Chapter 33: Hyperamnesia.
It's no secret that Furuya Rei likes Miyano Elena. For example, the other four classmates knew it, Akemi had guessed it, and Morofushi Sora'aki was also aware of it.
Even Miyano Elena's husband knew—of course, unlike his joking contemporaries, the Miyano couple were well aware that Furuya Rei subconsciously projected the image of Miyano Elena onto the role of a female elder, that is, a mother, because he lacked female elders.
Just like how a kindergarten boy's first love is often the gentle female teacher, it's the same principle.
As for how Morofushi Sora'aki knew... isn't that normal? After all, Furuya Rei has long been an honorary relative of the Morofushi family.
However, judging from the Miyano couple's fondness for Furuya Rei, Rei might hold a similar position in the Miyano family.
Morofushi Sora'aki glanced at the obviously agitated little girl, but didn't intend to pay her any attention, instead looking down at the book on his lap.
Miyano Shiho was practically a spoiled child, with her own willful temper, but she wasn't the type to be controlled by her emotions. After calming herself down, she looked up and saw Morofushi Sora'aki, who was clearly spacing out again.
She said, "Hello."
It took Morofushi Sora'aki a moment to react before responding with a simple, "Hmm?"
"Your reading speed has slowed down a lot compared to before." Miyano Shiho noticed. "And when you came in just now, I smelled candy. Have you been consuming too much sugar lately?"
Morofushi Sora'aki turned a page in his book and casually replied, "I've been having a bit of a headache lately; eating some candy will help."
"You don't have hypoglycemia. Eating too much will actually raise your blood sugar and disrupt your glucose metabolism balance…" Miyano Shiho blurted out a bunch of medical common sense and concluded, "Eating sugar will actually make you feel worse, right?"
"When you overuse your brain, desserts can replenish your energy and also release dopamine to produce a certain sense of pleasure," Morofushi Sora'aki replied.
"Just say you like sweets." Miyano Shiho revealed her crescent-shaped eyes; her face still had baby fat, and this mature demeanor was simply adorable. Unfortunately, all that could only be seen now by Morofushi Sora'aki, who was completely clueless about such things.
"I don't particularly like it, but I don't dislike it either." Morofushi Sora'aki replied.
"At your current rate, I'm waiting for you to get cavities." Miyano Shiho mocked.
"Thanks for your concern, I did brush my teeth." As he said this, Morofushi Sora'aki took two chocolates out of his pocket: "Would you like some?"
"Who cares about you?" Miyano Shiho turned her face away. "I don't want to."
So Morofushi Sora'aki ate both chocolates himself.
Miyano Shiho: ...I feel even angrier now!
I spent an afternoon at Miyano's house, and Saturday passed by very quickly.
Neither Morofushi Sora'aki nor Miyano Shiho considered the other a friend, yet they could still get along peacefully like this.
If I had to say something… "They are a strategic partner."
Morofushi Sora'aki said to his brother, "Because she doesn't like Rei-nii either."
Morofushi Hiromitsu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Does Sora'aki really hate Zero that much?"
Despite this being the problem, Morofushi Hiromitsu was very relaxed about it.
Because he knew that Morofushi Sora'aki didn't actually dislike Furuya Rei.
"I don't dislike him." Morofushi Sora'aki walked beside his brother and replied, "It's just that Rei-nii's reaction is quite interesting."
Even during the time when the other party took away his brother, and during the time when he was taking his anger out on him, Morofushi Sora'aki never really hated Furuya Rei.
Otherwise, given Morofushi Hiromitsu's keen perception and gentle nature, he would never have invited his childhood friend, whom his younger brother disliked, to his home so frequently. This was hurtful to both sides (his younger brother and his childhood friend).
And... watching Zero's reactions can be quite amusing sometimes. Morofushi Hiromitsu curled the corners of his lips, reaching a consensus with his younger brother.
"Don't bully Zero like that. He always feels like you hate him." Morofushi Hiromitsu said with a smile.
"That's his problem." Morofushi Sora'aki replied.
"Besides, Miyano Shiho doesn't really hate him; she just doesn't like him taking away her sister's attention."
"This is such a simple thing, why does Rei-nii feel like we hate him?"
Well, ever since my younger brother started high school, I feel he has changed a lot and become much more mature.
"Because those involved are often blinded by their own perspective." Morofushi Hiromitsu replied with a smile. "Zero likes you guys so much that he's worried about being disliked."
"Does it mean... 'the one who falls in love first loses'?" Morofushi Sora'aki tilted his head.
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "..."
"Yes, my younger brother has really matured in every way since he started high school." Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled gently, a smile devoid of any gloom on his face, and asked softly, "Where did Sora'aki learn that phrase?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "A shoujo comic in a monthly magazine."
Morofushi Hiromitsu's smile instantly became much more genuine: "I see, but the situation you described is a bit different from Zero's."
"Zero is probably a character who is... a stepbrother who wants to fit into a new family without being disliked, right?"
