Confinement EP.39
Hoshino, who discovered my corpse not long after
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Upon seeing my body, she slowly approached and embraced it.
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Trembling, not caring that blood was staining her clothes
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Like that time, she quietly burst into tears while calling my name pitifully.
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And seeing her like that, I said nothing.
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No, I couldn't.
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It's not because of what she just said.
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It's not that I have nothing to say either...
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...It's just that seeing her like this...
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If I had died in the desert that day, would this not have happened....
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That's all I could think.
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"...I guess I'm not Sora (empty) after all...."
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"Yeah. I understand. Let me know if you need any help."
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"...."
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A day had passed since Sora went home.
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Sensei called to talk about Sora's future, given her limited time, but,
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"Don't tell me... Hoshino...."
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"Sorry, Sensei.... I'm being confined."
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Apparently, she was forbidden from going out.
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As her teacher, Sensei could somewhat understand Hoshino's reasoning.
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She's a child who almost died every time, so it's only natural for her older sister to worry.
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However,
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"Sora... Is she okay...?"
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The problem was that Sora was now living on borrowed time.
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It would be right to tell Hoshino the truth, but,
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"Please.... Please don't tell my sister. I have a way...."
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Sora's pleading words made it impossible for Sensei to choose to reveal the truth.
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As a teacher, Sensei had to trust the students.
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"Still, isn't there anything...."
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Sensei believed in Sora, but still wanted to offer even the smallest bit of help.
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'If it's a chance to talk.... Should I get amusement park tickets...? No, Sora's body is weak....'
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"Huh? What's this...."
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"An aquarium?"
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*
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"....Someone saves me."
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It was the second day of my confinement.
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But for some reason, I looked like I'd been confined for half a year.
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It wasn't because Hoshino wouldn't listen to me.
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Only two days had passed, so I didn't expect her to listen yet.
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That wasn't the problem.
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"Cough...! Ah.... It's happening again...."
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My physical condition was worse than I thought.
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Ever since I was confined, breathing became increasingly difficult, and now I was coughing up blood once a day.
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I told Hoshino it was nothing.
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Just simple insomnia.
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I'd been coughing up blood in the toilet until now....
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Honestly, I thought it was only a matter of time before she found out.
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So I had to convince Hoshino somehow....
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"She's not even considering listening...."
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It seemed she had made up her mind this time, as she wasn't even considering my pleas.
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Maybe she didn't care if I hated her; she just wouldn't let me go.
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"Ugh.... What should I do?"
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At this rate, I felt like I'd live out my remaining days in this house....
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Ding
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"...What's this...? Oh, Sensei sent something."
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"...Aquarium.... Tickets?"
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The message said Sensei would send aquarium tickets and suggested having a leisurely conversation there.
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"...Not bad...."
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An aquarium filled with sea creatures that Hoshino loved.
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Surely, her heart would soften a bit there.
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Then there might be a slight chance to convince her.
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"...But how do I suggest it?"
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Confined like this,
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There's no way she'd listen if I said, "Let's go to the aquarium!"
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"Hmm...."
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"Ugh.... I don't know. My head hurts...."
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My head ached from worrying too much.
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"...Should I just sleep and think about it tomorrow...."
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No good ideas were coming to mind,
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And the aquarium tickets Sensei sent were valid until next week anyway.
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There was no need to bring it up today.
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"Yawn...."
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In the end, unable to withstand the headache and fatigue, I went to sleep.
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"...Don't tell me I'm waking up to another unfamiliar ceiling?"
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*
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"...Well, at least it's not an unfamiliar ceiling."
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It's a desert, though.
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"Haaa...."
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"Sighing as soon as you arrive? Isn't that a bit much?"
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"I went out of my way to make forget reality for once."
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"...."
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"So, you're going to keep doing that, huh?"
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Seeing my expressionless, deadpan face, she shrugged and said,
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"Well, it doesn't matter."
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"It's enough for me that you see another future."
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"...."
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'She has bad taste....'
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"Oh, and a heads-up. You should brace yourself for this future."
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"Even if you don't remember, you won't want to even think about meat for a while."
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With that, she started walking across the desert.
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And against my will, I started following her.
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"...Oh, right, right. You've got one thing wrong, you know?"
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"...?"
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'Wrong? What does she mean?'
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"You know, you think the black suit might have a way to restore your halo, right?"
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"But unfortunately, the black suit can't give you your halo back."
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"....What are you talking about...."
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I couldn't help but ask her.
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The black suit was the reason I ended up like this, so it didn't make sense that they had no solution.
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"Oh? The reason your halo disappeared is."
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"Because I locked up Yume."
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