Mia and Rimorr are locked in a lengthy back-and-forth conversation. Amgis listens with a look of disinterest, but his ears are clearly becoming the size of an elephant’s. He sits with his back against the wall for the entire conversation, periodically glancing up at Mia. His perspective only allowed him to see the back of her oval head and the bottom of her pointed chin. Her curly, black hair hides most features of her face, but Rimorr’s face makes up for that.

However, Amgis seems a bit distraught with there effectively being two Mias in front of him. Both are probably extremely cute in his eyes, except one of them is an entity in a mirror. A clear conflict is going on in his mind on whether he should take the opportunity to stare at Mia’s face, even if it is technically Rimorr’s imitation.

Besides that, the conversation between them was actually quite captivating. Mia keeps asking questions that Amgis clearly never even thought of asking. Like, what happens when they leave the bathroom? Is it boring? Lonely? Does it have a concept of time? Is it only able to mimic living things? The full answers of which are not too pressing to recite right now. But to give simplified answers, it said, “Nothing, yes, yes, yes, and no.”

There are many other questions she asks and even some questions that Rimorr asks. He seems to be curious about their lives outside of school. Rimorr knows it is just a mirror, and that almost everyone is frightened of it, but it still wonders if it could make more friends. A revelation that is only slightly touched upon due to Mia’s phone ringing. Her parents were wondering why she was not home yet.

After telling them a half-truth—got caught up talking to a friend—she hurries out of the bathroom. Waving and saying goodbye to Rimorr and Amgis with a child-like grin. One that made Amgis’ heart play a game of hopscotch.

The door shuts and Rimorr switches back to his reflection.

“Well, see you later,” Amgis waves awkwardly at Rimorr. He pushes the bathroom door open, clearly attempting to escape.

“So… What made you so weary of me that you stopped visiting?”

Rimorr’s tone switches to a serious one, making Amgis stop in his tracks. He looks back with a static grin, trying to hide his surprise that Rimorr has figured it out, but his eyes betray him.

“I can feel people’s strongest emotions when I am their reflection,” Rimorr explains, catching the look in Amgis’ eyes. “You always had a strong desire, even if you tried to hide it, but now all I feel from you is doubt and uncertainty. And don’t lie again. I understand why you did when Mia was around, but she isn’t here anymore.”

Amgis sighs. He looks out the door. He easily could walk out, leaving Amgis without an answer. Except, he knows that forgetting Rimorr would not be an easy endeavor. It would be great if he took a few more steps and left the superior high school boys’ bathroom alone, but unfortunately, that does not happen.

“It was nothing you did, but…”

The door shuts. Amgis steps back into the bathroom. He explains in detail to Rimorr the mysterious guy that approached him. His warning to stay away from the bathroom. From Rimorr. Obviously, Amgis’ expression did not change much during his retelling of events. There was a slight hint of remorse in his voice, but not enough to quantify strong feelings.

However, despite his wearing an emotionless stone mask, there is a clear intent of apology in his words. That he let the guy creep him out from coming back. That he felt somewhat betrayed for certain unexplainable reasons. He rambles on for a little bit about possible reasons, such as jealousy or fear.

All the while, Rimorr listens intently—with expressions. The expressions that Amgis deems unnecessary unless absolutely earned. It is silly how different the two of them look, despite appearing the exact same. The only difference is the stone mask that Amgis wears.

Rimorr finally speaks up though, interrupting Amgis explaining his eureka moment today when Mia was asking questions.

“That’s weird. I don’t remember anyone like that coming into this bathroom. It’s only been you and Mia that have ever stayed for an extended period of time. Oh, and this other boy, named Bear, came in and slept a few days ago.”

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Amgis blinks in surprise.

“Bear did? He slept in here…? No, I guess he would, wouldn’t he.”

“No, wait,” he steers back to the more pressing matter. “Are you sure the guy I described never visited you before? He seemed really knowledgeable about not you, but me as well.”

Rimorr shrugs with a slight frown.

