After I — Endo Suzune — blacked out on the bus, I woke up to find
myself in a dark room made of stone, lying across the floor.
There was a chill in the air, making me shiver and rapidly arousing my
senses; the room felt like a cool, air-conditioned room in the middle of
summer. I was wearing a single, thin layer of clothing that felt stiff and
coarse on my skin. On top of that, I only had a thin blanket on me. No
wonder I was cold.
My neck felt oddly heavy — there was a metal collar and chain around it.
What... is this?
An icy chill shot down my spine as I drew the blanket tighter around me.
I curled up, trying to retain warmth. Then, as my small body shivered, I
fearfully looked around the room.
Where... am I?
It was a dreary room with no furniture or windows. There was no room
like this in my memories, yet for some reason, something didn't feel right. It
was almost as if I had seen it before, but not... Like an indescribable sense of
deja-vu.
At that moment, the door opened with a clack. My shivering body
flinched. I hesitantly turned my gaze towards the sturdy door to see a small
boy standing there. He seemed to be in a bad mood, as his face was marked
by a combative expression.
I unintentionally let out a shriek. "Eek!"
Because I — no, the other me inside myself — knew the boy before me.
His name was Stewart.
We weren't related by blood, but he made me call him 'Brother' and
treated me like a pet, under the pretense of discipline.
"Hm? What? What's this?" Seeing my reaction, Stewart's expression lit
up happily. Then, like a child that had obtained a new toy, he came over to
me at a half-run.
"Eek! S-Stay... away!"
On the spur of the moment, I spoke words that weren't in Japanese; it wasn't a language that I recognized as an elementary school student from
Japan. However, my words came out with a lisp, faltering strangely in
pronunciation.
"Hey, what's up with you today? Why are you acting so lively?" Stewart
asked me with a radiant smile, making me curl my body up reflexively into a
defensive position.
"D-Don't... hit me... please!"
To not disobey this person was ingrained into me at an instinctive level.
"Wow, you never talk this much. You should react like this all the time...
Then I could treat you a little differently, at least." Stewart laughed with a
grin, then yanked harshly on the chain extended from my collar.
"Kya!" I lost balance and tumbled to the floor.
"Hey, Latifa. Show me your face properly."
Latifa. That was what Stewart called me as he pulled on the chain, and
my face was brought before his eyes. He seemed to be excited, as his breath
came out in rough pants that made my whole body break out in disgusted
goosebumps.
"Eek... N-No..." I cried tearfully and shook my head. Stewart's face
dropped with displeasure.
"Why are you speaking so disrespectfully? What am I to you?"
"M-My B-Brother."
"That's right. So what was that just now?"
"I-I'm... sorry! Forgive... me... please!"
"You really are quite talkative today. I normally have to order you to do
so before you open your mouth. What's wrong with you?" Stewart asked me,
but that was what I wanted to ask.
"I-I don't... know!"
My name was definitely Latifa... But at the same time, I was also Endo
Suzune.
"...Hmm. Well, whatever." Stewart examined my face for a reaction, but
soon lost interest. Relief washed over me, but his next words pushed me to
the bottom of the pit of despair once more.
"I came because I was feeling irritated, but now I've changed my mind.
I'm going to play with you today."
Understanding the ill intent behind his words, my face instinctively
twisted in misery. Stewart carved a threatening smile onto his face with a
grin. The more my reactions showed on the surface, the more happiness he would gain from tormenting me. The other me inside of myself — Latifa —
was already aware of that. That was why Latifa had completely suppressed
her own mind.
But Endo Suzune was different.
Yes... the Endo Suzune part of me strongly resisted and detested the fact
I was a slave.
From that day onward, my nightmare of a reality began.