"Sigh... Damn! Another failing mark..."
I inevitably said while I was scratching my head looking at the results of my last test. I was sitting on my chair in class, mumbling and wondering about what I should even do about my mistake.
"I wish this whole building would just burn down..."
I looked out of the window watching the world outside like a bystander trying to find my inner peace.
My name is Sigmund Hanabishi, I'm fifteen years old, a Highschool Sophomore, and I'm about to take Summer vacation. That is, once I find a way to pass these exams...
"At least today is half-day. I'll be able to get all the cards I need for a full deck of Runbis!"
To be honest, I don't care about my academics. All I wanna do is just move out of this dump, and live the life I always did every day the same way I always do.
Playing ITCGs.
What time is it now anyway? Let's see...
I checked the clock just above the blackboard in front of me to see what time it is.
"Three...Two...One..."
The bell finally rang at exactly 13:00.
Finally! It's time for me to take my leave. - I thought to myself.
I picked up my backpack, slung it around my shoulder, stood up, and walked to the door. But when I was just about to leave the room...
"Hey! Hanabishi!"
A familiar voice called out to me. And since it was this particular voice, I knew I wouldn't be going anytime soon...
"Just where do you think you're going?"
It was Maya Asahi, our president of Class 2-B, right on schedule. She was holding a broom and a dustpan.
"So, trying to escape now are we?"
I wasn't even trying to get away from anything...
"Well, you're out of luck. You aren't going anywhere!"
Typical...
"You're the class monitor for today."
Oh, right. I knew that...
"So hurry up! Take this broom, and this dustpan, and start cleaning this place up right away!"
Asahi threw the cleaning utilities at me so carelessly without minding how fragile they were, whether they'll break or not.
"Well anyway, see you next week for the finals! Oh, and have a great weekend!"
"But pres! Wait! I—"
She left right away without even giving me a chance to speak... Who nominated someone like her as Class president anyway?
_____________________________________________________________________
14:32
"Ugghhh... What the hell!? It would've all been easier if they'd assign groups on a specific date than just having one class monitor day by day!"
Why do we have to tidy up this room every time? I mean, it'll just become dirty again after all, right?
"This is just great. Right now, I should be sitting on my computer completing my Runbis deck, but no. Instead, I become a janitor!... With 0% minimum wage!!!"
So yeah, here I am sweeping on our classroom floor on this hot afternoon.
The air is all dry and stuff without a pint of moisture in the atmosphere.
I guess you can really call school hell in such a way with this condition which I'm feeling right now. I hope you can relate.
"Speaking of which, where in the world is that janitor? He should've been here by now about 20 minutes ago..."
Swish swish swish
This was the only noise the whole room filled. Nothing else. Just a steady sound of a wooden broom, sweeping towards a dustpan.
5 minutes have passed.
Face it, the janitor abandoned you. You're on your own pal.
"Sigh... You gotta be kidding me!" I said looking upwards.
"Fate really does hate me... Sigh. Maybe... Maybe I was born to do this? I mean, a failure like me has always deserved a job like this right...?"
I continued to sweep the floor looking down in a moment of despair.
"Great Janitor, Hanabishi reporting for duty sir! Will get the job done approximately in a 50% chance! Will clean toilets, urinals, mirrors, nasty jobs..."
After what seemed like an extraneous amount of time, I finally finished my hard work.
"Hah..." I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my forearm. I took off my school jacket due to the hot temperature of the classroom.
Afterward, I arranged the chairs, picked up the mop in my classroom, and just like that, I was ready to leave.
Of course, I had to return the mop first. So, I ventured through my school's amazing hallway. The sun shone through the windows of this hall, reinvigorating for people like me. It was a grand scene to see if there ever was a camera being shot in my direction.
But, anyway—
Just when I was returning the mop, I found the janitor.
The janitor... I finally found him. The janitor I was waiting for... he was sleeping inside the boy's restroom.
The janitor was here this whole time! And he made me do all. The. Cleaning..!
But I'm a nice guy. I don't wanna mess with someone sleeping so soundly... so peacefully and nice.
"Ah, hey..."
