Volume 1 - CH 4.2

Doppelgängers, bad perception of the environment, and also, lack of memory──

Although there were many unsolvable problems, Haruki can’t keep himself thinking about them. The time to go to school is getting closer.

Sayaka’s problem is not something that can be solved immediately, nor is there any guarantee that it can be solved. That’s why now, all Haruki can do is eat breakfast as usual, get ready, and go to school with Sayaka.

But, when it was time to go to school, a certain problem arose.

「Get away from Haa-chan, faker! The only one who can hug Haa-chan is Sayaka!」

「I-I’m not, fake… Sayaka too, it’s Sayaka…」

The two Sayaka began to fight for the usual position, and Haruki became unable to move. With this, they are not even close to being able to go to school.

On the other hand, the way to distinguish between the one on the right and the left just now naturally fluctuates depending on the position of the two.

For that reason, for his convenience, Haruki decided to think of the Sayaka who has a strong tonality as Sayaka (サヤカ) and the Sayaka who has a delicate demeanor as Sayaka (さやか).

「Umn, you two… Can’t the three of us go to school together?」

「「No! Impossible!」」

Haruki indirectly asked for peace, but they both rejected his request in unison.

For Haruki, it wasn’t bad at all to be arm-in-arm by the two on the way to school either… No, he felt that he had no other choice.

「So, one of you can stay in the house… No, will that be okay? I wonder if the roll call is also for both of you…」

The two Sayaka don’t seem to care about Haruki’s doubt.

「Now, now! Sayaka will go with Haruki!」

「N-No, Sayaka will go, I’d rather be with Haa-chan…」

While insisting on such things, the two cling to Haruki’s arms.

Indeed, a flower in each hand. Haruki’s body rose in temperature at the same softness transmitted from both arms.

「Then, let’s decide in a duel which one will go to school with Haa-chan. Sayaka, definitely won’t lose!」

「S-Sayaka too… I definitely won’t lose.」

「Then, let’s see who knows the most about Haa-chan! The first question is what is the color of today’s pantsu (underwear).」

「W-Wait, time out! Embarrassing things are prohibited! And besides, it doesn’t seem like there’s any use in you competing forever…」

As expected, when Haruki intervenes, both of them puffed out their cheeks with a ‘Muu’.

「Then what should we do? And also, they’re black today, aren’t they, Haa-chan?

「How do you really know?… For now, let the duel be something normal like rock scissors paper. Because we don’t have time left.」

「…Mmn, I understand.」

First, Sayaka slowly pulls away from Haruki’s arm.

「Sayaka, will definitely win… I will win, I will definitely go to school, with Haa-chan…」

「Haa? What presumptuous things are you saying?」

Sayaka also lets go of Haruki’s arm.

「You are just a faker, the one who goes to school together with Haa-chan, is the Sayaka here.」

「Just for going to school, it’s a terribly brutal situation…」

Haruki’s muttering also did not reach the two Sayaka, who were standing facing each other.

The two of them were already working hard on their own ways of concentrating to win the rock scissors paper game, which they absolutely cannot afford to lose. Sayaka looks into her clasped hands, while Sayaka mutters something with her eyes closed.

「In any case, why did things turn to this situation?」

The cause of Sayaka splitting in two, and Sayaka and Haruki’s family accepting that as if it were a matter of course.

It’s like the world itself has been rewritten…

──Do you remember   here?

Suddenly, a familiar scene comes to Haruki’s mind.

It’s the continuation of the new dream that he saw while he was sleeping──The scene of a girl who seems to be Sayaka leading him by the hand and moving through the city like a dim illusion. Eventually, the two of them got somewhere, but not knowing where that was, Haruki greeted the morning.

Why did he remember that dream now…?

Only uncertain thoughts increase. He doesn’t know why, but it’s like he can’t help but think about the scenery and the girl he sees in his dreams day after day. Haruki found himself with a tight knot in his chest, unable to untie it properly.

