The One, The Enlightened

Hitotsu, Satori O Aita

Chapter 13: Holding our hands until the end

-Michiaki: Uhhhh

-Ichika: Is there something wrong, honey?

-Michiaki: Just a quick question. Did you go to my school yesterday afternoon?

-Ichika: No. Why would I do that?

-Michiaki: This isn’t a prank right?

-Ichika: What prank? I am really confused. Did I do anything wrong?

Michiaki feels continuous chills down his spine. The everlasting sensation of fear and agony has long been gone but replaced by feelings of devastation and exhaustion.

-Michiaki: Nevermind. You can have breakfast without me today. I need some time to think about something.

-Ichika: You two are acting weirdly this morning. Did something happe-

Ichika’s sentence was cut short by Michiaki’s aggressive questioning/

-Michiaki: What do you exactly mean by ‘’you two’’?

-Ichika: Your brother also thought I was pulling a prank on him! Like I did anything to anger him!

-Michiaki: I am sorry mum but I have to go. You can have breakfast without me.

-Ichika: If you insist. Just make sure to ear something before going to school today, okay? You need to prepare for the elections. I have to leave for work so I’ll go eat fast and leave. Have a great day at school!

-Michiaki: You don’t have to worry about it! Goodbye!

And with that, Michiaki sprinted out of his neatly tied room and rushed into Raiden’s room.

-Raiden: Please tell me you haven’t forgotten.

-Michiaki: What’s going on? Are we going insane? Is someone playing with us?

-Raiden: I seriously have no idea. Did mom get her memories erased or something?

-Michiaki: Could it be possible that this ‘’man’’ brainwashed her?

-Raiden: Calm down there pal. It is just a theory. Don’t take it too far just yet.

-Michiaki: You are right. I am going to give a call to Hikari. We need to confirm whether we are the only ones with memories.

Michiaki grabs his phone and starts dialing. He briefly notices that in his recent calls, there was no communication between him and his mother for the past 24 hours. Not giving much thought, he continues to dial Hikari’s phone number.

-Michiaki: Please pick up, please pick up….

-Hikari: Michiaki! I was just about to call you. Please tell me you still remember!

-Michiaki: I do, and so does Raiden. We have no clue of what’s going on.

-Hikari: What happened with your mom then! If it truly is the 20th again, your mother should be home!

-Michiaki: You are right. She is here, but she doesn’t have any memories. It is like she never experienced yesterday. I mean today. You get the point.

-Hikari: So do my parents. This is strange. Nobody seems to have experienced anything except us. Did Akihito call you?

-Michiaki: No, but I hope he still remembers. We will have a massive problem if he doesn’t. I haven’t spoken with Miyuki either.

-Hikari: Okay, I suggest we meet up at school as usual. If everything is the same, we should experience the same events. Listen, I know you are still shocked about what happened yesterday, but if your mother and possibly your father as well get kidnapped again, we will have to go through all of it again.

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-Michiaki: I see where you are going. And I hate to admit it, but we have no other choice but to…

-Michiaki & Hikari: Follow her on her way to school.

-Michiaki: Goddammit. I was hoping we didn’t have to do that.

-Hikari: Why, Michi?

-Michiaki: Seeing your mother getting kidnapped is not a very good sight. Also, that doesn’t guarantee that we will get proof.

-Hikari: Listen. We have no other choice but to do it. It is hard for all of us. Just imagine if we don’t repeat the same day, and miss the only opportunity given to us to take a lead.

-Michiaki: Okay…

-Ichika: Put me on speaker, please. I want Raiden to also hear me.

Michiaki pushes the speak button.

-Hikari: Listen to me carefully. We will follow the daily schedule as in every normal day. After the fire gets called out, we will move straight back to your house and wait until Ichika leaves. Then we start following her. Understand?

-Michiaki & Raiden: Yes.

-Hikari: Great. I have to go eat breakfast now. See you on the bus.

And so Hikari hung up.

-Raiden: We should probably also call Akihito.

-Michiaki: You are right. You do it. I am really hungry. I’ll go get something to eat.

-Raiden: Yes, my master! I will follow your orders even if it brings my death!

