Memories of Me and You

Daichi's school bag burst open as he tossed it on his bed. After flipping on the lights, he checked his notifications again through the Menu, and a new text message from Hanako greeted him. Opening it displayed a picture of himself dozing off on the train several days ago when he pulled an all-nighter. The attached message read:

'See? I’m not the only airhead around! Maybe next time I won’t wake you up! OwO

But as long as you watch over me, I’ll watch over you. Sorry for all my cringe lately. Be happy a cute, wholesome, childhood friend is giving you all this attention! Next time we hang, treat me to something tasty somewhere :)

P.S. It doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t wanna call it that, dummy~'

Well, she's always been packing those wholesome vibes. Never a dull day with her around, haha, he thought with a smile. Daichi favorited Hanako's message by tapping on a heart icon, then closed his Dominion Menu. A lot sure happened today though.

From narrowly escaping the clutches of a mad man on the train, to standing up against Dominion's Collector that subdued said man, Daichi had a multitude of things to ponder. There was also the hospital conversation with his father and the implications it meant for the future. Rest was needed first and foremost though.

Around his room, old newspaper clippings of conspiracy headlines lined almost every wall, but Daichi decided to ignore them all today. He made his way to a bookshelf stocked with World War 2 warship models. His favorites were at eye level: The IJN Kirishima, USS Arizona, and IJN Ayanami. He picked up Arizona and brought it to bed with him.

"Guess we're all crying from the inside now, huh?" Daichi muttered, caressing the ship.

With a spare hand, he tapped through his Menu and played a video of Kyouko assembling Arizona for him when he was young. Old American tunes played in the background while her stunning, emerald eyes focused on assembling a battleship model. 11-year-old Daichi's eyes watched and recorded everything:

"Is it almost done?" Young Daichi asked his older sister, who was sitting over a workbench littered with paint supplies. She was still wearing her black uniform back from school but had since tossed her bowtie on the bed. 

"Arizona is almost yours," Kyouko smiled, her fingers maneuvering a small brush. "Just need to finish painting more sediment on the waterline—could use some rust too."

"Why do you gotta make her uglier?"

A cute chuckle escaped Kyouko's lips. "I like doing everything the hard way. Besides, nothing wrong with a little realism."

"If it was realistic she'd be at the bottom of a fish tank."

Her fingers slipped, causing a stripe of green to streak down the battleship's side. "S-Sure. Just remember: when I'm done you gotta stop researching conspiracies so much."

"Roger, I already promised! This battleship stuff is way awesomer!"

"Correct." She reached to mix some paints on her side. "I know you wanna be a modeler, but building these takes tons of patience and passion. Lots of history to learn too."

"History? Yeah, you still haven't told me how the actual Arizona sank!"

Her face wringed into an uncomfortable contortion. "Uhhh, I'll tell you when you're a bit older, haha."

"No fair, sis! I can just look it up myself." He raised his finger as if to summon his Menu.

"If you do, Arizona becomes part of my collection and not yours."

"Fineeeee." Instead, Daichi's hands fiddled with Arizona's tiny nameplate on the table. "But I get to paint this though?"

"Mhmmm. You did good with the lacquering. As long as it's simple, I think you can handle it."

"Yes! I'm gonna make Hanako super jealous for sure!" Present-day Daichi cringed.

"Already trying to impress women, huh?" she grinned in his direction. "Don't make me an aunt too early now."

Young Daichi's eyes locked onto Kyouko's devious expression. "I don't wanna go to high school if I'm gonna be weird like you."

"Hardy-har. Good news is we weirdos graduate soon, so later on maybe your generation can salvage our school's rep." She tinkered with one of Arizona's anti-air guns. One of the cannons seemed loose. "Pass me cement glue, please."

Daichi reached across the table and nudged aside bottles of oil paints and thinners. His small hand handed her the glue. "At least your uniforms are cool, I guess."

"Thanks and thanks," Kyouko said, placing Arizona on its stand to admire it. "Hey, why don't you go downstairs and see if dad finished dinner yet? I'm gonna slap some finishing touches here before we eat."

"Dad already knows you like coming late because you don't like his cooking."

"Eh?" she looked shocked. "He's trying his best! Sometimes I'm just in the mood to eat something else, y-yeah . . ."

"Whatever. Just don't take long.”

As Young Daichi's eyes shifted focus to the bedroom door, a hand reached out from the side to pet his soft, silver hair. Kyouko's voice behind him took an angelic tone. 

"Brothers and sisters look out for each other, right?" she gingerly said. "If something ever really happened to me, I know you'd save me."

Present-day Daichi knew what was going through his mind back then—how he couldn't even save their mom so why expect him to save anyone? But worrying Kyouko wouldn't help anyone either, so he bottled up his emotions and put on a tough guy act.

"Of course, I promise, sis!" he replied, confident as can be. "Men keep their promises!"

"Alright! Get going then, my little man." She nudged him with a smile towards the door.

Both Daichi's got one last look at her radiant face. Kyouko's long, silver hair practically glowed, and her eyes looked like a treasure chest of green gems. Most of all, she was almost a perfect, mirror image of their beloved mother. 

Young Daichi in the video pressed his own finger to his cheekbone, ending the recording.

I'll never let myself forget what I'm fighting for, Kyouko. Just come back safe from wherever you are.

Daichi leaned over and placed Arizona on his nightstand, then lay back in bed with tired eyes. A quick yawn emerged while his fingers fiddled with the Menu, soon playing an old Blink Spots song in his head titled Memories of Me and You

Arizona off in the corner slowly blurred away as Daichi sank into perpetual slumber and permanent oblivion. The dawn of a new world was soon upon him.