Sorekara: And Then: 07/07/2030, 21:17 A memory of the recent past.   (... Ahh. It's nine years after that day, huh...)Yes-- This was a memory of just around two months ago.  ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 1 ♫   That was quick. Has it really been nine years already?In all that time, Yuuri had grown, both physically and mentally. As a test subject, Yuuri had proven to be a major contribution to LABO's developed products-- especially in the fields of AD development and BC insulator improvement. She had not a single worry and spent her days in true peace.  ...Yuuri. How have these nine years been for you...? Huh? Well, they were fun. You've bought me anything I've ever wanted and I get to live in such a nice room too... But she had already stopped thinking about it.  Um... You're like a real mom to me. ...Yuuri.The professor wrapped her arms around Yuuri's shoulders. Just as Yuuri had said, the professor showered her with unrestrained love. The origin of that love was almost certainly due to the guilt she felt for Yuuri. But regardless, the two of them forged a relationship akin to a real mother and daughter. They shared a deep understanding of each other. ...But now that today has come, we really do need to start thinking. ...About Hikorin, right?Indeed-- now that today had come, there was something they were keenly reminded of, whether they wanted to think of it or not: Ever since that night when Yuuri had manipulated his memories, Natsuhiko had started seeing a phantom of her.   It was a very selfish use of memory manipulation-- one that left a scar on his mind.  The addition of fabricated memories created a decisive inconsistency with reality. So in order to reconcile that inconsistency, Natsuhiko's brain created a phantom Yuuri to restore mental balance...With just minor tampering to his memory, Natsuhiko became so firmly adherent to those lies that even his perception of reality became warped. Over these past nine years, Yuuri had become painfully aware of the sheer magnitude of the effects memory manipulation had on the human mind. ...Tell me, Professor. Was I right to do what I did? I can't say whether it was right or wrong, but it was true that you had no other choice. It was probably too hard for you to completely erase all of his memories of you with perfect accuracy to begin with. Huh? We didn't really know it yet back then, but as our research progressed, we established that there are several issues with memory erasure, haven't we? Such as how 'in almost all cases, erased memories are eventually restored'. Good point...Memories are lumps of powerful information energy. And memory erasure is an ability that destroys that lump of energy by striking it with even stronger energy. Which in turn causes the memory to disperse into fragments that are impossible to remember. However, the fragments of the memory and the memory in its entirety do not completely disappear. With the passage of enough time and given some sort of impetus, the brain can restructure the fragmentary information and restore the memory. The target's reaction is also significant. After all, sudden ''amnesia'' would astonish just about anybody to the point where they'd be driven to try and recall the vanished memory by whatever means necessary. ...And besides, after you and Natsuhiko met, you were always together. Even if you forcibly erased all of his memories, there's no doubt that somebody would eventually bring you up as a matter of discussion. And once that happened, Natsuhiko would notice the contradiction between his memories and reality and would reach another deadlock with the truth. There was no other way to break that cycle than to do what you did...Just as the professor said-- it was found to be far easier to cope with memory manipulation than with memory erasure. When a certain memory is replaced with a different memory, the brain obediently accepts the change. The reason for that is that rather than undergoing 'amnesia', the target may experience various other phenomena such as believing they simply remembered wrong. But Yuuri was well aware of what she had done. (I'm sorry, Professor... but that's not all there was to it.)When she was a child, Yuuri just couldn't bear having Natsuhiko forget about her. But as a result, she had to keep cleaning up the mess she had made. As Yuuri reflected upon her actions, the professor suddenly looked at her watch. ...Oh my. It's almost time for that boy to arrive. Ah, right. Let's go, Yuuri. It's time for your yearly date.Yuuri nodded and left the room with the professor.  There, Yuuri reunited with Natsuhiko.  It's been a whole year, hasn't it, Hikorin?In front of them was Natsuhiko, put to sleep with drugs. LABO staff had brought him all the way here. Yuuri, you'd rather be alone with him, wouldn't you? I'll be waiting outside. Ah... y-yes. Thank you.The professor smiled boldly as she left the room. --Back on the night where Yuuri agreed to her incarceration in LABO-- She had asked the professor for one favor.  That's all I ask. ...I promise.--The professor kept that promise. Once each year on July 7, the anniversary of the accident, Yuuri was allowed to see him in this fashion. Granted, Natsuhiko himself was not aware of these little dates. He was under the impression that he stayed at Rokumei City Hospital once a year for a yearly checkup. And once he was there, he'd be administered with a sleeping medication and taken to LABO-- and back again-- before he woke up.  However, the purpose of these reunions wasn't only so she could see his face. He was brought here once a year to renew the ''memory of the Yuuri'' that was inside him. The phantom Yuuri created by his brain was, after all, a phantom and nothing more. If no action were taken, the phantom Yuuri would gradually become disparate from the real Yuuri. This was, in essence, maintenance to adjust for changes and disparities-- Such was the truth of Natsuhiko's ''yearly checkups''. (... I'm not quite sure if this is really for Hikorin's sake... But to be honest, I'm glad I get to see him. Forgive me, Hikorin...)Yuuri gently bowed her head and stepped up to Natsuhiko. How was your year...?And thus, Yuuri dove into Natsuhiko's memory.     ♪ BGM: Helper / Theme of Mashiro ♫ Ah, sorry for always making you do this. It's fine, it's fine. I'm doing it because I want to see your smiling face~!It was a scene of a morning before school. (Ah, it's Mashiron!)Yuuri loved Mashiro too. Though it was only in a memory, Yuuri was honestly glad to see Mashiro again. There you go joking again. It's not for me, but for Yuuri, right? Ah, saw through my ruse?Apparently Mashiro began cooking meals at Natsuhiko's house this spring. So these newest memories included a lot of memories with Mashiro.   S-sorry. I ate too much during breakfast...Each individual memory was trivial by itself.   What. More anime shop visits? Why not? Not like you're busy, right?But something bothered Yuuri about Mashiro's facial expressions in these memories.   So what you wanted to buy was clothes? Look, I don't really get girl clothes. I just want a boy's opinion. Wanna get a less biased view, that's all.The way Mashiro looked at, spoke to, and behaved with Natsuhiko-- --made it quite obvious that she was falling in love with him.  ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ (She likes Hikorin...?)   I can't keep Hikorin to myself forever...It would be way too cruel to do that to Mashiro.  (Hikorin's better off with her...) It was already unnatural for her to be seeing him this way as it was. In that case, both Natsuhiko and Mashiro would be better off if they forgot about Yuuri. That thought began to rapidly spread within Yuuri's mind.  ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫  Professor... Do you think it would be better... if I replaced all of Hikorin's memories of me... with memories of Mashiron...? ...Huh? What makes you say that again? It's just, if I don't, then Mashiron will never... ...Are you worrying yourself over Mashiro?Yuuri nodded weakly. But after a moment of contemplation, the professor shook her head and replied. It would probably be bad to do that... Why's that? I believe that manipulating Natsuhiko's memories about you would cause serious problems in his mind. Oh no... But if I do it carefully, then... No. Your existence is too important to Natsuhiko to just erase it. And even if that weren't the case, Natsuhiko's mind is already affected by innumerable problems. Huh? So far, Natsuhiko has nearly noticed your absence several times, but he has yet to recognize it. That cognitive dissonance has resulted in bizarre behavior from him as well. Bizarre behavior...? For example, Natsuhiko has prepared hot milk for you in our living room before, correct? Y-yes. But since you don't actually exist there, the milk in your cup never decreases in volume, see. But Natsuhiko never questioned that fact. He empties the completely full cup of cold milk in the sink without a word. If you try and tell him that the cup's full, he just says 'Huh, what?' and makes a genuinely confused face. Is... is that a thing? It is. It's called 'denial syndrome', incidentally...Tips posted:TIP: Denial syndrome He's had several other instances of bizarre behavior. For example, every day before he leaves for school, he turns the living room lights on. The lights? Why? Because if he didn't, there would be no lights on at home by the time he got back. It wouldn't make sense if there were no lights on in the house even though you were supposed to be there. So to avoid that inconsistency, Natsuhiko turns the lights on before he leaves the house... And he does it all unconsciously.Once she had heard all that, Yuuri murmured in a quivering voice. Then all because of me, Hikorin's...! No, it's not your fault. Denial syndrome often occurs when the brain encounters any sort of functional abnormality. Such cases have been reported worldwide... All of the bizarre behaviors Natsuhiko has demonstrated have been seen in other patients. So please... don't you ever say it's your fault again.That didn't stop the tears from flowing. The gravity of her actions nine years ago threatened to crush Yuuri. Professor... what do I do...? Let's see... If Natsuhiko were to become strong enough to handle the truth one day... Maybe it would be okay to tell it to him then. But how will we know when that time has come...? We won't. So one day-- One day, I'll free you from LABO. I swear. !?Yuuri doubted her ears. She couldn't believe the leading researcher in the field of BC would say such a thing. LABO will no longer have a reason to restrain you once we've solved all the mysteries surrounding BC. I intend to devote my life to make sure that happens. I doubt it will redeem me for my sin of destroying your life, though... But you didn't... And even if I can't fulfill that promise... I will gladly do whatever I can to get you all out of here. Even if it costs me my life. Huh? Truth be told, I've been secretly advancing preparations for such a plan. It's not something I can do alone, so it'll be a difficult journey... but one day, for sure...The professor spoke remorsefully as she brought Yuuri into a gentle embrace. --Yuuri understood. That it was another wish that could not be granted. For the two of them had been together for nine years. Yuuri could tell the professor felt hopeless, even without using BC. (BC research is endless... And I'm sure there are other reasons why they keep me incarcerated. Not that I can imagine what those reasons are...)But regardless, she questioned whether or not she had to stay there forever. She questioned how to free Natsuhiko and Mashiro from the curse she cast over them. But without her finding a single answer to any of these questions-- The days passed by.
|
|
| ← # ? Mar 19, 2017 18:37 |
|
