Mako wanted to help Kotone.

The reason wasn't anything special. It was simply because they were friends.

But at the same time, it felt somewhat strange.

Kotone wasn't Mako's only friend. She already had friends she'd known longer from the same neighborhood, and she'd made many new friends in middle school and high school. Especially among them, Harumi and Yuu were truly close friends.

So why did Kotone feel special to Mako?

The memories from the nightmare were vivid, as if from a newly woven world. Kotone had disappeared from Mako's memories as if she had never existed from the beginning.

It was a very strange feeling. Both worlds—one without Kotone and one with Kotone in her memories—existed simultaneously in her mind.

That's probably why it was a nightmare.

It was difficult to distinguish whether it was reality or not, and trying not to make that distinction only brought pain.

In the nightmare, Mako—lived just ordinarily without Kotone.

Nothing happened at the campsite either. No bear, or monster resembling a bear—they didn't appear at all, as if Mako had only imagined them.

Mako simply enjoyed time with her dad and returned home.

She met Harumi and Yuu when she entered middle school, but nothing unusual happened in Mako's life.

Both of them were just ordinary friends, so they played just like other children. Harumi and Yuu didn't know Kotone.

But she tried to remember. She also tried to keep reminding herself that this world was inside a nightmare. Because the newly inserted memories were just memories. Memories without any continuity, appearing sporadically.

Without meeting any monster that would inspire her to learn archery—

"...Ah."

No.

She did meet a "monster."

Though she didn't meet a bear, she met a monster that closely resembled a human but was severely distorted somewhere. A monster that opened its mouth wide and muttered, "I'll take you—"

There was no one beside Mako.

Only then did Mako recall why this was a nightmare.

I see.

Originally, this is where I was supposed to die—

She thought blankly.

The thing with a mouth so wide it seemed about to tear and a head swollen like a balloon opened its mouth wide. Inside were teeth growing densely, like needles or fish bones. Teeth that looked like they would tear apart anything they caught.

"No!"

Mako screamed.

Even when she tried to get up, her legs trembled.

She had only tried to help someone who had collapsed while passing by. It seemed too unfair to die just for showing kindness to others.

"Kotone!"

Mako shouted.

Part of her mind thought this was wrong.

Having come to save Kotone, yet asking for help again—

Blood splattered on Mako's face.

But it wasn't Mako's blood.

What was in front of her was probably Kotone.

She could tell it wasn't the real Kotone. Because there's no way Kotone would be torn apart like this. If it were Kotone, she would surely endure, pull out a knife, and confront the monster—

"...Ah."

I see.

So that's why it was a nightmare.

Thud.

Kotone's body falls in front of her eyes.

Mako stood up.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

I see.

The real nightmare wasn't about receiving help, or not receiving it.

It was Kotone dying like that in front of Mako. Dying after barely saving Mako.

"..."

She opened her eyes again.

In her hands were a bow and arrow.

The weapon she had learned to use to help Kotone.

"...Alright."

Mako muttered as she raised the bow.

And as she pulled the bowstring, she thought.

I'll come find you soon.

This time, I'll be the one to help you.

And so.

When she released the bowstring, the nightmare was no longer a nightmare.

*

"...How strange."

Yuu muttered.

If this was a nightmare, it was quite an unremarkable one.

It wasn't much different from what she usually saw, and everyone around her remained the same. Dad, Miho-neesan, Harumi, and Mako were all the same.

The only one missing was Kotone.

Kotone and Kagami-san.

It seemed that Yuu thought such a world was the worst.

Why was that?

But what Yuu feared became apparent quickly.

One day, Yuu shouted at Mori-neesan. She might have even thrown things. She said things she should never have said. Words that would probably leave lifelong scars even if she apologized later.

The reason was that Mori-neesan was dating her dad.

Yuu, whose mother's place was empty, hated it so much. She wanted her real mother to return and fill that place, not someone else.

—Words the current Yuu wouldn't say. Actions she wouldn't take. But even though it was happening from her own perspective, Yuu somehow saw the nightmare as just a play. She merely observed the situation emotionlessly with a body that felt nothing.

She left home as if running away after getting furiously angry.

Calls kept coming, but Yuu ignored them all. Among them, the most frequent calls were, of course, from Miho-neesan.

She spent nights moving from place to place. At first, it was bearable. She had money, after all.

But life slowly became harder.

She spent all her money, and the days of sleeping outside continued. She thought about asking Harumi for help, but then realized that would eventually lead her back home.

She had turned off her phone long ago. She probably turned it off when the battery was still a bit left because she was afraid. Despite running away, she was afraid of being completely disconnected from the world.

