Christmas String (Prologue-Ch10)

Thanks to SunnyD, Ruelin for reviewing!
===============================
-Story Tab-
Touka
Haa... Why do I have to do this when I don't want tooo?

-Challenge Tab-
Touka
It's been a while since I could use magic, so can't I be a little enthusiastic?

-Ex Challenge Tab-
Nemu
It feels like a long time since I teamed up with Touka to fight.

=====Prologue=====
<Satomi Medical Center>
<Touka's Private Room>

[*thump*]

Touka
Haa...
Why are books so heavy nyaa?

Nemu
Because they are filled with thoughts.
Small, but irreplaceable thoughts.

Touka
Going by that theory, then even electronic data has mass!

Nemu
Well, anyway, given that there are two personal book collections in this room,
the amount of books to sort is vast, which tends to bring about fatigue.

[*tap...*]

Nemu
Ah...the books are organized by series rather than the author's name.
Come put them in this box.

Touka
NYAA!
As a genius, my precious time
is being wasted on such unproductive work like "organizing books"~
This is a great loss for human history, you know!

Nemu
Sorry... I personally...feel it is very frustrating.
This body of mine can't help in any sufficient way.

Touka
.....
W-well... it can't be helped, nya?
Isn't it for my convenience to not ask others for help?
Since it would be problematic if Papa-sama found some of these books...

Nemu
No, in this case I think Touka should be angry, since
half of these books are from my collection.
When I was hospitalized,
I planned to keep them there for a little while...

Touka
GEEEZE!
Where am I supposed to vent these pent-up feelings!?

[*flip...*]

Touka
Huh...?

Nemu
This book is...?

-----Christmas String-----
~The Day Our Fingers Were Tied~

=====1=====

Touka
Huh...?

Nemu
This book is...?

Touka
It's not mine.

Nemu
What book is it...? There is a date written on it, though...

Diary Page
[20xx, December xx, 18:00
In a certain place, there were two twins that lived far apart.]
[The younger twin found fluffy gloves just before Christmas.]

Nemu
A diary...?
But the contents of what are written appear more like a fairy tale...

Touka
---!?

Nemu
That light...!

Touka
Eh...? This is...?

Nemu
It seems to be Mizutoku Market Street.

Touka
Why are we...in such a place...? Ha...!
Nemu! Floating! We're floating!!

Nemu
...I can't feel my body nor can I touch this tree.
Somehow we've become incorporeal beings...
It seems our state has become that of so-called ghosts.

Touka
Nevermind that, what's with our appearance...? We transformed...into mahou shoujo?
Nemu's legs are...healed?

Nemu
It definitely seems that I can move them.
...Though I can only say it with irony since I can only walk through the air.

Touka
This place is Mizutoku Market Street...? Nemu's home is in this neighborhood, right?
Why is there a tree here before Christmas nya?

Nemu
No, it's because it is before Christmas. This is what Mizutoku Market Street is like in the winter.
We seem to have slipped back in time to December of last year.

Touka
There's a basis for that speculation, I take it?

Nemu
I recall seeing this tree, since it's local.
...Also, there is another reason.
Just before this happened, we had the book opened to this page.

Diary Page
[20xx, December xx, 18:00
In a certain place, there were two twins that lived far apart.]

Nemu
It's dated as December of last year.
This page let out a flash of light, and in the next instant we were here.
In other words...only our consciousness
was transfered to the date and place written in this diary...
Wouldn't you say that is the result?

Touka
So a mysterious magic power in this diary
caused this time slip back to last year?

Nemu
If you have a more logical explanation, do tell me.

Touka
.....
No one is aware of us...
At least it's certain that magic caused this phenomenom?

Nemu
Taking the appearance of ghosts and visiting the past...
It's reminded me of a famous story.

Touka
What you said...
Isn't it like a story I got from Papa-sama's book?

Nemu
..."A Christmas Carol."
It's a Dickens classic.

=====2=====

Diary Page
[20xx, December xx, 18:00
In a certain place, there were two twins that lived far apart.]
[The younger twin found fluffy gloves just before Christmas.]
[Several days before, she couldn't buy them at other stores because they were too expensive...]
[But at the next store, she was able to spend her pocket money she had saved.]

Touka
I've never read this book before. Do you know it, Nemu?

Nemu
It's not Touka's book, right? It's not from my collection.
It's also not "A Christmas Carol."

