"Regarding the Happiness Cult, the police have announced that the sect hierarch, Tanaka Taio, died in a car accident. The suspect had hit a male high school student with a car two days before and died on the spot when broken windshield glass pierced his throat. The victim is now actively receiving treatment at the hospital."
"In another piece of news still on the Happiness Cult, after the death of the sect hierarch, Tanaka Taio, another high-ranking fugitive of the sect was found last night, hanging from a tree near the police station. The police have ruled out foul play, considering suicide very likely."
The TV screen showed footage of the police collecting the body and even briefly revealed the face of the deceased, a bucktoothed man with a bruised and bloated face, which was distressing to see. Kagura Hikaru decisively changed the channel.
That’s the intriguing part about television.
One moment you might see someone else’s death, the next moment you might be watching "Cardcaptor Sakura."
Listening to Dan XiaYing, now a veteran voice actress, vaguely voicing a grade-school girl on TV, Kagura Hikaru felt the purest form of joy.
Taking advantage of being alone, he turned up the volume a few notches with the remote and sat on the hospital bed watching anime meant for younger girls, which wasn’t exactly suitable for a middle schooler.
No, according to others, he was supposed to be a high school student now.
Even though Kagura Hikaru himself was quite perplexed about it.
However, having gone through something as drastic as reincarnation, a mere case of amnesia wasn’t too hard to accept.
But just as he had watched for a few minutes, a nurse walked in and told him he should rest and recuperate, then turned off the TV and made him lie down to sleep.
Kagura Hikaru agreed outwardly, but as soon as the nurse left, he climbed out of bed to reach for the remote on the cabinet.
What’s the point of sleeping so early in the morning? He wanted to watch little girl cartoons!
Grabbing the remote, he turned the TV back on, and Sakura had already transformed into a magical girl and started fighting.
"Big brother, you’re not being obedient; the nurse told you to rest."
A little girl in a red dress, standing with her hands behind her back and smiling at Kagura Hikaru, had appeared in the room at some unknown time.
This was of course Komori Ai.
In fact, she had been here from the start but had used her ability to erase her presence so that no one but Kagura Hikaru could see her; though, the latter pretended not to notice throughout.
True to her role as a hero, her acting was exceptional!
Komori Ai hopped and skipped to the foot of the bed and playfully started tickling Kagura Hikaru’s feet. Noticing no reaction, she tickled even harder.
But Kagura Hikaru just kept his eyes glued to the cartoon.
She got a bit upset and wrinkled her nose, "Big brother isn’t paying attention to me, that’s so mean!"
Komori Ai punched Kagura Hikaru’s knees hard, making a ’thump’ sound on the blanket.
No reaction.
"Big brother? Big brother? Big big big big big brother!!"
Even when she shouted right next to Kagura Hikaru’s ear, he didn’t stir and continued to look up at the TV.
Komori Ai climbed onto the bed and straddled Kagura Hikaru, swaying her head from side to side in front of his eyes.
Yet, he remained indifferent.
Could it be... Kagura Hikaru can’t see me anymore?
Komori Ai gradually realized this was the case.
"Impossible, your eyes..." Komori Ai, touching Kagura Hikaru’s face, showed a worried expression for the first time.
He was the first person who could see her without any tricks, truly seeing through the lies.
Of all people, he was the most special.
But why now...
Komori Ai’s eyes brightened; she had an idea.
Right.
If he couldn’t see her when she used her powers, then not using them should work.
She let go of the lie, and to Kagura Hikaru, she appeared instantly in front of him like a ghost.
He couldn’t help but scream, "Ah!!"
"Ahh!!"
Not expecting him to shout back even louder, she then giggled and hugged his neck, "Big brother, you won’t get well if you don’t rest properly."
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"Eh? Eh?? Who are you? Where did you pop out from!?"
"...?"
Komori Ai tilted her head in confusion.
