One obstacle after another... 5
I finally managed to enter a state of dialogue.
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My expression was still sour as if I had pent-up resentment to unleash, but even getting to this point was fortunate.
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"Sniff, tell me..."
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"Well, you see-"
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Sensei, having received my permission, began passionately defending his innocence.
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He went on about how I shouldn't wander around alone at night, shouldn't sleep in storage rooms, and other obvious things.
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But why didn't he follow those obvious rules himself? What was I supposed to do when I didn't know what might happen to me?
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Whether I wander alone at night or sleep in a storage room, both are safer and more comfortable for me than being with Sensei.
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Still, listening to him, it seemed like he didn't do the things I thought he did.
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Watching Sensei spill out his words frantically, my tears eventually stopped flowing.
My emotions seemed to have calmed down somewhat.
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"It's fine now... I understand that I misunderstood..."
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"Y-you do? Then, how about some breakfast..."
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"I'll just eat at home."
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Ah.
Now that I think about it, there was no food at home.
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Cucumber?
That's not food.
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"Still, wouldn't it be better to have breakfast before you go?"
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Ugh...
I want to get away from Sensei as quickly as possible, but my empty fridge is holding me back.
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"Well, then-"
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So, we went to Schale's convenience store.
The icon said 'shop', but Sora called it a convenience store, so it's probably fine.
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Even though Sensei had explained himself, the awkward atmosphere hadn't completely dissipated.
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The convenience store wasn't far, but the atmosphere made it feel much further.
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Somehow, managing to keep my mouth shut, I walked with Sensei to the convenience store.
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"W-w-welcome! ...Sensei!"
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As soon as the door opened, I heard that line, which I had heard countless times in the game, spoken in that voice, now in reality.
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Sora greeted Sensei while sweating profusely.
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"Hello to you too, Nito!"
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Nito?
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I looked around.
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"Why, Nito? Are you looking for something?"
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Sora was speaking directly to me.
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That's how I found out my name.
So, this wasn't reincarnation, it was possession?
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"Hmm...? It's nothing."
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Sora looked at me with a touched expression.
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"Y-you answered this time!"
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How on earth did the original owner of this body live...?
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I lightly waved to Sora in greeting (I'd never seen her so happy. Even her small wings were flapping). Then I chose food to eat with Sensei.
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Sensei picked convenience store triangle kimbap and ramen, and I chose a sandwich and milk.
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"Thank you! Please come again!"
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Sora's greeting felt formal, like she was following a set manual.
But her expression looked like a genuinely happy smile.
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Oh, and Sensei paid for everything, by the way.
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I went back to the Schale office with Sensei.
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I tried my best to refuse Sensei's invitation to eat there, but he seemed intent on following me home like a madman, so I decided to eat with him.
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I couldn't let him find out where I lived.
And the biggest reason was that I felt bad for causing trouble with my misunderstanding.
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But Sensei was also at fault for saying things that could be misunderstood.
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The back of Sensei's head, walking ahead of me, looked annoying.
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...I want to punch him really hard, just once.
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I had a bad feeling, so I looked behind me, but only saw Nito following.
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What was that?
Am I tired?
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Dismissing the thought, I stood in front of the door, which then opened.
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I stepped inside and sat on the familiar sofa.
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It wasn't a place where people sat often, but it was comfortable.
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Nito stared at where I sat and then headed somewhere.
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Nito went into the break room.
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After a short while, Nito came back out, holding the break room's single-seater sofa.
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Nito placed the chair as far away from me as possible, then glared at me while opening the sandwich packaging.
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...This really is too much...
Even if it's me, being so blatantly hated like this makes me feel...sad.
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I opened my triangle kimbap under Nito's sharp gaze,
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I should eat the ramen...for lunch.
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I can't tell if it's going into my mouth or my nose while eating triangle kimbap under that gaze, but I know one thing for sure.
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I'm going to get indigestion.
