Epilogue: What Our Future Might Hold

"It's time to wake up!"

My mind is fuzzy. I can hear somebody calling me, a familiar voice.

"Noa!"

A small pair of hands rocks my body under a set of warm sheets. When my eyes finally open, I'm greeted by a soft light from the window and a face I think I recognise.

"My goodness, you really slept like a log!"

I know this girl. I've only known her for a long time, or at least it feels like it's been a long time. She has long blue hair with an unusual white streak above her right eye. Two particularly long clumps of hair rest beside her face and contain another patch of white at the tips. Glowing in the morning sun are two deep blue eyes and a wide smile.

"Mira…?"

This is indeed Mira, but something feels off. She pays my confusion no mind and turns to walk out of the bedroom. Bedroom? Did my apartment always have one of those? Also, since when was my bed this big?

Still groggy, I follow the only thing in this scene that makes sense.

"You're up early…"

"What are you talking about, Noa? Of course I'm up early."

"Huh?"

I stare at the girl now standing in the kitchen and notice something strange. It isn't her physique, she's still as small as the day I met her. If anything, it feels like I have to look lower to see her. The outfit is also mostly the same aside from a slight design difference in her sundress. Even the pale purple ribbon fastened around her neck is still intact. The difference is more subtle than that. At the back of her head is a hair clip holding many of the loose strands in place.

"What's the matter? You'll be late for work if you don't get ready soon."

Mira turns back towards me with a confused expression. At that moment, I noticed the white apron covering her front and the cute bunny prints spread about the fabric. Even her speech seems to be unlike what I remember in a way that I can't exactly put my finger on. While I stand dazed, she motions with a wooden spoon towards the room I just left.

Nothing is making sense, but I do as I'm told and get washed up. The bathroom isn't what I remember, nor are the clothes in the closet. Despite this, my body knows exactly what to do and what to wear. With a pair of khakis, dress shirt, and tie properly donned, I return to Mira humming some tune while packing containers into a bag.

"I have something nice packed for your lunch today! Tell me how it tastes tonight!"

"Okay…"

She marches around the counter and places the small bag in my unprepared arms. My brain can't keep up with the scene that I've found myself in.

"Seriously, your hair is still a mess!"

Mira stands up on her toes and runs her hands through my bedhead. Our faces are close, close enough to count all of those long eyelashes. My body fails to back away and leaves me at the mercy of her warm hands.

"Much better!"

She nods at my hair before realising that I'm staring. When our eyes meet, her cheeks flush with a soft red and she smiles. Who is this girl? I need to marry her right now.

We stare into eachothers eyes without saying a word for what feels like an eternity. I would continue staring for another eternity if the sound of an alarm on my phone didn't cause both of us to jump.

"I-It looks like you should be going!"

Mira takes a few steps back and starts fixing her bangs. Whatever this job of mine is, I have no choice but to leave this cute girl and head to it.

"I guess I'll see you later…?"

"Yup. Have a safe trip, Noa."

I don't remember being on the other end of the door, but something appears and starts removing the scene in front of me. Mira's smile is the last thing I see before the world goes dark.

My eyes open.

The room is still dark, too early for the sun to provide us with its natural light. I don't need to check the clock to know that it reads 6:44am, one minute before it should start blaring.

"It was just a dream…"

The image of Mira looking like that is burned into my mind.

"Seriously, what kind of fantasy is that…"

There's no way that she would be the one waking me up in the morning in an apartment that I can't afford. Then there was the packed lunch. Who allowed her to enter the kitchen? Actually, before that, who even taught that girl to cook? In no universe would that be our future. It simply can't be possible.

"Ehehehe…Noa looks funny…"

A quiet muttering notifies me of the extra weight that has been applied to my blanket.

"When did you get in here…"

Mira is happily sleeping away with her head using my chest as a pillow. With the way that my clothes have gotten bunched up, I can feel her skin like a heater against mine.

"Yeah, there really is no way…"

Watching the girl sleeping soundly atop me like this, the Mira from my dream will have to remain in that world. I have no way of knowing what the future may hold for us, but I'm always realistic. The idea of her becoming that mature and responsible would turn my life a second level of upside down. That being said, I can't say that I hate the idea.

I shake the shoulder of the small girl and watch her blue and white hair wave back and forth.

"Come on, Mira. We have to get ready for school."

"School was yesterday…"

"School is today as well."

"Why…"

The future is still far in the distance. For now, we can simply enjoy moments like these and see where it takes us.