"So you are telling me - that you have been living in some sort of a 'time loop' for 'years'. You expect me to believe that?"
Although she gave me the chance to fully explain, it didn't mean she was going to believe everything I said. Heck, I would have been the same if I were in her position.
"How else would you explain everything that I know about you and this red notebook with your handwriting?"
"That's why I thought maybe it was some sort of David Blaine like magic trick and you were a streamer or something pranking me"
"Well, I'd rather have such 'magic power' than what I've been going through. The 'real magic' isn't as fun. I can tell you that"
"If everything you said was true… then yeah, I can see it would suck"
"Very much so"
There was a flash of sympathy in her eyes but it quickly faded.
"It still doesn't excuse you announcing my underwear in public though", a pout that I used to love appeared.
"I'm really sorry about that. I was just spewing whatever came to my mind to grab your attention"
"Still inexcusable"
"I'm sorry"
"Meh, anyways. One thing though - even if everything you said is true, why me? Why do you need my 'help'? What can I even do for you?"
"There is something about you that makes you special, or maybe something that binds us together"
"Now that sounds creepy as hell again"
Well, we did indeed do a lot of creepy things you don't remember.
But we won't talk about that now, although I wouldn't turn down a chance to do some of the more wholesome things we did together - but definitely not the strangling part.
"There are two reasons, or more like facts - evidence, that made me believe in you"
"What would they be?"
"First of all, you are the only anomaly in my cycles. Everyone and everything happens exactly the same way every cycle. But every time I 'meet' you again, you are slightly different"
"How different?"
"The facts about you seem to remain the same, like where you are from, your age, etc. But your personality is somewhat different each time, which gives me a headache"
"Well, sorry for having a personality"
"Yes, you should be"
"Tsk"
"Anyways, but you being an anomaly is just an interesting factor that I'm still not sure about how we could take advantage of. There is one more thing that is absolutely relevant to what we intend to do"
"And that would be…?"
"Things you give me stay with me even after I wake up again"
"Whoa, hang on-. If you get something from me, and the world ends, and you wake up again - what I gave you is still there after the 'reset' you speak of?"
"Exactly. Just like this red notebook. I specifically asked you to buy it and sign it for me to test my theory"
"What else?"
"You also gave me a t-shirt once"
"Why would I have done that?"
"Hah… it's a long story"
"I have a feeling that I do not want to know"
"Yeah, for some things it's better not to know"
"Right"
It's good that we stopped the conversation about 'things that she gave me' here because the last one left to talk about was the tail.
"So, Haein-"
"Hey, hey. Stop there. Still feels creepy when you call my name like that"
"Fine. So, this is where I need your help. There might come a time when I need to 'transfer' something from this cycle to the next cycle. This red notebook is one of them, which is where I will keep all my records of what I have researched and find out about the Hell Beast"
"Have you found anything so far?"
"I just got started. Then I came up with the theory I can transfer things through you"
"And then?"
"I couldn't wait to test it out so I killed myself"
"Just like that?!"
"Well, after you do it about 20 times it doesn't really matter too much"
"Poor you"
"Yes, poor me"
"So what else do you want to transfer now?"
"Nothing for now. But I want us to keep in regular contact. There are other things I want to test with you"
"I'd rather not be a lab rat, to be honest"
"For science, Haein"
"Look, I don't know if the world will really end in 40 days as you say. But for me, even if it did, I have my own life to live for the next 40 days. And actually, if that's all I got left, I'd rather do more enjoyable things than see you"
Ouch.
"Fair enough. We still have a long way to go anyway. It will take a while until I figure out something useful about the Hell Beast"
"If at all"
"I got all the time in the world"
"Which will end in 40 days"
"But I will live it again"
"And people will die again"
"I can't help it"
Haein then closed her eyes for a few seconds as if to concentrate her thoughts on something, then spoke again.
"Say, what was your name again?"
"Yui"
"Right, Yui"
Getting called by name again sent a sudden pang through my heart.
"You keep saying that I am an anomaly. But when I think about it - aren't YOU the real anomaly here?"
Of course, she was right and I asked myself this question so many times.
I am the real anomaly in this lead-up to the apocalypse. The real question was - why me?
"Yes, I am. It's just that I don't understand why I had to be the one"
"I'm sure there would have been better, I mean as in more capable, people than you to stop the apocalypse"
"You are right. But it seems I am the main character here. And although I don't know how I will do it yet, I won't give up"
"How can the humanity put its trust in you?"
"Because I'm the author of The World Will End and I Will Stop It"
"Cringe"