It wasn’t out of newfound consideration for her mother but simply because she couldn’t sit still.
Eventually, without a word, her mother’s attitude softened.
Seeing Hina focus on studying or quietly help with household chores, her mother stopped making sarcastic comments or sighing in frustration.
Every time Hina sat down to study, she would see Maiko’s image in her mind—sitting at a desk in that world, diligently solving problems.
To banish the image, Hina developed the habit of lightly shaking her head before diving into her work.
As Hina began studying, she encountered numerous things she didn’t understand. When she couldn’t resolve them on her own, she started visiting her teacher to ask questions.
The once intimidating, always-angry teacher was no longer scary by the time Hina began approaching them for help.
The mean girl who had once talked behind Hina’s back turned out to be kind when they finally spoke.
“I’m sorry, Sakurai. I think I misunderstood you. You’ve been working so hard, haven’t you? If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me,” she said with a warm smile.
After a few conversations, they grew closer. The girl even suggested they go shopping together.
“At that store, I’ll find the perfect accessory that suits her best,” Hina thought, eagerly looking forward to their outing.
When Hina returned to this world alone and desperately worked to change herself, the people around her began to change too.
No one remembered Maiko, but everything Maiko had told her turned out to be true.
The teacher really was an interesting person, and that girl really was kind.
After separating from Maiko and focusing intently on her studies, Hina started to understand the material better. Gradually, she began to think that studying wasn’t so bad. She also made friends she genuinely enjoyed spending time with.
She realized that seeking approval from boys wasn’t worth it, and as she stopped trying to win their favor, the girls who once spoke ill of her also stopped.
For the first time, Hina felt like she had found a place where she truly belonged.
She realized that the memories of Maiko were what had driven her transformation.
It was because of those memories that she was able to change.
The woman who occasionally came to visit—no longer Maiko’s mother—still spoke to Hina kindly, just as she had in the past.
Hina was the only one who felt a pang of sadness looking at her.
Perhaps erasing Maiko from her mother’s memory had been the other world’s way of showing kindness.
Hina knew she might never be able to completely forget Maiko or the other world.
She might never take out the dress and jewelry shoved under her bed to reminisce about those days.
Even so, she had changed, and sometimes, she wanted to show this changed version of herself to Maiko.
Even when she thought about Maiko and felt a deep longing to see her, Hina knew that Maiko probably didn’t want to see her.
Maiko might not even remember her at all.
Hina still hated Maiko.
She hated Maiko for leaving behind only memories.
She hated her for making Hina the only one who remembered and the only one who longed to see her again.
Hina knew she could never bring herself to like Maiko.
[The End]
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