Furukawa
Advanced Nurturing High School; My Room
It was Saturday. I was inside my room in the kitchen, brewing some tea with a kettle over the stove. As I waited for the water to heat up, I grabbed a container of dried chrysanthemum flowers from my cabinet and some aromatics, placing them to the side for later use.
After a few minutes, the kettle made a whistle and I turned off the stove. Opening it, I added in the dried chrysanthemum flowers and other ingredients. I closed it and went off to the side to wait.
After waiting for a few minutes, my phone, which was plugged into the wall and charging, began to ring. Someone was calling me. I went over to my bedside and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Ah! Furukawa-kun!" It was Kurino who called me. "Um...if you don't mind me asking, do you have some time later?"
I moved my phone away from my ear and checked the time on my screen. It was about nine in the morning. "It depends. Why?"
"Oh, well I just called you to see if you want to hang out at the mall later on."
"Hang out?" I repeated. "I don't know much, but don't you usually hang out with your friends? I'm sure Hamasaki and Yoshinaga are better people to hang out with instead of me."
"Hey~, don't say that! You're a nice person, Furukawa-kun. And you're one of my best friends. So I want to hang out with you today! Besides...you made that promise, remember?"
The day when Misaki and I went to the karaoke bar for Kurino's class party, we barely stayed there. Misaki had left just after a couple minutes after she arrived, and so did I. Because of that, I promised Kurino that I would do anything to make it up to her for that.
"Right. The promise."
"So...?"
I went over to the kitchen and checked the tea kettle. As I was talking to Kurino on the phone, the tea had been brewing on its own and now, it was finished. I grabbed a tea cup and poured some chrysanthemum tea into the cup and sipped it. It wasn't brewed for long, so it didn't have much flavor.
"What time?" I asked Kurino, who was still on the phone.
"Ah! Thank you! Hm...let's see...how about somewhere around noon?"
"That works for me."
"Hehe! Alright then! I'll see you soon, Furukawa-kun!" Kurino hung up and I placed the phone back into my pocket. I went over to the table and placed my cup of tea down, then went over to my desk and opened a small drawer beneath it.
"Hang out together huh...?" I reached into the drawer and grabbed out a small golden necklace with an amethyst gem.
"Hey Hide-kun! We still have some time before lunch ends. Do you want to hang out with me for a bit?"
"Why me, Naomi-san?" I asked.
"Why? Well, because you're my friend! Friends always hang out with each other!"
"Friends..." I repeated. "Alright..."
"Yay! Come on, let's go!" Naomi grabbed my hand and the two of us ran off.
"..." I placed the necklace back into the drawer and closed it. I went over to the table and gulped down the remaining tea in the cup. "I suppose I should get ready..."
Advanced Nurturing High School; Keyaki Mall
Wearing my casual clothes, I arrived at the area in the mall where Kurino and I were supposed to meet. It was noon, yet it seems like I was the only one here. I looked around, searching for her, but found no trace of her. Just as I was about to step to the side and wait, someone gently pushed me from behind.
"Good afternoon, Furukawa!"
I turned to look behind me. "Kurino-san."
"Hehe. Sorry~, did you have to wait long?"
I shook my head. "No. I only just arrived."
"Oh, is that so? I see..." Kurino looks at me up and down, staring at my clothes. "Hey Furukawa, why are you wearing long clothes? It's not that cold for you, is it?"
"I usually wear long clothes," I answered.
"I see..." Kurino smiled, then clapped her hands together. "Alright then! You ready to go?"
I nodded, then she walked and led the way as I followed closely behind her. As I continued following her, I began to notice something strange about the way she walked. Her pace was a little slower, and her steps seemed out of place. Her posture was different and the way she was acting was a little off from her usual self. Deciding to ignore these thoughts for now, I caught up with her and we headed towards the cafe.
