“… Nothing new again” I heave a long sigh, as I lie prone on the couch inside of my apartment. It was still half past ten, and the only thing I’ve been doing ever since I parted ways with Miel a few hours ago was to watch the TV. And most of the things that they were airing during the morning are reruns that I’ve watched before. While reading a book might be nice to spend my time, but I don’t want to read in the morning because I would get too engrosed in it to stop. In other words, I’m bored.

“At least do something productive if you’re not going to school” Al said in a tired tone that would make you think that he’s been through a lot. Well, he did do a lot of shouting like ‘No!’, ‘Stop!’, ‘Don’t eat that!’, and the occasional lecture of a healthy dietary menu that I should take afterwards. So, I guess he would be after all of that.

“Sigh…” He’s also been sighing a lot after that whole eating in a fast food chain thing. I don’t know why, but a little bit of self-indulgence from time to time isn’t too bad, right? I mean, if you’re talking about physical health, then it’s bad if you ate too much. But, how about my mental health? Shouldn’t me, being happy, an important thing, too?

“Hello? Anybody there?”

“Yeah…” I push myself up from the couch, and went into a sitting position.

Well, I could keep practicing to call out R-two in the meantime. And meeting up with Worth wasn’t until this evening, so, I really have nothing else to do besides being a couch potato or that. I’ve had enough of going out for the day because of what happened earlier, but my mind could change later on when I get bored again. Maybe in the afternoon I’ll go out and read a book at the tea shop i frequent to when the streets aren’t as dense with people anymore.

With that said, I grabbed the small tattered book from my pocket and removed the rings. I put to mind to always carry the book around with me just like Worth said. You can never be too careful when it comes to one’s life. And I do value my life to be very important.

I then closed my eyes and concentrated on bringing out my double. The feeling that I had from before and the images of that time resurfaced once again, and after a few minutes, a strange feeling came over me. That strange feeling only meant one thing, I succeeded in bringing out R-two.

I open my eyes slowly and saw R-two standing in front of me with a smile plastered across his face. I still can't believe that there’s a person that looked exactly like me here, but I got to get over that. The sooner, the better.

“Hmm…” I may have called for him, but now that I think about it, how does ‘this' even work. What I meant by ‘this', is what my double can do. I imagined him to be stronger and the like, but how can I make sure how strong he is or something?

…

Ah!

I got up from the couch and ran towards my dad’s room. I then opened the boxes that were there and started searching inside of those. I forgot to make him go away, though, so I got tired real fast. This is inconvenient in a lot of ways, if you ask me.

I peeked at the living room and politely asked him to leave. When he was gone, I started my search once again.

“Aha!” And after a few minutes of searching and tossing the things that I wasn’t looking for, I finally found it. The hand grip dynamometer that he bought back then. It didn’t get to see much use these past few years, though, or, it wasn’t even used at all if I remember correctly.

“Uhmm, can you grip this?” I said to my double after I called him out again.

He happily obliged, as he grabbed the thing from me and gripped it.

*Crack*

It broke.

“Wow”

Well, there goes the hand grip dynamometer on its first use. I didn’t even know that it was possible for someone to do that, much less, someone that looked exactly like me. But, one thing’s for sure, my double’s grip strength is insanely monstrous. I wonder what else can he do. For now, though, I think it’s time to say goodbye to R-two and take a rest.

“How about you go somewhere secluded outside. You could test more things there than if your inside of the apartment” Al suggested.

I would have liked to, but the way to the forest near the Langston’s is way too far to travel by foot while in this heat, and I didn’t want to use a cab to get there, either. I don’t want to waste too much of the money that I currently have in the moment if there’s a cheaper alternative. And besides, I don’t know any other secluded place besides that area. So, the apartment it is.

“Ah, how about you go and grab a knife from the kitchen while you’re waiting”

Eh, a knife?

“Sure, but…” I went towards the marble countertop and grabbed a small peeling knife. “Why?”