-Michiaki: Stop being ironic! This is a serious matter!

-Raiden: Whatever. Bring me a sandwich when you come up again, ok?

Michiaki nods and heads downstairs. Raiden takes Michiaki’s phone and calls Akihito.

-Akihito: Yes?

-Raiden: Akihito? Please tell me you remember!

-Akihito: Remember what?

-Raiden: About last night!

-Akihito: What was so special about last night?

Raiden froze in fear. There was an awkward silence for a bit before Akihito decided to speak up.

-Akihito: I wish I could see your face right now! Hikari called me earlier and explained the whole situation.

-Raiden: Trust me, you don’t know how hard I want to punch you right now!

-Akihito: Woaaah, chill there big guy. Is Michiaki alright? Does he remember?

-Raiden: He is fine, but I have something serious I want to talk to you about.

-Akihito: Is it about what I think it is?

-Raiden: Yes. This time is getting serious.

-Akihito: Isn’t it better if we let him snap out of it?

-Raiden: Are you kidding me? You remember what happened the last time he did!

-Akihito: I still insist that letting him leave in that lie is a punishment for something he doesn’t deserve.

-Raiden: We don’t have a choice. It’s either this or…

-Michiaki: Raideeeen! I brought you your sandwich!!!

-Raiden: I have to go. I’ll tell you when I get another chance.

And with that Raiden hung up.

-Michiaki: So is everything alright with Akihito?

-Raiden: Yes and Hikari already spoke with him so he is informed about the plan.

-Michiaki: Great! I’ll just call Miyu-

-Raiden: Actually why don’t you go check the bus timetable? I think they changed it recently.

-Michiaki: I know that you are stupid, but you do remember that we are repeating the same day, right?

-Raiden: Oh yea, I forgot. Anyways, I’ll call her, you go downstairs.

-Michiaki: If you insist soo much! I’ll go watch TV or something.

Michiaki headed downstairs.

Raiden lets a sigh of relief puts Michiaki’s phone in his pocket. He then follows Michiaki downstairs.

-Michiaki: That was quick! What did she say!

-Raiden: Uh, she is fine! She also agrees with the plan.

-Michiaki: Ah, that’s a relief. Know we just have to do exactly what we did yesterday. I mean today. You get what I mean.

-Raiden: Yeah ok. Is that the bus I am hearing?

-Michiaki: I think it is. And if I remember correctly we will not be having a very warm welcoming today.

-Raiden: I agree but you should take a closer look at the video Akihito showed you. Maybe whoever did that is somehow connected to everything.

-Michiaki: I highly doubt it, but okay…

They both stepped out of the house and went inside the bus. The atmosphere inside was exactly the opposite of what they expected. Everyone was cheering them up and clapping. Some people were even holding signs that read ‘’Michiaki for student council president’’. Nowhere near as to what happened yesterday.

-Michiaki: Is this some kind of sick joke?

-Raiden: Please tell me we are dreaming…

Michiaki proceeds to sit next to Akihito once again.

-Akihito: I think we are in big trouble.

-Michiaki: You think so?

-Akihito: Not only the atmosphere was completely different from last time, but the video of the intruder also was never uploaded.

-Michiaki: What? Do you mean that no one sabotaged us?

-Akihito: Exactly. This is almost too good to be true. I wonder what we find in the afternoon. I am almost too scared to think about it.

-Michiaki: Wait, why is the bus going? Miyuki hasn’t come yet!

-Akihito: Didn’t you call her?

-Michiaki: No, Raiden said that he will do it himself.

-Akihito: He did, huh?

Akihito gives an alerting glance at Raiden who is as always with a group of girls in the back of the bus.

Hikari jumps from the front seat.

-Hikari: Why don’t you call her right now?

-Michiaki: I will.

Michiaki tries to call her but nobody responds.

-Bus Driver: Dear Ichikamase High School students, we will now start our path to our school. Please fasten your seat belts.

-Michiaki: This is bad. I hope she makes it.

As Michiaki finished his sentence, the dark figurine slightly appears after the remaining smoke the bus leaves behind.

-???: What do you think happened, Akira?

-Akira: This has never happened before. I guess this is the one.

-???: I hope so.

THE END