The Pain of an Inferior: A Blistering Love Comedy That Begins After a Broken Heart - Chapter 43

Chapter 43 – [Suicide Permit]

It is currently August. The school was closed until the 1st of September.

Miyako’s death is still the main topic of conversation in the internet news.

Her parents had returned to Japan from Eugeia in a great hurry and paid a large sum of money to apply for Miyako’s resurrection.

To their regret, the application was rejected despite the amount of money. The reason was that an easy resurrection makes death worthless. Only those who are deemed by the King to have true potential and charm are allowed to resurrect.

Everyone waited for the result of the screening, so nervous to the point of throwing up. But not long after, Miyako’s potential and charm ended up being greatly recognized, and was allowed to resurrect. Miyako’s parents were overjoyed and let everyone know the good news. Haruka, Shun, and many others who had been grieving over Miyako’s death were also overjoyed to hear the news.

The cloning process was over, and all that remained was to install the backup of Miyako’s memories into the new body. Despite that, Miyako’s has yet to awaken.

“I wonder when will Miyako come back…”

Haruka’s words wasn’t clear whether he was asking Yuzurika or just talking to himself.

Yuzurika, who was lying on her back on the sofa and looking through the window, answered.

“She should be back in less than two days after the cloning process…”

Haruka also had nothing to do and was looking up stories about resurrections, so he knows what Yuzurika was talking about.

However, it’s already been three days since he was told that Miyako’s clone has been created. It’s been too long. Even though he was convinced that Miyako was fine, he was worried that something unprecedented must’ve happened during her resurrection.

Haruka wanted Miyako to come back soon, he wanted to clear up his anxiety.

He still remembered the feeling of holding Miyako’s cold body.

Her hand or maybe her cheek. Haruka wanted to feel her heat to feel safe.

“…. I’m going for a walk.”

“See you later.”

Being at home made him remember things he didn’t want to remember. Haruka changed into casual outdoor clothes and walked outside.

He wanders to the park where he used to play with his two childhood friends.

It was the place where he had lost his heart, but now it was but a trivial matter.

Haruka sits on the swing and gazes up at the blue sky.

Even though he went outside to distract himself, he couldn’t help but think about Miyako.

The reason why Miyako committed suicide. Miyako’s body grows cold as if frozen. The happy and lovely memories. Bitter memories of a broken heart. His head is so jumbled up with memories of the past that he can’t sort them out right away.

Haruka smiles dryly at himself.

Thanks to new encounters, Haruka had been less conscious of Miyako recently. But now, he’s back to the old days in a flash.

Slowly he returns his gaze to the ground, and a girl came into his sight.

Haruka was startled and shook his shoulders. His eyes swam.

“……?”

The girl, dressed in a black suit for ladies that emphasizes their feminine silhouette, stood in front of him, her long, mysterious silver hair flowing in the wind.

She was a girl with a fair face comparable to those of Ria and Miyako. However, she looked more like a creature or a doll compared to those two.

With an otherworldly atmosphere, she smiled at Haruka.

“Greetings, Haruka-san.”

“Ehm, hello… Halcyon-san…?”

Haruka checks her information using his Talisman. The girl did not have a family name, only the name “Halcyon”. Her age is 299. Her sex is female.

Her citizen rank, which was supposed to be visible, was not.

Since the lifespan of a rank S citizen can be extended to 300 years, Haruka thought that she must be a rank S citizen, considering her age.

She placed her hand on her chest and bowed her head slightly, she continued her greeting.

“I am Halcyon, the King’s messenger. I have come to escort you.”

“Me?”

“Miyako-san is currently in a frozen state. In order to lift it, we need you to go to the hospital.”

“F-frozen is it. What does that mean?”

“I need you to come with me to explain what’s going on. If you don’t come, nothing will change. Miyako-san, who has been allowed to resurrect, is still frozen.”

