Ren stared at Kai sitting across from him.
Kai was eating calmly.
Except…
A smile played on his lips.
Sensing Ren’s gaze, Kai looked up and met Ren’s eyes.
“So, Ren…
or should I call you Imposter Ren?”
Kai dropped his spoon into the bowl and leaned against his chair.
“…Care to explain?”
Ren paused.
So, he used a false memory to confirm his observation.
“I am Ren…
…without my memory.”
“At least make a believable excuse, idiot,” Kai rolled his eyes.
“It’s true,” Ren answered.
Then he continued.
“Or…
do you know anyone who will benefit by impersonating me?”
Kai thought for a while, then nodded.
“You’re right.”
Again…
he believed too quickly.
Ren thought as he glanced at Kai.
…Is it dual personality disorder?
He didn’t question it.
As if sensing Ren’s disbelief, Kai continued.
“You’re poor.
You only have me as your friend, so there’s no social dispute.
All you know is to eat and study.
You’re a role model for the students in the orphanage.”
Ren looked down at his washed-up clothes and shoes, which were filled with holes.
Makes sense.
…That’s why she saved food.
Kai continued.
“If someone wanted to benefit from the orphanage, they would impersonate a counter lady or at least the director.
Why you?
Besides, who would try to take a commoner seat in Orun Academy?
Who would be interested in the lowest category?”
“So…
we are students?”
“Commoner students,” Kai corrected.
Ren stared at Kai and asked,
“What’s the difference?”
“…We are the only two commoners in the whole academy.”
Kai answered, dodging Ren’s question.
Ren didn’t press further and returned to his meal.
“Seriously, even now…
you’re more focused on food than this memory problem.”
“I am a poor orphanage student who somehow was admitted to Orun.”
Ren had compressed all of his past into a single sentence from Kai’s description.
Kai gave a chuckle.
“Truly, amnesia didn’t affect your nature.”
“Amnesia is a memory problem, not a behavioural problem.
Like yours,” Ren answered.
Kai took out a tissue and started wiping his hand.
“Hey…
at least pretend a little,” Kai suggested.
“It’s true,” Ren said.
Kai’s movement paused, but soon he continued wiping.
Then he took another tissue and handed it to Ren.
Ren instinctively took it before he realized.
Then—
Kai smiled.
Ren looked at the tissue, then at Kai’s smile.
…Genuine belief.
And…
this tissue was the key.
As he lifted his spoon again to take a sip of chicken soup.
Just as he was about to take a sip—
A butterfly entered his vision again.
The same black butterfly.
But—
this time it had white-colored vein patterns on its wings.
Ren watched as the butterfly circled him and then slowly landed on his hand.
It became still.
It sat on his hand for a long time before climbing onto his shoulder.
Kai’s eyes widened as he looked at the butterfly.
Ren looked at Kai’s expression.
“Do you know what it is?”
“No…
but I know that you were scared of bugs before,” Kai answered.
The butterfly moved and slowly settled itself inside Ren’s coat.
Ren just let the butterfly be.