Prove Your Eternal Love. There Shall Be No Heroine Correction. - Chapter 3 Part 4

September 12th, Sunday. While putting on my shoes at the entrance, I reread the message from Aogashima-san.

『Aika said she’s coming』

I received the message last night, shortly after I finished my call with Minagi. She said that she had made an appointment to come to the first conference room at 8:00 a.m., but she had not yet discussed the details with me. I was about to leave at that time, too.

By the way, I heard that Kuroiwa has already completed her course. And Aogashima-san has one thing left. Then there were my memories. I was so busy as a committee member that I was not able to put my stamp on the course, so there were three stamps left. One of them, the one with Minagi, was taken by Yuyo, and the one with Aogashima-san was stolen by Kuroiwa. Nagisa has two left, and her memories from the Fuyo Festival were stolen as well.

Well, if Kuroiwa was willing to turn herself in, she would return the stamps. How optimistic, I thought, tapping my toe in front of the door.

『Shirase-kun. Have you left home yet?』

『I’m just leaving now』

I replied to the message that I had just received, and opened the door as usual—

“Good morning. Shirase-kun.”

“…Yes?”

Aogashima-san’s figure burst into view, and I stiffened for a moment.

“Eh. No, why is Aogashima-san in a place like this?”

“Not ‘in a place like this’. This is Shirase-kun’s precious home.”

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“…No, was it?”

Aogashima-san, with her bag behind her back, blinked and tilted her head. I quickly broke our eye contact and gave her the clichéd answer.

“…No. Because I rejected you.”

I was looking back at my message exchange with Aogashima-san last night. On the day she confessed her feelings for me, the exchange of words that began with “Best regards from now on” gradually grew more and more intimate, albeit somewhat indifferent — but at some point, there was nothing but administrative communication.

I could not tell from the messages how far our relationship had developed. But we remained not lovers. Eventually, Nagisa and I became attracted to each other and I decided to choose her.

“…Indeed, yes. But would you normally disrespect a friend who has come all the way to pick you up?”

Awkwardly, but without retreating. Aogashima-san stood next to me, insisting that this was the natural place for him to be.

“How did you find out my address in the first place? Had you been here before?”

As I begin to walk away, I quickly realized that this was a foolish question. If such a fact existed, it would have disappeared from Aogashima-san’s memory. But she answered without hesitation.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been to Shirase-kun’s house…As far as I read my diary.”

“Ah, I see. You have it written in your diary.”

A record of the past she was reading on the roof yesterday. A backup of memories that would have been conquered by sad memories that would have made her determined to forget me.

“The diary contained so many thoughts and feelings for you.”

“I see. …Hey, Aogashima-san. What kind of relationship did you and I have?”

A cold wind blew. Aogashima-san went silent, holding the ribbon. After a long period of silence.

“If I told you we were dating, would you believe me?”

“…I don’t believe it.”

“What if I told you that I got caught up in the mood and kissed you once?”

“…I don’t believe it.”

“What if I told you I once held your hand?”

“…I don’t believe it.”

“Then don’t ask me.”

Aogashima-san turned away as if in a huff. Looking at her bright red ears, I felt my heart beating. My heart was pounding. I imagined holding hands with her, kissing her. I could imagine it. That was enough to make my love for her flood out of my body, and I quickly put a lid on it.

“…Sorry. So how did you end up finding out where I live?”

“Did you read the messaging app carefully? Shirase-kun sent the address. It has to do with receiving materials for an exhibit that we bought by mail order.”

“Oh, I see. But you know, I think there is a big difference between knowing the address and actually coming. Do you have anything to say about that?”

Aogashima-san opened her mouth like a selfish child to my question, “Because.”

“…I’ll forget about Shirase-kun. I’ve already forgotten about you, but once the game is over, even this feeling will disappear. That’s why I wanted to be with you, even just a little, for the last time.”

“…Then, well.”