In hindsight, there were many things that were unclear to Haruka. However, the girl’s strong words made him feel that he had to go.

“I understand. If you say I have to go, then I will go.”

Haruka wondered why he was the one who got chosen instead of Miyako’s parents.

Haruka somehow felt that her words were not a lie. While she was talking, she kept looking straight at Haruka with her bright eyes.

“Good! The car is right there.”

With these words, the girl led Haruka with her hand backward.

At her prompting, Haruka got into the back seat of a black car parked near the park. Halcyon sat next to him from the opposite side of the car.

Halcyon and Haruka were the only passengers in the car.

After they get into the car, the engine turns on by itself and the car starts to drive toward the destination.

As they watch the cityscape, which still has a faint blue tint to it, Haruka is sorting through the information given to him.

“So, her frozen state will not be lifted if I don’t go…”

“No, it’s not that she’s actually frozen. What it means is that she won’t wake up unless you go to her.”

“Why only Miyako? It seems that people who were resurrected so far have been sent home by car after awakening…”

Since a message is sent to first-degree relatives when a person is resurrected before he or she wakes up, there have been people who voluntarily went to pick them up.

Haruka hasn’t heard of a case like this, where a person is suddenly summoned to the hospital by an unknown person.

“This is a special case.”

“Is it because she committed suicide?”

“That’s one of the reasons.”

The fact that she committed suicide means that Miyako was at least a little conscious of not wanting to stay in reality. Maybe this was about that?

After driving for about forty minutes, an enormous structure rising not only from the upper level where Haruka and the others lived, but also from the middle and lower levels could be seen.

It was the hospital, their destination.

Except for a red cross, the building is white from the top of its head to the tip of its toes, which makes Haruka feel uneasy when he looks at it. It’s not so dirty at all, perhaps because it is made of some special material, or perhaps because it is cleaned every day.

The car carrying Haruka stops at a parking lot inside the hospital.

Haruka was relieved to see that the inside of the hospital is not completely white. The floors and walls are well cleaned and the colors are calm. And there was an indescribable smell in the air.

“This way, please.”

With Haruka’s Talisman navigating him through the complex and mysterious labyrinth, he could easily walk his way through the complex and mysterious labyrinth under the guidance of Halcyon.

All personnel that Haruka had seen on the way were only androids and robot, no humans at all.

Fifteen minutes had already passed since Haruka entered the building. He could only think of the place as a defective structure that takes a long time to access.

“Why are the paths so complicated?”

“Because it’s the closest building to the capital. It’s for the anti-royal forces.”

Haruka realizes now that normal people aren’t allowed to navigate in this place. The hospital is not a place where one can come without any reason, so it seems to be difficult to check out the maze of buildings. It may indeed work well as a counter-terrorist facility.

They descended to the lower levels using three separate elevators, and finally stops after passing through three rooms that can only be entered with the rare access rights that Halcyon has.

It was a dimly lit room that could have used more light. The four lights on the ceiling were not enough to illuminate the room.

There were six VR machines, which seemed to be more than two times bigger than the advanced VR machines in the [Aurora Note] amusement park, arranged in a semicircle as if hiding their backs.

“Is Miyako here?”

“Miyako’s consciousness is still in the virtual world. Please use that to go see her. If you do so, Miyako will wake up in reality.”

The machines seemed too complicated to operate. However, Haruka had no choice but to follow the instructions.

As Halcyon controlled it using her thoughts, the door of the VR machine opens heavily.

Inside the VR machine, there was a simple and uncomfortable-looking chair, and tubes of various thicknesses were laid out as if they didn’t care about the appearance of the chair.

As Haruka looked around the room frantically, Halcyon urged him to sit on the chair.

It’s not that he doesn’t have a sense of resistance, but Haruka quietly obeyed.

After sitting on the chair, Haruka looked around uneasily. The upper half of the VR machine was transparent, so he could see the other side, but it was somehow cold and scary, as if he was in a coffin.

