I believe anyone who has experienced it would know how scary it is to walk alone at school in the dark.
I hung my cardigan over my shoulder and walked slowly out of the club room. Like a ninja, I tried not to make any sound when walking down the stairs. Every time I reached a corner, I would always take a look around me before moving any further. It sure was exhausting! I had no idea what date it was in this North High, but it'd be troublesome if I was seen by an on-duty teacher. I wouldn't even know how to explain this--in fact, I wish someone would explain all this to me instead!
I walked sweatily under the humid air and finally reached the entrance hall.
"Now, what do we have here..."
After saying that, I opened my shoe locker. Inside were someone else's indoor shoes--I was pretty sure they weren't mine. I quickly eliminated the possibility of someone opening the wrong locker and taking my shoes by mistake. It was the middle of summer right now, that means I've once again leaped into another dimension -- I'm quite amazed I could have such an imagination. The current owner of this shoe locker wasn't me, but someone from this world or dimension. I wasn't as surprised as I expected myself to be, either because I was already used to this stuff, or because I was already numb to such overwhelming events.
"Can't be helped."
Obviously it wouldn't look nice to be wearing indoor shoes outside, but I was left with no other choice. My priority was to leave the school complex. As expected, the entrance door was locked tight at night. So I walked to a nearby window, unlocked it and opened it carefully. I slowly inhaled the fragrant night breeze and leaped out the window and onto the stony steps, where Haruki had awoken me when we had been inside the Sealed Dimension.
I stopped for about ten seconds. After making sure no one could see me, I continued onward.
It was just as hot outside the school complex. This was a typical, humid Japanese summer heat. I just came over from the freezing cold winter, so all my sweat glands were now opening up like mad. I wiped the sweat off my face with my long sleeved uniform and headed towards the gate.
It was easy once I was outside. I must thank the school's non-existent security--I only needed to climb over the fence and that was it. After climbing over, I picked up my cardigan which I had thrown across beforehand, and looked up at the starry sky as I pondered my next move.
Right now, I need to know what date and what time it is now. After all, there was a huge time difference between the past and the future.
Might as well walk down the hill first. There should be a convenience store along the way. If I walked into a nearby residence and asked, "What year and month is it today?" I'd probably be treated as a demented high school student and locked up by the authorities. Better to go somewhere where I could find out the date without having to ask someone.
"Still, it's quite hot..."
I was already hot as I was wearing my winter uniform, but now feel my socks getting all sweaty. At that moment, I truly hated the inventor of these synthetic fibers. Not to mention this winter uniform doesn't even keep one warm in winter; it's only designed to look nice.
The fact that I was mumbling about such stuff meant that my brain was beginning to function properly again. Instead of freezing in the winter waiting for spring to arrive, I'd rather be complaining about how hot summer was while waving a fan. Besides, I've had too many memories of my first summer in high school, though they were all physically and mentally exhausting, yet once I got them over with, they weren't so bad at all. At least I got to see everyone in yukatas. I don't think we've had any SOS Brigade style activities in winter so far.
My mind was occupied with the taste of the hot pot I was missing as I walked down the slope. After fifteen minutes, I finally saw an illuminated sign. It was a convenience store which I occasionally go to so I can grab a bite on my way home. At least I knew another thing, the current time was before the store closes for the day.
I couldn't wait for the automatic doors to open, and looked around the wall once I got inside. It took some time for me to get used to the coolness of the air conditioning. During this time, I looked heartily at the analogue clock hanging on the wall.
Eight thirty.
As the sun had already set, it should be eight thirty at night.
What about the date? What year was it? There were all kinds of newspapers on the rack. Any one would do. I randomly picked up a sports daily in the front and browsed very quickly at the contents. It doesn't matter what was being written; even if it were the wildest imaginations cooked up by some third-rate tabloid, they wouldn't go so far as to fake the date at the top of the page, as well, would they?
My gaze stopped on a certain spot, and I saw it.
A set of numbers, which some people would consider lucky, entered my vision.
What year was it? As though I was trying to swallow the paper, I carefully confirmed the year that was printed on top. The store assistant took a quick glance at me looking annoyed, but I couldn't care less about that now.
I stared at the four digit number again and again. If I subtracted the year I had arrived from--where I was still having a cold December--from the year on this sports daily... Even a kid would know the answer to such a simple math question.
"So that's how it is, Nagato..."
I lifted my head from the newspaper and sighed deeply as I looked at the ceiling.
