Minami no Hanashi : Yume - Prelude

The next day

In the hallway

Narumi was watching Minami silently, who was yawning and rubbing her eyes. Minami looked back at her, but the little Katayama walked away without saying a word.

-(Minami) Always grumpy in the morning...

-(Sanae) Finally awake!

-(Minami) You're the one who gets up early.

In Narumi's room

Narumi seemed different and was trying not to make any noise. She took her bag, slightly opened her door, and slipped out quietly. She gently closed the door, turned around, and found herself face to face with her sister.

-(Minami) Why are you acting like a thief?

-(Narumi) Argh! She exclaimed, startled.

-(Narumi) Could you stop surprising people like that?

-(Minami) You're too suspicious. I'm just curious. For example, why are you acting like you're doing something you shouldn't be d-

Narumi ignored her sister and walked downstairs with a sigh. Minami watched her leave while yawning.

A little later in an alley...

Narumi stood with her arms crossed in front of a young boy, who was dressed in a black sports outfit with his hood up, barely showing his face. Narumi spoke in a sharp tone: "Well then?"

The young boy replied, "You first."

Narumi gave him a hard look and continued, "Tss... You're older than me, but we agreed, didn't we? No hierarchy between us, we just use each other, that's all."

The young boy crossed his arms too and replied, "You've got some nerve, don't you?"

Narumi was starting to lose patience, and her face showed a weary expression.

-(Narumi) We also agreed not to mess with each other and not to waste each other's time.

-(?) Well... There isn't much new. He said, scratching his head.

-(Narumi) You must be joking, right? She asked, smiling.

The young boy saw her smile and knew she was about to get angry. He continued, "No. I'm completely serious. Since the last time, not much has changed, same old routine..."

Narumi looked him straight in the eyes, waiting for some relevant information from him.

He thought briefly and continued, "Now that I think about it, they interact a bit mo-"

Narumi was getting more and more irritated and started to grit her teeth: "Stop beating around the bush... You have no information, do you?"

-(?) Don't insult me, come on, without me you wouldn't have found even a quarter of all the information I've given you so far.

She smiled silently and thought: He annoys me because he's right, argh!

Narumi calmed herself and replied, "This is the third time you've come without any information, I have every right to think I'm the only one working in this team, don't I?"

-(?) No comparisons, please. Your information is just playground gossip compared to mine.

-(Narumi) Why do I feel like slapping him? Arrogance personified.

In an arrogant and provocative tone, she continued: "But now that I think about it, you must be really bored to invest so much in 'playground gossip'."

A brief silence settled, and the young boy said nothing, his face a bit more distinguishable and his expression so peculiar that Narumi was disturbed.

-(Narumi) Huh? What's with that face? This is the first time I-

The young boy suddenly mimicked Narumi's unpleasant voice: "We also agreed not to mess with each other."

-(Narumi) Okay, he really wants me to slap him.

-(?) Enough talking, show me the fruit of your work. He said proudly.

-(Narumi) I'll give you some info... But this time!

Narumi handed over a piece of paper, and the young boy began to read it.

-(Narumi) You need to find information about this person!

He froze as he read, paralyzed. Narumi was busy praising herself: "Hehe, I'm not naive enough to let you leave a fourth time with all my work without giving me anything in return-"

He interrupted her: "How do you know him?" Narumi didn't respond and stared at him intensely.

-(?) What?

-(Narumi) Why are you so intrigued all of a sudden? You don't need to know that. I'm telling you I want information. Do what you have to do, right?

-(?) She's provoking me.

-(Narumi) Come on, I'm just kidding! I've never seen you so uptight. Already naturally so... She said, laughing.

-(?) So?

-(Narumi) So what?

-(?) How do you know him? And what does he have to do with our main deal?

-(Narumi) That's for you to find out.

-(?) Answer me.

-(Narumi) Argh, you really don't let go!

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

-(Narumi) My mom knows this person. There, satisfied?

The young boy was even more intrigued and pursued: "And why do you want information on-".

Narumi cut him off with a sharp look: "Hey. You're being really creepy right now, stop."

The young boy took a deep breath as if trying to contain himself.

-(Narumi) What?

He handed back the piece of paper and replied in a dry tone: "It's not going to be possible."

Narumi, frustrated, clenched her fists.

