The person who likes me is a yandere.

"May 20th, brother."

Ayase grabbed the calendar from the cabinet. The 20th was a Wednesday, and I had slept for almost a week.

"...Ayase is really worried."

"...Is that so..."

I stared at Ayase's eyes, which seemed to be both reproachful and relieved, and my consciousness was drawn away by a subtle shift within me. What was happening? Something seemed to be awakening. My headache began to intensify, throbbing like something alive. What... was happening? Something... was coming. The car accident... the impact... Tohka... Ayase... tears...

"what……"

Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in my head.

Chapter Two: We are siblings who depend on each other for survival.

Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in my head.

In an instant, countless images and sounds flashed through my mind like a film reel playing at high speed.

"Aa ...

The screams echoed throughout the ward. It was my voice, I was shouting. I was frantically scratching my head, screaming at the top of my lungs. The flashbacks didn't stop; I was swallowed up by the torrent of memories and emotions, and finally—

"elder brother!"

Suddenly, a warm feeling enveloped me. Ayase hugged me tightly.

"Wow!"

I pushed her away with all my might.

Her long, flowing hair spread out like a fan, and her body swayed violently. The folding chair was hit by her back and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"—That was close!"

Ayase fell onto the overturned chair while defusing the bomb, and at the critical moment, Dr. Miyazaki caught Ayase's slender body.

The chaos ended abruptly, just as it had begun. Coming to my senses, I desperately tried to retreat, as if trying to escape something, but was pressed firmly against the wall.

"…………"

Ayase stared at me blankly.

What just happened?

What happened to me just now?

What did I just do?

The pain had subsided, leaving only the lingering sensation of my hand on Ayase's slender shoulder as I flung it away, and the jarring silence. Ayase was still frozen in shock; it seemed I wasn't the only one who couldn't believe what had happened to me.

That's all for today.

It was Dr. Miyazaki who broke the silence.

"Asagao-kun and Miyazaki have both suffered various setbacks and must be exhausted. Let's rest today."

In an attempt to thaw the frozen atmosphere in the ward, he forced himself to adopt a cheerful and calm demeanor.

"It's alright, it's alright. As I just said, retrograde amnesia doesn't last long, at most a day or two. Just continue living your normal life, and your memory will naturally return. Maybe you'll remember everything when you wake up tomorrow morning."

"……Oh"

I didn't want to rely on this irrational hope, but I also didn't want to resist any other comfort, so I nodded ambiguously.

"Come on, Ayase, can you stand up? You'll be staying overnight, right?"

"……Yes"

With Dr. Miyazaki's help, Ayase slowly stood up. From my position, I couldn't see her expression hidden in her long hair. Urged on, Ayase walked towards the door.

"We're leaving now, Qianyu-kun. See you tomorrow. If you need anything, just press the call button, but there won't be a nurse, only I will come. The light switch is next to the door. Is there anything else?"

"Um. That..."

There are so many questions I want to ask that I can't organize my thoughts into words.

"It's alright, just ask if you don't understand anything later. We're leaving now, Ayase."

"Oh, right, my parents! Aren't my parents coming?"

"Huh? Parents?"

Dr. Miyazaki had said he could ask anything, but his smile suddenly froze.

"Huh? Could it be that they haven't contacted my parents?"

"Ah...that's true. Parents...well..."

"What's wrong?" Dr. Miyazaki was clearly stammering. He wiped his glasses meaninglessly, glanced towards the door, and asked for approval with his eyes.

"They won't come."

Dr. Ayase answered me.

"Not coming? You mean my parents? Neither of them are coming?"

"Um"

Ayase, with her hand on the doorknob and her back to me, nodded.

"...You mean you'll come tomorrow?"

No, it won't come tomorrow either.

Ayase didn't turn around. Naturally, I asked her a third question, gazing at her slender back.

Why didn't you come?

"Because Mom and Dad are long gone."

—Huh?

"Brother, we are siblings who depend on each other for survival."

My sister finally turned around. When I saw her face, my back trembled involuntarily. She was smiling, a smile as clear and ethereal as her eyes.

"So, Ayase is really happy that her brother woke up."

Why was he able to smile so brightly under such circumstances?

Her smile was so beautiful that it made me wonder.

Chapter Three: Confused

Just a window away, the sound of a group of motorcycles speeding by could be heard.

I rolled over in bed, making a creaking sound. The sound wasn't low, and although I couldn't see the outside view through the drawn curtains, I could tell this wasn't a ward in a large hospital, but rather an inpatient ward in a small clinic. As soon as I opened my eyes, the same cold ceiling as when I woke up stared back at me.

...I can't sleep.

Although I am extremely exhausted, both mentally and physically, I am not sleepy at all. I don't know if it's because I have difficulty falling asleep normally or because of my current unusual condition.

Yes, I know nothing. I don't even know who I am, where I am, or even the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister. The darkness fuels my unease; I've tossed and turned countless times in my sleep.

What exactly happened?

One day I woke up to find all my memories, including my parents, gone… Is such absurdity even possible? What terrible crime have I committed to deserve this punishment? Who am I…? Uh, my name is Aragaki Asago? What a strange name. How do you write it?

I spread my arms to check the contours of my face, ran my little finger across my lips, then moved upwards, running my fingers through my spiky hair, and finally rubbed the bridge of my nose.

My face... my face.

"...It doesn't seem like it."

I remember her name was Momo… the very beautiful girl who pounced on me like a bomb the moment she saw me. She was terrified of being forgotten, and she called me "brother," "brother" so many times… She must be my sister… But if you ask me that, we don't look alike at all. Not to brag, but probably no one can assess their own appearance as objectively as I do right now. Despite the chaos caused by amnesia, that girl's beauty instantly captivated me. Yet, I can't find a single resemblance to her in myself.

We are two siblings who depend on each other for survival.

Ayase's words echoed in my mind. If she wasn't lying, then we had no parents, and my brother and I had always depended on each other. Yet, why couldn't I sense any familial bond from her? Looking at her face, hearing her voice, touching her body, yet no emotion flowed into my heart. Why was that?

What exactly is that girl...?

——Kaji

The door to the ward opened, just as quietly as when I woke up.

"doctor?"

"It's Ayase, brother."

The person who opened the door was the same as the first time.

"May I come in?"

I regretted calling out without thinking, because then I couldn't pretend to be asleep anymore.

"Sorry to bother you~"

She didn't even give me time to come up with an excuse before her long, flowing hair swept into the ward. Using her smartphone's flashlight to illuminate her path, she walked towards me, checking each step carefully…

—Bang!

"Ya-woo"

But she still tripped over the foot of the bed. What's going on?

"Hehehe, you're even more badly injured than your brother."

Ayase scratched her head while making jokes that were hard to laugh at.

"Can I turn on the light?"

Perhaps because we're family, she didn't mind, and once again, without waiting for my permission, Ayase reached for the bedside lamp. The dim, orange-yellow light shone on her snow-white skin and the leotard she was wearing as pajamas.

...This girl is so pretty.

No matter the situation, that's always my first reaction to her. Are there really siblings like that in the world? If so, I'd be a total siscon.

"Brother, are you asleep?"

"...No, I can barely sleep."

Ayase sat down on the edge of the bed. I subconsciously shifted my body, creating a little distance between myself and her.