Chapter 2 – Hero and Heroine

My story ends here.

It’s finally all over.

The girl who spoke those words sounded somewhat relieved. Like the sigh of relief one might give upon opening their front door after a long journey away.

That had happened 23 hours ago. Just before abilities disappeared from Sakurada, and just after Souma Sumire cried in the bathroom.

Asai Kei and Souma Sumire were facing each other, eating from bowls of chicken curry.

✽

The sun was setting, and the fluorescent lights above them were already brighter than the sky outside. A gentle night breeze streamed in through the open window.

“There was nothing I could do to stop Urachi-san’s plan,” Souma Sumire confessed.

Souma may have known the future, but that didn’t mean she could just do anything she wanted. In fact, it likely just made the line between the possible and the impossible all the more clear.

Asai Kei was well aware of that truth, but the revelation she had just given still came as something of a surprise. “Is Urachi-san’s plan really that perfect?”

Souma nodded, spooning more chicken curry into her mouth. “As far as I could see, yes. No matter what I did, every future I saw still guaranteed the success of his plan by the removal of information about abilities from Sakurada.”

That certainly posed an issue.

Kei brought a spoonful of carrot and curry to his mouth. He savored the flavors before slowly swallowing. “Not even in a future where, say, Ukawa-san didn’t use her ability?” The Administration Bureau’s final decision to remove abilities from Sakurada had been on the back of Ukawa Sasane’s ability use. Was Souma Sumire trying to say that future sight wasn’t good enough to stop just that?

Souma shook her head. “I could have stopped Ukawa-san from using her ability today. In fact, it wouldn’t have been hard at all. But that wouldn’t have solved the core issue.”

She was right, of course. If they removed the immediate resolution to Masamune Urachi’s plan, he would just have looked somewhere else to get the same result.

Kei scooped up a portion of curry, rice, and onion all together. “Yeah, it’d be pretty easy for him to just keep shooting at it until he finally succeeded.” At least, Kei figured that was what he would do in Urachi’s shoes.

Having Souma against him would certainly make things difficult, but not impossible. She was an entirely normal girl outside of her knowledge of future events. For one, he could just find her and stop her from doing anything. That wouldn’t be easy in the short term, but he had all the time in the world, and would get to her eventually. Souma was only physically capable of doing so much, and she certainly couldn’t leave Sakurada, at risk of losing her future sight.

On top of that, there wasn’t even a strict need for Urachi to capture Souma anyway. If he kept up a steady offensive, he could wear Souma down while also inching forwards toward his own goal. Then, of course, when abilities left Sakurada, future sight would no longer be an issue.

Souma took a sip of water, her slender neck undulating in a wave. “The real problem is that we don’t strictly have a success state. We can stop any one plan of his, but that will only serve to maintain the status quo. He won’t lose, he’ll just move on to something else.”

“So his plan will only end in its success, but we have to end it before its success.”

The first hurdle was clear: to establish a win condition.

Souma rested her chin in her hand. “Thing is, I just haven’t been able to find a way to do that.”

“Well, if you can’t find it, then no one can.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, that’s what it means to have future sight.” Only somebody who knew the future could change the future. Granted, the reality of the Script went against that concept, but that was an outlier.

If someone with future sight said an action was impossible, then it had to be impossible. After all, that person would be the only one capable of possibly overturning that reality.

Her chin still in her hand, Souma shifted her gaze up to focus on Kei. “Do you really believe that?”

“I have to. That’s the rules of abilities. Unless there was another person with equal or more powerful future sight than you, your proclamation is law. If you can’t change the future, then nobody can.”

The girl before him smiled. “C’mon, Kei. You always had a bad habit of beating around the bush even when you knew the real answer.”

Kei drew his eyebrows together. “But you know how much I would hate doing that.”

“Oh, I know you’ll hate it. But I also know you’ll do it anyway.”

She wasn’t wrong.

I know she’s not wrong.

But that didn’t make him like it any more.

Future sight was the only way to be able to change the future. But Souma claimed there was nothing she could do.

If that was the case, then they needed another future seer. Things being as they were, it was unlikely that another person with future sight would simply appear before them.

But if we don’t have one, then we have to make one. They could just whip one up real quick.

Souma Sumire’s smile never faltered. “You need to use future sight.”

She was right. It was the quickest way to their goal.

And that’s why Souma called Sakagami-san over to Sakurada.

Sakagami Yousuke was an old senpai of Souma and Kei’s in middle school. His ability allowed him to copy an ability from one person onto another. He could let Kei borrow Souma’s future sight.

“You could use my ability to find the future that even I couldn’t find. To find your ideal future.”

If that was all there was to it, then that’d be great. It would be a dream come true, a perfect solution to their problem.

But that wasn’t all there was to it.

Kei’s eyes lowered ever so slightly. “But, Souma… I don’t want to create a girl only to let her be erased.”

That was what she had to be implying by telling him to use future sight.

Souma Sumire was unable to use future sight at that moment, due to her previous affiliation with Urachi Masamune. Urachi Masamune had made use of Oka Eri, a girl who could manipulate memories in ways such as making someone forget how to use their ability. It only made sense. There was no benefit in letting a power like future sight run free once Souma had served her purpose.

Of course, the immediate solution was to use a reset. That would put them back in a time period where Souma had not yet forgotten how to use her ability.

Unfortunately, Urachi’s careful guard over Souma Sumire’s whereabouts prior to letting her go couldn’t be underestimated. It wasn’t even worth considering the idea that he could just go see her.

Which left only one trustworthy location that Kei could go and meet her safely.

“I really don’t want to use that photo again.”

Sasano Hiroyuki’s photograph. By holding it atop the tetrapods and ripping it, he could meet with Souma for ten minutes. It would create a new Souma Sumire, one destined to disappear ten minutes after her creation.

Kei hated that. He didn’t want to engage with the idea at all. He couldn’t stand the thought of allowing a girl to be created and destroyed for a singular purpose.

“Yeah. I know.” Souma Sumire smiled gently, and somehow innocently. “But that’s what you’ll do.”

I’m sure she’s right, Kei thought.

Souma let out a sigh of relief, like the sigh of relief one might give upon opening their front door after a long journey away. “My story ends here. It’s finally all over. Everything from here on out is all yours.”

The narrative that Souma Sumire’s future sight had allowed her to weave had come to its conclusion. All Asai Kei could do was prepare for what came next.

He nodded. “I’ll do everything I can to reach my ideals.” Even if it meant stealing Souma Sumire’s ability. Even if it meant writing his own story.