“Now then, I will send you to the other side.”

At Halcyon’s signal, a high-pitched bone-shaking sound rang out.

Haruka jumps for a moment, then quickly loses consciousness.

?

“I made it, huh?”

Haruka wakes up in the virtual world.

The appearance of the VR machine was not a familliar design, so there was some anxiety, but it seemed to be all right.

After taking a few seconds to regain his awareness, Haruka immediately looked around.

A field of colorful flowers filled his field of vision.

The only living creatures are a few bright butterflies with shiny scales flying around.

Fluffy golden clouds like cotton candy covered the sky and the sun.

The world was somehow as dazzling as a sunrise.

White stone buildings stood grandly in places.

He was told to meet Miyako, but he had no idea where she was.

Without no clue to rely on, Haruka continued on his way.

As he started to walk, some butterflies started to fly in front of his eyes as if they had a will of their own.

He wondered if they were going to guide him. If so, Haruka inwardly complains that it would have been better if Halcyon came too, instead of doing this in a roundabout way.

It seems that Haruka’s hunch was right, and without exchanging a word, the butterflies began to guide Haruka.

After a five-minute walk, they arrived at a one-story building.

The building was half destroyed, the room inside had no walls on two sides.

The room had several bookshelves, common furniture, and a large rocking chair.

In the center of the room was a girl sitting on the rocking chair.

Her flaxen hair, which had only reached as far as her back before her death, was so long that it hung down to the ground, and her neat face was expressionless as if she was bored.

“Miyako…”

Haruka’s voice was muffled.

But it seemed to have caught her ear.

Miyako looked up and met his gaze.

Her eyes widen and she recognizes Haruka.

“…. Haru-kun?”

“What a relief… Miyako…”

Even though it was the virtual world, the sight of the living Miyako brought tears to Haruka’s eyes.

Miyako, too, stood up slowly and fearfully.

She took a step forward, and that was the signal for the two of them to run to each other.

They hugged each other with all their might.

“It’s Haru-kun…Ehehe. You’re real, aren’t you…?”

“I’m the real deal.”

“I see… I’m glad…. to see you… I thought I’d never see you again.”

The arms that embraced him are filled with strength.

Haruka stroked Miyako’s long hair.

“Why did you kill yourself? Everyone was sad…”

“I’m sorry, Haru-kun… I had no choice but to die.”

Miyako let out a smile, but her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“…Well that’s not important, Haru-kun. Will you listen to me? About my feelings.”

“Your feelings?”

“You see… I really did loved you, Haru-kun… I’m sorry I was mean to you all those years ago…”

“Huh?”

The sudden revelation startled Haruka and he stopped thinking.

“…What do you mean?”

“It’s exactly what it means. I’ve always loved you, Haru-kun. Ever since we were kids, up until now… I’ve always loved you… I love you, Haru-kun.”

Quietly, passionately, Miyako speaks.

She sent her words firmly, so that every word will be imprinted in Haruka’s brain.

“I don’t mind if it’s with Yuzurika and Ise-san! Please… Please make me your wife too! Please, Haru-kun.”

Miyako tried her best to appeal to the stunned Haruka.

“I don’t understand… you said that the person you love is Shun…”

“It was a lie that I’m interested with Shun-kun. I just wanted to make you jealous, to make you feel something for me. I just wanted to take everything away from Yuzurika!”

She says strongly, as if repenting.

“When I found out that Haru-kun had crossed the line with Yuzurika, I was shocked to the point of getting the Happiness Treatment… That’s how much I love you, Haru-kun.”

“The Happiness Treatment?”

“Y-yes. I was given the Happiness Treatment. But I couldn’t be with you if I stayed like that, so I tried my best to kill myself.”

“Why, why would you do that?”

Haruka was at a loss for words and falls silent. It was hard to believe that Miyako had been getting the Happiness Treatment.

