Losing my parents and being treated like an unwanted nuisance by my relatives left deep scars on my heart, even though I was still young. I became abnormally afraid of being hurt or hated by someone. I became abnormally afraid of someone leaving my side.

  In the end, I feel like I couldn't completely overcome these emotional scars until my late teens, when Alice and the others accepted me for who I was. Back then, there were very few classmates who went out of their way to talk to me, as I always had a gloomy face and looked depressed in the classroom. When they did talk to me, it was usually to tease me. Saying I looked like a girl.

  At that time, I was always alone. I remember clearly how desperately I wanted friends. But I didn't have the courage to take the first step and join the circle of people. I spent my days in boredom and loneliness.

  I was playing with the sand in the park. If I went home with dirty clothes, Uncle would hit me again and lock me in that room. So I played while thinking I had to be careful. When I got bored of that, I killed time by watching lines of ants or looking for four-leaf clovers. I never went home until the sun was just about to set.

  Because I hate that house. I don't want to see Ken's face as much as possible either. He orders me around even though I'm a year younger, and if I don't listen, he hits me to force me to obey. His body is bigger than mine, and he's stronger, so even if I say no and fight, I can't win. Besides, if something happens, both Uncle and Aunt are on Ken's side. I can't go against him.

  Eventually running out of things to do, I sat on a park bench and stared blankly at the sky. I found a cloud shaped like a person. It would be so fun if I could fly in the sky like that cloud and go anywhere I liked.

  Suddenly, I remembered a manga I read secretly. It was in Ken's room, and I hid and read it so I wouldn't get caught.

  Heroes all fly in the sky like it's natural, right?

  The excitement came back, and I stood up, wanting to imitate them. While throwing punches and kicks, I tried to sound as villainous as possible.

  "Sora sora (Come on, come on), what's wrong? Is this all your power amounts to?"

  Turning around, I struck a pose to psyche myself up. I felt like a super warrior protecting the Earth.

  "I won't lose! I am a Super Warrior!"

  "Whaaat!?"

  Then I made a shape with my hands and fired a special move.

  "Take thiiiis! Wave—!"

  "Impossible! Ugyaaaaaaa!"

  "Ouch..."

  Because I moved too much, my stomach throbbed with pain. That brought me back to reality. What am I doing all alone? Feeling dejected, I sat on the bench again. Lifting my shirt, I sighed while looking at the bruise on my stomach that had formed as expected.

  Why am I so weak?

  Just as I was thinking that, someone arrived at the entrance of the park. It was a blond big brother dressed strangely like a traveler. Is he a foreigner? The guy entered the park and slowly approached me.

  Is he coming to me? A suspicious person?

  Thinking he might be a "Suspicious Person (Fushinsha)" that my school teacher talked about, I stared at him, my heart pounding with tension. Finally coming right under my nose, the guy called out to me.

  "Hey there, little lady (Jou-chan). What are you doing alone?"

  My pounding heart was blown away in an instant by the word 'little lady'. Mistaken for a girl again!

  "I'm a boy!"

  When I said that, the guy scratched his head and smiled wryly.

  "Is that so? My bad. You're so cute, I thought for sure you were a girl."

  "Hmph."

  I look like a girl anyway. Just anyway.

  "Sorry about that. Boy."

  I turned my face away sharply. Partly because I was in a bad mood, and fundamentally because this guy was suspicious.

  "Don't ignore me."

  "School said I shouldn't answer if a stranger talks to me."

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  Then the guy grinned.

  "You're answering properly, aren't you?"

  "Ah!"

  Oh no! I was tricked!

  "That one didn't count! It didn't count, okay!"

  "Okay, okay. Besides, I'm not really a suspicious person."

  "I heard suspicious people say exactly that."

  When I pouted and retorted, the guy raised both hands as if giving up.

  "First of all, if I intended to do something, I would have done it long ago. Since no one is watching."

  Told so, I looked around and saw that there was really no one. Since I'm small, if he wanted to, he could probably do whatever he wanted. The fact that he doesn't means maybe I can relax?

  "I see. So you're not a kidnapper."

  "What do you think I am..."

  "Suspicious person."

  "That hurts."

  The guy seemed a little discouraged. But he returned to normal immediately and asked me.

  "I want to ask you something."

  "What?"

  "I was told she lived near here, but everyone I ask says they don't know, and I'm troubled."

  "Hmm. What kind of person?"

  "I'm looking for a person named Yuna Hoshimi, do you know her?"

  Hearing an unexpected name, I was surprised.

  "Eh, Mom?"

  "What!?"

  The guy was also surprised and looked me up and down intently.

  "You know Mom?"

  "Ah, right. Now that you mention it, you certainly have a resemblance... Especially your eyes are just like hers."

  Leaving me dumbfounded, the guy started getting excited alone.