At some point, the sun had fully set, but it wasn’t completely dark outside, as a slight fading glow remained to lead into the moonlight. It was the perfect time for the two of them to relax and enjoy some chicken curry.

As Kei took another bite, Souma asked, “How’s it taste?” with a focused look into his face.

Kei offered his most honest smile as he responded. “It’s incredibly delicious.” It wasn’t at all spicy, but instead had a very light and sweet roux with sour undertones. The curry was incredibly delicious. “It tastes kinda nostalgic.” Kei, of course, was perfectly capable of tracing back that nostalgia.

I’ve eaten this chicken curry before. Not just once, either. Maybe 10 times? 20? Definitely more. He started counting every individual instance, then stopped himself.

It was his mother’s recipe for chicken curry. Not the exact same recipe, but pretty darn close.

“The trick is to add plenty of tomato with just a little bit of yogurt.”

That had happened 23 hours ago. Just before abilities disappeared from Sakurada, and just after Souma Sumire cried in the bathroom.

Souma Sumire spoke with the loveliest of smiles.

1 – The same day, 7:15 PM

It all led to the present moment. To Sunday, October 22nd, recreated by a reset.

Souma Sumire walked alone through the nighttime city. She peered into a nearby convenience store through its glass doors, noting the time. 7:15 PM. She had another 15 minutes before the promised meeting time.

Just then, a woman in a suit came out of the convenience store, and Souma called out, “Excuse me. I’m looking for a particular coffee shop. Would you happen to know of a place called Small Forest?”

“Ah, yes. You just have to–” The woman gave concise directions. Turn right at the corner, then go straight. The shop would be just past the next intersection.

“Thank you very much. You have been a great help.” With a bow, Souma began walking in the direction the woman had pointed her to.

It would appear we’ve reset, she mumbled in her head. It was an easy conclusion to draw after looking at the woman’s future.

There had been a reset. Although that implied a number of events having already occurred, it only came as a sudden revelation to Souma, who had forgotten all of the time that was taken away. It was like a fairy tale where little pixies would come and do work in the middle of the night.

And just like that, all my duties have been fulfilled. She didn’t quite feel accomplished, but she did feel relieved.

Souma turned left at the next corner. She was no longer going in the direction of the café. She didn’t need to meet with Urachi Masamune any more.

She walked quickly, thinking things through. So, what do I do now?

She quickly surveyed her surroundings, and didn’t see anything suspicious. From what she could tell, she wasn’t being watched, but she knew that Urachi Masamune couldn’t be trusted. No doubt he had already laid out a number of minimum precautions.

I absolutely must not be caught by Urachi Masamune. He would find out very soon through his locked notebook that Kei had used a reset. Kei would very quickly become his enemy. That being the case, Souma knew that she was a weak link. She would come second to only Haruki Misora in her usefulness for negotiations with Kei.

I can’t become the chink in Kei’s armor. She was determined not to be caught by Urachi Masamune. She would escape his clutches, no matter what that meant.

With that thought driving her, Souma Sumire continued through the nighttime streets.

✽

The Index gripped the steering wheel of a small, blue car.

Behind her, Urachi Masamune mumbled away, talking as if it was someone else’s problem. “Only becomes hard to find when you’re looking for it.”

He was speaking of parking spaces.

The café that Souma Sumire planned to meet them at did not have a parking lot. They had decided on a parking garage ahead of time, but it was marked off with a red sign indicating it had no extra spaces, and no matter how far around the city they drove, they couldn’t find an alternative spot.

“You really need to hire an individual driver,” The Index admonished, her comment mixing in with a sigh.

“That would be difficult. The Bureau can’t afford the extra manpower.”

“We’re only talking about one extra person.” Surely they could have afforded that much.

The Administration Bureau was meant to be a pinnacle of perfection to the eyes of the public. They would hardly be respected as such when they were wandering around the streets looking for a parking spot.

“Our specific line of work would not befit hiring an extra person to act as solely a driver. That person would be responsible for the comings and goings of the head of the Countermeasures Department. That information alone is top secret.” Urachi, looking out the window, pointed diagonally. “Ah, look. There’s a sign for parking.”

The Index turned the steering wheel, changing lanes. As she passed a traffic light that was changing colors, her phone rang from her pocket. The phone was distributed to her from the Administration Bureau, so The Index was forced to pull over to take the call. As she pulled out the phone, a hand reached out from behind her.

“I’ll answer it. We’re going to be later than we promised the girl if we don’t hurry it up.”

The Index handed over her ringing phone and went back to driving. She was relieved to see open parking spaces not too far ahead. Glancing into the rearview mirror, she peered at Urachi Masamune in the backseat as he took the call. Urachi hung up the phone after a fairly short conversation.

“Looks like we don’t need a parking space after all.”

“Is something the matter?”

“The second Witch has deviated from her course towards the café. She does not seem keen on keeping her appointment.”

That changed things. Their department had been keeping tabs on Souma Sumire for the last two weeks, so The Index knew just as well as Urachi that the girl had been living in an abandoned hotel. “What will we do now?”

“Go after her. We know where she lives. First, we’ll pick up Kagaya.” Kagaya had already been waiting at the café, unlike the two of them.

“Understood.” The Index drove into the parking lot she had been planning on using, only to use it for a U-turn.

What could have happened? she wondered. Had Souma Sumire not planned on ever meeting with them to begin with? That didn’t seem likely. She had already been heading towards the café, only to change directions.

Urachi Masamune spoke as if he could read her thoughts. “The second Witch evidently asked a passerby for directions before her sudden change in destination.”

“What does that mean?” It certainly proved that she couldn’t have been lost.

“She learns the future of anyone she converses with.”

“What could she possibly do with the future of a random passerby?” Given that she was asking for directions, her glimpse into the future couldn’t have been that informative.

“She could learn. There’s much she could know from a mere glance into, say, three days in the future.”

It wasn’t until he specified three days that she got it. “You mean a reset?” The use of that particular ability would greatly change the future of the next three days.

If Souma were to look into the future before a reset, she wouldn’t see a continual flow of time. Instead, she would see a harsh cut into a repeat of previous days, so it wouldn’t strictly be three days in the future. However, if the reset had already been used, then three days in the future would directly translate to three days later.

Urachi Masamune procured a black notebook from his pocket. He toyed around with it in his palm, not opening it. “She checked to see if that ability had been used, then changed her route accordingly. That seems to make the most sense to me.”