Ah, what the heck. I woke him up anyway.
"You were supposed to clean class 2-B. What are you doing here."
The janitor gave me a sudden glance, realizing his mistake.
"Uhh..."
The janitor ran away.
"What the hell?" I exclaimed! "Why the hell did he...!
I spent minutes complaining and shouting to myself in the halls of the empty school after that.
Again, I was left alone with myself with nothing else to do.
Oh right, now it's time for me to go home.
I was in the classroom again, I picked up my bag where I last left it, and just like that, off I went!
Outside, is the school trees that surround the main entranceway. I couldn't see where else is there to go to, and I wanted to explore a little more since I had time...
"Hmm..." I checked my watch. It was only 15:00... "I still got time."
I decided to take a scenic route. I haven't been here before actually. This small heap of forest that surrounds connecting my school to the road ahead—I've always wondered what it was like.
But then—
"What the-!?" I suddenly fell into a hole in the ground as I walked next to a tree.
Blackness was what greeted me after that.
And then, I woke up.
"Ha-...f....n...we—..."
I heard a mysterious voice, a girl's voice actually. I opened my eyes to see who it was. My vision was blurry but I see a ceiling in front of me.
To my discovery, it seems I was lying down as I woke up.
I could hear the sounds of a frying pan and a spatula being smacked and slid against each other. I smell an egg being fried as well.
I rose from my bed, and then, "Ah! What the heck?" I let out a soft cry, touching my forehead with my right hand.
Still in pain, I looked around to see the place I was in. There was an electric fan to my right, and an entryway toward another room. The kitchen, I presume. A glass of water and a pitcher with water was right beside me on a small table. And behind me, was a shelf of house decorations neatly arranged to make the whole place have a warm feel to it.
Suddenly, someone came in from the entryway.
"Oh, I see that you're finally awake."
I looked to where this voice was, and from there, stood a girl who was looking at me.
The girl is probably the same age as I am. She has long black hair, black eyes, and she was wearing an apron with a spatula in hand.
We ended up staring at each other. I got dumbstruck by her ridiculously good looks.
She suddenly approached, moving closer to where I am. She leaned in closer to me.
"Well? Aren't you going to thank me? I'm the one who saved your life and dragged you all the way here after all."
I blushed hard. Damn. I hope it isn't too obvious. I ended up avoiding eye contact with her.
Why the hell did she have to move in so close!?
"Oh, uh, yeah, my apologies... thank you!" I told her.
After that, I saw her blush in return. She straightened her back.
"Don't apologize when you want to thank someone... it makes them feel kind of weird..." She told me.
But you leaned close to me first!
I was confused by her reply. "Ah, well... if that's the case, sorry again!" I chuckled to make light of this situation. I scratched my head.
Then, I think I saw her blush again. Maybe I'm just being too full of myself, but I definitely saw her almost drop her spatula!
"L-Look... just stop apologizing. You have a big bruise on your forehead right now and I forgot to get some more ice. So, just lie there and don't go anywhere while I get some, okay?"
I just nodded back as I didn't want to make her anymore jumpier. She was obviously jumpy, wasn't she?
She dashed back into the kitchen.
"I would love that! Thank you very much!" I told her before she could finally leave the room just loud enough for her to hear.
I lied back down on my bed, smiling, and pondering just how I ended up like this.
I fell in a hole and—
To no avail, that's all I could recall. I let out a sigh, as I stared into the ceiling with the back of my right hand on my forehead.
Now that I think about it, I can't really keep my self lying around like this. I'm also feeling anxious about all this. So, I sat up and drank the glass of water on the table the girl left beside me.
Moments later, she returned holding ice wrapped in a piece of cloth. She walked closer to me.
"Here's the ice. I'll place it on your forehead, is that fine?"
I obediently nodded, as I lied back down on this bed she made for me.
Sitting next to me, she placed the ice wrap on the bruise on my forehead.
"Feeling okay?"
"Yeah, actually..." I told her, as I looked at her. "Say, what's your name by the way?"
She kept quiet for a moment. She was probably wondering why I was even curious about asking her name.
