Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 7 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 4===

On the second floor of the Mononobe home, my room was adjacent to Mitsuki's.

There was a lot of shounen manga on the bookshelves. A satchel with back straps was still hanging on an elementary schooler's desk. The school calendar on the desk still showed March from three years ago. It looked like NIFL had taken me before my elementary school graduation. I felt like I was recalling someone else's memories.

To me, having lost all memories beyond three years ago, this room felt like it belonged to someone else.

I apparently liked soccer at the time. The posters on the walls were all soccer players.

Resting against the futon, I looked at the posters, sighing deeply.

I was not simply sighing due to the loss of my memories. I also felt extremely exhausted because of the long lecture Mitsuki delivered after the bathroom crisis.

Moreover, Iris had witnessed the scene. Judging from how she screamed and ran away, tonight's conversation might be very difficult.

Iris was in Mitsuki's room while our rooms were adjacent and very close together. However, after that lecturing, I really did not have the courage to visit Mitsuki's room again.

Unable to calm my feelings, I stood up and walked to the window. Pulling the curtains open, I could see a bit of light in the opposite house.

Over there was where Mitsuki lived before becoming my sister. It was currently Ariella and Ren's bedroom. The light I could currently see was probably used for illumination.

—At this distance, it was definitely possible to converse with the windows opened.

As soon as I thought about how Mitsuki and I used to have happy conversations like this, my heart began to ache intensely.

At this moment, the room's sliding door shook then came slightly ajar.

"Mononobe... Can I come in?"

I could see Iris' face from the gap in the door.

I walked over in surprise and opened the door. Dressed in a negligee, Iris fidgeted shyly. She looked like she was still bothered by what had happened in the bathroom.

"You came, Iris. But...  won't Mitsuki get mad?"

To prevent us from violating public morals in the house, Mitsuki had warned ahead of time. If she discovered Iris came to my room, Mitsuki would probably get angry again.

However, Iris smiled wryly without panicking.

"Don't worry, Mitsuki-chan tired herself out scolding all of you. She is already asleep."

"Really... Then let's talk now."

Feeling guilty for exhausting Mitsuki, I invited Iris into the room.

"Wow... It's like a kid's bedroom."

Iris looked around in interest then sat down on the futon.

"I actually was a kid when I lived here. By the way, why are you sitting there?"

"Eh, I can't?"

Iris tilted her head in puzzlement. Dressed in a negligee, sitting on the futon, there seemed to be an element of seduction. However, Iris had no self-awareness of that sort.

"It's not that you can't... Whatever, let's proceed."

I calmed down and faced Iris who was sitting on the futon.

"Is this a very important topic?"

Iris confirmed with a serious look on her face.

"Yes."

I nodded and took a deep breath. Although it was decided abruptly, I already prepared myself. Although it was very troubling, I already fully understood the existence of "myself."

"Actually, Tia told me, she'll return my memories to me."

"Eh...?"

Iris was stunned for a moment then spoke in surprise:

"S-So you're saying Tia-chan can return your memories to the way they were, Mononobe!?"

"Wait, not so loud."

I frantically covered Iris' lips. I carefully observed the presence next door. It looked like the noise had not woken Mitsuki.

"S-Sorry. But... That's wonderful, Mononobe. That's truly wonderful..."

Large teardrops fell from Iris' eyes while she gave me her blessing in a trembling voice.

It looked like in her consideration for me, she had not realized she might lose her "number one" position in my heart.

Thus, even if I told her what troubled me, she would surely ask me to retrieve my memories.

Through just now, I had already confirmed this fact.

Hence, I needed to steel my own determination even more.

"Thank you for being happy for me, Iris. But to be frank, I'm very afraid."

"Afraid?"

"How my current self will change, how my feelings for you, Iris, will change... I might get overwritten by my past self, it makes me very afraid."

Iris was instantly stunned by what I said.

"That's true... I know how you feel, Mononobe. Still... But—"

Iris placed her hand on her chest and looked at me with a pained expression.

"—I know. Even so, I must retrieve my memories."

"Mm-hmm... I think that's best. Because you look like you've been suffering the whole time, Mononobe... Poor Mitsuki-chan, kept in the dark all along."

For the second time, Iris showed relief for others without being concerned for herself.

"It's not an issue between Mitsuki and me. In my current state, I can't face you, Iris... So, I have to move forward and retrieve my past self."

Iris had always worried about Mitsuki. Influenced by the real "Mononobe Yuu," I also felt guilty, unable to grow closer with Iris. Due to this indecisive state, I could only maintain a relationship of ambiguous affection with Tia and the others.

As a result, no one was going to obtain happiness if the status quo continued.

"Mononobe..."

"I will definitely become different from my current self—Neither will I forget anything, including you, Iris... I won't forget my current feelings for you."

"Yeah..."

Iris brushed the corner of her eye with a finger then replied in a sobbing voice.

"Hey Mononobe, will you promise me a willful request, just one?"

"What is it?"

Enduring the pain in my heart, I asked. No matter what it was, I would do everything I could to actualize it.

"In the end... I'd like to have a date with the current Mononobe, just the two of us."

Smiling tearfully, Iris told me her wish.

"It's a promise."

I instantly replied. Iris smiled happily.

"Thank you. It's already late tonight, so how about tomorrow morning?"

"No problem."

"Then let's wake up earlier tomorrow morning."

Saying that, Iris stood up then left my room lightly.

Leaving only traces of tears...