-(Narumi) Hey! Don’t tell me it’s because I’m not answering your questions that you’re refusing. We were clear about that in the contract, no unnecessary questions and we follow through.

-(?) It's not that, don’t worry.

-(Narumi) Huh? Then why?

-(?) It’s just not going to be possible. Unless you’re willing to wait a very long time. Knowing you, that’s unlikely.

-(Narumi) No, but you can relax. I’m not asking for in-depth information. Just the basics, like where he comes from…

Narumi thought about it while he stared at her. She grew impatient and shouted at him, "Well, I'm not going to explain your job to you!" She pouted like a child in the corner.

-(?) That's what I thought.

Narumi, exasperated and confused, asked him, "What’s the problem now?"

-(?) It’s just not going to be possible.

Silence fell. They just looked at each other without saying anything...

-(Narumi) Are you kidding me? You want me to believe that YOU can't give me this information?

-(?) You don’t have to believe me, but it’s the truth.

Narumi suddenly grabbed her bag and started to leave.

-(?) Huh? But you’re forgetting something—

She replied from a distance, "You don’t deserve my work! From now on, we’ll only meet if you’ve done your job! Serves you right! That’ll teach you!" The young boy let out a small chuckle.

Narumi, walking away, muttered to herself, "Tss… Enough is enough, I’m not stup—" She stopped suddenly.

-(Narumi) Huh?

Sometimes called “Sixth sense,” this intuition, this sensation that took hold of Narumi, was not unfounded. She could feel the aura of arrogance emanating behind her. It was enough to convince the youngest of the Katayama family to turn around.

He adjusted his glasses and pulled out a sheet of paper from his bag. Narumi watched his every move, impatiently swallowing her saliva.

-(?) Hehe, I always knew you were too intuitive for your age.

-(Narumi) Is it the next test?

The young boy smiled at her.

-(Narumi) Ahem.

-(Narumi) Actually, you know what? I’m willing to give you my info! She said, smiling.

-(?) Yeah, yeah, stop the act and take this.

-(Narumi) Thank you kindly. She said with nobility.

Narumi, enthusiastic, rubbed her hands together like a fly: "And now… Let’s get to the 'playground gossip'!" She also pulled out a sheet of paper.

-(?) I don’t need the next test—

-(Narumi) No, of course not! It's the list! She said, handing over the sheet.

-(?) Oh~

-(Narumi) Uh… Is that all? What’s with that reaction?

-(?) Well, it's the first time you’ve mentioned a list.

-(Narumi) Ah… Ahem! Well, then it’s normal. You’ll be able to fully admire my work.

Narumi looked down for a moment and continued: "Ahhh, I wonder why I’m doing this… I’m really the best."

The young boy looked at her with a disgusted expression.

-(?) This family is really special.

-(Narumi) What is it?

-(?) Nothing, continue.

-(Narumi) Well...

-(Narumi) It’s strange, while I was on my mission I started to feel emotions...

His face became more and more disgusted: "What is this—". Narumi ended any misunderstanding and continued with contempt: "Pity. I realized how useless you are with your little sister—"

-(?) I don’t need your pit—

Narumi’s cheeks welled up with crocodile tears as she continued: "I pity your sister… If only she had been born into my family… She could have avoided ending up with a boring, bored, tactless, arrogant, disdainful brother—" The young boy seemed to grow tired of this act.

-(?) She’s in no position to talk about arrogance and disdain...

-(Narumi) Let’s move on! We can’t rewrite the past!

-(Narumi) I haven’t talked to her directly yet because it’s too delicate. I’ve stayed at a distance and just observed… And the situation is serious. She said with expertise.

-(Narumi) Your sister doesn’t talk to anyone. She has no friends. I’ve been observing her for three days and I haven’t seen her speak to anyone except the teachers. Of course, I couldn’t follow her into class, so maybe she talks to her classmates—

-(?) Impossible, she’s too studious for that—

-(Narumi) Exactly!

Narumi seemed pleased with the accuracy of his answer and his insight. However, she also seemed irritated.

-(Narumi) You annoy me, you seem to know your sister well but you’re incapable of making the right decisions to help her. But you must be just as frustrated, right? She sighed.

...

Narumi, bewildered by the silence of her protégé’s brother, asked him: "Reassure me, you’re real, right? You’re not an alien, are you?"

-(?) Don’t ask unnecessary questions—

Narumi, exasperated by his behavior, exclaimed, "You see! This is why I pity her!"

