Ch.443IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (140)

I haven’t seen friends’ houses other than Harumi, Yuu, and Mako’s.

Well, I did stay over at Yuka’s house once. That was pretty fun too.

In the original novel, Yuka was a heroine with a fairly tolerant attitude toward manga and games. She wasn’t exactly a heroine with hardcore otaku hobbies, but she grew up playing games and reading manga, so she was someone Souta could relate to in many ways.

And thanks to that, she and I could relate too.

Of course, I didn’t engage in serious otaku talk in front of Yuka. Despite appearances, I did have some social experience in my previous life. People tend to get tired of someone who talks too much about things they’re not interested in.

She seemed to enjoy it when she would come over to our house and play games with Koko. Being an only child, I think she sees Koko and me as something like distant sisters.

…Come to think of it, Yuka lives in our neighborhood now.

Living so close actually seems to have reduced the occasions for visiting and staying overnight. Even though she lives alone and we could visit anytime, I guess we see each other enough during our commutes to and from school since we live in the same area.

Still, maybe I should take Koko to visit her sometime.

As for Shii, it’s a bit awkward.

No matter what, I feel somewhat uncomfortable sleeping in the same place as Souta. Personally, I don’t mind, but looking at appearances, we’re a boy and a girl.

It’s not so much that I’m conscious of it, but rather that I tend to be cautious first. Well, it’s not a big deal if our parents are there too. We’ve even gone on trips together.

Hmm.

I’ve made quite a few friends, haven’t I? If I count them one by one, it might not seem like a lot, but considering how close we are…

“…”

I was lying down with my eyes closed, but I wasn’t particularly sleepy.

Maybe I was a bit excited about spending the night with childhood friends after so long?

For someone who once lived as an adult, I might be acting too childishly, but then again, I’ve lived in this world for as long as my current age.

Perhaps it’s more appropriate to act according to my age now.

I tried to turn over, but someone was hugging me tightly.

Koko was embracing me firmly from behind.

This is a bad habit I let Koko develop. From always sleeping with Kagami, Koko has gotten used to hugging someone while sleeping.

To the point where she would whine and not let go if I tried to sleep in another room.

It’s not bad. I actually like it. It means there’s one more person in this world who cares for me this much.

“…Are you thirsty?”

Someone asked quietly.

From the upper part of the bed, Harumi was looking down at me.

With one arm hanging off the bed and her head peeking out to look down at me, honestly, it’s a bit scary.

No, I don’t mean Harumi’s face is scary. It’s just that her hair is hanging down.

Harumi and Mako were sleeping on the bed. Since Harumi was the room’s owner, everyone naturally thought she should have the bed. And Mako ended up sharing it with her… purely because of body size. The bed might be a bit cramped if Yuu and Harumi were to lie down together.

Strictly speaking, I’m the shortest among us, but Koko always sticks with me like a set.

“Mmm, no, not really.”

I answered Harumi’s question softly.

Harumi brushed her hair back, then continued looking down at me with one arm hanging off the bed.

“…You two seem really close.”

“Yeah. I guess it’s because we haven’t known each other that long.”

“Wouldn’t you be less close if you haven’t known each other long?”

Harumi laughed softly, but she didn’t contradict what I said.

“Ah, I see. It’s like… you met a long-lost sister or something, right?”

“Yeah.”

That’s how I answered.

I can’t explain how we met, but at least that’s the reason why Koko loves Kagami and me so much.

A child who was dismembered and sealed in a refrigerator right after birth, finally meeting someone who sees her as an equal.

Kagami hugs Koko, and I don’t mind Koko hugging me.

…I would naturally come to like that too.

That’s why I eventually came to like Kagami.

Perhaps that’s also why I came to like Harumi. She used to carry me around and hug me a lot.

Though she might not remember it properly now.

“…”

We both remained silent for a moment.

I waited for Harumi to speak again.

Or maybe I was hoping she would just go back to sleep? I’m still not sure.

But somehow, I didn’t mind Harumi talking to me. It reminded me of when I stayed at Harumi’s house as a child.

“Is it hard for you to tell me why you had to leave?”

Harumi finally spoke after contemplating.

Her expression wasn’t much different from usual, but the faint moonlight coming through the curtains showed her eyebrows slightly drooping.

“…Sorry.”

“Mmm, well.”

When I apologized, Harumi rolled her eyes once.

“I guess we all have things that are difficult to talk about…”

“Later.”

I told Harumi.

“Later, when everything’s okay, can I tell you then?”

“When everything’s okay?”

Harumi’s eyes widened.

“So you’re saying things aren’t completely okay right now?”

Harumi is perceptive. She’s definitely grown in this aspect. When we were children, she just dragged me around regardless of how I felt.

Or maybe even back then, she already knew about my gloomy mood and was trying to cheer me up?

“Hmm.”

I hesitated for a moment. Is it a good choice to tell a friend that the current situation isn’t okay?

But one thing, I did resolve an issue that could have been dangerous for them, so maybe I could say things have gotten a bit better?

“…It’s okay. It’s fine, but…”

In the end, I gave an ambiguous answer that was neither here nor there.

But Harumi looked at me and smiled slightly.

“Well, don’t worry too much. I just asked because I was curious. If it’s hard to answer now, you can tell me next time.”

“…Yeah.”

Will there ever come a day when I can be completely honest with them?

That I’m not an ordinary person, but someone with the blood of a monster flowing through me.

That Koko wasn’t even properly human-shaped when she was born.

All the things I’ve experienced so far, and all the dangers I’ll face in the future.

Would it be okay to share all of that?

…I’d like to think it would be.

Someday, I hope there comes a day when I can tell them everything, and they’ll just pat me on the back and say, “I see.”

“Alright.”

Harumi grinned and said.

“Then I’ll wait until then. After all, I’m… like a big sister to Kotone, right?”

…Who?

When I looked up at Harumi with a dumbfounded expression, she grinned at me once more and quickly retreated back into the bed.

“…”

Well, it’s a bit difficult to argue about that.

Indeed, back when we were young, if it weren’t for Harumi, I wouldn’t have been able to fit in with the other children. It was Harumi who took my hand as I sat alone in a corner and pulled me into the group.

I really do have so many people to be grateful for around me.

With that thought, I closed my eyes.

I hadn’t been sleepy before.

In the end, I didn’t really say anything, but somehow, just having this conversation made me feel a bit better.

*

As we slowly got to know each other again…

Just as there were things the others didn’t know about me, there were many things I didn’t know about them.

For example, someone I used to see often as a child but haven’t seen once now.

If that person had been a complete stranger, like one of Kagami’s colleagues or something, it would be natural not to see them—but there was one person who wasn’t like that.

“Ah.”

When I casually brought it up, Harumi’s face immediately stiffened.

That’s… not something that happens often. Harumi isn’t the type to get angry with friends.

We had folded all the blankets and were taking a break before discussing going home in the evening, just as Yuu had gone to the bathroom.

“It’s better not to talk about that in front of Yuu.”

Indeed, it was strange for Harumi to say something like that.

“Well… you’ll probably find out if you stick around. Until then, it’s better not to bring it up.”

Harumi advised me with a serious expression.

I looked at Mako, and her face had gone pale as she shook her head vigorously.

…Mako knows about it too?

What on earth happened?