3 – August 8th (Tuesday) – Two days ago

August 8th, 10:30 AM. Oka Eri was still in her bed, half-asleep. She had just woken up, and began focusing her thoughts.

Remember the two things you’re working towards.

First, she would become incredibly and overwhelmingly strong. Then, she would take down Asai Kei.

It was fair to say that those two goals were one and the same. Her desire to grow stronger was primary, and defeating Asai Kei would only serve to prove that she had accomplished that goal. That should finally help rid some of the irritation that had built up deep inside of her.

Oka Eri closed her eyes, and began reminiscing about the past. A time back when her name was still Fujikawa Eri. It wasn’t terribly unusual of her to do so. Although she wasn’t constantly reliving old memories, thinking back to what she used to be had become something of a habit. That old, boring girl she once was.

She had always hated the name Fujikawa. Fujikawa was only ever her father’s name, or otherwise what was inscribed on the nameplate outside that house she had to live in. It never meant anything more.

Regardless, it was clear from a young age that the name carried some significance. The Fujikawa name was older and grander than any other name around. Her father would constantly repeat to her, “You are the daughter of a Fujikawa.” That name alone bound her to a single fate that she had no say in. From a young age she was privately tutored and not allowed to play or make noise. The only clothes she wore were plain and white, from no particular brand.

She never understood why she was the only child in her class to be driven to elementary school. If she ever objected or questioned, her father would answer with a cold, lifeless glare, repeating, “Because you are the daughter of a Fujikawa.” Speaking any more would only earn her a slap on the cheek.

If she ever laughed or cried, she would be told off, because she was the daughter of a Fujikawa. She was told that required her to act more sophisticated.

Her mother was her only ally. Or at least, she tried to be. But her mother was far too weak to stand up to her father. All her mother could ever do in response was cry, and crying only served to make him mad all over again. She quickly learned that her mother couldn’t be relied upon to save her.

If her young education taught her anything, it was how to give up. That was her greatest skill from childhood. She wouldn’t cry, she wouldn’t laugh, and she wouldn’t rely on anyone. She would live in quiet and solitude, silently cursing her father and the Fujikawa name in her heart.

In that manner, she graduated from elementary school and moved up to middle school. She had taken on a particular habit by then. Every day after school, she would go to the library and be alone for an hour or so.

She was by no means an avid reader, but it was better than going straight home, and she found the library to be the most peaceful place in the school. If she had it her way, she would put the “No Talking” signs in the library all around the entire world.

Fujikawa Eri always spent her time in the corner of the library, sitting still among a random pile of books. The library window gave her a view of a large structure on the coast. It was some kind of tall, white tower. She wasn’t entirely sure, but she figured it was probably a lighthouse. She couldn’t be certain, as she had never seen it with its light on.

The tower had winding iron stairs around its outside, likely used as an emergency exit. She had always wanted to try climbing them, but never got the chance. Even in junior high, she was still taken to and from school by car. The risk of getting caught was too high, and she didn’t have the courage to try and come up with a lie that would give her a chance to go. Were she caught, she would probably never be allowed to leave the house again. The daughter of a Fujikawa shouldn’t be out climbing strange towers on the coast.

The thought made her fairly sad, and with a subconscious sigh, she gave up on it. Her ability to give up so easily only made her sadder.

Things continued on in that way for over six months into the school year. She had no reason to believe anything would change, all the way up to graduation. But one day, her life started changing faster than she ever could have imagined.

It all started one day when someone called her name as she was headed up the stairs to the library. She turned around to find a boy whose name turned out to be Asai Kei. He was a grade higher than her.

She couldn’t remember much of their first conversation. She was so nervous, as she had never talked much with the opposite sex, much less one older than her. They chatted for about fifteen minutes before she was mercifully released from the conversation.

But then he showed up the next day, and the day after that. Every time as she walked up the stairs, she would hear his voice from behind, calling her name. It took about a week before she was fully comfortable talking with him. Unfortunately, talking with him revealed that Fujikawa Eri didn’t know what to talk about with boys her age. Even worse, what little she could talk about only had to do with the Fujikawas, that name that she hated so much.