The café came into view, with Kagaya already standing at the door. The Index braked, pulling over to the side of the road. Kagaya opened the door, getting into the passenger seat.

“Heya, great work out there. Here.” Urachi handed over the black notebook.

Kagaya took the notebook with his right hand, placing it into a breast pocket. He then pulled out a similar notebook with his left hand, giving it to Urachi.

His right hand locked. His left removed the lock. Anything that Kagaya locked would become incapable of change. The very notebook he held was guaranteed to be unchanged, even assuming the use of a reset.

Urachi opened up the newly unlocked notebook. “Get in touch with our surveillance. We need to track down the future seer as soon as possible.”

“Done,” Kagaya responded curtly, pulling out his cell phone.

As Urachi flipped through the pages of his notebook, The Index couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Was there a reset?”

“Yes. And quite an interesting one. It would seem that my plan went off without a hitch.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Somehow or another, a reset was used after the removal of abilities from Sakurada.”

Was that even possible? Assuming the plan’s success, the only person who should have been able to remember abilities was Asai Kei. How could Haruki Misora have remembered her lost ability?

Kagaya quietly gave directions to The Index from the Bureau officer that they had tasked with trailing Souma Sumire.

The Index stepped on the gas, causing the engine to rev up slightly.

Urachi Masamune quietly whispered in the backseat. “What did Asai-kun do? Did he use one of the old man’s photos? How could I have possibly overlooked that? …It’s so strange. Well, so be it.” His reflection in the rearview mirror smiled brightly. “This doesn’t pose the slightest of problems. If anything, a reset was to be expected. That just means it’s time to move to the next stage of the plan.”

His notebook closed with a soft thump.

“It would seem that this boy and everyone connected to him are a liability to my plan. We’ll have to remove them, and quickly.”

Asai Kei.

Wherever that boy went, trouble always followed.

✽

His left wrist felt off. He was definitely wearing the watch way too tight.

Asai Kei wasn’t much of a watch wearer. He didn’t want to live a life so hectic that he needed to know the time at a turn of his wrist. Unfortunately, he didn’t have that luxury any more.

The issues he was faced with needed to be processed efficiently. Everything needed to be broken down, rearranged, organized, and overcome in a swift and orderly fashion.

The hands on his watch informed him that it was 7:27 PM. Asai Kei and Haruki Misora got off the bus at a stop right near Nanasaka Junior High.

Nakano Tomoki sat at the bus stop bench. Kei had called him over ahead of time. He was still in his school uniform, just like Kei and Haruki, so he had likely made his way there on his route home from school.

“Hey there, Kei.”

”Yo.”

“Afternoon to you too, Haruki.”

“Good afternoon.”

After a short exchange, they all began walking, with Kei in the lead.

Tomoki scratched at his forehead with an index finger. “So, uh, what’s going on here?” Kei still hadn’t explained things to him.

“The situation’s too complex to explain simply, and we don’t have the time, not to mention how tired I am. Could you help me for 30 minutes, no questions asked?” Kei really did want to explain things to him when there was time. And not just him, but everyone else who he planned to ask for help. But he couldn’t spare the time for it yet.

“Eh, that’s fine, I guess. You’re always so busy.”

“Not true. I just happen to be busy every time that I need to ask for your help, is all.”

“But you don’t wanna be running around the night after the school festival, do ya? Standard procedure is to go to sleep early to be ready for cleanup and an after-party tomorrow.”

It certainly didn’t feel like it to Kei, who had just been through a reset, but for everyone else the school festival had taken place just a few hours ago. Technically, it had only been five hours since the curtains had fallen on their class play starring Haruki.

Tomoki looked towards Kei, then Haruki, commenting, “So it’s just us three, then?”

“No. Someone else will be meeting us further ahead.”

“Who?”

“Sakagami-san. He was the student council president when we were second-years in middle school.”

“Oh…” Tomoki smiled. “That sure takes me back. What was that little girl’s name again?”

“Kurakawa Mari. Guess we’re more or less bringing the team back together.”

“But Souma’s not here.”

“Oh, but she is.” Kei took a singular photograph out of his pocket. A picture taken by Sasano Hiroyuki of tetrapods covered in an evening glow. The Souma from two years ago stood front and center.

“And what’s that?”

“A picture. A special one, taken with an ability. We can recreate the world in this photo for ten minutes when we tear it.”

Tomoki tilted his head. “That doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

“Think of it like going into the photo. Like how Bastian jumped into the book of The NeverEnding Story.”

Tomoki’s eyes darted back and forth, growing wider. “You mean… we’ll see Souma?”

“Mhm. But only for ten minutes, and it’ll be her from two years ago.”

Tomoki took a moment, looking up at the moon in the sky. When he lowered his gaze, he asked, “Are you… sure you want me there?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. When it comes to one-way communication, I trust your ability more than any cell phone.”

Tomoki tilted his head, eventually nodding. It seemed like he got tired of thinking it through. “Say, what’s The NeverEnding Story, anyway?”

“It’s a book. You really oughtta read it, it’s a masterpiece. They even made it into a movie.”

”Oh, yeah. Pretty sure I saw that when I was little. Is the book better?”

“Dunno. I’ve only ever read the novel.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re not much of a movie guy.”

“I like going to the movie theater. Popcorn, all that jazz. But I don’t like how I can’t turn the page when I’m getting interested.”

Their conversation continued as the three walked forward. Kei and Tomoki walked side by side, while Haruki trailed just behind them. Haruki remained quiet. She wasn’t much for talking unless it was one-on-one.

After about five minutes, they made it to the riverside road. The sun had already set, swallowing the river in an inky blackness. Tetrapods were piled upon the shore in front of them. Even closer was Sakagami Yousuke, standing below a street light.

Sakagami wore something like a lonely smile. It was the furthest expression imaginable from a genuine smile, but he clearly felt that he could do nothing else.

Kei walked towards him. “It has been quite a long time, Sakagami-san.”

“Mhm. It really has.”

Sakagami had moved out of Sakurada in the winter two years prior. Kei hadn’t seen him since then, aside from the brief moment that he later reset away.

Sakagami bowed his head, as if studying his shadow. “Why did you call me here?”

“Souma asked you, not me. You received her letter, right?”

Kei had heard as much from Haruki before the reset. Sakagami had come to Sakurada after receiving a letter from Souma, but hadn’t known what to do, and called Haruki.

“But it… couldn’t have been her. So I guess that means you did it, then.”

