Toma drove her to a fast food drive thru because she said she wanted to have an ice cream before going home. She felt like having a sundae and he promised her one.
"You're very smiley right now." Toma pointed out, is it really such a good day?"
"Of course!" Michiyo nodded with a smile, "We're dating~."
He really liked how full of happiness she was being. He liked her like this the best, when she's happy without a care in the world.
"Are you really that happy that we're dating? I mean, you've recently turned single."
"But I feel like I've been in love with you for a long time."
"...is that so?"
"Hm~."
Toma blushed and he changed the subject. "Is...is it just me or is the line holding up?"
Michiyo thought so as well. She looked ahead to see there was a man standing in front of the first drive thru's window. Why was he in the way? Was he a driver?
"Holy crap! Is he beating that car's bonnet with a cane?!" Toma had no idea what the man was doing. He made his window go down, "Sir, you are committing damage to personal property, you can get a fine or community service or jail at this rate!"
The man was saying something incoherent. He looked like he was going to go for Toma's car next because he was breaking everyone's headlights. Toma couldn't reverse backwards because there was another car, another car behind it, and then another car. They were blocked on both ways.
Michiyo saw the man was coming closer to Toma's car. She took out her seat belt and went to confront the man.
"Michiyo?!"
She went to confront the man. Where did this bravery come from? God knows, but she couldn't let Toma's car get damaged by some idiot with a cane. "Sir, you need to stop what you are doing!"
"What's it to you?!" The man shouted, "You want me to turn on you?!"
"Stop shouting at me-"
"This is a free country! I can do whatever I want, when I want!"
"It's called law, you can't just damage properties just because you feel like it. Please get out of the way and let us go and get our sundae and go home."
The man drunkenly slurred his words. This really irritated Michiyo for some reason.
"Fuck you, bitch!" The man spat at her but his attempt to spit in a drunken state ended up with him dribbling back on himself.
"Move out of the way!" Michiyo snapped, clearly hangry, which was a combination of hungry and angry at the same time.
"Or what?!"
"I'll break your face!"
'Did she just perform a roundhouse kick to his face?!' Toma's mouth was hung open because of what he had just saw. "Michiyo?!"
"Ah. He's down...oi! You better get back up again! Don't you pretend to faint!"
"Michiyo, get back in the car!"
In the end, they got their sundae and Michiyo was let off with a light warning. Michiyo was happy to have her sundae.
"Michiyo?"
"Hm?"
"That roundhouse kick..."
"Oh. I don't know, it just happened."
"You won't use that on me, will you?"
"Of course not. Why?"
"N-never mind." Maybe it's because he saw it so many times in the past and experienced it for himself that he grew to be afraid of it. You could say it's like a trauma of his.
"The sundae is so good on a Sunday."
"That pun is so bad, stop it." Toma said to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ever since Shin said he was letting her go, Toma immediately took on the role as her boyfriend. Michiyo was more than happy to accept the position as his girlfriend. She liked Toma a lot, a lot more than anyone. Toma had many roles to play; the demon who will stain his hands red just to protect her; the older brother who wanted to protect her from the truth; the boyfriend who wanted to love her, and the liar who had to keep all of his stories consistent. She had no idea accepting him would mean to accept the him who was playing this many role.
Michiyo was happy to know that she was now Toma's girlfriend. She may be suffering from amnesia and unable to remember the last 18 years of her life, but she was certain Toma was someone irreplaceable to her. Her heart just knew it, it felt right.
However, there were times when she felt something was still missing from her life. She wondered what it could be; she thought having Toma was enough, but she still felt a strange void in her. What was she missing? Something very important...something just as important as Toma and she couldn't get her head around it.
Right now, she was cleaning Toma's place for him. He needed to go to university because there was an important lecture.
She was having too much fun living with him that she forgot to ask anything about her past. 'I'm being too distracted with a lot of fun things.' It also doesn't help when Toma brings out the game console and started to challenge her on various video games! 'Toma-oniichan needs a best boyfriend award.' She thought as she opened the mirror cabinet in the bathroom.