“To stab him of course”

…

“What?”

“Well, if what you imagined is a hero that would save the day, then surely, you might as well test out if he’s super sturdy. You never know, any sort of information could prove useful in the future”

He’s got a point… but stabbing him? Isn’t that too dangerous? What if he wasn’t and he bleeds all over the place, then what? Wait, can he even bleed? There’s a lot of things that I don’t understand or know about my double. But…

I guess it wouldn’t hurt if I ask him about it. Maybe he's invulnerable or something. I’d be glad if he was.

“So… uhmm, would you please stab yourself?” I said to my double after he reappeared for the third time.

Ah… did that sound like I was forcing him to stab himself?

…

Yeah, it does. I blame Al’s suggestion. “Wait, no, that came out wrong. What I mea-!”

“?” He grabs the knife and forcefully stabs his stomach.

Let me tell you this, when someone who’s smiling as if he was having the greatest time of his life right now while stabbing himself, you’d get the chills. And the realization that I gave him the order to do that soon came after. This is my fault.

Blood drips from his smiling lips, but he just doesn’t mind it. In fact, I think he’s even smiling wider now. It was disturbing, sure, but I’m more disturb that I made him do that.

“A-are you okay!?” I know the answer already without even asking it, but he makes on ‘okay’ sign with his right hand that was free. I don’t think he was, though. Not from what I was currently seeing, at least.

“I, uh, y-you can stop that now… p-please?

He did as I told him to do, and pulls the knife out of his stomach. Blood drips onto the wooden floor, and his shirt was getting stained in red. He then hands the knife coated in blood towards me, as if he was returning the eraser that he borrowed in school. Should I take it?

…

“Y-you can… keep it”

He looked confused for a moment, but he shrugs his shoulders a few seconds later and stabs the knife back into his stomach. What a guy.

“Ah! You, uhmm… that… that isn’t where it’s supposed to go”

“He’s something all right…”

I should be panicking right about now, but that reassuring smile on his face is making me doubt myself whether or not to call the ambulance. But, oh, right, I forgot that I don’t have a cellphone to call the emergency hotline. I could always run down stairs and ask the landlord for help, though. I wonder what kind of face he’d make when he sees my look-alike covered in blood.

“Are you sure?” While I said that, I noticed that he was slowly fading away. The knife then drops down on the wooden floor, and all of the blood that was supposed to be on it and on the floor were fading away, too. Now, the only problem that I got is whether or not he would be ‘okay’ when I call him back. I hope he is.

A few hours of testing and a quick lunch later, what I understood from all of it was.

“He’s like a video game character…” Even if he get’s stabbed, bleed, or get inflicted with any sort of external injuries, he just comes back smiling and all good again when I call him. It's like when the screen tells you that you died after getting killed by a slime at the start of the game, it just respawns you back in full health again in the starting town. I don’t know if there are an repercussions to that, though. But, if there are any, then I’d find out about it later on. I just hope that it isn’t going to be anything too serious.

Also, how much strength he can apply and how tough he gets depends on me. More exactly, I think it was related to the Soul. Because, when I made him bend a metal pipe like it was nothing, I got drained a lot faster. The same applies to his toughness as in, even when he tries to stab himself, the knife just gets bent when it reaches his skin. It can’t even penetrate his clothes when he’s seriously sucking my Soul dry. He only lasted less than five seconds after using that, though.

“How about you stop for now and take a break before you get too exhausted again”

Yeah, and besides, I already feel like I’m about to drop dead. I think it’s about time to go outside and read a book somewhere. I could use some refreshing tea right about now, too.

With that in mind, I put on my shoes and went towards the door. When I grabbed the door knob and pulled it open, the hot air slapped my face straight on. And the cool air from behind me was making it more apparent how high the temperature was outside. It’s not a surprise since it was almost two in the afternoon in June.