But she didn’t know what else to do. She had no other options. Before she knew what was happening, she was spilling all the details about her family situation. It didn’t help that it was that time of year again. That time where her mother would threaten divorce. It always happened at least once a year, perhaps out of some twisted sense of duty on her mother’s part. Her domestic life invariably got worse around that time.

She would never forget what Asai Kei said in response to all of her complaints and gripes. He flashed a daring smile, and spoke with a calm voice.

“What’s your mother’s maiden name?”

The question didn’t make any sense, but the answer wasn’t something she needed to hide. “It’s Oka,” she replied.

Asai Kei’s smile grew wider. “Then in that case, to me, you’ll always be Oka Eri.” With a proud declaration, that boy became the first person in the world to call her Oka Eri. He kept talking, sounding like he was making a speech of some kind. “It’s a wonderful name, Oka Eri. It belongs to someone who isn’t uppity, has a sense of humor, and brushes off all their worries. It sounds bold and strong. It doesn’t quite fit you right now, but that’s okay.”

The girl who was only known as Fujikawa Eri couldn’t make any sense of what the boy was saying.

Asai Kei twisted his mouth into another smile. “Ditch your father, and the name that comes with him. You should become someone worthy of the name Oka Eri.”

He thought it would be better to be Oka Eri instead of Fujikawa Eri. She couldn’t quite remember how she responded to him that day. What she did remember was seeing those eyes of his that always looked down on the world, and feeling frightened.

Fujikawa Eri spent the next few days in the library alone. She held onto some huge, boring book she had no intention of reading, looked at the tower she had no intention of climbing, and thought about Asai Kei and Oka Eri.

Oka Eri. Humorous was an accurate description, to be sure. She might’ve resented her parents if they gave her that name at birth. But it was definitely better than Fujikawa.

She wasn’t sure if she’d be capable of abandoning the Fujikawa name. But every time someone called on her in class, feelings of disgust would well up. She started wishing to see Asai Kei again. She was happy to have just one person in the world who wouldn’t think of her as Fujikawa. She found herself glancing back every time that she climbed the stairs to the library.

But Asai Kei never showed up. At first, she thought something might have happened to him. Then, she thought he may have gotten sick. But finally, she realized the truth: he simply had no reason to visit her.

And so, Fujikawa Eri quietly gave up on him, just like she had everything else. She no longer looked behind as she climbed the stairs up to the library.

But then, one day, at the top of the stairs, she saw him.

“Hey there, Oka Eri,” he called out.

It was a little embarrassing to be called by that name, but she was glad.

“I’ve come bearing gifts.” He pulled some kind of small voice recorder out of his pocket. “Give your dad a good listen to this. He just might start to change his tune. In fact, he might even let you and your mom go live by yourselves, leaving you with the name Oka Eri.” Asai Kei’s gaze was calm and condescending, just as it always was.

Conflicting feelings began rising in her chest. “Wouldn’t that be, like, really bad?” Even she thought it was a stupid question, but she couldn’t stop from asking.

“Bad?” Asai Kei smirked. “‘Course it is. What, did you think I was some kinda saint? Can’t get by like that. The purpose of this recorder is to exploit your father’s weakness.” His smile was terrifying. “The long and short of it is that I’m asking you to threaten your father. That’s bad, no two ways about it. But if you ask me, life is all about chasing your own happiness, even if it comes at other people’s expense. Chasing your own happiness always brings conflict, but just because you come prepared for it, people wanna slap labels like ‘bad’ on you. Sure, it’s a bit sad, but that’s the way it is.”

Asai Kei held out the recorder. His smile showed not even a trace of sadness, despite his words. “Do with this as you will.”

The girl took the recorder, not even knowing what to do with it. Even just touching it was scary, like she was handling a firearm.

The recorder held a conversation between her father and someone else. The other party was using a voice converter so as to remain anonymous. She considered that it might be Asai Kei, but that was unlikely. The voice sounded much more mature than a third-year middle schooler. The recording only lasted about two minutes, and although she didn’t understand any of the conversation, she could make out the trembling in her father’s voice.

