 (Sunday) 21:04

"Otonashi does take so long to arrive here...? Quite surprising. I was sure she'd know the place right away."
Miyazawa-kun said.
"Well, she might be unable to notice that you're being confined. [Yuuhei Ishihara] went home once, after all. However, she ought to sense something since her calls are blocked... say, Hoshino, did you have a big quarrel that would justify blocking her calls?"
I couldn't answer. Because I didn't know anymore how I parted from her when my sight turned black in despair.
"Well, doesn't matter, huh. We're going to act now anyway."
Having said so, he took out my mobile phone.
That he didn't do anything until now was because [my] today's time had not been clear until 19:00 was stolen from me. But my time window is settled now. It's settled that today's time is going to be [mine] until 23:00.
"...Ah, which reminds me."
Having said so, Miyazawa-kun took out a packing tape and stuck two layers on my mouth. Since I had been handcuffed already, I was naturally not able to take it off.
He initiated a call. To whom... is obvious.
"Hello?"
«......Who are you?»
The room was silent. I too, could hear Otonashi-san's voice clearly.
"Ryuu Miyazawa!"
«...Miyazawa, why do you call me from Kazuki's mobile phone? What happened to Kazuki? I knew that you were [Yuuhei Ishihara]'s partner, but---»
"Partner? As if I'd help out that piece of shit! He merely grasped my weak spot and threatened me."
What is he saying...?
«Your weak spot?»
"Yeah. I didn't support him, he grasped my weak spot and used me. But I've had enough of it! And fortunately I hit upon a simple and good solution strategy."
«A solution strategy...?»
"If it's for you, you should easily be able to think of it. It's really simple."
«...Don't tell me---»
"Exactly. I just have to kill Kazuki Hoshino."
Miyazawa-kun spoke indifferently without putting any weird emotion into his voice. I then finally noticed that he was just making up this story. But his performance seems just too natural. Even I, knowing the truth, thought for a second that he might be telling the truth there.
Therefore I don't think Otonashi-san would be able to see through this made-up story.
«...What are you saying? I don't know what kind of weak spot he grasped of you, but the risk is just too high. I didn't know you were so silly as to make such a choice?»
"You're easy to see through. Seems you are surprisingly bad at deceiving someone."
«......»
"Murder is indeed a risky gamble. It wouldn't be worth it. But this risk doesn't apply to Kazuki Hoshino right now. You should know why, don't you?"
«...I have no idea.»
"Haha, don't play dumb! Okay, then I'll tell you. The answer to the riskless murder is 'just take advantage of the moment of the shift'."
Otonashi-san had noticed it as well, I suppose. After all yesterday she told me that it would be dangerous if I switched during her driving. If one took advantage of this logic in a more certain way, it would be dead easy to feign an accident or suicide.
This is what he means by riskless murder.
"If I'm able to put an end to his threat, I'll do as much as this."
«...Why do you inform me about this?»
"There is at least someone you'd like to shoot if you had a bullet that would never be found, right? But using this bullet, I'll also erase someone I have no grudge against. Since he would be just too pitiful, I thought I might allow him to speak to his lover a last time at the very end."
«Just how selfish are you...!?»
"Oh? Hoshino has only a few hours left, you know? He's as good as dead! But rest assured; I'll kill him when he's [Yuuhei Ishihara]. I'll quasi conduct euthanasia for him. Isn't it rather fortunate that he can die before being taken over completely by this scumbag?"
«Kazuki will regain his body!»
"This only what you think, isn't it? No one would be able to look at things so positively in such a situation!"
«Gh...»
"Well, that's it. Okay, I'll let you hear his last words."
Of course he didn't remove the tape from my mouth when he had said so.
He moved the mouse and made a double click. My voice resounded from the speakers.
«Please save me---»
I thought this was a cheap line. If only---
«---Aya!»
---he didn't mention this name.
Why does he know this name...? They don't know the 'Rejecting Classroom', so they should not be able to know this name.