At that moment, footsteps approached from outside the room; it was probably the nurse coming to check upon hearing the noise.
The hospital room door had just opened when Komori Ai’s figure disappeared into the air, leaving no trace.
"Mr. Kagura, I told you that you need to rest, why are you still watching TV?"
"I just saw someone, she appeared and then vanished!"
"What are you talking about, there’s no one else here."
A perplexed Kagura Hikaru hastily asked the nurse to call the doctor.
Afterward, ’hallucination’ was added to his medical record, in addition to selective amnesia and delusional disorder.
After that, Kagura Hikaru never saw that little girl again.
He stayed in the hospital for a week.
During that time, in addition to Ayakoji Chiyoko and Kohinata Motoyo, some other classmates he did not recognize visited, as well as a police inspector.
The man introduced himself as ’Yamazaki Kouki,’ and from him, Kagura Hikaru learned the real reason for his hospitalization.
It seemed that, before his amnesia, he had been a very righteous person who, at the request of the police, had gone undercover in a cult and even rescued a girl who was imprisoned there, a Shrine Maiden of the cult.
However, when it came to the name of the Shrine Maiden and her current situation, for some reason, both of them hesitated and unconsciously skipped over the topic.
Regardless, it seemed that it was because of that undercover incident that he had been retaliated against and run over by the Sect Hierarch of the cult, landing him in the hospital.
Considering that the perpetrator was in a slightly worse condition than him, having already descended to hell, Kagura Hikaru let go of his anger.
A week later, he finally was discharged from the hospital, albeit with a less-than-attractive bandaged head.
Currently, he was clearly not in a condition to attend school, neither physically nor mentally, and could only rest at home.
Even if he could go, Kagura Hikaru wouldn’t. He certainly didn’t want to use a middle schooler’s mind to attend high school classes; just thinking about it was torture.
Staying at home was great; he could play games happily every day.
His memory still lingered in the period when he was a second-year middle school student, while reality had already advanced more than two years, during which many new games, series, and movies had been released for him to choose from.
Although knowing about his father’s remarriage was a blow, his stepmother was a kind person, completely leaving him alone.
So, now he was super happy every day, not having to go to school and playing all day without anyone nagging - incredibly thrilling, Wuhu~!
Knock knock.
The door sounded twice, then Ayakoji Chiyoko entered carrying beverages and snacks.
"I’m here again, did I disturb you?" she asked, smiling as she walked into the room. Continue your saga on freewebnovel
Kagura Hikaru turned and saw his girlfriend, also breaking into a smile, "How could you."
During the home convalescence, Chiyoko visited every day after school.
Despite her stubborn denial, it was clear she just wanted to be close to him.
Needless to say, so did Kagura Hikaru.
"Watching a movie?"
"Yeah, come join."
Kagura Hikaru patted the floor, signaling Ayakoji Chiyoko to sit beside him. Once she did, he naturally took her hand.
Ayakoji Chiyoko picked up the beverage and placed the straw to his lips, simultaneously handing him his medication for the day.
Kagura Hikaru took a sip of soda mixed with the pill and swallowed, Ayakoji Chiyoko took the beverage from him and naturally took a sip herself.
From the beginning, she had brought only one cup.
She set the beverage aside, watching her boyfriend’s profile with a content smile.
"Eh, what are you doing..." Kagura Hikaru shyly averted his face.
"Nothing, I’m just enjoying the moment," Ayakoji Chiyoko said with a smile.
"Oh..."
Kagura Hikaru did not know what was on his girlfriend’s mind, as he couldn’t read minds.
But without a doubt, at this moment, they were in perfect harmony; there was nothing happier than that.
Kagura Hikaru quietly watched the movie with her, their hands naturally intertwined, fingers interlocked.
He too, was enjoying the moment.
If only it could always be like this.
Being with the person he loved, doing what he enjoyed, without a worry or a mundane care in the world.
This, perhaps, was what they call happiness.