“I can’t say for sure. I mean, my name sort of appeared out of nowhere when Mia asked for it. Maybe the same would happen for this guy if I saw him. But the way you described him doesn’t ring any bells. He doesn’t sound like a good guy, though. He distracted you from your desires.”

“You talk about my desire as if it is some grand thing. When, in reality, it’s just my stupid crush on a girl way out of my league… Y’know, maybe it's better that I don’t have that desire.”

His words carry hurt, but still, his face is covered by a stone mask. Feelings can’t break stone. At least, not effectively. No matter what he may feel, the stone will always stay intact. A philosophy that Amgis seems to live by. However, recently, it has been splintering when he is around Mia—and Rimorr. Cracks that may finally break the mask if continually chipped away at over a long period of time. But…

“There's no good that can come from it. If he’s evil for distracting me from my desire, what does that make me for having the desire in the first place? There’s no way that someone as cute and kind as Mia could even love me in the first place.”

“...But I love you, Amgis.”

CRACK!

The easiest way to break stone is from within. With an explosion. No, there was not actually an explosion in the bathroom. That would be sad because it would completely demolish the bathroom and make it dirty. It is Amgis’ metaphorical stone mask that cracked a little from an explosion of feeling words. Yes, an explosion of feeling words can break a stone mask.

Listen, this isn’t supposed to make sense.

Just know that Amgis’ eyes have significantly widened. His mouth hangs open. An awkward silence feels the bathroom, as it has multiple times before. Except this time it is heavier than usual. Rimorr stares at Amgis with a blank expression. A look not matching the words that it has just said.

The silence finally fades when Amgis snorts. A small grin fighting its way onto his lips.

“You know, you saying that as my reflection is really weird.”

“Well, I’ll admit I don’t totally understand what the words mean,” Rimorr admits. His head is slightly tilted with an eyebrow raised. “Those words just kind of came to me, like how my name did. It felt like maybe you needed to hear that from yourself the most. Even if it was technically me.”

More cracks started to work their way through Amgis’ mask. Rimorr’s words are tearing away and itching closer to chipping it completely off. The cracks seem to be forming a positive parabola shape. Originating around the area of his mouth. A smile exactly like the one that Rimorr has used before. Something that seemed so unnatural, is naturally happening.

Rimorrs’s face lights up.

Until it naturally stops. The cracks halt their travels. As if Amgis is actively trying to seal them back up. Disappointed, Rimorr tilts its head again. A few moments pass it comes up with a ridiculous plan.

“I got it!” First, say you love yourself and then that you love Mia!”

The absurd childlike innocence in its idea made Amgis blink twice and raise an eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Somehow Rimorr’s arguments also got worse. Possibly because it only understands that love is important, but not what it means.

“No!”

Amgis rapidly shakes his head. A redness creeping up to his cheeks.

“Just do it!”

“No!”

“Do it! Do it! Do it!”

Rimorr is pestering like a toddler. It seems unnecessarily adamant to get Amgis to perform its ridiculous idea. He could easily leave the bathroom, ignoring this request, but for some reason, he caves in.

“Fine!”

Rimorr smiles in victory and then props itself on the sink counter to show its enthusiasm. Amgissighs in defeat before taking a deep breath. He looks around, stares down, and silently repeats the strong words with bloodshot cheeks.

“...I love myself… and I love Mia!”

“Repeat it! And say it like you mean it!”

He repeats it, louder and with his eyes shut.

“Again!”

At this point, Rimorr seems to be enjoying itself a little too much. Its grin shows that Amgis has some seriously untapped expressions.

“Ugh! Fine, but this is the last time I will say it, and then I am leaving… Why am I even doing this?”

He looks straight at Rimorr. Looking directly into his own eyes.

“I love myself” he practically yells, unaware of the approaching footsteps, “and I love Miaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

The door of the bathroom is pulled open as Amgis finishes his declaration. Except, now it is less a declaration and more a confession. As the girl he is freely expressing his love for has appeared as a reflection of the mirror in front of him.