Shika Kagura discovered some strange items in her temporary room at Natsuya’s residence .
A laptop, that was normal… some manga and poker cards, those were normal as well .
But she also discovered the Monopoly board game, stuffed plushies, and drawing pencils used by young children… what was with these items?
The strangest item of them all was a sketchbook .
Inside was a drawing that was rather amateurish in skill .
There was a reddish-orange sun, a large house, and seven roughly drawn characters were standing together in a row .
Shika felt strange emotions well up within her when she saw this drawing .
As she inspected the seven figures, the sense of strangeness within her only kept growing .
Finally, her line of sight fell upon the tall boy and petite girl in the center of the rough sketch .
They were smiling while holding onto each other’s hand .
Even though it was only an amateurish sketch, it felt… so blissful .
Bliss?
‘Why… am I able to feel bliss?’
Shika slowly held her hand over her chest .
Her current feelings were indescribable for her .
She kept staring at these two characters .
‘Who drew this? Who are the people in these drawing?’
She was suddenly possessed by a strong desire to find out .
At this moment, someone knocked on the door .
Shika turned around to see who it was .
"I’m here to deliver your lunch; may I enter?" a gentle female voice asked on the other side of the door .
"…Please enter . "
‘I’m being imprisoned under house arrest, right? Why is she being so polite with me?’ Shika wondered .
A girl with a light smile and a gentle look in her eyes entered the room carrying a tray in her hands . She was wearing black-and-white maid attire .
Shika didn’t know who she was, but this girl felt vaguely familiar .
‘That’s right—the drawing!’
She hurriedly turned around to look at the sketch again . Shika noticed a smiling girl wearing black-and-white clothing in the drawing; the girl resembled the maid who was currently in front of her .
Was this… her?
She picked up the sketchbook and turned around again to compare the two .
Mai Houjou had just placed the tray on the table when she noticed that Shika had picked up the sketchbook and was looking in her direction .
That sketchbook was…
The maid blinked as her smile deepened .
She had already received an order from her master, Natsuya, to keep tight-lipped about the events which had happened over the past two days .
Since Mai was a highly intelligent person, she quickly realized the reasons behind this order .
Personally, Mai didn’t particularly agree with this course of action .
That cute junior of hers was likely making a silly mistake with this .
Even though she didn’t agree, since it was her master’s order, she would obey .
But the degree to which she obeyed was up to her .
"My apologies, I should have cleaned up these items," Mai said as she walked over to Shika . "These items may be bothering you, so I’ll clean them up right now . "
She reached out to the sketchbook as she spoke .
Shika suddenly retracted her hand, preventing Mai from taking the sketchbook .
‘Why did I just do that?’ she wondered immediately after .
An indescribable light flashed in Mai’s eyes as she witnessed Shika’s reaction .
"You… would you like to keep this?"
The black-haired girl nodded slowly .
"Why is that? I heard that you’ve already forgotten the past two days’ events," Mai said calmly .
Hearing this, Shika felt as if a light bulb had suddenly turned on in her mind .
"This is… something I used… from when I had amnesia?"
That’s right—she should have thought of this long ago .
‘Why didn’t I think of it? The answer was so obvious . ’
Shika looked back towards the sketchbook .
This was something that she used . This was something that she sketched .
‘Why did I sketch this? Why did I use drawing pencils typically used by young children and draw at the level of a young child?‘
‘Those plushies… did I play with those? Monopoly, poker cards… those aren’t typically one-player games; was someone playing together with me?’
Various doubts surfaced in Shika’s mind .
Various doubts surfaced in Shika’s mind .
Finally, she remembered Seigo Harano… no, Seiji Haruta’s smile .
‘He was the one taking care of you while you had amnesia . ’ Shika recalled Natsuya’s words as her mind worked at full speed .
Shika suddenly felt something erupting inside her brain, causing her to tremble .
Those were… hazy, unfocused scenes .
She was saying something to a tall figure who exuded a warm, comfortable aura .
That person was smiling at her while patting her gently on the head with a large hand .
It was so warm .
It felt so reliable .
It felt so comfortable .
It was so… reassuring .
Her vision turned hazy in real life as well .
Something wet poured down her eyes .
Shika regained her senses and abruptly noticed that her face was tear-streaked and wet .
‘What’s… going on? Why… am I…’
There was a tight and painful feeling in her chest .
It was impossible for her to control her tears .
Even though she decided long ago that she would never cry again .
‘But why… am I…’
The black-haired girl hugged the sketchbook and sobbed without making a sound .
Mai’s smile turned incredibly gentle upon witnessing this scene .
"Kagura-san, are you expressing sadness?"
Sadness . . . that wasn’t it .
Shika had no idea about what emotions she was currently experiencing . All she knew was that everything was a chaotic swirl .
Was this sadness? Pain? Discomfort?
It felt like none of the above .
Then what was it, exactly?
"You’re crying, but it isn’t a pained expression . . . I feel like you’re experiencing nostalgia," the maid said in a gentle voice .
Nostalgia?
‘I’m being nostalgic . . . about something that happened? Something in the past?’
‘I’m being nostalgic . . . about something that happened? Something in the past?’
The hazy scenes in Shika’s mind suddenly increased in number .
Shika closed her eyes .
The most distant, warm feeling in her innermost self was . . .
It was snowing outside .
The room was very warm .
There was a bright and colorful anime program playing on the television .
She was watching and laughing while sitting on a sofa .
There was a tall figure accompanying her by her side .
She looked at him and said something .
He smiled gently and said, "Shika-chan . . . "
‘Brother . . . ’
Shika finally remembered .
The deepest memory within her . A warm, blissful feeling .
She had long since forgotten, or perhaps it should be said that she purposefully sealed off her most valuable memory .
She carefully locked it away in the deepest recesses of her heart and intended to never open it again .
That was because she felt that she didn’t deserve that type of bliss .
That was because she needed to get used to living painfully in isolation .
That’s why she could only say farewell to these blissful memories and forget them .
However . . .
A certain person caused her to remember again .
A certain person caused her to feel it again .
That blissful feeling that she thought she’d never possess again .
The scene in her mind gradually changed .
In this memory, she was seated inside the room she was currently in .
She was in the midst of drawing the sketch that she was currently holding .
Footsteps sounded from behind her .
She turned around and smiled as she called out to him .
He also smiled at her in a sincere fashion that showed he truly cared for her .
The hazy face became clear .
He also smiled at her in a sincere fashion that showed he truly cared for her .
The hazy face became clear .
It was . . . Seiji Haruta’s face .
"Shika-chan . . . "
"I’m right here, and I won’t be going anywhere . "
"How about I teach you how to draw?"
"It’s just . . . a dream . "
"I won’t leave Shika-chan behind . . . "
"Good night, Shika-chan . . . "
"I’m delighted . . . that you’re awake, Shika Kagura . "
It was him .
He took care of her and accompanied her .
Like a real brother would .
He accepted her childish behavior, spoiled her, cared for her . . . and finally, said farewell to her .
Shika Kagura finally realized it .
At that moment .
Just why he had been sad .
She felt bliss from him again .
But she had forgotten him .
He didn’t say anything .
All he did was smile .
He endured his pain in silence as he smiled for her .
"I just… was a little sad for a different reason… unrelated to you . So don’t think too much about it . . . "
‘It’s wonderful that you’re awake . It’s fine as long as you’re alright . ’
‘You don’t need to worry about me . My sadness has nothing to do with you . ’
Shika understood everything now .
Her tears dripped down onto the sketchbook she was holding .
‘I’m sorry . . . ’
Her soul’s whisper seemed to dissipate into the wind .
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