The Mysterious Girl

Chapter 2 - The Mysterious Girl

Keisuke was shocked. After Noa's bold declaration, the class fell into silence. Cho just wordlessly stared at Noa as her face lit up in crimson red. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Keisuke was the first to break it.

"W-what do you mean by that?"

Noa tilted her head as if not fully comprehending the question.

"Uum? Exactly what it means. Like I'm not giving her to anyone, because she's the one I love, duh."

That's not the point!

Keisuke frowned as he tried to think of how to get his point across. 

Does the Blue Clan have some sort of tradition I'm forgetting?

"I understood the words, just not your motivation behind them. There are lots of issues with this to begin with. Did you two even meet before? How do you know Cho-chan?"

"Now, now… You can ask questions to Noa-san after school. The empty seat to the left of Higashi-san is yours, Noa-san. Let's not waste our precious break and prepare for the next class. It's PE if I remember correctly, right?" Akamine-sensei interrupted. 

With that, the class started to dismiss.

Noa-san… Have I heard that name before? In any case, she is definitely hiding something.

Before the class started to separate to prepare for PE, Keisuke whispered to Cho:

"Hey, Cho-chan! Do you know her from somewhere?"

Cho was still in a stupor. Although clearly hearing Keisuke, she reacted a few seconds later, like she was stunned, hardly pondering about something.

"O-oh, I don't think s-so… But it's strange. She doesn't feel like a stranger to me."

"That is kind of weird."

I need to get to the bottom of this. As soon as possible…

During PE, the class did the usual warm-ups, stretches and runs. Towards the end, the teachers decided to let the class play virtual dodgeball. They handed everyone their headsets for the game, which is why Keisuke was able to check the date on his.

It's 2260, May 1st, which means it's been 2 years since the Galactic Treaty. I figured from being here, but it's nice to confirm exactly, nevertheless.

After that, to Keisuke’s surprise, Noa came up to him.

“Hey, could you help me understand how this thing works?” she asked.

"Sure, but how do you not know this?"

"Well, I've been a sheltered kid growing up. I guess?"

"Why do you say that like you're asking me?"

Noa lightly bonked her own head with her fists and held out her tongue.

Keisuke could only facepalm at the stupid but surprisingly cute expression.

Sheltered, you say…?

“Anyway, so you turn it on like this… The complex part, which is programming the area properly, is already done for us, so we don't need to worry about that. Next, a screen should come up that only you can see.”

“Woaaa…!”

“It’s pretty much just a video game, but with physical activity and virtual perks, such as the ball modifiers, shields and many more.”

“Oooh! I love video games! I have a PC at home, too.”

“Is that so? So you still play on a PC? Well, people have preferences.”

“Yeah, VR was a bit too much for me, because… But this is an in-between, kind of?”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Keisuke had to agree.

Weirdly enough, he found it easy to talk to Noa, unlike when he normally talked to unfamiliar people.

“Just be careful not to hit anyone with your horns while dodging,” Keisuke jokingly said.

Noa chuckled and replied:

“Thanks, Kei-kun! I’ll keep that in mind.”

A chill ran down Keisuke’s spine. A familiar yet unfamiliar memory blurrily resurfaced in Keisuke’s mind. It seemed to be from their original timeline, but at the same time, Keisuke didn’t remember it happening. It was as if it wasn’t his own recollection. It couldn’t be connected to his other memories, nor was he able to place it clearly on a timeline. In the hazy vision, he saw two familiar and petite figures in front of him, both leading him somewhere. The place they were walking at seemed foreign but also calming at the same time. The left figure’s blonde hair swayed in the wind, while the right figure’s horns shone bright vermillion.

"Thanks, Kei-kun! I'll keep that in mind."

"Be careful on your way, Noa-chan!" the other figure spoke.

But how is that possible?

After that, as soon as he came to his senses, a ball hit him in the stomach, and he was out before the game could even begin. He sat down on the bench of eliminated players and started to ponder.

Did she just call me Kei-kun? And what was that memory? Haa, this is giving me a headache. Noa-san… Have we actually met somewhere before?

******

Noa watched Keisuke get hit and eliminated from the game.

Sorry, Kei-kun! In order to give you back your memories fully, I have to start with this memory bubble for you. As for Cho-chan, I gotta do one more light today.

Quickly after Noa got the hang of how to play virtual dodgeball, she instantly became very good at it.

She knocked out the opposition players left and right when a curved ball came flying at Cho.

This is my chance!

Noa dramatically dove in front of Cho to block the oncoming ball, even though she could have caught it if she wanted to.

"I got you, my princess," Noa said even more dramatically as she made dying sounds on the ground. 

Cho froze in place just like beforehand, remembering a distant foggy vision.

This is the second memory bubble triggered for Cho-chan. It's short, but necessary nonetheless.

Soon after, Noa also went over to the bench and sat next to Keisuke.