The joyously romantic Tanabata festival.
Today was the 7th of July of three years ago... again.
Tanabata, three years ago... Just what happened on this day?
The Tanabata of "this year" was like a rhapsody; after writing our wishes and hanging them out on a bamboo stick, I had accepted Asahina-san's invitation and traveled back in time to this day. Afterwards, I met the adult version of Asahina-san, who urged me to go to East Junior High that night. And so, I came across a seventh-grade Haruki about to climb over the fence and was dragged along to help him write a message to outer space on the school's track field with white chalk.
Thereafter, I brought Asahina-san (small), who lost his time-traveling device called a TPDD, to Nagato's high-class apartment, and there the two of us slept for three years, allowing us to return to where we came from...
"That means..."
This was easier than a simple math problem. All I needed to do was trace back what I had done that day. That's it, I've finally got the gist of it, the essential step needed to restore the twisted world back to order.
It has to be like that, right?
My legs were trembling hard, not from fear but rather the thrilling sensation from realizing that something very important needs to be done.
Three years ago. Tanabata. East Junior High. The mysterious signs. Jane Smith.
As all the seemingly unrelated pieces begin to add up, I finally came to a conclusion. It was a simple yet clear conclusion, I spoke the same line once again,
"That means..."
"They" are "here".
The handsome charming Asahina-san (big) and the Nagato Yuuki in standby mode.
The two helpful people who could assist me were right here in this time period.
I threw down the newspaper and bolted out of the convenience store, thinking as I ran along.
I remember that the first time when I came to three years ago, which was right now, Asahina-san had woken me up on a bench in the park near Kouyouen Station and told me "It's about nine at night." If I were to run for about half an hour, I should be able to reach there in time. The only problem was whether the culprit had also made changes to this time period. If there were changes, then I would not find my other self there. In any case, I've got to make contact with Asahina-san (big) or Nagato in his luxury apartment, or I could meet both. That means there were two places I should go, the question was where to go first.
Nagato would be in his apartment all the time, so I could see him anytime, but I would only find Asahina-san (big) in that specific time and place.
Dressed as a teacher, this adult Asahina-san was the one who had given me a hint concerning Snow White and quickly left, hailing from an even farther future than the Asahina-san I knew. The image of him pinching his younger self's face and smiling cheerfully was still fresh in my memory.
That Asahina-san must know who I am, there should be no doubt about that.
Though the park wasn't far from the station, there were hardly any people there. Maybe it's because it's very late now; this is an ideal time for all types of suspicious characters to come out. Is this the holy land for freaks I wonder... I was thinking the same thing when I first came here during the last Tanabata visit.
I didn't feel like making a grand entrance, so I had to walk alongside the brick wall of the park in the dark. Though it's called a wall, it was only as tall as my chest, while on top of it was a large wire fence, and surrounding it were all sorts of bushes. It was extremely easy to hide without being seen by anyone inside the park in the daytime, let alone at night, though I'll need to be careful of any pedestrians outside giving me weird gazes behind my back.
I recalled the position of the bench where I had woken up that time and slowly moved along the wall to find an ideal hiding spot.
It was nearly nine at night.
I guess what I'm doing can be called voyeurism. After sticking my neck out from within the bushes, I finally saw what I wanted to see.
"...That's the one."
It feels like watching myself starring in a movie. It also feels like watching myself from a third-person's perspective in a dreamscape.
"But how am I gonna explain this..."
The bench appeared under the illumination of the lamps, as though being showered by the bright light. Though it was a bit far, I couldn't be mistaken, the two people on top were both wearing North High uniforms. It was as I remembered.
My past self and Asahina-san were sitting right there.
That other "me" was lying horizontally, resting her head on Asahina-san's lap while sleeping. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dreaming of anything worth drooling over. If a person couldn't get sweet dreams using the world's most precious pillow, then there's no way he could ever sleep in peace.
Being used as a pillow, Asahina-san would occasionally take a look at me sleeping on his lap, or blow softly into my ear, or toy around with it. Man, I was feeling jealous already... No, wait, why was I feeling jealous over myself, anyway?
For a moment, I really felt like shoving off that other "me" and taking his place, but in the end I decided to suppress that impulse. The "me" in this time did not see my other self then. If I rushed out now, things would just get complicated... right? The space-time continuum was already messed up as it is; the last thing I want is to mess it up further myself.