Touka
How strange...
Where in the world did this book come from, getting mixed in with ours nyaa?

Nemu
I don't have the slightest idea, but the contents are not unfamiliar to me.
The twins written here are most likely the Amane sisters.

Touka
Is that so...?

Nemu
This diary-style fairy tale...for now let's refer to it as a diary.
If the current time matches the time written in this diary,
then Tsukasa should appear here shortly.

Tsukasa
.....

Touka
It's exactly as Nemu said! When did you change your occupation to prophet?

Nemu
I merely recalled what Mifuyu had told me
last Christmas...
An anecdote that the sisters gave each other presents.

-Flashback-
-Fendthope Private Room-

Mifuyu
Nemu, listen to this!
Just a little while ago, a wonderful thing happened.

Nemu
...What kind of thing?

Mifuyu
It was like a heartwarming short story straight from O. Henry.

Nemu
...That's drawn my interest.

Touka
...That made me a little interested too.
If Mifuyu was so excited to come tell you.

Nemu
Mufu, I knew it would make you curious, but
I'll tell you about the "heartwarming" details later.
Right now it has nothing to do with us.

Touka
If it's only going to get my hopes up, then don't bring it up!

Nemu
It's not that important now, it's the actions that Tsukasa takes from here on that are.
...According to Mifuyu's story, Tsukasa is in this shopping district today
to purchase fluffy gloves as a present for Tsukuyo.

Touka
The diary did also mention gloves.
If this is also as Nemu says,
then the mysterious power time slip theory is confirmed!
Is that what you're saying, nyaa?

Nemu
It helps that you understand so well.

Tsukasa
...Well, looks like I'm finished shopping!

Nemu
Now, Tsukasa is passing by the store in question.

Touka
What happens after that?

Nemu
She should notice the discount sale poster and promptly decide to buy the gloves.

[*woooosh...*]

Touka
...Hm? Did something just fly by nya?

[Import Brand 40% off discount sale going on now!]

Nemu
---!?
This is...the poster from that store?

Touka
Nemuuu! Tsukasa is right in front of the store...

Tsukasa
.....

Nemu
...She passed by without stopping.

Touka
What does this mean nya?

Nemu
Could this be a contradiction between the past as I know it and the actual past?

Touka
Kuhuhu, this may be a difficult situation, huh?
Will a time paradox occur
and cause us to cease to exist?

Nemu's Voice
---!? Touka disappeared?

Touka's Voice
Nemu did tooo!

Nemu's Voice
This is...

Touka & Nemu's Voices
A TIME PARADOX!?

Little Girl
.....?

=====3=====

Touka & Nemu's Voices
A TIME PARADOX!?

Little Girl
.....?
Hey...is someone there?

Nemu
Eh...?

Girl
Not here...?  But I can hear voices.

Touka
...This girl can hear our voices?

Nemu
It seems so.

Girl
...Is there someone here after all?

Nemu
---!?
We've returned...?

Girl
Ah...! That appearance...
It's the guardian spirits of "Christmas Bonds!"
Is there something I can help you with?

Touka
~ Is she mistaking us for someone? ~

Nemu
~ "Christmas Bonds" is the title of a fairy tale. ~
~ It's a book that's difficult to obtain now, and I haven't read it either, ~
~ though I'm certain it's a story involving a pair of guardian spirits appearing. ~

Touka
~ Perhaps this is our chance to avoid a time paradox? ~
~ Let's tell her to help us! ~

Nemu
~ You're right, we're in a state of emergency, so let's request her help. ~
~ But, how do we ask her...? We don't have spare time to be clearing up misunderstandings... ~

Touka
~ Using telepathy, ~
~ won't we sound like guardian spirits nyaa? ~

Nemu
~ ...Let's hope she goes along with it, though. ~

Girl
Guardian Spirit-san...?

Touka
[The two of us...are in great trouble!]

Nemu
[Yes, so will you not lend us assistance?]
[I would like you to take that poster over there and place it back on the storefront there.]

Girl
...Voices, in my head...?
I knew it, it really is the guardian spirits!

Nemu
Can you help us?

Girl
...Yeah! I'll get the poster!

Touka
Next we just need to call Tsukasa back to the store!

Nemu
Call her while looking like this?

Touka
It can't be helped! We have to chase after her!
WAIT A MINUTE!