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Meanwhile, seeing Nito, who ate a cup of ramen so slowly yesterday, now eating a sandwich with her small mouth with all her might, made my impression of her drop even further.
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She didn't forget to glare at me while eating diligently.
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Well, it still just looks like a small animal sulking.
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After finishing eating her all-out sandwich, Nito immediately stood up.
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Now that I think about it, Nito was still wearing the pajamas she came in yesterday.
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"Um, Nito. If it's not too much trouble, you can change into these clothes instead of your pajamas-"
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"No."
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"Okay..."
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I was flatly rejected.
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"Well, I'll be going now."
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"Alright, take care."
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Oh, and there was something I wanted to say before she left.
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"Be careful not to follow any strange people. Be careful of cars, be careful of the streets, and be careful of people."
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"What do you think I am? I'm not a kid...!"
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You are a kid.
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I swallowed that thought, fearing another chase.
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"Anyway, be careful on your way~."
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"Tch...!"
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Nito glared at me (I'm used to it now, so it doesn't bother me) and turned to walk away.
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I watched Nito's retreating figure.
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The time with the arrival of a new student
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"Um... the door, please..."
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"Ah, right."
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Came to an end for now.
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That jerk Sensei.
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We only spent one night together, but he managed to shake my mental state, which had perfectly completed the Korean school system.
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I really hope I never have to meet him again.
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I remembered the way home, so I didn't get lost.
This fragile body seems to have a good sense of direction, at least.
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After about 30 minutes of walking, I saw my house.
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It's strange.
I only spent less than half a day away, but just seeing it makes me feel relieved.
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I went up to my house and grabbed the door lock to open it.
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For a moment, I was horrified that I didn't know the password, but I was relieved to remember it was a fingerprint lock.
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I placed my right index finger on the sensor, and it beeped, unlocking the door.
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As soon as I knew the door was unlocked, I pushed it open.
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I couldn't resist the temptation of the bed in front of me.
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I threw off my jacket and jumped onto the bed in my pajamas.
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"Haaah~. This is bliss~."
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I still can't get used to this voice.
More than anything, I can't get used to the size of my hands; I almost died trying to use chopsticks while eating ramen yesterday.
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What should I do now...
Can I even go back to my original body?
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I might run out of money tomorrow.
I could get caught up in something like the Eden Treaty.
(Even without the Eden Treaty, I could be attacked by random helmet gangs or deliquents.)
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While my body was comfortable, my mind was tired.
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Buzz-!
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A ringtone from somewhere.
Well, in this day and age, it's unlikely someone wouldn't have a phone.
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The ringtone was coming from under the bed.
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...Why...?
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Anyway, I pulled the phone from under the bed and saw a bunch of missed calls and Momotalk messages.
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Seeing Momotalk almost gave me PTSD, but thankfully, it was nothing serious.
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The sender was... the President...?
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I started reading the messages sent to me carefully.
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-Nito! We have class together today!
10:30 PM
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-Why aren't you answering your phone?! Did something happen?
10:41 PM
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-If this is a joke, stop it!
10:46 PM
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After that, there were countless more Momotalk requests.
Somehow, even in this state, I ended up leaving them on read.
No, I didn't even know the messages came, so isn't this one safe?
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Reading through the numerous Momotalk messages, I finally reached the bottom sentence.
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-I'm coming to your house now.
9:27 AM
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Huh?
What time is it now?
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I looked at the time displayed on my phone.
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[10:04]
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"Huh?"
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A dazed sound escaped my lips.
And not long after...
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Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
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"Nito-chan~! Are you inside? Answer me if you are!"
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Wait, hold on.
This feels like a really bad situation...?
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"I can't wait! I'm breaking in!"
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"W-Wait-"
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Click-tick-tick-
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Something hit the floor and rolled.
Not long after that sound,
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Boom-!
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An explosion that felt like it would burst my eardrums echoed through the entire villa.
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Hahaha... my house...
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