Stop Bluffing, Dude

13 April 4080

6:24 A.M.

The morning sun had only just begun to rise above the rooftops.

The streets were still quiet.

Rurouni's eyes flew open.

He immediately sat upright in bed.

His hand instinctively went to his forehead.

No pain.

No headache.

No fear.

Only the lingering warmth of that dream.

The sunlight streamed through the window.

Birds chirped outside as though nothing had happened.

Rurouni remained sitting there quietly for a long moment.

Then...

A small smile appeared on his face.

"...That was such a beautiful dream."

For some reason...

He didn't remember the unknown figure anymore.

But unlike the blue-haired girl...

Thinking about the little white calf didn't leave him confused.

It filled him with peace.

And somewhere...

Far beyond his understanding...

Something had already begun to stir.

Rurouni adjusted the strap of his school bag as he stepped out of the house.

He was moving unusually quietly.

Almost as though he were trying to reach school without a certain someone noticing.

Just as he reached the gate—

"Rurouni."

He froze.

"..."

Then turned around very slowly.

Somya stood in the doorway with her arms folded.

She asked him politely.

"...Well?"

Rurouni let out a long sigh.

"...Right."

He walked back over.

Looked straight into her eyes.

His face slowly turned red.

"Y-You're cute."

Somya smiled.

"Wider."

Rurouni forced a bigger smile.

"Y-You're so cute."

"Hmm..."

"That's how it should be."

She happily patted his head.

"My foolish little brother actually keeps his promises."

Rurouni groaned.

Then their mother peeked out from the kitchen.

"Rurouni, where are your glasses?"

Rurouni froze as the forgotten memory flashed through his mind.

He still hadn't told them that his eyesight had improved.

Yup.

I'm going to listen to a boring lecture just when I was about to escape.

There goes my wish for a good start.

Before he could answer, Somya spoke proudly.

"Rurouni reduced his phone usage, and his eyesight got better. So he doesn't need glasses anymore."

Rurouni sighed internally.

Do you honestly think Mom will believe that reducing phone usage can improve eyesight?

Then—

His mother suddenly hugged him.

"Awww, you're such a good boy!"

"I knew it!"

"It's all this phone's fault that your eyesight became so poor."

Rurouni's eyes widened in disbelief.

W-What?

It actually worked?

And what is she saying about the phone's fault?

I got a phone only six months ago, and my eyesight has been poor since childhood.

Then Rurouni thought for a moment.

Oh...

I see.

This is how an average mom reacts.

He quickly slipped out of her arms.

“Okay, that’s enough, Mom.”

"Onee-chan, bye!"

He ran toward the gate with a genuine smile.

Thanks, Onee-chan.

I owe you this time.

The morning breeze felt refreshing.

Rurouni walked toward their usual meeting spot.

Anyway... just how little do I know about girls?

Kara was already there.

One hand held a banana.

The other held his phone.

A tiny orange kitten was clumsily chasing its own tail.

Kara watched the video with complete concentration.

The kitten missed its tail...

Rolled onto its back...

Rurouni walked closer.

Without looking up—

"Good morning, nerdy buddy."

Rurouni was a little surprised.

"...How did you know it was me?"

And what’s with the “nerdy buddy” nickname?

Kara locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

"Your footsteps."

"They're always the same."

Rurouni looked down at his shoes.

"...You can really recognize people just by their footsteps?"

"Sometimes."

"...That's a little scary."

Yeah, I am a Monking, after all.

Kara shrugged.

"You're one to talk."

"Most guys would never forget the richest and prettiest girl in school."

Rurouni genuinely stopped to think.

"...Come to think of it..."

"...What was her name again?"

Kara stared at him, unable to believe what he had just said.

"...You're kidding."

Rurouni gave an awkward smile.

"...I wish I were."

"…Ah, ha… ha… ha."

Silence.

Then—

"Hahahahaha!"

Rurouni immediately started laughing too.

Everything seemed to freeze.

Ten seconds passed.

A silent breeze drifted between them.