Once the recorder stopped playing, Asai Kei spoke up again. “Your dad leaked some information, and he definitely should have known better. That phone call is the direct incident. It’s only the beginning of the conversation, but just that much should suffice. Telling him you’ll send that off to the Bureau should do the trick.”

The girl’s father, along with the Fujikawa name, had always remained in her mind as an ultimate symbol of power. It had been clear ever since birth that she was destined to be overpowered by him. But on this recording, his voice was weak and submissive, almost comically so. Somehow, the boy in front of her had managed to become even stronger than her father.

“What can I do to become stronger?” asked Fujikawa Eri.

She wanted to be stronger, strong enough that she could crush the Fujikawa name under her feet.

Asai Kei’s answer was immediate. “The most important part is your own determination to be strong.”

“My… determination?”

“Yes. Don’t wait for logic to catch up to you. Just believe that you are strong enough to overcome anything in your way.” He continued speaking, his tone relaxed and calm. “Weakness is all about settling. You say you’re weak, and you give up, and deep inside somewhere you feel a little better. It’s just easier that way. But when you stop settling for weakness, then you never have to give up on anything.”

It all made sense, but…

“Does that mean… that I won’t fail?” The thought of holding tight to a baseless confidence was frightening.

“Well, of course you’re gonna fail. But that’s just another opportunity to prove your resolve towards your own strength. If you keep pushing yourself towards success, then one day you’ll eventually find it.”

“But what if I never make it to success?”

“Hmm, dunno. It never worked like that for me. But hey, at the very least you won’t be called weak if you continue to fail all the way to your grave.”

“Don’t you think you’re being too idealistic?” Nothing he was saying sounded realistic in the slightest.

But Asai Kei nodded along. “You bet I am. I think that sticking to your guns is part of being strong.” He flashed another smile. “Until next time, Fujikawa Eri. I hope you’ve got what it takes to become bold and strong.” Asai Kei’s voice mocked her. He clearly wasn’t hoping for anything as he made his way down the stairs. He continued down and eventually disappeared.

He had made sure the last thing he did was call her Fujikawa Eri. She couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of regret. She hated it, yet she couldn’t stop it. Then suddenly, it all made sense.

Fujikawa Eri is worthless. Fujikawa Eri only knows how to give up. Fujikawa Eri is weak. I despise Fujikawa Eri.

Everything that made up the person Fujikawa Eri was the polar opposite of how he had described strength. It was only natural that she should hate it.

And so, the girl decided to become Oka Eri. Someone who was bold and strong. She kept herself from getting uppity, made sure to have a sense of humor, and brushed off all her worries.

Asai Kei. The first person in the world to know her as Oka Eri. The boy who turned Fujikawa Eri into Oka Eri. It would be worth being a bad person to obtain the strength that he had.

I’ll destroy the old, weak Fujikawa Eri with my own two hands.

No matter what it takes…

The present-day Oka Eri slipped out of bed with a sentimental giggle.

Immediately, she cut it off. That wasn’t how she should laugh. She needed to laugh boldly, showing off her strength. It couldn’t come off as uppity, needed to sound a bit humorous, and should help brush off all her worries. It needed to fit the name Oka Eri.

She laughed once more, “Kekeke.”

It was entirely unsophisticated, and would have been an impossible feat for the girl known as Fujikawa Eri. But that girl would never have understood the beauty behind her laugh. She could settle for her posh smiles from behind her hand.

“Alrighty then,” Oka Eri mumbled to herself. She changed into her torn jeans, attached her choker, and put in her red-colored contacts. She opened up the window to yet another beautifully sunny day. They were still in a warm spell. Oka Eri thought to herself as she stared into the sky.

Remember the two things you’re working towards.

First, she would become incredibly and overwhelmingly strong. Then, she would take down Asai Kei.

To that end, there was something that she desired. She desired only the best of Sakurada’s abilities. Asai Kei was constantly utilizing the power of resets, which essentially let him know the future up to three days in advance by rewinding time. It was incredibly powerful and useful. But there was something else out there. A power that would put the reset to shame.

I want the power to know the entire future.

A definitive power that she could believe in without a doubt. Superior to the reset in every way.

I’m going to become stronger. So strong that the girl Fujikawa Eri will just turn into a long-forgotten memory.