Hours passed as the two continued watching movies until Kenichi noticed Risa Amemiya's eyes were shut, a light snore escaping her lips.
'I hope the movie didn't bore her.'
He laid her down on the sofa, then wrapped the blanket around her.
'There, that should do it.'
The edges of Kenichi's lips curled, feeling satisfied at Amemiya sleeping comfortably. Just a day ago, the thought of being in a relationship with her felt like a dream, but tomorrow they'll be going on a date.
The best part was that she actually thanked him for inviting her on a date. It seemed she was excited, but when he had initially asked her, there was a long pause. But she was quick to respond when he had said, "Seriously, are you gonna say something or what?"
'That's something Kyoya would've said.'
It's proof that the more he acted like Kyoya, the more Amemiya seemed attracted to him. His lips curved downwards. He turned the TV screen off. The room was nearly pitch-black, with a little light from the moon outside peeking through the apartment windows.
Heading to the bedroom, he glanced at the sleeping Amemiya before stepping in. She looked like an angel, but for some reason, she was dating the devil.
'Just what does she like about him?'
Finally, he entered Kyoya's room and lay on the futon. There was no blanket since he had wrapped it around Amemiya.
The air was a little cold, but as long as Amemiya was comfortable, that was fine. However, would Kyoya have done this? He didn't seem like the type. If that's the case, then would his kindness ruin his relationship with Amemiya?
'I don't want to treat her like trash.'
As Kenichi thought about this, he began to feel drowsy, his eyes fluttered closed, and he became consumed by the darkness.
***
As he drifted deeper into sleep, he found himself in Kyoya's living room. However, the furniture was much bigger than he was, and he was much closer to the ground.
'How'd I end up here? And why am I so small?'
A floral vanilla scent spread throughout the room, coupled with the smoky stench of cigarettes.
Kenichi wanted to pinch his nose to block out the nauseating smell of cigarettes, but his body wouldn't budge.
'Why can't I move?'
Instead, it seemed his body moved on its own, as if Kenichi were a passenger watching the scene in front of him unfold.
A woman who towered over him entered the room holding a cigarette in between her index and middle fingers. Her face resembled Kyoya's. She had black hair and wore a tight, revealing dress that left little to the imagination.
'Who is that woman?'
'Perhaps she's a relative.'
Then, his mouth began to move on its own. A scream tore from his throat.
"I fucking hate you die! Just die!"
But Kenichi wasn't speaking; whoever's body he was inhabiting was the one talking. The voice didn't sound like Kyoya's deep voice, nor was it his own. It sounded more like a child's voice.
The woman glared and approached, swinging her hand.
"Kyoya, you ungrateful child!"
The slap sent him tumbling to the ground. He felt the sharp sting on his cheek.
'Hold on—she said, Kyoya? Wait! Am I seeing Kyoya's past?'
The woman swung her hand once more. Kenichi shut his eyes, bracing for the pain. A moment passed, and he felt nothing.
As he slowly opened his eyes, he found himself back in Kyoya's bedroom, but this time, he was on top of another woman, and it was not Amemiya.
This girl had tanned skin, purple hair, and a cocky smile, wearing a school uniform, but it wasn't the same uniform from his school.
Once again, he couldn't move; it seemed he was witnessing another of Kyoya's memories. His height was also back to normal, so perhaps this was a recent memory.
As he stared at the woman, he could feel Kyoya's strong arousal for this woman.
A smile crept on the woman's face.
"Kyoya, you're so terrible," she teased.
Kenichi's body leaned in, his lips pressing on hers.
Kenichi remembered hearing that Kyoya had cheated on Amemiya. Perhaps that's what he was seeing. The woman began unbuttoning her shirt. Suddenly, the world around Kenichi flashed. His eyes shut, trying to block out the light.
When he opened his eyes, he was in his classroom. However, the desks and chairs were much taller.
Was he witnessing Kyoya's younger self again? If so, why would he be in this class? No, this perspective was one that he was very acquainted with.
