'…She said there was a reason Chairman-nim died, hidden in this dream.' Aira intently watched the dream, which differed from her memories, recalling Mari's words.
'Confess? Are you kidding me!' 'I'm not trying to trick you. This is about Oppa's death. …I'm more serious than ever.'
At first, she couldn't believe it either. Common sense dictated there was no other possibility than it being a joke.
However. Since there was no other method apart from that. Aira decided to play along, even if it meant being humiliated.
And currently.
"S-Senior! How about this?!" "Hmm?"
"I surveyed about 70% of the entire student body! Including current academy improvements, points of satisfaction, and even personal wishes!" "Huh… you surveyed all this in three days…?"
"Yes! What do you think? If it's this much, there shouldn't be any problem picking me as your assistant, right?" "Hmm…"
'...' Aira watched Emil, who was struggling to become her assistant. The moment she saw this dream, she realized. Mari's words weren't a lie. At the end of this dream, she would definitely learn the truth.
'But… this dream. It feels like Emil is the protagonist, not me…' As Aira watched the dream, she calmly analyzed it.
First, it was puzzling why the dream focused on Emil.
'It should be another one of my memories…' After a scene in the dream passed, memories seeped in. Feeling the seeping memories, she instinctively recognized that this was not just a dream but something that had actually happened.
So Aira focused on the dream, not missing a single moment, to learn the truth about Damien's death. A short while later. She realized what story this dream was telling.
'This is…' The dream's story revolved around Emil and herself. Emil, though ordinary in ability, helped her with all his passion. She, in turn, highly valued Emil's efforts and grew close to him. Thus, the two of them gradually became attracted to each other. Ultimately.
"Senior." "W-What is it?" In the classroom after school, as the sun set. Emil confessed his feelings to her.
"I like you." "..." Aira looked at him with an incredulous expression.
'Me… with Emil…' Her dream self blushed and shyly nodded. It was as if she were herself when she was with Damien. She had truly fallen in love with Emil.
Thereafter, the dream showed Aira the couple's happy life together. 'Emil…' The more she watched the scene. The feelings her dream self had for Emil flowed into Aira.
'Emil...' As her heart assimilated. Emil's gentle touches towards her. His fervent efforts for her. And his gaze, always filled with affection for her. Feeling the memories of Emil loving her, the emotions her dream self felt blossomed directly in her heart.
'Why on earth… why this dream…?' She couldn't understand. It was certainly related to Damien's death. But why would the dream's story lead to love with Emil?
And the answer to that question. She soon learned as well.
"You seem to be in good spirits lately." "Oh? Ah, heheh, Chairman-nim feels that way too?"
"The election preparations must be going well, then?" "...That's part of it, too."
One day. Damien spoke to Aira, who was spending happy times with Emil. Even after becoming a couple with Emil, it was common for her to talk with Damien. It was true that she had secretly liked him. But now, she truly held feelings for Emil. Aira simply treated Damien as a respected senior.
And. As if to erase the lingering traces of her unrequited love, like a shimmer, from her heart.
"Actually… recently…" Aira found herself telling Damien about what had happened with Emil.
"Heheh, I never dreamed I'd fall for someone younger." "...I see, that's quite unexpected. I thought your type was… older." "Ah, well… it's true that it usually is… but I guess tastes change when it's truly sincere? …Heheh."
She recounted her fresh love story with Emil. By revealing to Damien that she and Emil were a couple. She intended to completely forget her feelings for Damien that way.
But. '...What is this?' Aira, watching from the side, felt something strange. "..."
"About Emil, his grades are average and he's not particularly good at anything… but his efforts are truly charming…" The part where she detected something strange was none other than Damien's expression.
"That's… good for you." It was clearly his usual calm smile. But Aira felt unease from the slightly trembling corners of his eyes, his tightly clenched hands, and his darkening pupils.
And a short while later. Aira witnessed the result of that unease.
"You piece of trash…!!" Splat!
"How can he show his face so shamelessly? I can't believe it." "That bastard is our classmate…" "Why is the academy just letting him be?" "..."
The students, as they passed by, all spat out a curse and left. And at the center of that condemnation. "...It's not true." Was Emil.
