Published at 26th of March 2019 12:07 am

Volume 2, Part 3

May 2nd (Saturday) 00:31

Exactly 15 minutes later, Maria Otonashi arrives on a massive motorcycle.

"Here," she says as she throws me a helmet.

I catch it, but don't know what to do next. However, because she keeps staring at me, I decide to just put it on.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and climb on."

I sit behind her as instructed, and hesitantly wrap my arms around her slender waist. Maria Otonashi, the girl I adore, remains silent.

In less than 10 minutes, she stops in front of a five story apartment complex. Though it is a pity, I obediently let go of her waist, get off the motorbike and briefly take a look at the building as I remove the helmet. It's a brick building that looks fairly high class and even features a fancy electronic entry system. The rent here must be quite high.

I doubt that she would bring her boyfriend to her apartment at so late an hour if she lives with her family, so I bet she lives by herself. And right now, she's taking her boyfriend to her room. Which must mean... well, the situation is self-explanatory. Obviously.

My heart throbs with excitement. She doesn't seem to care, however, and proceeds toward her room, taking the elevator and then walking straight up to a door that reads 403.

The first thing I notice upon entering the room is a light fragrance of peppermint. It's a ten tatami-mat sized studio apartment. It looks larger than it is because it's so sparsely furnished.

"What's so interesting about my room? It hasn't changed since you last came here, has it?"

"...Yeah," I reply, trying to appear calm, and sit down on a cushion.

After giving me a short side-glance, Maria Otonashi opens a closet and seems to be searching for something.

"All right, Kazuki, hold out your hands."

Hold out my hands...? Does she plan to kiss them or something?

"Get with the program already. Like this," she says as she holds out her own hands. I follow suit.

Click.

What was that? Even as I begin to wonder, I feel a tight pressure around my right wrist. I take a look.

Handcuffs.

"...Is this supposed to be a joke, Otonashi-san?"

"A joke? Surely you're the one who's joking. We do this stuff all the time, don't we?"

All the time...? Handcuffing me?

"Oh? You want to pretend to resist tonight? Wow... you are beyond help."

"O-Ouch!"

With a bewitching smile and a few skillful moves, Maria Otonashi forces my hands behind my back and snaps the handcuffs around my left wrist as well. Next, she applies foot cuffs to my feet and puts me down on the ground. I try to move my body. I'd probably be able to stand up, but beyond that my movements are tightly restricted.

"Today, let's also use this," she proposes as she takes out a piece of black cloth, which she then wraps round my eyes, cutting off my field of vision.

What a situation. My body is almost completely restrained, I'm blindfolded, and I'm rolling on the floor like a caterpillar—almost as if I were a soldier captured by the enemy.

...Hm? Aah, I see.

"Seems like the preparations are complete. Let's begin."

Maria Otonashi should have noticed that something is going on with Kazuki Hoshino, so there's no way she would be comfortable getting intimate with him.

If that's true—whom is her current treatment directed at?

"Well—" she continues "—you aren't Kazuki Hoshino, so who are you?"

I see.

Everything up till now was just a ploy intended to incapacitate "me."

"Hehe..."

Brilliant. As expected from Maria Otonashi, and that's why I admire her so much. I'm really glad that my fears of getting disillusioned turned out to be unfounded.

"Why are you laughing? I don't think you understand the gravity of your situation."

I'll try one last protest just for the heck of it.

"No, no... Otonashi-san, you're being absurd!"

"Stop acting. It's futile."

Aah, so it was useless after all—but that just makes me laugh even more.

"You're a strange guy. Why are you so joyful, even though I just thoroughly deceived and captured you?"

"Maria Otonashi, may I ask why you think that I am not Kazuki Hoshino?" I ask point-blank, stopping with the acting.

"I listened to your voice recording while being aware of the box."

Her blunt statement allows me to understand—not just how she saw through me, but also that she is a unique being.

"Okay, you know about my box and you listened to my message, cool, but that's not gonna help you figure out whether you're dealing with 'me' or 'Kazuki Hoshino,' is it? Since when did you know it's 'me'?"

"Since you said 'Hello' on the phone."

