Thursday.
Airi didn’t come to school today.
For most people, that wouldn’t be a big deal.For me?
Red flag.Bright red.Waving in my face.
No warning. No cryptic note. No suspicious smile.Just… nothing.
I spent the morning feeling like someone swapped my textbook for a brick. Daiki noticed I kept looking at the empty desk beside me.
“She’s not here,” he said.
“I know.”
“You miss her.”
“No.”
“You miss the drama.”
“…Absolutely not.”
During lunch, I was just starting to enjoy the peace when a message popped up on my phone.
Hina :
"Meet me after school. There’s something I need to show you. Come alone."
The moment I saw it, I got nervous.
I stared across the room at Hina.
She didn’t look at me. Just kept reading her book like she wasn’t plotting my death.
-------------
After school, I met Hina at the front gate.
She has her usual calm face and held a tiny umbrella, even though it wasn’t raining.
“This way,” she said.
She didn’t explain anything.
We walked in silence through quiet streets until we reached a large, fancy looking house tucked behind tall trees and black iron gates.
I stared at it.
“This is…"
“Airi’s house,” Hina said.
Of course it was.
I wasn’t sure what I expected. Maybe a normal house?Not this mansion with stone walls, a garden, and a koi pond.A freaking koi pond.
Hina opened the gate with a key.
“Come in.”
“I’m starting to worry this is a trap.”
“I’m offended you think I’d set up something so simple.”
We walked inside. The floors were shiny, the air smelled like roses and money lots of money.
A maid greeted us and bowed. Hina nodded back like she belonged here.
“…You live here?” I asked.
“I work here.”
“What? Like part-time?”
“No. Full-time. I’m Airi’s personal maid.”
“…That explains nothing.”
“It will.”
She led me upstairs and opened a door.
Inside was Airi.
Sitting on the couch in cute pajamas, blanket over her lap, hair slightly messy. She looked sleepy, but smiled when she saw me.
“Yuuji-kun…?”
“I, uh. H-Hi. Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“Just a little cold. Sorry I didn’t tell you.”
I sat across from her while Hina brought tea.
Airi and I chatted. It felt… nice, Calm even.She talked softly, asked about school, even made a few jokes.
We played a card game.She won, Twice.Just because I let her though...
“Thanks for coming today,” Airi said, her voice soft.
Then she start hugging a stuffed rabbit with floppy ears.
It felt... familiar?
“You didn’t have to worry, you know,” she added with a smile. “But… I’m glad you did.”
“…You sure you’re okay?”
She nodded. “Just a little tired. I always get sleepy around this time.”
She yawned, rubbing her eyes. Then she reached for a notepad on her side of the table and scribbled something down.
I couldn’t see what it was.
Airi set it gently beside her pillow.
“I’ll nap just a little,” she mumbled, already curling under the blanket. “Stay here, okay?”
“Okay…”
She closed her eyes.
The room went quiet.
Her breathing slowed and deep.
And for a long moment…
She just looked peaceful.
Ten minutes passed.
Then she sat up.
“…What are you doing in my house?”
I froze. “Huh?”
She blinked, looked around, noticed the tea cup beside her.“Did you come here by yourself?”
“No. Hina brought me. You said I could stay just now!”
She stood up slowly, brushing her hair back. Her tone had shifted completely.
“I don’t remember saying that.”
“Airi, are you messing with me again?”
“I think you should leave.”
My heart sank.What's happening?
Hina stood and gently took my arm. “Let’s go.”
------------
Outside the house, under the setting sun, I finally spoke.
“What… was that?”
Hina sighed. “You weren’t supposed to see it happen like that.”
“See what? She changed completely! That was... like two different people!”
Hina stopped walking. “Because she IS two different people.”
I stared at her.
“Airi switches personalities every time she sleeps,” Hina said. “One version of her is the cheerful, kind Airi you know. The other… is the one you remember from before.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“She’s been like this after primary school graduation,” Hina added. “It’s not something she can control. And the two sides of her… they know each other.”
My eyes widened. “They… talk?”
Hina nodded. “They leave notes for each other, Sometimes in a diary. That’s how they stay connected.”
I remembered the strange notes. The confusing comments. The way she’d deny things I knew she said the day before.
It all made sense.
“I’m telling you because you’ve gotten close to her,” Hina said. “But don’t tell anyone. Airi doesn’t want people to know.”
“I won’t,” I said.
“I believe you.”
We stood there for a moment.
“…Does she know I know now?” I asked.
“She will. They always share things in the diary at night.”
So tomorrow… which Airi would I meet?
And what would she know about me?
Yuuji’s Mental Diary – Thursday
Airi Status: ERROR
Damage Taken:999/10
Confusion Level: Please reboot
Please log in to leave a comment.