Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a year had passed.
‘Happy birthday, Mobius.’ April 30 was another birthday for Mobius, and the second birthday she had celebrated with Ling Yi.
Today, Mobius turned ten.
Ling Yi had deliberately woken up early so she could wish Mobius a happy birthday the instant she awoke.
“Mm…
Thank you.
What are we having for breakfast?” Mobius rubbed her eyes, the corners of her lips curving slightly upward.
She loved the little surprises Ling Yi gave her from time to time.
Sometimes, she would find something she had casually mentioned wanting to eat waiting for her at lunch.
Other times, when she grew irritable after conducting experiments until midnight, Ling Yi would keep her company and ease her stress.
She could already sense herself sitting in the chair.
All she had to do was open her eyes to see what Ling Yi had made for breakfast, but she still wanted to hear Ling Yi tell her.
‘I made steamed buns and millet porridge.
Hasn’t your stomach been bothering you lately?
It’s good to eat some whole grains.
Also, after you fell asleep yesterday, I ordered you a birthday cake.
It’s at the bakery across from the apartment.
Remember to pick it up this afternoon.’ “Mm.
Got it.” Only after hearing Ling Yi did Mobius finally open her eyes.
She looked at the steaming buns and millet porridge in front of her and nodded in satisfaction.
After breakfast, Mobius stood before the mirror and asked, “Ling Yi, check what the number is now.” ‘Eighty-four.’ “That’s close.
It’ll reach one hundred soon, and then you’ll be leaving.” Mobius murmured softly, an indescribable gloom settling over her.
It had been nearly a year since she left her hometown.
During that year, she and that idiot Ling Yi had settled into an apartment in Arc City.
Beside the apartment was the largest library in the world, making it convenient for her to consult reference materials.
In other words, she had spent an entire year with that idiotic consciousness.
The steamed buns and millet porridge before her, every last thing she and Ling Yi had acquired for the apartment—even while she slept, she could feel Ling Yi’s embrace and warmth.
It felt good.
Reassuring.
The problem was…
there were too many traces of Ling Yi, too much care.
They seemed to be everywhere.
Everything she saw, thought about, or did was connected to Ling Yi.
At some point, she had gradually stopped wondering what she would do if Ling Yi disappeared one day.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know.
She simply didn’t dare.
‘It won’t happen that soon.
The number has risen by less than five points over the last two months, and it’ll only get harder from here.’ Ling Yi comforted Mobius.
Over the past two months, Mobius had stopped looking in the mirror and asking about the number above her head as she used to.
Ling Yi knew exactly what the little girl was thinking.
A year had passed.
After spending more than three hundred days and nights together, Ling Yi understood every minute change in Mobius’s body and what it meant.
“…I’m still planning to read some books on consciousness today.
This field is almost entirely unexplored, so it won’t be easy to study.” Mobius quietly told Ling Yi her plans for the day.
Just as she had a year ago, she was still studying and researching consciousness.
Only the purpose of her research might have changed somewhat.
‘No problem.
I’m going to rest for a while.
I really didn’t get enough sleep today.’ The voice in her mind yawned, clearly exhausted.
Ling Yi truly had slept much less than usual.
Waking up early and staying up late to order the cake had obviously taken a toll on her.
As a consciousness entity, she needed at least six to eight hours of rest every day.
“Mm, go rest.
I’ll wake you when I pick up the cake this afternoon.” Ling Yi didn’t answer.
She had probably gone to sleep.
Mobius pursed her lips, somewhat displeased, but the feeling soon passed.
Sitting in her room, Mobius did not go to the library as planned.
Her pupils were slightly unfocused, making it obvious that she was deep in thought—and what she was thinking about went without saying.
Ling Yi…
Today was her birthday, and Ling Yi was still here.
But what about her next birthday?
Would she still be here then?
What about the one after that?
Or the one after that?
One day, Ling Yi would leave.
One day, she would go.
One day, she would leave Mobius behind.
Mobius knew all of that.