Nemu
Haven't you forgotten something important?

Tsukasa
.....

Touka
She can't see us or hear us at all...?

Nemu
Just like with the girl earlier, why don't we try telepathy?
~ Tsukasa, can you hear me? ~

Tsukasa
.....

Touka
She ignored us and walked away!

Nemu
Telepathy is no good either, then...
The only person who recognizes our existence is that girl from before...?

Touka
Ah...

Nemu's Voice
Touka just...disappeared again!

Touka's Voice
Nemu did too!

Tsukasa
...Ah, this is bad!
I still had shopping to do! I need to go back!

Nemu
We returned!

Touka
Geez, what is the meaning of this!?

Nemu
Take a look, Tsukasa is in front of the store...

Tsukasa
...Huh?
This is...
The same gloves that were sold on the streetside!?

[Import Brand 40% off discount sale going on now!]

Tsukasa
You're kidding! I can afford it with my pocket change!?

Woman
...Welcome, is there something you're looking for?

Tsukasa
Yes!
[This please!!!]

Touka
Haa...did we somehow avoid a time paradox?

Nemu
...It seems so.
Thanks to that girl.

=====4=====

Touka
That girl being there really saved us nyaa.

Nemu
Thanks to her, a time paradox hasn't occurred.
...Assuming the reason for us disappearing was that, of course.

Touka
Because the result was a contradiction in causality,
we who are a part of a contradicting future disappeared!
I believe that is what happened.

Nemu
Then why do only our voices remain, but our disappearance stopped halfway...?

Touka
That girl calling out to us increased the chances of us continuing to exist.
So that's why our disappearing forms returned.

Nemu
...Then why did we disappear again?

Touka
Because Tsukasa ignored us!

-Flashback-
Tsukasa
.....
-End Flashback-

Nemu
...So that's why.
Did she simply ignore us, or in this instance was she just too far from the store?

Touka
You're right about that point.
She just miraculously remembered her errands afterwards
and barely saved us!

Nemu
What's important is that the worse the contradiction is, the more faded all traces of us become.

Girl
.....

Nemu
Ah... Thank you for earlier.

Girl
Did I...help Guardian Spirit-san...?

Touka
Uh-huh!
You may not be able to tell, but that was critical timing!

Girl
Waa...that's great!
I love "Christmas Bonds."
I read the story about guardian spirits over and over again!
Ah...but,
do the real guardian spirits know about that book?

Nemu
A book written about us...you say?
It's a very rare book, but I hear it's difficult to get your hands on, though.

Girl
Yeah... It's only in our library, so I borrow it a lot so I can read it again.

Nemu
...I have the same experience. No matter how many times I read my favorite book, it's always fun.

Girl
Does Guardian Spirit-san also visit the library?

Nemu
Ah, yeah...you could say that.

Woman
Kuu-chan, where are you? You know it's about time to go?

Girl
Ah, Mama...!

Woman
There you are. Well then, shall we go?

Girl
Yeah!

Woman
Tomorrow would you like to go visit Mii-kun's house?

Girl
...No, I want to go to the library.

Woman
Oh, you do?

Nemu
...Mm?

Girl
Ah...
See you, guardian spirits!
Keep reconnecting the bonds that tie everyone, okay!

Touka
You saved us today!

Nemu
We'll see you again.

Woman
.....? Were you talking to someone...?

Touka
"A book written about us...you say?"
You were able to talk around her well.

Nemu
Telling the truth to a girl like her would be cruel.
She didn't seem suspicious about anything, so my acting must have been good enough.

Touka
She said "keep reconnecting the bonds that tie everyone," though...
Is something like that in the book, nya?

Nemu
The story I heard about is a fairy tale set on Christmas.
A pair of guardian spirits reconnect the frayed bonds of people...
It was a story like that.

Touka
Hmmm...
Perhaps, we had this encounter because
this diary is "Christmas Bonds...?"
Perhaps we're having these encounters
because this diary is that "Christmas Bonds" book...?

Nemu
...I don't see a title on it.
Huh?
The page turned on its own...

Touka
It started shining...!

=====5=====

Diary Page
[20xx, December xx, 15:10
Thus, thanks to the two guardian spirits who retied the frayed bonds...]
[The twins were able to enjoy Christmas together with their matching gloves.]
[The End]

Nemu
This is...Fendthope.

