51: Reunion in the Light

Unlike the time she had been forcibly dragged into the mirror by the pond, this time Rena felt a gentle sensation enveloping her body.
She let go of all tension, surrendering herself to the flow.

Holding tightly onto Tom’s hand, she drifted forward through the rippling light.
Though it felt like Tom’s hand was gradually growing larger, Rena didn’t let go—she simply held on, cherishing its warm, comforting touch.

Just as her vision turned pure white with radiant light, a sharp jolt ran through her mind—like dozens of pins being pulled free all at once—and in the space those pins left behind, a gentle euphoria began to fill her entire body.
It was like the sensation of hearing a melody she loved—so moving it gave her goosebumps.

And yet, it wasn’t a melody in the traditional sense.
It was something entirely new, an experience beyond sound itself.
Not something to be heard with ears, but something to be felt with every sense.
Shimmering notes of light danced through her nerves, so intense they brought tears to her eyes.

For a fleeting moment, the face of Tom—who was still just a child—looked strikingly strong and dependable as he gazed at her.
He seemed to be saying something, but the brilliance of the light drowned out his words.

And then, the two of them passed beyond the halo of radiant light, drifting into a world of sublime stillness.

***

“Ugh…!”

Tom hit the cold stone floor with a thud and quickly looked around.
At first, he mistook it for having tumbled out of bed in his own room, still half-asleep—but the sensation against his skin quickly made him realize where he truly was.

The dimly lit room was shrouded in an ethereal stillness.
A single candle burned on a candelabrum in the center, its flickering flame casting eerie shadows.
Mirrors covered every wall, and the endless reflections created the illusion that the space stretched on forever.
Overwhelmed by the surreal atmosphere, Tom muttered aloud.

“Where… am I?
I'm completely surrounded by mirrors…”

He stood up and stared at his own reflection in one of the mirrors, wearing his school uniform.
That figure was the same old, unremarkable high schooler Tom.

One by one, memories came rushing back—how he had been pulled into the Picture Book World, how he’d found Rena there, how his body had been taken over, and how he had drowned in those memories.
As he recalled the moment when young Rena had drowned in the pond—and how it had triggered his own drowning memory, nearly costing him his life—he walked cautiously toward the mirror and stared intently at his own reflection.

“I… fell into the pond, didn’t I?
I tried to save Rena, and then…”

Once he made sense of everything, his priorities fell into place—and Rena rose once more to the top of his mind.
The moment he felt the urge to go find and protect Rena, he caught sight of someone collapsed beyond the flickering candlelight.
He hoped with all his heart that it was her—but for some reason, a deep, creeping unease began to rise in his chest.

“Is someone there…?
Something feels… off.”

He slowly stepped toward the figure and discovered someone lying on the floor.
Blonde hair peeked out from beneath a covering cloth, shimmering under the candlelight.
It immediately drew Tom’s eyes.

“R-Rena!?
Hey! Are you okay?!”

“…Ugh…”

Hearing a faint groan, he gently pulled the cloth aside to check her face.
Relief and shock hit him all at once—it was definitely Rena.
But something about her was off.
The black ceremonial-looking outfit she wore radiated a strange, unfamiliar aura.

Carefully, Tom lifted her upper body and held her in his arms.

Then, the large mirror nearby began to glow, casting its light over Rena.
Slowly regaining consciousness, she squinted up at Tom and asked softly,

“…It’s… so bright…
Who… are you…?”

Just as Rena’s voice reached him, an unpleasant burst of noise forcibly cut in, flooding Tom’s ears.

(Then I’ll just extract your memories after all—)

A deep, oppressive voice echoed through Tom’s head.

But even more powerful than that was the look in Rena’s eyes—an enigmatic charm that stirred Tom’s heart with overwhelming force.
Embarrassed by how boldly she clung to him, and overwhelmed by the ticklish warmth blossoming in his chest, Tom couldn’t help but let go of Rena.

“Ah—ow!”

“S-sorry!”

Rena slowly sat up, still wearing the black ritualistic outfit, and stared at Tom with a curious expression.
Lit by the mirror’s glow, her confused yet searching eyes locked onto his, as if trying to remember something lost.

The enchanting look in her eyes was more than enough to throw Tom off balance.

Tom felt a strange illusion—as if he could see both Rena’s outward appearance and her inner self at the same time.