No... they might know. I have used this name in the classroom of 2-3. Surely, Miyazawa-kun noticed that this name had to be some kind of code and reported it to [Yuuhei Ishihara].
But she, who doesn't know that those words belong to [him], can't notice this fact. Therefore---
«......I'll come to save you right away, Kazuki.»
---she believes that this voice was mine.
«You made a mistake.»
Otonashi-san declared this.
«You should have made this call just before he would switch to [Yuuhei Ishihara]. Now's 21:12. You can act at 22 o'clock at the earliest. There are 48 minutes until then. I'll defeat you and take Kazuki back in this time.»
An announcement that failed its purpose.
Not knowing that her words don't unsettle him, but rather calm him down.

May 03 (Sunday) 21:32

And then she came. Not even 20 minutes had passed since the call.
The window was broken up and its splinters scattered about in the room. She had smashed the glass with her sneakers and was now standing in the center of the room in her normal clothes.
"...That you arrived this quickly means that you had known my whereabouts?"
Miyazawa-kun was looking at her from the corridor right in front of the entry and was pressing a kitchen knife against me.
"Do you really think it was hard to find out? You'd never make such a phone call in public. Hence you'd likeliest be at home, don't you think? After all no other places would come to mind."
"But weren't you still too fast if it was just this?"
"I had already known your residence at the point in time when you revealed being the partner of [Yuuhei Ishihara]. ...Come on, isn't it enough already? Remove your hands from Kazuki. Didn't you say yourself that you don't want to take the high risk of murdering? If you stab, this isn't just a risk anymore. You're sure to get punished for inflicting bodily injury or more."
"Shut up."
"There's no need to cause hysteria just because it didn't go as you planned. Isn't the point that you don't want to get threatened by [Yuuhei Ishihara] anymore? Hand Kazuki over to me and I promise to stop those threats!"
"That's just your hollow promise, isn't it?"
He acted as if he was irritated and didn't listen to her.
Why does Miyazawa-kun take this attitude?
---that is, he is raising the drop height.
Miyazawa-kun is acting out the generic enemy role and tries to set up the stage to make my betrayal more impactful.
Otonashi-san is going to defeat the enemy, Miyazawa-kun, and will save me. Of course she will feel relieved and pleased.
And there she'll be betrayed by me.
Thus, for the sake of this 'drop height', Miyazawa-kun must not release me readily right now.
"Buzz off! Isn't it enough already for your last rendezvous?"
"Don't ridicule!"
But why does Otonashi-san not attack him right away?
Sure, his knife is currently pressed against my throat. But this is a meaningless threat. Miyazawa-kun would never stab me since (in this setting) he wants to commit a riskless murder to do something against being threatened.
"I have valued you as a firm person with logical thinking, you know?"
That she said those words means that she knows that he doesn't plan to stab me.
And still she doesn't step forward.
"Cool down, Miyazawa."
But indeed, she cannot exclude the possibility that I get stabbed. Miyazawa-kun would perhaps lose his temper and mistakenly stab me.
......is this the reason?
Does she not make a move because she's not completely sure that he will not harm me?
"......"
No way, huh.
After all she has no reason to protect me so much.
I don't know the reason for now, but Otonashi-san doesn't make a move. It's a deadlock.
Miyazawa-kun poked my flank hidden from her gaze, with his left hand.
......I know!
I have also received instruction for what to do in a deadlock. I don't want to act actively, but seems I have no other choice.
He had told me not to hold back, because otherwise she would notice that it's just a performance. I swallowed my saliva once and proceeded to action.
I---bit into Miyazawa's hand as hard as I could.
"...Uwaa!!"
This scream was not acted, but a proper reaction to the pain. Miyazawa-kun dropped the knife completely natural as arranged beforehand.
The opening we produced in his guard.
Otonashi-san did not miss this chance.
It truly happened in a split second.