But man, she's a total babe! Why shouldn't I ask for her name? And besides that, she saved me who was unconscious at the time. A real angel!
Looking at her again with her long black hair obviously maintained and taken care of, her luscious black eyes that just draw your deep, a school uniform in an apron...
Oh, I just noticed the school uniform... so she's a student like me. Is she alone? Where are her parents?
Probably they were both out on a business trip... just like my parents.
"Simone..." She told me her name.
"Simone, huh...? Um... I'm Sigmund." I replied with a smile.
"Sigmund..." She said. It looked like she contemplated hard on my name.
"Sigmund." She said once again. I guess she's trying to remember my name. "Odd... it feels like I've met you before."
I smiled with my teeth showing. "Is that so...? Then again, hearing your name Simone, it does feel like I've seen you from somewhere before too." I began blushing. Just what was I saying?
Creepy! Creepy... it sounds creepy. Am I sounding creepy?
Why is it sounding more and more like this is turning into a pick-up line?
"Your school... where are you from?" I asked her, scratching the back of my head once again.
"Midday High." She told me.
"Midday High... never heard of that school."
"Oh, you haven't? But It's one of the most prestigious high schools in the country!"
I think I'm starting to sound like an uninformed shut-in. Although, then again...
"Really? Well, I'm from High Noon High. That's also one of the most prestigious schools in this country."
"Oh...? That's weird... I've never heard of that school before."
"Hmm... well, I guess it doesn't matter! What matters right now, is you saved me... I owe you my life."
Maybe that was an overstatement. Though, I'm quite delighted to be saved by this person.
"It..." She blushed again. "It was nothing, really..." Her eyes darted away from me.
I chuckled, also blushing in return. She's just too damn cute when she blushes! So, I can't help but blush back and be wary around her in return!
"S-Say..." My speech pattern suddenly turned shakey. I was beginning to stutter. What the heck me? Not now! "Uhh... how did you save me anyways?"
Simone looked back at me. "I... I can't remember anything, you see."
"You got amnesia?" She asked me.
"No, not really... just a little gap in memory what happened after I fell in a tree hole," I said.
"Oh, is that what happened? Well..." Simone placed a hand on her chin, recalling what had transpired.
"I just finished up cleaning after dismissal, after I returned the school's cleaning utilities, I upped and started going home after I'm done with all that."
Oh, she's starting from there...? That'll be a tall tale.
But, hold on... her story sounded kind of similar...
"Feeling a little adventurous, I took a little shortcut. It was like, a forest that I just had to explore since I haven't been there before, you know? You get that sense of adventure every now and then, you get me?"
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Yup. I totally get ya about that... But can you please tell me now how I—
"So, now, I said to myself, 'geez, do I still wanna explore this forest? It's getting a little late, and I still want to do some shopping for myself since there's a sale I had to catch up..." She suddenly rolled her eyes for a brief second. "Aaand, I missed that sale. But, it doesn't matter anymore for now. So, anyway, I started to head back after that, and that's when I found you. You were lying there, at the base of a tree, inside a tree hole; unconscious."
"I see..." I replied.
So she knows just as much as I did... well, not like it's important anymore.
Ugh...
Wait... what the!?
My stomach suddenly growled. I'm hungry all of a sudden.
Really? At a time like this.
I made another embarrassed face, blushing like hell after all that. What is with this impeccable timing!?
Simone chuckled hearing my stomach. "Hold on, I cooked some eggs. They're supposed to be my dinner, and I got them ready just as I brought you in this house with me. But, hmm yeah, hold on I'll cook some more for you."
"No, no it's okay! I mean, I think my place is near here so it's totally fine!"
"No, no... I insist! Please, just stay where you are." She smiled at me, as she walked back into her kitchen.
I made a defeated look, laughing lightly with the situation. Gosh, this is embarrassing! A girl saved me from my silly mistake, and now I'm about to eat dinner at her place...
Wait, dinner!?
I looked around the room to find a clock, and I found that it was already 18:12.
Oh man... 3 hours... I was out for that long?
And she took care of me while I was out like that... Geez, I owe her a lot. I need to properly thank her soon.
