"Are you a boobs or ass guy, Kiyomi?" Kumiko asks me as we briskly walk to Olympia's home, where she's been spending her after-school time.
A part of me knows that I shouldn't entertain her and instead ask what I've been dying to ask her since I woke up.
But—
"I'm more of an ass type of person." I wouldn't miss the opportunity to discuss my ideal type of woman with someone, especially with someone who's as much of a pervert as I am. Even though Kumiko is a girl, I'd never feel uncomfortable talking about this topic with her, considering the team she plays for.
"Really? I'm more of a boobs person. Have I ever told you that I'm a sapphic? Hehe, Olympia is the woman of my dreams," Kumiko shares with me.
Yes, a version of you has told me your sexual attraction towards the female sex, and more specifically, Olympia. But I'll play the fool for now (which you know that I'm best at).
"I can tell by the way you oggle her chest in the middle of school," I bully her.
"I can tell that you're an ass guy by the way you purposefully stare at your feet when she's walking up the stairs in front of you."
"Wait, isn't me staring at my feet the opposite of me displaying my attraction for asses? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Everyone knows that to make someone not think that you admire their behind when walking up the stairs is to stare straight forward. Not up towards their glory, nor down at your feet. Staring at your feet makes it way too obvious what you wish your eyes were on."
Wow. This is something that I've never considered. I'll keep this valuable information locked in my brain.
"Why is it that you prefer a woman's behind, Kiyomi?" Kumiko continues. "To me, although I do appreciate a fine ass, breasts tend to be the embodiment of femininity and are often akin to womanhood."
"Well, Kumiko, my reasoning is simple:
"Mankind,
"Used to walk on all fours. What they saw before them then…
"Were assess…"
"You know, splitting that up into separate pieces doesn't make what you said poetic. Doing so only shows how much of a dirty pervert you are," Kumiko says, wearing the same smile Olympia has when she teases me.
"You're the one who brought it up, so you're the biggest pervert between the two of us."
"But I'm a girl. Girls can't be perverts."
Damn, she has me there. Or maybe…maybe she wants me to think that. Should I refute her claim by saying that what she said only perpetuates the harmful idea that women can't be victimizers and thus pushes a narrative that women can do no wrong and men are the only victimizers?
"You're thinking too deeply, Kiyomi… I was just messing around."
We share a laugh after our silly banter.
"I'm glad you're doing better, Kiyomi. You seemed to be off ever since you heard of those rumors. Looks like you got a good night's sleep."
Now that I think of it, it's been far too long since I've gotten good sleep. Maybe my sudden knockout last night was for the better.
Ah.
That's why she brought up this whimsical conversation.
I didn't know you were so thoughtful, Kumiko.
"There's something you want to ask me, isn't there, Kiyomi?" Kumiko interjects our shared moment of silence.
"Seems like you already know what's on my mind. So tell me: was Olympia there when you checked up on her every hour last night?"
She doesn't answer right away.
She takes a moment.
And then finally says: "I didn't bother checking."
We stared at each other for a moment too long—until we both laughed. Not because it was funny, but because it was easier than saying what we were really thinking.
"Turns out," Kumiko continues, "not sleeping for eight hours straight isn't an effective way of catching z's. So I ended up not checking up on her to see if she was there. But, for your information, I'm not a deep sleeper. I'm awoken rather easily. So, if she were to have gotten up in the middle of the night, I would've noticed."
I guess rather than having my question answered, I'm still stuck with a lingering thought in my mind.
Was Olympia with me to begin with?
Or perhaps these shared moments between the two hadn't occurred.
No.
There is a consistency between the night I have experienced and the nights Olympia has experienced.
And now, without Kumiko being a reliable source of information, I have to base my knowledge on my own experiences.
This story would have been resolved much more easily if Kumiko had continued checking in on Olympia, but now I must find the truth on my own.
"Sorry, I couldn't be much help," Kumiko begins, "but I don't think there's much you should worry about. You shouldn't put much thought into this. Just continue going on your witch hunts with Olympia. Maybe you two will find this witch. Maybe you won't. But, hey, the two of you are growing closer, aren't you? So it's not like you're coming up empty-handed."
"I guess you're right. I do wish I had a more consistent sleep schedule as I did before, though."
"Well, isn't it worth sacrificing your sleep schedule as long as you're woken up by Olympia?" Kumiko suggests with a grin on her face.
But this grin that she's wearing doesn't grant me a piece of mind.
No.
All it does is make me grow uncomfortable.
This isn't right.
This isn't how things are supposed to be.
Kumiko, why would you say such a thing?
Kumiko, how can you say such a thing?
Kumiko, how can you suggest such a thing?
Kumiko, how can you know about Olympia and mine's witch hunt?
How could you know that Olympia has woken me up before?
Didn't you just say she's been sleeping with you?
"Is something the matter, Kiyomi? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Within this instant, I lose focus on reality.
The world flickers. My legs stumble backward on instinct. I blink, and she's gone.
Was she ever really here?