Harem of Side Characters [Rewrite]

Nishi Haruka - To Die, To Sleep - Part I

Another day of doing nothing but playing cards during the zodiac meeting. Afterwards, I decide to scroll through my phone to see if I could hang out with anyone. A certain name pops into my vision as I read through my contacts. Hmm, I guess I could hang out with her for a while, she is certainly entertaining.

"Phone call!" On the first ring, her cheerful voice immediately goes through. "Good afternoon, friend! To what do I owe the talking today?"

"Just seeing what you're up to today."

"Perfect timing! Friend, I have been having many lightbulbs inside of my brain and all of them are going BZZZZ BZZZZ and I believe it means there is something we must do!" Now I may be a man of some talents, but deciphering Nishi is not something I am able to do quite yet.

"Please explain further."

"I would like to spend the day with you and show you the light bulbs! Just you and me!"

"I hope you don't mean literal light bulbs, or I will lose interest very quickly..."

"You will see when we get there!"

"Get where, Nishi?"

"There! I will see you soon! Phone call!"

"Wa-" Aaaand she's gone. I let out a sigh as I return my phone to my pocket.

Fortunately, it's about lunchtime right now. Assuming she functions like a normal human being, which is kind of doubtful at this point, she should be feeling hungry. So, I set my sights on the part of the ship with a lot of restaurants. To narrow down the possibility even more, she seemed to really enjoy watching the fish swim around in the tanks in front of seafood restaurants. She'll probably be around that same area.

...Using my analytical abilities to understand a high-school girl...what in the world has happened to my life?

-----

"Aha! I knew you were here, friend!" I was just about to turn the corner to the restaurants when suddenly Nishi comes out of virtually nowhere and steps in front of me.

"...How did you know where I would be?"

"Friend-sense! Every time you come near my friendship muscles become all tingly!"

"I'm having a hard time believing you can somehow sense my presence based on nothing but our friendship."

"Maybe my friendship muscles are just stronger than yours?"

"Those aren't even a thi-"

"Do not doubt my feelings for you, friend!"

"..." Alright, I concede.

"Th-thank you for coming! I was worried you would have turned your leg machines into escape mode when I told you I wanted to be with you for the day." She gives me a cute smile as we continue walking towards the restaurants.

"No need to thank me. I was the one that called you, remember?"

"Of course! It's much easier to remember things from this morning than things from a long time ago!"

"That is how memory works in most cases, yes."

"Are you good at remembering things, friend?"

Too good.

There are so many things I would rather forget.

But she doesn't have to know that.

"...Not exactly." I decide to reply.

"Me too! Did you also get hurt when you were a mini-human?"

...

"...Also?" I glance at her, but she still carries that same cheerful expression.

"Yes! I have told you about the juice before, yes?"

Ah, she's talking about her apparent familiarity with hospitals. Am I actually going to learn the reason why Nishi acts the way she does?

"Yes, you have told me about the juice. What happened to you that...lead to the juice, though?" That is absolutely not how I imagined ever asking anyone about their past.

"WHABAM! BOOOM! KCHHHHH!" She waves her arms around while creating sound effects.

"..." And that is absolutely not how I imagined anyone ever explaining it.

"And on that day...Nishi was reborn! She began her new life as a superhero who saves all furry or fluffy creatures!"

...Or she's just delusional.

"WHAPSHHHHH!"

She is definitely delusional.

"That is why, friend of friends! We have come here today to acquire more of you!"

"More of...me?...Wait, you don't mean the fish...do you?"

"Yes! It is time for me to aquire a scaly companion to aid me on my adventures!"

"..."

So she's planning to buy the fish and the fish tank? I mean, considering you can buy anything with points, I suppose it's possible...but I can't imagine it will be cheap. Even if Nishi is a Class A student, I doubt she would want to spend that many points for a pet fish.

...Scratch that, she definitely would spend that many points for a pet fish.

"We are going to multiply the friendship in the world by a million and-...huh?" Nishi suddenly stops.

"What's wrong?"

"There's no fish in the tank... Did the owner perhaps released the fish for a morning swim?"

"...No, I don't think that's the case."

"Then where are the fish? I cannot return before I have acquired at least one scaly companion."

...We came here at the wrong time. The fish belong to a restaurant. It's lunch time. If there are no fish in the tank, there is only one real logical conclusion...

"Nishi..."

"...Why do you say my name with so much sadness?" Her concerned expression grows.

"I think maybe we're just...A little too late."

"...Too late? Did someone purchase the friends before I could?"

"...Most likely, they've already been..."

"Been what?"

"..."

"If you know what happened, please tell me."

Desperation.

There was a desperation in her eyes.

She probably already knows what I was implying.

Yet, she desperately wants me to deny it.