“Hah…” The sun was going to burn me down without any protection, so, I brought an umbrella with me while I walk. But, the weather’s fine as it is, mostly because people aren’t outside right now. Reason being, they were probably staying inside of the cool air-conditioned rooms of their offices or something. Still, why aren’t there any clouds in the sky?

I look around to see that the streets are almost empty, with the occasional grumpy passersby that was complaining about the heat. It was a great idea to bring an umbrella with me, but the air that the wind blew towards me was still pretty hot. It was kind of suffocating to be honest. I don’t want to run and get sweaty, though.

“…” It took me five minutes to arrive at the Dragon’s Den. And when I opened the door, I saw that there were only four customers inside. Well, those four were people that I’m acquainted with.

“I see that you also didn’t go to school today. Nice” Howard said, as he saw me coming in. “A delinquent in the making”

“Uhmm, yeah” I replied.

I then went towards their table and took a seat next to them. I would’ve been too shy or embarrassed to do this before, but I can just casually do this without much reservation now. And it only took me a month! Although, Al was still very wary of them because of what happened last time. But, I live and forget faster than the normal person would. So, it’s all good… I think.

“?” I look at the four of them, thinking of a reason as to why they weren’t at school. Maybe I should ask them, but how do I start the conversation? I may have been more comfortable hanging around the four of them, but that’s it. I just stay there and speak when someone talks or asks me something. I’m not usually the one that brings something up on the table. Someday I might, when I get more people skills, but for now, I just have to speculate.

Much to my delight, the message somehow got across even without me speaking, as Ailon answers my questioning look. Which was fine with me, since I didn’t have to form coherent sentences and stuff to bring it up. I really am an open book, aren’t I?

“Wondering why we’re here at this time?” I nod my head in reply to his question, and he shrugs his shoulders while leaning back. “There’s nothing left to do anyway, since the finals are over. We’re basically just sitting there all day long and waiting for the results. So, what better way to spend some time than to relax before summer break”

Ah, the same reason that I have. How nice.

“And besides, Fredrick is giddy to come here today”

I look at the man sitting next to him to see that he wore a solemn expression, as if he was about to attain enlightenment some time soon. But, that wasn’t all, when you look at his eyes, you could see that there was something there. Intensity, is what I would describe it. Like a fire that was burning brightly in the middle of the night.

“Uhmm, what’s going on?” I asked, very curious to know what was currently happening to the man.

“Well, this guy here is about to come out and face the world!” Howard said.

“… What?”

“Yes” Gerrard was the one to answer it. “He is working up the courage to express his burning passion to the one he adores… or so I might say”

“Uh, so, he’s going to confess or something?” I asked to clarify what he meant. Howard didn’t make any sense, and Gerrard was kind of… too formal to understand. But, I somehow got the gist of it.

“Yep, and we’re here to watch him in his most gallant form, as he breaks his way through the wall called ‘The one year stalking period'”

“Or, you know, get rejected and then cry tears of blood soon after” Ailon added with a smirk, but Fredrick wasn’t listening to any of our words, as the man just stares ahead. Which was weird, though, since what he was staring at was a chair at the other table. And from what I could tell, he was like that for quite some time now.

“So, while we wait until Julie comes back, tell us what you’ve been up to last weekend”

“Uhmm, training, eating, jogging, sleeping… and then training”

“Sounds like a chore to me” Howard said.

“It’s not really…” But, now that I hear it from someone else, it kind of does sound like that. Still, it was fun discovering new things and then getting to do them. It isn’t a chore… yet.

“She’s coming…” Fredrick suddenly said, as he looks at the door in the front entrance. It sounded ominous when he said it, though. Like when an oracle tells you when you’re going to die, or if the final boss was about to appear when you’re unprepared.

“Here we go” Howard said with a smirk. “May fortune be in your favor, brother. Otherwise, there’s always other fish in the sea. Bigger and rougher fish with razor sharp teeth that can shred the flesh of… what I’m trying to say is, don’t sweat about the results, just go for it”

A few seconds later, the door at the entrance of the shop swings open, and the person that we were all waiting for sprung up.

