"…"
The truth Nanashi revealed only deepened Shizuka's confusion.
She turned to look at him. "Nanashi… are you a god?"
The image of him, bathed in divine light, was burned into her memory.
If he were a god, surely he'd know what she should do.
Seeming to guess her thoughts, Nanashi shrugged with a helpless smile. "Unfortunately, I'm not a god. People keep asking me that, but my answer is always the same."
He faced her fully. "And I'm not here to lecture you, Shizuka-sensei. I won't make any decisions for you—except, perhaps, about your memory."
"…"
"Haah…"
Shizuka took a long, deep breath, the chill in the air cutting to her lungs.
"Tsk. I never thought I'd hear something this heavy from you."
Then she smiled—a bright, firm expression. "I've decided. I'll keep my memories. As a teacher, I should shoulder this burden with my students."
It was the duty she had chosen.
"…"
To share the weight with her students—an answer Nanashi hadn't expected.
Cool, he thought.
He smiled as well. "By the way, Shizuka-sensei, I forgot to mention something."
"What is it?" she asked, blinking in confusion.
"You've been drugged. By that bastard."
"Huh?"
Just as she tried to reply, her body suddenly gave out.
Nanashi caught her before she collapsed.
She had been exposed all along. The pungent scent that clung to Vinsk carried a powerful sedative—one he often used to knock people unconscious.
Even Nanashi was surprised she'd lasted this long.
Cradling the peacefully sleeping Shizuka in his arms, Nanashi gave a soft chuckle.
"What a show-off of a teacher."
He didn't dispel the drug's effects. What she needed now… was rest.
Yuigahama Residence
"Haaa..."
Mrs. Yuigahama let out a long sigh of relief.
Facing Nanashi earlier—his sharp, deliberate, and unnervingly intense clapping—had left her feeling deeply unsettled.
After standing still in thought for a while, she finally walked over to her daughter's room and gently knocked on the door with her knuckles.
She called softly, "Yui, do you want some breakfast?"
There was no response.
After a moment's hesitation, she slowly turned the door handle. As the door creaked open, a thick scent immediately wafted out.
"…"
Mrs. Yuigahama clenched her teeth, forcing down the unease rising in her chest.
Inside, she found Yui curled up in bed, sound asleep under her blanket.
Yesterday's clothes were tossed haphazardly over the chair—including her underwear.
Her expression became more complex.
Silently, she stepped over to the bedside and stood there, careful not to make a sound.
Yui's sleeping face looked tired. It tugged at her heart—a mixture of motherly concern and, strangely, envy.
Then, her eyes drifted to the trash can.
A mountain of used tissue paper filled the bag.
Mrs. Yuigahama exhaled with visible relief.
At the very least, what she feared most hadn't happened.
Quietly, she took the trash bag and tiptoed out of the room.
In the living room, she hesitated for a moment before opening the bag. She reached inside and began sifting through its contents.
Nothing she touched surprised her—until her fingers brushed against a particular item.
Her brow twitched.
She didn't mind the unpleasantness of digging through the trash. She just wanted confirmation.
And she found it.
Her eyelids twitched violently.
The exact number she had purchased... every single one of them was there!
Realization hit her hard, and dizziness swept over her.
Out of habit, she reached up to rub her forehead—only to remember too late that her hand had just rummaged through used tissues.
"…"
Her fingertips grazed her cheek, her nose... even brushed her lips.
"!!!"
Yeah, no helping it—she had to go wash up. Thoroughly.
Later
Yui slowly opened her eyes.
"Mom...?"
Wearing only a thin undershirt and panties, her hair loose and messy, Yui peeked out from behind the slightly open door, calling softly toward the living room.
"…"
No reply.
"It's already this late... maybe Mom went back to sleep."
With that thought, she let out a small sigh of relief.
Feeling the ache in her body, she recalled everything that had happened the night before—and instantly turned bright red.
She shook her head vigorously. Nope! Not thinking about it!
"...Hiss!"
The moment she took a step, a sharp jolt of pain coursed through her.
Yui gave a bitter smile.
Honestly, I brought this on myself. Why did I act so stubborn?
Nanashi even offered to help with the pain, and I turned him down like some dramatic heroine...
The memory came flooding back.
Nanashi had gently combed her hair, asking softly, "Yui, do you want me to help ease the pain?"
And what had she said?
"I... I want to remember this precious moment."
—Seriously, what was she even talking about!?
She covered her face with both hands.
You reap what you sow—even if it hurts!
Taking bigger steps was out of the question. Every movement sent a painful reminder.
So, she shuffled slowly toward the bathroom, taking three tiny steps at a time.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally reached the bathroom door and exhaled in relief.
Grabbing the handle, she pushed the door open.
"!!!"
"???"
Inside and outside the bathroom, two pairs of wide, startled eyes locked onto each other.
Yui froze. "M-Mom?!"
