CHAPTER 693: CHAPTER 424: EVERYTHING BECOMES CLEAR_2

"However, he developed a significant psychological issue, as without the selection of an outstanding driver, he became irritable, began drinking heavily, took to mistreating animals, and ultimately, unable to bear children playing near his house, kidnapped a neighbor’s five-year-old child and was sent to prison.

"This was completely different from the tolerance he exhibited in the first half of his life. We commonly refer to this kind of dramatic personality change as the rebound effect.

"Trying to quit drinking and smoking, only to indulge even more after a few days of restraint, attempting to escape pain, trauma, and distress only leads to these symptoms returning in a more negative manner due to excessive suppression."

Rebound effect...

Uesugi Sakura vaguely understood the doctor’s meaning over the phone. His left hand rested on the metal railing of the balcony, feeling the slight chill of the metal.

"Dr. Nakamura means, is what happened to my wife a kind of rebound effect?"

"The example is to make you believe that the driver was a real patient I treated. Your wife’s condition is still uncertain, but think carefully about the way her second personality manifests itself.

"This second personality, is it not a manifestation of the desires that your wife subconsciously wants to achieve?"

"It’s just that one personality can restrain itself, while the second personality believes that some things must be held and obtained."

Word by word, the sentences were transmitted through the phone to his ear.

Uesugi Sakura watched the endlessly flickering neon lights of the city and couldn’t help but ponder.

A long time ago, he thought the existence of Black Hanabi was the sin of another self in a parallel world.

But now it seemed that Black Hanabi was more like an embodiment of the long-repressed desires deep within Hanabi.

Too much love for himself, too much desire to possess himself, too much wanting him to respond to her.

Dr. Nakamura continued on the phone:

"In line with this thinking, you surely understand why your wife proposed to separate for ten days?"

One of Hanabi’s frequent sayings was, "Sakura-kun, you must remember Hanabi."

To make sure he remembered her, she went out of her way to dress him the day before she left, made breakfast and lunchboxes, helped him bathe at night, and pulled him along for intimate things.

The last thing she deliberately stopped midway.

Uesugi Sakura remembers that night, he had to run to the bathroom to finish what was left.

What she wanted was for him to miss her both mentally and physically.

Black Hanabi is the ultimate manifestation of Hanabi’s desires.

Everything stems from that inherently timid girl.

Uesugi Sakura felt he understood, but still had a vague concept of some things.

"I understand..."

"Well, Mr. Uesugi, you must also be aware that your wife has so far only experienced a change in personality. If things get worse, there might even be the emergence of a second personality, at which point the intertwining of personalities wouldn’t be such a simple matter."

"What kind of harm could it cause...?" Uesugi Sakura hurriedly asked.

"Mr. Uesugi, you have to understand, a split personality is a mental illness. This disease is not as simple as exchanging personalities using the body peacefully; it could potentially result in delirium, or losing intelligence, or losing reason, becoming uncontrollable. Therefore, don’t overly provoke your wife’s true self."

"Is there anything else Mr. Uesugi would like to ask?"

"No." Uesugi Sakura suddenly felt disoriented.

"Please don’t worry too much; your wife’s condition is currently still healthy. If possible, please understand what she wants most at the moment, as desires need to be vented."

...

Beep.

After a pause-like blind tone, Uesugi Sakura put away the phone.

His face was struck by a cold wind, making his heart feel even more exhausted.

————————

The train of thought in his mind detached from the night scenery.

Uesugi Sakura snapped out of it, his mood completely free from yesterday’s trance.

Last night he only had a vague notion, but now he truly understood.

He was now standing at the entrance of Mimi Café, with Hanamaru Hanabi by his side.

From downstairs to upstairs, the real Hanamaru Hanabi appeared.

"Sakura-kun... aren’t you going in?"

Uesugi Sakura kept recalling the words Dr. Nakamura said to him yesterday, looking at her familiar face, finally with a way to verify that thought.

So he opened his mouth to ask her:

"I have a day off tomorrow... do you want to go on a date?"

"Sure..."

Hanamaru Hanabi blushed and lowered her head, just like a shy little girl on a first date.

