My mother was a small woman... and a terrible cook.
"Ugh... this counter is too high. It’s impossible to use! Wait... could it be? Maybe the reason my cooking never works out is because the kitchen wasn't built for my height?"
"No, Mom... I think it’s just because your cooking is really sloppy."
"Dear?"
"I-I mean, wow, I’m really looking forward to dinner! Ahaha..."
It wasn't just her cooking, either. She was... how should I put it? She was clumsy with her hands and a bit of a scatterbrain. I feel like she was always messing something up.
However, she always had a bright, beaming smile on her face, and she truly, deeply cherished me.
"Kaito! Sports day is coming up soon, right? Mommy is going to be your biggest cheerleader, okay? Right, dear?"
"Yeah, leave the camera to me! I’ll just drop my whole bonus and buy the latest model right now!"
"A... a normal one... is fine, you know?"
They would often get together and say such exaggerated things.
More than anything, she was a positive person who always held onto hope for the future.
"...Mom. What’s that notebook?"
"Fufufu, this? It’s where I jot down all the dreams I want to come true."
"Dreams you want to come true?"
"Yep! You only get one life, so I want to have a heart full of dreams. Of course, I can't make every single one of them happen... but look, some of them have already come true."
That notebook my mother always carried... it came into my possession after she died. That was the first time I actually saw what was written inside.
It contained a list of dreams she had held since she was a child, and the ones she had achieved were marked.
Beside unfulfilled dreams like "I want to be a flight attendant," there were others marked with a flower, like "I want to have a wonderful romance."
And her very latest dream was... "That my beloved Kaito grows up to be a man I can be proud of (This will definitely come true)." Seeing those words... tears overflowed.
My mother was always cheering me on. Truly, always, always... and I loved her for it.
"...Mom, why do you support me so much?"
"Oh? Well, obviously I’ll scold you if you do something bad, Kaito. But otherwise, there's no reason not to cheer for my precious son."
"..."
"Kaito, your life is still just beginning, but remember this. I will always be cheering for you... because I want to be your greatest ally forever... okay?"
My mother was always pushing me forward. Always, always, she told me to do my best... Yes, she told me that.
Even right before she died...
"Kai...to... stay strong... soon... help... you... must... live..."
That was... the last voice of my mother I heard through my hazy consciousness.
"...to... Kaito?"
"Eh? Ah... s-sorry."
"...Are you okay?"
"Ye-Yes, I'm fine."
"...But... you haven't... touched your ice cream... for a while."
Looking at Isis-san as she peered into my face with a worried expression, I finally snapped back to reality. The shock of seeing a woman who was the spitting image of my mother was immense, and my mind still hadn't finished processing it.
"...Did... something happen?"
"...T-That is..."
"...I won't... force you... but... if you're okay with it, Kaito... I want you to tell me."
"...I might not be able to explain it well, but..."
Isis-san wore an expression that showed she was genuinely worried, yet hesitant about whether it was overstepping to ask. Looking at her, I felt my heart calm down just a little.
Slowly, I began to speak. I told her about what had just happened... about the person who, from Isis-san's position, likely hadn't been visible behind me.
The story itself was simple. I had seen someone who looked exactly like my late mother and was shaken by it. That was all.
However, expressing the turbulence of my emotions was difficult; after all, I hadn't found the answers myself.
"...I know she's a different person. But even so, I can't help but think... that maybe... just maybe..."
"...I think... she is... a different person... Kaito's mother... 'died in another world'..."
"..."
"...But... I am not... an expert... on the resurrection of the dead... It might be... a good idea... to ask Kuromueina."
"...Yes."
I knew that. The chance of her being a different person was overwhelming... no, it was almost certain. If my mother had truly come back to life, she would have called out to me there.
But understanding it and being able to accept it were two different things. The thought of "what if she were alive" wouldn't leave my head.
I knew that thinking about it wouldn't give me an answer, yet I couldn't stop. As I felt that helpless agitation, my body was suddenly pulled forward... and a soft sensation pressed against my face.
"...Eh?"
I quickly realized that Isis-san had pulled me into her embrace, cradling my head against her chest. I felt the softness of her, her slightly cool skin, and the pleasant scent that tickled my nose.
"...Kaito... look at... me."
"...Look at you?"
"...Mm."
When I raised my eyes, I met her gentle gaze.
"...I won't... tell you... to forget... I think it's... very important... to you."
"..."
"...But... don't think... too much... It will... make you... very tired..."
"...Isis-san?"
Holding my head tightly, Isis-san spoke in a voice as soothing as a lullaby.
"...'I am here'."
"...Huh?"
"...You might not be able... to see your mother... but... Kaito... I am here."
"..."
"...I cannot... make your pain... go away... but... I can be with you... I will never... leave you alone. When it's hard... I will be... right here with you."
Those were the words I had once said to her.
I can't erase your suffering, but I can stay with you... the words I had told her while embracing her as she trembled in her loneliness... Isis-san had returned those words to me now.
A gentle warmth spread through my chest. By the time I realized it, I had wrapped my arms around her back.
"...So... for now... I want you... to look... only at me."
"...Yes. Um, thank you. I think I just became a bit fragile because it was so sudden."
"...If Kaito... feels better... then I am... happy."
"Yes... Um, so, well... if it's not a bother, could I stay like this for a little longer?"
"...You can... depend on me... as much as you like."
"...Yeah... thank you."
After offering my thanks, I gently closed my eyes and surrendered myself to Isis-san’s presence.
Come to think of it, ever since I came to this world... this might be the first time besides being with Kuro that I've been able to lean on someone like this and feel such a deep sense of security.
Dear Mother, Father—seeing someone who looked exactly like Mom was a shock, and I couldn't pull myself together for a while. But thanks to Isis-san... thanks to my beloved lover—before I knew it, my sunken heart had cleared.
Serious-senpai MK-II (Serious Power: 3): "I'll tell you exactly what just happened... I saw the cliffhanger last time and expected some hardcore drama for the climax of the festival, but before I knew it, they were flirting again. I don't even know what to say... My brain is melting. This isn't just comedy or a 'flag break.' I’ve tasted something far more terrifying: 'the essence of this work.' Wait... they're going to be lovey-dovey next time too? ...Huh?"