Later, I finally walked out of her place.
"Thanks again for the meal! And I'm sorry I caused you a lot of trouble. I'll repay you someday."
"Oh, it's no need. It was just right I help you in that situation, no worries!" She told me.
"No, I'll definitely pay you back. If not, I'll definitely feel bad about it..." I scratched my cheek this time, making a coy look at her.
"Hmm alright, fine. Then... you owe me... a day of grocery shopping."
"What? Really? Then, just hand me a list."
"No, no... I mean, I want you to help me carry the groceries."
Wait... isn't that sounding like—
"W-What? Then, that's fine with me!" I suddenly made a stupid smile on my face. I really meant to be subtle about this, I swear!
"What're you thinking of?" I saw her blush again.
"N-Nothing! I'm just... I mean, okay! I'm all for it!"
She handed me a note. "Here." She suddenly dashed off, entering back into her household.
"What's this...?" I asked her.
"M-My number!" She smiled and closed the door to her home.
Again, another stupid smile on my face. I didn't expect I'd get a date from her! What is this development!? Isn't this just too convenient?
But, man... I got a date! This is definitely a date! This must be a dream come true, and with a girl like that even!
Simone, you're like an angel fallen from heaven! Just, who're you anyway!?
As I was walking away from her home, I was pumping my fist this whole time, in a jolly, heartfelt mood.
Well, I can't help it if women like my awful good looks... I've always been told I was cute by my mother's friends.
Now then, her number...! I gotta put it down on my phone!
"Huh?"
I touched the sides of my pockets.
My phone... where's my phone!?
That's right!
I dropped in with my bag! It's in my bag! Did I left it at the tree!?
I scurried off on this road... strangely, it was a familiar-looking road back to the tree at my school. I was thankful as I knew I wouldn't get lost due to this.
Though, I couldn't really recognize it that much. Maybe I was already on my street, but it was getting pretty dark now anyway, so I didn't care.
I ignored this in the back of my mind. That wasn't important right now. What's important is the date I got with destiny!
After some time, it was starting to get a little odd. The roads, trees, and grass... it was too familiar!
"What...?"
As I arrived on a hill that leads back into the forest, I looked at the scenery.
The houses, trees, and buildings around this city... It looked just like my place. So, she lives on my street? Then, I guess I won't have to worry about looking for her after all!
I turned around, back into the forest. It was a little dark, but with the light that was still visible from the city, it was still manageable.
It wasn't soon, until I found the tree that I fell into. I went over to it and found that my bag wasn't in sight anywhere.
"Damn. Did some thief stole it!?"
I went to the hole under the tree. Maybe it just got snagged in there or something.
"It's pretty hella dark here..." as I crawled, my hand suddenly touched something at the base inside this small hole of the tree.
Suddenly, it lit up, as a bright light suddenly shone at this base from where I'm touching.
All of a sudden, I was leaning forward. There wasn't ground anymore to where I had my hands was holding onto!
"What the hell!?"
I fell in once again, and then, it went dark.
In a few moments, I found myself lying down again, waking up again this time, at the base of the tree. This time, I remember everything.
So that's what happened. I fell in the tree.
And with my head going face first, I must've knocked myself out unconscious...
How silly of me.
My right hand felt something... it was a cloth strap of some sort. It was my bag.
Upon realizing this, I immediately sat up straight and reached for it. I felt through the bag to find the phone in my bag's pockets.
I got a date! And it's my job to contact her!
I finally found my phone. It was a flip phone, so I had to flip it open to access my contacts.
Scrolling through within moments, I finally found the add contact button. And just as I was typing up her number—
"W-What...?"
I deleted the number, and reentered it once more. My eyes weren't fooling me, however.
On the text box, every time I retype the number with my thumb, it kept showing my name popping up on the number.
Is this some kind of prank?
"C'mon... this is her number, right?"
Alas, as I retyped the number, it indeed just showed my name, with my number on it. I compared the note in my hand, and my phone... it was exactly the same.
"What's going on...?"
I suddenly had a hunch. I looked back at the tree, and slowly, put my hand back into its base.
