Bonus: An Ordinary Girl

I feel warmth in my hand. At the end of our joined hands is Akegami-san.

"What?"

She shoots me a sharp glare. Ever since I helped her, she’s been a little sharper with me.

Since that day—since the Fifth Abyssal Calamity—Akegami-san has started interacting with me more naturally, without putting up walls. But her heart still seems unstable; sometimes she’s girlish like before, and other times she’s blunt and rough.

According to her, those sides are mixed together, and even she doesn’t fully understand it. They’re both her, so she can’t control it.

"No, I was just thinking… you’re really here, Akegami-san."

"...You’re weird."

With a huff, she turns her face away.

To stop the progression of her Abaddonization, we have to hold hands like this from time to time and establish a Connect Link.

Because of that, I’ve ended up coming to Akegami-san’s room on my day off. Being alone in a girl’s room like this isn’t something I’m used to, so I can’t quite relax.

We’ve been maintaining the Connect Link like this, but apparently it needs to be deepened—and because of that, I’ve ended up seeing Akegami-san’s memories multiple times.

Memories of her playing games. Memories of her talking with her little sister.

And also, memories of her interacting with Kumoyama Yuri.

…Honestly, getting to know Akegami-san like this doesn’t feel very comfortable.

She doesn’t seem to like being seen that way either, and sometimes she lightly smacks me for it—even though it’s not like I can help it.

Come to think of it, since then, she hasn’t made any strange advances toward me. Well, sometimes she comes close, saying I’m like her “emotional stabilizer,” but…

What does that even mean?

On the other hand, what would happen if I did something like that?

On impulse, I intertwine my fingers with hers. She jolts—then tightens her grip in response. It kind of hurts.

"What are you doing?"

Her cheeks flush as she glares at me.

"I just remembered… this is how it used to be when we held hands."

"Don’t go digging that up now."

"So this is what it means when someone reacts so well you can’t help yourself."

"...Hey, you’re not planning to keep doing that, are you?"

"I was thinking I might return the favor."

"Pervert."

Even as she says that, she presses her shoulder against mine, then leans into me.

…Is she being affectionate?

I’ve always thought this, but Akegami-san is kind of like a cat.

"You know… sometimes everything just feels scary, and I get lonely. It’s gross, right? Me like this."

Looking closely, her shoulders are trembling slightly.

At first, Akegami-san was someone I couldn’t really understand, but now I can clearly see she’s just a hurt girl.

Her heart is still unstable, and sometimes she lets her weaknesses slip out. I’m glad she relies on me, but I can’t just leave her like this.

"It’s not gross."

"...Guess I shouldn’t have asked someone who’s putting up with someone as annoying as me."

"Hmm… I’ve never thought you were annoying."

"Then maybe you will from now on. I’ll probably get anxious easily and drag you around with me. Man… I’ve really gotten weak. I used to be able to swallow all these dark feelings."

She gradually leans more of her weight onto me. Warmth spreads from where our shoulders touch.

"I’ll stay with you until those feelings ease up."

"...Then stay over tonight."

"Wait—what?"

Where did that come from? Staying over is definitely—

"I don’t think I can hold myself together until night at this rate. I don’t want to be alone."

"But still, staying over is—"

"It’s fine."

"Look, there’s not even anywhere for me to sleep."

"Can’t we just share the bed?"

"That’s not okay. What if I do something weird?"

"I don’t mind a little."

"That’s not okay!?"

This is bad. Something’s definitely off with Akegami-san today. Maybe she’s just that afraid of being alone.

At the very least, I want to support her so she can get through the day properly. Staying with her until night is one thing, but…

"...Then, can you call me by my name?"

"Huh?"

"I don’t want to be ‘Akegami-san’ forever."

"...Um, Sora-san."

"Yeah."

Satisfied, she pulls away slightly instead of leaning on me.

"But I’m still lonely, so stay here today."

"You’re still saying that?"

…Is she testing my self-control? Seriously, give me a break.

Well, I guess I’ll head home when the time feels right.

…Or at least, that’s what I thought.

Somehow, I’ve ended up lying on the bed next to her. Why?

When I tried to leave, Akegami-san—no, Sora-san—grabbed me and dragged me onto the bed.

More than that, she’s clinging to me. Apparently, being in contact makes her feel at ease. Meanwhile, I’m the one who can’t relax.

A sweet scent drifts into my nose.

…Well, this is Sora-san’s bed—of course it smells like her.

Wait, what am I even thinking?

I can feel a soft sensation against my back. She’s pressed right up against me.

…At this rate, even if she falls asleep, I probably won’t be able to escape. I was planning to sneak out quietly, too.

"It smells like you, Nagisa-kun."

"...Uh, thanks?"

This is bad. Even my responses are coming out weird.

Strange. Lately, I’d been fine even when she got close like this. Maybe it’s just the situation.

"When we’re like this, the scent comes from around your neck."

"...What kind of explanation is that?"

"Just felt like saying it."

Just felt like it, huh… well, I guess that’s fine.

…I’ve heard she used to have a lot of nightmares. If me just being troubled like this helps with that, then maybe it’s okay.

Though relying on this for comfort feels a bit questionable.

Dreams… that reminds me.

"By the way, before I met you, Sora-san, I had this dream where you were… was it Runheli? Doing something like that. Why did that happen?"

That dream—of Sora-san during the Fifth Abyssal Calamity, after becoming an Abaddon, in what looked like a scene of her dying. I never figured out what it meant.

We talked about it possibly being a Connect Link, but we still don’t know why it connected in the first place.

"...Connect Links can apparently form on their own if a Curse Seeker strongly thinks about their Connector. So it was probably that."

"...Ah, because you knew about me even before we met?"

"Yeah. I was strongly convinced that I was Akegami Yuri, who’s in love with Shinozaki Nagisa. So that might be why."

There are still a lot of things about Connect Links we don’t understand. So maybe something like that can happen.

…If that’s true, there might be other Connectors out there who are made to see a Curse Seeker’s past through dreams without warning. That sounds rough.

"So then, if you keep thinking about me, Sora-san, does that mean I might keep seeing those dreams?"

She tightens her embrace.

"Um, Sora-san. That hurts."

"You say weird things."

"...By the way, can I go home soon?"

"No."

"No, huh."

In the end, it looks like I have to sleep as Sora-san’s body pillow.

Can I even sleep like this? …Probably not.

The next morning, I found Sora-san in the corner of the room, her face bright red as she reflected on everything she did yesterday.

…At least that wasn’t her usual self going that far.