Mrs. Yuigahama, equally stunned, shouted, "Yui?!"
…
Elsewhere – Morning Light
Sunlight poured through a crack in the curtains, landing on Shizuka's face and casting a soft warmth.
Half-asleep, she rubbed her eyes, still heavy with drowsiness.
Her eyelids refused to lift easily, as if bound by invisible weights.
Her breathing settled. The cool morning air tickled her nose, sharp and clean.
She'd had a dream.
A terrible dream—blood, severed limbs, man-eating demons.
She had wandered, lost, through hell. Confused. Terrified. Trapped.
Then, a golden light had broken through the horror, washing everything clean with warmth and purity.
That light had pulled her from despair, guiding her back to reality.
Slowly, her consciousness returned.
Stretching lazily, she sprawled out across the bed, her limbs heavy as if anchored by unseen hands.
Her fingers brushed the bedsheet, soft and warm beneath her touch.
She finally opened her eyes.
Her vision was still blurry, unfocused.
She blinked several times, trying to bring the world into clarity.
Gradually, everything sharpened.
Sunlight bathed the room, painting glowing patches across the walls.
Shizuka sat up and rubbed her still-dizzy head.
Her hair was a mess, strands clinging to her forehead.
She gave her head a light shake, trying to clear the fog.
As her senses returned, she realized—this wasn't her room.
Her right hand felt... warm.
Just like in her dream.
"You're awake."
A gentle voice—soft as spring wind—reached her ears.
A man's voice.
Her eyes widened instantly.
A strange room. A bed. A man. And she'd been asleep!
Whipping her head around, she met eyes with him.
Nanashi.
"Why is it you?"
Nanashi sat casually at the head of the bed, stifling a yawn.
"Why shouldn't it be me?"
"Shizuka-sensei, could you let go of my hand? I need to use the bathroom."
Nanashi lifted his left hand, which was still tightly clasped in Shizuka's right. Their fingers were interlocked.
"!!!"
Only then did she realize the source of that lingering warmth. Her face turned red as she quickly let go.
Nanashi stood and headed for the bathroom.
"What... have I done?"
Shizuka clutched her head, trying to piece together her fragmented memories.
A moment passed.
Then everything came rushing back—
Vinsk, the ghouls, and everything else that had unfolded.
"I remember... I was drugged without even realizing it. Then I collapsed. After that, nothing..."
She looked around. The room was unfamiliar.
A hotel room.
Drugs. Hotel room.
"!!!"
Startled, she frantically checked her clothes.
Pulling back the blanket, she found herself still in her red dress. It was unwrinkled, neat. Her undergarments hadn't been disturbed either.
Whew...
Only then did her heart finally calm.
If anything had happened between her and Nanashi, her entire teaching career might've been over.
"Shizuka-sensei, you're not thinking I did something to you, are you?"
Nanashi had just returned from the bathroom, only to find her inspecting herself like a crime scene.
"Ahem!!!"
Caught in the act, Shizuka coughed awkwardly and changed the subject.
"Where are we?"
"Hotel."
After a brief reply, Nanashi's expression turned slightly somber.
"I just wanted you to get some proper rest for the night, Shizuka-sensei. After checking in, I put you on the bed and was about to leave, but you wouldn't let go of my hand. You looked like you were having a nightmare, so I stayed by your side the whole night to comfort you."
"...Ah?"
That... matched her dream exactly.
She had been trapped in a nightmare—dark, terrifying—until a warm light broke through it.
So, that warmth... was him?
He actually sat there, by her side, the whole night?
A faint tremor stirred in her chest.
She quickly pushed it down.
Get a grip! He's your student!
"Shizuka-sensei, it's Monday. I'm gonna be late for school. I parked your car in the hotel lot. Can you give me a ride?"
The moment she heard that, her first reaction was:
"Where did you even get a driver's license?"
Nanashi rolled his eyes.
"Come on, I have superpowers, remember?"
"…"
Flustered, she turned red but quickly shot back, "Still! You're a student!"
"Exactly why I asked you for a ride."
"But I..."
Shizuka looked down at herself—still dressed in that eye-catching red dress.
There's no way I can show up at school like this!
"It's a small thing."
With a simple snap of his fingers—no flash, no drama—the red dress morphed seamlessly into her usual outfit: a crisp shirt and her white lab coat.
"Hiss... You can do something like that?"
She touched the fabric. It felt just like the real thing.
"Don't be so surprised. You're gonna be late."
"Oh—right, right."
"Oh, by the way, Shizuka-sensei," Nanashi added with a teasing grin, "that red dress was really beautiful. It looked very... womanly on you."
"Who are you calling 'womanly,' you little brat?"
"Can't I give a compliment?"
"Just get in the car."
As they headed out, Nanashi added, "Next time something weird happens, call me right away."
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
The two continued to bicker lightly on the way.
But if one looked closely, they'd see that beneath her hair, Shizuka's earlobes were glowing red.