I always thought it was so strange.
That my bedroom was empty on one side, like it had been split in half...
According to my mom and dad, I was the one who said I didn't want anything put in that space.
But I don't remember that.
Now I understand the reason.
It was because of you, Ui... You were here...
That falsely familiar half of my room was your space.
Ui: Yay, I get to room with my Big Sister!
Ui: It feels kind of strange...
Ui: From now on, I'll get to wake up and go to school with Big Sis every day.
If I close my eyes like this memories of my time with Ui resurface.
These memories lead seamlessly from one to another, and I remember something important.
Two girls who were hospitalized with Ui: Touka-chan and Nemu-chan.
Very smart, and sometimes strange - they were Ui's best friends.
I'm sure that those two still remember... Or maybe I just hope that they would remember Ui...
After all, they were always together inside the hospital...
The Rumored Rules for Ending a Friendship
Iroha: (It should be up here. I just follow this turn and head up the hill to get to the hospital.)
Iroha: Why are smartphones so confusing...
Iroha: So the blue spot on the map is me... And this arrow is... Huh?
Iroha: (Uu... There should be a pill that cures having a bad sense of direction...)
Iroha: Reading maps is pretty tough, isn't it, Clione...?
► Kyuin... (I don't understand it either.) Mokyukyu. (The arrow is showing you where to go.)
Little Kyuubey: Kyuin...
Iroha: Oh, I see! This arrow is the direction my phone should be pointing.
Iroha: *sigh*
Iroha: (There it is... The building...)
Iroha: It's the hospital lobby...
Iroha: ...........
Iroha: (Until recently, Ui was at this very hospital...)
Iroha: (I hope that Touka-chan and Nemu-chan are both doing well...)
Iroha: (Please, I hope they both remember.)
Iroha: Okay!
Iroha: Touka-chan, Nemu-cha...
Iroha: ............... Huh?
Iroha: (They're not here...? But this corner room should be theirs...)
Iroha: (Maybe their room got changed...?)
Iroha: (I guess Touka-chan did have her own private room to begin with...)
Iroha: (And Nemu-chan could have been moved depending on her condition...)
"Pardon me, ma'am?"
Iroha: Wha?! Y-yes?!
"If you're here as a visitor, I'm afraid you still need to check in at the reception desk."
Iroha: Oh, um...
"Do you have a visitation pass?"
Iroha: Um... No, I don't...
Iroha: *sigh* ...
Iroha: (They'll only give out room numbers to family members...)
Iroha: What an abrupt hurdle...
Iroha: (Touka-chan and Nemu-chan. Am I misremembering them...?)
Nemu-chan was a girl who loved to write stories. I'm sure that someday the stories she posted online will be published...
Touka-chan would discuss the universe as if debating with an expert - a truly brilliant girl...
They got along with Ui shockingly well, even though they were so talented and gifted.
They also fought constantly, like any other kids.
Touka: Hey, Nemu!! Meanie!
Touka: There's no need for a revolution to take place right then, is there?!
Nemu: It's natural for a story to have a twist to it. Even when you're rich.
Touka: I was doing so perfect, though-!
Touka: The cards everyone was holding and the cards already in play...
Touka: I had them all figured out, you know?
Touka: No, no, no, I had just finished setting up to flow on to victoryyyyy!
Nemu: It's great watching people's plans fall apart, Touka.
Touka: What was that--?!
Touka: Fine! I'm done being friends with you, stupid Nemu!
Nemu: That's perfect. I was thinking the same thing.
Touka: Huh?!
Nemu: Hm?!
Ui: Jeez, stop it, you two! How many times are you going to quit being friends?!
Iroha: (My impression of those two is so strong that I can't imagine misremembering them.)
Iroha: (Their constant arguments that were impossible to follow, and the way Ui always joined in with them...)
Iroha: Honestly... They kept saying they were done being friends...
"'Done being friends' ... Is that right...?"
Iroha: *gasp* ?! Who...?
► Bui! (From the right!) Pui! (From the left!)
Little Kyuubey: Bui!
Iroha: Y-you...
Yachiyo: I believe you just said 'done being friends' ...
