Family

"Attack? What do you mean?" Neo asked, confused.

"Exactly what I said. You're going to go and tell Saya how you feel—before Kensuke does," Len explained.

The way Len said it made it sound so easy, but Neo felt a chill run down his spine. Nervousness would make sure it wasn’t that simple.

"I'm sorry, I just don't have the courage," Neo confessed, his insecurity plain on his face.

"You need to! Do you think she'd like seeing you afraid? Or that she'd want to be with someone who just stands around waiting?" Len said, trying to motivate his friend.

"No, but couldn't it be different? She could confess to me. That would be so much easier," Neo suggested as an alternative.

"It could, but you know that's not how things work. You can't change that, so you have to 'play by the rules,'" Len replied.

'Play by the rules.' Why was the world so cruel? Why did he always have to follow rules set by others, even when they didn’t suit him? He wasn’t Kensuke. Was there no way to do things his way?

Yes, there was!

"Alright, I understand what you're saying, but even so, I can't do it like that," Neo said. Len was about to interrupt when Neo raised a hand to stop him. "Not like that. So, can I at least try to do it differently?"

Len thought for a moment but quickly replied, "Differently? As long as you do it, I don't think it matters much. It's better if it's your way."

"Then that's great!" Neo said, cheerful and confident.

Len was waiting for an explanation, but when none came, he decided to ask.

"So, what are you planning to do?"

"I have a really good idea, but I’m not sure if it’ll work," Neo said confidently.

"Just tell me already! Don't leave me hanging," Len said, urging him on.

It was Thursday when Neo went to the Union District to get what he needed for his plan. As always, the area was bustling with activity. He headed toward the clock tower—it was the best way to orient himself amidst the crowd.

The clock read three o’clock. Not that time really mattered to him; he glanced at it out of curiosity. His attention turned to the benches around the area. It felt like just yesterday that he and Saya had been there, laughing together, making silly jokes, or simply enjoying each other's company. Those were good times—moments he could never forget.

I want to be with her again.

Neo went to the shops they had visited together, specifically looking for the accessory store. Standing in front of the wide array of necklaces, he searched his memories for the ones she had liked.

He remembered one or two, but none of them felt special enough to give as a gift. Neo wanted something truly unique, something that stood out.

Saya had liked his necklace more than any in the store. Neo looked down at it, holding it in his hand.

I could give her my necklace. But this is the only thing I have left from my mom. I don’t know if she’d be happy if I gave away what she entrusted to me before she died, he thought.

A red glint from the floor near the shelves caught his eye. When he approached, he saw it was a necklace very similar to his. The details were slightly different, and instead of being blue, it was red.

It was perfect! A matching necklace would be a wonderful surprise and very special—especially since they’d have complementary accessories.

The only problem was that it didn’t have a price tag. Was it expensive?

"Hi, I’d like this necklace, but it doesn’t have a price tag. How much is it?" he asked the cashier.

"Let me see," the man replied, examining the item in Neo’s hand. He looked puzzled, as if he’d never seen it before. "Where did you find it?"

"It was over there."

"Ah, then I’ll charge the same price as those necklaces. If you want it gift-wrapped, I’ll add a little extra, and it’ll come with a tag for you to write whatever you want," the man offered hesitantly.

"Please wrap it, then."

Neo thought about what to write on the tag, he considered writing I like you, but since he wanted to say that in person, he decided it was better to simply write For Saya and leave the rest for their conversation.

Neo remembered his father’s warnings and felt anxious about what might happen. So he decided to talk to Len again.

"I’ll help you with whatever you need, but I’d like to ask for something," Len said.

"What?"

"Tell me the whole story."

Neo shared everything, even his adventures as a cat. They concluded that the best way to solve this puzzle was to learn more about Neo’s mother.

"Len! Did I say anything else while I was asleep?"

Len thought for a moment before replying, "No."

Neo felt disappointed again. He thought he’d found a lead. Len then came up with an idea.

"Are you sure you don’t want to ask your siblings? I think they know much more than I do."

"But they won’t tell me anything about the past, just like my brother said."

Thinking about his siblings, Neo suddenly had an idea.

"Wait! My sister! She has a machine that can record dreams. If I use it, I might learn more. Plus, she has Dad’s box. I could take a look at it."

"That might work. Where is she?"

Neo hit another wall.

"That’s the problem—I don’t know."

"You don’t remember anything about her?"

Neo strained his memory, trying to recall something beyond what he already knew.

"She liked to eat."

"And?" Len asked, waiting for more.

"She REALLY liked to eat. Her favorite foods were sushi and instant noodles."

"That’s not very helpful," Len said, disappointed.

"True..."

"What about your brother, Leo?"

"What about him? He won’t talk about the past."

"Couldn’t he tell you where your sister is?" Len suggested.

"Good idea! But I don’t know where he is."

"What? He studies at Hoshi."

"Seriously?!" Neo asked, surprised.

"Yeah, haven’t you seen him?"

"No."

It made sense, though. On the day of the party, where only students were allowed, Neo had encountered his brother. It was even more plausible since he had seen Leo dancing that day.

The next day, Neo looked for Leo during the break. He found him in the middle of a group of people.

"Leo, can I talk to you?"

Leo was startled, but he couldn’t refuse his brother’s sudden request. They went to a quieter, more private spot.

"Did you recover your memories?" Leo asked, surprised that Neo had approached him at school.

"No, I just used my head a little."

"That’s good sometimes."

"Hey!" Neo protested as Leo laughed.

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Do you know how to find Carolina?"

Leo thought about where their sister might be.

"Depends. Do you want to talk to her privately?"

"Yes. I wanted to see one of her inventions."

"If it’s about her inventions, it’s best to catch her when she’s in her lab. She goes there after school."

"And where is it?"

"That’s the tricky part—it’s hidden. I know the location, though. I’ll draw you a map and give it to you after class."