Chapter 10 - Lost Memories Part One

“Tsubaki... it’s about time to head to school, you know?”

“...Yeah.”

When I, Nanohana, woke up, the first thing I saw was Tsubaki’s face, her eyes brimming with tears of worry.

Apparently, I’d been unconscious for two days. According to the doctor the Fukami family always relies on, there was nothing physically wrong with me, but I was severely weakened. He advised that I rest and recover for a while.

The last memory I had was being in a fancy-looking car, drinking water from a plastic bottle. That’s where it cuts off. I had a weird feeling about it, but maybe that water was drugged? I let my guard down once the danger had passed. I thought this was a peaceful country...

Still, what exactly was that situation?

Suddenly being chased by three men, and no one in the town helped us. Actually, it felt like no one even saw us.

I’m glad Tsubaki, who had gotten separated, ended up safe. But when I ask her what happened after, she dodges the question. I feel a small distance between us now, and that makes me a little lonely.

Even so, Tsubaki stayed by my side the entire time to care for me.

Three days have passed since I woke up. I’ve recovered enough to walk around the house on my own. So Tsubaki is going back to school today, but she still looks worried and won’t leave.

“I’ll be fine, Tsubaki. I’ve recovered a lot... okay?”

“...Yeah.”

Still looking uneasy, Tsubaki heads off to school with Akino-san, who came to pick her up.

…Maybe Tsubaki senses it too.

I’m thinking it’s time I leave the Fukami house. Grandpa told me not to worry about all the trouble I caused, but I feel like... it really is my fault.

I’m not normal. I'm not even sure I’m human. I “appeared” in this world three years ago—that’s not normal by any standard.

I’ve been traveling to figure out what I really am. But if something strange happens to this peaceful home, I’ll be the prime suspect.

Still, I feel guilty about leaving without telling Tsubaki. She’s kind of shy and seemed to depend on me a lot, even though we just met.

Adults always say dependence is bad, that we should be independent, but I think it depends on the person.

Dependence and obsession are just signs of how much someone loves. If you don’t have that, you can’t truly love anyone. If your love is a burden to someone else, then you just need to become strong enough to protect them regardless.

People say dependence is bad because humans are weak.

...Well, I don’t really understand love myself, though.

“Alright...”

I force my sluggish body out of bed. I’m not going to leave until I’m a bit stronger.

The power” I once had... When I first came into town, I’d regained a bit of it. But when I woke up, it was completely gone.

Something must’ve happened that forced me to use that power. And what I had recovered wasn’t enough, so I must’ve used... something else as a price to activate it.

"..."

Using the wall for support, I leave the room and head down the hall.

Grandpa’s out today, so I’m the only one home. Tsubaki and Akino-san already prepared meals for me and told me to eat whatever’s in the fridge—but I don’t think I can eat anything.

“...I should probably at least eat a little of what Tsubaki made, or she’ll worry.”

It’s a relief I’m alone today. I can’t let anyone here—especially Tsubaki—see me like this.

I go into the bathroom.

“...Cough, khaff!”

The toilet bowl turns bright red from what I coughed up.

“Ghhk...”

I wipe my lips with tissue, flushing the blood down with several rounds of water.

My body may not have any “abnormalities,” but I know it’s in a terrible state.

I probably used my own life as a price to activate that power.

I need to leave... before I die.

***

“Roadblock is complete. Will be cleared in 20 minutes.”

“Okay, John.”

Several men and women in plain clothes step out of a nondescript van moving at a slow pace. They move without a sound.

In a quiet, upscale residential district of Tokyo, the streets are almost deserted during the day. Even the few delivery trucks have been rerouted, and these operatives move along the walls of a large traditional Japanese mansion.

“Lee, what’s the status?”

“There’s a mountain of anti-personnel sensors and security devices.”

“Can you handle it?”

“Leave it to me, Bob.”

The Asian woman plants something on the wall. Within minutes, several of the security systems fall silent. The team silently climbs over the four-meter-high wall.

There was no consistency in their appearances. White, Black, Asian, their ages ranged from twenties to middle-aged, yet they carried out their operation speaking fluent Japanese.

It was their rule: during a “job,” they always used the local language. Even the names they called each other were common aliases. None of them knew each other's real names, not even within the group.

“Target: Unknown nationality. Female. Estimated age: 12 or 13. Black hair, pale skin, red eyes.”

They were a Western European mercenary unit, brought to Japan four months ago through a connection with a certain politician.

The official job was VIP protection and base defense, but that didn’t mean they refused other work.

Even if that work involved abducting an ordinary girl, no one in the unit showed any signs of moral hesitation. But this particular job came with explanations that left questions.

According to what was called a “divine revelation,” the target would, for just one window between 8:30 and 10:00 AM today be completely alone.

the most veteran of the mercenaries apparently knew the current employer, Murasame, and referred to him as “Squall.”