Withholding my body's irrational impulsiveness, I continued my role as a Peeping Tom. The more I thought about it, the more pleased I was with myself for managing to keep my composure at such an odd time.
It was under such thoughts that I continued my observation. Asahina-san moved her cherry-red lips and said something; sleeping on her lap, "I" moved slightly and then slowly woke up. I couldn't hear anything from where I was hiding, but I remembered clearly that Asahina-san said, "Oh, you've awakened?"
After conversing for a while with Asahina-san, he then felt tired and rested his head on "my" shoulder...
The bush behind the bench ruffled, and that person appeared.
Wearing a loose white shirt and tight black business pants , there's no way I could ever forget that teacher's outfit.
Just before the end of May, he wrote me a note asking to meet me, and then gave me the hint about Frog Prince. He even told me about his star-shaped birthmark, as well. And then on this day, that is on Tanabata, he made Asahina-san (small) fall asleep, then guided me to where Haruki was before disappearing...
The adult version of Asahina-san.
Her height and body had both grown for a couple of years, coming from an even farther future than Asahina-san the time traveler, this was none other than Asahina-san (big).
It was just like that time.
It's true, I was there myself on Tanabata three years ago, yet what was happening was exactly the same as I had remembered.
After speaking to "me" for a while, Asahina-san (big) knelt down to pinch Asahina-san's (small) face, he then stood up to say something to "me" again.
It was his mission to bring you here, yet from here onwards, it would be my mission to guide you.
Um... Just what is...
I think that's what was being said.
After explaining everything to a wide-jawed "me", Asahina-san (big) then walked away and disappeared from the illumination of the street lamp. It was now that I noticed that he was heading towards the exit that was opposite to the one leading to East Junior High.
"I" remained awestruck, staring at the sleeping Asahina-san (small) and thinking about something. I wanted to recall what it was that "I" had been thinking of, but I abandoned trying to walk down Memory Lane after a few seconds, as I didn't want to lose track of Asahina-san (big).
I dashed out from the bushes where I was hiding and walked quickly along the edge of the park. There was no longer any need to hide my presence, as when I was "me", "I" did not notice me. At that time, "my" attention was not fixed on me who came from another time period, neither did "I" realize there was another me in this time period. This made sense, as the "me" in the past could never have realized how messed up the time-space continuum in my time period would become. There was no time to pay any more attention to "me", who was too busy carrying Asahina-san on his back to be worried about other things. I decided to walk away.
After passing the next corner I saw him at about a hundred meters away. He was walking with his back towards me. The tapping sounds made by his leather shoes sounded melodic. He didn't seem to be in a hurry--suits me as I was in a hurry to see him. If I lose him now, then I really won't know why I went through all the trouble to come here.
Walking a bit faster, I shortened my distance to him. Under the dim lights at night, his long limbs and flowing hair seemed to glimmer in the light. Though I could only see her back, I was sure it was him.
It didn't take me long to catch up and call out to his,
"Asahina-san!"
He stopped. The soft sound of his shoes tapping on the ground ended. As if in slow motion, she gradually turned around.
I wondered what he was going to say.
Huh? Didn't we just say goodbye a while ago?
Did you follow me all the way here? You couldn't have.
Hey, where's my other self?
In the end, it was none of the above.
"Good evening, Kyon-chan."
With a beautiful face that was just as I had remembered, he greeted me with a beaming smile.
"It's been a while. For 'you', that is."
The adult Asahina-san winked after saying that. It was indeed the smile that I last saw five months ago.
With the expression of a relieved child, Asahina-san (big) said,
"Thank goodness, we get to meet here again. Actually I was a bit worried whether I had made any mistakes,"
"I'm still pretty clumsy," Asahina-san said and then cutely stuck out his tongue. It was such a charming move that was enough to soften the bones inside one's body. But if I were to melt into a pile of dirt right now, then I'll lose everything.
This Asahina-san knew what I was about to do next.
Trying my best to control my tongue, which seemed to have a mind of its own, I spoke,
"Asahina-san, so you knew I'd come here...... You knew I'd return to this time, and in this place, right?"
"Yes," Asahina-san nodded his head, "Because this is a predetermined fact,"
"On that day of Tanabata, the little Asahina-san would bring me to the Tanabata three years ago...... Which is today. You must be the one who had arranged for him to bring me here, right?"