“Oh, hey guys. What’s up?” Julie asked, all smiles when she saw us.

Fredrick then stands up from his seat and looks straight at her with a determined face. Although, his posture was very stiff when he made his way towards the entrance. And when he finally arrived in front of her, he exaggeratedly knelt down on one knee and mechanically grabbed her right hand with both of his.

When I look to my side, I see Howard and Ailon holding back their laughter. “This… pfft-ahahAHAHA!” Disregard what I just said, they were outright laughing at him now.

“Well done” While that was going on, Gerrard was looking at Fredrick proudly like when a father looks at his son after arduously learning how to ride a bike. It seems that kneeling on one knee was his idea. Which was a good advice if this was a proposal, but it isn’t. It just looks silly.

“Yamamoto Julie…” He said with a serious face.

“Yes?” She asked, confused as to why he was kneeling in front of her. I think anyone in the same situation would be.

“Will you… go out with me?”

There was a momentary pause and an awkward silence after he said that, but the person he was confessing to was the first one to break it. It wasn’t the only thing that she broke, though.

“I, uhmm, I can’t. I already have a fiancé. I’m sorry” She said, as she takes back her hand.

There was another awkward pause after she said that. But, uhmm, a fiancé at her age already? That’s pretty… early, don’t you think? I mean, I’ve heard of arranged marriages that involved young adults from distinguished families, but this is the first time that I’m seeing one in the flesh.

“T-that’s… wha… how… you’re… c-congratulations?” He looked shocked, as he wasn’t too sure on how to react to the ground breaking revelation. So, I think he just spouted the very first thing that came to mind. I feel sorry for him.

“C-can I ask who the fucke-… I mean, the dead son of a bit-… bastard is?” He was keeping his smile up, but you can clearly see it cracking. And something that wasn’t good was about to befall whoever it was that she’ll mention. I’ll be praying for the poor man’s survival.

“I thought you already knew since the beginning? And it’s not like we were keeping it a secret or anything, either” She said, as she turned her look towards someone else. But, I think she was mistaken about it because it just wasn’t possible.

“…?” If I didn’t know any better, she was looking right at me.

“Why are you looking so confused? You’re the one who proposed and put this ring on my finger back then” She showed me her left hand with a silver ring worn on her ring finger. There was a single bewitching black gem embedded on it which sparkled when she showed it to us.

“Although, you suddenly vanished the day after” She said. “You made me super, extremely, to the next degree worried, too. I couldn’t sleep peacefully for a few months after that, and I had to think positively that you’ll comeback just to get by. But, all of that doesn’t matter anymore since you’re back now, and I’m not letting you out of my sight this time around” She followed it up with the sweetest smile that I’ve ever seen. Enough that I think I have diabetes now. But, there’s one big problem with that.

I can’t remember doing anything that she’s said.

I haven’t even gotten a girlfriend yet, much less a fiancé! But, I don’t have the time or leisure to worry about those things right now since there’s another much more pressing problem that needs my current attention.

“Run!” Ailon yelled at me, as the three of them were holding Fredrick back. His face was red like a tomato while giving me an expression that I could only describe as demonic. He was furiously nashing his teeth at my direction, which also wasn’t a good sign.

“You… you thieving son of a bitch!” He yelled. “Come here and I’ll fucking…”

“Apologizing isn’t going to do anything, I think. You should just run first and let the others calm him down”

“Rei?” Julie asked, a bit worried that the situation escalated like this. But, there isn’t any time to stop and think things through this time. I first need to get myself as far away from him as possible.

“I-I, uh… I got some…”

“Don’t talk and just run, you fool!” Ailon shouted again.

“I-I’ll see you guys later!”

Well, I guess my jogging schedule is a bit messed up now.