143 The illusion of the past (1/2)

Kuroki, a young Japanese man

Hey! Kuroki! Don't wake up!

You are asleep and suddenly someone wakes you up.

When I open my eyes, I see the ceiling.

It's definitely my room in Japan.

I move my head and look to the side.

My childhood friend Shirone is looking down at me with an angry expression on her face.

''Ugh, what is it? White? I thought you weren't having a day off today. Let me get some more sleep.

Silone shook his head as he protested himself.

'No! You're supposed to come with me to the store today, right? Now put it away and get up!

With that, Syrone points to her lower half of her body.

When she raises herself up a little and looks at her lower body, she sees her own son, who is wasted and energetic, growing out of the pee-hole in his trunks, as if to say, 'Good morning.

'Whaaat? Don't look at me! Syrone!

He hurriedly hides his crotch.

Syrone isn't panicked at all.

''I've seen it so many times already, it's too late now. For that matter, I'll get ready as soon as possible!''

I wake up grumbling.

Syrone sometimes comes into his room without permission.

On the other hand, I've never been in her room.

Isn't this unfair?

I think about that, but you won't hear me say it now.

I decide to get up and get ready.

”By the way, Shirone. Where are you going today?

I ask Sirone while getting dressed.

Then Shirone gives me a dumbfounded look.

'What are you talking about, Kuroki? We're going to go swimwear shopping today, aren't we? It's almost summer vacation and you said we should go to the beach, just the two of us.

He tilted his head at Syrone's words.

'Oh, yeah? Didn't Shirone say she was going to Rage's villa, as I recall?

Who's Rage? I don't know who that is, okay? Or did you forget your appointment with me and make other plans?

Syrone looks sad.

'I was planning to go to the mountains for training, in case you were wondering. Well, not a solid plan.'

The summer vacation was going to be spent training swords in the mountains as Shirone was gone.

And when he returned from his training, he planned to take a part-time job.

We went to buy swimsuits together, but I had no plans to play with Sirone.

That's what really happened.

'What's that? That doesn't sound like fun! Better yet, come and play with me, Kroki. Why are you training in the first place? I don't care if it's weak. I don't need to be strong.

Syrone laughs carefree.

I almost sigh when I see it.

At first it happened in reality, but not in the middle.

Someone who accepts me unconditionally for not doing anything.

Sirone is not that convenient for me.

How much do you think you've seen yourself with Shirone?

'Nope. I'll do my training. I even study hard. I won't stop trying to be good-looking, either.

I shake my head.

The black flames in my heart won't go away.

So I answer that.

'Why? It's so hard to try, isn't it? Stop trying so hard.

Syrone smiles a bewitching, uncharacteristic smile.

'That's not true. It's even harder to not try and stop trying.

Then I stare at the fake in front of me.

Perhaps living is a battle, so to stop striving to be strong is tantamount to quitting living.

The only person who made me realize this is Cyrone.

There was a time when I resented Sirone.

But I realized that it was just the opposite.

You can't match your beautiful and ordinary self to the beauty and mediocrity of Sirone.

She practiced her sword, but she didn't put in that much effort.

She'd studied, but she'd never taken it seriously.

I should have worked harder sooner.

If I had done that, I wouldn't have had to go through all that pain.

I regret it.

But time is not going to turn back. But I don't want to go through that painful period in the future.

So I won't stop.

'Why do you look so scared already? Ehehe, I'm actually thinking of buying a really nasty swimsuit for Kuroki today. I'll show you how to wear it later!

Cyrone clings to her arms.

Awesome swimsuit? I want to see that!!!!

Thinking about it makes me want to dwell on this dream for a little while longer.

It's my mind, indeed. I know my weaknesses.

'What are you doing? Kuroki?

A voice comes from behind me.

I turn around and see Raina.

She has a dumbfounded look on her face.

I guess it's because our minds are connected.

It appears in my mind without a care in the world.

'Have you come to call me? Raina?

Yeah? Kuroki? Well, I've always thought it would be okay, but you're not going to just disappear, are you?

He shook his head at the words.

'No way. We can't allow that to happen.'

Cyrone brings his left hand, which he's not clinging to, to his mouth.

I can't see the ring, but I can feel it.

Behind the ring, Kuna is there.

I cannot disappear without her.

The black flame in the heart will not be extinguished as long as there is a touch of this ring.

I look at Syrohne's face on the other side of Raina.

The Silone in front of me doesn't say anything.

Her eyes are vacant. She won't be smiling gently anymore.

The Syrone in front of me is a convenient illusion that I created based on the memories inside me.

He was shown a dream when he jumped into Eclipse's mind.

Eclipse is a power taker.

He tried to take the power of his mind.

But that won't stop his heart from burning.

In that case, go back. I'll dress you up so you can see for yourself.

'What? Really?!

Seriously? I look back at him.

But Raina is no longer there.

'This is going to have to come back soon.'

The Goddess of Victory doesn't seem to let me lose easily.

Besides, I can feel the heat from the ring.

How can I be embarrassed to lose like this!

It burns the black flames in my mind.

The landscape around me melts into darkness as the silone in front of me distorts.

The heavy darkness is eating away at me.

But I don't want to disappear.