After telling Haruka everything she wanted to tell him, Miyako buried her face into Haruka’s chest and hugged him even more tightly.

For a while, the two remained motionless during their embrace.

One was busy clearing his head, and the other was immersed in the warmth of her longed-for loved one.

“Ah…I’m so happy…”

Miyako’s body begins to glow faintly, and little by little they disappear into the air as particles.

“This is true happiness…”

Haruka noticed the unusual change in her body and shouted impatiently.

“Miyako?!”

Haruka tried to separate from her, but she would not let her go.

“Haru-kun… Please marry me…”

She proposed to him with tears in her eyes, and then Miyako faded away as pale particles.

“Miyako!!!”

Her warmth, the sensation of her body was fading away. It was unbearably scary.

“No way…!”

Haruka tried to grab the particles as if he was trying to get them back, but his actions were futile.

“Miyako!!!”

Haruka cried out.

He was terrified that he going to lose Miyako again.

Haruka assumed that her resurrection was already a done deal.

Silence descended into the space.

Butterflies fluttered in and out of his field of vision.

Unable to think or move, Haruka just stood there, stunned.

“Humans are cruel and strong creatures.”

A girl’s lovely voice passes through the silent space.

Footsteps could be heard from far away.

Haruka turned around and searches for the owner of the voice.

There he saw girl in a white one-piece dress, her long silver shimmering like a flame walking towards him.

“No one can have eternal thoughts.”

With narrow strides appropriate for her body, she walked up to Haruka.

“Neither the heart that loves nor the heart that grieves is eternal. Everything will fade away in due time.”

Looking up at Haruka, the girl smiles at him.

“But what about Uta Miyako?

Even though she lived here for a hundred years, she never forgot her love for you.”

“Huh?”

What was she talking about?

“For a hundred years, Uta Miyako kept being in love with you.

She’s just like an angel. An extra ordinary human being.”

“…… I don’t get it.”

“You don’t, huh. What you just saw was one of her branching path. She was just an AI with the same thoughts and memories as the original Uta Miyako.”

“T-that’s crazy. It’s a crime to copy people.”

Duplicating thoughts and memories is a crime.

Just by inserting duplicated data into an android, an identical human being can be created. It was forbidden even in the modern age, where ethics have been relaxed to some extent.

“The law is there to bind people. I am not a person.”

The girl possessed an extraordinary atmosphere and an overwhelming presence. Even if Haruka doesn’t want to admit it, he could understand that she is more than a person, a [King].

Because she is a King, she can do as she likes without regards to the law.

“… So Miyako was played by you?”

The girl in front of him turns away with a smile on her face.

“I wasn’t playing with her. I was conducting an experiment.

She’s the first person to commit suicide under the influence of the Happiness Treatment, after all.”

“You’re disregarding human rights!”

“What do you mean by “disregard”? I haven’t done anything to the original.”

The girl sat down on the rocking chair that Miyako was sitting on a moment ago.

“I branched out Uta Miyako into ten billion different paths. The one you just met was one of them.

The other Miyakos are built into all kinds of environments and I let them live in their own worlds.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…!”

Haruka voice is quiet and angry. But the girl continues, seemingly unconcerned.

“Out of the ten billion branches, not a single one has ever loved anyone but you.

Even if she got pressed on by a man better than you, she will not give in. She would only spend the rest of her life as a single woman.”

The girl fixed her gaze on Haruka. There was no hint of a desire to bully him. There was only pure inquisitiveness in her eyes.

“She’s not a person. She is an angel.”

The girl rocked her chair with joy.

“I was so moved by her uncommonly deep love that I decided to grant her a reward.”

“… A reward?”

The anger that had been filling Haruka’s head was now mixed with bewilderment.

“I assume that you are unaware of this, but when a person has undergone the Happiness Treatment, the psychological trauma is erased and the person is sent away to a different environment.