"Ahh...!!!" Down dropped various bottles and other containers. "Geez, Toma-oniichan can't clean to save his life. Did he just shove everything in there?" She got down on her knees and she began to pick up the containers that weren't contained properly within the cabinet.
A small bottle containing red and white capsule pills, the label on it said it was sleeping pills. She picked up hair gel, hair wax, a pair of scissors that a hairdresser would use, a pair of latex glove that was already stained with a sky blue substance...and a small bottle of hair dye.
"I hope he is not planning to dye his hair blue. I like the idea of going out, but it's kind of weird for couples to have the same colored hair. I don't want him to really be my older brother." She put the things back into the cabinet properly. The scissors was last to put back in but she paused when she saw blue ribbons within the cabinet.
"This...ah...!"
Toma said he had a gift for her and he wanted to put it on for her. He got her a pair of sky blue ribbons and he decided to tie it into her hair as low pigtails.
She moved her head back and looked at him from an upside-down view. "Well?"
"It suits you." Toma said to her.
"Everything suits me."
"Do you like it then?"
"Very much! I have something for you too."
"What is it?" He asked.
"Come a little closer and I'll show you."
"Closer? Is this close enough-"
The wind blew the cherry blossom petals down, showering the scenery with soft pink. She had kissed him on the cheek.
"You..."
"Hm?"
"You shouldn't do that...to me."
"You wish you can be my older brother. I'm sorry, I have no intentions of being your little sister."
Michiyo stared at the mirror to see herself. She screamed and she punched the mirror, making it have cracks. She didn't want to see her own face in the mirror.
"T-that..." She saw a fragment of the past. She kissed Toma on the cheek? Why? Shouldn't she have memories of going out with Shin? When she kissed Toma in the memory, Toma said she shouldn't do that...did it mean she was cheating on Shin in the past?! She put a hand over her mouth, feeling conflicted with herself. "What was my past self doing to Shin?!" She couldn't work it out, she's confused!
She then remembered she had forgotten to ask Toma why he had been lying about her Mom and Dad not getting along when the parcel's note said otherwise.
And then the blue ribbon...this thing triggered something from her memories!
She heard the door knock and she went to see who it was. It couldn't be Toma since he had the keys to go in and out. Still, the door was unlocked and in came Shin.
"What he hell?!" He saw blood dripping from her right hand and he quickly went to tend to her.
...
Shin bandaged her hand, taped the mirror until Toma could be informed to replace it, cleaned the dripped blood up, and made her and himself a drink. Shin looked at her, sitting on the other side of the tea table.
"Why did you hurt yourself? Are you stupid?" He harshly said to her, "From the looks of things, you punched the mirror. If you want to fight yourself, you can hit yourself. Punching the mirror isn't the answer."
"Shin..." She looked at him with worries in her eyes, "Shin, just what was going on between us?"
"Huh?"
"Are you letting me go because I constantly cheated on you?"
"Wait, where are you getting this story from-"
"Tell me! Is the me before amnesia a horrible person for cheating on you?" She was desperate for answers, she wanted to know the truth.
"Michiyo..."
"Is it because I am a horrible person...?" She was devastated to know what kind of person she was. She didn't want to believe it, she always thought she was a nice person. "Is this why you're disappointed and letting me go-"
"You're not cheating on me, you idiot. In fact, you've never done such a thing."
"Huh?" She looked at him to see he was serious.
"You have not cheating on me in the past."
"B-but I kissed Toma-oniichan."
"I know, I saw it from a window. It was the day he gave you the blue ribbons."
"You were there?"
"Yeah. I was looking down from a classroom window and there were you two, being all romantic under a cherry blossom tree."
At the mention of cherry blossom, Michiyo could see another fragment of memory in her mind.
"This is wrong, we can't keep doing this." Toma said to her, gently pushing her away. Their clothes were on the floor, they were both bare, and skin in contact with skin.
"Why is it wrong? It's not like you are really my older brother!"
"We can't." Toma looked away and he closed his eyes, "I can't. Not with you."
Upset and hurt by his very words, she removed the ribbons and she threw it back at him.