She was, after all, not trying to hide her fondness. So I definitely have to hide my fondness for her. If I ever told her, she would never give up on me.

In the end, I was the most selfish one.

I don’t want Aogashima-san to erase her memories. But I want her to give up on me. It was irresponsible to an impossible degree. But that was how I feel, that was the right process, and that was what Kuroiwa wanted too.

She doesn’t have to forget.

I thought I would tell her. That I had a flash of inspiration yesterday, the Remember Rally strategy. If I do that, she might change her mind. Without the push of “someone needs to forget,” she might be more onboard than I thought. But Nagisa’s face was in my mind and I couldn’t tell her.

It was a horrible contradiction.

What should I do? I was still not sure, but I tried to shift the topic a little and get closer to the main issue.

“Oh, and by the way, thank you for getting in touch with Kuroiwa.”

“…It’s nothing.”

Aogashima-san’s response was not very positive. Does she still have some concerns?

“Did you get into some kind of trouble?”

“I’m not in trouble. I’ve only told you the bare minimum. …I don’t know what Aika is thinking anymore.”

“What do you mean? Kuroiwa is doing this for you—”

“SHI—RASE—!!”

The town echoed with the energetic shout that drowned out my words all morning long. It was the appearance of Akikusa Yuuhi, a young boy with a surplus of physical strength. Ah, I see, Minagi’s neighborhood was close to mine.

When I turned around, Yuyo was almost there. Just as I braced myself, he tackled me with all his might and I nearly collapsed, but Aogashima-san quickly took my hand and supported me.

“…A-Are you okay?”

“T-Thank you, Aogashima-san. You saved me.”

Recognizing our joined hands, I tried to shake them off in a hurry, but I think it was rude to be rude to the person who helped me, so I end up just staring at our connection. This was not good.

“Heh heh, Shirase, you’re cheating!”

“N-No, this is an accident that couldn’t be prevented because of you! Hey, don’t take pictures!”

I hastily let go of the hand I had joined with Aogashima-san and seriously chase after Yuyo, who was running away. With the difference in the reach of my arms and legs, I managed to make the scandalous photo disappear.

In the end, we both headed for the station, out of breath and glaring at each other with Aogashima-san in between us.

“Hey, Shirase! You have Nagisa-san, so don’t be with women all the time. Especially that one, that blonde pony-tailed lascivious girl!”

“…Lascivious girl.”

Perhaps caught up in Yuyo’s words, Aogashima-san repeated them in a cryptic tone.

“I can’t help it, my friendships are skewed in terms of gender ratio.”

“Then hang out with more boys to reassure Nagisa-san.”

“Don’t be absurd…”

“Shirase-kun is a loner.”

A mysterious follow-up. Apparently, she also had the knowledge that I was mostly a loner. I wish I could have forgotten that.

“Haa, I guess that’s one way of putting it. S-So, Aogashima-san? You like Shirase, don’t you?”

Wow, this boy was really dropping bombs all of a sudden. He was a bit like Sakuma in that way. But Aogashima-san doesn’t seem to mind and continued the conversation normally.

“…Yes. So first, I want him to cheat. And I wanted you to send me that picture you just took.”

“No problem. It looked like I erased it, but it’s backed up in the cloud.

“I thought you erased that. What do you mean ‘backed up’? Don’t do that.”

“Then show me the picture now.”

“I like that! It’s hard proof. Yah, this is the end of the line for Shirase.”

“Hey, Yuyo, don’t try to break the ice between me and Nagisa.”

“I don’t intend to do that. I just don’t like the idea of you becoming my relative if I marry Minagi.”

“…Don’t say that with a blush on your face.”

I know you’re embarrassed to death to say you’re marrying your current girlfriend.

“Don’t worry, Shirase-kun. It’s all a joke. I know that the only one who should be in the way…is me.”

Aogashima-san mumbled softly as she gazed at the high sky as if she was seeing something there. Yuyo tapped me silently on the shoulder from behind. But I had nothing to say.