"...You're joking, right?"

Given our identical voices, it should be impossible to distinguish between us.

"Kazuki answers the phone with a 'Yes?'. He doesn't use 'Hello'. Of course, I wouldn't normally have taken heed of such a small change, but since I know that he is involved with this box, I naturally became suspicious. The only thing left for me to do was confirm my suspicions, so I spoke with care until you slipped up. I'll tell you something good: Kazuki has never been in this room."

"That is indeed a good thing." Because it would be unforgivable for someone as pathetic as Kazuki Hoshino to frequent the room of a noble lady like Maria Otonashi. "In other words, you deceived me to confirm if I really existed."

"Such a trifle barely requires confirmation. In fact, I wanted to confirm whether or not you share Kazuki's memories. Heh, it seems like you don't."

"......"

So she was already a move ahead in terms of confirmation.

I admit that this is an important point. If Yuuhei Ishihara and Kazuki Hoshino shared their memories, then there would be no secrets if she tried to work out a plan with Kazuki Hoshino. She wouldn't be able to cooperate with Kazuki Hoshino.

"Let me get straight to the point: who are you?"

"Can't you tell? I'm Kazuki Hoshino!"

"Stop messing around and answer the question."

Still lying on the ground, I shrug my shoulders.

"I'm not messing around with you: I'm Kazuki Hoshino. That's the identity my box entitled me with."

"...What do you mean?"

"Just what I said. My wish was to become Kazuki Hoshino, and a box grants any wish, doesn't it? Therefore, I am Kazuki Hoshino. I can't call myself anything else."

My words temporarily silence Maria Otonashi.

"...to become Kazuki Hoshino, you say? That's crazy... Why Kazuki of all people? I don't think Kazuki Hoshino's body is particularly desirable..."

"Because you're by his side," I immediately answer.

"—I?"

"Yeah, I've always admired you. The girl of my dreams would be by my side; that was reason enough for me to want to become him."

Maria Otonashi lets out a sigh.

"...I never would have guessed that I am the primary reason for all of this," she complains, but regains her composure right away. "I understand that you insist on being Kazuki Hoshino. However, I can't call you that."

"Then just call me 'Yuuhei Ishihara.'"

"'Yuuhei Ishihara'? Never heard that before. That's not your real name, is it?"

"Who knows?"

"Hmph, whatever. But you'll tell me one thing: how do you switch with Kazuki?"

"What's the point of asking about that?"

"I don't need to answer your questions."

"Well then, I don't need to answer yours either."

"You're pretty bold for a guy who's bound hand and foot, aren't you?"

"I'm not going to fall for that! You can't do anything to me—hurt me and you'll effectively be damaging Kazuki Hoshino's body."

"Forms of torture that have no lasting impact on the body are a dime a dozen, but well... I couldn't use violence anyway..." Maria Otonashi says in a whisper.

"What?"

"No, never mind... anyway, you don't plan to tell me, do you?"

"Hm, to be honest, it wouldn't make a difference, but I'm not telling you."

"It wouldn't make a difference?"

"Heh, of course not. No matter what you try, 'Kazuki Hoshino' is going to disappear on May 6th unless you directly deal with my box. In light of that, what difference would such a trivial bit of information make? I mean, you can bet I'm not going to tell you how to defeat the box! Or do you want to try killing me? Go ahead, but that'll also send Kazuki Hoshino to kingdom come!" I say as I laugh in an exaggerated fashion.

How's that, Maria Otonashi? You never imagined your situation was that hopeless, did you?

"Fufu..."

But for some reason, she lets loose a silent laugh.

"...Why are you laughing? Are you so desperate that you can't help but laugh?"

"Desperate? You think this is a desperate situation? Fufu... this level of menace is like a mosquito compared to what we fought against last time. The problem I'm facing right now is that you won't tell me how you switch with Kazuki, right? How is that desperate?"

"I told you that you can only solve this matter if you kill Kazuki Hoshino—did I lose you?"

"That's why I was laughing. Because—that's a lie."

I'm left tongue-tied.

"I know that you want to distract me, but I'm afraid I can't be deceived by such a lousy lie."