Touka
What is the date in the diary?

Nemu
It's December of last year, but a number of days have passed.
From what is written here...the Amane sisters should
have had a happy ending.

[*knock knock*]

Tsukasa
Ah, Tsukuyo-chan!

Tsukuyo
...I am terribly sorry for making you wait!

Tsukasa
Nope, it's all good!
Are you thirsty? I'll go make some tea.
Now, without further ado...

Tsukuyo
We shall begin our present exchange party!

Mifuyu
Huhuhu.

Tsukasa
One, two...

[Tadaa!]

Mifuyu
Both have such beautiful wrapping...the anticipation is growing.

Tsukasa
Shall we unwrap them together?

Tsukuyo
Yes we shall...!

[*rustle...*]

Tsukuyo
Ah...

Tsukasa
Eh...

Mifuyu
...Those are...!
...They're both pairs of gloves, aren't they.
Not only that...the same brand, and same product...?

Tsukasa
There's no way we got the same thiiing!

Touka
...Is this...a happy ending?

Nemu
Watch from here.

Tsukasa
Ahhh ah...and I was so confideeent.

Tsukuyo
I was as well.
After all, I myself wanted it since it was such a good product.

Tsukasa
...Huh? You mean the same as me?
I wanted to buy it for myself since I liked it so much...

Tsukuyo
...Then that means, in other words,
we both received the item that we wanted?

Tsukasa
Yeah, totally!
Is it really okay for me to have this?

Tsukuyo
...That is my line I believe!

Mifuyu
...You two dears! You should be more happy!
You both got what you wanted most, and they're even matching...
Aren't they just the best presents ever!?

Touka
...I see, it really is a happy ending, then.

Nemu
The two of us are guardian spirits right now.
Does this mean...the Amane sisters' bond is now retied?

Touka
...Because Tsukasa couldn't buy those gloves due to the tampering of results by the wind,
their bond would have frayed just like that?

Nemu
It seems that is how it works.

Touka
Muuu-
I don't know if it's the diary or this guardian spirits thing, but
I'm being manipulated by magic I don't understand.
Unless I do what this diary says, I'll disappear because of a time paradox!
Even if I do what I'm told, there's no assurance I'll be able to go home...at all!
What in the world did I dooo!?

Nemu
We have all the charges against us we'll ever need, but does this even feel like a punishment?
Well, it doesn't seem like a reward either.

Touka
The guardian spirit of Christmas is just a copy of Santa!
Why do I have to play such a role?

Nemu
We couldn't possibly be suitable, you or I.

Touka
I'm not interested in Christmas at all!

Nemu
I've always agreed with that viewpoint as well. We've been the same since we were hospitalized.
...Among the three of us, Ui is the only one who has sincerely enjoyed Christmas.

Touka
Right, right!
She absolutely enjoys giving presents and making others happy.
This role is more suitable for someone kind like Ui!

Nemu
Christmas presents, working to retie bonds,
giving in good will, could all be said to be friendly acts.

Touka
Is it really fun to please others, nyaa?

Nemu
Ui would be sad if she heard you ask that.

Touka
...Is it fun to Nemu?

Nemu
I personally am not that type of person,
though I can't deny such people exist.

Touka
...Well, in any case,
we have a method to return back to our original time.
For example, if we turn the page back to the original date in the diary,
won't we go back home, nya?

Nemu
Let's try?

Touka
...Huh?

[*flap flap...*]

Touka
It's...opened to a different page on its own?

Nemu
Once again, the book is lighting up...!

=====6=====

Diary Page
[20xx, December xx, 15:20
In a certain place, there was a kouhai who loved to draw manga and a genius artist senpai.]
[The kouhai showed a Christmas story, but the senpai offered no compliments at all.]
[Despite that, the kouhai was not discouraged and continued to draw...]
[On this day, she showed her senpai a treasured story.]

Touka & Nemu
.....

Nemu
This is...?

Touka
Looks like Sakae Ward.

Nemu
The date in the diary is unfortunately before Christmas of last year again.

Touka
It was written there was a genius artist on there...?

[*step step step...*]

Nemu
...Someone is running this way.

Karin
Fugya...!?
Uu...It's frozen here...?
I should have worn no-slip shoes...
Ha...! I can't be worrying about this,
I have to finish the continuation of my manga, yes...!
Alina-senpai, I'm almost there...

