"Finally over?"
"Ye, yeah… Master… I'm truly truly truly sorry…"
After the little fight between Suko and Sisha, Suko apologized to me, while I noticed Sisha at the table, tied up with a thin thread that looked delicate but seemed to have a strange strength. I wasn't too worried about her, though.
"Fine, fine, just don't do this now… it feels like I'm bullying you."
Suko was in a dogeza, kneeling on the ground with her forehead pressed against the floor. I had never seen anyone do that before.
"Hehe~ yeah, do more!!" Sisha teased, a smirk on her lips as she watched Suko. But the smirk faded instantly when Suko shot her a glare that promised trouble.
"!!"
"Enough, you two,"
"...Yes." They both replied at the same time, their voices quiet.
"By the way, what are we doing now? We need to get out of the mirror dimension before it gets destroyed, right?" I asked, getting up from my bed and looking out the window, trying to figure out how the mirror dimension worked, even though I knew I couldn't easily solve the missing puzzle.
"Indeed, we must."
"How long does a mirror dimension typically last?"
"It is unpredictable, but if calculated, it generally holds for no more than one hour."
"Ohh…" I paused for a moment before asking another question. "But how can we get out? Do I need to create another portal?"
"Yes, but I cannot guarantee it will be successful."
"Why?!"
"Master, you activated your power only a short while ago, and there is a risk it may exhaust you and sever your connection to the 'mi.' Therefore, it is unwise." Suko said, standing up and facing me directly. Her expression was serious, and I could see the concern in her eyes.
"'Mi'? What is that?!" I asked, confused. Suko had mentioned something I had never heard of, but it sounded like a power source.
"Master, would you prefer I explain its origins or—"
Eh? Origins? This topic was going to be quite long, I supposed… I really wanted to hear the full story. I mean, it must be everyone's dream to control magical power, but it wasn't the right time to get excited. I couldn't take that risk… I could always ask her later.
"I think for now, I'll hold off on that. But how are we going to get out of here?"
"Yes, there is a method by which we can exit without utilizing your power. We must locate a portal within this mirror dimension," she explained in a briefing how we can find it…
***
"*Sigh* Finally, we found it!! That took quite a while…" I said, standing beside the portal.
As expected, we were in a mirror dimension, so the portal looked like a mirror too, fully reflecting my image. But it had a strange allure compared to a normal mirror, as if it were drawing in the small particles around it.
It took us more than 20 minutes to find it, so without even calculating, this realm was going to break soon. I wanted to ask more about Aiko, but I figured I could do that later.
"Hey, is this safe?" I asked Suko, who stood beside me.
"Yes, it is entirely safe. I assure you." Suko replied, her voice calm and emotionless, like she was back to her old self when I first met her.
I could tell she had drained her powers too much, as she was the one who found the portal. The topic of how we found it was quite extensive, and I didn't have time to think about it.
"I wasn't asking that. I mean, there's a chance Aiko is waiting for us,"I said, concerned creeping into my voice.
The thought of Aiko still being at the park, her knives ready to strike at Suko the moment we emerged, sent a chill down my spine. The image of her poised and ready for action was unsettling, and I couldn't shake the feeling that we were running out of time.
"Rest assured, Master. The portal shall open directly in front of your residence."
"O-okay, I trust you…" I said, surprised at myself for saying it. It was shocking to me that I had actually said, 'I trust you.'
Suko Frost, the white-haired girl, was truly mysterious. I had no idea how she knew so much about me, the connection to that game, and even if I asked, I doubted she would answer. Yet, somehow, she was earning my trust.
"By the way, why did you leave Sisha tied up?" I asked. Before we found the portal, Suko had tightened the thread around her even more, effectively silencing her. It felt as if she wanted to keep Sisha that way forever.
"Rest assured, Master. You need not worry. She can return without our assistance," Suko replied. I could sense a flicker of anger in her voice. Did she really hate Sisha that much? and why?! I really don't get her.
***
Night passed, and day came again. It was Wednesday, a bright day for sure, but it felt so dull to me. Maybe today could be the worst day in my life, especially since we had a P.E class where all the 2nd years would gather on the ground. I was glad that the boys and girls were separated, but I was more worried about Suko. I mean, she would come, right? And if she ran into Aiko, Aiko would surely attack her.
"Ahh! My head hurts!" I groaned as I sat at the dining table, trying to eat my breakfast. My plate had a cup of steaming tea and a couple of slices of bread with butter, but I could hardly focus on the food. My mind was racing with thoughts of Suko and Aiko, making it hard to enjoy the simple meal in front of me.
"What's wrong? Do you need to take a day off?" Mom asked, looking concerned. She had been really worried about me. Last night, when I got home late, she had fretted over what might have happened.
"No, no. I'm just worried about P.E.," I said, hoping to reassure her that everything was fine.
"Do you have problems with P.E. class today?!" Mom's worry grew.
Opps! What am I, idiot?! I shouldn't have said that. "Haha, never mind. I'm running late, so bye!!"
"Eh—wait!!"
***
Ding, Dong!!
The school bell rang, signalling that P.E was about to start. Some students who had been chatting happily, quickly fading as they hurried to their desks. The sound of zippers and rustling clothes filled the room as the girls gathered their P.E. outfits, eager to head to the changing room. The boys, on the other hand, were still waiting in the classroom, holding off on changing until the girls had gone outside.
I was surprised to see Aiko acting like her usual self. When I entered the classroom, she was surrounded by her friends, laughing and talking just like any other day. But beneath her cheerful smile, I sensed something different. When her eyes met mine, I noticed a flicker of emotion that made her eyes seem almost heart-shaped. It felt like I was the only one who saw that change.
"*Clap* Girls! Move quickly, we need to get ready for the class! Hey! Don't just stand there!" the class president called out, her voice cutting through the chatter as she clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Hey~ Ren! Are you not feeling well?" Aiko said, her voice warm as she came closer, leaning in to look at my face.
I was startled by her sudden presence, my heart racing. "A-Aiko? N-no, I'm good. You need to go soon…" I stammered, my palms getting sweaty as I tried to stay calm.
"Ohh~ If you're not feeling well, I'm here for you. Just let me know if you need anything. Bye for now~" she said, a playful smile on her lips as she waved and turned to leave.
I managed to wave back, forcing a small smile to show her I was okay. As she walked away, I let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of relief and confusion.
As all the girls had left, I got ready to change into my gym clothes. Even after the girls had gone, chatter still filled the room among the boys. Some were talking about girls, while others discussed games and other random topics. I remained uninterested, changing alone at my desk.
It looks like after Kai became a kid, my presence had weakened among the boys, but still among the girls, it had grown. I don't know how it worked, but I came to realize that Kai's presence really mattered to me. I let out a deep sigh, the thought lingering in my mind that I somehow need to figure out how to change Kai back.
"Hey!! You jerk!! I'm talkin' to you! You deaf or what?!" Suddenly, a rough, and aggressive voice cut through my thoughts. It sounds like a tone that a delinquent could only muster.
"What?" I replied, my tone flat and unbothered.
Bullying? I'd never been bullied before, so what? After Kai had gone, it seemed like it was finally going to start, huh?
***