A bright light suddenly shone, and then, I drew my hand back as fast as I could.
What in the world is going on?
I slid my butt forward this time, putting my feet first at the base inside the hole of this tree. And then, after the ground inside it shone once again, I dropped in; feet first.
A brief moment of darkness, and then—
I was back again, at the base of the tree. This time, I had my balance with me as I was able to crawl out of the tree hole quite easily.
"What is this...?"
This is just so trippy.
I went back in once again, to confirm my suspicions.
"What the hell...?"
A man's voice suddenly laughed. It was a wry tone even, as if mocking me. I got startled, more so in this dark forest. I mean, what's a kid like me even doing out here this late at night, am I right?
"So, a human finally founds his way into the parallel world?"
"What...?" I began to talk to the voice in my surroundings. "Who are you!?"
"Introductions? So that's what you want to know first? Very well then." The voice kept speaking to me as I looked around my surroundings. "I am the god of revelry and wine. You may also call me: Dionysus."
"D-Dionysus!? That's—"
This voice!? A god!? I—
"I don't recognize who you are," I said in return.
The voice suddenly turned quiet.
"Of course, I had expected of this of you mortals of this generation, especially of you young ones... What do you call yourselves these days? 'High Schoolers'...? Though, I will forgive your ignorance."
Me? Ignorant? And you? A god...?
Man... I can't help it if I don't know you! There's only one god I know... and he's the only one being taught in my religious classes.
"I am Dionysus, the god of revelry, and wine. Also, the protector of vines, and trees." He proclaimed himself to be.
"Alright... w-well, what's going on Dionysus? What is this prank you're pulling off on me?" I was a bit shaken up by this paranormal situation I'm in. But at least this 'god's' voice isn't any spooky.
"What's going on? Well, what you've found is one of my trees. This tree specifically, leads you to a parallel world!"
"A tree... leading to a parallel world?"
What the hell?
"What, you mean, like in Alice in Wonderland?"
"Exactly!" Dionysus expressed this in a tone as if I just solved one of those math problems in a classroom lecture. "That's what this is like."
"You mean to tell me Alice in Wonderland was real?"
Just who is this guy fooling?
"No, actually... Far from that, that was just an exaggerated depiction just like in theatres!"
For a god, he sure does seem familiar with movies...
"Uh... yeah, okay. Well, you ain't fooling anyone. It was nice knowing you Dionysus, but I got a date with destiny for tomorrow."
"Huh?" The god, Dionysus suddenly uttered in disbelief. "Wait! Wait!"
I didn't stop walking. For all I know, this could be a prank by someone. I tried to ignore him as I continued walking home.
"Don't you see? This tree leads you to a parallel dimension! The girl you were seeing is actually you in another universe!"
He got my ears perked up. Where did he hear about that?
"How did you know that?" I asked the voice. "Where did you hear I was seeing a girl you stalker?"
The voice of Dionysus laughed at me once again. "Now I got your attention? Well, again, listen here, chump. This tree is not an ordinary tree. You remember the note she gave you? You saw your phone numbers match, right? Don't you see the pattern? You both have the same phone."
No way...
He went on... "And of course, the familiar roads and streets?"
I was in disbelief at this point, but I was starting to actually believe him. "You mean to tell me..."
"Thaaaat's right, hotshot. The girl you met? That was you this whole time!"
"So... I was seeing myself? In a parallel world?"
"You got it."
No way... if this guy is for real, then that just means I was crushing on myself!
That's... really weird.
And this god's just mocking me.
"Wait... Where are you? Let me see you first! For all I know, this could be an actual prank!"
"Look up," Dionysus said.
As I looked up, I saw the tree in front of me glowing in a bright gold. Above, I see a man in a beard, with curly hair just like those greek statues. He had an Ivy crown and wears a tunic and cloak.
"So? Convinced?" He asked me.
"Yeah... I'm convinced alright." I said.
With one hand behind his back, he rubbed his chin. "Good."
I finally asked the weighty question. "So, tell me... why are you even doing this?"
