| ARC IV – I/II | Chapter 8: Regression

 It hurts… I cannot feel my hands or my legs. My chest feels tight—it is difficult to breathe. Am I…slowly losing consciousness?

 It is but dark.

 I…do not want to…die.

 I…am suffocating. I am drowning. This weightlessness, helplessness.

 Oh… I see.

 I am drowning again…

 Slowly, I raised my arm, stretched my palm, and reached toward the light and the surface.

 It is dark…it is scary.

 I do not want to be alone again.

 Someone, anyone.

 Please.

 Save me.

 …

 When I opened my eyes, everything was blurry and dim. My mind is in a haze. But there is a pleasant scent—it is familiar somehow, but I do not recognise it. Where am I? Rather… Who am I…? I do not know. My legs, my hands. I can feel them again. It tickles a little—there is a silky smooth and soft sensation, too. I wonder. What is it?

 "U-Umm… Alum, wh-what are you doing!?" a clear voice rang beautifully as a bell.

 When my sight and hearing returned, I saw an older girl with white hair and red eyes.

 How pretty…

 Alum?

 Oh…

 Suddenly, I recalled who I was. But it is strange. Why is she not wearing a lab coat? She does not look like one of my teachers—wait, where am I?

 Did I get abducted?

 "G-Geez! Ame would be sad and…she'll get the wrong idea!" the girl sternly scolded me for whatever reason.

 Ame? Who? Give her the wrong idea?

 "I am sorry—my mind is hazy, and I could not tell clearly. I also do not want to make Ame sad—where is she?"

 "She went out after healing you back to health, but…why are you talking like that?"

 She's suspicious of me, naturally. This body feels strange; my hands are larger, and I am taller than this older girl—I assume we are about the same age.

 How? 

 This room is not like home, nor like the labs filled with scientists, and I do not understand why they keep doing things to me. It hurts. I believed I would get used to the pain—or so they told me. Adults are all liars.

 I do not miss them.

 But for whatever reason, this lady seemed nice. My body has grown, too, and the only thing I can assume is that the current me has a leap of memory and has regressed to my current state.

 Now…what is the relationship between me and her? Who is Ame, and why would she be sad? Why would she get the wrong idea? She healed me? As in nursed me back to health? Did I get injured? Why would she nurse me? Does she perhaps not know I can regenerate by myself? Is she unaware I am a natural-born esper?

 I do not understand. Alum… Do not get overwhelmed—you will be punished again.

 "Do not mind that. Where is she? Ame, I mean."

 "Specifically? She went with Luna, Chely, and Noel to do a follow-up investigation of the cult you stumbled upon. Oh! As for the other otherworlders, they're from the same world as us! Who would've thought, right?"

 "….."

 I can not follow. She will find out. What…do I…do…?

 "H-Huh!? Alum!? Are you crying, s-sorry I…what do I do?!"

 The girl panicked and suddenly hugged me. I know I should presumably distance myself from her; I do not know what motives she has, but it feels comforting and warm…

—No! Stop! You will be punished…! Huh? I…am not going to be thrown in the water?

 Oh…I see—another world. I am in another world.

 I'm jealous of the current me. I might not know what is going on, but he gets to have this comfort and warmth? 

 "S-Sorry, I hugged you out of the blue!" the girl exclaimed and backed away. "I…It was instinctual; I didn't mean for it to get…awkward…"

 "Oh…she let go…"

 "….."

 I wiped my tears, and the hurt in my chest was replaced with comfort instead. Why did she stop? I…am not worthy of such warmth, am I? It has always been like this.

 "Wait!? Why do you look so disappointed!? D-Don't tell me you like me?! Please don't cheat on Ame! E-Even if I like you, I-I don't condone such behaviours! But if you break—*Gasps*  What was I about to say!?"

 Her eyes widened, and she began to fumble with her hands as she covered her face.

 "I-I didn't mean for that to come out! F-Forget about it!" she exclaimed and rushed out the sliding door.

 A few moments later, she peeked in.

 "S-So… I'll get the doctors and call Emy, and I already put drinks, snacks and food on the desk over there… Please forget I said anything…" She had hurt eyes and looked vaguely guilty over her actions.

 Ame, huh? Do we have a special relationship? A romantic one? I see. Now, it makes sense. Then what is my relationship with this girl? She embraced me, and I think she knows me well enough to care for me when I was supposedly hurt. A friend? I see…I have friends now.