"...Why do you think it's a lie?"

"You said it yourself—you're Kazuki Hoshino. But Kazuki Hoshino doesn't possess the box, hence, he can't be the owner."

"What's with that wordplay? You can't escape from reality!"

"You still don't get it? Okay then, listen up and try answering this question."

Maria Otonashi says firmly:

"Do you really believe that it's possible for a soul to dwell in someone else's body?"

"W—"

Well—

"You can't respond right away, hm?"

Aah... damn.

I don't know why, but...I have a feeling that by hesitating I committed a fatal error.

"'Boxes' grant wishes completely, but a person who thinks more or less rationally wouldn't be able to believe that such a wish could come true. And as I suspected, you don't believe in your wish from the bottom of your heart, either, judging from your reaction to my question. The box incorporates the doubts of the owner when it grants a wish—therefore, the owner was not able to take over Kazuki Hoshino."

"......"

"Which means that the owner continued to exist as before after failing to take over Kazuki's body—separately from you."

Ignoring my silence, she asks me: "So what are you, when you're not the owner?"

I can't answer.

"If you don't know, let me tell you: you are an artificial being generated by the distortion of that wish. You're just a fake copy of the owner. Yes—merely a 'fabrication,' so to speak." She smirks briefly before she continues. "And since you're just a 'fabrication,' I have no real interest in you."

I see. So that's why—I don't possess the box.

"Hahaha!"

But so what?

The reason I put this wish into the box in the first place was that I wanted to dispose of a bastard like myself anyway. I'm not the owner? I'm a fabrication? That's great!

It's precisely because I am nobody that I can without doubt become Kazuki Hoshino.

"...why are you laughing, Yuuhei Ishihara?"

"Hehe, it doesn't matter! However, there's something I want to ask: so I am a fabrication—I'll admit that—but who are you to be able to perceive that?"

"Who I am, you ask...?"

For some reason Maria Otonashi is at a loss for words.

"......you are a fabrication. And I am—"

"What are you brooding about? I'm just asking because I want to know why you're so knowledgeable about the box."

"...Ah, oh, that's all?" Once she understands my intent, her voice rapidly regains its usual firm tone. "I'm a box myself. And since I'm a box, it stands to reason that I'd be well versed in the characteristics of boxes."

"...You're a box? Is that some kind of metaphor?"

"Interpret it as you please."

A box, huh? If she's telling the truth, then that would really make for a perfect match.

"By the way, there was something I had to tell you, wasn't there?"

"...what are you talking about?"

"Oh? Yesterday night, didn't I promise that I'd tell you directly today? Since the date has finally changed, I'll say it now!"

The smile on my face is so broad, it sucks that I can only show her half of it because of the blindfold.

"I love you, Maria Otonashi."

She called herself a box.

I think that makes us a perfect match, really I do—as an object to conquer, and as an enemy.

May 2nd (Saturday) 07:06

I wake up in an unfamiliar room in handcuffs.

"......err..."

My head feels all muzzy since I just woke up. I'm in a white room and I smell something pleasant. A shower is running somewhere nearby. My back hurts, and I see a futon. I'm also in foot cuffs.

Wait.

What is this?

My wooziness is instantly swept away. I hurriedly try to stand up, only to fall over just as quickly.

While supporting my smarting nose with both arms, I sit up and take another look around. I see a large bed, a table, a laptop and speakers on the table, and an intimidating-looking book. Overall, the room seems sparsely furnished. The sailor suit hooked over the closet doorframe suggests that I'm probably in a girl's room.

Did Yuuhei Ishihara get me into this situation? Yeah, of course it was him.

I hear someone turn off the shower. After a while, a hair drier starts blowing. I assume the occupant of this room is in the dressing cubby.

Which means that a girl is...? There's a naked girl on the other side of this wall? What's with this situation... And what on earth have I, no, what has "Yuuhei Ishihara" done to that girl?!

The sound of the hair drier stops and the dressing cubby door opens.

"U-Uwa!!" I utter as I hurriedly avert my eyes, seeing that she's wearing nothing but a white shirt.

"Ah, you woke up?"