Iroha: You were - Yachiyo-san, right...?
Yachiyo: My, so you remembered my name.
Iroha: Of course I remember... After you targeted me like that...
Yachiyo: Well, I suppose that's fair.
Iroha: .............
Yachiyo: Could you not make such a big deal about it? I have no intentions of harming you.
Yachiyo: I just thought I'd give you a warning, that's all.
Iroha: A warning... Was it...?
Yachiyo: Yes...
Yachiyo: You absolutely must not speak of ending friendships in this town.
Iroha: Huh?
Yachiyo: Especially not when you've just had a conflict with someone.
Yachiyo: You'll get trapped by the rumor of the rules of ending friendship.
Iroha: Caught by the rumor...?
Yachiyo: You haven't heard of it?
Oh, haven't you heard? Haven't you been told? The rumor of the rules of ending friendship.
Isn't it regrettable not to know? Isn't it scary not to know?
When you say you're ending a friendship that's the sign for the rules of ending friendship to begin.
If you regret it and apologize, you'll just be called a liar - how awful!
A scary ghost will catch you and you'll be stuck cleaning the stairs forever!
If you fight, one of you will vanish. This rumor is known only to the children of Kamihama City.
How terrifying!
Yachiyo: Well, it's something like that, anyway.
Iroha: Um, so... That was the rules of ending friendship?
Yachiyo: That's right.
Yachiyo: It's all over if you speak of ending friendship.
Yachiyo: And no matter what, you mustn't apologize.
Yachiyo: If you try to apologize and mend the friendship, the monster will get you.
Iroha: Um, with a crazy story like that...
Yachiyo: Believe me.
It's a very credible rumor from the "Kamihama Rumor Files."
Iroha: Kami...Hama...?
Yachiyo: "Rumor Files," yes!
Yachiyo: I keep track of all of the rumors that are flooding this city.
Iroha: Oh...
Yachiyo: You see, lately rumors have been turning to reality in this town.
Yachiyo: There have even been cases of missing persons, depending on the rumor.
Iroha: That's...
Yachiyo: I'm not lying.
Yachiyo: It's an irregularity, just like that Kyuubey.
Iroha: *gasp*
Iroha: Yachiyo-san, are you still going after Clione...?
Yachiyo: That's up to you.
Yachiyo: As long as nothing bad is happening, I have no reason to hunt him.
Iroha: Nothing bad has happened...
Iroha: Even if it did, I was able to remember my little sister...
Yachiyo: Little sister... You forgot someone that close to you?
Iroha: Ah, yes...
Iroha: But my mother and father still don't remember her.
Iroha: And there's nothing of hers left.
Iroha: The truth is, I don't have any proof that my memories are correct.
Yachiyo: Then couldn't those be false memories that were planted in you?
Yachiyo: Besides, for the whole world to change just for her...
Iroha: Change........?
Yachiyo: Well, that may be an exaggeration.
Iroha: ... I'm not sure if it is or isn't.
Iroha: Right now, I can't deny anything.
Iroha: But I still believe that I had a little sister.
Iroha: Because when I think of her, it's such a warm feeling...
Iroha: So I believe in the memories I've regained, and...
Iroha: I want to find my sister...
Iroha: So even if strange things are happening, they aren't bad.
Yachiyo: I see... If that's the case, I have nothing more to say.
Yachiyo: And it isn't as if I don't understand...
Yachiyo: How you feel...
Iroha: Eh? How I feel...?
Yachiyo: No, never mind.
Yachiyo: Well then, I'll be leaving.
Yachiyo: Be careful of rumors. You've been warned.
Iroha: (In the end, I didn't learn anything about Touka-chan and Nemu-chan...)
Iroha: (And I'm not sure what to think of Yachiyo-san's story...)
Iroha: Rumors turning into reality... Clione, what do you think?
► Mokyukyu?! (Could it be true?!) Kyuin... (It could be a lie...)
Little Kyuubey: Mokyukyu?!
Iroha: Well, I really can't say...
---------!!----------!!
Iroha: Huh?!
Iroha: W-what a loud voice...