Kei shook his head. “No. It really was from Souma.”

Sakagami grimaced, his head still down. “And why should I believe that?”

Wrong question. That part was already covered. “You were outside of Sakurada, and no longer remembered anything about abilities. But you still somehow believed that Souma sent you that letter, didn’t you? Enough to come all the way here, at least.”

People were mostly selfish, at the end of the day. They would believe whatever they wanted to, evidence or no.

Sakagami was clearly at a loss for words, so Kei continued. “I want to help her. Let’s just go meet Souma already.”

Sakagami raised his head. “Meet her?”

“Yep. Only for 10 minutes, though.” Kei climbed onto the tetrapods, asking Sakagami to follow. He headed towards the place that Souma Sumire was standing in the picture. “Thanks to an ability, we can go inside of this photograph for 10 minutes. Exactly and only 10 minutes. Souma’s future will be decided in that time period.”

“You’re not really making much sense.”

“I’ll explain it all when I have more time. For now, I have to keep things brief. Only the basics.” Kei looked directly into Sakagami’s eyes. “We’re going to go into this photo, and see Souma Sumire. Then, you’re going to copy her ability onto me.”

“Souma-san’s… ability?”

“Yes. Souma has an ability. One that even I didn’t know about until recently.” Kei stopped on a tetrapod, pointing to a spot beside him. “When we go in, Souma will be right there. It will be evening time in the summer. You’ll have to hold in your surprise, and just immediately copy her ability onto me. You can talk with her as much as you like for the next ten minutes.”

Sakagami nodded.

Beside him, Tomoki spoke up. “And what am I doing?”

“You’ll use your ability as needed. Nothing on our person will change after entering the photo, so your watch will still work as usual.”

Tomoki’s ability worked by sending a message to a specified date and time. Kei would need the exact time if he wanted to send a message at a moment’s notice.

Kei finally turned to Haruki, who was standing beside him, staring. “You just need to talk to me. Doesn’t matter what about.”

“Simply… talk?”

“I’ll need it to see the future.”

Souma Sumire’s ability was activated by having conversation, which allowed her to see the future of the person that she was talking to. She could not, however, know her own future. The best she could do was indirectly see her future by watching those close to her.

Considering those conditions, Kei decided it would be best to talk with Haruki. He resolved to tell her anything and everything important from that moment forward. That would guarantee that by looking into her future, he could also know his.

“Everyone grab a corner of this photograph.”

Kei, Haruki, Tomoki, and Sakagami all took a part of the photo.

There was no time for hesitation. Kei checked his watch. 7:37:11 PM.

I will now create a girl that is destined to disappear in ten minutes. Purely to take advantage of her ability, he would make a girl that could not possibly be saved. One that looked so very alike to Souma Sumire.

Only Kei could truly understand how reprehensible his own actions were.

With a smile, Asai Kei spoke.

“Okay, here we go.”

His vision was flooded with a bright white that settled into red. A deep red. The red of the sunset. A new warmth seeped into his body.

Asai Kei stood in the August of two years prior.

A voice spoke from directly beside him.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Kei.”

Souma Sumire’s voice. The girl from within the photo.

There stood the Souma Sumire that was destined to disappear in ten minutes.

✽

Souma Sumire walked with quick steps.

Is Urachi Masamune coming after me? She didn’t know. But she did know that he wouldn’t leave a future seer as a free agent.

Worry clutched at her. She had never known how accustomed she had become to knowing the future. Just five minutes in a world that she could not predict was already causing her pace to falter.

But I can’t use my ability any more. Any future that her ability foresaw could be freely changed by the one that knew it. If I use my future sight, then the future will change.

The fact that she had seen any future at all would jeopardize the possibility of that future’s existence. Such was the contradiction that her power represented.

I can’t afford to use my ability any more. She knew that Kei was very likely in a photograph and seeing the future that very moment. If she did anything with her ability, it could change the future that he was seeing, and she wanted to avoid that at all costs.

She passed through the shopping district, coming out on the main street. She was trying to stick to an area with lots of people. Her goal for the moment was trying to track down the informant known as The Operator. He seemed like the only viable person who could provide an escape from the Bureau. At the very least, she could learn more about what the Administration Bureau was doing if he was willing to help.

Then again, it’s not like meeting him can really change much of my situation. Still, she wasn’t exactly flooded with options.

A bus stop came into view, and Souma considered taking a bus. But before she could decide, she saw a car approaching from the other side of the road. A small, blue car.

Urachi Masamune’s car.

The car stopped just before the bus stop. Souma immediately spun on her heel, turning around and walking the other way. She passed by a salaryman who threw her a suspicious look.

Okay, what now? They had to know exactly where she was. They wouldn’t have stopped in that very specific spot otherwise. That meant it was best to assume that someone had been watching her, someone she hadn’t noticed.

Souma was quite sure that if Urachi and his crew were to chase her in earnest, she wouldn’t be able to escape. She assumed the only reason they hadn’t resorted to more forceful methods yet was purely to avoid public ire. Having a bunch of adults gang up on a middle schooler wasn’t a very good look. Souma would even scream if it really came to that.

Unfortunately, the apartment where The Operator lived was in a residential district that tended to have fewer people around at any given moment. If she lost the crowds of people, then they would definitely strike.

Guess that means I’m going somewhere else. It wasn’t like meeting with The Operator was absolutely essential.

Souma Sumire threw a quick glance at her surroundings, settling on a seven-story building. She noted the emergency exit on its exterior wall. A rather convenient turn of events.

Souma headed towards the building.

✽

Asai Kei bit his lip.

Souma Sumire stood in the glow of the evening sunset, looking exactly as he remembered. Smiling exactly as he remembered.

She offhandedly took a look around. Her gaze passed by Tomoki, Sakagami, Haruki, and finally, Kei. “It’s been so long, everyone.”

The Souma Sumire before him would disappear in just 10 short minutes. He wished he could dedicate that time to her and her alone.

But they didn’t have that luxury. And she wasn’t the girl that Asai Kei was trying so hard to save.

“How much do you know, Souma?”

“Just about everything, I’d say. I’m sure it’s all gone according to my script.” Souma’s eyes turned to Sakagami, who looked like he was ready to burst into tears. “Now, give my ability to Kei.”

Sakagami shook his head in bewilderment. “Souma-san… You-”

“Talk later. There’s not much time.”