A six Tatami's size room. In the next moment, she was already in front of our eyes. She rushed towards him and butted her head against his nose bone. She stepped into the space between Miyazawa-kun and me and drove him back by hitting his chin while he was holding his nose. She then quickly picked up the knife and threw it away out of his reach.
"Step back, Kazuki."
I nodded and did as she told me.
Otonashi-san, too, stepped slightly back from him and started speaking.
"Give me the keys to the hand- and footcuffs, Miyazawa. I'll let you go with this much."
"......You're softer than I thought."
Miyazawa-kun said while suppressing his nose bleed with his hands.
"You could have as well just choked me. Doing so, I would have had to give you the keys."
"...There's no need to go this far."
Because of those words, I remembered. Right. Otonashi-san does not like to use violence. She was able to just because she had to in order «to save me». But she would never be able to choke someone only to make him give her some keys.
Miyazawa-kun corrected his stance.
And then he jumped at her to seize her. But at the moment he touched her, Miyazawa-kun's body flew through the air.
"Wha---!!"
This was no acting, but a genuine exclamation of surprise.
It happened so quick he couldn't even perceive his defeat. It was a magnificent shoulder throw.
"If you approach me, I'll knock you down."
"...Damn, I didn't know you were a Black Belt in Judo!"
"It's no wonder. After all I'm just a White Belt. ...Well, I have defeated several Black Belts already, though."
Having said so, she gripped him with a Kesa-Gatame.
"Ugh..."
"I heard a metallic sound when I threw you."
She searched Miyazawa's pockets with her free left hand. She found the object in question in no time and threw it to me. The objects that fell with a metallic sound on the floor were the keys to my hand- and footcuffs.
"Kazuki, what's the time? Please tell me exactly."
"...21:39."
"So there's no problem. Kazuki, take your mobile phone immediately and escape over the Veranda. I'll cut after you in five minutes. Until then I'll make sure he's unable to move."
Miyazawa-kun took a quick peek at me. Don't worry, I won't follow her instruction.
But because of the Kesa-Gatame, I'm unable to handcuff her. What should I do? I can't restrain her like this.
I dropped my gaze.
And saw something. Whereupon I hit upon it.
I hit upon the worst, but just because of that meaningful, way to betray her.
Aah, if I do this I'll become the absolute enemy of Aya Otonashi. I have already decided, so I was already assuming it may end like this. But this is just too bad.
The keys don't fit. The appropriate keys were in my possession from the start.
I removed the cuffs.
Being freed from the handcuffs, I picked up --- the kitchen knife Otonashi-san had thrown to me.
"Aya."
I pointed the knife at Otonashi-san.
She will recognize right away that I lack the guts to stab. But that doesn't matter. It does not change the fact that I betrayed her.
"Let go of Miyazawa-kun, obediently."
Otonashi-san noticed the point of the kitchen knife.
And---
"Eh...?"
Not Otonashi-san, but I raised my voice without knowing.
She had opened her eyes wide and stopped breathing just because I pointed the knife at her. I have never seen her looking this defenseless.
Using this chance, Miyazawa-kun freed himself from her lock. But she stayed petrified.
I approached her with the knife, crouched and handcuffed her. When she had let both her hands get restrained with no resistance, she finally opened her mouth.
"What... does this mean, Kazuki?"
She said falteringly.
"What is this... I don't understand. Why do you point a knife at me...?"
"He betrayed you!"
Miyazawa-kun explained in my stead.
"Betrayed...? There's no necessity to do so. Kazuki cannot do anything against the 'Sevennight in Mud' without me. He would only betray me when he surrendered to you and gave up. But this is just not possible. Therefore he would never betray---"
"So this means that Hoshino surrendered to us and gave up, doesn't it?"
"He gave... up?"
I reflexively averted my eyes when she drew a clinging gaze to me.
"Hu---"
A laughter leaked out of Miyazawa-kun's mouth.
"Huhu, ahahahahaha! What's this sad sight, Otonashi? Stop it please! I had a relatively high opinion of you when I fought against you, you know? But just how delicate are you to get this shocked just because your lover betrayed you! This is plainly disappointing!"