After wandering for a long time, her tired body finally overcame those uncomfortable feelings.

Did she think she wanted to go home?

Yuu turned on her phone after a long time.

There were many calls.

Miho-neesan, Miho-neesan, Miho-neesan... Among the repeatedly appearing name, her dad's number was mixed in. And her friends' numbers too.

The last call was from her dad.

"..."

After staring at it for a while, Yuu pressed the call button.

Her dad answered the phone quickly.

"Dad—"

[I'll come get you now. Where are you?]

"..."

Is that what he says as soon as he answers?

Yuu seemed a bit disappointed. Of course, the current Yuu trapped in this body was just an observer.

After a moment of silence, Yuu's mouth moved.

"I don't want to—"

[Miho is critically ill.]

"...Huh?"

[Today might be the critical point. She really wants to see you. Let's talk when we meet first. Where are you? I'll come.]

After the brief call ended, Yuu stood up.

Ah, I see.

Yes, this is how it would be.

Miho-neesan had been like that once before. If Kotone hadn't come and taken measures, she wouldn't be in this world.

While running, Yuu unfortunately encountered someone in an alley.

They might have been from the same school. But they weren't well acquainted. Those people laughed at Yuu's appearance.

So this is how it turns out.

This is how it turns out in a nightmare.

It was literally a story where reality itself was no different from a nightmare.

"...Move."

Yuu said.

Yuu passed by those people as if nothing happened. The men were about to say something but then scattered like smoke.

It's a meaningless story now.

Because Kotone existed in Yuu's world.

Even in the "world without herself" that Kotone had created, Yuu was living a decent life.

"...Seriously, how foolish."

Yuu walked quickly with a frown.

Something was boiling up inside her.

"I have a lot to say, but I'll have to tell you directly when we meet."

Yuu muttered.

This time, it seemed she couldn't let it pass without getting angry.

As she was coming out of the alley, she saw someone running at full speed, passing by in front of her.

A child with slightly dark skin and hair dyed yellow.

*

For Harumi, the memories of that time were now faint.

Perhaps they were memories from kindergarten. If there were clear memories from that time, Harumi's grades would always have been at the top.

But among those faint memories, there were occasionally vivid ones.

When she was still young enough to count her age on one hand. Harumi saw a doll-like pretty child sitting in the corner of the kindergarten.

No, at first she really thought it was a doll. She had seen teddy bears similar in size to herself a few times before.

Only after seeing the child blink did she realize it was a friend of the same age, and so she wanted to play together.

Harumi took the child's hand.

At first, the child was aloof, but as they played together every day, their expression gradually changed. Among the faint memories, the child's smiling face gradually brightened.

Watching the same cartoons, singing along to the theme songs, waiting for the next episode. Playing with the same toys.

All those memories were beautiful.

"Kotone!"

She called the name, but there was nothing around.

She didn't quite understand what had happened to this world. She didn't really understand what Kagami-san had said about nightmares and such. She had just been following along, afraid that Kotone might go off alone, afraid of being left behind, because Harumi couldn't handle a bow like Mako or use talismans like Yuu.

But still, she wanted to follow.

If Harumi had a nightmare, it would be her friends leaving her behind.

"Take me with you!"

Harumi shouted.

She didn't want to be alone.

She didn't like being alone in a spacious house, so empty that her voice echoed when she spoke. That's why she liked Kotone, who always came to her house waiting for her mother. In fact, when they were together, time passed so quickly that it was always regrettable.

...So, for Harumi, a nightmare was just that.

Being left alone in an empty space.

"No!"

Harumi shouted.

"I don't want that!"

Harumi ran.

She didn't know what was ahead, but she just ran toward Kotone.

Stretching her hands forward as if trying to grab something.

Slowly, she could see something passing by around her.

It was a familiar place. A place she had passed by many times in her childhood.

The place she used to run through whenever she went to play at Kotone's house.

The places kept repeating. Just when she was about to reach Kotone's house, she would find herself in front of her own house again. Just when she was about to reach that old apartment where Kotone lived, her vision would change again.

"...Is that so?"

Harumi muttered, panting.

If that's the case, she just needs to keep reaching it over and over again.

She knows Kotone is at home. She just needs to go there and call out. To play together. While making very, very loud noises.

If she's oversleeping inside, shout even louder. Enough to disturb her sleep. It doesn't matter if she's doing homework or something. It can be done tomorrow.

So, let's play, Kotone.

After all, my nightmare is just this much.

A nightmare that's not even scary—

Unless I really lost all my friends—

"I know you're there!"

Harumi shouted as she stretched her hand with all her might.

That hand touched the doorknob.