Sakagami wore a very complicated expression. His mouth was curved in a happy smile, yet his eyes conveyed sadness. Regardless, he nodded, placing his right hand on Souma’s shoulder, and his left hand on Kei’s shoulder. In doing so, he could copy one person’s ability onto another person.

An awkward chuckle escaped his throat. “Ready when you are.”

As soon as Souma used her ability, Kei would gain its power as well.

Souma nodded, looking at Kei. “Your move, Kei.”

“Look into Haruki’s future. The next 48 hours, for a start.”

“Alright.”

Sakagami began speaking with Souma. Tomoki stared at Souma with a serious expression, one that Kei didn’t see often.

Ignoring both of them, Kei turned to Haruki. “Alright, let’s start talking.”

Haruki nodded. “Understood.”

It happened the very moment she began speaking.

The world turned in on itself. It began swirling, changing.

But nothing he saw looked any different. The sounds entering his ears hadn’t changed. And yet, everything was not what it had been. The world seemed entirely at odds with what he had known only a few seconds prior.

I guess that means… I’m the one who’s changed. At some indiscernible moment, he had begun to know things that he should not have known.

All in one moment, Asai Kei became aware of everything Haruki Misora would know, think, and feel within the next 48 hours.

That was the change. He had become the Haruki Misora of the next 48 hours. Who she was became an inseparable part of who he was. The very world around him had changed to reflect that. The red of the sun and the black of the shadows couldn’t feel the same any more.

It could certainly be said that he was seeing the future. But that alone came nowhere close to describing exactly what was happening to him. Maybe there were no words that could do so. It was so unlike anything he could ever express.

“My ability is an overpowering influence of the person it’s used on. I got it just after I was born, after all. Before I knew myself. This ability can’t protect who I am.” Souma was supposed to be talking to Sakagami, but she continued. “And then… there was you. From the moment I met you, I became unable to escape from you. Your future… I’d never seen anything like it from anyone else. It was so kind, so sad, and so beautiful.”

Kei shook his head. He didn’t have the time to be thinking about those things. All he needed to do was process as much information as efficiently as possible. Any emotions or sentimentality needed to be put aside for later. “Haruki, let’s keep going.”

“Yes.”

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“Whatever you wish to talk about.”

The ability was so surreal and incredible. Conversation with someone made that person’s future a part of himself. Even Kei was having a hard time distinguishing who was who, and his memories were more distinct than anyone’s in the world. Souma had been right, it truly did not protect who he was. “Well, something banal would be nice then. Something that won’t cause any issues, at least.”

“For example?”

“For example… well, why is it that when you hold hands, both hands get warmer?”

“Is that some kind of mystery?”

“Well, everyone’s hands are at different temperatures, even in different places. But if a warmer hand touched a relatively colder hand, you would assume that one would get colder, right?”

“There might be some individuals with naturally cold hands.”

“Well, sure. But either way, when you keep holding hands, both get significantly warmer.”

“I see.”

The following 48 hours of Haruki’s memories mixed and melted into Kei’s very being. Kei continued to pick up information as they spoke. It was like trying to pull out an old, muddy recollection. “I just wonder why on Earth that happens.”

“Would you prefer an explanation of the physical phenomenon?”

“No. If you ask me, some things are better left to a child-like explanation.”

“If that is what you desire, then…”

Haruki’s voice was slightly deep for a girl, perhaps even husky, yet comforting. Kei gently closed his eyes.

“I am sure that hands are always warm. It is something of an absolute truth. It only makes sense that something must always be warm if it is warm when you touch it.”

His first action with his newfound power was an investigation. An investigation into Souma Sumire.

Asai Kei began sifting through the memories of the person Haruki Misora would be in two days.

✽

The stairway was unlit, and she was worried that she might fall. At the same time, she had no desire to touch the rusted banister. Souma Sumire climbed up step by unsure step.

Her footsteps up the rickety iron stairs echoed in no particular direction. Even worse, hers weren’t the only steps echoing. There were at least two more sets coming up after her. She was being chased. Was it Urachi Masamine? Maybe some other Bureau suit?

After climbing up seven flights of stairs, she made it to the rooftop doorway. But the exit was firmly shut behind iron bars, held in place by a solid, old-fashioned padlock.

So much for my final stand. She wished she could have pulled off something more showy, but she truly had nothing left.

She raised her head to the night sky above, and the moon floating within it. Surely that was enough of a show to be satisfied by.

Her heaving breaths began to steady as she turned around. Below her, she could begin to make out the sources of the approaching footsteps: two Administration Bureau officials, Urachi Masamune and The Index. Urachi was smiling, while The Index retained a blank expression.

Things could’ve been worse. Having those two chase after her was actually in her favor.

My number one priority right now is to not let Urachi Masamune get to me. She needed to make sure that she wouldn’t inconvenience Asai Kei by giving Urachi and his crew that advantage. As long as she could accomplish that, it didn’t matter what it took.

She’d already done everything she could for Kei, anyway.

What’s one more sacrifice at this point?

Her method of escape from Urachi had become clear.

A clean disappearance kinda works out better, anyway. She hadn’t been planning on dying again, but so be it.

Deciding to die was just as easy as it had been two years before. Maybe that was just one of the things future sight had gotten her accustomed to. At the end of the day, the desire to live was a desire to see the future. Life gave everyone the natural ability to replace the present with the future.

But Souma’s ability let her know that future far before anyone else. She had already experienced a lifetime of futures in less than 20 years. Living didn’t really hold all that much value for her.

Besides, she faced a very real problem in the form of Urachi Masamune. His ability could rewind the time of any desired target. Souma could slash her wrist, and he’d bring it back to a normal, unharmed state.

But even Urachi Masamune’s ability has its limits. Even he couldn’t just bring a dead person back to life.

Asai Kei had turned Sakurada upside down two years prior looking for an ability to revive the dead, and never did find one. Souma’s resurrection ultimately resulted from an unintended combination of several different abilities, which was more of a loophole than an intended consequence.

People really shouldn’t be allowed to come back to life under normal circumstances. Which wasn’t to say that nobody wished for it. But the ability never emerged. Surely someone or something, whether it be a god or anything else, was forbidding the resurrection of humans. She didn’t really have any proof, but she truly did believe that.

Even abilities deny the validity of my existence.

Now was her chance to die, and to die grandly, before Urachi Masamune had the chance to use his ability.

She had seven stories to work with. It might depend on the angle, but she had a pretty good chance of things going to plan.

The real trap would be if someone else is below the stairs. She couldn’t risk the possibility of someone saving her life.