Looking at his hands, he noticed they were soft and familiar; they were unlike Kyoya's rough hands. That's all the confirmation he needed.
'I'm back in my old body.'
He knew his body well. He'd lived in it for eighteen years, so he didn't need many clues to realize he was back, in his old body.
At the same time, he realized he could move freely.
He felt a sense of relief being able to move, but at the same time, he couldn't help but wonder...
'Why am I in this body?'
As he thought about it, he heard a voice from behind him.
"Yo"
The voice was familiar.
He spun around, seeing Kyoya Futami sitting on top of a desk with a devilish grin spread across his face.
Sweat beaded down Kenichi's forehead.
Kyoya chuckled.
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
"W—What do you want?"
Kyoya paused for a moment that felt like a while. It was like he was hiding something from him. Kenichi's heart raced in anticipation as he wondered what he wanted.
Then Kyoya said those words.
"You're not me."
Kenichi's heart sank.
'What is he talking about? Why is he here? I should be in his body, what's going on?'
Kyoya got on the ground and swaggered his way to him. Kenichi inched away from Kyoya until his back pressed against the wall.
Kyoya leaned in, whispering into his ear.
"You're never going to be me because when it comes down to it, you're just a loser."
Kenichi's eyes began to well up with tears as Kyoya wrapped his fingers around his neck. Kenichi felt the crushing pain.
'It's not fair.'
Kyoya Futami shouldn't even be alive at the moment. Why was he here, tormenting him?
His lips quivered, but the words came out.
"Y—You're supposed to be dead."
Kyoya's grin widened. A laugh erupted from Kyoya's mouth, which echoed through the empty classroom.
***
Finally, Kenichi's eyes shot open. He jolted out of bed and was seated, his chest rising and descending. He was back in Kyoya's room. A cold sweat dripped down his head as he breathed a sigh of relief.
Amemiya was sitting right next to him.
"Kyoya?"
"Huh?"
Kenichi said as he turned to the voice.
"Amemiya!?"
On top of that, he didn't even notice that her hand was clasped around his.
'Huh!? I'm holding hands with Risa Amemiya?'
Amemiya had a concerned expression.
"Is everything okay?"
"Uh, yeah, it was just a nightmare."
"What were you dreaming of?"
The thought of Kyoya's smug face pierced into Kenichi's mind. That wasn't a topic he could talk about with Amemiya.
"Nothing. Uh, shouldn't we get ready for our date?"
"Yeah, that's true! Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise, I'll text you the location where we'll meet up."
He had seen online that girls love to be surprised, and sure enough, he could see Amemiya's smile.
Amemiya walked toward the door, waving at him.
"I'm gonna go home to get ready, okay?"
"Wait, shouldn't I walk you home?"
"Of course not, my parents hate you, remember?"
Kenichi's eyes looked away as he held in a light chuckle.
'Figures.'
Amemiya closed the door to Kyoya's bedroom behind her, and he could hear through the walls that she slammed the apartment's front door shut as well.
It was unfair that such a kind girl was with Kyoya.
'At least he's dead...'
Kyoya's laughter flashed in his mind.
'Is he dead? There's no way he could be alive, right?'
Thinking about it, he should be dead. Before Kenichi entered Kyoya's body, he had hung himself. At the same time, having spent some time in Kyoya's body, he had felt a sense of determination and hope as if he could do anything.
If Kyoya awoke in his body, then he wouldn't allow himself to die so easily. True as that may be, Kenichi still hung himself and was already on the verge of dying. Could he have removed the rope around his neck?
The more Kenichi thought about it, the more puzzled he became.
'There's only one way to find out.'
Two hours had passed, and it was now eleven oh nine in the morning. Kenichi had showered and put on a sweater over a gray shirt and some baggy jeans. It wasn't his typical nerdy look he used to sport in his old body, but it was all Kyoya had.
He stood outside his apartment and walked down the stairs. His date would begin at three thirty in the afternoon. So he had time to answer the one question he couldn't get out of his head.
'Is Kyoya alive?'