When we got off the train, we were just in time. Aogashima-san said, “Sorry, I’m in a hurry,” and tried to go ahead of me. I followed her.

“You don’t have to come, Shirase-kun. …This is between me and Aika.”

After saying that, she left at a quick pace. Yuyo and I, who were left behind, looked at each other for a while. We wondered what stance we should take and how we should talk to each other.

“Ah, by the way, Yuyo. That was an odd coincidence. Even though we are in the same neighborhood, I never thought we would meet at that time of the day.”

“What? Of course, I was waiting for you. To declare war on you.”

Yuyo looked up at me in frustration and glared at me. I knew he was not sorry at all.

“I see. So why did you want to take away my memories?”

“I’m not gonna tell you.”

“Did you really have to take away my memories?”

“Yes. I need…your memories and mine. If I don’t, I won’t get what I came for.”

For a moment, Yuyo looked terribly distressed. I had thought he was fine from the way he looked in the morning, but upon closer inspection, his face lacked any life. I wondered if he was sleep-deprived… However, I feel that expressing my concern to him was rather counterproductive, so I continued talking about the game.

“If that purpose is fulfilled, won’t you give it back to me?”

“Of course. I don’t like the fact that you remember Minagi.”

“But Yuyo, you were scolded by Minagi yesterday. You shouldn’t steal from others.”

“…What? How did you know?”

“I heard it on the phone.”

“…Stop it.”

Yuyo was getting grumpier. There was no one here now to admonish him.

“Come to think of it, why isn’t Minagi with you?”

“She’s running an errand, so she’ll be late. Too bad you won’t be able to see your beloved ex-girlfriend.”

“What are you talking about? You’re attacking me more than you did yesterday.”

Yuyo seemed to be in some kind of a rough spot. He seemed to be severely offended by my line, so he jumped in front of me and stood in front of me, grabbed me by the collar, and yanked me downwards with a jerk.

“Of course I am!”

Yuyo’s voice was shaky.

“…Any normal person would feel bad if they heard she was in contact with an ex-boyfriend.”

Ahhh — I gasped. That was natural.

I was unaware of it. I had never thought about it. Moreover, he had no memories of Minagi right now. Rather, what he has was a memory of me and Minagi.

“…Sorry. Right, I was insensitive.”

Yuyo took his hand away from mine, gave me a complicated look, then turned over and hesitantly opened his mouth.

“I like Minagi-san. But when the memories of Minagi-san disappeared, what remained was a very difficult feeling. I feel that I like Minagi-san…well, I feel like we aren’t really lovers yet.”

“That’s not true.”

I denied it, groundlessly.

Yesterday, Minagi was suffering from a similar problem.

If there was a meaning to the memories that are layered on top of each other. I wondered if the result of removing them was really the truth.

“Shirase Suguru. It’s a match. I’m going to beat you and become a man on par with Minagi.”

“…Okay. I’ll accept it.”

“Listen, Shirase? I’ll get to the table game club before you and put my stamp on it. And I don’t care if you become a completely different Shirase Suguru. I won’t even take responsibility. Is that all right with you?”

That was fine, well, not really. But I was ready.

“Yeah, that’s what I want.”

I couldn’t look away from those serious eyes of his.

“Absolutely, no hard feelings, and I don’t care if you regret it, okay?”

Yuyo was about to walk through the school gate with me, then—

“Sorry, general visitors are not allowed in yet.”

—He was stopped by the receptionist.

“R-R-Remember, Shirase──!

Yuyo shouted behind me as I enter the school without hesitation. I didn’t expect someone to say that nowadays. I turned around and answered with a taunting look.

“Yeah, if only I could remember.”

After they took my memories recently, I don’t know what to expect anymore. I couldn’t say that I won’t ever forget. Akikusa Yuyo seemed to like such a playful reply and smiled carefree, “Haha, what’s that?”