I Will Always Be By Your Side

Chapter 23 (part 1)

Rena stood in front of Jurina's room, contemplating whether she should knock or just go in, her mind is currently in chaos as she thinks of what she should say to the younger Matsui.

"Rena-chan?" She looked back and to her surprise, she found Jurina already standing behind her. "J-jurina?" She mumbled.

"What are you doing in front of my room?" Jurina asked. "I... Uhm.. since when were you standing behind me? I... Uhm didn't notice you." Rena replied. "I just came back from the cafeteria. You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing in front of my room?"

"Well, uhm you said that you want to know about your present self as a high school student.. but if you already changed your mind, I'll be going now." Rena said before she started walking but she was stopped by Jurina who held onto her arm. "Stay here." She muttered softly.

"Huh?" Rena looked at her in confusion. "Stay here. I want to listen to your stories about me." Jurina continued.

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"Really?! I'm like that?" Jurina exclaimed, unable to believe what she has heard from the older girl. "Yeah. You should've seen your face when you fell on the ground." Rena said laughingly.

"I... I don't know what to say.. but are you sure you are telling me the truth and you're not playing any pranks on me?" Jurina said giving her a suspicious look. "And why do you think I would do that?" Rena said, disbelief is written all over her face. "I don't know. Maybe you just want to make fun of me because I can't remember anything." After hearing this, Rena burst out laughing, making Jurina looked at her.

"Why are you laughing?" Jurina asked. "Nothing. It's just that I'm not used to you being like this." Rena said as she tries to stop her laugh. "You look so cute."

"So pretty." Jurina muttered as she was mesmerized by her. "Huh?" Rena stopped laughing and looked at her. "You know, you should laugh more often. You look so pretty when you smile like that." Jurina said.

Rena looked at her in surprise. "Those words..." She said. "Why? Did I say something wrong?" Jurina asked worriedly. "N-No... It's not like that. It's just, you just said the exact same words as you did before." Rena explained.

"Really?" Jurina asked. Rena nodded. "Yeah."

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"N-No... It's not like that. It's just, you just said the exact same words as you did before."

Rena's words kept on playing on Jurina's mind as she lay on the bench underneath the Sakura tree behind the hospital.

"There you are." Her thoughts were cut off when she heard a voice spoke. She looked up and found Mayu standing beside her. "Mayu.."

"I've been looking for you. It's time for your check up." Mayu said. Jurina get up and followed Mayu back to the hospital building. "Ne Mayu," Jurina said.

"Hmm?"

"Ah no. Nothing." Jurina said as she has decided not to tell her friend about what's bothering her.

"Are you sure?" Mayu asked. "Yeah." Jurina said reassuring her.

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"Jurina..." Rena muttered as she watched the two friends walk towards the building. "Could it be that you're slowly remembering things?" She asked herself.

Just then, she heard a knock on her door. She turned around and saw her doctor came in. "Dr. Shinoda,"

"Don't worry it's not a check up. I just reviewed your record and I think you'll be discharged earlier than scheduled."