9.8 Meters a Second. [Complete]

19. Depth Perception

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Inaho's Dream
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I wake up, I think... In a hazy place. Lights, carts of food, music... It's a fairground. A festival...
This is the fairground Yuki and I went to as kids. I wonder if I can still play that game? With the water guns, and the clowns. Yuki and I would always play to see who could get the biggest prize.
I walk over to the booth. I'm dizzy, almost... I can't keep my balance. I grip the gun tightly in my right hand and aim, but I miss. I try again. Another failure. Again. Nothing.

Oh. My eye is gone.
"C'mon, Nao! You can't lose to me now!" A young Yuki taunts. It's then that I realize my hands are little... I'm short, and still a little kid. But my eye is gone. Has it always been this way? Have I always been missing something from this world? It's all black and white. It's always been. Right?

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Slaine
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I feel my hand being squeezed roughly, and wake up to see Inaho gripping it. He's asleep, and must be dreaming. Poor guy... I feel so bad... He lost his eye...
"Slaine..." I hear him mumble.
"What's wrong, Inaho?" I ask in a shushed, yet worried tone.
"I want orange juice." He finishes, opening his eye to look at me. I can't help but laugh a bit.
"Okay. I'll get the nurse. I'll be back, okay? Maybe when you get out, we can go to the fair together."
"No..." Inaho responds flatly. "I don't like the fair."
"What? But Yuki said yo-"
"I don't want to, Slaine..." his usually calm voice breaks a bit. I give up, nod, and go to get the nurse.

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New Years Eve
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"What's wrong, Slaine?" Asseylum asks me, among all the chatter of the party. I look down at my glass, filled with sparkling grape juice so kindly provided by Cruhteo.
"Nothing..." I mutter in response.
The normally cheery girl sits next to me. "He'll be out of the hospital soon... It's okay, Slaine. He's fine."
"He's not," I interject. "He isn't... He isn't acting like Inaho. I'm scared."
"What do you mean...?" Asseylum asks. "Surely, he can't be too different."
"Well, he is. He's been even more cut off..."
"Oh, Slaine... He just needs help opening up again. He's lost a part of himself. You need to fill that gap. Okay?" She asks me, smiling.
"Okay," I respond. She ruffles my hair.
"Good. Besides, he's done in there in two weeks, right? Then he's at home? I can pull some strings, get you out of class."
"Asseylum, I-"
"No, Slaine. He needs it, and you need it too. I won't have my best friend moping around all day, okay?"
I smile softly.
"Now, cheer up. Come with me, just for a bit. Harklight has been alone all night just waiting for his 'bro'!" Asseylum giggles, doing air quotes.
"I have literally never called him 'bro', but whatever you say," I laugh, a small blush tainting my cheeks. "Sure. Let's go,"