"What?" He expressed in an exasperated tone as if I said a ridiculous question. "It's not me who's doing this... you just found this tree I was guarding. I've been looking for it for a long time. In this modern world, you see... us gods have been doing some cleaning, and magic like this isn't mean to exist on this earth anymore. It has to be sealed. You and I meeting, and you, falling into this tree was all coincidence."
"Wait, what? So you show up just now, and now you're going to seal this tree?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"But, if you seal it... that means..."
"Ah, I see... I understand the predicament you're in right now." Dionysus said.
As if he saw the pained expression on my face, he suddenly spoke up, "Tell you what, I'll give you one more day to sort out your feelings. You can choose which dimension you want to stay in. After all, it was my fault to have overlooked this supernatural object that was left behind here."
"You don't have to seal it, do you?"
"I'm afraid I do, young one."
I remained silent after that. I looked at my note one last time... Simone's number. I held it tighter between my thumb and index finger, being careful not to crush it.
I was indecisive of what to do next... not knowing what choice to make, I ran home.
_____________________________________________________________________
The next day...
I was in my classroom. It was time for us to be dismissed, and I had just received the final papers for my exams.
"Damn! Another failing mark..." Again, I told myself.
I inevitably said while I was scratching my head looking at the results of this final test. I was sitting on my chair in class, mumbling and wondering about what I should even do about my mistake... If there was still something to do about my grades, that is...
"Really, I wish this whole building... would just burn down..." I told myself.
Maybe I should do it...
I looked out the window next to me, as I recalled what had happened last night.
I get to choose one world... where should I even be in?
And to have met someone like Simone... who's actually another me this whole time... ugh. What should I even do?
It just feels unnatural... uncomfortable. And Simone... She still doesn't even know any of this.
I have to decide...!
Just as I stood up from my chair...
"Hey! Hanabishi!"
A familiar voice called out to me—Maya Asahi...
But I was in a hurry. I darted out of class. I had no time to spare at that moment. I left her there with her friends around her. I didn't want to bother with cleaning duty once again.
Soon, I eventually arrived at the same spot.
"So, you've returned... does this mean—"
I held up my hand. "No, wait... not yet. You told me a day, so that means 24 hours. We met at night, so that means I have until night time." I clarified to Dionysus about our deal.
The god, Dionysus was understanding. "That's fair, very well. But why do you insist on such a deadline?"
"I want Simone to know about this first."
"I-I see... Zeus would be mad at me if he finds out more mortals find this tree... but, just for you, I will grant this request."
"Thank you. I'll be quick about it."
And so, I entered the parallel world once again.
If I'm right, at around this time, she should be heading home. I stood up from the base of the tree with Dionysus watching from above. After that, I ran to my house... my parallel universe's house.
As I arrived, I quickly knocked on Simone's doorstep.
As she opened her door, I saw her once again. Her elegant, black hair, and eyes that just draw you deep into hers... she was in her uniform, and I guess she just got home around the same time as I am, assuming we both have the same schedule. I then explained to her that she has to follow me.
"Simone, I'm sorry if I came at a bad time... but I need to show you something..."
"What...? Where are we going?"
"Remember that place where you found me?"
"You mean... the tree in the forest?"
"Yeah. It's important. And I think you need to find this out as well for yourself."
Was I being too forceful?
"Uh... I..."
She's hesitating...
"I'm sorry. I know I'm asking a lot from you at this moment, but it's important... it's about you and I..." I held my hand out.
Simone was quiet for a brief moment.
"Sigmund... sure, I'll come. I just need to fix things up here for a minute."
She agreed!
"Yeah, that's alright. I'll wait for you right here."
Minutes passed, and Simone and I finally started our walk back to the forest. We talked for what seemed like years, as I got my way to getting to know each other.
We had a lot in common in terms of how we live our lives. But also opposite in specific interests.
She seems to catch on about my sense of urgency. It looked to her like I was wrapping things up in a hurry.
I'm sorry for worrying you too much.
We eventually arrived at Dionysus' tree in the forest.
"This is it..." I said.
"What's going on here?"
I walked forward to the tree. "Simone..."
