May 1 (Friday), 11:22 PM
I’m dreaming.
I’ve had this dream many tis before.
May 2 (Saturday)
May 2 (Saturday), 12:11 AM
My eyes open to the sound of sothing vibrating on my desk.
I climb out of bed, pick up the phone responsible for the racket, and take a look at the LCD screen.
Maria Otonashi.
Maria Otonashi? Why’s she calling ? If she’s reaching out despite the present circumstances, maybe “Kazuki Hoshino” really hasn’t told her about what’s happening to him yet… Nah, I’m sure even soone like him would have trouble bringing up sothing as outlandish as a Box to his girlfriend. Still, I wouldn’t be too surprised if she noticed sothing was off without him telling her… Whatever.
I leave those thoughts alone for the mont and answer the phone. There’s no fighting my desire to speak to the one I admire so much.
“Hello?”
“Kazuki. Co over right away.”
Wow! Is this how she always talks to him? Now what do I do?
I take a mont to consider my situation.
The Box will allow to assu complete control of Kazuki Hoshino’s body in one week. If all I wanted to do was take over him, the best thing to do would be to sit back and wait. Of course, it’s also better if I have as little contact with Maria Otonashi as possible.
That isn’t my true purpose, though. I can’t let myself get the wrong idea.
Right now, I know what I want to do. Make Kazuki Hoshino suffer enough to want to rip off his own head—subjugate him so thoroughly that he offers up his body to on bended knee and begs to accept it. And then, when May 5, the final day, arrives, I want him so mutilated, so stripped of everything that made him who was, that he is nothing more than an empty shell that exists only to surrender control to .And why is that what I’m after? Because then I’ll be able to feel like I really am Kazuki Hoshino.
If the takeover doesn’t feel real, I’ll never be anything more than so parasitic presence inhabiting his body, which would render all of this aningless.
Perhaps that’s the reason we’re sharing this body for the ti being—if I don’t do what I have to, I’ll never truly beco him. I swear, this Box really is sothing.
“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Oh yeah. Well, my path forward from here is clear. Maria Otonashi is unquestionably an important person in his life. Losing her would harm him irreparably.
That’s why “Yuhei Ishihara” is going to take her away. It’s an absolute must if my all-important desire is to be satisfied.
“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking a little.” I recall how “Kazuki Hoshino” speaks before I continue. “Um, so, your place. Okay, if you co and get .”
Judging by what she said earlier, he must visit her ho on a fairly regular basis.
“What’re you asking that for? Surely you can ride your bike this far?”
“My bike isn’t in very good shape right now.”
I fire off so plausible excuse. The truth is that I don’t know where she lives. If I can’t convince her to co pick up, then I’m in trouble.
“Seriously, what type of man asks a woman to co pick him up? It should be the other way around… Fine. I’ll be coming on my motorbike. I trust you’re okay with that?”
“Motorbike? …You an like a moped?”
“No…it’s a 250cc.”
Dammit. There’s no reason Kazuki Hoshino wouldn’t know that Maria Otonashi rides an actual motorcycle.
“Oh, right. I didn’t tell you—I bought a motorcycle recently.”
“Ah, yeah, you must not have.”
That was too close… Actually, a little slipup like that wouldn’t be enough to blow my cover, so maybe I’m being a bit too cautious. Still, this is Maria Otonashi I’m dealing with here, so I can’t help but be on edge.
“Besides, I’m not old enough for a license yet.”
She doesn’t have a driver’s license? Maybe not pretending to know was the right choice after all.
“Anyway, I’ll co by your place in fifteen minutes. Wait for outside.”
She hangs up before I have a chance to respond.
“…Who was that, Kazu? I thought I heard a girl’s voice. Why didn’t you go out on the veranda?” asks a girl in underwear—probably Kazuki Hoshino’s older sister. I see—he must not make phone calls in this room when she’s ho. I’ll file that away for future reference.
“Probably not that Kasumi Mogi of yours, at this ti of night…”
Kasumi Mogi? Who the hell is that?
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