"Kazuki."
Otonashi-san did not even deign to look at Miyazawa-kun, who was laughing like this. Otonashi-san was gazing at me all the time.
"Is this true? Have you really surrendered to [Yuuhei Ishihara] like he says?"
"......I have!"
I wrung out.
When she had heard this, Otonashi-san looked down, hiding her face, and started trembling.
"Whoa, wait a sec! Why are you trembling? Don't tell me you started crying! Oi, oi, don't overact! Honestly, stop it, this is just too hilarious!!"
To this much more than expected outcome, Miyazawa-kun continued to raise his laughter.
"Ah right, Otonashi. I'll tell you something good! This guy is without doubt [Kazuki Hoshino]. He's not [Yuuhei Ishihara]. The guy that betrayed and handcuffed you is without doubt [Kazuki Hoshino]!"
"......I know."
She answered, her head hanging.
"What?"
"I'm very well aware that he is [Kazuki Hoshino] and no one else."
Otonashi-san was still looking down, but stood finally up. I could still not see her face. She approached me swayingly. I stepped back with the knife in my hand reflexively because of her odd behavior. She was approaching me though I was holding a knife and she was restrained with handcuffs. I stepped back further. I bumped into the wall.
She pounded the wall above my averted head strongly with her restrained hands.
"Kazuki, did you really surrender to such a group?"
She spoke in a deep, intonationless voice. I shrugged my shoulders and peeked carefully at her.
She raised her head slowly.
Ah, I see... she was trembling because of anger.
"You, the sole one who inflicted a defeat on me since I have become a 'box', surrendered to a half-hearted and frail group, you say? Do you want to insult me...? You want to tell me that I'm lower than that lame group of losers, huh...!"
Her seemingly-suppressed voice grew steadily louder.
"Don't mess around with me, honestly, don't mess around with me! Don't say such utter nonsense! There's no way your belief would be broken so easily by such a bunch...!!"
She swung her restrained hands down again. I closed my eyes reflexively. The wall clanged. A loud sound above my head. I opened my eyes slowly and found her snarling face that had reddened in vexation in front of mine.
"O-oi! What's wrong, Otonashi? Have you gone insane because of the shock of his betrayal?"
"You be quiet."
She spat out so, with her gaze fixed on me.
"...I felt that something was wrong since the call. But I was convinced you'd never cooperate with them. That's why I believed Miyazawa's words. Yet, you're like this... Shit! This is just bullshit!"
Otonashi-san looked down at my knife as if she had just now noticed, and sneered even more with an amazed expression.
"...What's with this kitchen knife? Will you stab me when I don't obey you? Haha, very funny. Go ahead, stab me! My guard is full of openings. Come on! Come on come on! As if you could!"
"Uuh..."
I lowered the knife instinctively.
"Say it. Why did you do it. ---Say it!"
I hung my head and said, while grinding my teeth to my wretchedness.
"Ruu-cha --- my sister was taken hostage. I have no other choice than to obey them."
"Because of such a trifle..."
"This is not a trifle! Ruu-chan is my sole---"
"You are a man who was prepared to make his beloved girl get run over by a truck."
I held my breath.
"Wait a sec, Otonashi!"
Otonashi-san turned around to Miyazawa-kun unwillingly.
"What? Can't you see that we're busy?"
"No, you see, shouldn't you deny that he's [Kazuki Hoshino] since he has done such a thing to you? So why are you convinced that guy's [Kazuki Hoshino]?"
Right, Miyazawa-kun cannot ignore this. His aim was ab initio to make her mix up [Kazuki Hoshino] and [Yuuhei Ishihara].
"You say quite strange things, don't you? Kazuki is Kazuki of course. There's no way this would change."
"Why on earth can you distinguish them!? ...ah, I see. You're persuading yourself. Because you believed that the voice that appealed for help belonged to [Kazuki Hoshino], you're maintaining this mistake all the time and don't doubt him."