"You're not my brother! I'm not your sister! Until you get that sorted out, don't talk to me!" She got off the bed and she picked her clothes up from the floor.
"Wait! Stop!"
"No, Toma!" She slapped his hand away. In the process, something fell to the floor and rolled under the bed. "You stop! You stop playing with my feelings!"
Michiyo was dazed for a moment but she snapped out of it and she quickly crawled to see under Toma's bed. There was something that rolled under here in her memory fragment. She grabbed it and held it within her hand.
"Michiyo, you haven't snapped, have you? H-hey..."
"Shin, I'm sorry...can you leave for the day?" She stood up again, her back facing Shin.
"What? Are you sure?"
"Very sure. But before you go...can you give me a clue?"
Shin couldn't believe what she had just said to him. "Michiyo..."
"Please. Just one, even if it's a small one...give me a clue."
Just like Toma, he didn't want to see her hurt. Just like Toma, he wanted to protect her. However, when her voice was full of determination, how could he say no to that?
"Here," Shin handed her a photo. "I always carry this in case you ever ask me about it. You need to figure this out on your own, I can't help you. Honestly speaking, I don't want you to know the truth either...but if it's you, you might be able to figure it all out on your own." Shin looked at her to see she turned herself around to face him. He could see the new light in her eyes, the new determination. "I'll take my leave then. Good luck."
When she heard the door lock again, she unfurled her fingers. In her hand was a cherry blossom flower inside of a glass ball. This necklace was not broken. She clasped it back around her neck because she knew it was hers. "It's time to piece everything together!"
...
Toma was back late but he bought food back for Michiyo. He was glad it's finally over and now he could have some holiday from university. He might need to go back to hand in a few work but he will manage it.
When he returned, he greeted Michiyo. "I'm home." But he did not get a reply. "Michiyo?"
"Toma-oniichan...no, it has to be Toma after all." Michiyo switched the game console off and she stood up from the floor to look at Toma with a serious look in her eyes. While she had been playing video games, she had been piecing bits and pieces together. She's ready to face Toma again.
"Huh? What's with the change of greeting me? Ah, is it because we are going out that you don't want to call me that anymore? I'm going to miss it though."
"You're right...but are you sure you want me to call you that?"
"...what do you mean?"
Michiyo showed him the photograph that Shin gave her. "Who is that girl in the photo?" It was a photo of Michiyo and a girl with pink hair. The girl was wearing blue ribbons in her hair as low pigtails, her bikini was light blue, and she had the same colored eyes as Michiyo. Michiyo was next to the girl but she was wearing a short-sleeved hoodie over her pink bikini. "That pink haired girl...who is she?"
Toma looked scarily calm. He smiled, "You were punished last time in a battle of wits. Are you a masochist?"
"You have to answer."
Toma put the bag of food on the tea table. "Alright, we'll play before we eat. You could have been a good girlfriend and wait for me to bring food back...but you have to be such a bad girl."
There was no going back. She had to win this and get the truth!
"But tell me, why is the truth so important?" He asked her, "Is it worth remembering?"
"It is. I don't know why that is but I have to know. I won't let you stop me."
"Me, huh?" Toma had to chuckle at that, "Fine. You want to accuse me of things, so be it. That girl with pink hair...is you."
Michiyo smiled at that. She knew it! She-
"But you are also Michiyo. Both of them are you."
"...what?"
"I never told you this, have I? You are a Game and Design student. It wouldn't surprise me if you are able to put two variation of yourself into a photograph." Toma answered her, "If you go home, you would be able to find your own portfolio."
She was a Game and Design student? This photograph's photoshopped?
"You're lying!"
"You can even ask Shin. In fact, you're very good when it comes to video games, have you not noticed?" Toma asked her, "That is you wearing a pink wig and yourself.
Michiyo was confused. It was true, she's very good at video games no matter how hard the levels were set. It was as if she was a natural for it. No! She's not going to be thrown off by him!
"From my memory...we-we were about to do it but you stopped!"
Toma blinked for a moment and then he blushed slightly. "You got upset at some bullshit Shin did and you came to me for comfort."