I stepped forward and entered with my feet first into the base of the tree.
As I entered, she saw a flash of white light shining below this tree. She was surprised to see this. I scouted in first on the other side if there were any people to witness us. After seeing it was clear, I then went back to the parallel world with Simone in it.
And right there, she was standing in a midst of confusion, and wonder. She was just as clueless as I am when I first discovered this tree.
"Come... do you trust me?" I stretched my hand out to her.
"I do, Sigmund... actually, I wholly trust you with where you'll take us." With a daring look, she held out her hand to me at last.
In return, I gave her a daring look as well, and we both entered the tree hole.
A brief moment of darkness, and then, each one of us got out of the tree hole.
Simone was confused seeing the same scene.
"What? I don't understand..."
"Try getting in, and back again." She did as I told her going back in, and then going back out of the tree hole.
"What was that...? That was just... trippy as hell."
That manner of speech... exactly like mine.
"So, apparently, this is a tree to a parallel world."
Simone was puzzled at first, but I can understand her. It was tough for me to understand what was happening as well at face value.
"No, what's more, important than that... you, and me... Simone..."
Will this be an awkward thing to say?
"We're the same person."
Again, a brief pause. Simone began to smile. She started to laugh. "What... Was that what you were going to tell me...?"
I think she was downplaying all that was happening. I think a tear ran down her cheek as she laughed.
"No, no... I'm telling the truth." I took my phone in my pocket, and showed her my number in the list of contacts. "You see this number? It's the same as yours..."
"Well? It could be some kind of error in the system. You know, phone service providers always have technical problems."
"No, one more thing to prove that... Let's tell each other our last name."
"What...? Look, Sigmund... there's just no way."
"Let's just do it..."
Simone, still giggling, tried her best to suppress her laughter for a brief moment.
"Alright..."
"Okay..." I told her. "let's count."
We both began to count down starting from three and then—
"Hanabishi."
"Hanabishi."
We both said aloud.
She had a flabbergasted look on her face, as she shook her head lightly.
"No... no way." She kept her silly smile and her silly laughter.
"What he's telling you is true" Dionysus finally interjected.
"What the heck!?" Simone got startled.
"Woah, Woah, Woah! Okay, calm down." I held her hand. Her fingertips were cold.
"So, like, this is Dionysus, he calls himself a god and a guardian of this tree."
Simone stayed close to me, still started from the sudden god appearing before us in gold light in his tunic and coat.
"Why is he here now...?" She asked me.
"Well, you see..." I gave her the unwelcoming news. "We... may never actually see each other again."
"What...? Why? How come?"
Dionysus then came to explain to her the current situation. She had a look as if she was expecting a punchline, but it soon rested into seriousness until she just stayed quiet. There wasn't a hint of surprise anymore. All she had was a look of acceptance.
"I see now..." Simone said. "It's no wonder it all feels too... convenient, so strange... it's no wonder I trust you so much."
Our complete trust with one another... was the result of us... just for being?
"Yeah... it was rather, crazy how all this was..." I told her in a low voice.
She nodded.
Simone suddenly took my hand in hers. "But tell me, Sigmund... what do you feel? What do you think about all this...? I mean... it's just—"
She started to well up in tears. She too knew as well what my answer would be.
"I know it's unnatural and doesn't look right but... Sigmund, what do you feel about me? Do you also...?"
I do, actually...
I hugged Simone. She hugged me back. We held in each other's arms. It was expected. We knew what was right. What we had to do.
We had to see each other go.
"Sigmund... I—"
I knew what she was going to say.
"I love you too," I told her.
Her eyes widened, and she bawled some more on my shoulder.
"That's not fair... I wanted to be the one who should've told you..." I felt the cloth on my school's jacket go damp in her tears. "It doesn't have to be this way right...?"
I began to turn teary-eyed as well. Damn, why is she crying so much? It's also having an effect on me.
This is just so...
My mind was clouded. I was going to miss Simone. I slowly leaned back and held my hand to her chin.
"Yeah, but—" Even I couldn't understand, myself, why this was the right choice. Maybe I was a coward. Maybe I was scared of the unnatural...
