Side Story: She Was Remembering

After that, Haruto called another taxi to take me home.

Apparently, it was some kind of exclusive chauffeur service.

Seemed like even the driver was an acquaintance he’d pulled strings to arrange.

He mentioned it was through that Kongou guy, but… seriously, what is Haruto?

Maybe he’s got some rich relatives?

He said his parents were dead, but what if that’s a lie too…?

We live in different worlds.

The phrase floated unbidden into my mind.

Like some undercover rich heir slumming it alone—the kind of plot you’d see in a drama.

And in the end, that drama’s protagonist always returned to his real home… to the upper class.

So does that mean he’ll disappear from my life one day too?

Not that I expected us to stay together forever.

College, jobs—we’d probably end up far apart eventually.

But I’d always thought we’d still be best friends, no matter what.

Yet if his circumstances are that different… maybe even that’s impossible.

A slow, creeping unease spread through my chest.

—No. Doubting him won’t help anything.

Haruto isn’t like that.

And thanks to him, I finally felt a little lighter.

I lay back on my bed, replaying the good parts of today.

…The look on his face holding that bouquet was priceless.

Who even does that in real life?

Only Haruto could deadpan his way through some cheesy manga or drama scene without being an actor.

Maybe he’s got hidden talent… or something.

"Ahaha…"

I laughed before I could stop myself.

Honestly, how did that waiter keep a straight face? I’d have lost it immediately.

If someone told me to pull a stunt like Haruto did, I’d die of embarrassment.

…Wait.

Wasn’t I just as embarrassed when he handed me those flowers?

To anyone watching, we must’ve looked like some ridiculous couple—a dumb boyfriend and his girlfriend.

Because right now, I’m the girl, and he’s the guy.

My whole face burned as the humiliation hit me all over again.

And then… Haruto’s gentle smile when he saw me laugh for the first time in ages—

Just remembering it made my heart pound faster.

…Crap.

—Sleep. I need sleep NOW.

I yanked the covers over my head and killed the lights.

Praying, as hard as I could, for a dream happy enough to drown out this feeling…

"I'm not your big sister!"

It happened two days after I became… like this.

I'd hit my limit with how persistent Hoshiko was, and I snapped.

I grabbed a stuffed animal from the corner of the room and hurled it.

Of course, I didn’t mean to hit Hoshiko.

It was just lashing out.

The bunny-shaped plush bounced off the wall and dropped softly to the floor.

"Th-That’s so mean, Luna… That was the one Mom bought for us because we matched…"

"I’m not Luna, and I don’t remember ever getting something like that!"

I did recognize it.

Hoshiko had gotten it when she’d just started elementary school—on a trip to the zoo.

But I wasn’t the one who got that gift.

What I got was a jigsaw puzzle.

Because I’m a boy.

I never would’ve wanted a stuffed animal.

"Get out, Hoshiko!"

I was sick of it.

Sick of being called by a name that wasn’t mine, of being told memories I didn’t have.

“…You’re a mess.”

A slightly deeper voice spoke, and a man appeared.

Tall. Familiar face.

"Haruto…"

"Hoshiko, can you give us a moment?"

"O-Okay."

With that gentle nudge, Hoshiko left the room.

…Relieved? If only. Quite the opposite—something coarse and bitter just kept churning in my chest.

Still feeling that way, I sat on the edge of the bed. Haruto closed the door and leaned against the wall.

"Youta. Calm down. Getting angry won’t solve anything. I explained, didn’t I?"

"Shut up…! You think you understand what it feels like to suddenly be called by someone else’s name? Luna this, Luna that… Who the hell is she, even?"

"…You’re right. I don’t understand."

Haruto fell silent, clearly deep in thought.

What the hell is his deal?

"Actually, why do you still remember me as Youta? Doesn’t that seem weird? Do you really not know anything?"

"…Sorry. I don’t."

The holy beast that supposedly changed me like this had used up its power and vanished.

Even if it did save my life, that doesn’t mean I can accept what happened.

The only lead I have is Haruto—he’s the only one who knows the truth.

"Maybe… it’s because I knew about Luna."

"Luna?"

Haruto was the only one who knew my real identity.

Nobody else—not even my family.

Of course, that was to keep them from worrying.

In fact, the only reason Haruto found out was a total accident.

Since then, he’s helped out in all sorts of ways…

But maybe that backfired.

"So don’t take it out on your sister. You don’t really want to hurt her."

"…Yeah. I know!"

I never wanted to hurt my family.

But I just couldn’t deal with it.

Luna.

Every time I heard that name, my chest twisted.

I’m Youta. That’s who I am.

Big bro Youta.

That’s what the Hoshiko I knew used to call me.

But now, the person she’s calling… isn’t me. It’s some girl named Luna.

"Hey, Haruto…"

"What is it?"

A chilling thought suddenly struck me.

"You’re… not gonna forget me too, are you?"

What if the holy beast’s alteration just hadn’t reached him yet?

What if someday, he started calling me Luna too?

If that happened, Youta… would be gone.

And that terrified me more than anything.

"…Don’t worry."

After a brief pause, Haruto replied.

His eyes were steady, locking onto mine.

"I won’t forget you. You’ll always be Youta to me."

Then he walked over—

"And that’s why I’ll never call you Luna."

He lowered himself to my level and placed a hand on my head.

Not stroking it. Just resting it there.

Probably exactly the way I once told him you should calm a crying kid.

And even so, it brought me real comfort. That much was true.

"Glad to have you, my friend."

"…Yeah."

Tears welled up as I nodded.

And Haruto smiled at me.