"I knew that that voice belonged to [Yuuhei Ishihara]."
Miyazawa-kun frowned.
"Don't lie! Do you mean you recognized that it was a recorded voice?"
"No."
"So why on earth would you notice that it's not [Kazuki Hoshino]!?"
"Of course I would notice."
She opened her mouth as if she stated a matter of fact.

"Kazuki would never call me «Aya» when seeking for help."

"------Ah."
I remembered.
I remembered the name I called when I was mounted and hit by Daiya, all alone in the music room.
Exactly, she's right! I could never call her «Aya» when seeking seriously for help. I mean, this is the name of the person I have once fought against.
"...So tell me, why did you come save him?"
"If it was as you explained, saving [Yuuhei Ishihara] would be the same as saving Kazuki."
"...Wait a sec. Wouldn't this mean that you're perceiving Kazuki Hoshino as [Yuuhei Ishihara] right now?"
"Yeah, I actually did. But I know that it's [Kazuki Hoshino] by taking a glance at him."
"......Oi, oi! You're totally lying now. In actual fact, you weren't able to distinguish them until now!"
"This was only about the timing of the shift. I just need to observe the movements of his facial muscles for about three seconds to see the difference. I can now recognize Kazuki as Kazuki."
She can recognize that I'm me?
Although no one else could?
"...Such a thing is impossible! Don't shit me!"
"I guess so. If it wasn't Kazuki, I'd probably not be able to distinguish them. But only for Kazuki, it is indeed possible."
"Why?!"
She then stated---
"Because I have been together with Kazuki longer than anyone else in the world."
Those words I have grown familiar to, somewhere, some time.
"Ah---"
My voice involuntarily escaped. I put my hand on her shoulder. She turned around to face me, astonished.
Seeing me like this, Miyazawa-kun frowned and said:
"What's the matter, Hoshino? You surely aren't going to remove her handcuffs just because of this clichéd nonsense, right? You know what will happen to your sister if you do, right?"
For some reason, this threat didn't work on me anymore.
"Umm, Otonashi-san."
If I say it, I won't be able to turn back anymore. But I have already decided, even though I wavered.
"Let me touch your 'box'."
The astonishment on her face changed.
"You don't even need to ask. I couldn't hinder you even if I wanted because of the handcuffs."
Despite having pounded against the wall without fearing the knife, she said so.
She continued her words slightly embarrassed with a smile.
"...you just have to touch it arbitrarily."
With those blunt words, she allowed me to do so.
I nodded lightly and pressed my open hand against her chest.
"------Ah."

I was thrown to the ground of the sea. The second time I see the ground of the sea. It's an unchanging scene in which everyone looks happy. However, it's just a lie that everyone can be in happiness here. Someone is crying in the midst of them. Someone who knows that this bliss is just a lie and cannot join them. I have already heard this crying.
It's grueling.
There's no oxygen, so I cannot stay here forever.
That's why it's grueling?
Or is it because I know that I cannot cure her pain?
Because I know that I cannot do anything against this utter solitude of her?


I felt tears on my cheeks. Like I did in a certain 'box' once before.
"------I'm sorry."
I recalled everything of her.
Why did I only think she was using me as a mere bait for '0'? Why did I only think she was making light of my everyday life?
There's no way she would do such things - she, who puts everyone else first.
She believed that I would be able to fight against the 'Sevennight in Mud' even alone. That's why she didn't seek contact with me after I rejected her.
But I was unable to believe in her and... betrayed her.
"I'm sorry."
I said it once more. She averted her eyes, seeming a bit awkward.
"...No, I might have not considered things enough. I arbitrarily had high hopes of you, without considering that you forgot all the happenings inside the 'Rejecting Classroom'... maybe. ......umm, I noticed just now, so please forgive me."
I shook my head. She sneaked a peek at me with a side-glance.
"I'll tell you something I didn't tell you before because I thought you'd grasp it on your own. Kazuki, your everyday life won't return. However--"
She returned her glance, relaxed the corners of her mouth slightly and said:
"---We can regain your everyday life."
