Narrator's POV
As Noroi mourned the death of one of his friends, a young girl stirred awake in their home.
"Huh? Did I fall asleep watching TV yesterday?" she said to no one in particular.
Looking around, she noticed the empty spot beside her that had belonged to Noroi. She stood up and went to check his room, only to find the bed untouched.
"So he slept with me?" she murmured, a faint blush crossing her cheeks.
"But where did he go? It's Saturday—we don't have school," she added, confused.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll prepare breakfast for him and for Megumi. I'm sure he'll like it," she said with a smile.
As she stepped into the kitchen, she remembered the time she and Noroi had cooked together.
Her lips curved into a soft smile as she recalled how kind he had been.
"I suppose I won't be lonely from today onward," she whispered.
Megumi was her brother, but he often pushed her away and refused to talk. She always tried her best to show him kindness, yet he brushed it aside as if it meant nothing.
But Noroi was different—so kind, so talkative… She hadn't felt lonely while watching TV, cooking, or simply talking with him.
A warm sensation began spreading through her chest.
"Yes, I should make him the best breakfast he's ever had," she declared with determination.
Ten Minutes Later
"Ready!" she announced happily.
The breakfast was simple, but it was made with care—every bit of effort poured into making it to the liking of the two people she lived with.
"Megumi! Come eat breakfast!" she called as she placed the plates on the table.
Her brother left his room without a word and sat down.
As he started eating, she watched him quietly, wanting to wait and eat together with Noroi when he arrived.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Megumi asked, looking at her blankly.
"I'm waiting for Noroi," she replied with a smile.
Megumi stared at her for a moment before continuing his meal.
When he finished, he returned to his room without saying anything.
Tsumiki looked toward the direction he had gone and sighed.
"If only he would open up to me…" she murmured worriedly.
At that moment, she heard the front door open. She turned and saw Noroi.
"Good morn—"
She stopped mid-greeting. His eyes were red from crying, and he stared at the ground as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.
He walked toward his room. "Hello, Tsumiki," he muttered softly, sadness heavy in his voice.
He entered and shut the door.
Tsumiki's gaze filled with concern. The kind boy she had met yesterday seemed gone, replaced by someone weighed down by grief.
Her eyes drifted to the breakfast she had made for him.
"Maybe if I give it to him, his mood will improve," she thought.
She approached his door, knocked gently, and called out,
"Noroi, do you want breakfast? I made it for you."
"Thank you, Tsumiki, but I'm not in the mood right now," he answered from the other side.
"Noroi? Did something happen?" she asked softly.
Silence followed.
After a moment, the door opened, revealing a sorrowful boy looking at her.
"Please, come inside," Noroi whispered.
Noroi's POV
When I was upset, I used to tell my problems to Akari, and that made me feel better. Maybe if I tell her, I'll feel better too, I thought, pushing aside the irrational sadness and anxiety urging me to shut her out.
As she stepped into the room, I sat on the bed and gestured for her to sit beside me.
"Noroi? Are you okay? Did something happen?" she asked, worry clear in her voice.
I stared at her for a moment, the image of Haibara's lifeless body still vivid in my mind.
"A friend of mine just died," I said, staring at my hands. "When I saw him lying there on a stretcher, without the usual cheerful expression he always had… I felt so empty. Like something was taken from me."
Tsumiki let out a soft gasp. "Noroi…"
As I kept staring down, a warm embrace suddenly wrapped around me.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, genuine concern in her voice. "It must have been traumatic." Her hand gently rubbed circles on my back.
My eyes widened in surprise. Her warmth made my cold body feel alive again. As her words sank in, tears welled up in my eyes.
I hugged her back. "Yes…" I whispered, wiping the tears that fell.
"But Noroi, your friend wouldn't want you to be sad," she said gently. "He would surely want you to be happy."
My eyes widened as memories of Haibara's cheerfulness, kindness, and boundless energy filled my mind.
"You're right…" I murmured, holding onto her warmth a little longer.
"Haibara wouldn't want me to feel sad for him. He would want me to live my life carrying him with me in my memories," I thought, a small smile forming on my face as I remembered all the times we hung out together.
"Noroi, don't listen to the people who think you're not the same as we are. You're even more special than us. You have a blessed body, so live your life happily without concerning yourself with the opinions of others," I remembered him saying one day when we were hanging out and people stared at me with fear.
A few tears started forming in my eyes, but I wiped them away before they fell.
"Thank you for being my friend, Haibara," I say in my mind while thinking about him.
After a few minutes, we slowly pulled apart.
She smiled kindly. "Noroi, I made breakfast for you."
"Thank you," I replied, standing up to follow her.
In the kitchen, she served me the food with an expectant look.
I took a bite and smiled. "It's delicious."
Her eyes brightened, and her smile widened. "Thank you," she said happily as she watched me eat.
When we finished, we washed the dishes together.
"Wanna watch some TV?" I asked as we left the kitchen.
"Okay," she replied with a smile.
As we lie down on the sofa, I grab the blanket we used last night and cover Tsumiki and myself with it.
Tsumiki stares at me for a moment before asking, "Noroi… did we sleep together last night?" She looks away, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.
I look at her, confused by the sudden question. "Yeah, you fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake you up, so I slept too," I say, amused by her flustered state.
"Oh… thanks," she replies, looking at me with a gentle smile.
I smile back. "No problem."
We look at each other for a while before turning our attention to the TV.
As we watch, the sound of the door opening catches our attention.
I glance back and see Gojo standing there with a serious expression.
I return his serious look, and we stare at each other for a moment.
"I'm glad to see you're feeling better, Noroi. I heard from Shoko," he says, his tone gentle as his expression softens.
I study him quietly. "Yeah… and how are you handling this, Gojo?" I ask with concern.
"Thanks for worrying about me, kid, but I'm okay," he replies with a faint, sad smile.
Even though he says he's fine, I know he's not telling the truth.
After years of knowing him, I can recognize when Gojo lies about his emotions just to maintain the burden of being called "The Strongest."
"I see… Did you only come to check on me?" I ask curiously.
"Actually, I came to tell you that you'll start your training on 'that' tomorrow," he says with a slight smile.
"You mean 'that'?" I ask, intrigued.
"Yeah," he replies, his smile widening.
Tomorrow would be the big day.
The day I begin training my cursed technique.