"Yes, that is a prerequisite. Otherwise, you would not be here now,"
If I hadn't gone to East Junior High and drawn those graffiti, I wouldn't have told the seventh-grade Haruki now that my name was "Jane Smith". Of course, that would mean that the Haruki studying in his first year in Kouyouen School would never have heard of that name. In other words, I would not have found the link. Because besides that name, there would be no link whatsoever with me and that Haruki who I was just with a few hours ago. As a result, the five of us would not be gathered in the club room, and the Escape Program would not be activated.
At this time, a question arose in my head. That other Jane Smith...... Could it be!?
"That would be you, Kyon-chan. The current you,"
Asahina-san (big) gave me a smile as pretty as a white rose,
"It's a bit tiring talking while standing up, let's find somewhere to sit down. We still have time,"
The power in his smile and words was enough to dispel all the anxiety and confusion within me.
If Asahina-san (big) was here, that means the future still exists. Not the chaotic future after December 18th, but the future where I and the Haruki and Asahina-san I knew came from.
There's got to be a way.
I've obtained a sense of confidence that made me feel relieved. As if to further boost that confidence, he continued,
"From now on, guiding you will be my mission. But after that, you're on your own. I will only follow your lead then,"
He then gave me a wink that was enough to cause my knees to go soft.
We returned to the park and sat on the bench where Asahina-san (small) and "I" were sitting a while ago. Before sitting down, Asahina-san (big) looked as though he were touching an ancestral relic as he softly caressed the bench. I gradually sat down looking serious as well. The bench was still warm, it was the body warmth of myself and Asahina-san who five months ago had traveled back three years ago in time.
I asked quickly,
"Did something happen to the flow of time? I knew that the time period where I came from is linked to this Tanabata. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have arrived here. Then, Asahina-san...... Does that mean there's no connection between the future you're from and the altered future I came from?"
"I can't tell you the details,"
I thought so, must be one of those classified information, huh?
"No,"
Asahina-san (big) shook her head,
"I cannot explain it in a way you would comprehend. Our STC Theory is built on specific concepts. It's too difficult to convey it in speech for you to understand. Do you still remember the time when I first told you my true identity?"
I sure do, sitting by the river bank with the cherry blossom petals falling, I heard Asahina-san, who I always thought to be just a cute upperclassman, reveal the shocking truth about his being a time traveler.
"At that time, didn't I say something that you could hardly understand? That's the point. If I had explained, I would just make you even more confused,"
Asahina-san (big) softly hit the side of his head as though knocking on it while winking at the same time. Every little thing he does, even if they are childish, is just so sexy. Is this the result of Haruki's “manliness training”?
"This is a concept that cannot be explained in speech, it can only be conveyed in ways other than that. Do you understand?"
Nope. As though trying to teach a kindergarten kid calculus, Asahina continued to explain to me, who was already feeling dizzy,
"Um, but, soon you will understand. You will. That's all I can tell you now,"
Soon you will understand. Where have I heard of that before? That's it, it was Nagato. Nagato had told me the same thing before...... No, hang on.
A flash of inspiration was triggered by the synapses in my brain as I gave the following reaction,
"Before summer vacation...... The one Nagato mentioned in the giant cave cricket incident...... About how computers in the future aren't like what they are now, could it be......"
"Wow, that's impressive. You still remember that? You're right, the equivalent to computers or the so-called Internet in this time period, um...... It does not exist in a material sense in our time period, but rather it exists in a shapeless sense within our brains. The TPDD is also the same,"
The object that wasn't supposed to disappear but has gone missing.
"Is that a time-traveling device?"
"It's a Time Plane Destruction Device,"
Isn't that supposed to be classified information!?
"Well, it was classified for me back then. But for me, the rules have been relaxed a lot. The fact that I could come here means I've been working very hard,"
Asahina-san proudly puffed up his chest, his chest slightly revealing on his partially opened shirt. Such a manly sight was revealed before my eyes, normally I would be dazed by such a sight, but sadly, I wasn't in the mood to satiate the appetite of my eyes with such scenery. I continued to ask,
"What's the cause of it? I knew the future I'm from had changed, but when did it start to change?"
"For more details you should try asking Nagato-san in this time period. I can only tell you one thing: the change in the time plane where you came from occurred three years from 'now', on the morning of December 18th,"
For me, that would be two days ago. So it's the time plane that's changed? In that case...... Once again I tried to recall the two possibilities that Koizumi suggested. Turns out the non-alternate world theory was the correct one.