Touka
...Did she just drop her sketchbook?
"Shinigami Girl Christmas Caribou...?"

Nemu
Going by the contents of the diary,
this girl...Misono Karin, is the one drawing a manga.

Touka
Ahh, I get it.
So, that means the senpai she's going to show it to is Alina.

Nemu
Usually, manga isn't drawn in a sketchbook, though.

Touka
Regardless, she just dropped the most important thing for her goal, nyaa!

Nemu
Sakae Comprehensive School is just ahead, but...
we currently can't pick it up nor deliver it.

Touka
In the diary, it says Alina is supposed to be shown the manga, right?
That much must happen.
Otherwise another time paradox will occur in the same pattern!

Nemu
Just like before, will someone become aware of us...?

Boy
Huh...?
What the heck...is that...weird light...

Nemu
Can you...see our forms?

Boy
Y...yeah.
Hey...that outfit...
Could you be...Christmas Guardian Spirit...san?

=====7=====

Boy
Could you be...Christmas Guardian Spirit...san?

Touka
Thaat's riight!

Nemu
You just said it outright...well, there's no choice now, is there?
...Hey
If you don't mind, could you help us?

Boy
Yeah...S-sure can! ...What do I need to do?

Nemu
I would like you to pick this sketchbook up and return it to its owner.

Boy
Got it, Guardian Spirit-san! But, to who?

Touka
A girl named Misono Karin from Sakae Comprehensive School!

Woman
Mii-kun, what's wrong?

Boy
Ah...Mama.
I want to return this sketchbook to its owner.
The guardian spirits-

Woman
Guardian spirits...?
Sure it's a sketchbook that someone dropped, although...
there's a name written on it... looks like a child from Sakae Comprehensive School.
Sure thing, shall we go deliver it?

Boy
Yeah!

-School-

Karin
Uuuu, this is terrible.
I dropped my precious sketchbook somewhere...
When I left the house I know I had it...
...Ah!
Um...could that sketchbook be...?

Woman
Ah...is this yours?
This boy here picked it up on the road back there.
We were about to go to the school to drop it off.

Karin
Ah...thank you yeah.
I thought I was going to lose all of my new work I just drew!

Touka
Haa...

Nemu
Looks like we've managed to avoid disappearing again.

Boy
Was that good, Guardian Spirit-san?

Touka
Yeah, perfect!

Nemu
...Do you know about the Christmas guardian spirits?

Boy
The guardian spirits that appear in "Christmas Bonds," right?
It's my friend's favorite book,
though she talks about it a lot...
.....

Nemu
...Did something happen?

Boy
...We got in a fight recently.
..... .....

Nemu
Would you like to make up?

Boy
...Yes.
I want to apologize, but I have a hard time saying it.

Touka
This time,
you should go deliver a Christmas present.
What do you think of that opportunity, nya?

Boy
Ah...that sounds nice!

Nemu
~ I never thought such good advice would come out of your mouth, Touka. ~

Touka
~ There's no deep meaning behind it. ~
~ Since we're talking about presents I just thought of that is all! ~

Nemu
~ So that's it. ~
~ Aside from that, this "Christmas Bonds" ~
~ is a book that people rarely know about, ~
~ but he also knew of it...? ~

Touka
~ ...Did he hear about it from the girl we met earlier? ~

Nemu
~ Maybe that's the case? ~

Boy
I wonder...what kind of Christmas present I should get...?

Nemu
What about that book we appeared in?
Since that book is incredibly rare,
doesn't that girl borrow it from the library often just to read it?

Boy
Woah! How'd you know that!?

Nemu
...I just heard about it.
You would have to be patient to find it at a secondhand bookstore, but...
I'm sure it would make her happy.

Boy
Got it, I'll try my best!

Woman
...Are you done now, Mii-kun?

Boy
Ah, Mama?

Woman
...Were you talking to the guardian spirits again?

Boy
Y-yeah...Mama may not be able to see them, though...

Mom
...If Mii-kun says so, I'll believe it.

Boy
Thanks!
Um... ...I need to go soon.

Nemu
Sure, good luck on your book hunt.

Nemu
Mii-kun, hmm...there's really no mistaking it.
That child is friends with the girl we met at Mizutoku Market Street.

-Flashback-

Woman
Tomorrow would you like to go visit Mii-kun's house?

