Tsubasa observed the other Tsubasa in silence, unable to comprehend the situation he found himself in. The other Tsubasa, on the other hand, was grinning widely, in stark contrast to Tsubasa's usually stoic expression.
"...What are you?" Tsubasa asked.
The other Tsubasa just continued to smile and replied, "What am I, you ask? I am you, that's what."
Tsubasa furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "That doesn't answer my question. Why do you look like me?"
The other Tsubasa chuckled. "I thought I made it clear. I am you."
Tsubasa felt that the answer he was receiving was not helpful in clarifying the situation.
"I understand that you are me," said Tsubasa, "But what exactly are you? I'm trying to comprehend what kind of being would duplicate someone's identity."
"So, you're asking about the nature of my existence?" inquired the other Tsubasa.
"Are you human, or something else?" asked Tsubasa, confused by the situation.
The other Tsubasa, still wearing a placid smile, responded with a question of their own, "If I were to say that I am human, how would you react?"
Tsubasa lapsed into a silent state of introspection, unsure of how to interpret the situation.
Without skipping a beat, the other Tsubasa added, "Allow me to turn your earlier question back on you. Why do you resemble me?"
"What are you trying to say?" asked Tsubasa.
"I'm saying that you might not be who you think you are."
"What do you mean?"
"If I told you that I am the true Kabenashi Tsubasa, and that you're merely an imitation of me, how would you react?" questioned the other Tsubasa.
"That's impossible. I know for a fact that I am the real Kabenashi Tsubasa," replied Tsubasa, with certainty. He was certain that he was the true Kabenashi Tsubasa, and had no doubts in his mind about it.
However, the other Tsubasa simply smiled in response, and posed a thought-provoking question. "But how can you be so sure?" he asked. "What if you're just a product of someone else's imagination? What if you're not really the authentic Kabenashi Tsubasa?"
Tsubasa was taken aback by this idea, and couldn't find the words to respond. Was it possible that he was just a copy, an imitation of the real Kabenashi Tsubasa? The other Tsubasa seemed to sense his uncertainty and chuckled softly, almost as if he could read Tsubasa's thoughts.
"Don't be too quick to dismiss the idea," he said, his smile still present. "Who's to say that I'm not the genuine Kabenashi Tsubasa, and you're just a cheap imitation?"
Tsubasa didn't respond.
"How can we know who we truly are? How can we be certain that our memories and experiences are genuine and not fabricated? Can you be certain that your entire existence isn't a simulation?"
Tsubasa didn't answer.
"...Do you genuinely believe that you're the original Kabenashi Tsubasa, and that I'm the copy?" asked the other Tsubasa.
Tsubasa was silent, still trying to process everything that was being said. The other Tsubasa just stood there, watching him with a knowing smile.
"Think about it," he said. "Who are you really?"
Tsubasa didn't grasp the question and remained silent.
"Consider this," the other Tsubasa continued. "You were trying to comprehend what kind of entity would duplicate someone's existence, but have you considered the possibility that you're the one doing the copying?"
Tsubasa gazed at his duplicate in bewilderment, unsure of what he was trying to say. The other Tsubasa chuckled in response.
"Consider it, me. Have you ever truly believed that you were normal? That you truly belonged in this world? That you were really yourself? That you were real and I was fake? But upon reflection, I myself have always thought that I was the genuine one, while you were the counterfeit. So, tell me, who between us is the genuine one and who is the counterfeit?"
Which one of them was real and which one was fake?
"Observe that bird, my other self," he exclaimed, pointing towards the avian creature. Tsubasa shifted his gaze towards the bird and took note of its movements. "Why is it that the bird is now in motion?"
Indeed, the bird that had previously been hovering in mid-air was now soaring through the sky.
"You believed that bird to be strange, didn't you? It was something that defied common sense. Yet, why did you behave as if it were normal?"
The other Tsubasa was right. The bird's behavior was unusual and it didn't make sense. There was no way anyone could interpret the bird hovering in mid-air as normal. However, for Tsubasa, it seemed like a regular occurrence, and he didn't think much about it.
