Communication : memories

Critical Moments

-"Kometani..."

-"*Tadano"

Kometani stands in front of me holding both his hands together behind his back.

"How did you know we were here?"

-"*I didn't. I overheard you"

-"Oh..."

He keeps staring at me as if he was waiting for me to say something...

"... Do you remember Komi-san?"

-"*No"

-"..."

He keeps staring... and sighs.

-"*I had suspicions that something weird had happened, and apparently, I was right. We did suddenly go back in time"

-"You remember it too then! You remember Komi-san?"

I keep getting more hope.

-"*I already said I don't. I don't know who Komi-san is. I just figured out the time travel"

-"But... you don't remember anything up to third year?"

-"*Some things I do, some things I don't. There is always someone missing in the memories I kept"

-"That's probably Komi-san!"

-"*Still doesn't ring a bell"

I rubbed my forehead. Kometani still soullessly stared into me.

-"Uhh... well, do you still want to help us find her?"

-"*Ok"

Silence again...

-"Excuse me, why do you find this so easy to process?"

-"*I dunno"

-"..."

It feels weird, but at the very least I made another ally. The silence made itself present again.

-"*But it troubles me. When you said this 'Komi-san' didn't have a couple. You lied, didn't you?"

I choked.

-"How did you know?"

-"*I didn't. It was just another suspicion"

I beheld as I threw myself under the bus.

-"... Well, how did you come to that suspicion?"

Kometani rubbed his chin.

-"*Well, if Yamai is obsessed enough to threaten you with a knife, yet she doesn't remember how 'Komi' looked like, then if you remember her clearly she must have been really important to you"

He pointed at me with confidence.

"*She must've been your girlfriend!"

That reasoning is impressive... It makes me think maybe he should have been a detective instead of a commentator.

-"Well... yeah, that's pretty much it"

-"*Thanks"

I rubbed my arm.

-"Um..."

I put my hands together and lower my head.

"Please don't tell Yamai!"

-"*Ok"

-"Eh? So you don't want to tell her either?"

-"*Wouldn't want you dead. We want to look for Komi-san together, don't we?"

-"Kometani..."

I was moved by his compassion and friendship. Even though he doesn't remember everything, it's as if he remembered we were friends. I hold back my tears of joy and give him a thumbs up.

"Yes! Let's do it!"

He gives me thumbs up as well.

-"*So, any idea where to look?"

-"I was hoping to discuss it with Yamai tomorrow"

-"*But if she doesn't remember Komi-san well, then I don't think she'll know either"

That makes enough sense to me, but I don't know where to look either.

-"Yeah, but I don't know either..."

-"*Oh"

Silence came in again and all I could do is think. We hadn't gone to many outstanding places with Komi-san, we mostly just went to public attractions or her own house... I noticed how even with people on my side, I still needed an idea of what to do.

"*Well, do you remember where she lived?"

-"Yes but... now only her dad lives there, without any other family members either. He said they don't exist"

Kometani looked down and scratched his head.

-"*What if we broke in?"

-"What?!"

I recoiled.

"Why would we do that?"

-"*Well, if you've gone to his house before and asked, I don't think he'll let you in again"

He didn't let me in the first time though... but that just further proves what he's saying.

"*And if we really want clues, we'll probably have to break in. It's her house, after all, if there aren't clues there, there aren't clues anywhere"

I stay silent. I'm skeptical about this, it's not that I think Komi-san isn't worth it, I just think we should reconsider before jumping to conclusions.

-"We'll discuss it with Yamai tomorrow. And if she doesn't know anywhere we could go, then we're doing it"

I said confidently.
Kometani nods.

-"*Ok"

It's getting late, and if I don't arrive home my family will begin getting worried. I have to leave. I say goodbye to Kometani and walk away, but he stands still and stares at me as I go away.

"*Tadano"

He yells. I turn around.

-"Yes?"

He walks up to me and shows emotion for the first time in our conversation. He gives me a concerned frown.

-"*Do not forget that this time travel has happened just two days ago. Whatever caused it, caused it recently. These moments are critical, and what we choose to do will be as well. If we're doing something, we have to do it now"

I am surprised by his sudden show of interest, considering he remained apathetic most of the time.

-"Ah... yeah, right"

He nods with seriousness and walks away behind me.

Critical moments... he's right. If we want to find Komi-san we have to see what we can do while this whole thing is still recent, even if it means committing a crime... but I'd still rather that stays as our last resort.