 How nice…

 I shook my head. "Do not worry about it. I was dazed myself, and… I was disappointed it wasn't Ame who embraced me, is all."

 "Ugh…that kinda hurts, you know! B-Beside, it was only a friend hug, so don't so when you say it's disappointing, it hurts, you know!?"

 "Yes. A friend hug. Thank you, and I apologise—I did not mean to hurt you. I was not disappointed in the hug in itself. It was just that… I miss Ame."

 "…I see."

 Did I trick her? But, Ame, huh? I want to meet her.

 …

  …..

 …

 When Miu exited Alum's room, she could tell something was strange about him—it was eerie somehow, and he was lying through his teeth. She didn't pick up on it at first because she was flustered when he suddenly reached out to her and caressed her hair…

 (What is going on? Does he have amnesia? He is usually direct, but the way he spoke was not like him at all… When he started to cry—I didn't think he could… But, I did something stupid like hugging him instinctively… only briefly. He warped his arms around me as well.)

 Remembering the moment only made Miu sigh. The gesture made her snap back and distance herself.

 (It's strange. He's head over heels for Ame—there's no way he'd causally hug me back the way he did just then. But…he looked so sad when I let go. His eyes, I recognised them—it was the look of rejection.)

 As she was walking through the echoing hall, she couldn't help but grasp her head and ended up ruffling and messing up her hair due to the confusion and frustration.

 (Aah! Mou ii! What do I do!? What do I even tell the others!? "Oh… Alum probably has amnesia and doesn't remember any of us but is lying through his teeth to conceal it for whatever reason!" yeah…that's going to be tough for anyone to hear!)

 With a determined look, Miu came to a halt.

 (I'm going back to confirm!)

 In a rush, Miu sprinted back, and her heart was beating anxiously. But when she returned and slid the door open, she saw Alum stuffing his mouth happily with the food, sweets and drinks she'd left. There were crumbs on his face, and his clothes were somewhat messy and stained with leftovers.

 "….."

 "….."

 (He's such a kid! Wait! Don't tell me he reverted back to being one!?) Miu exclaimed in her mind.

 Suddenly, with a flick of his hand, Alum remotely closed the door in her face.

 "Huh?!"  

 Naturally, Miu tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge—it wasn't even locked. As a last resort, she enhanced her strength with magic and flung the door open, which caught Alum by surprise. His complexion was filled with bewilderment as she looked at her and the door.

 "You! You're not Alum, are you!?"

 Alum shrugged. "How rude. Who are you to say who I am or who I am not?" he responded with a pout and frown.

 (Yeah, right! There's no way Alum would show so such expressions! Even if he's with Ame, his smile would be faint and warm. His face wouldn't change if he were mad or excited!)

*Sigh*

 "Lady, how did you know? I believe I did not act in a way that would raise suspicion."

 (He's naive, too?!)

 "Ugh…right, there's no way I couldn't figure it out…do you think I'm dumb? Also, what do you mean by "Lady!?" I'm not even old, just twenty! Just a year older than you!"

 "Hmph. I suppose there is no reason to hide it anymore," Alum said while crossing his arms—it looked a little strange considering how he usually was, but also… he had crumbs on his cheek. "Besides, from my perspective, you are an older woman—considering my appearance does not match with how I usually see myself. As you said, this body is nineteen. But I hardly see myself as nineteen."

 "Fine… Wait… if that's the case, how old are you?"

 "I am five years old."

 "…Then, are you really Alum?"

 "How rude!" he protested. "Who else am I but Alum Miller, a child prodigy and naturally born esper?

 (he called himself a child prodigy!? Wait? He spoke like and expressed himself like this as a five-year-old?!)

 Suddenly, Miu's mind got caught in a word. "naturally born esper?" she raised her brow.

 But by that time, Alum had covered his mouth and turned away. "Whatever are you talking about, Lady?"

 "….."

 "Anyways, Lady. The things you left here taste amazing! I want more!"

 "….."

 (I'm not a Lady! Stoooop iiiiit! You make me feel old! Fine, if that's how you want to play, then I'm on!)

 "I'll tell you if you answer some questions," Miu grinned playfully.

 Alum looked at her with annoyance. "Fine, what do you want to ask?" he inquired.

 "…Okay! First off! What happened? When you first woke up, you were so tame. Now you're just a rude brat!"

 "Hm? I thought you were one of the teachers or scientists—but you were not, so I did not see any point in acting prim and proper," he nonchalantly replied.