"That is a lie. Shin already confirmed I never cheated on him! And from my memory, the way I speak didn't make it sound like I am going out with Shin to start with!"
Toma laughed, "Cheaters conceal the truth, you know? You look like an innocent girl, but you can be quite a bad girl when you want to be."
Michiyo stepped back until her back bumped against the glass door to his balcony. His hands resting on either side of her head. If it was the usual her, she would shyly look away and give him a small smile...but now...now she was looking at him right in the eye, not scared of him whatsoever.
"...hey? How should I punish you?"
"There's going to be no punishment because I haven't lost yet!"
"Oh? You're surprisingly stubborn. What brought this up?"
"Because I am not Sen Michiyo!"
It was then Toma realized she was wearing the necklace that contained a small cherry blossom inside of a glass ball. "That necklace..."
"It doesn't feel right. My memories, Sen Michiyo, everything! Everything is not making sense!" She shouted while looking at him, "Toma-oniichan...no, even in my memory I never called you that. Right? Toma...?"
"...shut up."
"Toma, am I that girl in pink-"
"You're not her!" Toma shouted back.
"You can't hide the truth from me! As for why you're lying about my parents, you just want to get rid of the chance I would contact them! You better give me their contact-!"
Toma slammed his hands against the glass to make her be quiet. They were silent within the very moment. Everything came to a standstill. The only thing that could be heard were their breathing.
"Michiyo..."
"Don't call me that."
"Then what should I call you?"
"My name. My real name." She closed her eyes and she ran her fingers through his hair, "Toma, I have to know."
"What will you do when you know?"
"I don't know. I just know I have to know no matter what. I'll have the answer if I know."
"But you don't know what will happen to you when you do know!" Toma reasoned, "You can't know the truth."
"It's my life!"
"My decisions are final!"
"Toma!"
"Stop arguing with me!"
Michiyo was disappointed. She was sad that the one person whom she had learnt to trust was not helping her. She felt like crying on the spot. "I thought you of all people will help me..."
"Michiyo..."
"Is there a reason why you can't help me?"
"I..."
"Toma-" Michiyo gasped because she remembered something again.
"It's probably because you're too much of a tomboy that he can't find himself to touch you." The man with blue spade tattooed on his left cheek below his left eye said to her before sipping his coffee.
"Gee, thanks for that." She replied back to him. "Toma and I...I don't even know what we are anymore." She looked at her ice cream sundae and she sighed, "God I want to do lewd things with him.
"How you can casually talk to me about your sex life is amazing."
"Yeah, but he always stops before we get to the good bit."
"I really don't want to know. You have someone so close to you to learn from. Why don't you try asking her? I mean, she's got a boyfriend."
"I know. But when I do the same things as her, Toma just laughs at me. Ugh...Ikki, what should I do?"
"It's Ikki-san to you."
"Whatever, man."
"Ikki...?"Michiyo saw the very good looking man in her memories. She saw him and she remembered the conversation she once had with him. From the look of things, she seemed to trust him enough to talk about Toma. "Toma-"
Toma put something into his mouth and he kissed her harshly, trapping her arms to her side in a tight embrace.
"Hmm?!" She swallowed something! What did she swallow?!
He had no intentions of letting her remember anything. "You just HAD to remember Ikki-san..."
'He knew Ikki-san too?' She began to feel sleepy. Why? Why did she feel sleepy?
"You just have to remember him of all people. I'm so sorry, Michiyo. I want to be kind to you, much kinder to you than anyone. I want to give you happiness, but I can't...because you won't let me."
Just before sleep took over her, she saw another memory...
"Toma, you don't have to be such a jackass."
"I'm the jackass? That guy was checking you out as if he had never seen a woman. As your older brother, I have to protect my little sister."
"I hate it when you say that. You're not the one with the sibling here, Toma."
"Right, right." Toma was patting her head yet again. He gently moved a strand of her hair and brought it close to his face. She could see her hair was not blue like the sky...it was pink like cherry blossoms.
In her field of vision, she saw pink, not blue...