My brain freezes the moment I recognize that all-too-familiar voice.

"Eh?" A familiar face awaits me when I instinctively look up. "Ah, Otonashi-san...?"

"Who else looks like me?"

In response, I look over her entire body. Yeah, it's unmistakably Maria Otonashi.

Then I suddenly realize that I'm staring at her, and she's only wearing a thin shirt over her underwear. Again, I hurriedly avert my eyes.

"S-Since you know that I'm here, please be a bit more careful!"

"What's the cause for panic? This is hardly anything to fret about, right?"

...that just sounds wrong coming from a girl's mouth. It's like something that Haruaki would say when he teases Kokone.

However, before I have a chance to say anything, she preempts me with a shocking comment.

"First of all, didn't you see far more of me just yesterday? A skimpy outfit like this should hardly faze you anymore!"

"......Eh?"

"I never imagined you would do that as soon you entered my room, especially after you seemed so well-behaved at first. Geez, you really gave me quite a shock."

"What, what are you talking about...?"

But I can't deny the facts—everything about the situation I'm in suggests that she's telling the truth. After all, I'm in her room, she just took a shower, and is walking around scantily clad—

"Y-You're joking, right?" I ask anxiously.

"Yeah, it's a joke," Otonashi-san bluntly answers.

"Huh?"

"...Uh-huh, I see. So you're Kazuki Hoshino. Your idiotic reaction when your mouth gapes wide open is quite hard to imitate, after all."

What's this feeling of vexation that's rising up inside me, even though she turned out to be joking—just as I had wished...?

"......Otonashi-san. The fact that I'm here without knowing how I got here, means that you talked with Yuuhei Ishihar, ri—huh?"

As I spoke while lying clumsily on the ground, Otonashi-san had moved nearer. She was so close that I could smell a pleasant scent radiating from her long hair... probably shampoo or some conditioning treatment or something.

"W-What?"

A clicking sound makes me realize that Otonashi-san is removing my foot cuffs. ...well, that's nice, but couldn't she have at least given me some warning?

After removing the foot cuffs, Otonashi-san kneels in front of me.

"Umm..."

I follow her example and also get on my knees.

She slowly opens her mouth.

"Kazuki, who am I?"

What is she saying out of the blue?

She's Maria Otonashi, obviously, but why is she asking a question like that right now?

"Think back to the Rejecting Classroom."

"Hm? ...Ah!"

Now that she mentions it, I remember a similar scenario when she had me write her name.

At the time, Otonashi-san asked people to identify her by name, in order to have someone write 'Maria'—a name that could only be known to someone who retained their memory across those repetitions.

So why is she bringing that up?

To confirm my identity. Otonashi-san is asking in order to distinguish "me" from "Yuuhei Ishihara," because she'll be able to confirm that I'm "me" if I say her secret name.

"—Aya Otonashi."

Therefore I spit out that name. The name she once used in the Rejecting Classroom, which only "I" can remember.

But the very act of seeking confirmation means that she doesn't know who I am right now? I have to go this far to make her recognize that I'm "me"?

That's somehow—very mortifying.

"Aya Otonashi, huh?" she murmurs in disappointment.

"...was I wrong?"

"No, you're right. I just didn't expect that you would be able to come up with the answer so quickly. That's all."

"Okay... I guess? But now you understand that it's 'me'?"

"For the time being, yeah. As you may have noticed, I'm up to date on the current situation and have already listened to the voice file that Yuuhei Ishihara recorded."

"Okay."

"I have also spoken with Yuuhei Ishihara."

"...What was he like? Did you learn anything?"

"Hm, I can't say for sure," Otonashi-san answers.

"Ah, but wasn't he vicious? After all, you even had to use foot cuffs."

"Of course I considered that possibility and used them for that reason. No... it's more accurate to say that I applied them because of you, Kazuki."

"...huh?"

"How did you react when you realized that you were restrained? What actions did you take?"

"Well, I was confused... and even took a tumble."

"I was aiming for that reaction."

"......Feeling like bullying me?"