She declared with determination, her finger pointed towards the sky, "From now on, I’m Mei’s big sister!" Then she continued, "You can read the list now."

The young boy read the list while Narumi continued speaking, "I managed to find, among all the students her age, 10 potential friends."

-(?) And what do you expect me to do with that—

Narumi snatched the papers from his hands and continued, "Nothing, you’ll ruin my plan. I’m just showing you my work. For now, you don’t need to intervene, I’ll handle everything."

-(Narumi) Here’s my plan: I’m going to infiltrate the school and—

That was all the young boy needed to hear; he didn’t want to listen to any more: "Okay, you know what? I don’t need your help anymore. You can abandon your crazy ideas—"

-(Narumi) And who are you to decide that?

-(?) Literally the one who gave you this mission.

Narumi looked at Mei’s brother as if his answer didn’t concern her, replying, "And so?"

The young boy was astonished by the stubbornness of the little Katayama.

-(?) What do you mean "And so?" I’m declaring your mission over because I sense you’re going to mess everything up. It’s that simple.

-(Narumi) Hmm… I see. But I declared myself responsible for your sister, so I’m going to see this through.

-(?) That’s not how this works—

-(Narumi) Let me finish. I’m not stupid; I do things properly. If you’re not even going to give me a chance to act, you shouldn’t have asked for my help. Now it’s too late because I feel sorry for Mei.

-(?) …

-(Narumi) Here’s what I plan to do: I’m going to carefully question them to see what they think of Mei. But they won’t ask annoying questions related to our mission; I know them well since I chose them from this list. And besides, they’re in seventh grade; they’ll listen to me without saying anything.

-(Narumi) I’ll figure out why Mei isn’t socializing and make sure she does.

-(?) And if it doesn’t work?

-(Narumi) It will work, I’m sure—

-(?) If you plan to pay the students on this list to talk to Mei, it’s a bad idea—

Narumi looked at Mei’s brother with great disdain and continued, "Only you could come up with such an idea."

She took on a smug tone and continued, "I’ll personally take care of it by becoming friends with Mei. Hehe, she’ll be thrilled to have a ninth-grader as a friend."

-(Narumi) She’ll be able to brag about it to the others! She said with pride.

-(?) It won’t work, but if you think it will, go ahead and have fun.

Narumi started acting with chivalry as if a duty had been entrusted to her: "It’s not for fun but duty, young man. I remind you that I proclaimed myself Mei’s new big sister—"

Her speech barely finished, she suddenly collapsed, writhing in pain on the ground.

Mei’s brother, surprised, asked her, "Huh? Uh… Are you okay?"

Narumi clutched her head, seemingly in great pain: "Arrgh…"

The young boy began to worry; he crouched and tapped her shoulder: "Narumi? Hey, what’s wrong?"

Narumi struggled to breathe and tried to speak.

-(Narumi) I—

-(?) You—?

-(Narumi) I just realized… If I’m her big sister… That makes me your little sister— She said, writhing in pain.

Mei’s brother, tired, seemed to regret worrying about someone like Narumi.

-(?) Uh… Yeah, I think that’s how it works since the dawn of time—

-(Narumi) Just thinking about it puts me in this state… How does Mei endure this pain… That’s why she doesn’t even talk to you.

-(?) I think you’re just an actress—

Narumi interrupted him by screaming again, clutching her head: "Arrgh!"

The young boy, looking fed up, started questioning his life choices.

-(?) She’s completely crazy. I should stop associating with her.

Jun, driving past the alley at full speed, suddenly stopped.

-(Jun) WHAT?

He turned around, exclaiming, "Wait! Am I hallucinating?" Then he got out of the car.

-(Jun) Narumi?

Mei’s brother saw Jun approaching and wanted to inform Narumi. He tapped her shoulder: "Uh, Narumi, why is there someone running towards us—"

Narumi, still acting, pushed his hand away and screamed even louder: "Argh! Don’t touch me; I’m going to die at this rate!"

Her act finished, the little Katayama abruptly got up as if nothing had happened and started stretching her arms.

-(Narumi) I feel much better! She said with a smile.

Narumi turned her head and saw a surreal scene. Mei’s brother was levitating, his back against the wall. It was Jun holding him against the wall by his collar.

-(Jun) You have three seconds to explain before I smash your head against the sidewalk.

END OF CHAPTER