Hori (After) - Having Parents as Young as I Am Sure Is Difficult
Perspective: Hori
So here I[1] am in the other classroom... It's pretty noisy despite being occupied by only six people -- one of which is my Dad[2].
Mom[3] is here, too, and that is where the problem lies.
No, I'm not talking about Saori. This one is in the same school year as I am -- yeah, confusing, I know. But I just can't explain it any better than that.
Anyway, I'm Sachi Hori. Got that memorized?
An accident last winter caused me to recall my distant past. What? No, I'm not a delusional middle schooler. I'm already in high school -- I'm too old for that nonsense.
I know, I know. This isn't right. But the feeling is just too egregious to keep to myself. Deep inside of me, I hear a voice... screaming that my Mom and Dad are here.
My Dad is Nini, who is also in the same school year as I am... So he's presumably younger than me. So why do I think he's my Dad? Even I myself have no idea.
It's the same deal with Mom -- Ichika. In fact, I'm having even more trouble understanding her.
She's as ultra beautiful as I remember her from way back when... whenever that was.
The problem is that today is the first time I've seen her in person. Despite that, though, she's my Mom. Did the accident mess my brain up that badly?
Ah, despite the circumstances, my parents are here, right in front of me. I'm glad to see them again. ...So says the voice inside me. Once this conflict dies down, I hope we can all stay together... as a family.
Hmm...
Okay, that sounds nice and all, but Mom and Dad right now are phenomenally incompatible with each other[4].
Honestly, Dad is weak. I know and understand why he is that way, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about him.
And I mean, us being family was something from the distant past[5], so they're not actually directly related to me in any way.
So in the end, they really don't have to get together at all... Wait, actually, no. That would mean they might hook up with some other people, which would make me sad -- or at the very least extremely disturbed. It's always better for them to stay with their fated partner, after all.
The fact still stands that they're incompatible, though. Mom is like a knight in shining armor, and then there's Dad, who looks like he's just come out of a hospital after suffering from a terrible sickness. That's not good at all.
Their son -- which is to say, I -- ought to do something about that. If my brothers were here, maybe we could have figured things out together, but I... kinda killed them a few thousand years ago. The statute of limitations must have expired by now, at least.
Sorry for the tangent. But yeah, that's the gist of things. It feels like I'm fighting an uphill battle here. I need them to get together; whatever happens to me in the process doesn't matter.
At any rate, Dad doesn't seem to be popular with the ladies, unlike me.
...But I suppose, from my perspective as his son, that's better than being too popular. I wouldn't have to worry about him cheating on Mom. Man, having parents as young as I am sure is difficult.
For the time being, I'll try asking people to be friends with Dad -- make sure he feels he belongs here.
And so, as I go around the room chatting with everyone, I catch Mom's attention.
This is supposed to be the first time we've ever talked, but the way she's looking at me suggests that she feels otherwise.
"I've noticed that you've been acting suspicious lately. What are you trying to accomplish?"
She doesn't know the deal with my memory. I don't even know if she is in control of herself -- Well, I mean, she probably isn't. If she is, she probably would have already done something. Like, you know, try talking to her son?
"Nothing," I say and promptly step away from her.
Good luck hooking up with her, Dad.
...Wait, why is Mom coming after me?
"Doesn't seem like nothing to me."
Gimme a break!
"Why are you stopping me!?"
"Because you tried to run away. If you have nothing to be ashamed of, then be proud and stand your ground."
That sounds perfectly reasonable, but still...
"You wouldn't get it, Mom!"
Hearing me say that, she turns grumpy. Damn it, I really messed up -- I wasn't supposed to take that tone with her.
／＊／
Perspective: Ichika
I am Ichika. For reasons I cannot disclose, I lack a surname.
My son... that is, Sachi Hori, seems to be asking someone for a favor. Why is he my son? I do not know.
"I've noticed that you've been acting suspicious lately. What are you trying to accomplish?" I ask on the spur of the moment, and in response, Hori looks as if he is a child caught red-handed planning a prank.
"Nothing," he says and attempts to run away.
Naturally, I give chase, quickly stopping him by pulling his arm.
"Doesn't seem like nothing to me."
"Why are you stopping me!?" he whines, apparently embarrassed[6].
"Because you tried to run away. If you have nothing to be ashamed of, then be proud and stand your ground."
Hearing me say that, his face turns red.
"You wouldn't get it, Mom!"
I sigh, somewhat ticked off for two reasons: One, I am younger than him. And two, he still uses that excuse after so many millennia.
Hori seems hurt by my reaction. What a sensitive little boy.
"Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to call you that, Ichika-san."
"I didn't mind that at all[7], but I did feel offended when you said I wouldn't understand you."
"Can you tell what I'm going through, then?"
Hori leans forward. His apparent curiosity makes me feel compelled to chuckle.
"I can't begin to understand if you never explain yourself, can I?" I proceed to say, holding my hands out to him[8], "Go on. I'm listening."
"Yeah, I think not!" he lashes back and proceeds to run away.
He really reminds me of someone around here... That is, either me or him.
As that thought crosses my mind, I steal a glance at Nini-sama.
The goddess who has taken possession of my soul tells me to take this opportunity and... attempt to woo him.
Knowing full well I cannot possibly do that, I attempt to calm my mind down. If I am to successfully carry out my mission, I must be strong.
===
Chapter 19 Character Profiles
↩[1] Hori (Sachi Hori)
While on a skiing trip, he suffered an accident and almost died. Had to spend a year being hospitalized before returning to school.
As such, he is a first-year student at Ashihara Nakatsu High School despite being older than Nini and his other classmates.
Surfs as a hobby, and is good enough to participate in national competitions.
First-person pronoun used: Ore
↩[2] Nini (Novus Nemo/Taichiro Oyama)
The game's protagonist.
Born on the Hope International Space Station as Novus Nemo, and raised outside of the Japanese linguistic sphere despite his ancestry.
Due to the unique location of his birth, some people treat him as effectively an alien.
His nickname, "Nini," is short for "nobody" or "new" in the International Space Station's standard language.
Being Teruko's grandson, he goes by Taichiro Oyama, his Japanese name, when he comes down to Earth. No records of his father and grandfather exist in Japan.
↩[3] Ichika
No surname. Her given name is made of the kanji characters "tsuitachi," meaning "the first day of the month" or "new moon," and "yoru," meaning "night."
Like Nini, she has transferred to Ashihara Nakatsu High School in August as a first-year student.
Burdened with important duties, she finds herself often fighting alone and struggling to understand those around her.
A no-nonsense princess, she is in fact ignorant of the ways of the world. She has received special training from childhood to serve as a powerful anti-Kegai weapon, a warrior with the title of "God Slayer Miko".
First-person pronouns used: Watashi
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Chapter 19 Footnotes
↩[4] "Incompatible with each other"
Considering Hori's mental and spiritual states, he's just about as detached from the human world as Ichika is, unlike Nini.
↩[5] "Something from the distant past"
Hori considers these memories to be from his previous life. He's not quite right on that.
↩[6] "Apparently embarrassed"
Most children would be if their mother were to get on their case like this.
↩[7] "I didn't mind that at all"
The goddess possessing Ichika is aware that she's talking to her son.
↩[8] "Holding my hands out to him"
A mother's attempt at a heart-to-heart conversation, complete with a hug.
She doesn't mean for it to be seen as awkward.
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