Advanced Nurturing High School; Palate
Kurino and I entered, looking around to find so many students already sitting down in their seats, talking and eating together. Kurino went to one of the staff members and showed them her phone, then Kurino gestured to me to follow her. We walked around in the cafe and found ourselves a table for two, then Kurino and I sat down.
"Palate is usually packed, so I made some reservations beforehand." That was the reason why she talked to that staff member. It was smart, reserving seats before you arrived. "While we're here, please order anything you like, Furukawa. I'll be paying of course."
"...Are you sure?" Kurino nodded and I stared at her for a moment, then nodded at her. "Alright then." I decided to order some black coffee. As for Kurino, she ordered some matcha tea and some unagi nigiri sushi.
A little while later, we were given our orders by one of the staff members. The black coffee I had was warm and served in a white ceramic mug. Kurino's matcha tea was served in a tall white tea cup, and to the side, there was a small plate of two pieces of the unagi sushi.
Kurino takes a sip of her tea, then sighs. "Thank you, Furukawa. For coming here with me," she said with a smile on her face. "I'm glad you remembered your promise."
I stayed silent, staring at her and nodded. I took the mug of black coffee and sipped it. "Didn't know you liked sushi. I thought you would order some sweets."
"Hm...no. I don't really do sweets."
With the mug held in my hand, I went quiet again and stared at her. "...Is that so...?"
"Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head.
"...No, it's nothing." I placed down my mug on the table and regained my composure.
"Alright then..." Kurino took another sip of her tea. "You know, I'm still a little sad that Horikita left that day. You know, during our karaoke party?" Kurino gently reached for the sushi, picking a piece up with her hand. "She didn't seem like she was doing too well. Is she alright?"
"Why do you want to know? And what makes you think I know?" I asked.
"Well, she didn't seem quite happy. She was acting...strange," she said, eyeing the sushi in her hand. "I thought you might know something seeing that you're pretty much the only person who talks to her in class."
I crossed my arms. "We're neighbors. Horikita-san and I may find ourselves in a conversation every now and then because we sit close to each other, that's all." I looked down at my mug of coffee, staring at my reflection. "To be honest, I don't really know much about her, nor about what she's feeling or thinking. The same goes for her. She doesn't really know much about me."
"I see..." Kurino gently takes a bite of the sushi, chewing it in her mouth. Suddenly, she stops and her face changes.
"Is something wrong?" I asked, tilting my head.
"N-No...it's nothing." She swallowed it, then immediately grabbed her cup of tea and gulped it down. "Ah~...sorry."
"...No, it's fine."
Kurino sighed. "S-So, Furukawa-kun, what do you like to do in your free time?" Kurino asked me, talking in her usual tone and manner.
"My free time?" I repeated. "I usually go to the store and gather ingredients, which I use to cook meals in my room. Besides cooking, I would read some books I borrowed from the library and I sometimes meditate by myself."
"Really? That's amazing!" Kurino's face lit up and she had a bright smile on her face. "I didn't know you like to cook, Furukawa-kun! And...hehe! It's kind of funny that you and Horikita-san have the same hobby!" Hearing that, I suppose that she meant that Horikita and I both liked reading.
"...Yes." I continued staring at her with eyes of suspicion. The Kurino who sat in front of me had changed, returning to the original Kurino I knew. Something was going on. "Kurino-san, what about you? What do you like to do?"
"Oh, me? Well...I usually hang out with my friends, and sometimes I go shopping with them! I never really spend any time by myself, but...when I do, I usually just listen to music in my room. And..." Kurino blushed and gently touched her face with her finger. "Well...I sometimes sing to the songs I listen to as well. I never told anyone else that, so don't say anything!" I nodded. "Oh, and I also like to-" Kurino suddenly paused, going quiet and changing her facial expression.
"Kurino-san?"
"A-Ah...um...sorry." Kurino gently rubbed her head, almost as if she was in pain. "Furukawa, I apologize, but I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick. Please, stay here and wait for me." I nodded, then she stood up and quickly left the cafe.