"No. I thought I could observe the moment when 'Yuuhei Ishihara' switches back to 'Kazuki Hoshino' by waiting for that agitated reaction. Though in the end, I missed the opportunity because I was taking a shower. It's a real pity that I missed your funny reaction."

I see, so she did feel like bullying me.

"Okay then, that's it for now. Kazuki, we're leaving."

"...huh?"

For some reason, Otonashi-san looks at me and rolls her eyes.

"We're taking you home, of course. Hey, what time do you think it is?"

"Hm?"

I look around and see a clock. It's 7:15AM.

"Or do you want be late? It's time to go to school."

"Hah..."

Our school only lets us off every other Saturday, so we still have to go to school this Saturday morning.

"What's with this 'Hah?' Do you plan to go to school empty-handed?"

...She has a point. We have to go to my place.

"......Um, can I go home on my own?"

"What are you talking about? How could you go back on your own when you don't even know how to get there from here? Regardless, you'd never make it in time on foot. I'll give you a ride on my motorcycle."

"G-Got it."

I'm in trouble...

I mean, even though it wasn't my fault, I slept over without getting permission from my parents. When I come home in the early morning, how will that look? I check my cell phone, and sure enough, there are several calls from my mom in the call log. This is bad. If on top of that I bring a girl home with me—

"Otonashi-san... could you please hide when we reach my home...?"

"Why?"

Otonashi-san gives me a bewildered look. Naturally, my intentions aren't getting across...

Looks like I'll have to slip into my house and get ready without getting caught by my mom.

May 2nd (Saturday) 07:34

My attempt to return on the sly ended in absolute failure.

"That was a failure," Otonashi-san murmurs as we walk toward the station. We left the motorcycle near my house.

"......indeed," I concur with a sigh.

My mom caught me right at the foot of the stairs.

Of course, a sermon followed.

I can't blame her, though: she had every right to get angry at me since I stayed out overnight without permission. I can't blame her, but—

As I meekly listened to the lecture, Otonashi-san naturally became tired of waiting outside.

Unsurprisingly, mom concluded that the sudden appearance of Otonashi-san was the reason for my delinquency, and began to stare at her. To my surprise, Otonashi-san reacted with a soft smile and said the following:

"It's not like Kazuki was out enjoying the nightlife or partying. He was together with me the entire time until the morning. I didn't bring any other people to my room. We were completely alone, so please be at ease."

...that's just pouring oil on the fire in such a situation, isn't it?

My mom—still far from letting go of her children—froze so completely she almost seemed pitiful. Otonashi-san totally misunderstood the situation and continued with a frown, "...? As I said, Kazuki didn't go out anywhere and just slept in my room. That's totally acceptable, right? Aah, but I did have to get a bit rough, so my apologies."

Mom silently glanced at my wrist. The reddened marks left by the handcuffs still remained.

She collapsed at that point.

As Otonashi-san lept forward to hold her up, she finally understood with an "Aah!".

"I see. We are a boy and a girl in our teens, huh?"

"How can I face her from now on...?"

As I remember that scene, I sigh deeply.

"What are you talking about?"

"Huh? Didn't you say 'that was a failure' just now?"

"Yeah, I was talking about the motorcycle."

"The bike?"

Yeah, she's on a totally different page.

"I gave you a ride on the motorcycle, right? If I count Yuuhei Ishihara, that's technically two rides. That's what I'm referring to."

"Huh...? Why?"

"Try imagining what might have happened if 'Kazuki Hoshino' and 'Yuuhei Ishihara' switched places while riding. I wouldn't be surprised if you let go of my waist and fell, similar to how you were surprised by the handcuffs."

"Ah..."

So that's why she left the motorcycle in front of my home.

"By my standards, that's quite a careless failure... I'll be more careful from now on."

"Yeah. ...By the way, Otonashi-san. Could you tell me now what happened while you were with Yuuhei Ishihara?"

As soon as I ask—

"——"

Otonashi-san stops.

And looks at me.

Expressionlessly.

"Eh...?"

Why such a face?

She opens her mouth, still expressionless.

"I cannot tell you what happened."

"W-Wh—"

"Why? Didn't I tell you that already?" she explains and spits out her next few words with a cold look. "I won't trust you anymore."

