Chapter 135: A Deep Talk With Ai
Hoshihara Ai said this while staring intently into Sakamoto Ken’s eyes.
Hearing Hoshihara Ai suddenly mention time in reality, Sakamoto Ken’s eyes showed undisguised surprise.
Hoshihara Ai stared straight at him for a few seconds, then smiled and said, “I got it right, didn’t I? Actually, this place now isn’t an ordinary dream, but a scene we both entered together from the ‘future’ that we experienced together.”
“As for you, you’re not Sakamoto Ken from the ‘future,’ but Sakamoto Ken from March 31, 2015, the present one.”
“It’s just that you remember me, remember the things that happened between us, so…”
“I can see you as… that Sakamoto Ken from the time in the future when we were together.”
After saying this, Hoshihara Ai crossed her arms and looked at Sakamoto Ken with burning eyes.
Actually, although Sakamoto Ken had experienced two such “dreams,” he had never thought about it in this way.
Before, he really thought what he experienced was just a dream, only this dream was overly realistic.
Sakamoto Ken said somewhat uncertainly, “No way, Ai, what are you talking about? We’re just vacationing in Shonan…”
“Okay, okay.” Hoshihara Ai waved her hand with a smile and said, “Sakamoto Ken Sensei, who created 《Chainsaw Man》 and 《Sudden Retrospective》, this might be a bit beyond your imagination, but that’s the fact.”
Sakamoto Ken directly shut his mouth.
No matter what, Hoshihara Ai from the previous life couldn’t possibly say that he drew these two manga.
Hoshihara Ai stood up directly and walked into the wooden cabin nearby.
As Sakamoto Ken was about to follow in, he saw her come out with a new glass cup, with an ice cube in the cup.
Hoshihara Ai placed the cup on the table, picked up the wine bottle and poured in the liquor, then pushed it toward Sakamoto Ken.
“Since we’ve met again in this form, let’s have a good chat.” Hoshihara Ai said.
“So you remember the last incident too.” Sakamoto Ken said.
Hoshihara Ai chuckled lightly and said, “I miss it. A Jian, it feels like in this kind of… ‘dream,’ you’re much more robust than in reality.”
“Ha…” Sakamoto Ken tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, “Mainly because I thought it was a lucid dream at the time, so I had no reservations. If it were reality, I’d definitely hold back a bit.”
“Is that so? Well, we’re in this kind of ‘dream’ right now too.”
As Hoshihara Ai spoke, Sakamoto Ken already felt this girl making small moves.
She extended her leg forward, first lightly stepping on Sakamoto Ken’s instep, then sliding up along his calf.
However, Sakamoto Ken grabbed this girl’s ankle.
“Stop, I see a lot of sand on your foot.” Sakamoto Ken said.
“I told you this isn’t reality.” Hoshihara Ai tried to continue.
Sakamoto Ken still refused: “Even if it’s not reality, I don’t want sand getting in my eyes.”
“Pfft…” Hoshihara Ai covered her mouth and laughed out loud. She still put her foot down and looked at the boy sitting opposite with a beaming smile, saying, “Do you remember what the flower language of steel wool is?”
“…” Sakamoto Ken fell silent.
“Don’t be like that. At the time, I just took out the steel wool; I didn’t really use it.” Hoshihara Ai said.
“You really do remember everything.” Sakamoto Ken said.
Hoshihara Ai nodded and said, “I remember everything about being with you.”
At this point, Sakamoto Ken also sat up straight, asking very seriously in tone, “Ai, can you tell me in detail about the ‘future’ memories?”
Hoshihara Ai picked up the wine glass and took a light sip, saying, “Actually, there’s nothing special. It was just over a month ago, to be precise, February 11, when I had a very long dream…”
Hoshihara Ai spoke very slowly.
Previously, Sakamoto Ken had only guessed some things about them from bits and pieces from Natsume Mio and Mikazuki Haruna. Clearly, those two hadn’t thought as deeply as Hoshihara Ai and really believed it was just a particularly realistic dream about the future.
As Hoshihara Ai spoke, she suddenly paused, thought for a moment, and said, “Come to think of it, your two manga were a bit unexpected too.”
“Do you remember what manga the future me drew?” Sakamoto Ken asked.
“A very boring beautiful girl manga, 《Young Lady, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose!》. The name is this, right?” Hoshihara Ai said. “When I first saw this name on JUMP+, I thought it was your work, but I didn’t expect it to be by another author.”
Sakamoto Ken stared into Hoshihara Ai’s eyes, especially when she mentioned “another author”—there wasn’t really any extra fluctuation in her gaze.
Since Hoshihara Ai knew the author wasn’t him, she must have investigated, even seen Mikazuki Haruna’s photo, since she had participated in two live broadcasts and was easy to search for.
But Hoshihara Ai still spoke in a tone as if treating her like a stranger.
After Hoshihara Ai finished telling from the beginning, she described their meeting, then their increasingly deep understanding later on, before suddenly changing the subject and asking, “Let me ask you, did you date three women at the same time, get killed by us together, and then at the moment of death, your consciousness returned to 2015?”
Sakamoto Ken kept a slight smile and first asked a question: “Ai, do you only remember everything about me?”
“Mm-hmm.” Hoshihara Ai shrugged and said, “As I said earlier, memories related to you are clearer; the farther from you, the fuzzier they are.”
“But why do you say I dated three women at the same time and got killed by you all?” Sakamoto Ken said.
“You really dated three women?” Hoshihara Ai stared tightly at Sakamoto Ken and questioned.
“Ha…” Sakamoto Ken was about to deny it instinctively, but after a slight thought, he nodded directly and admitted, “To be honest, in the future, or previous life, or previous round—anyway, that me might really have been a scumbag.”
“And now?” Hoshihara Ai asked.
“I’m still friends with them.” Sakamoto Ken kept smiling and said.
“Friends?” Hoshihara Ai pondered the word and asked, “You’ve already met them?”
“Of course, we met long ago.” Sakamoto Ken told the truth.
“Just ‘friends’?”
“Mm…”
“What about me then?”
“With Ai…” Sakamoto Ken pondered for two seconds and said, “We haven’t met in reality yet.”
“So I’m the last one?” Hoshihara Ai raised an eyebrow and said.
“Actually, back then too, Ai was the last one…”
“Heh, you’re pretty honest. So, what are those two’s names?” Hoshihara Ai asked.
“You should know them, since you all killed me together.”
“I told you, besides you, I don’t remember the faces of others.”
“Then their names aren’t important…” Sakamoto Ken said.
“Not saying? You still want to date three at the same time?” Hoshihara Ai pressed.
Sakamoto Ken gently shook his head and said, “It won’t be the same as last time.”
“You mean you won’t be a scumbag like last time, or you won’t get killed by us like last time?” Hoshihara Ai asked.
“Both, I guess…”
“I think you just want to be a scumbag!”
“Hiss—?!” Sakamoto Ken jolted, trying to move back, but he was already pinned down. “I told you there’s sand on your foot!”
“This isn’t reality; I don’t care!”
“Hey hey?!”
Today’s 4 chapters together are nearly 10,000 words!
Last few days, begging for monthly tickets~~