After a few minutes of waiting, some of the students in the cafe began to leave with new ones coming in and taking their seats. I was still sitting down at Kurino's reserved table, alone with nothing but a cup of coffee and Kurino's sushi and tea in front of me. I stared at the empty seat where Kurino had sat, wondering where she was.
Is she still in the bathroom...? I thought. At the moment, I didn't mind being alone. I enjoyed it. However, at times, being alone was often quite depressing, just like right now. Spending time with Kurino felt like a good thing for me, but I wouldn't really do something like this over and over again. Being alone...was better for me.
"I might as well go look for her..." I sighed, gulping down the rest of my coffee and standing up from my seat. I walked off and left Palate.
Advanced Nurturing High School; Keyaki Mall
As I walked around, I passed by many students-some from my grade level, and some who were much older than I was. Compared to them who had someone beside them, I was on my own, searching for a girl who seemed to have no intention of coming back. I looked around me, glancing at the stores, at the cafes, and at the people who were standing around. Nothing. There was no trace of Kurino Marise.
After walking for a bit, I decided to stop at an area where almost no one was around. The stores were behind me, so there was almost nothing around where I was. It was quiet, and I was by myself, standing alone.
"...No..." Just then, I heard a voice and turned, looking into a corner which led to the back of one of the buildings here in the mall. Wondering what it was, I decided to head where the voice was coming from, going down the alleyway.
This is...
There, I saw Kurino standing by herself, staring at a wall and talking to herself. Around, it was dark and mostly empty, allowing her to be alone. Seeing that she was the only one there, I decided to stay back a bit, watching her from afar.
"...No...just sleep, Marise..." she said, holding her face with her hand. "Just sleep...and let me do all the work. I'll make sure you're happy again...I'll make sure to get rid of those who try to take your smile away..."
Again, she was by herself. Yet, it sounded like she was talking to someone. Not only that, she was saying her own name like she was someone else. As I continued to watch and listen, my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket.
"...!" Kurino turned and I quickly hid. "Who's there...?" Instead of answering, I remained silent and continued hiding. "I'm not dumb. I know you're there! Come out!" she shouted with anger in her voice. With no choice, I stepped out from the shadows and she turned to me. "Furukawa...?"
"So this is where you went, Kurino-san."
She glared at me. "What are you doing here...?"
"I was looking for you. You were gone for a while, and it didn't seem like you were coming back," I said, walking closer to her.
"...How much did you hear?" I stopped and stood still, then silently tilted my head, playing dumb. "Don't give me that look. I know you were listening." Kurino walks towards me, angrily stomping on the ground. "So tell me. How much did you hear...?" Her tone was aggressive, and her eyes were filled with rage and hatred. That smile and that bright aura that she usually had was gone. Instead, there was this darkness surrounding her, so cold and so suffocating.
I continued staring at her for a moment, then sighed and looked away. "Does it matter whether or not I heard it?"
"It does," she said in an angry tone. "If you started going around and spreading this to other people, it'll only be trouble for me. And I don't want that."
"...Even if I did know, I wouldn't do such a thing."
Kurino stared at me, giving me an intense glare that was almost petrifying. Without admitting it, she realized that I knew-that I heard her talking to herself. There was no escape now. She slowly stepped closer to me, getting to the point where our bodies were touching. Without seeing it, Kurino had grabbed my arm tightly and started moving it closer to her. I tried to free myself from her grip, but she wasn't letting go. With my arm, she placed my hand on her chest, touching her breasts.
"You..."
Kurino came closer to my face and gazed into my eyes. "If you dare tell anyone this, I will blackmail you for touching me. And there's plenty of proof for that." She was right. My fingerprints were on her clothes. She could report me right now and anyone would believe it. After all, I was just a lonely student who has a terrifying look that could scare anyone.
"..."
Kurino continued glaring at me for a few more seconds, then she let go of my hand. "Seems like you understand." Without saying anything, she knew that I wouldn't tell anyone just from looking into my eyes. Now that I was freed, I grabbed my arm, rubbing it.