Girl
...No, I want to go to the library.

-End Flashback-

Touka
She said Mii-kun, too.

Nemu
It's nice that the two mothers are so kind.
She even waited for him to finish telling his story.

Touka
Those two were the only ones who could perceive us...

Nemu
Like that girl from earlier,
can only children who believe in good guardian spirits see us...?

Touka
We can't confirm or deny anything with just two samples.

Nemu
...Well, that's true.
..... .....
...Although, our actions just now were a little careless.
Time paradoxes are a problem for us,
yet we can interfere with the past.

Touka
I am also bothered by it.

Nemu
I thought Touka would have stopped me midway.

Touka
Well, there is the fact that we were saved thanks to that child.
I wonder if we should keep quiet until there's a definitive phenomenom again.

Nemu
...Hmm, so even Touka is capable of feeling gratitude.

Touka
Geniuses have feelings too you knooow!

Nemu
Ah...
Again, the book is...!

Touka
I want to go home already.

=====8=====

[20xx, December xx, 15:40
Senpai read her latest story, but as usual, the kouhai wasn't praised.]
[As always, they passed the time in their usual way.]

-Art Studio/Class-

Touka & Nemu
.....

Nemu
Look.

Touka
Alina...!

Karin
I didn't think we would get to meet today.

Alina
...Winter break just started, so it's unusual to be here, y'know.

Karin
My manga research club and senpai's art club
are both active even during winter break yeah!

Alina
...Speaking of,
it looks like you completed something from earlier?

Karin
Sure did! It's freshly drawn!
It's a new edition of "Shinigami Girl Christmas Death Caribou!"

Alina
Hmm...
It's neither satisfactory nor terrible garbage, it seems.

Karin
...You really mean it!? I'm so happy!

Alina
Why is it you're happy? That was not a compliment.

Karin
Because my senpai who's always so harsh just told me it's not terrible!

Alina
(But after that, there was a "garbage" added, was there not...?)

Alina
Well, Alina is leaving now.

[*Tap...*]

Karin
Eh... Strawberry milk?

Alina
Alina told you before, right?
You paid last time, so this is returning the favor.

[*Shut*]

Karin
...Could this be a Christmas present?
Senpai, thank you yeah~

Touka
...The Christmas guardian spirits are supposed to reconnect bonds, right?

Nemu
There is no doubt about your understanding.

Touka
There's nothing to tie here...
Did we hit the wrong button at the start or something?

Nemu
Since these people are already happy, is this a happy ending...?
Ah...
The book started flashing again...?

Touka
What's on the next page...?

Diary Page
[Year 20xx, Month xx, Day xx, 13:40]
[From then on, the "as usuals" of that time were...]
[no longer anywhere to be found.]

=====9=====

-Hospital-

Alina
Freeze! Would you stop moving?

Mifuyu
E-even if you tell me...

Alina
Be steady like a model, okay.

Karin
Uu...I'm so happy my lively senpai seems to be back...

Kaede
That is...lively?

Karin
Sure is!
Alina-senpai used to be like this...
She would never back down on her art and was so cool!
If she could just get her memories back while in this condition...

Alina
Hold it, fool girl.
If you're not sketching, why don't you leave?
Alina can't concentrate at all.

Karin
Ah, sorry yeah!
Kaede-chan, let's end the chat for now.
Once again, I want you to hold a pose.

Kaede
...S...Sure...

Touka
I don't understand what's happening in the slightest here.

Nemu
I'm not quite sure either.
However, this place is the hospital we used to be at... Also...

Touka
...Also?

Nemu
...Where Alina and others were hospitalized.

Touka
..... .....
...Did we return to the present?

Nemu
It can't be.
The date in the diary is a little in the past, and we're still in this form.

Touka
We still haven't escaped from the curse of this diary?

Nemu
It's likely Alina and others here have bonds that have yet to be retied...
We won't be released until we've made sure of it.

Touka
...So,
what is the meaning of this?

Nemu
If I were to guess,
it's part of a rehabilitation activity to help Alina regain her memory.

Touka
Then the kouhai-san is doing what?

Nemu
Well...it seems she is eagerly sketching to me.

Mifuyu
...Kaede-san.

Kaede
...Eh? Ah...yes?

Mifuyu
Shall we take a little break over there?

Touka
What are we supposed to do?

Nemu
Let's follow and watch them.