But she could no longer push Ling Yi away.
She couldn’t refuse the warmth and care Ling Yi gave her.
While she was all alone, they were the best medicine she could ask for.
Mobius decided she would never ask about the number above her head again.
The more she cherished Ling Yi, the harder it became to let go, and the more painful the impending separation felt.
That was why Mobius didn’t want to know when that day would come.
It was like raising a puppy.
Everyone knew it would live only a dozen or so years and could never accompany them for their entire life.
They knew they would suffer terribly when the dog died, yet they still showered the puppy with affection.
Hmm…
Was it strange to compare Ling Yi to a puppy?
Still, she really was as stupid as one.
At the thought, Mobius couldn’t help laughing.
But a moment later, she felt empty again.
She missed her.
However, Mobius wasn’t about to wake Ling Yi just to tell her she missed her.
She would sooner die than do that.
As for getting her to express her feelings so directly, waiting for the end of the world would be more realistic.
“Ling Yi, Ling Yi.
Idiot, idiot.
Wake up.” Mobius walked over to the window, sat down, and leaned against the windowsill as she called out.
‘I’m here.
What’s wrong?’ The moment that familiar voice sounded, the emptiness inside Mobius vanished, and her entire expression brightened.
“The window.” Leaning against the windowsill, Mobius lazily pointed at it.
Although hearing Ling Yi’s voice made her a little happy, she had no intention of showing it.
‘I can tell it’s a window…
So what’s wrong?
Why did you suddenly ask me to look at it?’ “When I walked over just now, I noticed how quiet the room was.
Sunlight was falling across the windowsill, and dust was drifting through the light.
It felt a little like an afternoon from long ago.” Mobius explained it to Ling Yi.
‘You usually don’t say things like that for no reason.
So, are you feeling unwell, or do you need me to do something?’ Ling Yi had been exhausted, but the instant she heard Mobius speak like this, she became fully alert.
“Neither.” ‘Then did you miss me?’ “…You seem awfully confident in your judgment.” Mobius stiffened for a moment, but she continued pretending nothing was wrong, observing her surroundings as usual.
‘Mm…
Because I think that’s what happened.’ “There’s no clinical evidence supporting that possibility.
You can’t prove your conclusion is correct.” ‘You wouldn’t show me the window for no reason, nor would you describe the sunlight to me for no reason.
You only notice such things when you have nothing else to do.’ “You sound like you know me very well.” ‘Mm-hmm.
Come on, weren’t you going to the library?
Aren’t you leaving yet?
I’ll go with you.’ Some things didn’t need to be answered.
They both understood the meaning behind them.
“…I didn’t ask you to come study at the library with me.
You’re very tired.
You should rest.” Mobius suddenly regretted waking Ling Yi.
She didn’t know what fatigue felt like for a consciousness entity, but she knew it wasn’t good for Ling Yi to remain exhausted.
‘But you showed me the window.’ “Those two things have no logical connection.” ‘They do.’ “What connection?” Mobius was curious to hear what nonsense this idiot would come up with.
‘A window is meant for people outside to look through, but the people outside don’t know there’s another me inside.’ “That’s a stretch.” ‘But you can’t refute me.’ “I’ll go to the library today and find a way to refute you, you idiotic consciousness.” ‘Remember to pick up the cake from the bakery afterward.’ “I know, I know.
Besides, you’ll be with me, won’t you?” Pursing her lips, Mobius stood, grabbed a random coat, and headed out for the library.
“Mmph…” On the final day of April, the sunlight was as clear as if it had been washed in spring water.
Outside the room, several peach trees had shed their initial shyness and burst fully into soft pink clouds of blossoms.
Mobius raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight and squinted.
‘Mobius.’ “Mm?” Mobius instinctively responded to the voice in her mind.
‘You don’t have to say “I miss you.” I understand the window.’ “…” Idiot.
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★ ★ ★ T/N: If you spot mistranslation, do tell me!
★ ★ ★ Shilling time!