The Mirror Girl - 鏡の少女

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

The Best of Both Worlds

Saturday Morning, 1:00 AM // TEZUKA'S BATHROOM

At one hour past midnight, out of many people, only Keizo and Izumi were still awake apart from those working late.

The duo had gotten along so well, they both collectively bailed on sleeping.

Keizo could not get enough of Izumi's world and the countless tales she would tell him.

Even if they couldn't do much else during their time together, they could at least talk and reminisce about different things.

"So, what's the best part about Magnaria to you?" Izumi asked with a glint in her eye.

"Gosh, you really put me on the spot there... Uhhh... I guess there was that one story about the sacred shrines you guys have at certain spots around town. We've got something similar, too." Keizo says.

"Wait, really?" Izumi lights up with interest.

"Heck yeah! Hang on, why don't I just show you?" Keizo says, turning to retrieve his smartphone.

"And how would you do that?" Izumi asked, confused.

"Just wait for it!" He insists.

A few moments pass when Keizo charges through the door wielding his smartphone proudly.

"With this!" He exclaims. "If I turn it on, you'll get a full picture of what it looks like!"

"What is that thing!?" Izumi asks curiously, trying to peek at it.

"Oof, I've never had to describe one of these things before... uh, lemme think for a second." Keizo says typing the password to his phone.

As he turns it on, images of shrines pop up on the screen.

"Wow, you have a shrine here!? That's great!" Izumi enthuses happily.

"But seriously..." She turns her head, furrowing her brows. "What is that thing? And how are all those images there?" She asks.

"Well, um... This device is called a smartphone..." Keizo starts. "It's a significantly advanced derivation of a telephone, the sole purpose of that being to call people over great distances. Only now with the smartphone, you can take photos, share said photos to anyone anywhere, browse the internet, shop online, and much more." He rambles on, much like that of a salesman.

"That sounds amazing yet strange. Shame I only understood about 80% of that..." She sighs with an interesting look on her face.

"The other 20% being the internet and online, I assume?" Keizo chuckles lightly.

"Definitely that..."

"Without overcomplicating this further, it's essentially just a network of information being shared constantly. I'm not really an internet know-it-all, but that's pretty much how I'd describe it." Keizo says.

"Oh, I see." Izumi nodded. "Sounds like a lot to unpack."

"It is, but all that's important right now is if I want a picture of a shrine or anything really, I can get one just like that. Here's one a few minutes away from my house." He says putting the display up to the mirror.

The view shows a familiar area that Keizo has visited many times before, it's a Shinto shrine in a busy street a few skips away from Keizo's house.

Izumi gasps softly. "So that's where the shrine was built? You must be lucky you even came across the shrine while walking by." She says.