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"Oh." Morofushi Sora'aki nodded and said, "Then it will take a long time for him to be accepted by Miyano Shiho. She will absolutely not let Rei-nii integrate into her family."
I originally thought it was already so difficult for Furuya Rei to become my brother-in-law, and now that I know he likes my mother, maybe next time Furuya Rei goes to the Miyano's house, he'll be stopped at the door.
The meaning was clear, so why did it sound so strange coming from Sora'aki's mouth? And why did this subtle tone seem so familiar to him?
A certain image of a talkative, droopy-eyed contemporary flashed through his mind. Morofushi Hiromitsu hesitated and tilted his head. It must be his imagination, right?
After all, Sora'aki and Hagiwara shouldn't have any interaction.
"However, please call Shiho-chan by her name properly, Sora'aki. It's a bit impolite to call her by her full name like that."
Morofushi Sora'aki: "..."
Morofushi Sora'aki: "We're home."
"Changing the subject won't work, Sora'aki." Morofushi Hiromitsu said with a smile. "Next time, be sure to call her by her name properly."
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded obediently.
Today is Saturday, and the next day is still a rest day. This time, Morofushi Sora'aki stayed in bed late again. It wasn't until Morofushi Hiromitsu knocked on the door and called him around noon that Morofushi Sora'aki reluctantly got out of bed.
Leading his younger brother, who was clearly still in a daze, downstairs, a barely perceptible worry appeared on Morofushi Hiromitsu's face.
"Didn't you sleep well last night? It's so bright."
"...Huh?" Morofushi Sora'aki didn't react immediately.
Morofushi Hiromitsu immediately put on a gentle smile: "It's nothing, but you have to go to school tomorrow, so you can't sleep in anymore."
"Hmm." Coming back to his senses, Morofushi Sora'aki yawned slightly and nodded in response.
On the other side.
Furuya Rei received a call. He glanced at the number's contact name, paused for a moment, gestured to his colleague who was handing over documents to him to pause, and then walked out with his phone.
"Hello? Elena-sensei?" Furuya Rei asked, "What can I do for you?"
"Is it bothering you to call at this time, Rei-kun?" Miyano Elena's voice was gentle on the other end of the phone.
"No, I'm not busy right now." Furuya Rei glanced at the pile of documents on his desk and chose to lie through his teeth.
Miyano Elena smiled, her tone becoming more serious: "Regarding the matter you asked me to do before, Atsushi and I have recently looked into related cases for you."
Although Miyano Atsushi and Miyano Elena run the Miyano Clinic, they are not only doctors but also scientists.
Even within the scientific community, Miyano Atsushi is quite well-known.
The scientific and medical communities are not very large; those with even a little bit of fame generally know each other and have some kind of relationship.
Therefore, the Miyano couple, being insiders in the circle, know far more than people like Furuya Rei, who have just graduated from police academy and are unrelated to this circle.
Miyano Elena briefly omitted the effort she had put into it, and began to speak: "Mr. James McGowan—a professor at the University of California, Irvine—met a few years ago with a peculiar patient. That woman possessed an extraordinary memory, but it wasn't ordinary photographic memory; rather, it caused her considerable distress."
Mr. McGowan and other researchers conducted relevant research and derived related theoretical theories.
I've compiled the relevant materials; you can come and pick them up whenever you're free.
"Thank you, Elena-sensei! May I come over tonight?"
Of course, I'd love to welcome you, Rei-kun.
After hanging up the phone, Furuya Rei breathed a sigh of relief—after all, Furuya Rei was regarded as an honorary relative of the Morofushi family by Morofushi Sora'aki, a status he couldn't just casually obtain.
Although Furuya Rei rarely says it out loud, he cares a lot about his friend's younger brother. Because he is an outsider, he is more attentive to the problems on Morofushi Sora'aki's side, unlike Morofushi Hiromitsu and others who are overly concerned.
So I asked Elena-sensei, who is both a doctor and a scientist, for help; perhaps she will make another discovery.
However, Furuya Rei did not expect that he would get an answer so quickly.
When Furuya Rei arrived at Miyano Clinic after get off work, he was unexpectedly stopped at the door by Miyano Shiho. The blonde mixed-race girl looked surprised, while Miyano Akemi also expressed her disapproval: "That's very impolite, Shiho."
Miyano Shiho couldn't refuse her sister. She glared fiercely at Furuya Rei, snorted, but still kept her guarded against him getting close.
Miyano Akemi had no choice but to smile apologetically at Furuya Rei: "Mom and Dad are waiting for you inside. I'll take Shiho outside for a walk."
Just as Miyano Shiho was about to refuse, she saw her older sister's expression, pouted, lowered her head, and followed her sister away.
Furuya Rei was then able to enter the room.
The Miyano couple were both very steady and gentle people. They handed a pre-printed document to Furuya Rei.
"This is an extremely rare medical abnormality, and it doesn't have a precise name yet, but for now, we'll call this symptom—"
"Hypermnesia."