"That's correct. Overnight, the STC files...... I mean, the whole world has changed. Only your memories remained intact. It was a massive time-quake that could be detected even in the distant future,"
It's not like I wasn't interested in what the STC or time-quake were, it's just that I didn't have time to delve into these irrelevant things, as I had more pressing questions to ask,
"Asahina-san, is it because you needed to resolve this huge change in the future that even I got involved in that you were waiting here?"
"It can't be done by myself alone," his face began to darken, "I would need the assistance of Nagato-san. Of course, it can't be done without Kyon-chan as well,"
"Who is the culprit? I can only think of Haruki doing this,"
"No,"
Asahina-san retracted his smile and said seriously,
"It wasn't Suzumiya-san. The culprit is someone else,"
"Is it some new unknown person? Like some out-of-world slider that I've not met or something like that......"
"No,"
Interrupting me, Asahina-san looked worried for some reason as she said,
"It's someone you know very well."
After looking at his watch, Asahina-san (big) said there's still time and began to think nostalgically of his memories with the SOS Brigade. For me, all those memories had taken place this year, yet for him it was many years ago. Being dragged by Haruki into the club room, forced to dress up as a Chippendale dancer, making wishes in Tanabata, encountering a murder mystery on a lone island, wearing yukatas in the O-bon festival, the whole brigade gathering together to work on our summer vacation homework, the various things that happened while shooting the movie on location...... As my memories were slowly being rekindled, Asahina-san's (big) voice became slower and slower.
I was looking forward to hearing what my future would be like, and was waiting for his mouth to skip. Yet Asahina-san was extremely cautious about that, and kept the topic limited to the usual chit-chat.
"It may have been rough, but those memories were great."
After making his concluding statement, Asahina-san kept quiet and gazed at me silently.
I was thinking about what to comment on as something soft yet warm hand grabbed me from the other side and pulled me into Asahina-san's (big) side. I was now being hugged by Asahina-san (big) and leaning into his chest. And to make matters even more confusing and embarrasing, His head leaned on top of mine. Being close to him like this, his arms around me, stimulated my nerves and triggered all sorts of wild thoughts in my brain, I just couldn't think properly at all. What was he trying to convey with that aroma from the cloth of his shirt? Was he trying to feel something from me? Pulling me close to him, Asahina-san (big) didn't say anything, yet I could feel his chest moving up and down as he breath. I could also hear him whispering about something, but just what was it?
Could it be...... I began to drift into fantasy again. Could this Asahina-san fall asleep as well, only to have another Asahina-san appear and tell me something enigmatic as well? And so I remain here forever as I meet numerous Asahina-sans from different time periods...... Damn it, my thoughts were becoming as mixed as the laundry in a washing machine, going around in the same circles. Just what was I thinking!? Can someone please bother telling me!?
Asahina-san, it's really flattering to be in this position but what if someone suddenly walked past here and saw us like this? It's... it's too embarrassing!
Asahina-san (big) leaned on me for about another minute or so.
"Hee hee."
As if he could read my thoughts, he smiled and said,
"It's almost time. Let's go."
He stood up as though nothing had happened. I was still sitting in the bench dumbstruck wondering exactly what had happened all the while he started walking away.
“Kyon-chan? Kyon-chan!”
I was snapped back to reality as Asahina-san (big) called back at me. “It's time to go. Come on!”
He's right, it's time to go. Um...... Where're we going anyway?
The second destination.
The time was ten at night on Asahina-san's watch, that was the time after "I" had completed my role as an accomplice to Haruki the seventh grader and finished drawing the graffiti on the track field of East Junior High. It was the time when "I" held the hand of a sobbing Asahina-san as we entered Nagato's apartment. It was at this time when time became frozen for "me".
Time to pay Nagato another visit.
"Before that,"
Asahina-san gave a heart-thumping and glittering smile and said,
"Isn't there something else you need to do first?"
After walking a short distance from the park, I came to a residential area.
Following Asahina-san's directions, I turned into an alley.
Ahead in the dark path was a tiny figure dashing like the wind. With a tiny pair of arms and legs sticking out from the short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts, he moved further and further away.
"Hey!"
The tiny figure in a T-shirt and shorts slowly turned his head. After making sure she had noticed me, I cupped my mouth with my hands and shouted without holding back,
"Please take good care of the Jane Smith who would shake the world!"
After having a quick look at me, the seventh grader turned around looking pissed for some reason and marched forward.
He was probably thinking he'll be able to find me anyway if he went to North High, so he turned without hesitation. Looking at that neck-long dark hair, I quietly added,
"Please remember it, Haruki. You have to remember the name Jane Smith......"