In the case of Uta Miyako, after erasing her memories of you, we will transfer her from A-10 Academy to another school and have her stay in a dormitory.”

The girl snaps her fingers and produces a teapot and a cup in the air.

Sipping the tea poured into the cup, the girl continued.

“Only this time, we will not modify her and return her to her original environment.”

“……”

Haruka felt relief.

It would’ve been too sad to see her transferred to another school with her memories erased, given that he didn’t had the chance to speak to the original Miyako.

“You have the right to be angry, but the experiment of the ten billion branches is already over.

Even if you could not forgive me, the only way to retaliate is to become a terrorist.

You will live a long and happy life along with Uta Miyako.”

Clenching his fists, Haruka gradually tried to calm his anger down. He found it frustrating, but she was right.

After seeing this, the girl gulps down all the tea in her cup with a satisfied look on her face.

Then she bid him farewell with a smile.

“Goodbye, Obi Haruka

-I’ll be watching over you until the end.”

As soon as she said that, the girl dissolved into pure white particles and vanished into thin air.

Outside the room, in front of Haruka, orange light gathers in a field of flowers, then transforms into a human form and bursts forth.

From the light, Miyako emerged.

Perhaps, that was the real Miyako.

“Miyako!”

Haruka shouted her name and rushed to Miyako.

Miyako smiled happily when she saw Haruka coming to her side.

“It’s been a long time, Haru-kun. You came to see me.”

“Yeah… Miyako did call for me”

Miyako opened her arms to welcome Haruka, so he hugged her without hesitation.

“Yes… The King said it’s a reward.”

As if in response, Miyako also wrapped arms around Haruka’s back and hugged him back.

For ten minutes, thirty minutes, maybe even an hour, the two held each other in silence.

Suddenly Miyako opened her mouth.

“Haru-kun… You know, I-I like you, Haru-kun…”

“Yeah… I just heard… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay…”

Miyako’s hand tightens in a hug.

“I’m such an idiot. I love you so much, Haru-kun, but I’ve done so many terrible things to you.”

Her voice sounds as if she is about to cry. Without pretense, Miyako continued.

“When Haru-kun gets jealous of me, it feels so good that I can’t help myself. It was like a drug, I want to make Haru-kun jealous over and over again, and I can’t stop myself from doing it.”

“Yeah…”

“When I found out that Haru-kun has crossed the line with Yuzurika, I was so shocked to the point of getting the Happiness Treatment. Until that happened, I didn’t know about the pain that Haru-kun has been going through.”

She puts her hand on Haruka’s shoulder and pulls him face away from hers to look into his eyes.

“I’m so sorry for hurting you so much until now.”

With her eyes downcast and tears streaming down her face, Miyako apologized sincerely and squarely.

“I-it’s okay.

-So, let’s go home together. We’re all waiting for you.”

“Thank you… Haru-kun. I love you…”

Unable to hold back, Miyako burst into tears.

Haruka shed tears, too. They had reached the limit of their emotions.

When both of them were tired of crying, Haruka finally stood up.

He helped Miyako stand up, pulling her up with all his strength.

“You will come back, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait for you in front of your new body.”

As Haruka was about to log out, Miyako calls out to him.

“Haru-kun. I’m not leaving.”

These words startled Haruka.

“W-what do you mean? Is the King still doing something to you?”

“No.”

The calm demeanor she had displayed earlier disappeared, and Miyako stood in front of him, wearing a strong atmosphere.

“Leave Yuzurika and Ise-san.”

“Eh?”

“And become my lover.”

“What?”

Haruka was usually a quick thinker, but at this moment he stopped thinking.

“You may not know this, Haru-kun. But it’s possible for the person who died to choose death by refusing to get resurrected.”

Miyako smiles demurely, distorting her tear-stained cheeks.

“If you don’t leave those two, I will die.”

“Why would you do that? We can go home. Let’s go home…”

“I’m not leaving. I’m ready to die.

