Lost Childhood

Feeling good enough, I continue down the hallway.

"I swear, if another thing chases me, I'm going to suffer a heart attack."

Walking down the hallway, everything seemed to get more normal.

"It's weird how I saw everything destroyed when I entered, and now everything seems like the school didn't shut down at all..."

The walls were painted in blue and didn't have anything on them, except for a few announcement boards. The classroom doors were the same as on the first floor, just not destroyed.

Thinking about it, I flipped the light switch. The lights in the hallway turned on, making everything visible.

"Okay, this is weird."

Why the hell does this school have power turned on?!

"Hm... probably those Number guys..."

"You're right."

My whole body jumped forward, when I heard someone behind me.

GR! My back!

"Masami?! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I didn't mean to. I thought you knew I was here."

Her robotic voice, the same as usual.

"When did you even get down here?!"

"I followed you down here when you fell and stayed in the shadows."

I felt shivers over my body.

"Wait, you just watched me getting chased by that thing?!"

"Rules say I can't help you. Even if you were to die"

"Wow, how nice... Anyway, are you going to join me?"

She was confused, again.

"I don't have any instructions on what to do under these circumstances."

"Just chose. Look from afar, or look from up close?"

"Excuse me, but I would have to-"

"You don't need the handphone. This is a choice you should make, just like when I asked you if you wanted to come with us."

She froze in place and looked at me. It looked like she was deep in thought.

"Hm... Very well then, I shall accompany you."

"No need to be so formal..."

With that, Masami joined my search for the canister.

While walking, I tried to strike up a conversation.

"The Numbers maintain power in this place?"

"Yes. They do."

"Why?"

"They bought this place."

"Sheesh... Just for a game... Sick game..."

Silence overtook us, until we reached a dead end.

"Is there any way up?"

"I shouldn't tell you any information, but..."

For the first time ever, she seemed to hesitate.

"Because of your kindness, I'll just tell you that there's no way back up."

"So I'm stuck here?!"

"Not necessarily. If you find a way towards the canister, you will find a way up."

"So it's down here?"

"I can't tell you that."

"So if it is here, I just have to search every room. If it's on another floor, I have to wait for those two."

"Obviously."

With this new information, I started searching classrooms, with Masami just waiting by the doors.

"Why did people make stuff out of wood?! Like, wooden floors are easily flammable, as chairs and desks! Not to speak when it comes in contact with water."

Seriously, I don't see the appeal of a building with wooden furniture and floors.

Looking through the classrooms, I stumbled across some old paper books.

"Published in 2027! That's almost 50 years ago!"

Humans at the beginning of the 21st century weird me out. They had good enough technology to make stuff like holo-books in the 2020s!

"So, Masami..."

"Yes."

"Can you tell me more about yourself?"

"Why do you need to know that?"

"I'm bored with searching in silence, so I want to know at least a little more about you."

"I don't know if that would interest you."

"Don't worry. I don't judge."

"Very-"

"You can stop with the formalities."

I could barely tell that she was shocked, as her eyebrow went up.

"Alright. I'm a class 2 spy in the Numbers, and I like to watch my targets from the shadows."

I felt uneasy when she said that.

"Um, do you like something else than that?"

"Hm... No."

"Have you tried doing anything else, except for spying?"

"No. Only how to take care of myself."

"Hm..."

I paused to think as I opened a large cabinet.

"What about your childhood?"

"There was nothing special."

"Come on, there has to be something!"

"Alright... My parents died in an accident when I was 2 years old, and I was sent to an orphanage, as no one from my family didn't want to take care of me. The Numbers adopted me when I was 3, and they train me to this day. I personally see them as my family."

Her story made my heart ache.

"That rigorous training you mentioned?"

"That's a part of it. It mostly consisted of combat training."

"I'm sorry to hear that..."

"Why?"

"Because you didn't have a chance to live a normal life."

"I don't understand. Isn't my life normal?"

"No, no it's not. You should have been a free kid, happy to play with others and do the things you want to do."

This statement made her for some reason angry.

"I'm happy how my life turned out!"

When I heard her angry voice, I turned attention towards her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Do you really want to do these games?"

"Yes!"

"Did you have a choice to make?"

She went quiet.

"No."

"What would you have chosen if you had a choice?"

"I'd choose the same!"

"Then tel me this, did you have the freedom to go out?"

"...no."

"What would you have chosen?"

Her eyes went wide.

"...to go out."

"Did you want a friend?"

These words seemed to shatter her.

"Y-Yes..."

She sat down, and for the first time in her life, cried.

"I-I did want someone who would be w-with me."

"Do you still want to have friends?"

She wept even more.

"Y-Yes."

I couldn't hold my emotion, as I let out a single tear.

"Well, you don't have to look for them."

"H-Huh?"

 She looked up at me, confused.

"You already have them."

"W-Who do I-I exactly have?"

"Us. Me, Masato and Ko. We would be delighted to be your friends."

I smiled at her.