Chapter 10 – Two Airi, One Lunchbox

Chapter 10 – Friday

I didn’t sleep much last night.

Not because I was scared or anything.

…I just had a lot on my mind.

Okay, maybe I was a little scared.

How do you act normal around someone when you just found out they’re two different people?

One of those people used to make your childhood a living nightmare.

And the other one just gave you tea and beat you in cards while wearing bunny pajamas.

Answer:

You don’t.

You panic.

You freeze.

And maybe... act like you're a tree.

And then you arrive at school way too early and stare at an empty desk like it holds the secrets of the universe.

That’s what I did.

The desk was empty.

Still no Airi.

I sat there gripping my pencil like it owed me money.

Daiki came in ten minutes later and raised an eyebrow at me.

“You okay, man?”

“No.”

“You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I might have.”

He tilted his head. “...Airi?”

“Don’t say her name like that.”

“So it is Airi.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

I groaned and rested my head on the desk.

Then, the classroom door slid open.

She was here.

Airi.

Hair tied with a ribbon. Soft smile. Sparkly eyes.

The nice one.

I think.

“Good morning, Yuuji-kun,” she said.

Her voice was calm.

Normal.

Not scary.

She walked to her seat and sat down like nothing happened.

I blinked at her.

She smiled.

I blinked again.

She tilted her head.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Fine,” I squeaked.

Daiki leaned over and whispered, “You definitely saw a ghost.”

I ignored him.

I spent the rest of the morning trying to act normal.

Which meant I barely spoke and spilled water on my own notes. Twice.

By lunch, my brain was soup.

And then it got worse.

“Can I sit here?” Airi asked, holding her bento.

“Uh. Sure?”

She smiled again and sat next to me like it was totally normal.

Like we weren’t in the middle of the weirdest romantic mystery ever written.

“I’m sorry for worrying you yesterday,” she said, opening her lunchbox. “I really didn’t mean to.”

I stared at her.

“…You remember?”

She nodded.

“I read the diary last night,” she said softly.

Oh.

Right.

The diary.

That’s how they talk.

Two girls in one body, sharing secrets through pen and paper.

I still couldn’t believe it.

“Thanks for coming,” she said. “I know it must’ve been confusing.”

“You could say that.”

She giggled.

“I’m still a little tired,” she added, poking at her rice. “But I missed school.”

She looked up.

“I missed seeing you, too.”

I stopped breathing.

“R-Really?”

She covered her mouth with her hand, laughing gently.

“You’re fun to tease, Yuuji-kun.”

My soul left my body.

Across the room, Mika tripped and nearly dropped her chopsticks into Kenta’s lap.

Kenta screamed something about “soy sauce sabotage.”

Classic.

But I barely noticed.

Airi leaned closer and whispered—

“You know now, don’t you?”

I froze.

My heart went quiet.

She still smiled.

But her eyes…

They were watching carefully.

“You know about me,” she said. “About… both of me.”

I gave a tiny nod.

“I see,” she said. “Then I guess I can stop pretending.”

Wait—

Pretending what?!

She looked down at her food again.

“It’s scary sometimes,” she said. “Waking up and not knowing what she did. Or wondering if she scared you away again.”

She smiled, but it was sad this time.

“I don’t hate her, you know. We’re different, but we’re still… me.”

“I think I get that,” I said.

She looked at me in surprise.

“You’re both Airi. Just… not at the same time.”

Her eyes softened.

“Thank you.”

We ate quietly after that.

It wasn’t awkward.

It was peaceful.

She even gave me one of her mini sausages.

I almost cried.

After school, I opened my locker.

A sticky note fluttered out.

I picked it up.

I recognized the handwriting right away.

Different tone.

Different attitude.

Definitely the other one.

------------------------------------------------------

You saw me sleeping, huh?
Awkward.
Don’t get any weird ideas.
Thanks for staying.
P.S. If you tell anyone about the rabbit, I’ll kill you.

------------------------------------------------------

Yep.

Still her.

Just... not the one from lunch.

My head hurt again.

But somehow, I didn’t feel as scared anymore.

Just confused.

Maybe even curious.

What did she think of me now?

Both of her.

Was it the same?

Or completely different?

Only one way to find out.

Keep showing up.

Even if my brain explodes.

Yuuji’s Mental Diary – Friday

Airi Status: Usagi (fluffy and peaceful)

Confusion Level: 90% (down from 110%)

New Fear: Sticky notes with threats

Heart Status: Wobbly

Tomorrow’s Goal: Don’t die

Airi's bedroom, 9 PM.

The room is quiet.

The stuffed rabbit is tucked under her arm.

A soft lamp glows beside the bed.

She sits cross legged in pajamas, a pen in her hand, the diary open on her lap.

Her writing is neat and beautiful.

------------------------------------------------------

Dear Me,

He knows now.

Yuuji-kun found out everything yesterday. He saw me, then he saw you.

Honestly... I was scared. But today, he still smiled at me.

Even after everything.

You called me “Usagi” again. But I think he likes it too. So that’s okay.

He said we’re both still me. That… meant a lot.

I want to tell him more.

Maybe one day, I’ll be brave enough to say it out loud. Not just in here.

Until then, please don’t be too mean to him tomorrow.

And maybe don’t write death threats in the locker notes?

Just a suggestion.

Love,
Usagi 🐰

------------------------------------------------------

She puts the pen down.

Carefully closes the diary.

And whispers softly into the quiet room:

“Good night… me.”

The lamp clicks off.