Aah---
With only those words, I wouldn't ever mistake my place to be again.
I am... me.
I am---Kazuki Hoshino.
I took the keys out from my pocket. I inserted them into the lock of her handcuffs.
"...what are you doing, Hoshino!? You abandon the life of your sister just to be fancied by your lover?! You really are horrible..."
"No. Sure enough, I decided. But it's not like I abandoned my older sister."
"So what? If you don't obey, Ruka Hoshino is going to get killed!"
"She won't."
"Why can you say that?!"
"It's simple."
This isn't some sort of bluff, I just announced my intention.
"Because I won't let you."
I don't need to obey them anymore. I don't need to restrict myself on the choices they prepared for me.
Because I can't lose anymore, now that she has become my ally.
I made the decision to entrust everything to her.
I turned the keys round. The handcuffs opened and fell to the ground. I grasped her free hands. She looked at me, I looked at her.
"Please, lend me a hand---"
I won't mistake it anymore.
I won't mistake the name to call anymore.

"---Maria."

When I did so, she---really, just for a split second---
She smiled, innocently, like a normal girl her age.
"There are conditions."
She spoke again with her usual dignified expression.
"I may not need to say this specifically. I believe that you will fulfill this condition anyway. However, I, too, feel anxiety and it quite hurt me. So please let me say it."
I nodded lightly, without knowing her intention.
"I won't lose sight of you. So, please. You, too,---"
Maria averted her eyes once. Then she looked again at me and said clearly:
"---don't lose sight of me anymore."
Aah... I see.
I did not notice at all until then.
I became alone pointlessly, but it wasn't just me that had to suffer because of this. At the same time I let Maria all alone and made her suffer.
Since this 'Rejecting Classroom', Maria was always [Aya Otonashi]. She is trying to be the 'box' itself. Her real self, [Maria Otonashi], isn't anywhere.
«I am Aya Otonashi. Pleased to meet you.»
«But I am not strong.»
I recalled the scene when she lamented faintly.
Right, I am the only one who can call her «Maria», because I am the only one who witnessed her first school transfer.
If I forget, [Maria Otonashi] will be forgotten by really everyone - probably even by herself - and will vanish.

"Stop it already!"
Upon hearing this voice, I let go of Maria's hand.
"Isn't this ridiculous? Collude or not, it doesn't change anything! Kazuki Hoshino will be taken over and his sister, Ruka, will be killed. Or do you perhaps think you could just enter your imaginary world?"
Miyazawa-kun sneered at us.
"You cannot win! After all, [Yuuhei Ishihara] has killed himself. You can't possibly find a dead guy! Of course, you can't destroy the 'box' either. How will you solve this problem? Come on, tell me!"
He is... right.
The 'owner', Miyazawa-kun's younger brother, isn't here anymore. We can't do anything against this fact.
"......I know already who [Yuuhei Ishihara] really is."
Miyazawa-kun opened his eyes wide for a second after hearing Maria's words, but then he saw her low spirited expression and curled his mouth up.
"So? Did you find him?"
"...No. I searched all day long, but didn't find him."
"Huhu, well, it's understandable. You can't possibly find a dead person after all!"
Miyazawa-kun proclaimed triumphantly.
......Oh?
What is this strange feeling? I feel something's terribly wrong with Miyazawa-kun's delight. What...?
«It's too late---got it? I cannot protect the person I want to protect anymore.»
He said that. That he helped to complete the 'Sevennight in Mud' is because it's the only way to protect 'himself'. Because his «younger brother» that was just this important to him had died.
I see.
"------That's a lie."
When I murmured this, Miyazawa-kun turned around to me right away.
"You said that he's dead, but that's a lie. It's a matter of course if you think about it. You'd never do such a thing, nor would you allow it."
"......What are you babbling about, Hoshino? Don't try to wrench the meaning in your favor!"
"He was important to you, wasn't he?"
