CH 59

Chapter 59. [The Real And The Fake]

My mom took me to the hospital, but I didn’t have anything special to do.

The doctor was aghast and said, “Not again,” so she just gave me an intravenous drip and move on.

Finally, I was alone in my room and faced the computer.

I scrolled through the image data on the screen.

My hand stopped at the last page with only text.

I could already read it easily.

“Haha.’ I found myself a different person’? My memory is fuzzy’? ‘The world is different from before’? ‘I wrote down as much as I could remember in the language of the time’? ‘I hope to be reunited with someone who can read this’?…… That’s ridiculous.”

It must be some cognitive impairment or a black history notebook from a Chuunibyou.

That’s it. It must be so. That’s why.

“Is this the world I used to live in?”

Such a question should be meaningless.

I couldn’t stop thinking about the question that should be meaningless.

***

[Iroha-chan. Hey, are you okay? If you don’t mind, I was wondering if you could talk to Mai.]

“Sorry, I don’t want to talk to anyone right now.”

Mai’s voice echoed through the door.

I pull the covers over my head and try to block it out.

I’ve been asleep ever since I read the Voynich Manuscript.

Well, that’s not quite the right word. I haven’t slept a wink.

This world might be a fake.

The fear was tremendous.

It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be. Because if that were the case…

“Ugh ………!?”

I crawled out of bed and clung to the trash can.

“Oww.”

But my stomach’s content has already been vomited.

There was only a faint drip of gastric juice.

[Iroha-chan! Are you okay? Please, open this door! Is Mai not good enough? I don’t know if Mai can help you, Iroha-chan!]

“Hey, Mai.”

[What, Iroha-chan?]

“Mai, do you think I’m real?”

[What are you talking about? Of course, you’re real!]

“…I see. I’m sorry, I can’t talk to Mai after all.”

[Tsu!………Oh, haha. Well, that’s right. Mai sorry too…]

Her footsteps are leaving.

I can hear Ah-nee’s voice when I pass by.

[Mai was crying. To be honest, we don’t know why Iroha-chan is so frightened and in pain. If you don’t talk to us and we won’t give you anything, I can’t help you. Hey, if you want, you can talk to me?]

“Sorry.”

[I know, I know. But you should at least eat your dinner. Iroha mama is very worried about you. She’s so tired that it makes me feel sorry for her.]

“I know, but even if I eat, I’ll throw up. That makes it even harder.”

[I see. We’re waiting for you. If you get the courage, just let us know.]

“Hey, A-nee.”

[Hmm?]

I felt her trying to leave.

I suddenly called out to her.

I’m aware that my mind is very unstable right now.

I know I’m about to say something I don’t want to say, but I just—.

“Ah-nee is the real Ah-nee, right? You’re not a stranger, are you?”

[…What are you talking about? I’m not a fake.]

“But! You don’t know that! Where’s the proof that you’re real?”

[Iroha, chan?]

“…… I’m sorry. I’m saying crazy things. Please leave me alone for now.”

The footsteps leave the room, and the room is filled with silence.

I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve heard such a long silence.

I had always heard VTubers’ voices in my room.

Not only when I was awake, but even when I went to bed, I had ASMR on.

“Someone …….”

I clutched at my smartphone as if asking for help.

I launch the app and try to watch the VTuber’s stream. But.

“Ugh… Oe… Why, why oh why…”

The illusion that my vision was distorted.

I couldn’t even look directly at it.

Was the world ever this unstable?

It was as if everything had changed completely.

“No, no… I’m the one who has changed.”

This world had been like this from the beginning.

I didn’t realize it.

I was at my limit.

At that moment, my smartphone shook and started playing music.

It was the ringtone I had set individually.

It was my favorite original song.

It had been a long time since I had heard this song.

<<Moshi moshi>>

<<Iroha, how are you?>>

<<Ogu…>>

I couldn’t get the words out of there.

I’m begging you. Please, someone, please, please help me…

<<…Okay>>

Angu Ogu said in a clear tone.

I let out a voice, “Huh?”

<<“I heard it.” I help Iroha>>

The phone went dead.

It switched to a busy tone.

And the next morning.

I opened the door to my room, thinking I should drink water, and there she was.

“I’m here to help you, Iroha!”

Angu Ogu was standing there.