She did tell me. I indeed remember those words. There's no way I'd forget. But—

"Isn't that no longer the case...?"

After all, there's no mystery anymore. Otonashi-san now understands the reason for my previously inexplicable behavior.

"Don't make assumptions. You still don't get it, do you? First off, Yuuhei Ishihara could have been lying. Maybe he does in fact have full access to your memories as 'Kazuki Hoshino,' and can use both of those personalities for his benefit."

"T-That's ridiculous!"

"Indeed, I might be overthinking things. But there's still no proof to the contrary."

"But—"

"Let's assume that Yuuhei Ishihara was completely honest about the characteristics of the box. Even so—"

Otonashi-san suddenly claps her hands, causing me to instinctively shut my eyes.

"Now assume that an identity swap occurred in that instant. I have no means to rule this out. So I would be talking to you as 'Kazuki Hoshino,' not realizing that you actually switched to being 'Yuuhei Ishihara.' We don't know when you switch identities, so I might inadvertently disclose an important plan to Yuuhei Ishihara. That's why it's dangerous for me to tell you everything—it's basically analogous to the situation with the motorcycle."

Indeed, that's right. ...But I am Kazuki Hoshino.

"Here's another example—you consider yourself 'Kazuki Hoshino,' right?"

"Of course I do!"

"But what if you were just someone who's convinced that he's Kazuki Hoshino?"

"That's im—"

"That's impossible" is what I was about to say, but then I stay silent.

What is there that proves I'm really "Kazuki Hoshino"? My appearance? My personality? My memory? But then what makes Yuuhei Ishihara "Yuuhei Ishihara"? After all, he also exists in the same body.

No, that's wrong.

I am Kazuki Hoshino. I'm not mistaken. I will absolutely not doubt this.

"That was just an example. Don't dwell too much on it. But Kazuki, you understand why I can't trust you, right? I have yet to comprehend this box—the Sevennight in Mud. Until then, I can't trust the personalities that dwell within you."

So when will she fully grasp this Sevennight in Mud and start trusting me again? Not while Yuuhei Ishihara dwells within me, right?

She doesn't trust me.

Even though Otonashi-san is supposedly my ally, my ally doesn't trust me.

The train station comes into view.

I halt.

"Why are you just standing there? There's not much time left before the train arrives."

"...why should I go to school?"

Being with Otonashi-san made me completely forget about that problem. Normally, I would of course go to school; no, even if I were involved in affairs that stood between me and my everyday life, I would still go just to express my defiance. As things currently stand, however, the more time I spend at school, the more I'm going to erode my by-this-point practically nonexistent place there.

"To collect information about Yuuhei Ishihara. There's no doubt that he is closely related to us. In the first place, only our school's students have contact with both you and me. The importance of collecting information from our school should be obvious."

"But there's no need for me to be present, is there...?"

"Your presence greatly modifies the prevailing conditions. Today is the last day of school before the long holiday. We mustn't let this opportunity escape," she says.

She said that in order to obtain the box, she doesn't care if my everyday life gets destroyed.

I misunderstood her. I had considered her an unconditional ally.

But that's not correct. I mean, Otonashi-san isn't working to help save me, but in order to find O and obtain a box.

So what am I to her? Most likely—

—just bait for O.

"...Kazuki, I understand that going to school must be depressing. But you realize that this is the optimal course of action, don't you? Refraining from action while aware of your options isn't like you," Otonashi-san says to me reprovingly.

Surely she's just pursuing her own goals.

Otonashi-san doesn't trust me.

However, since I'm not able to see Yuuhei Ishihara, or to directly oppose him, I need to depend on a supporter. And she's the only person who comes to mind.

To trust a supporter in this situation is effectively entrusting her with my life. I have no other choice but to blindly believe in her. If Otonashi-san wanted to ruin me, she could entrap me without difficulty.

"...what should I do at school?"

But still, she's the only supporter I have.

"Let's see, for example—"

She proposes various possibilities, all of which I agree to. As anticipated, she easily comes up with a number of effective plans, but her very facility is what I'm worried about if she... were to betray me.

