After a brief phone call, Reina's parents agreed to let her stay the night in our house.
G left for the night while Potato's doors locked for the day. I had to apologize to her as we crossed to my room through Gin's so that she didn't need to go outside. But thankfully, it was not a very big deal.
Then she greeted Mom and Dad, and prompted her to take a requisite bath after what appeared to be a rather long day.
"Thanks for letting me use your bath and lending your clothes, Ringo-nee. Do you want me to dry your hair?"
"Oh, thankies."
Vrrr, vrrr, how much of an idiot have I become for me to literally narrate the sound of my hair dryer?!
"So you really do live next door to Yuka Gin… Next door…"
It felt as though she was unwittingly implying something on that repeat.
"We've been neighbors for four years, and I guess dating at that duration also."
"I get that… but how come we so effortlessly crossed your room from there?
But Chef- I mean, Yuka Gin's office is amazing…!"
"To answer your question… We are still and only dating at this point, but we have a rather special relationship. You see, the boyfriend is not a normal person. He was a child that went through so much things and it he is still carrying them until this day. It wasn't a matter of moving on; as a matter of fact, he can't even if he tried to.
That being said, I was able to put up with him and learned to accept how twisted his life has become. But honestly, he's a pain in the butt…!
…
Say, Reina, is there someone you like?"
"Ehhhhh? Why ask now…"
"I maybe an old hag that's on college but I don't spare myself with love talks."
"Please don't call yourself old… And I'm also a college student in the first place…! Wait, that's not it…!!"
"So, anyone?"
"Nnnnn… Not really at the moment. I'm too busy surviving my first year."
"True, I get you~
Then how about Aomine and Ms. Sora?"
"Umm… They're as stubborn as ever. But I think Yuka Gin's sister knows about them? They go to same public college after all."
"Wait, wait, how come that's the first time I'm hearing that? Flying apples, I am so going to grill Anna later!
…
Well, enough of that. I know that you are confused as it is. Besides, we are still hypothesizing so we can't come to a conclusion.
But even I can't believe it… If what I inferred is actually true, it's still hard to believe."
"…
But can we first go back from the start, Ane? I really don't understand what that coincidence means."
"R-Right… Basically, it's an existence or an individual that is 'coincidentally' tied with someone's life. This individual has similar experiences with that person, if not exactly the same but in a sense.
Take G for example—it may not be clear earlier but he is someone coinciding Gin's life. Their handwriting, their writer's bump, the fact that they have the exact same scar, and that their uncles both died from colon cancer on the day they were born was immense proof of it.
Sorry, they're striking so it's not a good instance. But that said, Gin is also a person coinciding to someone."
"That's a lot to take in…"
"The uncle I mentioned was the one his life followed. But in this case, their similarities aren't as exact, just like how it is between us, presumably.
And it sounds like there are conditions for that to happen. Obviously, both of the persons have to be existing at the same time."
"All of this is sounding like a Stand now…"
"I'm currently watching Part 4.
Anyway, I said that, but Gin's case was rather bittersweet. Moments after he was born, his uncle died after getting to see his face for the first and last time."
"…"
"At this point, all of this are based with subjectivity. But even so, we are still reaching some kind of answer. Being subjective isn't really a very bad thing.
Aaand sorry if this is going to come out of the blue, but can I hug you, Reina?"
"…
Eh?"
"Humu, I meant what I said."
"E-Ehh?! W-Why s-so suddenly, Ane?!"
"I just felt like it, but it's also cold right now so why not?"
There was a minute of silence and fluster. All around, she was fidgeting over the pillow cushion with the shyness still seen from her already lowered face. But a very weak and quiet nod added as an icing on the cake of her cuteness.
"Then don't mind me… There, there…"
But to her surprise, she realized that it felt like I was comforting her with a gentle caress on her back.
"There is always something that Gin and I wanted to avoid if ever we encounter something like this again. I am jumping to conclusions, but I don't want to you to feel like your life is bound, dictated, or destined to go the way my life goes. Frankly, it is unfair and cruel that your experiences came from an already existing life, but that doesn't mean you can't diverge from this. In the end, it is still going to be your life, and your life alone. You are free to choose what life you want to have, and I have no rights to tell you what you have to do."
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"If you say it like that and think about it…" almost immediately, her nonchalant tone swayed as her voice cracked, "…then I can't help but cry… Waaaahhhh…!!!!"
~ ~ ~
"Have you calmed down? I don't know if this will calm you, but let's have some milk. That also helps me sleep."
"*sniff* Thank you…"
"Mind if I ask you something, Reina? Ah, I'm already asking."
"Mhm…"
"Have you ever felt at some point that there is someone that you to understand so much… that you would even accept the sufferings the went through?"
"…
There was… with my brother. There is a side of him that I don't know and he doesn't want me to know about it because I might get hurt, but he is a part of our family, so I actually feel hurt that he doesn't wish to open up back then. But things are fine now."
"I see… I'm glad that you've become a strong girl."
"N-No… I'm not strong at all…"
"I was also considered as a strong person but I denied it just like you did just now. But what I realized is that I may not be strong with everything, but at least I am strong with something. That is the only thing that I wish you to be, Reina. This world has always been cruel."
"Y-Yes…
You sound like a big sister to me now, Ringo-nee… Ahaha…"
"Then I'll gladly be your big sis, then.
Anyway, it's gotten late so let's sleep now. My bed is quite big so let's just sleep together, okay?"
"Alright…"
▪ ▪ ▪
"I wouldn't be able to bear that I am the reason why all of your hard work will be trampled… so please… I will do whatever I can and I need your help…
I'm very sorry that I have only been useless all this time…"
"Don’t ever tell me that you will disappear and vanish… Please… don’t."
