Track 12

Liguang, Sojun just brought the rabbits back. They're all settled in their cages now.

Did you properly warm yourself in the bath?

Yes, sorry Kamina. I appreciate it…

You and Renga coming home completely drenched really had me worried. Make sure you don't catch a cold.

Either way, I'm happy the rabbits are home. Don't take them away without saying anything again, alright?

……

«As long as you don’t remember everything, nothing will change. My true wish…won’t be fulfilled.»

(The poison he gave me was temporary. He arranged it so it wouldn’t matter whether I drowned or not…)

(This is different from Kiba’s usual pattern. It seems like he thinks it’s pointless to kill my comrades unless he makes me remember something.)

(If there’s a reason he can’t make a move yet, then I’ll simply use it to my advantage—)

(However…)

«Aside from reincarnation, there’s a curse involved.»

……

Ten got back after you and he was also drenched, which worried this older brother. My heart aches at the thought of my little brothers catching colds.

…We all ended up losing our umbrellas. Sorry for making you worry.

Yeah. As long as you're all safe, that's what matters.

Ten asked me to make him a late night snack, so I'm heading to the kitchen. Do you want some too?

No, I don’t need any.

I see. Make sure you stay warm when you sleep. We have the tour again tomorrow.

*Exhale*…

(...To think Murakumo investigated Kiba on his own initiative. I’ll tell Sojun to add a bonus to his payment.)

(That should improve his standing in Ninokuruwa somewhat…)

……

(What did I say to that idiot when he saved me…)

(Maybe it’s because the poison hasn’t completely worn off, but I can’t remember clearly. …For some reason, I was desperate.)

Who is it?

...Oh, Liguang. Um, how are you feeling? You doing okay?

………

(He looks pale.)

…Let’s move.

Uh, right, okay.

(It’s like the sky was washed clean by the storm. The stars are clearly visible. It always ends up like this after I meet Kiba…)

……

……

I appreciate how you handled things at the hotel.

Huh...? No, that was just the obvious thing for me to do... A-Are you really okay now?

(I thought this guy was Kiba’s puppet. That he couldn’t go against Kiba’s will. But he saved me…)

(The “Renga Nishizono” before my eyes is…not my enemy.)

Um, so.

……

...While I was in the bath, while I was eating dinner, I kept thinking about it. That Kiba might actually be a bad guy…

And whether he's been lying to me and using me this whole time.

……Nn.

But I thought, even if he did, there must be some reason behind it. The kindness he showed me, the purpose he gave my life—I didn’t believe any of that would just disappear so easily. That's how I... how I see it...

……

You know how when Ten drinks wine... he gets a little mean, right?

…… It’s less mean and more…

(His real personality…)

I thought maybe it's like that. Shumai's normally a good boy, but if I pick up another dog, he gets all jealous...

I wouldn’t compare him to a dog… ……

There's the Kiba I knew, and then there's a different Kiba, but they're both Kiba, and if the kind side is real, then maybe like you said, the bad side exists too.

……

…It’s a long, —

?

He and I are in a long fight. We’re both angry at each other, so sometimes we go too far.

...I see. So you guys had a falling out. That's why you knew about Kiba's scary side.

Now that I think about it, I've spent way more time with you anyway. So I know you wouldn't tell some petty lie.

(...It’s true. In this life, the time I’ve spent with this guy has surpassed the time I spent with Xiaoya.)

……

(I wonder if "Renga" still needs the place I've been guarding for him...)

(I don't know, but still...)

Liguang. "Renga" sent me a letter a little while back. It said "Wait just a little longer."

……

...Which means he'll definitely return.

And when he does, I'll do my best… to help you two make up!

……

I just want you guys to be friends again.

…………

—Alright.

...Seriously!?

Yes.

That's a promise, got it!?

I already said ‘alright’, didn’t I?

...Thank god. Once you make up, I know Kiba will be nice to you too!

……

I'll make him apologize for what he did to you today too! You better thank me when I do!

…I said alright already so stop making a racket.

This magatama. It's the one I made in Izumo.

I'm glad I prayed to this thing. 'Cause I found you right before you left the dorm. It definitely tied our fates together.

Here, it's yours now.

…I don’t need it.

Just take it already! I wished for you and Kiba to make up, so it'll work better if you're holding onto it, right?

…*Sigh*, fine.

(My magatama… The wish I made was that the people I cherish wouldn’t die…)

……

Well, no matter.

Then I’ll entrust mine to you. Don’t lose it.

……!

O-Okay! I'll take good care of it!

…Kamina said he was going to make a snack for Murakumo. Why don’t you go join them?

I will! During dinner, I was thinking about Kiba so much I couldn't eat... But now that we made that promise, I feel way better!

…… Go on already, idiot.

Hey, who're you calling “idiot”! I was gonna go anyway!

…Engram, was it?

(Some of the memories that should be in my brain are missing. Or at least Kiba seems to believe as much.)

(I believed I was living this life fully aware of everything. However…it seems I was wrong to assume the bonds I formed were limited to this lifetime alone…)

«Unless I make you atone for the “sin” of consigning to oblivion and forgetting how you repeatedly stole from me, killing you is meaningless.»

…Consigning to oblivion, hm.

(Before I got in the bath, I quickly checked the scrolls I had on hand… There were no names I didn’t recognize.)

(But now I know my memory isn’t infallible.)

(Has Kiba…been searching for a way to stop this cycle of reincarnation all along?)

(And the key to that…is in my memories?)

Kiba left Renga…Ren…with me to help me regain my memories…

(I need to face him. …If there’s some sort of connection between us.)

(I will definitely remember, and I will put an end to this fate.)

If this life can truly be our last…then even the bonds meant to last only for this lifetime carry a much greater weight, it seems…