When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 09: Arika

Chapter 09: Arika

I could assert that it was a dream.

“Hey thief, how can you come to school with such a calm face?”

“…How many times do I have to say it? I haven’t done anything.”

At a place that seemed to be a train station platform, I, Ren Kamisato, was being confronted by three boys.

These three were classmates of mine, but we hadn’t really had much conversation. It would be most accurate to say they were more than acquaintances but less than friends.

But what’s this about being a thief? I have no memory of doing such a thing, nor have I ever contemplated it.

“I do feel sorry for Yumeno-san, but I’m glad Arisaka was able to recover Yumeno-san’s wallet from you.”

What is this guy talking about?

“That’s why I’m telling you, I didn’t do anything!?”

Words flew out of my mouth in irritation.

Why am I in this situation? I don’t understand, but I feel this burning indignation.

This anger I feel, the words that come out of my mouth involuntarily… Why am I so angry about things I don’t understand?

“Yumeno-san is really kind. She’s been defending you all this time, saying you’re not the culprit. Do you have some dirt on her?”

“That’s why I’m telling you, I didn’t do anything to Arika! She believes in me—”

“Don’t you dare say Yumeno-san’s name, you thief!”

I pushed back against the guy who lunged at me with equal force. We grappled with each other, but the two boys behind us were trying to pull us apart.

“Hey, stop it, people are watching.”

“That’s right. And the train is about to—”

“Shut up!!”

Suddenly, I was shoved hard in the chest.

“…Eh?”

I should have been standing on the ground. 

So why was my body floating? Just like me, stunned, the guy who had pushed me also looked surprised.

A loud noise approached me… it was a massive chunk of metal.

“…Nee-san… Nii-san…”

Those were the last words I uttered. Then, my eyes opened, and I returned to reality.

“…!?”

I woke up with a start, a loud noise ringing in my ears. 

I couldn’t comprehend what had happened, but in my dream, I had been in a scuffle with a classmate and ended up being hit by a train. Damn, I could still feel the sensation of my flesh being crushed.

“Kamisato, is it that boring?”

“…Eh?”

When had he come over? The teacher who was conducting the class was looking down at me. 

Apparently, I had committed the unacceptable act of sleeping during class, and my face must have looked particularly bad because of that terrible dream.

“You look pale. Are you feeling sick? Want to go to the nurse’s office?”

The teacher’s expression softened with concern. I decided to take him up on his offer. 

The class chuckled softly, but the laughter died down, sensing that it wasn’t the time to laugh. 

Sogo and Kenichi even started to stand up.

“I’ll go to the nurse’s office,” I said quietly, getting up from my seat.

“…Ohh.”

I stumbled a bit, and the teacher caught me to steady me.

Maybe I was still a bit tired. I murmured an apology to the teacher and turned towards the door, when a gentle voice reached my ears.

“Sensei, I’ll go with him.”

“Yumeno! Alright, I’m counting on you.”

“Sure.”

Yumeno quickly walked over and offered me her shoulder for support.

Honestly, I didn’t think I needed that much help, but the way the others were looking at us made it easier to just go along with it.

As we left the classroom, Yumeno spoke up, sounding concerned. 

“Kamisato-kun, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Honestly, I just felt dizzy that one time. If anything, I feel bad for troubling you. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s natural to be worried.”

She’s such a good person… How many times have I thought that?

Together with Yumeno, we headed to the nurse’s office. The teacher wasn’t there, so we decided to use a bed.

Lying down, I quickly began to feel sleepy.

“Fufu, since we’re here, why not take a nap? Given the situation, I doubt anyone would mind.”

“Yeah… I am actually pretty sleepy.”

My eyelids felt heavy, and I didn’t resist the urge to close my eyes.

But sleep didn’t come immediately. In the limbo between wakefulness and sleep, I found myself saying,

“It might not be relevant, but I had a weird dream.”

“A weird dream?”

“A dream where I was hit and killed by a train.”

