「ShinAi | Longfic」Forget-Me-Not

Part III

For thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling.

** Ai's POV **

Hakase came back from the hospital and rambled for a long time. But I was only concerned with one thing: was he well? Ever since he was admitted to the hospital, I'd been having the same nightmare every night: us attacked, Ayumi-chan captured, identity discovered, and then Gin's gun and twisted smile. The gun fires, I close my eyes. He is in a pool of blood but says with a smile, "Told you I'd protect you."

I'd wake up here, unable to distinguish the tears from the sweat on my face.

"Ai-kun," Hakase started slowly and carefully.

"What?" I was brought out of my reminiscence.

"That drug... Are you sure it'll make people forget certain things?" asked Hakase, concealing his worries.

"Sure," I replied simply. Of course it would. I promised myself that I'd return his normal life to him. On the other hand, my existence was like a shadow. If he didn't forget me, he would never be able to return to the beginning. I owed him and her too much. I might not even be able to make it up to them.

"But... what if he doesn't want to forget? Will that hinder the drug's effect?" Hakase was still anxious.

"Theoretically, yes. But the good thing about the drug is that the taker won't know what he has forgotten. So it's normal. Don't worry! It's the greatest invention of the century!" I tried to lighten up the atmosphere while I was puzzled by Hakase's questions. Was he doubting me? Why would I do something risky to him?

"Then... if the taker already knows that he's forgotten something, does it mean that the drug has failed?" Hakase continued to ask.

"Not necessarily. It'll be a while before the memory kicks in, and there has to be some sort of stimulus." I was becoming wary. Was it... "Him. Is something wrong with him?"

"Just now he asked me whether he'd forgotten some events or... people." Hakase sighed. "Actually, Ai-kun is very important." He headed for his room, mumbling to himself. Before he went in, he said to me, "Do you want to go and check on him?"

I couldn't stop repeating in my mind what Hakase had said. Maybe he didn't forget, maybe he didn't forget. My mind was blank.

***