They watched Cho struggle with the last remaining players together when Keisuke spoke up:

“There’s much more to you than meets the eye, huh?”

“Whatever might you mean?” said Noa nonchalantly.

"Just who exactly are you? What is your goal? And did we actually meet somewhere before?"

"Maybe?" she shrugged with a smirk. "As for who I am and my goal… If you want to know more, you'll have to be my friend."

Keisuke hesitated, seemingly surprised.

"I see… Then I'll be in your care, Noa-san."

"Just call me Noa-chan; I'm small and cute anyway."

Keisuke stared blankly at Noa for a second before replying.

"Sure... It's the first time I've met someone who calls themselves unironically cute."

"Is it not true, though?"

"Hahaha! No comment."

In the meantime, Cho and her team managed to secure victory.

"I'll tell you something in private after school. Can you add me as a friend on your headset? It's connected to our phones, right? I'll give you my number."

"Yeah, sure. I haven't logged out yet, anyway."

While Noa and Keisuke were exchanging contact information, Cho came up to them.

“What are you guys talking about?” she asked.

“We were just telling each other about how cute you are,” Noa replied.

“Eeeh!? What, me?” Cho’s face started turning scarlet.

“Yeah, she’s right,” Keisuke chimed in.

“Huh? Keisuke too? What’s gotten into you two? I don’t know how to react to that.”

Cho’s cheeks by this point were probably redder than ever before. Noa could swear that she could see steam coming out at the top of Cho’s head.

Aah, she’s the cutest in the world. I’m close second probably…

After school was done, Noa went ahead and waited for Keisuke outside the school gates with her nijistonic bike. A minute or so passed, and Keisuke also appeared.

“Cho-chan?” Noa asked.

“We went our separate ways for today. She has a drawing competition coming up, so she wants to practice a lot more,” Keisuke replied.

“Okay. Hop on.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, just hold on to my stomach and don’t think anything weird.”

“Uhum… Got it. Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Noa’s bike adjusted to the weight of two people, speeding up accordingly and making the ride smoother. During the ride, they were surrounded by all sorts of greenery: new, old, artificial and natural. They went through a traditional wooden bridge over a river, then sped up on a nijistonic road, which collected the heat from the friction between the wheels of the bike and itself. They passed many different people, human and niji-human alike, and also a variety of vehicles, such as levitating cars, boat-submarine hybrids, shapeshifting scooters, roller skates that could make the wearer jump higher and bikes similar to Noa’s.

“Sawara is the same as ever, huh?” Keisuke revelled in nostalgia.

Noa decided not to reply so that she wouldn’t interrupt Keisuke’s reminiscing.

It must’ve been a while since he was last here, huh…

The rest, the last few minutes of the ride, was spent in silence, but neither of them felt uncomfortable or the need to speak up. It was when Noa stopped that Keisuke looked around puzzled.

“This is?” he asked, looking at an archaic building.

“The apartment I’m currently staying at.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah. Problem?”

“Didn't you say you were sheltered?”

“Yeah, but I’m not rich. After moving out, a house or something would be too expensive. Having worked just part-time jobs, especially so.”

“I see…”

“Hey! Don’t look at me sadly like that! It’s not like I’m poor or anything.”

“I know, it’s just you must’ve also had it rough. I can relate.”

“...Thanks. Anyway, let us go in.”

Going up to the second floor, they arrived at Noa’s door, room number 86.

“Sorry for the intrusion!” Keisuke said as they went in. “Is it really all right for me to come in?”

“Yeah. Why would it not be?”

"Nevermind."

In the doorway, there was a tiny area for shoes, umbrellas, coats and such, then a small hallway led to Noa’s room, the kitchen, dining room and living room, all being one room with the bathroom separated on the right. 

“It’s a bit cramped, but enough for one person to live in. Make yourself home,” Noa said as she sat down on her bed.

“Why is the room so empty? Did you just recently move in?” asked Keisuke as he sat on the floor next to the table.

“Yeah, it’s just my PC and necessities for now. Wait, let me correct that one. It’s just my necessities.”

“...”

“That should’ve been funny.”

“Am I laughing?”

“Was my joke not good?”

“No, it was okay. It’s just that it’s more sad than funny.”

Noa chuckled.

“Do you want some blueberries?” she asked, already placing the little box containing the yummy fruits down.

“Yeah, sure. Thanks!”

After each of them took a few, Noa also slumped down on the opposite side of the table from Keisuke.

“Haaa… Pure bliss!” she exclaimed.

“Do you love blueberries that much?”

“Of course I do! They are the essence of life! The very reason I’m standing here right now! And they taste amazing.”

“Sure… Anyway, what did you want to tell me? I have lots of questions too.”

“Cutting to the chase, huh?”

Even though I practiced, it’s still nerve-wracking to begin.

“I’m listening; take your time,” Keisuke assured her.

Thanks, Kei-kun!

“I’ve come from the future too. In other words, our original timeline.”