"And the other you? She won’t come out?" Uesugi Sakura could tell that this was an expression of happiness.

"She... doesn’t seem to like going on dates very much..." Hanamaru Hanabi raised her eyes to him.

"She doesn’t like to go on dates with me?"

"Hmm... I think she finds dates meaningless... better to cling to Sakura-kun..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s face blushed again with shyness.

How could Black Hanabi not like dating?

Uesugi Sakura thought to himself, with a faint guess.

Either it was because Hanabi herself wanted to go, so Black Hanabi formed a dislike for dating.

They can converse with each other, because they are essentially the same person, so complementary situations arise.

What Hanabi wants, Black Hanabi doesn’t fight over.

What Hanabi cannot obtain, Black Hanabi comes out to help her get it.

Like the thug from yesterday, because Hanabi had no ability to deal with him, so Black Hanabi came out to take care of it.

Their essence is still the same person.

They can only complement what the other cannot accomplish.

The danger Dr. Nakamura mentioned is that the second personality belonging to Black Hanabi might exhibit the emotions of "Hanabi" herself, then it would transform into dual personalities.

Once he realized these points, Uesugi Sakura was inexplicably excited.

Because this meant that his wife had always been driven by her own thoughts.

She had always been the familiar Hanabi he knew.

It’s just that she got sick, sometimes becoming more demanding of things from him.

The existence of Black Hanabi is precisely for this reason.

Before entering the café, Uesugi Sakura planned to verify this idea once more.

"Hanabi-chan."

"Mmm..."

"Previously... the other you often appeared, and she even made me breakfast? I felt the food tasted exactly the same, very much like your cooking. Does cooking taste the same for both of you?"

Hanamaru Hanabi looked at him without speaking.

"Why isn’t Hanabi answering?"

Hanamaru Hanabi suddenly tiptoed, climbed onto Uesugi Sakura’s shoulders with both hands and whispered to him: "Secretly telling Sakura-kun... actually, the other me can’t cook, it’s always Hanabi making it for Sakura-kun."

Uesugi Sakura was stunned, and felt a burst of joy in his heart.

"Does Hanabi like cooking?"

"Mmm... because Sakura-kun eats happily... Hanabi feels a sense of accomplishment..."

Just as expected!

Hanabi likes to cook for Sakura-kun, so Black Hanabi doesn’t have the ability to cook.

Because she couldn’t take over her own wishes!

Black Hanabi only comes out as a personality when she wants something she can’t have.

Because she wanted to attract Sakura-kun’s attention, she appeared, changing styles and dressing.

Knowing Sakura-kun liked intimacy, wanting to help him, yet being too shy to propose it herself, Black Hanabi emerges to suggest it on her behalf!

They are one and the same person!

Sensing joy welling up from his heart, Uesugi Sakura couldn’t help but smile, asking the cute girl who had retracted her hands from his shoulders:

"Why is Hanabi being so cautious?"

"Because... it’s a secret message..." Hanamaru Hanabi’s face was puzzled, "Why is Sakura-kun so happy?"

"Secret message? Aren’t you of one mind?"

"She’s asleep, so she can’t hear." Hanamaru Hanabi said, looking at him with a timid voice.

Exactly, precisely so.

Understanding everything, Uesugi Sakura suddenly felt much more relaxed, and chuckled lightly.

"Sakura-kun is so strange."

"Strange how?"

"Always smiling..."

"Because I figured something out, so I’m smiling. Let me ask again, doesn’t Hanabi-chan really want to work with Sakura-kun?"

Hanamaru Hanabi’s voice became much softer: "Not... really, Hanabi is afraid she’ll cause trouble for Sakura-kun, after all, Hanabi is quite clumsy... but if she could work with Sakura-kun, she would be very happy..."

Because she wants to work with him, that’s the seed of this "hope."

That’s why Black Hanabi suddenly proposed working together.

No problem, everything fits this logic.

Uesugi Sakura looked through the café’s glass door at the busy maids inside, the green plants inside diffusing a verdant light under the sun, and he felt as if his mind was as bright as the sunlight in the café.

She just wants to work together with him.

All he needs to do is make his wife happy.