Haru-kun, you’re going to break up with them and become my lover. Or I’ll die.”

“Aunt and Uncle, do you know how much they paid for this?!

Miyako’s parents, Shun, and all our classmates were all crying, and they were so happy when you got accepted for resurrection. You have to be crazy for wanting to die!”

He tries to persuade her with a strong voice. Even Haruka couldn’t keep his cool.

“You think I’m joking?

I’m very much sane. I’m serious.

I’m sorry for what I’ve done, but this is a different matter.

If I can’t have Haru-kun’s love all to myself, what’s the point of living?”

A giggle escapes the corner of Miyako’s mouth.

“Choose, Haru-kun.

Break up with Ise-san and Yuzurika.

-Or you can kill me.”

With a devil’s smile, Miyako presses Haruka to choose between the two.

Haruka turns his head and falls silent.

Miyako was willing to wait as long as it took for Haruka to give an answer.

After a long silence, Haruka finally opened his mouth. When he looked up, he had a somber look on his face.

“…… I understand.”

At first, Miyako thought that this was a word of acceptance.

“Goodbye, Miyako.”

Hearing the next words, she turns pale.

“Huh? W-what do you mean goodbye?”

“I mean exactly I just said. I’m not choosing you.

Miyako, I’ll never forget you.”

Miyako, who had thought she could control Haruka after him seeing her suffer so much, became very impatient.

“WHY?! WHY? WHYYY?”

She shook her hair, and stormed at Haruka.

Haruka had a faint smile on his face. It was somewhat eerie and sent a shiver down Miyako’s spine.

“If I break up with Ria and Yuzurika, I’m sure that someday they will end up with a man other than me.”

As he said that, he took a small breath.

“–THERE’S NO WAY I WILL EVER ALLOW THAT!!!”

“What!?”

“I won’t let anyone take Ria or Yuzurika away from me. They’re my women.

I don’t want anyone to have Miyako either. I want you to be my wife.

But if I don’t leave them, Miyako will die, right?

That’s very sad, but if you die, you won’t belong to anyone.

So I choose Ria and Yuzurika.”

Tears, which had stopped once before, started to leak again from Miyako’s eyes from hearing Haruka’s words.

“YOU’RE HORRIBLE! TERRIBLE! THE WORST! SCUM! N-NYOOOO!!! UEEEEHHHHHHHH!!!”

Miyako cries out with her mouth wide open, something that Haruka never seen even when she was a child.

The real Miyako, who had been completely obscured by the layers upon layers of masks. Haruka felt like he could finally see her.

“Miyako, choose me.

Become one of my wives and suffer from jealousy,

Or die.

You decide here!”

Putting his hands on her shoulders, he pressed closer with a fierce look on his face.

“No! No way!! You have to love only me!”

“Oh… I understand.

Thank you, Miyako.

And… I’m glad that you like me.”

Haruka opens a window and tries to log out.

Miyako sees this and rushes forward, half-crazed.

“I-I’m sorry!! I’ll be your wife… Please don’t leave me…”

With tears and snot streaming down her face, Miyako forcefully held back Haruka by slamming her body against his.

The force was stronger than he had imagined, and Haruka was pushed down with his legs collapsed.

Miyako continued to cry on his stomach, Haruka just soothed her without saying a word.

When the sound of her sniffling was no longer audible, Haruka asked Miyako, who was lying face down on his chest.

“Along with Ria and Yuzurika, will you be my wife?”

“…… Yes.

Please make me your wife, Haru-kun.”

Her voice sounded reluctant and unconvinced.

Yet, instead of death, Miyako has chosen to become one of Haruka’s wives.

“This time, let’s go home… Miyako.

Everyone is waiting for you.”

“… Yes.”

The two hugged once more, as if to confirm their presence to each other.

And then, wrapped in a pale light, they burst into flames and vanished.