  "I see! She had a kid! Haha! Even though she didn't seem like the type to get married! Dammit, I envy your dad!"

  Still looking very excited, he asked me.

  "Boy. Is your mom doing well?"

  I looked down and said.

  "She died. Both Mom and Dad."

  "Passed away!?"

  This time, the guy looked like it was the end of the world.

  "That's... impossible... That Yuna. Isn't it some mistake...?"

  "It seems she died in an accident."

  Realizing again that neither Mom nor Dad were here anymore, I became sad.

  "That Yuna who wouldn't die no matter how many times you killed her... in a mere accident... No way."

  Startled, the guy held his hand over something many times as if checking something. Then he hung his head as if everything went dark before his eyes, and muttered something I didn't understand.

  "Almost zero tolerance... What a place. With this, she couldn't have exerted any of her original power."

  Trembling his shoulders, the guy muttered very regretfully.

  "Dammit. Going and dying on her own. Even though I was looking forward to meeting her again..."

  "......"

  I understood the grieving guy's feelings painfully well. Just as she was to me, Mom must have been an important person to this guy too. Eventually, the guy who finally calmed down asked me. He still had a painful look on his face.

  "Could you guide me to your parents' grave sometime? I want to pay my respects."

  "Yeah. Okay. I think Mom in heaven will be happy too."

  Since there was no one at all besides me who came to the grave, I was happy. I had completely opened my heart to this stranger.

  "Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Lenks. Lenks Stanfield."

  "Lenks, huh. Are you a foreigner after all?"

  "Well, something like that."

  "It's the first time I've seen a foreigner. You speak our language really well."

  Even though I praised him, for some reason Lenks didn't seem happy at all.

  "I guess. What's your name?"

  "It's Yu. It's a lovely name Mom and Dad gave me hoping I'd grow up to be a kind child, so I like it very much."

  "Heeh. Yu, huh."

  Murmuring my name deeply, the guy came closer to me.

  "Up you go."

  He held my sides and easily picked me up. Buried in his chest, I felt Lenks' warmth. It was somewhat relieving, but my face also became hot.

  "It's embarrassing..."

  "It's best for kids to be honestly spoiled. You had a very lonely look on your face."

  "Ugh."

  I couldn't say he was wrong. It was true that I was lonely. But still.

  "Let me see your face closely."

  "Nn..."

  Lifted higher, I turned my face to Lenks while thinking I didn't like it a bit. His face seen up close was, how to put it, like a dependable cool big brother. Lenks was looking at me with a gentle face.

  But when he stared deep into my eyes, for some reason Lenks' face suddenly became scary.

  "You... don't tell me...!"

  Lenks hurriedly put me down. While I was wondering what was wrong, I suddenly became sleepy.

  When I realized it, I had appeared in the real world accompanied by my own girlish body.

  "Eh, I... Why."

  Strange. I was supposed to be watching from inside Yu all the time. There's no way I should be coming out to the surface.

  "Seriously... What kind of fate is this..."

  Seeing him pale-faced, I wondered if this guy did something and asked.

  "Lenks. Did you do this?"

  At the bizarre situation, I strengthened my wariness toward the man I had opened my heart to. He admitted it honestly.

  "Yeah. With my [Rebellion], I made it so that if there is an ability, it is exercised before awakening. My power is to defy what cannot be done by reason originally and make it possible."

  "Power..."

  "Right. Power like that which you possess. 'Little lady' is fine this time, right?"

  "I guess so."

  When I nodded, Lenks sighed heavily. His demeanor seemed somewhat happy, but even more so, sad.

  "I wish it hadn't worked. I never thought you were a FabL."

  "FabL? What on earth are you talking about?"

  "It's not the time to know yet. It's too early for a child like you."

  Saying something concerning and then dodging the question is terrible. I involuntarily raised my voice.

  "What do you mean!? What business do you have dragging me out?"

  I don't understand. At first I thought he was just a bit weird, but now I feel something immeasurable by common sense from this person. If he has some strange purpose, I have to protect Yu.

  "For now, my business isn't with you. The one I need to talk to is the person who is probably deeper inside you."

  "Eh!?"

  Words that made me doubt my ears. Are you saying there's something else besides me?

  "Can you do it...?"

  Just as I tried to question the meaning of his words, I also lost consciousness.

  The girl had the appearance of the girl Yu, but the atmosphere she exuded was like that of a calm adult.

  "You figured out I was here well. Lenks."

  "Just a guess. Despite looks, I have plenty of life experience."

  "As expected. Not bad~."

  The spirited girl crossed her arms with a fearless smile.

  "Quite a bizarre reunion, I suppose."

  To her saying so, Lenks showed the brightest smile of the day.

  "Really. Anyway, I'm glad to see you, Yuna. No, to be precise—something like information about Yuna possessed by Yu taking form, huh?"

  The girl called Yuna smiled quietly with her arms still crossed.