'What on earth is this….' Drip, drip. His body was filthy, having been drenched in a rainwater barrel full of trash. But Emil seemed more hurt by the accusations and contemptuous words they spat out as they passed, rather than by his soiled clothes. Tears dripped down, drip, drip.
***
Aira doubted her own eyes. 'What on earth…! Why on earth…!' The memories of her dream self had seeped into her body. Making her feel the emotions of a lover towards Emil, which made it even harder to believe.
'No one is believing him…!' Emil had become a rapist. The victim was Mari Clozet. Damien's younger sister.
"Oh, Oppa…! I did well, right? Yes? This time…! I was helpful to Oppa, wasn't I?" Mari, with unfocused eyes, clung to Damien, craving his approval.
And Damien. He gently stroked Mari's head and smiled faintly.
"Yes, you did well, Mari. …You're no longer the dull and foolish girl you used to be." "Yes… *gasp*, I tried my best… to be recognized by Oppa… I can do anything for Oppa…"
'Why on earth…!' It was all Damien's doing. He used Mari's desire for his approval to get her to approach Emil. Emil, for some reason, complied with her request with a face full of lingering attachment. And ultimately. He fell into the siblings' scheme and was branded a rapist.
"How dare you show your face at the academy?!" "Cough…!" Wham!
With manipulated circumstances and consistent victim testimony, the academy confirmed Emil's crime. However. Due to the victim's leniency, he was spared expulsion from the academy and only received a suspension. Of course, that fact was also incomprehensible. Because normally, such a crime would result in expulsion. But the academy did not expel him. As if, someone's will.
"What, are you going to attack another female student?!" Thud! Thud! As if to corner Emil even further.
And Emil, too. "I-I… *ugh*… it's not true…!" To prove his innocence, he bravely continued to attend the academy amidst the accusations and violence. But the more he did so, the more bruised and wounded he became.
Even so, Emil didn't give up until the end. Because he still had hope.
But. "S-Senior…" "..." "Why aren't you saying anything…? It's not true, is it? S-Senior… you believe me, don't you?" Emil's hope crumbled hollowly.
"...Emil." 'Don't do it…' Aira, who had witnessed Emil's suffering and the truth. She tried to voice a warning to prevent her dream self from speaking. But her words didn't reach.
"Now… don't come to me anymore…" "Senior!" "Don't talk to me ever again…!" Her dream self glared at Emil with eyes full of disgust.
"There were witnesses… and your mana was even found in Mari's bodily fluids… how can you be so shameless…!" "But that's━!!"
And just as Aira's words didn't reach her dream self. Emil's cries also didn't reach her.
"I… truly liked you…" "..." Emil stood on the road with a hollow expression.
More than the countless accusations he had overheard from passersby. More than the countless acts of violence mercilessly inflicted upon him so far. At this very moment. Her rejection, from the one he wanted to rely on most and believed in most. Constricted Emil's heart even more painfully.
And one day, at one moment. Emil, who continued to attend the academy, refusing to admit his guilt as usual, covered in wounds and filth. "..." Witnessed Aira crying, and Damien comforting her.
"Why…" 'No…' "Why…" 'Emil… I…!'
A gap in the door, as if someone had deliberately left it open. The window sill under the warm sunset. Two people relying on each other. Emil's expression darkened further as he watched the two from the hallway. The classroom inside, looking so fresh it seemed to emit a fragrant scent compared to his own filthy state. Made Emil feel even more miserable.
And. —A smirk. "..." At the sight of Damien smiling as he met his eyes. Emil realized that all of this was his doing.
'Emil…!!' "..." However. Emil simply turned his body and left the place. Having already experienced charging in with clenched fists in a previous iteration. Knowing that such actions would only make him more miserable. Emil simply chose the familiar ending.
'Emil… *Ugh*… Emil… Please, please don't do it…!' Having witnessed everything. And accepted all the memories, Aira waved her transparent hands through Emil's body. She desperately wanted to hold him, but resented her hands that couldn't reach him.
'No…! I'm sorry…! I…! I…!!' And. '...' Aira witnessed it once again. The death of the man she loved. This time, she saw him himself slitting his wrist and falling asleep in a pool of blood.
'E-mil…' This time, too, she could do nothing. She could only watch.