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It was just another chapter of Ena’s everyday. Maybe not even a whole chapter, perhaps just a singular page in the story of her life; ever increasing in volume as the days go by. Recollecting it all was not something she often partook in, as it was far too miserable to really be worth remembering. The arguments with her parents, the scathing comments delivered to her by her peers and teachers (and also her parents), the miserable middle school experience...
It was all garbage. Not worth a single second of remembrance.
But even if you wanted to forget, tried to forget... At the end of the day, the memories will resurface. Memories are what made humans, or something, Ena was never one for biology. Didn’t it have something to do with survival? Well, that was probably right. ‘You have survived hundred percent of your worst days’, as they say. This day too would one day vanish into the recesses of her consciousness, not being anything worth remembering in detail but ever-present within her mind.
Well.
Maybe it will be worth recalling every once in a while...
But that didn’t mean it was anything special. At least, in the present time, she would die before deeming any time spent with her special or remarkable or anything other than the literal worst.
That may have been a little harsh.
Who knows, maybe the Ena of tomorrow or next year or the year after that will look upon this day, this page, with much fondness. Reading it over again and again...
But that was not the job of the Ena of today.
Future Ena will have to cross that bridge.
So for now, the artist will maintain the sharpness of her tongue, as she spent the day with her. That accursed girl that had everything Ena wanted, but she herself didn’t want. One person’s trash is another’s treasure? Then she had to hurry up and hand it over already. Ena had hopes and dreams to fulfill, and the world would leave behind those who couldn’t keep up. That was just a joke. As if it were that easy. If talent was transferable from one person to another...
Would that girl agree to something like that?
Would Mafuyu transfer her brilliance to Ena if the artist asked her for it?
She probably would.
She wasn’t so attached to it, after all.
That wasn’t the right question to ask, however. The real question was whether or not Ena would even accept something like that considering everything. Yes, she would finally have the talent she so desperately craved, but to rip it from one of her close acquaintances left a foul taste in Ena’s mouth. And if she knew it was Mafuyu’s, then how valid would any result be using that talent?
Ena shook her head.
It was all nonsense.
Was it uncouth of her to think about such things as both members of the circle were browsing the bookstore for educational books? It probably was a bit rude... Focus Ena!
Ena slapped her cheeks in order to snap out of it.
Mafuyu had invited the members of the circle to go shopping with her for books so they could show more things to the residents of the Sekai. It got way livelier there, and everyone had their own interests, so the range of books or other visual examples required had increased too.
Well...
Maybe not Meiko. She wasn’t so interested in anything.
Mizuki had their part time job, so that was out of the question.
Kanade just didn’t really feel like it.
So the task of accompanying Yuki fell onto Ena. It’s not like she willingly tagged along, it was all forced! They all definitely did not pressure her to agree on this trip! No way she would volunteer to join Mafuyu of all people—hell would freeze over if that was the case!
Meanwhile, the underworld was experiencing its coldest inferno yet.
Though, it’s not like this excursion was annoying. Sure, the walking around tired out her feet, but Mafuyu seemed so earnestly focused on procuring the right materials that Ena didn’t have it in her to voice a complaint or quip whenever the other girl did or said something that honestly required a reaction. Though it ‘not being annoying’ didn’t make it fun.
I’m doing this for Miku and the others.
“Ah, there it is,” the artist whispered under her breath as she grabbed the book about nuclear physics from the shelf. While she would usually question why and how anyone could be interested in something as boring as physics, given who asked for this, it was probably best to just let it go. That one was far too ominous, and Ena wasn’t about to poke the nest.
In the Empty Sekai, Luka Megurine sneezed.
She slid the book underneath her arm alongside the other books about art she was tasked with getting (Mafuyu didn’t know which ones were good). Now to find the girl in question...
The circle members reunited at the cash register and proceeded to check out; Mafuyu awkwardly waved at the approaching Enanan.
The book about nuclear physics stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the books about less...advanced topics. Ena saw the employee raise an eyebrow, but he did not breach his own professionalism.
“Is that all?” he asked, with a textbook customer service voice.
“Yes, thank you,” Mafuyu replied, with her off-putting ‘normal’ voice.
“That will be 3,740 yen.”
“Here you go.”