Souma Sumire took a glance over the banister. As far as she could tell, nobody was in sight. The emergency exit had naturally come from inside the building, so they most likely had posted some people at the entryway. Didn’t seem likely that they’d prepare an extra person just to blankly stare up at her from the asphalt.

As the footsteps sounding from the stairs grew closer, Souma turned back, facing forwards.

With slow, purposed steps, Urachi Masamune drew closer. “Good afternoon. You’re the second Witch, right?”

It was too late to bother talking with him.

Souma placed her hand on the banister. The rough, rusty feel of the metal felt disturbing on her palms.

All that was left to do was jump.

But just then.

A voice echoed that she shouldn’t have possibly been hearing.

✽

The red sun shone down like a film of blood upon the world. Asai Kei stood atop the tetrapods, understanding the future.

He saw a future in which a particular girl completely disappeared from the world. The only thing to understand was that it had to be avoided at all costs.

“Tomoki,” he shouted, his voice louder than he intended. “Your ability, to Souma Sumire, now.”

“Souma?”

“Do it.”

The next thing Kei did was focus a glare on the Souma Sumire beside him. The girl recreated by Sasano’s ability, destined to disappear within ten minutes of her creation.

There were so many things he wanted to say. But all he had time for were efficient orders. “Cancel the future sight, then change it to the next 24 hours.”

The only way to change the future was to know the future. Kei had seen a future, then acted. That change in action should have changed the future. Ideally, the future would be different upon reuse of the ability.

“Did something happen?” Haruki asked. Without talking to her, he wouldn’t be able to keep seeing the future.

“Something incredibly stupid. I can’t believe that…”

“I have not heard you shout like that in quite a long time.”

“I haven’t raised my voice like that without meaning to in a while, either.” Kei quickly looked through the future as he answered. He picked up everything he needed, organizing the events into each place where they belonged.

Tomiki’s voice registered. “I’m ready, Kei.”

Asai Kei took a deep breath, preparing to talk to Souma Sumire.

✽

A voice echoed that she shouldn’t have possibly been hearing.

Wait, Souma. Just stall for five minutes.

It was Asai Kei’s voice, echoing inside Souma Sumire’s head.

What makes him so confident that Tomoki’s ability works on me, too?

That was the first question to pop into her mind. It was quite trivial, given the circumstances. But his next words quickly swept away such trivialities.

I’ll use the next ten minutes purely on your future. Forget about Urachi Masamune.

It was quite a bold statement. Following through with it would guarantee that all of Souma Sumire’s previous efforts had been in vain. Urachi Masamune’s plan would succeed. Without using future sight to change anything, everything that she had seen would become reality.

You get what I’m saying, don’t you, Souma? His voice was colder than ice. You are going to see me again. You are going to use your ability for me again. That is the only solution.

It was an incredibly selfish proclamation.

Souma Sumire bit her lip. Haven’t I already tried hard enough? Haven’t I already done everything I possibly could? What more do you want from me?

She was already so tired. So incredibly exhausted. She just wanted it to be over. She’d already accomplished every goal she set for herself. Wasn’t that enough to end it?

You can’t just make me that sad then go off and disappear on your own terms, Kei’s voice reprimanded. I won’t allow it. If you want me to rescue you, then just buy me five minutes.

It was a selfish line that sounded like it came straight from a drama film. But he had always been like that. Once he decided what he wanted, he’d egotistically chase after it with reckless abandon.

Souma whispered, making sure nobody could hear. “What the heck are you supposed to do in five minutes?”

She knew her voice wouldn’t reach Kei. Tomoki’s ability was a one-way service.

But what came next somehow sounded like it was directly in response to her voice. I’ll make a way to get you out of there in five minutes. You’ll hear from me then.

If Asai Kei said he could do something, then it would most assuredly be done.

“Did you say something?” Urachi Masamune was suddenly standing right before her.

Souma turned her gaze towards him. “I was telling you to stay away from me.”

“How cruel. Especially after you were the one who broke your promise.”

“You really should take the hint when a girl snubs you.”

“Ah, but perseverance is such a wonderful virtue. Hard work can get you far in life.” The icy chill in Urachi Masamune’s voice made it sound unlikely that he actually believed in anything he had just said.

Souma Sumire offered a smile. A smile befitting of the second Witch. As if she knew anything and everything about the future. “I must apologize for not showing up to the café. It’s important to keep one’s promises.”

“Well, it’s not too late to keep yours. Your promise was simply to help me.”

“You’re right. That said, I have the information you’re looking for.”

“Then let’s hear it. I eagerly await.” Urachi Masamune gave a pointed look to The Index beside him. It was an obvious reminder that lying was pointless. The Index’s ability would inform them of any mistruths.

“Asai Kei has reset.”

“I know that much.”

“Oh, so you know how he was able to do it and what you missed, then?”

Urachi slowly shook his head. “I’ll admit that’s been bugging me. Evidently I overlooked something.”

“Indeed. You made one single mistake before the reset.”

“And what was that?”

“You didn’t doubt what you should have doubted, and you didn’t ask me what you should have asked.”

“Which was?”

“Your first question should have been to ask me who I am.”

Urachi Masamune tapped his temple with an index finger. “And who exactly are you?”

She smiled. “I… am not Souma Sumire.” Or at least, she wasn’t the exact same girl who had died two years prior. “I don’t even know who I am. I’m a nameless system. A system set in motion by Souma Sumire two years ago.”

She was the second Witch. The second nameless system.

That’s who I am.

A creation designed to seem entirely human, while never having been human.

Under a beautiful moon, atop a filthy staircase, Urachi Masamune burst out laughing. He seemed to get great enjoyment from his new discovery. His body and mouth twisted and bent as he howled with laughter. “What a surprise! I must say, I’m impressed. I never could have planned for that. I see, I see. How very unpleasant. You really came up with a loathsome plan.” Urachi’s voice steadily grew louder. “That is absolutely insane. Can one person really hate themself that much?”

Urachi’s ever-present smile remained on his face, but his eyes glared daggers into Souma. “You died and came back just to remove your identity, then? So technically, the version of you that came from the photo wouldn’t think of yourself as Souma Sumire. That meant your actions were not Souma’s actions, and ergo, I made my error.”

Urachi Masamune had asked two critical questions prior to the reset. First, he asked, “Will my plan succeed?” followed by “Will you be a hindrance to my plan?”

He shouldn’t have asked that second question.