-Lobby-

Mifuyu
...So Kaede-san also got to be an art model,
I never would have expected that.

Kaede
Karin-chan wants to improve her drawing skills,
so she asked me to go along with her...

Mifuyu
Drawing skills?

Kaede
Yeah... Alina-san once
told her that her drawing skills weren't catastrophic,
so she thought that if she improved her drawing skills,
the surprise...might return her memories...

Mifuyu
...Then it's the same as me.
I am also modeling for Alina's paintings until her memory returns.

Kaede
...Always...in that outfit?

Mifuyu
N-not at all...!
This was...just on Alina's whim... Or perhaps I should say, request...
Why is Kaede-san in an out of season outfit?

Kaede
W...well...
Karin-chan made a manga before-
a Christmas Shinigami or something? and was planning on continuing her drawing of it.
Since this was a big opportunity for her, as a reference
she asked me to wear this costume...

Mifuyu
...Haa...
It's difficult for both of us, then...

Nemu
Their reasons are both the same; they both want Alina's memories to return, hm?

Touka
...It seems that way.

Nemu
The reason Kamihama is in the state it's in now,
and why these girls have had their peaceful everyday lives taken away,
is unmistakably because of us.
...It's our responsibility to see this story through its course.

Touka
...Yeah. I know that.

=====10=====

Alina
...Huu, looks like it's complete for now...

[*Rip rip rip*]

Mifuyu
Ehh...!?
But you painted that for so long! Why?

Alina
Don no wai...
Something reflexively felt wrong.

Mifuyu
Yet you painted me perfectly?

Alina
...Don't know why, but my hands just start moving on their own.
Alina's hands paint. Alina's hands destroy.

Mifuyu
When it comes to something like this, you're still Alina after all...

Karin
Well, Senpai...?
How are you? Did you remember anything?

Alina
Notto atto aaru. Not at all, nothing.

Mifuyu
Ehh...
Even though I wore this out of season costume...
The point of going through all of this embarrassment...

Alina
Yep, nasshingu.

Kaede
...Maybe...
...Since Mifuyu-san is the model...
I...don't need to anymore, right?

Karin
That's not it!
I have to thank you for your hard work with modeling.
My most amazing drawing is complete now!
Alina-senpai, I want to show you.

Alina
.....?

Karin
...I-it's this right here.

Alina
..... .....

Alina
Hmm...
It's neither satisfactory nor terrible garbage, it seems.

Karin
---!?
Senpai...Alina-senpai...!

Mifuyu
...Eh?

Kaede
...K...Karin-chan?

Mifuyu
H-hey Alina, what you said was a little extreme...

Karin
...You're wrong. I'm happy.

Mifuyu
Eh...?

-Flashback-

Alina
...Speaking of,
it looks like you completed something from earlier?

Karin
Sure did! It's freshly drawn!
It's a new edition of "Shinigami Girl Christmas Death Caribou!"

---

Alina
Hmm...
It's neither satisfactory nor terrible garbage, it seems.

Karin
...You really mean it!? I'm so happy!

Alina
Why is it you're happy? That was not a compliment.

Karin
Because my senpai who's always so harsh just told me it's not terrible!

---

[*Tap...*]

Karin
Eh... Strawberry milk?

Alina
Alina told you before, right?
You paid last time, so this is returning the favor.

-End Flashback-

Karin
...I'm happy...
...Senpai is...*sniffle*...
She said it before... The same words as before...she said them.

Kaede
...Karin...chan...?

Alina
.....?
...Alina said that before?

Karin
...Yeah...
Just a little...my Alina-senpai came back just a little...
...Uu...
...Uu...Uuuu...
...UWAaAaAN...!

Kaede
Karin...chan...

Mifuyu
.....

---

Karin
...*Sniff* ...*Sniffle*...
...Eheh...sorry... I was crying...

Mifuyu
...That one sentence from Alina brought back a memory for you,
of those days when you felt happy.

Karin
That's right.
You two, thank you for coming yeah...!
I feel like I got to meet the old Alina-senpai just a little.

Kaede
Yeah... ...I'm happy for you.

Karin
We're going to do our best together in rehabilitation,
Alina-senpai!

Alina
.....

Touka
.....
...What do you think, Nemu.

Nemu
I don't know if their frayed bond was retied...but
something we tied had significance.
...I'm sure, it did.