True Reset

“Mastermind? What do you mean?” I feigned ignorance with a big expectant smile.

“Geez, don't play stupid with me. You were the one who suggested a year ago to create a drug that sealed the consumer's memory for two weeks. You used me to make contact with Fynn. I had to tell him that the drug would wear off after 30 days and that he could choose a random person to use the drug on. And as you predicted, he chose you.”

“Yeah, that's true.” I nodded.

“Before the three of them dragged you to the gym on that night, you made me place a camera somewhere to film the event. After that, just like planned, you lost your memories for two weeks. So I sent you the evidence which you would then use to threaten the three. In the end, those three were dancing on your palm all along. It's scary to think that you used that drug incident to your advantage just to get back at them.”

“That's correct.” I gave my uncle a thumbs-up after he explained everything.

“Why did I even have to explain it all...” he asked exhausted.

“Don't know. Just wanted to hear how smart and cunning I am, hehe.” I snickered.

“You damn brat...”

“Well, it's true that I planned everything including the way of how I would punish Jack and Anna but... even after pondering about it for months, I couldn't create a concrete plan to confront Fynn. He was a wildcard. I may understood him more than I understood myself but I still couldn't predict what he could do.” I turned serious for a moment.

“Wait, what?”

“However, I was still confident that I would win. No matter what he would do, he wouldn't stand a chance against that almighty video.”

Sigh.

My uncle heaved a heavy sigh.

“But who cares now anyway? It's over!” I tried to cheer him up while patting his shoulder.

I leaned back in my seat and gazed at the cloudless azure sky.

It truly was over. I got my revenge.

Their punishments may not be enough to compensate for all the suffering my friends went through but I hope that at least I was able to save future victims to fall in their palms.

“How do you feel now?”

“I don't know exactly...” I pondered.

“I guess a part of me still regrets being powerless back then when it mattered the most however, on the other side I feel empty.” I tried to explain as I looked reminiscent at the empty glass.

“At first, I just thought that getting revenge for my friends would be enough for me but I knew that deep down... that my deepest desire was for everything to be like back then. However, I know that would not be possible as of now. The scars that Fynn and the others left on my friends were too deep...”

“We can only pray that they can recover from those scars in the future.” my uncle replied compassionately.

“Yeah...”

The good old times, huh... I looked back at the fun times. Ordinary and yet fun times. Back then, I, too, was someone who just wanted to enjoy youth like everybody else.

“Haha...” I laughed quietly.

“?” my uncle tilted his head in confusion.

“Well, I suppose that my friends wouldn't want me to spend my entire youth with revenge and redemption. After ending this roughly four year long rivalry with Fynn, Jack and Anna I can now allow myself to move forward.” I said with a soft smile.

“Oh, do you have something in mind you want to do?”

“Yes.”

I took out a brochure I folded out of my pocket and put it on the table.

“Hm?”

My uncle looked at the brochure as if he never saw something like this.

It was a brochure containing information about a school exchange program with other countries.

“I'm going to Japan.”

When I announced it, my uncle's jaw dropped but after a short moment he calmed down.

“I see.” he said with an understanding smile.

“But why Japan?” he asked.

“I wanted a fresh start, you know? Or rather, I wanted to experience something completely new. Either way, I just want to get away from here.”

I also did not want to burden my parents. Initially, I wanted us to move somewhere else but that would be too selfish. Thus, a school exchange would be sufficient for now.

“Well, if that's what you want, then I'll support you like always.” he encouraged me as he spread his arms.

“Thanks, uncle.”

I'm glad to have such a family.

“But will you be okay with the language? Did you start learning already?”

“No problem at all, hehe.” I claimed proudly with a wink.

“The truth is, I started thinking about an exchange at the same time I prepared my revenge. I may not be fluent yet but I can understand things roughly.”

“Oh lord, you never fail to impress me with the way you think...” shaking his head, he complimented me, I guess?

“That's not everything. I even got a pen pal! He goes to the same school I will attend. His name is Kazuma Ichinose.”

“Oh, really?”

My uncle and I continued talking about the school exchange for another 30 minutes before he had to go back to his research labor.

Now I was alone again.

“Maybe I should go, too.” I muttered to myself.

I walked the empty and sunny street down.

“'Reset', huh...”

I thought about the drug my uncle created.

It was quite funny. A drug meant to reset me helped me reaching the ending point of this entire farce.

Ending point? What am I talking about?

I looked confidently at the horizon even though it was blinding me.

By all means, it was not the end. This was just the start of something new.

I don't know what will await me in the next chapter of my life but I will embrace it with open arms.

This is the true reset.