"Do you also have something in mind?"

One thing occurs to me:

"How about changing what we call each other?"

"...What do you mean?"

"Instead of 'Otonashi-san', I'm going to call you 'Aya' from now on. Yuuhei Ishihara doesn't know that name, so he definitely won't call you that. Therefore, calling you 'Aya' proves that I'm 'me.' How does that sound?"

Otonashi-san remains quiet.

"Is this plan a nonstarter?"

"No... I think it's quite effective. Let's try it," she agrees, though still slightly displeased for some reason.

But still... 'Aya Otonashi', huh?

'Aya Otonashi' was the name of an illusion that doesn't exist within our everyday life.

Furthermore—it was once the name of my enemy.

Those were the thoughts that flashed through my mind at once.

May 2nd (Saturday) 08:11

I realize that the atmosphere turned frigid as soon as Otonashi-san and I entered the classroom.

Of course no one greets me.

Daiya's behavior I expect, but Haruaki doesn't say hi either. Kokone's seat is still empty. Maybe she's going to be absent today. ...Because of me? —Of course.

I guess even Otonashi-san did not expect me to be in such an awful position. She darts a sad glance at me. But then she pulls herself together, focuses on my classmates and claps her hands twice.

"Listen everyone!"

Our classmates' gazes focus on her immediately, probably because they were already paying attention to us.

"Does anyone know someone named 'Yuuhei Ishihara'?"

Upon hearing this, several students exchange suspicious looks.

Otonashi-san said that the probability is high that the owner would be one of my classmates. Since it wouldn't make sense to pursue control of an unknown person's body so far as to use a box for that purpose, I suppose she's probably right.

But isn't the owner the "Yuuhei Ishihara" dwelling within me? Or does she mean that another entity exists separately from him?

I don't really get it.

However, for the time being, I agree that just asking the class about the name 'Yuuhei Ishihara' is reasonably effective.

"Hey, you, what are you up to?" Miyazaki-kun addresses us while casting an awfully disdainful glance at me.

"You again? What? Do you know Yuuhei Ishihara?"

Miyazaki-kun sneers at us and replies with something unrelated to Otonashi-san's question. "You've got some nerve to still be together like this after what you've done."

What is he talking about?

I look at my other classmates. Anger dwells within their eyes. Their anger is probably the result of some form of righteous indignation.

In other words, they cannot forgive me for being together with Otonashi-san?.

"What's your excuse, Hoshino?"

I'm stuck since I don't know why they have a problem with us being together, and I can't ask about what Yuuhei Ishihara has done.

My only choice is to remain silent.

Miyazaki-kun reacts to my silence with a plastic sigh.

"Whatever. I won't broach this subject again! ...That's my view, anyway." Miyazaki-kun starts saying scornfully, "My mom's lover... ah, need some context? Yuuhei Ishihara is my mom's lover.."

He suddenly spit it out.

"...Miyazaki. Will you tell us more about Yuuhei Ishihara?"

"Whoa, whoa... surely you realize how hard it is for me to speak about him, right?"

"We have our reasons. Isn't my bringing up the name 'Yuuhei Ishihara' reason enough to tell me more?"

Miyazaki-kun frowns, but agrees ever so reluctantly with an "...okay, fine."

Because the subject is so delicate, he urges us to move to the corridor to continue the discussion.

"Well, it's not like I'm hiding anything—" With these words, Miyazaki-kun begins his tale.

His parents divorced during his first year of middle school because their feelings for each other had changed; both of them found new lovers and chose to live with them instead. His mother's new partner was Yuuhei Ishihara.

Miyazaki-kun's mother and father didn't want to bring him into their new households since he represented their old lives. They didn't rub it in, but it was impossible to hide, and Miyazaki-kun sensed their feelings.

He didn't know why his parents chose to split up and reject him, but as their son, the circumstances didn't matter: He had undoubtedly been betrayed in an almost unforgivable way.

Eventually, after some argument, his father took custody of him. But it was impossible for him to build a new household with his father and his father's new lover as well. After he refused to live with them, he began to live alone in an apartment during the second year of middle school, receiving only living expenses from his father.