But there are people who know me, and there are people who know her in her world.
"You know, that I know that this is my reality... and you have—"
"My reality... Yes, I get it... man..." She buried her face into my shoulder again.
"I won't forget you." She told me.
"Neither will I," I told her.
We held tightly, feeling each other's warmth through our clothing. It felt like a long time too.
Soon, I took her home to her place in the parallel world, where we said our final goodbyes.
We hugged each other for one last time and then waved our goodbyes accepting our places in this weird universe of ours in our respective dimensions...
I walked away from her place after that.
But then—
"Wait!" Simone called out to me. I turned around. I saw her ran toward me, and she was carrying something...
"I want you to have this." She handed me over a pillow.
"This is..."
"It's your pillow... actually, it's also my pillow. You slept on it before when I first took you in. But you can have that for yourself... to remember me by.
"Ah.. then," I took off my school's jacket, leaving myself only in my white, collar shirt. "You can have this..."
She blushed once more. "Y-Your school's jacket!?"
I blushed in return as well. Thinking about it, I wasn't careful about giving her a proper gift. But it was the most significant thing I have for her to remember me by that I'm carrying with me.
I could've timed this better... no, actually, this was the only time I could time this. This was the best time. I can't say if there's a better way of doing this.
"Y-Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but it's the only thing I have on me right now. So, I hope that's something for you and I to remember each other by... to let you know that our meeting did happen—crossing dimensions."
To see each other...
"I never thought I would hand myself over my piece of my clothing as a memento."
"Uh.. well" I laughed. I guess no matter how much we have in common, we'd still have our own biases as opposite genders.
"Friends...?" I asked her.
"Friends." She answered back.
And so, in the afternoon, I finally stepped out of the tree hole. Dionysus was waiting for me just above, floating... for the first time, it made me realize how terrifying he could be if it weren't for his underwhelming voice... as a god.
"Your choice astounds me, human." He told me. "And to share parting gifts thereafter..."
"Oh, shut up man," I told him as I held Simone's pillow in my hands. "Aren't you suppose to be going?"
"Of course, of course... it's time to reclaim what was rightfully in our domain. It's time to reclaim this piece of dimensional magic from this mortal plane."
And with that, Dionysus suddenly shone brighter. A golden, stream of light suddenly seeped out of the tree, going into Dionysus himself. And then, another brief flash of golden light.
Dionysus was nowhere left to be seen after that.
"I guess... it's time for me to go..." So, I turned around.
However, I suddenly recalled something.
"Oh... my bag. Of course, I left it earlier in class." I turned around once again, walking back to my classroom.
_____________________________________________________________________
Not sooner, did I arrive at my classroom door. With a simple twist of a knob, it then opened.
What surprised me, however, was one person in the room.
It was Maya Asahi, and she has my bag next to her on a chair... was she waiting for me all this time...?
"Asahi...?"
She saw me. She was startled like, she wasn't expecting me to call out to her.
With a surprised look, I approached her.
"Hanabishi..." She cleared her throat suddenly. "I was calling you earlier, but you left in a hurry, and you left your bag in the classroom. But now you're here, it's perfect timing... there's something I need to tell you for a long time."
She then noticed something I held in my hand.
"By the way, why do you have a pillow in your hand?"
Simone's pillow!
"It's nothing, just something I forgot to bring back home with me."
"Hmm.. is that so..."
She bought my bluff!
Again, she cleared her throat. This time, she faced me with a determined look in her eyes.
I don't know if it was the setting sun playing tricks on my vision, but I saw her face went redder and redder as she was preparing to tell me what she was about to say.
I knew where this was going...
No, it can't be...!
Asahi finally mustered up her courage, "I—"
Parallel universes... gods... magic... meeting your own self... love; this world is just... hella strange. What does this all mean? Why do some things have to happen in the first place? And do those specific things serve any purpose at all?
Our choices have consequences, what we say... how we say it. It's all a tangent web of many different outcomes.
And the choices I've made... the choices we've all made... it all matters what we do.
For once, I was happy I didn't end up deciding to burn this whole building down.
The End