Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 28: Daydream
“Hey, Nina-chan. What’s wrong?”
“…Huh?”
With Itsuki holding my hand, I suddenly snapped back to my senses.
“I found you, Nina-chan. Where did you go?”
“Where…?”
Upon hearing Itsuki’s question, I started to think.
First of all, where am I?
Thinking that, I looked around and found myself in an amusement park.
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A massive roller coaster circling the park.
Children smaller than me walking around with balloons.
The sweet scent wafting from somewhere made me realize I was hungry…
“Nina-chan, you suddenly disappeared, and I got worried.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Feeling sad for worrying Itsuki, I apologized without thinking. The sunlight suddenly became stronger, and I squinted my eyes.
“Why did you disappear?”
“I disappeared… No, Itsuki, you see…”
I squeezed Itsuki’s hand and asked.
Why did I… No, why are we here?
Because, just a moment ago, we were…
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“Itsuki, what about school?”
“School? Nina-chan, today is Sunday.”
“Sunday…”
When Itsuki said that, it somehow felt right.
Yeah, that’s right. I was mistaken.
Today is indeed Sunday.
So, I must have come to play with Itsuki.
“What about Mom?”
“Isn’t Irena-san at work? She said she’d come later. Edmund-san said so.”
“Huh?”
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“Yeah? Remember, you told me E-D-M-U-N-D-san said Irina-san would be coming later.”
Itsuki tilted his head, as if he were saying, “What are you talking about?” I also felt the urge to tilt my head. I’ve heard that name somewhere before, but for some reason, I couldn’t recall it.
It felt like it was right at the tip of my tongue, yet it wouldn’t come out, like it was sealed in my mind.
Why was that?
I shouldn’t forget that name, no matter what.
As I pondered this, Itsuki tugged at my hand.
“Shall we go, Nina-chan? Edmund-san is waiting.”
“Y-Yeah, you’re right.”
Hearing that name made me feel strange.
I didn’t know who it was, but it felt familiar. It squeezed my chest tightly, making me want to cry.
It felt like something was slipping away from inside me.
Like trying to pick up a treasure that had fallen in the sand, scooping and scooping but not being able to catch it.
Why did I forget it?
A tall man suddenly appeared, petting Itsuki’s head affectionately.
“Itsuki, thanks for finding Nina.”
“No problem. It was quick.”
As soon as I heard his voices, I froze.
A towering figure. A big, dad-like physique like Itsuki’s dad.
And eyes just like mine. No, they weren’t. It wasn’t like they were just like mine.
I was the one who was just like…
“Daddy!”
Without thinking, I ran.
Why did I forget like that? Why did I forget?
But as soon as I saw his face, I knew.
I remembered immediately.
What’s he doing there…? It’s Dad!
———————-
“…Huh?”
When I woke up, I was in my own room.
Nina-chan and Aya-chan were in the room, and there were playing cards in front of me.
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…Playing cards?
I couldn’t help but question the scene before my eyes. But then, Nina-chan poked me.
“It’s your turn next, Itsuki. Play your cards.”
“Huh, o-okay.”
Upon being reminded, I noticed that there were playing cards in my hand too.
Since there were duplicates, and from the cards discarded on the table, it seemed like we were playing Dai Fugō (a Japanese card game).
I don’t really understand, but since there was a “6” on the table, I’ll play a “9.”
Then, Ayachan immediately played a “J,” and Nina-chan mumbled, “Eleven-back, huh…” It really feels like we’re playing a high-stakes card game.
But why were the three of us playing Dai Fugō in my room…?
The scene was too unreal, and I couldn’t help but ask Nina-chan.
“Hey, weren’t we just at school until a moment ago?”
“Until a moment ago…? Yes, we were at school until an hour ago.”
She answered while cutting the cards.
I checked the time on the clock. It was 4:45 PM. It was indeed after school, so it wouldn’t be strange if we had been at school until an hour ago.
It wouldn’t be strange, but…
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“Why are we playing cards?”
“What do you mean? Itsuki you said said you wanted to play.”
“Huh? Did I say that?”
Wait, did I actually say I wanted to play cards??
…I don’t remember saying that.
But maybe that’s it. Nina-chan and Aya-chan were fighting earlier, so I suggested playing cards to get along.
…No, I don’t recall that memory.
So I remained silent, unable to explain myself, and asked the two of them.
“Since both Aya-chan and Nina-chan are here, shouldn’t we practice magic?”
However, my question left Nina-chan and Aya-chan looking bewildered. It was as if I had said something incomprehensible.
Did I say something weird…? I thought to myself, and then Nina-chan tilted her head and asked.
“Magic…? What kind of magic are you talking about?”
“Huh… You know, the magic that uses shadows. We practiced it together, didn’t we?”
“Shadows? Magic? Are you talking about something from a manga?”
…Huh?
“See, Itsuki, magic is something from imagination and fiction. It doesn’t exist in reality.”
And in the end, I was being lectured by Nina-chan.
No way, that’s not true… I thought for a moment, but when I thought about it, it did feel like magic didn’t exist.
As I was starting to regain my composure, Aya-chan suddenly spoke up.
“W-Well, I believe in it. Magic.”
“Aya, why are you lying?”
“I’m not lying! Because, you know… Santa Claus might exist too…”
“Santa Claus and magic are completely different, you know…”
Aya-chan defending me somehow lessened the blow.
No, that’s right.
Magic doesn’t exist…
As I came to my senses, I began to feel embarrassed about my earlier statement, thinking I might have said something absurd. What did I even mean by practicing magic? It made no sense.
Why did I suddenly say something like that…?
But a moment ago, I believed in it… magic…
It felt like waking up from sleep and immediately confusing a dream with reality, speaking as if what I was saying was real, but suddenly feeling embarrassed when I regained my composure.
As I tried to play my next card to cover up my blunder, Nina-chan turned around.
And there, on the other side, was a small stuffed bear.
“You think so too, right? Mr. Actor from the theater troupe.”
“Yeah! Yeah! Absolutely! There’s no such thing as magic, but Santa Claus exists!”
The stuffed bear shook its body and laughed cheerfully.