------!!------!!------!!------!!
Iroha: It's coming from the park.
Iroha: (A fight...?)
Iroha: Huh........... Wait... Is that Momoko-san...?!
Iroha: And that other girl is... The girl I helped out, from back in that barrier...
Momoko: Come onnn, just calm down. Why are you even fighting?
???: It has nothing to do with you, Momoko!
???: Yeah, stay out of it, Momoko-chan!
Momoko: Hey, hey, is that any way to talk to your leader?
???: Shut up! I'm done, I'm ending our friendship, Kaede!
???: Ah, you said it!
???: If that's how it is, then I'm ending my friendship with you, Rena-chan!
Momoko: You dummies, don't say things like that so carelessly!
Momoko: More like - how many times have you two said you were going to end your friendship?
???: ...........
Momoko: Come on, talk to me. Why are you even fighting?
???: -----!!
???: Don't stick your nose in other people's business, you overprotective meddler!
Momoko: H-hey, Rena! Don't just lash out and run away!!
Momoko: ----?! That girl is--!
Iroha: Woah...
Iroha: (They said it... That they'd end their friendship...)
Momoko: Iroha-chan, stop her!!
Iroha: Eh? Oh, okay?!
Rena: Mooove iiiiit!!
Iroha: Eek!
Iroha: Eh?! Wha!
Iroha: H-hold it--!
Rena: You...!
Rena: I don't care if you know Momoko or what...
Rena: But I won't go easy on you!
Iroha: Ah...!
[ Sorry, forgot to hit Auto. MB MB...... ]
Rena: Hmm, looks like you're just spoiled by having such a long-range weapon!
Iroha: (She's going to beat me...)
Rena: Take this!
Iroha: Ugh!
Iroha: Huh?! M-me?!
Rena: You're wide open!
Iroha: Kya!
Rena: Hmph. You shouldn't interfere with situations you don't understand.
Rena: Idiot!
Iroha: Ouch...
Momoko: Damn... She got away...
???: ...............
Momoko: Here you go. My treat.
Iroha: Oh, you don't have to...
Momoko: It's my apology for getting you wrapped up in our fight.
???: Plus I never repaid you for helping me out, before.
Iroha: Ah, right... I guess it's okay, then...
Momoko: Oh, so you two have met before?
Iroha: Yes, but we never really introduced ourselves.
Kaede: Oh, y-yeah, I'm "Akino Kaede!"
Iroha: I'm "Tamaki Iroha." Nice to meet you, Kaede-chan.
Kaede: Yeah!
Iroha: So, what was that fight all about?
Kaede: Oh... Um............
Momoko: Aaand back to the silent treatment.
Momoko: She's been like this since it started.
Momoko: Well, it's not as if you guys don't fight like every day.
Momoko: I'm not going to force you to talk or anything.
Iroha: That often...?!
Momoko: Honestly, it probably happens every time we go out for snacks together.
Kaede: Stop it, Momoko-chan, it's embarrassing...
Momoko: My bad, my bad. It's usually Rena who starts it, anyway.
Momoko: That was probably the case today, too. I bet she'll apologize tomorrow.
Momoko: She's pretty good about self-reflecting once she's cooled her head.
Iroha: ................
Yachiyo: You absolutely must not speak of ending friendships in this town.
Yachiyo: Especially not when you've just had a conflict with someone.
Yachiyo: You'll get trapped by the rumor of the rules of ending friendship.
Iroha: Kaede-chan... You're okay, even though you said you were ending your friendship?
Kaede: Eh? What do you mean?
Iroha: I heard a rumor that it was dangerous to say you're ending a friendship...
Momoko: ----?!
Momoko: Iroha-chan, who did you hear that from?
Iroha: Oh, um, from Yachiyo-san...
Momoko: Ahaha, that's what I thought.
Momoko: There's no need to take that nonsense at face value.
Momoko: That girl is such a rumor geek.
Momoko: She just goes around believing every rumor she hears.
Iroha: Is that so...?
Momoko: Yeah, so don't worry about it.
Momoko: There's no way rumors would turn into reality like that.
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