The Heroine Is In Love With Me

I Remembered

We escaped from the drawing-room and moved to my room with Michaela in tow. "Please have a seat," I said. "Would you like some tea?" "Yes, thank you!" Michaela said. "Is there anything I can do to help?" "No, calm down," I said. "You're a guest, you're not supposed to be working." "Tch. I thought it was a chance to heat up some syrup and make things better," Michaela said. "Michaela... don't be so angry that we're an all-ages work..." "Fufufuh, don't be like that, Saki, it's a joke, just a joke!" Michaela said. I felt her eyes were serious, but... let's stop pursuing this too deeply. "Well then, I'll brew some tea... oh, and don't install a listening device or a camera in the meanwhile, okay?" "..." "Why are you suddenly so quiet?" "Ahahaha, it's a joke, just a joke!" Michaela said. I think her eyes are serious, but... "Come on, the doll has a surveillance function so you don't even need to use a bug anymore!" "Oh, that's right..." Michaela said. Is it exactly as she said? If she feels like it, she could monitor all my movements with the doll stood up in the corner of the room. "Then, I'll leave for a while, so relax, Michaela," I said. "Yes, thank you!" Michaela replied, smiling. That smile really looked like Mika. Even if she suddenly hugged me, even if she sent me a doll with a surveillance device, it was probably because of the remnants of Mika that I could forgive her. Now that I'm aware of this, I wonder if I'm going crazy or have some sort of disorder...? "Saki? Is something wrong?" Mika asked. "Oh, no, nothing!" I said. "Hmm, okay," Michaela said. Fortunately, she didn't pursue it too deeply. I know it's not good to hold the image of the person who broke your heart forever... After that, I moved to the kitchen and used the tea brewing method I learned from Jade before... but Michaela's smile was stuck to my brain. I think it was because the Saint of Light looks so similar to Mika, but that's not the only thing... somehow, I don't feel like I've met her for the first time in this world... ... By the way, when I first met Mika, I felt like I've met her somewhere before. There's something going on here– "Okay! Well then, we'll finish it tomorrow!" "Yeah! We will!" –And that was it. The child I played in the park once when I was in elementary school. At the time, I didn't ask for her name or her contact information, so I couldn't get a hold of her after that... but Mika looked like her. Umm, Mika has never talked about that park... I'm sure she's a different person. Michaela was... in love with her best friend, from what I heard, so she's not the same person as Mika. Then, it's not that Michaela looks like Mika... While I was thinking about all that, the sandglass measuring the boiling time ran out. Somehow, I feel like my previous hunch was correct, so let's check it with the person herself. As I returned to my office with tea, Michaela was sitting on the sofa and kicking her legs. "Oh, Saki! Welcome back... tou...!" "Woah?!" I cried. "I-I'm holding tea, don't hug me because it's dangerous!" "Okay, got it!" Mika said. She said she understood, but... did she really? Well, let's leave that alone, it's not what's important... "You look like you're going off to war while you prepare the tea, Saki," Michaela said. "What's wrong?" "I don't think I look like that, but... you remember quite a bit about the original world, right?" I asked. "Yep! Except for my old name," Michaela said. "Then... do you remember playing badminton in the park with someone, while you were in late elementary school?" "In the park... badminton..." "Yes," I said. "A somewhat large park with a fountain." "A fountain... oh!" Michaela cried. "There was that time!" she cried, clapping her hands in front of her chest. That seems to have jogged her memory... "I think I was probably that person," I said. "I see..." Michaela said. "And by the way, I remember you called yourself Saki that time. Then... I'm really sorry!" "Wh-What are you apologizing for all of a sudden?!" I cried. "Because I promised we would play again, but I couldn't keep that promise..." "You don't have to worry about that," I said. "I went home without bothering to ask your name or contact info first." "Yes... but I missed you," Saki said. "Yeah, I never thought I'd see you again..." "... Yeah! Right?!" Saki said. ... Huh? Somehow, it seems there was a delay in her reply just now. "Fuh-fuh-fuh," Michaela chuckled. "Thanks to you, Saki, I remembered parts of my past, so the next time we meet, I'll remember everything..." "So I'll finally learn the name I never got to hear then?" "Yes!" Michaela said. "But... what will you do... if it's Saito Gonzales Hanako XII or something like that...?" "We-Well... I don't think it'll be that complicated, but... no matter what your name will be, I've always been friends with you, Michaela!" "... Yes, I'm happy to hear it!" ... I feel like there was a delay in her reply again. I wonder if she's dissatisfied with being friends for all this time... but I haven't gotten over Mika... "Okay!" Michaela said. "If you want to, we'll fulfill that promise then, right now!" "The promise then... settling that badminton match?" I asked. "Yes!" Michaela said, nodding with a big smile. I'm sure I haven't played badminton recently and it sounds like it'll be a lot of fun... "I wonder if it's okay to play badminton so freely when our top executives are having a relatively important meeting..." "It'll be fine, Saki!" Michaela said. "Come on, if anyone asks, we'll say it's part of our Ultimate Magic Training!" "Well... running and setting up dominoes are part of the training, so it does sound believable..." "Doesn't it?! So let's hurry up!" Michaela said. "Let's head to the courtyard where we can play!" "Woah?! Wait-Wait a minute!" There are so many things I want to say, such as don't pull my arm so suddenly because it's dangerous, does she know the way to the courtyard, that we don't have rackets and a shuttlecock prepared in the first place– "Woo! Badminton with Saki!" –But Michaela looks really happy, so let's not sweat the details.