Souma Sumire– the nameless second Witch smiled. She didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t think of anything else to put on her face. “You shouldn’t have asked about ‘me’ when you wanted to know about Souma Sumire. I’m not Souma Sumire, after all. I wasn’t going to do anything, even if Souma Sumire wanted to go against you.”

Urachi Masamune smiled back, his ever-present smile clashing with his glare. “Then I suppose it’s time to start asking the right questions. Souma Sumire put all of this together, didn’t she? A single girl who died two years ago orchestrated all of this to happen.”

There was no point in lying any more. “That’s correct. All of this was planned by the real Souma Sumire, who is not me. Even I am just another pawn on her board.”

It was a simple concept, at its core. All she wanted to do was help Asai Kei.

But Souma Sumire could never escape Urachi Masamune. If he ever got ahold of her, then The Index would make lying a non-option.

So she created a scapegoat.

That being me. They’d never know as long as they thought of me as Souma Sumire. She was a girl who looked just like Souma Suimire, while never having that identity. Souma Sumire died for that empty human vessel two years ago.

“How absolutely astonishing,” Urachi whispered. “Nobody could be expected to see through such a ruse.”

Souma Sumire shook her head. “Not quite nobody. Kei did.” He had put it all together with just a few clues.

Kei was always the type of person to get to the right answer eventually. He might hesitate, and he might get lost in thought, but he would always move forwards without stopping until he arrived at his goal.

“I see. Asai Kei. That boy’s got a screw loose, too.”

Wrong. “He’s quite rational. In fact, he might be the only rational person out there, and he’s always right.”

Urachi Masamune shook his head. “Someone who’s always right and makes no mistakes couldn’t possibly be rational. A female friend of his committed suicide purely to toss away her identity. No rational person would put that together of their own accord.”

“Maybe so.” It didn’t matter either way. Asai Kei could be rational, or he could be insane. That only depended on the perspective of who was looking at him. One might find him more rational, another more insane. But that didn’t change the truth. He was just a boy. A compassionately strong boy.

Urachi Masamune snapped his gaze towards Souma. His eyes held no more care than if he were glancing at a roadside pebble. “There’s one more thing I need to ask you.”

“Is it something I would know?”

“Before the reset, the world was without abilities. What did Asai Kei do?”

It was a period of time Urachi could never learn about. The 23 hours after all information about abilities was removed from Sakurada, leading to Kei’s reset. Urachi simply had no way of recovering any memories of that time. Not even his trusty notebook would help him, since only Kei remembered abilities, leaving nobody to lock or unlock the notebooks.

“Kei did many things. He met me in high school, and even revisited his hometown.”

“I couldn’t care less about any of that. Did Asai-kun–” Urachi pulled a notebook from his pocket. “Asai-kun read this, didn’t he? He stormed up to a me that had forgotten about abilities and forcibly stole it from me so he could learn about my plans, didn’t he?”

That certainly would have been the most efficient route to success.

In fact, almost immediately after abilities had been forgotten, Asai Kei searched out Urachi Masamune. He ran around in the sudden downpour, looking for Urachi Masamune as his sneakers soaked through.

“Kei–” Just as Souma began to respond, a familiar voice echoed in her head.

Five minutes. Good work, Souma.

It was a kind voice that did not match the situation.

It’ll be alright. Just fall straight backwards.

A sense of peace washed over Souma Sumire as she leaned her back into the railing.

She directed her voice towards Urachi Masamune. “That night, Kei did something beyond your wildest dreams.”

She shifted her center of gravity, kicking her feet back.

She watched The Index’s eyes widen. Even Urachi lost his smile.

Well, yeah. Souma smiled unconsciously. Not at the face they made, but rather at her own stupidity.

What she was doing was the farthest thing from rational. Really, that should have been obvious, but she didn’t really register that until she saw the looks on their faces.

A person who can’t be scared by something like this really is no more than an empty vessel.

She could only think of two people who could so unhesitatingly fall backwards into an over 30-foot drop.

Haruki Misora… and me.

Too much trust was its own form of insanity. She couldn’t deny that.

Her field of vision spun, facing her towards the sky. She was faced with a breathtakingly beautiful night sky.

Her headfirst fall continued for seven stories. All the scenery around her rushed towards the sky. Windows, walls, and the very stairs that she had climbed up moved as if to reach the moon. The only thing in the world moving away from the moon was Souma Sumire.

She figured that would be as good a way as any to die. But she also knew that she wouldn’t be dying.

She fell, fell, and fell towards the ground. Then, without the slightest feeling of impact– she stopped.

A disgruntled face blocked out her view of the moon. Souma could make out a girl wearing glasses.

Oh, what the heck. It isn’t Kei. Of course, that only made sense. Kei was inside of the photograph.

For just a moment, she closed her eyes.

Then Souma Sumire pushed herself out of Murase Youka’s arms, stepping onto the asphalt.

✽

Murase Youka was by far his best bet.

Asai Kei had asked her to search for Souma Sumire as his very first action, before even calling Nakano Tomoki and Sakagami Yousuke together.

His thoughts behind that were rather simple: Souma Sumire acts far too efficiently for her own good. She was quick to make decisions, and sometimes even quicker to give up. It was almost expected for Souma to get too caught up in things and completely disregard herself.

She had already been completely willing to die for her cause two years ago. It wasn’t a stretch at all to imagine that the girl who came from the photo and didn’t even consider herself human would die without hesitation.

It’s really good that Murase’s the one with Souma. Not many people could pull off catching someone from a seven-story fall. Murase was the perfect girl for the job. Her ability could allow her to call out, “Full body, impact,” and she could completely erase all of the shock from Souma’s fall.

Kei glanced at his watch in the light of the blood-red sunset. 7:45:15 PM. He had about three more minutes in the world of the photograph. “Souma, re-apply future sight. Focus on 24 hours from now.”

The Souma Sumire of the photo, destined to disappear in three minutes, shook her head. “C’mon, Kei. This isn’t the time to be focusing on my–”

Kei cut her off. “There’s no time to waste, either. Do it.”

She nodded. Her expression was sad, and upon closer inspection, a bit lonely.

“What is your favorite color, Kei?” Haruki asked.

“Probably blue. A deep, deep blue. Alternatively, a blue so light it’s almost transparent. I like both of them equally.”

Kei picked up on future information as their conversation continued. He had to find the best solution. If he wasn’t quick enough, then Souma would be caught by Urachi.

I have to see Souma Sumire again. He needed to get to a place where Urachi couldn’t find her. I have to find it. He only had three more minutes to use future sight, and he had to find it by then.