During middle school, he considered himself to be the unluckiest person on earth; he was part of an unhappy family situation that might appear in cheap dramas, but is so seldom found in reality.

Therefore, he naturally bore a grudge against his parents, who were responsible for this situation, against his father's new lover, and against Yuuhei Ishihara.

"They should all just die if you ask me," Miyazaki-kun curses at them in an emotionless voice.

"I understand your feelings, but you shouldn't say such things."

"Why, thank you very much for your wisdom," Miyazaki replies with a sardonic laugh. "Have I said enough yet?"

"...Yes. Thank you for speaking with us about this delicate matter," Otonashi-san says.

"Heh, that's not like you."

"I was just thinking that you sure have your troubles, too."

"Thanks for the sympathy."

The bell rings.

"Okay, I'm returning to my seat. Oh, one more thing Hoshino—" As he enters the classroom, Miyazaki-kun looks at me for the first time since we started discussing Yuuhei Ishihara. "Don't get me wrong. Just because I answered Otonashi's questions doesn't mean that I accept what you've done. You've gone too far."

With these words, he walks to his seat.

The rest of the class favors him with smiles of approval for the vitriol he directed at me.

Most likely, he deliberately waited to say his piece so that everyone else heard him.

......That's just cruel.

I lie on my desk and cover my head with my arms.

"Kazuki, I'll return to my own classroom. You haven't forgotten what I told you on the way here, right? Give it a go."

I reluctantly raise my head, take my cell phone and send Otonashi-san a blank e-mail.

Otonashi-san checks for the e-mail and nods. I then erase it from my sent mail folder.

"Don't forget to send these e-mails during class!"

Send me an e-mail every 10 minutes—that was Otonashi-san's instruction.

This way, she's able to probe the process by which "I" and "Yuuhei Ishihara" switch back and forth.

After all, Yuuhei Ishihara isn't aware of what we're doing and won't send any blank e-mails.

Well, since we don't fully understand the Sevennight in Mud yet, this is hardly a reliable method.

"Still need anything?"

"Nope, Aya."

For just a second, Otonashi-san looks astonished, but she doesn't say anything and leaves the classroom.

I sigh.

...Yuuhei Ishihara is Miyazaki-kun's mother's lover? This is the person controlling my body? Somehow it doesn't make sense that a random adult would have any interest in taking over my identity.

Suddenly, my cell phone vibrates inside my pocket. I immediately take it out and open it. A new e-mail has arrived. I open my inbox.

The name 'Maria Otonashi' is displayed.

Hm, perhaps she forget to mention something? Or was there something she couldn't say out loud?

The e-mail contains a single phrase. It's a very simple phrase, probably written with the possibility that Yuuhei Ishihara might be in control in mind.

Be on guard.

Ah, I see.

Why has Miyazaki-kun been interfering with us since yesterday? One reason immediately comes to mind:

—Because Miyazaki-kun is an ally of "Yuuhei Ishihara".

His forceful approach may have been intended to keep "Yuuhei Ishihara" informed of our actions.

I mustn't take what Miyazaki-kun says at face value, since he might have ulterior motives. That must be what Otonashi-san was trying to convey with this e-mail.

However, while it's probably true that Yuuhei Ishihara is a completely different person than the "Yuuhei Ishihara" controlling me, I can't bring myself to discard everything Miyazaki-kun told us as nothing but lies. The feelings he demonstrated while speaking about his family situation seemed genuine.

I return my gaze to my cell phone and reread her simple e-mail.

Be distrustful.

...Ah, maybe she meant something else entirely. Maybe she didn't mean "be on guard" when it comes to Ryuu Miyazaki.

Instead, I must regard everything and everyone that way.

I can only discover what "Yuuhei Ishihara" has done while controlling my body by hearing about it from others. But I have no one else as an ally. Not Miyazaki-kun, Haruaki, Kokone, or Daiya, and not even Aya Otonashi is on my side.

I erase the e-mail. I'm supposed to immediately delete any e-mail from Otonashi-san.

I clench my fist.

"—Why."

Why don't I have a single ally when even Yuuhei Ishihara has one?

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