/ POV Sana /
Sana sat in silence, his expression unusually serious.
[She's not the Alice I know.]
A shadow crossed his face, followed by a quiet sadness.
[Should I… stop loving her?]
He shook his head immediately.
[No. No matter how much she changes… she's still Alice.]
A faint smile appeared.
[I can't stop.]
[Maybe it's because of me… that she changed this much.]
[Or maybe… I'm just imagining things.]
He let out a slow breath.
[It doesn't matter.]
He lay back on the bed, his body aching.
The pain still lingered—
But he had endured it while she was there.
He didn't want Alice to see his weak side.
Click…
The door slowly opened.
Sana turned his head—
And his expression instantly darkened.
"…You."
A girl stood at the doorway.
Pink hair. Soft features.
Beautiful.
Too beautiful.
His stepsister.
She wore a normal high school uniform—simple, neat.
But her presence wasn't.
Her blue eyes were like a clear ocean—
Reflecting everything.
Too clearly.
Her small frame made her look fragile.
The kind of girl people would want to protect at all costs.
Her scent lingered in the air—
Sweet.
Carefully chosen.
[...I never noticed.]
Sana narrowed his eyes slightly.
[Is it because… my mind is only focused on Alice?]
[If I made Alice more beautiful… more attractive…]
His thoughts paused.
[Would I lose myself completely?]
A faint blush appeared on his face—
But he quickly hid it.
[There are so many outfits I want to see her in…]
[If we went to a cosplay event together…]
His chest tightened slightly.
[In my previous life… I only went once.]
[It felt… empty.]
[I like long hair.]
[Like Alice's.]
His gaze lowered.
[But appearance doesn't matter.]
[I don't want love built on looks.]
[That kind of love… feels like an illusion.]
[Novels always describe perfect girls.]
[So beautiful that they make you lose hope in reality.]
[That kind of dream…]
He closed his eyes briefly.
[Is stupid.]
His thoughts were interrupted.
"Why are you here?"
His voice was cold.
Lata flinched slightly.
A faint blush appeared on her face.
"I… I just wanted to see you."
Sana frowned.
"After what I did to you?"
Her hands tightened slightly.
Her eyes—determined, yet trembling.
"I want to know… why you've changed."
She stepped closer.
"Who are you really?"
"…Are you even the Sana I know?"
Sana looked into her eyes.
For a moment—
Something stirred.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
"I don't remember anything."
His voice softened slightly.
"Not even my memories with you."
"The only thing I remember…"
"…is the day you woke me up and told me to hurry to school."
[Why… does she feel so familiar?]
[Like… someone from my past life.]
[Quana…]
Lata's expression trembled.
"…Are you lying to me?"
Tears welled up in her eyes.
She hit him lightly—
Again and again.
Weak.
Powerless.
Sana didn't stop her.
He didn't know what to do.
Even without memories—
She was still his sister in this world.
So he let her.
Her strength faded.
She collapsed into his chest.
Her hands gripping his shirt.
Her body trembling.
"I lost you… again…"
Her voice broke.
"…Sana…"
Sana froze.
[Again…?]
A cold feeling crept into his chest.
"…What do you mean?"
His expression turned serious.
"…by losing me again?"
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
[Don't tell me…]