He turned towards the Souma Sumire from the photo who was destined to disappear. “Re-apply future sight. Focus on noon tomorrow.”

Kei changed what he would do based on what he had learned of the future, which meant the future changed, so he needed to retry future sight each time to see its effects. It was like refreshing a webpage to see the newest results.

“Do you dislike the color red?”

“Not at all, but I think it stands out a bit too much. I prefer more subtle colors.”

“In that case, what do you think of the color green?”

“That’s a great one. Definitely a favorite.”

Got it. There. He finally found the perfect route to get Souma Sumire away from Urachi.

“Tomoki, message to Souma.”

“Yeah. Ready when you are.”

Taking a deep breath, Kei spoke. “Good work out there, Souma. Now, I want you to keep heading up the street north, then turn east at your third intersection. There will be a taxi waiting at the light right ahead of you there. Get in with Murase, and instruct the driver to take you to Nanakasa Junior High.”

Unfortunately, not even such roundabout methods would be enough. As long as Souma was anywhere in Sakurada, Urachi Masamune would eventually be able to find her. That being the case, there was only one place for Souma to go.

“As soon as you get in the taxi, have Murase keep time. After exactly four minutes and thirty seconds, get off. That will put you in front of a bus stop, and you’ll get on the bus immediately, headed to the train station. Once you’re there, get on the train by yourself, and you’ll be home free.”

That route would be enough to ensure that Souma could safely leave Sakurada without being caught by Urachi.

Her being outside of Sakurada is much safer than her being anywhere inside. The power of the Administration Bureau would be significantly weakened in a world where nobody else could remember abilities. Urachi’s capabilities would be heavily reduced.

“Just use your future sight as needed. Don’t worry about me. You’ll forget about your ability when you leave Sakurada, but take the steps to ensure that you manipulate your future so you end up back here at precisely noon tomorrow. I’ll see you then.”

Kei glanced at his watch. He had less than two minutes. He turned towards the Souma Sumire of the photograph, who was standing beside him. “Re-apply your ability. Focus on noon tomorrow. From now on, every time I hold up my index finger, re-apply your ability again.”

I’ll use the next ten minutes purely on your future. Forget about Urachi Masamune. That was what he had told Souma. But he had been lying.

Souma had intended to die because she considered her role fulfilled. In that case, all she needed was an encore. He was really only buying her some time, but it would give her motivation to keep going. That was reason enough to lie.

He had less than two minutes remaining, but he planned to use it on gathering information on Urachi Masamune. “What’s your favorite color, Haruki?”

“I prefer deep red, myself.”

“Really? Didn’t expect that.”

“You did not?”

“No. I figured you’d say something like, ‘I do not particularly have one.’”

“I have come to like many things in the past two years. Cats and cream puffs also come to mind.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. Learning things you like is part of becoming happy, if you ask me.”

“I would agree with that sentiment.”

Kei spoke in a relaxed tone, but was processing information at a rapid pace. His index finger came up in frequent succession, with each new flex bringing a new future. Sometimes the future was only slightly changed, and other times it was dramatically different. Sometimes, the future could change trajectory significantly from a tiny alteration to the order that he would choose to meet with people, but other times, no matter how boldly he acted, the future turned out almost exactly the same.

Future sight offered a strange perspective. It felt like time was compressing around him, all fit into a convenient shape that he could grasp within his own hand. In fact, it felt artificial.

Looking at the future spread before him didn’t offer the feeling of omnipotence he had been expecting. Quite to the contrary, it made him feel almost powerless. The future just never went where he wanted it to.

But I still have to try. He needed to find something, the smallest sliver of hope for an ideal future.

He desperately continued his search.

With ten seconds remaining, Kei looked at Souma Sumire. Of course, she was the Souma Sumire in the photograph. A girl created without her consent, only to be used for her ability, and only to disappear in ten minutes, without any hope of salvation.

Looking at that girl, Kei said, “Thank you, Souma. I will never forget you.”

The Souma Sumire of the photo responded with a childish, conflicted smile. “It’s okay. There’s no need to waste your sorrow on a mere ten minutes.”

She made it sound so uncomplicated.

Immediately, bright white light flooded Kei’s vision. He couldn’t help but to close his eyes.

Ten minutes had passed. That singular fragment of the past disappeared, along with the Souma Sumire inside it.

He almost thought that he heard a voice.

“Goodbye, Kei.”

When Asai Kei opened his eyes again, he was still standing atop tetrapods, but a deep night sky surrounded him. The sunset only remained in his memory. The torn photo had dropped to the ground at his feet, and was blown away by the wind.

Nakano Tomoki and Sakagami Yousuke looked his way, both clearly wanting to say something. From their perspectives, they wouldn’t have known anything about what Kei had been doing. In fact, he might not have seemed to be doing anything at all.

But Haruki Misora was the first to speak. “Will Souma Sumire be saved?”

“Absolutely,” Kei answered.

But he didn’t know what it actually meant to save someone. Especially someone like Souma Sumire.

She had always seemed so perfect, so complete, even omnipotent. She was the girl who confessed her feelings of love to him. The girl that was told by him that she could only come in second place to another.

The girl who died purely for Asai Kei’s sake.

What right do I have to try and save her? What did that even mean? It gave him a bad taste in his mouth. Who was he, just some high schooler, to be going off and saving people? Who was he to get carried away? Did he think himself to be some kind of god?

Yeah… this is the real me. When it came down to it, he was just a negative, selfish brat who’d rather run away than face difficulties.

But that wasn’t all he was.

I have one thing that I can hold on to.

Two years ago, he had seen and admired a girl who represented pure goodness. She could recognize rightness in its true form, and he had found her beautiful for that. He had wanted to be like her. He had believed in the existence of a pure goodness that existed outside of other factors.

So Asai Kei decided to lie. He reached past himself, grasping for a strength that was not his own. “Souma will be happy. She’ll wake up feeling satisfied, and go to sleep feeling fulfilled. She’ll walk through every day with a smile. I’ll do everything I can to give her that life.”

At the end of the day, it was better to be saved than to not be saved. Happiness was always better than misfortune. It was worth wiping tears away. A natural smile was more valuable than any other.

Those are real and genuine ideals I can believe in.

And if those were to be his goal, then he had to shrug off his lazy and cowardly nature. He had to press forward without giving up, constantly reaching for the future, even if it meant lying along the way.

All he could do was pray that the lie became truer of him than his feelings did.