Part 144: Okabe Rintarou explores an unfamiliar world

I came to this shop first in my quest to find traces of the people I know. It feels like it's been forever since I've seen that at logo.

I take a gulp of air to catch my breath, and open the store door.





"Faris... Mayuri... Thank God..."

I feel relieved from the bottom of my heart seeing these two greet me.

These two didn't disappear. They both work at this store, exactly as I had remembered they did.

"No, Master! I'm actually Mayushii NyanNyan♪"

Mayuri smiles at me while striking a catlike pose.





She says that and turns around to Faris.

"Feris, by any chance, did you tell this guy Mayushii's real name?"

"Hmmya? I don't remyember telling him. But I myean, you call yourself Mayushii, so he just somehow guessed."

"Oh, I see! Ehehe..."



"Kyouma, Kyouma."

I lend Faris my ear when she calls me.



"Boyfriend...?"

"Dummy, you can’t say that, nya! We can sweet talk all we want after work's over, so hold out until then, okay, nya?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nyanya? Hmm, so that’s how it is nya. So you understood from the start, nya. That's Kyouma for you. Gets the job done quick, nyan."

"C'mon, Feris, you shouldn't flirt in the store."

"Nyahaha. What do you mean, Mayushii? I did nyo such thing, nya."

"More importantly, Mayuri, do you know Daru or Kurisu?"

"...?"

Mayuri tilts her head with a dubious look.



...That eerie feeling wasn't my imagination. Mayuri and Faris's words were weird. In other words, my relationship with these two has also been changed.

"Where's our laboratory?"

"Laboratory?"

"Lavatory?!"

What the hell. Faris quickly pulls me by the ear.

"Ow, owow, what're you doing?!"

"Kyoumaa. What's this about, nya? Don't tell meow you made plans to meet Mayuri in the lavatory? Kyouma's such a pervert to do such immeowral things even though he's a minor."

"Laboratory, not lavatory, drills-for-brains! Don't mix them up!"

"Laboratory? What do you mean by laboratory, nya?"

"Laboratory, as in, the Future Gadget Research Lab... Mayuri, you know, don't you? About the Future Gadget Research Lab!"



She doesn't know... no way.

"Anyway, why have you only been talking to Mayushii neow? You flirting right in front of your girlfriend, nya?"

Girlfriend. Faris is? Whose?

...Mine?!

"I'll have to ask that kind of Master to go home, nya. So what'll you do, nya?"

"...Ah, ahh, sorry..."

I obediently apologize and ask to be seated. And inside, at a table for two, sits Daru.



Moreover, why is he staring at me?

"Daru, so this is where you were."

I sit in front of Daru and take a breath. I drink up my water in one gulp, quenching my thirst. Daru doesn't try to hide his displeasure.



"What?"

"I think I've seen your face somewhere before. Where was that... Well, whatever, anyway, you're being way too familiar with Faris, you know? A little cocky, are we? A normalfag? You're a normalfag, aren't you?"

"Whoa, Daru. Just what are you..."

I start talking, but then shut up.



I try to ask in a roundabout way.

"Is this our first meeting?"

"Duh. This is your first time to the store, isn't it? As a regular customer here, I make sure to check other customers' faces.

"No, I'm pretty sure I come here enough, but--"

"This taste... is the taste of a liar."

"How can you tell without even licking me?"

"Annnyway, answer me. What are you to Faris?"

"I'm..."

"Should I ask more specifically? Well, then Question One: What is your name?"



It's unpleasant, but I also don't want to anger him anymore, so I'll answer him honestly. Well, the problem is which name to call myself...

"Ho... Hououin Kyouma..."

"Seriously?!"

Suddenly, Daru leans forward. He does a complete 180 and grabs my hand with his eyes shining, making his previous displeasure seem like an act.

"Ahhh, that's it, that’s it. Yeah, yeah. That's right. Right on. I was sure I'd seen you before!"



"It's an honor to meet you. I'm a big Faris and Hououin fan! I saw that last semifinal!"

He forcibly shakes my hand. Daru's hand is all damp and sweaty.

"Eh... hey, wait, Daru...?"

"Daru? How do you know my nickname?"

"Ah, well..."

I finally catch on to my situation. If I assume that the lab is no more, that should explain a dozen things.

Mayuri and Daru don't know about me.
We haven't met.
We're not childhood friends.
We're not partners.

"I... see..."

Our memories disappeared.



Is it my fate to live in this cruel mockery...?

"Man, tomorrow's the long awaited finals, huh! Beat the shit out of those Viral Attackers for me."

"Finals...?"

The name Viral Attackers means that it's about RaiNet Access Battlers, huh... So does that mean that I'm partnering up with Faris and participating? But the finals should have finished yesterday.

But in this world line, it's tomorrow? Let's confirm this with Faris later. Somehow or another, it looks like I'm her partner in both love and war. But more importantly, there's one other thing I need to check.

"Hey, do you... know someone called Makise Kurisu?"



"Have you met her?"

"She had a lecture before at ATF. I listened to it. She was quite the looker, oohehe. What about her?"

"No, nothing..."



I go limp in my chair. Did I win the bet? Did I lose the bet?

I should know by tonight. If things go as scheduled, Mayuri will die tonight. Did our deep revision to the world line come out with good or bad fortune? And also, is Faris's father still alive?

If both are saved, then I can accept the vanishing of our memories. All I can do is accept it...