I prayed with the bottom of my heart to the 12-year-old Haruki, who would probably continue to be mischievous in East Junior High for some time to come.
Please don't forget that I was here.
I knew the road to the high class apartment like the back of my hand, so I could practically walk there with my eyes closed. Walking just ahead of Asahina-san (big), I lifted my head to look at the building which I had just visited about twenty hours ago. When we stood outside the apartment complex, Asahina-san (big) kept standing behind me.
"......Kyon-chan, I have a favor."
Seeing as how he was basically begging me and was very uneasy, there was no reason for me to turn him down. No matter which time period Asahina-san is from, I'm not weird enough to turn down his request.
"I'm sorry, but even now I still feel uneasy when I'm with Nagato-san......"
That reminds me, Asahina-san (small) was like that every time he was in the club room, it was the same the last time he came here. Besides Haruki, the only other person to keep his composure when in the presence of an alien or time traveler was Koizumi.
"That's fine, I understand,"
I said gently as I entered the number 708 on the keypad next to the entrance, I then pushed the bell button.
A few seconds later, the intercom gave a knocking sound, indicating someone was listening on the other end.
Silence was greeted by silence and returned to my ear.
"Nagato, it's me."
Silence.
"Sorry about this, I don't know how to explain it myself. In any case, I'm back from the future. Asahina-san is with me as well, the adult version that is. Oh, that's Differential Temporal Variant for you."
Silence.
"I need your help. After all, the one who threw me into this time period was you."
Silence.
"Both Asahina-san and I should be in your apartment, right? Sleeping in that time frozen guest room......"
Beep. The lock to the gate opened.
"Come in."
The voice of Nagato coming through the intercom felt so soothing. It was as calm as usual, without any exclamation or depression, though he sounded as though he was surprised, but maybe that's just me. There's nothing Nagato couldn't do. Even in this situation he's sure to find a way out, otherwise I'm finished.
(writer's note:this reminds me of the ending in “Back to the Future 2”. Doc has just sent Marty home only to have another Marty run up to him asking for help.)
As if walking into a fortress, Asahina-san (big) was shaking and looking extremely nervous all the way, from the moment we entered the front gate, up the elevator, up to when we reach the familiar door of Room 708.
There was a doorbell, but it wasn't working yet, so I knocked silently on the door. I could not sense anyone standing behind the door, yet the metallic door still opened.
"......"
The bespectacled face looked through the gap towards me, he then moved his gaze over onto Asahina-san (big) before moving it back onto me.
"......"
Being expressionless and silent at the same time, he was so devoid of any emotion that I really wanted someone to beg him to say something. This was Nagato indeed, the Nagato Yuuki that I first knew. The original Nagato during the beginning of the school term in spring, as well as the one which "I" had asked help from "three years ago."
"May we come in?"
After a thoughtful silence, Nagato nodded his head for about a centimeter or so, then turned towards his apartment. I guess I'll take that as a "yes." I said to the pretty boy standing right behind me looking anxious,
"Let's go, Asahina-san,"
"Er...... You're right, it'll be fine,"
Sounds as though he was saying it for himself.
By the way, how many times have I visited this place already? According to my biological clock, this would be my fourth time, but chronologically, this was only my second time here. I've already been so confused by the order of time that I was impressed that my biological clock didn't malfunction. Leaping from winter to summer and coming back to three years ago twice, it would have been normal if something wrong had happened to me, yet right now I'm feeling fine. Not to mention my thoughts are the clearest they've been since I was born. Maybe I've gotten so used to all these surreal experiences that I've taken it for granted. If it was someone else, his mind would have short-circuited already.
When I look at it once again, Nagato's lifeless apartment was as cold as I had remembered it. It was no different from the "three years ago" which we went to back in May.
What was reassuring was that this Nagato was still the Nagato I knew. He was still expressionless and emotionless, he wouldn't panic if something were to happen, the ever reliable alien.
I took off my shoes and walked through the narrow corridor before coming to the living room. Nagato was there waiting. He stood there all alone, staring silently at me and Asahina-san. Even if he was surprised at our visit, I could not tell it from his face. Maybe he was already getting used to me coming to visit her from the future, though I didn't want to keep coming back to this day again and again myself.
