*Keiko’s POV*
The next day, I went to work as usual, trying to push aside the absurd suspicion lingering in my mind. Ryuko and Ryusei… they can’t be the same person. That’s impossible.
And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling.
I buried myself in my tasks, refusing to dwell on it. That was until Ryuko handed me her ID card to finalize her documents.
I froze.
21st May.
The same birthday as Ryusei.
I quickly schooled my expression, forcing myself to act normal as I handed the card back. It was just a coincidence. It had to be. But my fingers tingled with unease.
I glanced at her. She seemed normal—calm, maybe a little tense, but not… suspicious. Or was she?
That day, I started paying closer attention to Ryuko. And the more I observed, the more I noticed something strange. She was acting… different toward me.
Was she trying to get closer?
At first, I thought I was imagining it. Maybe she was just being friendly. But then… her words, her gestures—they felt too familiar. Almost like she was flirting with me.
I wasn’t good at dealing with things like this. I wasn’t good at dealing with people in general. So I did what I always did when I was uncertain—I analyzed.
I invited her out, keeping the outings casual. If she thought I was interested in her, that was fine. What I really wanted was to observe her.
I brought up Ryusei in conversation—little things, nothing too obvious. Small details, old habits, memories.
She never asked much about him. In fact, she seemed... uneasy whenever I mentioned him.
Then, the real test.
I wished her a happy birthday.
She never told me when it was, so her reaction should have been mild surprise at most. Instead, she froze.
A flicker of something—shock? Panic?—crossed her face before she forced a smile.
That hesitation confirmed it.
But I still didn’t have answers.
And then, by sheer coincidence, I saw her drunk on her birthday.
A young girl, drinking alone? It felt… strange. Wrong.
And yet, familiar.
I remembered Ryusei doing the same thing—drowning himself in alcohol when things got too heavy, when he couldn't express what he truly felt.
Was Ryuko the same?
I was overthinking. I had to be. But then…
She confessed.
"I love you."
I just stared at her.
What?
My mind blanked. I didn’t plan for this. Didn’t expect this. Didn’t understand this.
Love? Why? How?
It didn’t make sense.
If Ryuko really was Ryusei… why wouldn’t he just tell me?
Too many questions. But no answers.
---
That night, after dinner, I decided to ask Rin’s opinion. I wasn’t sure why—I knew she’d think I was crazy—but I wanted to hear what she thought.
I sat down on the couch beside her. “Rin, I need to talk to you about something.”
She looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
I hesitated, then said, "I have a theory."
Rin’s brow furrowed. "About what?"
I exhaled slowly. "Ryuko."
She stared at me for a second. "What about her?"
I struggled to find the right words. "She… reminds me of your father."
Rin blinked. Then she scoffed. "Wait. Are you saying—?"
"I know how it sounds," I cut in before she could finish. "It’s ridiculous. Impossible. But… there are too many similarities. The way she talks, her mannerisms… And her birthday—it's the same as his. She even appeared on the CCTV footage after your dad disappeared."
Rin leaned back, arms crossed. "Mom. That’s insane."
"I know."
She shook her head. "Besides, Ryuko’s way better than Dad."
I frowned. "You don’t know her that well."
"Still." She huffed. "There’s no way something like that could happen."
I sighed, rubbing my temple. "That’s what I keep telling myself."
Rin was quiet for a moment. Then, she gave me a sharp look. "Do you miss Dad that much?"
I hesitated. "...Maybe."
Rin groaned. "Ugh, you always give vague answers when it comes to Dad. It’s frustrating."
I glanced away. "I don’t mean to."
She sighed. "Look, I’m not the best person to talk about this stuff, but… you and Dad? You guys had terrible communication. Like, horrible. You were never honest with each other."
I fell silent.
She wasn’t wrong.
We always had natural boundaries between us, instinctively holding back from each other. Or… maybe that was just me?
"...Thank you, Rin."
She shrugged. "If you’re that curious, just ask her."
"...Maybe I'll try."
A pause. Then, in a quieter voice, she asked, "Mom... do you… somehow wish that Ryuko was Dad?"
"Actually, I don't know how to feel about that, but..." I stared at my hands for a long moment. "...I think at least I’d be relieved to know he was still alive."
Rin groaned. "That’s such a you answer."
I gave a small smile. "I know."