"Have you ever questioned whether this world is real or not? Did you ever wonder if the outside world is the real one?"
The other Tsubasa posed another question that Tsubasa could not answer. He had never given much thought to the concept of reality and was unsure of how to answer the question.
"I'm not sure what you're trying to say," Tsubasa admitted.
"You're not doing well, me. For that, you get a penalty of minus 100 points." said the other Tsubasa as he put on his mask.
He then warned, "Remember, Tsubasa, next time I will claim back my rightful place."
Tsubasa remained impassive even after the figure disappeared, seemingly unfazed by the encounter and the warning given to him. However, a different thought plagued him: the question his other self had posed, "Who's the real one between the two of us? Who's the fake one?"
This question was something Tsubasa had never considered before, and it was causing him much distress. He couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something he was missing, something he didn't understand.
What was real? What was fake?
Who was real? Who was fake?
The existential questions raised by the other Tsubasa's words had opened up a Pandora's box of doubts and uncertainties within him.
***
Tsubasa was jolted awake by the ringing bell. As he rubbed his eyes and looked around, he noticed that his classmates were already getting up from their seats. He turned his gaze towards the front of the classroom but couldn't see Kurayami anywhere. Moreover, the bird that he had been observing through the window was no longer there.
Just as he was about to stand up from his seat and leave the classroom, he was interrupted by a boisterous male student who called out to him.
"Hey there, Kabenashi!" the guy exclaimed, his voice loud and brash.
"..."
Tsubasa glanced at the student, who appeared to have a somewhat rugged appearance. Tsubasa was familiar with this type of person, having frequently clashed with them in the past. He concluded that this individual was a delinquent.
The delinquent-looking guy flashed Tsubasa a broad smile, and asked, "Mind if I talk to you real quick?"
Tsubasa, uninterested in conversing with someone like him, replied bluntly, "Can't be bothered," and proceeded to grab his bag, intending to leave the classroom.
However, before he could even step out the door, the delinquent-looking guy intercepted him.
"W-Wait a minute! I just want to talk!" the guy said, his voice betraying his nervousness.
Tsubasa let out a sigh, knowing that he wouldn't be able to leave quickly if he didn't answer this guy's question. "What do you want?" he asked, trying to sound as patient as possible.
The delinquent-looking guy took a deep breath before finally asking the question that had been on his mind. "A-Are you and Kurayami dating, Kabenashi?" he stuttered.
Tsubasa made a puzzled look for a moment. Kurayami? Who was that? It was only natural that he didn't know the girl's name since they had only met earlier this day. "...I don't have any idea what you're talking about," he replied.
"Come on, man. Just tell me if you're in a relationship with her or not. I can back off if you are already with her," the guy persisted.
Tsubasa was still confused. "I'm sorry, but who is this Kurayami you're referring to?" he asked.
The delinquent-looking guy scratched his neck, seeming embarrassed. "The girl who came into the classroom late with you earlier," he explained.
Tsubasa finally understood. 'Oh, so her name is Kurayami?'
"I heard that you both came to school together, so some people speculated that you might be dating. So, is it true?"
He had met Kurayami earlier this day and had exchanged only a few words with her. They were not even acquaintances yet, let alone in a romantic relationship (not that Tsubasa had any intention of becoming friends with her). When the delinquent-looking guy asked if they were dating, Tsubasa replied, "I can assure you that we're not dating."
The delinquent-looking guy seemed to let out a sigh of relief before saying, "Oh, thank goodness! I was worried for a moment there. I've had my eye on Kurayami for a while now, and I didn't want to step on anyone's toes."
For a while? It was the first day of school, wasn't it? Tsubasa was confused, but decided to accept that this was a normal occurrence in life.
"Alright then, sorry to bother you. I'll leave you alone now."
Tsubasa watched the guy walk away before losing interest and stepping out of the classroom. Checking his phone, he saw that it was already 11:30. He then headed towards the rooftop staircase, the same direction he had gone in his dream.