"I guess we can skip the introductions,"
Nagato didn't sit down, so Asahina-san and I remained standing,
"This is the adult version of Asahina-san, I believe you've met each other before," Just as I said that, I remembered that that was actually three years later, "Sorry, you will meet each other. Anyway, this here is also Asahina-san, so try not to think too much about it."
Nagato looked at Asahina-san (big) with the eyes of an examiner during the national exam paper for mathematics. He then looked around the living room before finally fixing his gaze on the hunky figure behind me once again and said,
"Understood."
He nodded lightly, his hair hardly even flickered.
As I was following Nagato's gaze, I noticed that place - the special room adjacent to the living room, separated with a paper door.
"Can that be opened?" Asahina-san asked
Nagato shook his head towards the room that I was pointing at and said,
"Negative. The entire structural composition of that room has been frozen in time."
I felt a sense of both pity and relief at hearing that.
If I had seen myself sleeping cozily with me in the same futon/room, I don't know what would've happened to myself. A warm breath was felt on my neck, it was Asahina-san (big) sighing in relief. He was thinking the same as I was, it seems. I wonder what Asahina-san (big) would have thought? I'd really like to ask, but right now it was more important to explain what was going on.
"Nagato, I'm really sorry for having to keep visiting you so suddenly. Anyway, can you please hear our story?"
How much had the "me" in the adjacent room told him already? The history of the SOS Brigade up to Tanabata, was it? Then I'll just have to continue from there and tell him what happened in the second half of the year, from the melancholic spring, where I had to put up with Haruki's boredom, to the incessant sighs I made while making his movie. Of course, you were there as well, Nagato. You had always come to the rescue. After all these, the world suddenly changed when I woke up the day before yesterday. I wanted to know why everyone has lost those memories of what happened, which was why I came here with the help of the Emergency Escape Program which Nagato had provided.
It's going to take some time if I go into details, so once again I recited the condensed version which I told Haruki. I skipped the minor details and only mentioned the important context of the story. For this guy, that was more than enough.
"......And that's how it was. So here I am once again, thanks to you."
As evidence was more important than a mere testimony, I took out the crumpled up bookmark from the pocket of my jacket. Like handing a spell-charm to a phantom, I handed the bookmark over to Nagato.
"......"
Nagato took the bookmark with his finger tips. He looked past the flowery patterns on the bookmark and studied the text that was printed on the back like an archaeologist who had just dug out an LCD television from a Cretaceous-era bedrock. It seems as though he was going to take forever to study those words, so I interrupted her examination,
"What should I do now?"
"I, I wish to restore this temporal anomaly,"
Asahina-san's (big) voice sounded so nervous as though he was about to confess his love to the girl of his dreams. Whenever he's with Nagato, Asahina-san still remained as jittery as usual after all these years. That's what I thought, anyway.
"Nagato-san...... Can you please assist us? You're the only person who could restore the altered time plane to its original state. I beg you......"
Asahina-san (big) put his palms together and closed his eyes as though worshiping a deity. Oh Great God Nagato, I too am praying for you to show mercy upon us. Please let me return to the club room where I could see Asahina-san and enjoy the tea that he brews, play board games with Koizumi, see you sitting like a statue and reading, while Haruki would always barge into the room. That's all I wish for.
"......"
Nagato lifted his gaze from the bookmark, and looked straight into the skies. I could understand why Asahina-san would look so nervous, since there was no chance of winning if he's from a different faction than Nagato. I mean who in this world could fight even with Nagato? Only Haruki perhaps?
The perfect acoustics of this high-class apartment meant that there was no echo made. It was so quiet that it seemed as though time had stopped. Nagato and I exchanged gazes, and I saw him nod a few millimeters.
"Let me confirm."
Nagato said. As I was about to ask what he was going to confirm, he closed his eyes.
"......"
Very soon he reopened his eyes and looked at me with his obsidian black eyes,
"Unable to synchronize."
He said quickly, and then stared at me. His expression has changed a bit, and this time it wasn't me imagining things. This was the expression he had between spring and summer, even Koizumi has noticed this change. Ever since he met us, Nagato's expression has gradually changed, though it wasn't the Nagato by winter time.
His pale lips moved again,
"I am unable to gain access to my temporal variant of that time period, because he has set up a protective barrier which selectively blocks my attempts to access."
Though I didn't understand what that meant, I felt uncomfortable with it. Does that mean there's nothing you can do?
Nagato disregarded my fears and continued,
"However, I have an idea of the whole situation. It is possible to undergo restoration."