"…I wasn’t there beside you when you were… when you were in such agony…"
"The vast sky will always clear and the sun will pierce through the dark rain clouds…
Hope.”
"…Now he is a very big part of my life and I care for him because I realized that he really needed someone beside him when he is in pain… like this."
"Gin… All this happened… because of me… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… You shouldn’t have been there… You should have had a peaceful life… if not because of me!”
"Why didn't you tell me… Why didn't you tell me that you've suffered more than what I thought?! I could have helped you more…! I could have stayed by your side more…! The more I think of it, I just can't lightly take that you were hurt because of me! I can't accept that, Gin…! I don't want you to get hurt anymore…"
"But these times… These moments won't happen frequently in the future. We'll all find our own paths at some point—what I'm saying is that we all have our own lives."
"Lil sis… You're really asking that?
You're my sister, of course."
"…Do you understand how much it hurts me to know that all of that happened because of me? Even I know that I wasn't to be blamed… but there is still the feeling that it was my fault that it happened to him!!"
"…Even if someone is not afraid of dying, what is frightening is dying with so much pain.
But for you, young lady, I hope that nothing very miserable will happen to you."
"…But I should be the one to be thankful… You trusted and believed in me to the point that you mustered up the courage to tell me all of that. If anything, I wished that I also had that honesty you have. I'm happy that you can still smile even in the face of all that."
"…In the end of it all, a pair of chopsticks will always find a way to be together as a pair for it to work."
"The values that Blue Ink taught have been instilled on me, such that I have insights that there might be instances where students might have varying opinions as this is a very rare case.
And personally… I never really wished to be regarded with great credit just because of the performance I displayed this day. What I wished for is to have a humble presence in this school once I decide to study here."
(!)
«Reina's eyes opened, but with the sight of an indescribable space with images, animations, and objects floating in that space.
And the very center of it, there was a figure whose voice echoed in her ears.»
I see now… So we really are connected, Reina…
"W-Where am I… and who are you?!"
Those episodes… they are my memories and you were able to see them. Then this settles it…
Reina, what a coincidence…
"…!"
«It was still deep within the night, but Reina reflexive shot up not only from the bed but also from her sleep. It felt as though she was vigorously pulled away from a dream that woke her up with a sharp pain on her head and chased breathing.
At the same time, Rin slowly got up and took two glasses of water.
"Here, Reina."
"I-I just had a really long dream, Ringo-nee… But it felt so real…"
"…
Because they weren't dreams, Reina. What you saw was reality through my eyes. It was the last piece of the puzzle and the only objective proof that we are indeed connected.
I'm also sorry that my mind is quite jumbled and not very defined. It was also my first time seeing that place."
"…Am I still dreaming, Ane…?"
"You're not… but let's just sleep for now. I guess everything will be clear later."
"…"
▪ ▪ ▪
Is it actually a good, a bad, or a neutral morning?
If anything, I am rather happy, but I don't know what Reina is going to feel after all that. But one thing is for sure, the connection of our cognition ascertains that she is also indeed an existence that revolves within our parallel experiences.
"Wait, wasn't that the same with what was on the book?"
"That's why I got interested on it. Regardless if the context was the same, do you think you believe it now…?"
"I think… but I'll believe your explanation more because it was elaborate."
"Well, thanks."
"Ah, good thing you're both up at the same time," Sumi greeted, "but you'll have to wait a bit for breakfast."
"Don't worry about that Mom… Reina presented that she'll make them as thanks for letting her stay."
"EH?!"
"I never said anything like that…!"
«Perhaps the way Rin put it was minutely rude, she realized that her reasoning was right and thus accepted it.»
"Please let me do it…"
"Yayy! You can let loose in our fridge then~"
…
Suddenly, Reina gave me a very confused look as she turned from beyond the kitchen counter.
It was still early, but somehow I was able to understand the meaning behind her disoriented actions.
"You don't have to be so nervous, Reina-chan~ If you try to act naturally, I think that you'll be so much more confident than you could imagine!"
"…"
Then I proceeded to carefully watch her on her every action. I was a little regretful that I wasn't able to meet her as my kouhai when I was still a second year in Blue Ink, but I can definitely say that she has the skills as a cook. But from time to time… I can't help but see a semblance of myself from her.
It seems… that this is a part of the singularity that Potato and G was talking about.
"Waahh… I feel so energized so early in the morning…!"
"Now you are sounding a lot more like your father."
▪ ▪ ▪
102721.
In the midst of visiting Eijiro early on the day with a fair falling of snow, Gin suddenly asked me.
"Say… since Reina is also a coincidence, were you able to see her memories too?"
"Well… both of us don't have a heavily encrypted noggin like yours, so I was able to see some stuff. Probably the ones most memorable for her.
She has a good family, I tell you."
"Glad to hear that."
"Also, how long has it been since your hair went back to normal? Silver, I mean."
"Almost two years maybe…? I'm not really counting them. Well, I plan on growing out my hair a bit more since it's winter so I don't really mind to see it any time."
"So you're cutting it short again on summer…?"
"Why do you sound so excited…?"
"…!
Flying apples, wait…"
"Something wrong?"
"Something's weird from the memories I saw…"
"Oh?"
"…
Uhh… nevermind, it's probably because things were foggy on my side.
Ah! Yesterday Reina gave me two tickets to a stage play that will happen next month. She said that the story was written by her brother and directed some of it as apparently he works on that line."
"Oh? I guess that's something to look forward to. I never really watch them so that might be an experience. They are free tickets anyway so why not?"
"Then that's settled. I don't know if she will come with us, but I'll message her anyway."
"Should we go then?"
"You're going to work directly?"
"Yup."
"Then see you later."
"Haaaai."