On the rooftop, the cold wind tugged at their collars as the two faced each other.
"Kazuma, show your fangs."
"I'm just an ordinary high school student!"
"I won't resist."
"You're making things difficult for me!"
They stared at each other for a long time before Kazuma finally let out a sigh.
"Tosaka Fuyuka, stop now. There's still time to turn back."
The beautiful senior, faint black energy seeping from her body, pressed her lips together. She didn't reply. Instead, she stepped closer, her face nearly brushing against Kazuma's. A pleasant fragrance drifted toward him, yet not a single romantic thought crossed his mind.
Her eyes were lifeless, her aura clearly darkening. Seeing her like this sent a chill through Kazuma's heart. When it became obvious she had no intention of stopping, he gritted his teeth and reached out, firmly pinching her soft, fair cheeks.
"To be honest, if you really want to die, I can't stop you," Kazuma said seriously. "But before that, I want you to look at this."
A purple flower suddenly appeared in his hand, vibrant and beautiful, as if conjured out of thin air. Fuyuka didn't even see how he produced it before it was already in front of her.
Tosaka Fuyuka looked confused.
"A confession? If that's your condition, I can accept it."
"…"
The veins on Kazuma's forehead throbbed as he forced an awkward smile.
"I'm… a little tempted—pshaw! That's not what I meant. This flower might help ease your pain and make you feel better. Senior, try it."
"If you still want to die after smelling it, I won't stop you anymore."
Tosaka Fuyuka frowned.
"I'm not a child. That kind of thinking is too naïve."
Even so, she didn't refuse. She took the flower from Kazuma's hand. It was undeniably beautiful, but she didn't believe it could change anything.
After hesitating for a moment, she lifted it closer and gently inhaled.
The scent wasn't strong—far weaker than the flowers in the nearby flowerbed. It was faint, yet strangely pleasant. That was all.
What's the point of this? How could this stop me? Stop me… stop what?
Wait—what was I trying to do just now?
Kazuma noticed the subtle change in her expression. The despair that once filled her face slowly faded, replaced by confusion. He immediately knew the Forget-Me-Not Grass had taken effect. Letting out a breath of relief, he also felt a twinge of helplessness.
"Time heals all wounds, but you seem stuck in this painful period," Kazuma said softly. "I'm sorry, Tosaka-senpai. Let's forget about this for now."
She probably wouldn't do anything extreme again.
Still, the effects of the Forget-Me-Not Grass weren't permanent. Her memories would gradually return. What happened then… would be dealt with later.
Kazuma opened the system. Nothing had changed. Tosaka Fuyuka's wish list still displayed death, meaning this method only suppressed the symptoms, not the root cause. Even a secret item couldn't fully solve the problem.
This was seriously troublesome.
"I… sob…"
Fuyuka rubbed her forehead, feeling dizzy. Something felt missing, yet deep inside, she felt an unfamiliar sense of relief. The crushing pressure that had weighed on her chest seemed to loosen.
What's happening?
Though she didn't understand why, each breath of the flower's scent made her feel lighter, more comfortable. Unconsciously drawn to that feeling, she inhaled again… and again.
She didn't realize that with every breath, fragments of her memory quietly vanished. Even if she sensed something was wrong, she would forget it the very next second. Before long, the despair on Tosaka Fuyuka's face disappeared completely, replaced by pure confusion.
"Oh no!!!"
Kazuma finally realized what was happening. He hastily shut down the system, snatched back the Forget-Me-Not Grass, and exclaimed in panic,
"I only looked away for a moment, and you smelled it that many times?!"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"…"
A chill ran straight down Kazuma's spine. Meeting her innocent gaze, he forced a smile, his heart pounding violently.
"Uh… Tosaka-senpai, are you… okay?"
"Tosaka-senpai?"
Fuyuka tilted her head, pointed at herself, and asked, "Are you talking to me?"
Kazuma sucked in a sharp breath, cold air rushing straight to his brain.
She inhaled too much—and forgot everything!
His legs nearly gave out. Grabbing her shoulders, his hands trembling, Kazuma asked urgently.
"Do you remember your name?"
Tosaka Fuyuka stared blankly into space, thinking for a long while.
"I don't remember."
"Where do you live?"
"I don't know."
"Your family…?"
She shook her head absentmindedly until Kazuma finally asked,
"How old are you?"
She blinked and replied hesitantly.
"I think… I should be fifteen this year?"
"Phew… at least you remember that…"
"I guessed."
"…"
Kazuma froze, then collapsed onto the ground.
"Stop guessing. You're thirty-five this year."
"Huh?"
Wow… I'm already that old?
"And one more thing," Kazuma added flatly, "you're not a girl. You're a boy."
"Huh?!?!"
.
It was already evening on the rooftop. Kazuma looked at Tosaka Fuyuka, who was happily playing with the little black cat, and could only accept reality.
She had forgotten the past—forgotten everything about herself.
The sadness and painful memories were completely gone. However, there had also been warmth and beauty within those memories. Kazuma couldn't tell whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. At least now, he no longer had to worry about Fuyuka seeking escape from despair. Just look at how happy Tosaka-senpai was.
Damn it.
The cold, silent, aloof senior from Kazuma's memories—the one who never smiled—was now wearing such a bright expression, no longer gloomy or withdrawn.
It was hard to believe they were the same person.
Perhaps… this was the real her?
Kazuma didn't know.
Of course, although she had forgotten everything, she still knew she was a girl and hadn't been completely fooled by Kazuma. Simply put, she still possessed basic common sense.
"Fortunately, the effects of the Forgetfulness Grass aren't permanent. She'll recover after a while." Now it was Kazuma's turn to feel uneasy. Once she regains her memories, she'll definitely kill me.
He even started thinking about running away.
But he couldn't just leave her here by herself.
"Um, Kazuma-kun," seeing that she couldn't touch the kitten no matter how hard she tried, Tosaka Fuyuka finally gave up and returned to Kazuma's side. She already knew both Kazuma's name and her own. "It feels like it's getting dark."
"Where do you live? I'll take you home—you don't even know the way," Kazuma said, covering his face. "But you should have a phone on you. Why don't you call and ask?"
"You mean this?"
Tosaka Fuyuka took out her phone, hesitating slightly. "But I don't want to go home. Can I stay with you tonight?"
"Huh?"
"Going home feels very unfamiliar… I don't remember anything about it…"
She was clearly frightened.
"And you're not unfamiliar with me?"
Tosaka Fuyuka stared at Kazuma's face for a long moment with her large eyes, then smiled softly. "No. I think you're very kind, Kazuma-kun. You must be a good person."
"..."
Damn it.