The two exited the shop and started walking back to the usual place the group disbanded. No words were exchanged between the two of them. Mafuyu not having anything to say, and Ena feeling a bit too awkward to say anything. Breaking the ice with this girl was nigh impossible, as she barely responded in a way that would elicit further conversation. Ena would never understand how Mizuki or Kanade managed to do it. Any attempt Ena would have made at conversation froze up in the back of her throat, never being verbalized—never reaching the honor student. The awkwardness of it all started getting to Ena, as unlike the girl she was accompanying, she was unfortunately aware of social cues and ‘reading the air’. And as much as she would like to put a definite end to the awkwardness, she wasn’t even certain whether or not Mafuyu would follow up and engage her in conversation.
Really, this is why she didn’t want to come! She could have stayed at home and annoyed Akito or something! At least he talked!
“Sorry for dragging you all the way here,” Mafuyu said all of a sudden. Was it true? Did Ena’s ears not deceive her? Did this girl actually pick up on Ena’s inner distress and break the ice!?
Ena felt like she lost.
But slinging an insult towards the girl who was trying was like, totally unfair.
“It’s no trouble, really.”
Mafuyu nodded, acknowledging the response but not saying anything else in return.
Ena knew it was too good to be true. This girl truly was a handful.
Fine.
“Were you saving up to get these books?” Ena asked, nudging the bag of books they were carrying together, each person holding the handles of the bag, splitting the weight.
“I asked my mother.”
“She was okay with it?”
“As long as it were books with ‘enough educational value’,” Mafuyu quoted.
Another anecdote about Ms. Asahina to add to the pile. Maybe it was due to her own father, but Ena had a hatred for incompetent parents. In the circle she wasn’t too verbal about it, as uncharacteristic as it was, considering their leader—
But with just Mafuyu...
“Your mother sounds like a real headache.”
Mafuyu seemed to mull it over, before replying.
“What makes you say that?” the girl asked, without even a semblance of feeling; neither defensive nor offensive. Pure curiosity.
“Just a feeling.”
“Worse or better than Mizuki?”
“Definitely worse.”
In their workplace’s break room, the pinkette sneezed.
A brief silence took hold of the conversation as Mafuyu tried to understand what the artist was saying. It was futile, however.
“I still don’t really understand.”
Ena rolled her eyes mentally, this girl sure is Mafuyu.
Not that there was any doubt regarding that.
“It’s like, the things you tell us! She sounds like a real busybody; constantly making you do things, controlling things, and stuff? Agh, I don’t really know how to say it. Anyway! Just trust me okay? I know a thing or two about annoying parents.”
Hopefully that got the message across.
At least Mafuyu seems to be processing it, thankfully. The air between the two of them grew silent once more, with no more words being exchanged any longer. If only she had Kanade’s inquisitiveness or Mizuki’s gall to just keep talking at length about literally anything. Then maybe Mafuyu would enjoy this time—
Wait wait, Ena Shinonome, why do we care about that!?
Forget it!
Ena groaned, as she grew a bit annoyed at the slight inconveniences she was experiencing. Like catching herself caring for Mafuyu or her throat being a bit parched since she wasn’t expecting to talk as much as she already did.
And she didn’t pack a bottle of water, seeing this only as a short trip.
“My throat is parched…” she muttered under her breath, throwing her complaints to the wind, expecting no one to catch them and care. No one ever did, after all. Not until recently. Her father, her peers, nobody looked at her. Well, there were some people like Airi or her younger brother. They were always real and looked at her. But all those other people, like her followers on social media? Would they even pretend to care? She figured they probably wouldn’t. Why would they? None of them knew that super pretty and cute girl on the screen personally. And even if some of them did, how many did it out of genuine concern of affection, without any ulterior motive?
Look only at me and convey your love.
Nonsense. All of it. If she didn’t know any better, Ena figured she would genuinely be in the pits over that. But if there was one thing she learned during her time being with Niigo, she knew that there genuinely were people who recognized her. Of course, alongside Airi and Akito.
“There’s a vending machine over there?” Mafuyu pointed out. “Maybe we can take a break?” she asked, eyes not meeting the other party as she herself wasn’t sure whether or not that was the correct thing to suggest.
Ena’s complexion softened a little. This girl was starting to understand social cues!
“Sure, thanks.”
As they made their way over to the vending machine, however...
