“If Rae were on the guessing side, she’d be able to point out Claire even with a blindfold on, through smell or something,” Lene said. “We need to make this fair, so why not have everyone in their birthday suits?”
“I see,” Dorothea mused.
“Lene?!” I exclaimed.
“Be quiet, Rae. I’m on the verge of discovering a new idea that’ll shake up the market!”
What in the world are you talking about?! I wanted to scream. What was going on? Gathered here were some of the greatest people in the world and each and every one of them was acting right batty. Something was off here. Something was very off here…
And yet something about it all was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful, enough to bring a tear to my eye.
Riche and Yu weren’t estranged, and Riche had even accepted Misha; Dorothea was alive and close to Philine; Lilly and my other self had found their own path to happiness; and most importantly, everyone had a smile on their face.
“A day like this wouldn’t have been so bad,” I whispered. I didn’t regret the path I’d taken. I couldn’t say all the choices I’d made were right, but I had always given everything my best. But perhaps this day could’ve come if I had done some things differently, as far-fetched as the thought might be.
“Your stubbornness never fails to surprise me, Rae Taylor.”
Before I knew it, my surroundings had lost their color and frozen, leaving only me and one other person moving.
“So this was your work after all, TAIM,” I said.
Before me was TAIM’s fairy-like digital interface. She looked even more otherworldly than usual, perhaps because our surroundings were frozen.
“What are you plotting this time?” I asked.
“Why must I be a villain? I’m doing all this out of sheer benevolence. This is just me providing you with some rest and relaxation, if you will.”
“You haven’t exactly set a good precedent for yourself. And what do you mean by relaxation?”
“Claire François’s been busy lately because of the debate over what to do with the Loop System, has she not?”
“She has. I haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with her lately, actually, so it’s kinda troubling.”
My previously fuzzy thoughts and memories were clear again. Originally, Claire and I had undone TAIM’s plans and returned home, spending our days dealing with the mess left behind. Claire was often out day after day debating what to do with the Loop System with Thane, Dole, and the leaders from other countries.
“Claire François is troubled for the same reasons,” TAIM said. “As she is the current administrator, I can’t risk her falling unwell.”
“That’s why you’re doing all this? To give her a chance to relax?”
“Yes.”
So this was all a dream to relieve Claire’s stress.
“But aren’t you forgetting the most important thing for that?” I asked.
“You mean Melia François?”
“Yeah. Wouldn’t a dream with her be best for Claire?”
“Perhaps, but it’s not so simple.”
“What do you mean?”
“In the quantum world, Claire François made a promise with Melia François to meet again in the next life.”
“Right, I remember.”
“So would meeting Melia François before their promised time be of any comfort to Claire François?”
“No. No, I suppose it wouldn’t.”
“Indeed. You know exactly what kind of person she is.”
“Yeah. She’s just as strict with herself as she is with others.” That was Claire for you.
“Yes. But in spite of that restriction, I tried to make this as perfect a dream as I possibly could. What did you think?” TAIM asked.
“What did I think? Where do I even start?” I asked, greatly troubled. “I’m pretty sure if Claire were in my shoes, she’d figure out this was a dream pretty quick.”
“Is that so? Figures,” TAIM said, seeming to already have had such an inkling.
Death weighed on people. Even someone as lackadaisical as me had figured something was up, so there was no way someone as serious as Claire wouldn’t. In fact, she would probably figure out she was dreaming the moment she saw Riche or Dorothea.
“The truth is, I’m showing Claire François this same dream right now,” TAIM said.
“Huh? Like, now now?” I asked.
“Yes.”
It had kind of been glossed over, but that meant this was a dream. Dang, what a vivid one.
“So, what was Claire’s reaction?” I asked.
“Please confirm that for me yourself. You both will be rousing soon.”
“Wha—hey! You can’t just do what you want to someone and toss them aside!”
“Please and thank you, Rae Taylor.”
“TAIM! You…good-for-nothing AI!”
I woke up to the sound of my own voice. I was in my bed in my own home. Beside me was my beloved. She had a troubled look on her face, which told me that she probably wasn’t enjoying her dream.
Slowly, her eyelids flit open. “Nngh…”
“Good morning, Miss Claire.”
“Good morning, Rae… I had the strangest dream just now.”
“Really? What kind of dream was it?” I asked. I already knew full well what her dream had been, but I wanted her impressions.
Still half asleep, she drowsily mumbled. “It was a…peaceful dream. One where all the people you want to see appear, smiling…”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“That’s…a difficult question. It reminded me of how there are some painful memories you don’t want to forget, you know?”
“Yeah.” The kind of painful memories that made you who you were today. For me, those were my memories with Misaki, Kosaki, and Shiko. My heart ached to remember them, but I wouldn’t have wished to forget them for the world.
Hearing her answer, I was fully convinced that TAIM’s plan had failed. But then I heard Claire’s next words.
“But…it wasn’t unpleasant.”
“Miss Claire…”
“Rae, my beloved Rae… You’re not a dream, right? You won’t disappear like a phantom before my eyes?”
“Of course not.”
“Then hold me tight. Prove to me you’re here right now.”
“Of course.” I hugged Claire as tightly as I possibly could. I prayed she could continue to stand proud forever and that I’d be there to support her vulnerable self for just as long.
“Rae.”
“Yes, Miss Claire?”
“I forbid you from using ‘Miss.’”
“Yes, Claire?”
“I’ll become happier than any dream could make me. Will you be happy with me?”
“Of course.”
“Heh heh, thank you.”
We shared a kiss. The bond we shared was sweeter than any dream and truer than any reality. The words of love we exchanged weren’t to indulge in any fantasy but to ground ourselves in the moment in which we lived.
“I love you, Claire.”
“And I, you, Rae.”
And so, as we had for many days and would for many more, we began a brand-new day.