Then Kara started laughing even harder at Rurouni's terrible memory.

The two began walking toward the academy.

The streets slowly came to life.

Shopkeepers rolled up their shutters.

Students filled the sidewalks.

After a while...

Rurouni scratched the back of his head.

"...By the way."

Kara glanced at him.

"I had another dream."

Kara's expression changed slightly.

"...Another nightmare?"

Rurouni confidently shook his head.

"Not in the slightest."

"This one was completely different."

“There was a little white calf... a desi calf from a place called Bharat.”

Kara raised an eyebrow.

Huh?

White desi calf?

Bharat?

For a moment...

Kara's expression became strangely serious.

He had to be careful.

There could be something wrong with the information he knew about this planet.

He pulled out his phone.

First...

WHITE DESI CALF.

Search.

Nothing resembling what Rurouni had described.

Then—

BHARAT.

Search.

Again...

Still nothing.

His expression slowly changed.

That place doesn't exist.

Kara slowly lowered his phone.

Then glared at him angrily.

Rurouni had already walked several steps ahead.

Kara's eyes narrowed.

Then—

Thump!

He kicked Rurouni lightly from behind.

Rurouni stumbled forward and fell.

"Hey!"

He immediately turned around.

"What was that?!"

Kara stood there, completely expressionless.

Rurouni's anger immediately weakened.

A strange chill ran through him.

"...Why did you do that?"

Kara sighed, then extended a hand.

Rurouni reluctantly grabbed it.

Kara pulled him back onto his feet.

"My mom said I should punish liars..."

"...Even if they're my friends."

Rurouni got genuinely confused by his words.

"Huh?"

"When did I lie?"

"And why did this conversation somehow become about your mom again?"

Kara's expression changed after hearing those words.

"I see."

"Very well, then."

Before Rurouni could react—

Kara grabbed both his shoulders.

His voice became frighteningly serious.

“Didn't you say 'white desi calf' and 'Bharat'?!”

“Neither of those things exists here!”

"Huh?"

Rurouni immediately pulled his phone from his bag.

He searched.

Nothing.

He searched again.

Still nothing.

His expression slowly changed.

"What?"

"How is this possible?"

Then...

Another thought struck him.

Something far more ridiculous.

How did I even know that the calf's species was called desi?

And how did I know that country was called Bharat?

He slowly looked up.

Kara was watching him.

His expression softened.

He finally understood.

Rurouni wasn't lying.

It was more like...

Rurouni genuinely didn't know.

Kara suddenly wrapped his arms around him.

"Don't worry, my dear friend."

"I'll help you through your fight with your drug addiction."

"You can count on me, okay?"

Rurouni immediately pushed him away.

"Don't say such dangerous words in public." 

"Forget about the drug addiction!"

"I never even saw drugs in my entire life!"

Kara patted Rurouni's head.

"Don't worry."

"It's alright."

"You can be honest with me."

The two continued walking.

"Let's forget that for now."

"Tell me what she looked like."

At this point...

Rurouni knew two things about Kara.

First...

Kara would somehow bring his mother into every single conversation.

Second...

Rurouni had absolutely no way to prove to him that he hadn't taken drugs.

So...

He decided to let the topic change.

Rurouni nodded proudly.

"She wasn't scary."

"She came near me."

"...Then she fell asleep on my lap."

"Then I saw her mother..."

"She was decorated like a bride."

"She invited me to come near her."

"...Then she fell asleep too."

Kara thought quietly for several seconds.

His expression became serious.

"...Both of them will be tough opponents."

Rurouni tilted his head.

"Huh? Tough opponents? For what?"

Kara answered without hesitation.

"Against #CutiePie0001 to #CutiePie1201 in a cuteness competition."

Silence.

A question popped up in Rurouni's mind.

Did he really scam 1201 animals?

And just like that...

Rurouni Rakhora continued walking toward the academy with his Whatever Single friend.

Completely unaware that the memories of his encounter with the Unknown Figure...

Had been erased by that single snap.