Miyazawa-kun frowned to this sudden question, admitted it however.
"Yeah."
"So you would never talk about his death with a laugh, right?"
Of course I just thought it was unnatural, so it doesn't really count as evidence. Hence, if Miyazawa-kun evaded my question composedly, he would have deceived me again.
But---
"Therefore, he's not dead yet, is he?"
But Miyazawa-kun could not counter my question. He hung his head.
"A lie yields hope when you realize it's a lie."
I said this line. He himself had once told this to me. I continued my talk when he had raised his head.
"You were right."
He opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth. I looked silently at him, but he clenched his fist, grinded his teeth and scowled at me.
"------Sh... it...!"
He was, however, not able to do anything and dropped his gaze.
He then started walking unsteadily and passed by in front of us. He stretched his hands out towards the desk and picked the mobile phone up.
He operated the phone wordlessly, pressed it against his ear and listened to something.
"I didn't make it in time."
It was a murmur that sounded as if he was speaking to himself.
"I didn't make it in time. I was taking a bath at the time he called me. Thus, it was already too late when I noticed this voicemail."
I guess he's listening to said voicemail.
"I should have been able to save him before it happened. If I had noticed his pain earlier, I could have averted it. And yet, I was intoxicated with my own unhappiness and overheard his scream for help, although he was supposed to be my important person. This is the outcome of it."
Saying so, he opened the top drawer.
"I know it's already too late. I know I can't make it in time anymore. But you know? He's still screaming! I don't want to... hear this scream anymore."
He inserted his hand into the drawer.
"I will stop his tears. For this sake I'll bear up any sin and any punishment. I have just this much resolution! If you have complaints, just tell me!!"
"Of course we have."
Maria declared.
"You stopped your thinking. You have not chosen anything. You're just trying to cover your ears because you don't want to hear this scream. You're just enjoying the pains of fighting meaninglessly against us."
She dropped her gaze once, but then she spit out the next words.
"You cannot revoke the past by doing this."
".........So, what?"
He hung his head and whispered.
"Will you undo this outcome full of corpses, or what? You wouldn't be able to. I cannot acquire a bright future, no matter how much I struggle. So I want to at least grant him what he wishes for. That's all. So---"
He took his hands out of the drawer.
"---get confined obediently already!"
He took out a stun gun. Miyazawa-kun rushed towards Maria.
"Maria!!"
Maria grabbed his outstretched right hand quickly and twisted it. Miyazawa-kun cried out faintly and dropped the stun gun.
"Ugh---"
I picked up this stun gun. Maria is able to restrain him, but she can't use more violence than this. Therefore, it's my turn.
I accepted his scowl without averting my eyes. I won't back off. If he points enmity at me, I have to follow suit.
"Sorry."
I pressed the engaged stun gun against his neck.
Miyazawa-kun moaned and collapsed right away.
"...Kazuki, let's leave this room."
"Okay."
But when I was about to leave the room, my right leg was grabbed.
"---!"
I turned hurriedly around. Miyazawa-kun had grabbed my right leg in collapsed state. But with a strength I could easily shake off.
He raised his head.
"......Sorry."
What...?
"Sorry for not making it in time. Sorry that I wasn't able to save you in time. I'll get stronger... I'll get stronger for both of us... so please, give me just one more chance...!"
Aah, no.
This terribly strong entreaty isn't pointed at me.
I bit on my lips and lifted my right leg. I was easily able to shake his hand off.
Then I pressed the stun gun against Miyazawa-kun's back.
"......You have no chance anymore."
Because I'm going to destroy this wish.
I turned it on. His head fell, silently, and stopped moving.
---Sorry.
I'm sure he said this to [him].
But maybe, this apology was also directed at [me]... I suddenly thought so.
I stepped over Miyazawa-kun and picked his mobile phone up.
"Kazuki, what are you doing?"
I played the voicemail.
«...save... me..... Please, Nii-san, save me....!»

And then I grasped [Yuuhei Ishihara]'s identity.