"You aren't Kurino-san...are you...?" I muttered quietly.
Kurino tilted her head. "What are you trying to say...?"
Before replying, I stayed silent and continued staring at her. I looked at her face, then looked all the way down to her feet. Her posture, her present personality, her movements; it was all different.
"You're not the same. You're more serious now. Your arms and legs seem stiff, almost as if you can't relax. Anger and hatred are clearly shown in your eyes and your actions. And the way you walk is different-your rhythm and your speed is out of place."
"...You were paying attention to all of that...?" she asked.
"Not just that. When we were at Palate earlier, you ordered matcha tea and unagi sushi, which was quite unusual for you in my opinion. At that time of the karaoke party, you had sweets and a milkshake next to you, which told me that you had a sweet tooth. Yet, you clearly denied that when I asked you why you didn't order anything sweet."
"I don't really do sweets."
"Besides...you almost threw up when you ate the sushi."
After explaining how I knew Kurino was different, she went silent. Her facial expression became darker and her hands twitched. Then, Kurino chuckled.
"You really are amazing, you know that, Furukawa?" Kurino looked up at me and grinned, clapping her hands. "That's right. I'm not Kurino Marise. Well, I am on the outside, but...on the inside...I'm someone else."
Someone else? Looking back at the details I collected about her, and repeating her words in my head, I summarized it to one answer: she had a dissociative identity disorder, or a split-personality in simpler terms. One of her faces was Kurino Marise, which was probably the original. As for the personality I see in front of me now, she was probably the one created by her disorder. However, if it's true that she has a split-personality, then that must mean Kurino Marise must've suffered some sort of trauma in her lifetime that made her like this.
"Have you figured something out?" she asked.
"...Perhaps I did."
Kurino's grin faded away and she glared at me. "Is that so...? Well, don't say it outloud then. I'll go mad if you do. More mad than you can ever imagine..."
This dark and cold aura that surrounded her became more intense. There was almost no trace of that positive and bright aura she used to have during class.
"What are you exactly...?"
Kurino stared at me, then she came closer and whispered into my ear. "Let's just say I'm someone who wants Marise to be safe and happy, that's all." She backed away from me, then sighed. "...Seriously...I was planning to use her body to gather some information about you and use it against you, but it seems like I failed," she said, shrugging to herself. "Well, Kurino's going to come back now. Don't tell her about me. You know what'll happen if you do." Without replying, I stayed silent and stared at her, and she knew that I understood. "Bye-bye, Furukawa." Kurino closed her eyes and after a few seconds, she slowly opened them.
"Eh...?" Kurino-the real one-looked around, confused where she was. "W-What is this place...?" Kurino turned to me. "F-Furukawa-kun? W-What are you...no, what are we doing here?"
I stared at her, gazing into her eyes. I was sure of it. She had returned back to the way she was. "You and I left the cafe to go and look around to see what we should do next. You took a wrong turn and we ended up here." I lied.
"I-Is that so...?" Kurino turned away from me and touched herself, having a concerned look on her face. "Did I black out again...?" she muttered. Kurino shook her head, then turned back around to look at me. "S-Sorry, Furukawa-kun. I must've not been feeling well today."
I shook my head. "No, it's fine. As long as you're alright."
"R-Right..." Kurino took her phone out and looked at the time. "It's already been an hour...?" She sighed. "Um...Furukawa-kun, are you alright if we end it here today? I...I'm not feeling too well right now..."
I nodded. "That's fine with me." Kurino smiled and nodded, then she turned and walked away, waving goodbye and leaving me behind. "...Class D..."
I was told that this class would be the most defective and broken class. Some would have little knowledge and some would lack physical abilities. Some would even have personal problems. However, I never expected for there to be a student who would have something like a split-personality.
"This is why I'm by myself..." I walked away and headed back to my room for the day.