「「First goes, jan ken──pon!」」

The Sayaka’s voices echo, and Haruki is suddenly snapped back to reality.

As for the result of the duel, it seems that Sayaka had won. The Sayaka who lost was teary-eyed and frustrated, but since it was about staying in Haruki’s room, she was somewhat happy and immediately dived into the bed.

On the other hand, the Sayaka who has supposedly won the rock scissors paper game looks enviously at Sayaka, who is on top of the bed showing an ecstatic expression. However, after a few moments, she clings to Haruki’s arm and with a ‘Beh’, she stuck her tongue out somewhat annoyed.

Although there were twists and turns, Haruki, who managed to reach the school just in time, persuaded Sayaka, who did her tantrum as usual, and escorted her to her classroom.

At that moment, when he casually glanced at Sayaka’s classroom, he was able to confirm that there was clearly one more seat.

According to Sayaka, who visited Haruki during break as usual, the abnormally increased seat was also hers. On top of that, it seems that her name was called twice during the roll call, but no student seemed to find it strange.

──As I thought, it’s strange. The world has become a place where it’s natural for there to be two Sayaka.

If you take it positively, you’ll have a flower in each hand, but Haruki also had doubts if it’s something he should sincerely be happy about. That said, it’s also unclear how to get things back to normal…

「Haa-chan, Haa-chan!」

Sayaka’s high-pitched voice brought Haruki back to his senses.

「Eh, what? What’s wrong?」

「That’s Sayaka’s line. Haa-chan, even though you’re eating with Sayaka, you remains in daze.」

Saying that, Haruki remembered that he had come to the cafeteria. Sayaka has already eaten more than half of her stir-fried vegetable dish, but Haruki’s nanban chicken dish has barely dwindled.

「I was just thinking about something.」

Haruki says as to keep up appearances and grabs the chopsticks again.

「Thinking, about what?」

「That is, about things like the two Sayaka. Like why you divided in two.」

「Really?」

「Really. What are you so suspicious of?」

「I kind of felt like, you weren’t thinking about Sayaka, but another girl.」

「Another girl?」

「Yesterday, the girl from the infirmary.」

「Uh… No, no way.」

As he denies it, Haruki puts some of the chicken and rice in his mouth as if to make a pause.

With the girl from the infirmary, she probably means Yuuki. Haruki hasn’t seen her since today’s morning, so she seems to be absent from school.

Therefore, Haruki thought that he wouldn’t have to go through any feelings of discomfort, but he never expected that Sayaka would bring up that topic.

「You can’t, Haa-chan. If you think of that girl.」

「No, I didn’t think about her. Besides, yesterday was a misunderstanding too, rather, nothing really happened with Senzaki-san.」

「If you get involved with that girl, it’s not right. It’s not right.」

「Eh?」

Haruki was a bit concerned with how Sayaka emphasized what she said.

Being jealous by nature, she tends to dislike anyone who tries to get along with Haruki, but this time she seemed to go a little too far in regards to Yuuki. Maybe that’s how serious the betrayal of trust was from yesterday’s incident.

「It’s okay, Sayaka.」

Haruki tries to make his voice as friendly as possible and says,

「Because no matter what, I won’t leave your side, Sayaka. You can rest at ease about that.」

Haruki gently extends his hand and gently strokes Sayaka’s head.

With just that, Sayaka’s stern gaze suddenly softened.

「Yes. Thank you, Haa-chan.」

Her face breaks into a big satisfied smile.

「Haa-chan, let’s go home together today.」

「Isn’t that the usual thing.」

「Yesterday, it wasn’t like that.」

「You’re right about that. But yesterday, it was because Sayaka went home first, right? Why did you go home alone? Don’t you really remember anything…」

「It’s a promise, Haa-chan. It’s a promise.」

Without answering Haruki’s question, Sayaka continued to eat the rest of her food with a smile on her face.

Haruki wasn’t satisfied that she evaded his question, but he decided to consider the simple fact that Sayaka’s mood has recovered as a benefit.