He gave the order that injury was acceptable during the abduction, but under no circumstances was the girl to be killed.

Apparently, if they tried to kill her by normal means, some sort of interference was likely.

An unknown enemy. A phrase like “divine revelation” that felt like it belonged in another era. A girl with no known nationality or legal records.

Very little information had been disclosed. If not for the fact that the request came through a trusted Western politician, and that the reward was several times the usual rate, they might’ve been more suspicious.

“Target in sight. She’s in the kitchen.”

“Everyone, stay sharp.”

There were 12 mercenaries deployed in Japan, but half were assigned to this operation. Three should have been enough. But the client had warned them: the target is not normal. Even so, perhaps they’d let down their guard—it’s just a young girl, after all.

“...Who’s there?”

“Tch, she noticed. Kenny, Jim!”

Clicking his tongue, the lead gave the signal, and the three burst through the paper sliding door.

At the same moment, the girl hurled an open bottle of salad oil—Jim slipped slightly as it splattered underfoot.

It wasn’t unheard of for targets to panic and throw objects—but the girl, barefoot in her pajamas, moved unnaturally fast.

She slipped through Jim’s footing like a blade through water and, in the next moment, hurled a cloud of peppery powder at the two waiting in the hallway.

Who is this girl? She hadn't done anything exceptional, yet she was clearly used to high-pressure situations.

In truth, it was the mercenaries who panicked. For a moment, it even looked like she might get away—

“Kehf!”

The girl’s knees suddenly buckled. Blood spilled from her mouth.

“You—!”

Seeing this, a woman in the unit, Lee, drove her boot into the girl’s stomach, silencing her.

“Lee! Don’t injure her unnecessarily!”

“It’s fine as long as she’s not dead, right? Either way, it’s better if she’s unconscious.”

“...Withdraw!”

12 minutes and 15 seconds since the road was sealed off. The five-member team regrouped with the van and the others waiting nearby. The abduction was a success.

***

“Good day, Tsubaki-san. Are you feeling better?”

“Y-Yes, thank you for your concern.”

It was my first time back at school in nearly a week. The girl sitting next to me spoke in her usual gentle, refined tone. Even though this school accepts students from regular families, there are still some genuine daughters of noble houses here. As someone who only became a member of the Fukasumi family by adoption, I sometimes find it a little hard to know how to respond.

“I’m glad to see you’re well. A friend’s father from the class next door had a sudden loss last week too... You never know what might happen.”

“Yes... you’re right.”

The homeroom teacher entered, and the students stopped chatting and returned to their seats. I’ve always struggled a little with small talk. But more than that, my thoughts were preoccupied with Hana-chan, who I’d left back home.

That strange power Hana-chan used... It repaired my injuries and torn uniform in an instant. My own body had already begun to heal itself, but if it hadn’t in that moment… I don’t know what would’ve happened.

And even though Hana-chan had only suffered a few scrapes and bruises, she’d been looking so weak ever since. She almost seemed… faded. Like her presence itself was dimming, and it scared me.

But more than that, if I looked away for even a second, it felt like she might just vanish completely. That fear of losing her again… it kept me trembling.

...Yes, again.

Even I don’t remember it clearly and it’s like a dream, I know that, back then, I also used some kind of supernatural power.

Some faint memory is starting to stir within me. Maybe from before three years ago? As much as I want to remember it, part of me is terrified to.

Because I lost something precious to me once. So precious it drove me mad. So precious I screamed and cried until my voice gave out. And then, it disappeared from my memory entirely.

"..."

But… I’m scared.

Ever since that day, I’ve been able to see something with my eyes.

Outside the window—far beyond the distant skyline of high-rise buildings—floating in the sky, towering even higher than the mountains, was a single sword, forged from iron and silver.

It was so massive it blurred into the haze of the atmosphere. Countless chains coiled around it, binding it to the earth.

...I feel like I know what that is.

But no one else can see it. That thing exists only within my eyes.

(…?)

The chains binding the distant, motionless sword seemed to shift—just slightly.

No... not just one—several of the chains had changed position...

Clatter!

“Fukami-san!?”

I stood up so suddenly I knocked over my chair. The teacher called out in alarm.

In that instant, I understood what the movement of the chains meant. The direction they shifted… was toward my house.

Could something have happened to Hana-chan?

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a vision surged into my head of Hana-chan, coughing up blood and collapsing unconscious.

My vision turned silver.

Behind me, I could sense the uneasy gasps of my classmates as I stared toward the direction of home—

But… I wouldn’t be coming back "here" again.

I threw open the window, and without a moment’s hesitation, leapt from the third floor. As the students’ horrified screams echoed behind me, I ran—straight toward a single point.