May 1 (Friday), 1:00 PMThink I’ll lie low for now.

    May 1 (Friday), 2:00 PM

    I lose consciousness.

    Then it comes back.

    I’m sitting down. It should still be lunchtime, . I check the time. It’s two on the dot, so it’s about time for fifth period to end. I quickly survey my surroundings. Kokone’s and Daiya’s desks are empty. My guess is they probably went home early. Everyone else is focused on class for the most part. Nothing seems out of the ordinary at this point. On the desk are my textbook, notebook, and writing supplies. It doesn’t look like I’ve actually taken any notes, though.

    There’s no doubting it now.

    Someone else is inside my body with me. There’s “me” and an imperceptible “other me.”

    And the other me was in control of my body until only a few minutes ago.

    The bell rings. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Even though it’s break time, everyone’s keeping their distance from me because of the scene in the music room. I’m sure the other me intentionally brought this about. He did say he was going to destroy me, after all. This has to be one of his attacks.

    I slump over my desk.

    How am I supposed to fight this other me, especially now that even Otonashi has abandoned me?

    “Hosshi.”

    I lift my head at the sound of my name. Haruaki’s expression has none of its usual playfulness. The serious tone of voice doesn’t suit him at all. “Hey, why the hell would you do something like that to Kokone?”

    I stay quiet. I have no answer for him, mostly because I don’t even know what I did.

    “This is just me, but I don’t think you would do something like that for no reason. I can’t for the life of me figure out what it would be, but I’m sure you must have one. Come on—fill me in here. Don’t leave me in the dark.”

    Haruaki sounds like he’s in pain.

    “If you can’t help me understand, then I don’t know if I can have your back in this.”

    Something dawns on me as he confesses.

    Haruaki is the last bastion of normalcy in my life.

    Would he believe me if I told him someone else is taking control of my body? …This is Haruaki we’re talking about, so he just might. Still…

    “…I can’t tell you. At least not right now.”

    My understanding of this situation is a scrambled mess, so I don’t have any confidence in my ability to explain things in a believable way.

    “But don’t worry, I’ll tell you soon.”

    I make sure I look Haruaki in the eye to show I’m sincere, at least.

    “Got it. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

    That’s all he says, biting back all the other things I’m sure he wants to ask. He walks away quietly.

    He’ll be waiting, he said. Now I’m obligated to explain to him once the time arrives. If I’m not careful about it, I could lose him.

    And without Haruaki, the one thing that hasn’t changed, I probably have no hope of maintaining my life as I know it.

    …That settles it. I know what I have to do now. I have to unravel the mystery of the Box and this other me.

    Question is, how do I go about it? I have no way of interacting with this imposter in my body.

    “……Oh.”

    Right. How did I find out about him in the first place? He contacted me.

    I step out into the hallway and pull out my phone. I’m going to record a message for my counterpart.

    There’s no guarantee he’ll reply, of course, but it’s worth trying regardless.

    “Nice to meet you, I guess? I’m talking to you, other me.”

    I start the recording.

    “I understand that you share my body with me. But there are a few things I still don’t get. I want you to tell me more about this Box of yours. I also want to know who, or what, you are.”

    I wonder if he’ll respond to such straightforward questions. He is trying to completely ruin my life, after all.

    That’s why I decide to issue him a challenge.

    “You don’t have to say if you don’t want to. No matter how you answer, it won’t change my actions. I don’t care if you have some lofty purpose or if there’s a reason I should sympathize with you or even if you just hate me.”

    I’m surprised at how naturally the anger wells up within me. This isn’t like me at all. Still, I feel like it has to be said.

    He has to know I’m determined.

    Who would sit back and let this happen? It’s unthinkable. He’s trying to take away everything I am.

    My legs are shaking so hard that I have to steady myself against the wall. My body isn’t ready for the fact that, for perhaps the first time in my life, someone out there is trying to do me serious harm.

    I close my phone and let out a long breath.

    I will crush this “other me.”

    No matter what happens, I cannot allow him to exist.

    May 1 (Friday), 3:34 PMI notice Kazuki Hoshino has recorded a voice memo.

    May 1 (Friday), 4:00 PM

    In front of me is the face of an unfamiliar high school girl. I’m so startled that I let go of the strap in my hand and fall over. Ignoring the snickers from those around me, I stand up and try to get my bearings.

    The strap means I’m on a train.

    I don’t even need to think about it at this point. The other me was in control of my body again. I pull out my phone to check, and sure enough, there’s a new voice memo waiting for me.

    I press the play button.

    It’s my own voice coming from the speaker.

    I swallow nervously.

    Which means I have only four days and change to find and destroy the Box.

    Using my voice, he says his name.

    I’ve never heard it before. I commit the unfamiliar name to memory, and I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.

    “Yuhei Ishihara” giggles creepily in my voice.

    He continues.

    His unbearable laughter rings out again. The memo plays on, though it’s all I can do to refrain from pressing the stop button.

    Having had his fill of laughter, “Yuhei Ishihara” brings his message to a close.

    A friend…?

    Swallowing hard, I open my in-box. At the very top is the name . The message has already been read, though I have no recollection of opening it.

    I take a deep breath and let it out, but I still can’t seem to calm myself and end up chewing my lip nervously. I hate to admit it, but my hands are shaking.

    I open the message.

    Oh no…

    And that’s how I lost my last refuge, the one thing keeping my life sane.