 "Okay, I get it, you're mentally five—"

 "And a child prodigy," he added.

 Ignoring his remark, Miu asked. "What 'do' you remember? Do you remember me—wait, clearly not… do you remember Emely? Your cousin?"

 "Hm? There is someone in my family named Emely, I believe, but she was disowned, and I do not care—"

 But before he could finish what he was about to say, Miu was before him and was pinching his cheeks with her hands. When she closed the distance, she could feel something pushing her back, but it wasn't strong enough. Still, she decided to ignore it for now.

 "You shouldn't say stuff like that! Bad kid!"

 Alum raised his hand but his eyes met hers and he remembered her comforting him when he just woke up being lost and confused. In the end, he let her do whatever she wanted, but she ended up with swollen cheeks.

 "Hey…I felt something trying to push me away before—it didn't contain mana; you were not lying about being an esper, were you?"

 "Mana? What is that? And why would I lie? Well…I suppose it would have been better had I kept my mouth closed…" he complained while glaring at her while trying to cool his red cheeks down. "Anyways, I can not tell you more than that—it is a secret, after all. In the worst case, you would be kidnapped and have your memories erased—worse, killed." He looked down at the floor with a sad look. "I would not want that…" he added in a low voice.

 "I see… But that won't be happening. We are in a different world!" Miu smiled brightly as she declared.

 "Are you high on something, Lady?"

 "Hey! How does a kid even know stuff like that!?"

 Alum shrugged. "Do you think I am lacking in knowledge because of my young age? How naive," he said while shaking his head.

 (You're the naive one!)

 Miu materialised her divine blade to show him, and to her surprise, she found herself stuck on the wall in a mare instance. Alum had raised his arm, and his eyes were the usually cold and indifferent—the one she was more familiar with before he met Amethely. 

 "Interesting, your esper ability is to rearrange materia in the air to manifest a sword—"

 "It's not!"

 Miu resisted Alum's telekinesis by releasing a heavy amount of mana to make her heavier while also creating a barrier around her so it didn't come into contact with whatever he was controlling.

 "!?" Alum's eyes opened wide. "…how?"

 "Magic is pretty flexible, don't you think?" Miu replied while panting—his abilities as an esper were clearly more than what she'd expected, but it didn't mean she was defenceless against them. Abruptly and unexpectedly—it didn't escalate further as the pressure was completely gone.

 She noticed a change in Alum—instead of a surprised look at why his abilities weren't working on her as he'd thought, it was replaced with bewilderment.

 "Miu?" he inquired while looking around.

 "…Alum?"

 "Sorry, did I attack you? I did…didn't I?" Alum apologised with a troubled expression.

 "Oh…you're back…"

 "….."

 "Hey…could it be that… the science in our world was more complex than I thought?"

 Alum avoided her curious gaze and let out a sigh. "Well…yes."

 "I see…and you're an esper?"

 "Well…"

 "You are?"

 "I am…"

 Miu's divine blade disbursed into light, new legs wobbled a little, and before she fell down on her knees, Alum caught her.

 "You know… Ame told us she worried you were hiding something big from her…but…wow…it really was something massive instead, huh?"

 "Sorry…"

 "Don't apologise…it's just a little difficult to take in…well, now that I've heard it from your normal self anyways…hey…do you think I look like 'Lady?'"

 "Pff… No, not at all."

 "Hey! You just laughed! That's so mean!" Miu protested as she stood up and put some distance between them. "So you do remember!"

 "A little vaguely…" Alum scratched his cheek.

 Miu covered her face, which was increasingly red and hot. "Ahh! I wanna bury myself!" she cried as she ran out of the room.

 (Well… I was going to tell Ame sooner or later; I…didn't think Miu would be the first one to find out…still, I didn't think I could regress that far… I must've really exhausted my mental resistance toward the strain… anyhow, regression lasted much longer than last time…)

 Alum threw himself onto the bed. 'Ah…what do I do?' he hushed under his breath. 'I embraced a girl other than Ame, and it made my heart skip—it's just a physical response…I'm just confused, right?'

 (I could understand if it was in my amnesiac state, but when I caught Miu just then…it was the same feeling in my chest as the first time Ame and I met in the park… Well, it shouldn't matter. I won't act on it.)

 But even so, it was the first time he'd felt happy about a girl liking him other than Amethely despite the declaration in his heart—he couldn't help but feel guilty.

 "I want to bury myself too…"