Nagato softly caressed the words on the bookmark. After that, he began to explain with a voice that begins to accumulate words like a snowball,
"The temporal converter has made full use of Suzumiya Haruki's ability to create data and altered part of the world's data."
His familiar calm voice sounded as serene as a music box I had heard when I was a baby and had soothed my heart.
"Therefore, the altered Suzumiya Haruki does not possess the power to create data. In that dimension, the Integrated Data Sentient Entity is non-existent as well."
I couldn't quite understand, but it sure sounds very serious. Turns out besides myself, everyone, including Haruki, has been given a new set of memories; a boys school became a co-ed, part of the students in North High were moved over to that other school, while all their memories have been secretly altered; the agent from the 'Organization', Nagato the alien, and Asahina-san the time traveler now all lived different lives; not to mention Asakura has returned while everyone in North High has no memory of Haruki at all. Now it seems even Nagato's boss has been erased.
What a mess.
"Using the powers stolen from Suzumiya Haruki, the temporal converter was able to alter data concerning past memories in the range of 365 days."
In other words, everyone's memories from last December - from the time where I came from, that is - to December 17th this year has been altered completely. Yet for memories concerning Tanabata three years ago - which is now - there was nothing the culprit could do about that. It was thanks to Haruki being able to remember about what happened in Tanabata that I was able to come here. Just who's the dummy out there doing the same idiotic stuff that Haruki would do?
Nagato's gaze continues to be fixed on me,
"To restore the world to its original state, one must travel from here to December 18th three years from now, and activate the Restoration Program just after the temporal converter has executed the alteration."
So, we'll be traveling to three years in the future next, right? The one who'll be doing the restoration would be you, right?
"I cannot go."
Why not?
When Nagato pointed to the guest room, I understood at once.
"I cannot leave them alone."
According to Nagato's explanation, in order to allow the time where my other self and Asahina-san were sleeping to remain frozen, she cannot perform any time travel himself. He then said in a voice as though reporting the time,
"Activate Emergency Mode."
"What does that mean?" I was getting a bit anxious.
"Harmonization."
I still don't get it.
Nagato slowly took off his glasses and wrapped them with his hands. As if being hung by an unseen thread, the glasses in his palms began to float. If I saw a normal person doing this, I would have thought there were some invisible strings attached to that person's fingers. Of course, Nagato wouldn't do something so normal.
Distortion.
The frame and glass both began to twist and form into a strange whirlpool shape, in an instant the pair of glasses has turned into another object. I've seen this shape before, it was a shape that would strike fear into the hearts of any human being.
I hesitantly gave my comment,
"It looks like a very huge syringe."
"That is correct."
A colorless liquid was filled up inside the syringe. Just who was going to get jabbed by that thing?
"This is the Restoration Program used to inject into the temporal converter's body."
Looking at the sharp needle sticking out from the end of the syringe, I instinctively turned away.
"Um...... Isn't there a more reliable way. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm an amateur when it comes to this. It'll be pretty disastrous if it were to stab the wrong place."
Nagato's dark eyes, which glittered like an LCD screen, looked at the syringe he was holding, and said,
"Wuss! Is that so?"
He widened his hands again, the syringe once again formed into a whirlpool before morphing into another shape. Seeing the shape of this new object, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Another object that would create a huge ruckus."
This time it's a gun, though it had a small nozzle while its material was made of stainless steel.
Nagato placed the shiny metallic pistol, which looked like a brand new toy-gun onto his palm and handed it to me.
"The chances of this penetrating clothing is very high, but if possible, it is better for you to directly shoot the target's skin."
"What about bullets? Does this thing have real bullets in them?"
From its appearance, it looked like an aluminum or plastic gun.
"This is a short-needle gun, the program is infused on the tip of the needle."
I felt more at ease psychologically with this thing than with a giant syringe. I received the gun and was amazed at how light it was.
"Oh yeah,"
I finally asked the question that I dare not ask a while ago,
"Who is the culprit? Who's the one that altered the world? If it isn't Haruki, then who is it? Can you tell me?"
I heard Asahina-san (big) sigh softly.
Nagato slowly opened his mouth, and without any expression she calmly uttered the name of the culprit to me.
2008-06-05, 00:01
And how will they be extorted? Pictures of sexual harrassment wouldn't work. I'm thinking Haruki will steal the president's "D drive" and dig up some really nasty material to extort her with. However this will waste an important Mikuru-moment. And already the fact that Haruki is extorting a group of girls is hard to swallow.
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