Yeah, I can still recall it. 

The sensation of being pushed off the platform and floating in mid-air before being struck by the train.

That’s when I woke up, but I wonder, what would actually happen to a person’s body if hit directly by an express train?

Maybe not completely crushed, but if it were, the aftermath at the station would be quite grim.

“Damn, why did I have to see such a dream?”

I know it’s entirely my fault for sleeping in class, but if I had to dream, I wish it had been a nicer one. Something happier, more blissful.

“You won’t die… You absolutely won’t die.”

“…Yumeno?”

Yumeno was the one holding my hands with both of hers. 

The warmth from her hands was comforting, though her bangs covering her eyes was a bit unsettling.

Still, it was reassuring for the second time.

“…Crap… I’m going to sleep.”

“Okay. Rest well.”

Her soft, warm voice lulled me into darkness.

“It’s alright. I’ll definitely protect you.”

“…Huh? Did I just say something?”

Arika, watching Ren sleep in front of her, whispered to herself.

She felt a fleeting sensation of losing consciousness but saw no change. Slightly tilting her head, her attention soon returned to Ren’s hand she was holding.

“Fufu, he’s already asleep.”

Arika smiled at the sound of Ren’s regular breathing. 

Thinking she could get away with a little mischief while he slept, she gently stroked his cheek. His face twitched as if tickled, eliciting another small smile from her.

“…Kamisato-kun… Ren-kun…!”

She usually calls him by his last name, but just saying his first name makes her face turn red.

“Oh, Yumeno-san… and Kamisato-kun? What’s the matter?”

Arika naturally stepped back and explained the situation.

She was told to let him sleep, so at least the reason for her being there was explained. Ren was asleep, but having an energetic Arika here was another matter.

“Yumeno-san, you should go back. I’ll take care of him from here.”

“…Okay.”

Arika stood up reluctantly, and the teacher, with wide eyes, remarked,

“That’s unusual. I thought you only did that kind of thing with Arisaka-kun.”

“Even if it were ‘Akito’-kun, I wouldn’t do that. Besides, he’s just a childhood friend.”

“Is that so? Are you embarrassed?”

“Excuse me.”

After one last glance at Ren, Arika left the nurse’s office and walked down the corridor. A frown formed between her eyebrows.

“Why does everyone keep mentioning Akito-kun… Just because he’s a childhood friend, why do they have to make assumptions like that?”

It had always been like that.

Just because a boy named Akito was around, people would speculate about their relationship.

Yet, perhaps because they were childhood friends and spent a lot of time together, she couldn’t push him away, which also contributed to the current situation.

“…!”

She suddenly brought her hand to her head and crouched down. 

For just a moment, a brief moment, she saw it again… “that” scene.

“Hi, Ren-kun, have you been well?”

With these words, Arika spoke not to a person, but to a grave.

It was a new grave, with the name Ren Kamisato engraved on it.

Arika, gazing at the grave, looked deeply troubled, sorrowful, and yet – she also harbored a fierce intensity that seemed to contradict these emotions.

“I can’t thank Ryo-san and Asami-san enough for keeping me company… Even though, probably, I should be the object of their resentment.”

The scenes she glimpsed were unfamiliar, yet oddly familiar. 

It was as if not her body, but her heart remembered this vague feeling. Touching the grave, she hoped to feel Ren… but that was impossible. 

All she felt was the coldness of the stone, not the warmth of a person.

“I’m thinking… of dying someday.”

At that moment, Arika’s consciousness snapped back to reality.

These mysterious visions she sometimes saw, instead of fear, made her wonder if they held some meaning.

But such thoughts were not something she could share with anyone. Voicing them would only make others think she was losing her mind.

“Akito-kun is just a childhood friend… nothing more, nothing less, since that time.”

Since the time Akito threw away the frog keychain she had cherished, Arika had been wearing a mask of a smile whenever she interacted with her childhood friend.

No one, not even Akito, and certainly not Ren, had ever noticed this facade.