All That Glitters... Causes Body Swaps (Corpse Party)

My Mother, You Say?

| Morishige |

After waiting for even longer, I saw Mayu run over to me. I was just about to say something when she hugged me.

And she was crying.

"HOW DO YOU LIVE WITH THEM...? I'm so sorry... You should've told me... Listen to me. You're appreciated. You... You matter. Don't be so distant..."

Oh God... She met my parents or something. This wasn't good. If she continued being emotional, someone we knew would surely see and interrogate us. That was the last thing we needed.

I really wanted to act like myself and console her... Tell her I was used to it, and to not worry about me...

But I couldn't. Not yet.

"...Sh--"

"No! We have to stop the charade, Shige-nii! I feel like... I'm becoming you... And... Something really weird happened."

"...Alright, Mayu. Tell me what happened."

If we get caught... I'm getting her away. They can lock me up, fine. But not her.

"...You promise not to get mad at me...?"

I smiled and grabbed a hold of her hands... Even though they were all too familiar to me.

"I swear on my grandfather's grave."

"Okay... So... I was just about to leave when I heard your parents. Your dad must have went to work, but your mother stayed home."

"...That's rather strange. Continue."

"I didn't want her to notice me, so I tried to hurry out of there. But... She saw me... And then..."

"...Hmm?"

"...She got under my skin. I was really angry. And... It seriously felt like I wasn't even me anymore. I suddenly had your childhood memories race through my mind... One after another. And I somehow knew about your grandfather dying, and that you completely closed yourself off afterwards... Until we met in junior high. Isn't that right?"

She knew. I didn't want her to know about any of that... It made me feel depressed, and somewhat embarrassed.

"...That's right. Anything else?"

"Yeah... I suddenly told her everything that you must have felt... And she was mad... And... You won't be allowed to go back home. I'm really sorry..."

She started to cry again, and I couldn't bear it. I wasn't mad at her. She couldn't help it, and she only tried to do the right thing... Just like always.

I blamed my mother for being selfish and ignorant.

"Don't cry, Mayu. I'm not mad at you. It's not your fault, understand? That woman is ignorant. Selfish. Doesn't care what I think. You could discover the cure for cancer, and she would totally blow it off. Alright? Don't concern yourself over it. I'll find a way to get back. If not... I'll do the same thing Kishinuma did. I'll move into my own apartment."

I would do that in a heartbeat, too. I don't know why I never did before. Likely because I was never disowned, just ignored.

"Oh... Okay..."

I smiled again and nodded.

"Alright. So, I have a plan to get us back into our own bodies. Keep your ears focused."

I waited for her to calm down, and I was prepared to tell her every detail.