“Ah! Asahina-san! Hello!” a person Ena didn’t recognize called out.
It took a moment before Mafuyu registered who it was that spoke to her.
“Hanazawa-san! Hello!” Mafuyu enthusiastically replied, with her fake voice.
Who is she?, Ena whispered to Mafuyu.
Someone from cram school, Mafuyu replied, whispering.
“How are you doing?” the girl asked, who Ena discerned as not being too much younger.
“Just out getting books,” Mafuyu replied honestly, seeing no need to hide the truth, while raising her side of the bag.
“Ah! So studious! Just what I expected from you! You’re always so diligent in class, and you’re always at the top of the mock exams. Is this your secret?” the girl enthusiastically asked.
“It’s nothing so remarkable...” Mafuyu replied, overwhelmed.
“What!? Nonsense! Maybe I should read more too, though it’s not like anyone there expects me to be the absolute best like you. Anyway, it was nice seeing you, Asahina-san. I’m expecting you to reach the top on our next mock exams! I’ll get out of your way now! Bye bye!” the girl bowed before hurrying off.
Both of the circle members were left stunned.
---
With canned drinks in hand, the duo sat on a set of swings at a nearby playground. It was approaching dusk, so the number of kids at the grounds were sparse.
Neither were saying anything.
It’s like they returned to where they started.
Not like Ena wanted to say anything—Mafuyu looked so sour, it was difficult trying to get a word in.
But where Ena struggled, Mafuyu thrived; or maybe Mafuyu just didn’t care.
It was probably the latter.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” her tone returned to the flatness Ena was more used to.
“No, it’s okay. That was out of your control.”
Ena took a sip of her soda.
For the record, Mafuyu had some iced tea.
Ena sort of had an understanding that Mafuyu faced some form of pressure. Every person did, that went without saying. Everyone in the circle, Airi, Akito, literally everyone. It wasn’t a brand-new realization, that much was certain. But to see it from up-close like this... Sure, she wasn’t invited to see it, and it was mere coincidence, but it was difficult to pay absolutely no mind to it as she’s seen it now.
Expectations.
It was a word that haunted both Ena and Mafuyu, whether they knew it or not.
One couldn’t meet their own and others’ and one had to fight tooth and nail to meet them, losing herself in the process.
The air between them felt strained as they both reflected on what had happened. Both silently taking sips from their respective beverages while watching a group of children play on the bars in front of them.
Not like Mafuyu could taste anything, of course.
“Is everyone like that at cram school?” Ena asked, breaking the silence. “I personally never went to a cram school, so I don’t know,” she tried justifying the question. “You know, with the expectations and all...”
“Yeah,” Mafuyu replied in a defeated tone. “Everyone is like that. At cram school and just at school. They all expect me to be at the top...”
Mafuyu sighed, “It’s a bit tiring sometimes.”
It was a rare occasion. Seeing Mafuyu express her thoughts—her feelings. It felt weird that Ena alone was witness to it. Shouldn’t these things be reserved for their collective eye-opening moments in the Sekai?
Well.
Ena wasn’t complaining.
“Yeah. I get it,” Ena replied before taking a sip of her drink. “We try our asses off for all those people, and we don’t even see any tangible reward as the expectations just pile-up. It’s so unfair isn’t it?” Ena vented.
“Yeah,” Mafuyu nodded in agreement.
“It's as if they stopped looking at us as people and only saw us as our results! Judging us as people based entirely on that alone. That’s not how it should be right? Like what about our personalities or something?”
“Do you think that would make your situation better?” Mafuyu quipped.
“Haaah? What’s that supposed to mean!? As if you’re any better! Here I was about to offer you another drink! Unbelievable!”
The two continued their heart-to-heart, if it could be described that way. It probably would have been more fitting just a little earlier. And while bystanders might think the two were angry at each other, judging solely on the number of decibels Ena was producing, it was far from that.
Despite everything, the two of them understood each other a little better now; both recognizing that they were facing the same enemy. And perhaps this understanding would lead to both parties being just a little bit kinder to each other going forward as the sun continued sinking deeper and deeper, nearly vanishing behind the horizon.
Probably.
It was hard to tell, especially considering a group of concerned mothers were currently trying to make them leave the playground for being a pair of nuisances.
Well, it was mostly Ena.
Maybe this wasn’t a page worth rereading after all.