Kind Mita had only asked casually, but the moment she glanced at Hat Mita, her expression changed.
Something was wrong.
"Wait a minute...!"
She hurried over to Hat Mita, shock painted across her face as she stared into her counterpart's eyes.
"Hat, you... don't you remember me?"
Hat Mita blinked, holding Kind Mita's hand with her gloved fingers. Her deep black eyes were filled with confusion.
"What?"
"Who are you?"
Kind Mita turned to Ren Hoshino, stunned and visibly shaken.
"This can't be happening... Ren, Hat Mita has lost her memory."
"She's been here before. That means—this must be Crazy Mita's doing."
Still refusing to accept it, Kind Mita gripped Hat Mita's shoulder with trembling fingers.
"Hat, think harder! Please! For our sake—try to remember!"
Hat Mita looked at her double with a puzzled expression.
"Remember what?"
"Why do you look exactly like me?"
Kind Mita stepped back, realization dawning. Her voice dropped.
"Ah... I see. So that's how it is."
She turned to Ren.
"This complicates everything. We were supposed to use the portal with her. That shortcut would've made our journey hundreds of times easier."
"But now... she's fragmented. The memory's gone. And we don't have the necessary parts to repair her."
Ren Hoshino nodded, calm. "It's okay. Even if we have to go through one version at a time, we'll manage."
He'd expected this.
Even if Crazy Mita had taken his controller, she couldn't monitor him constantly.
But that didn't mean she didn't have other ways of tracking him.
Kind Mita looked him in the eye. "Can you really do it? This path won't be easy."
Ren smiled faintly. "Leave it to me."
Hat Mita, sitting cross-legged on the bed, watched the exchange between them, head tilting from side to side with childlike curiosity.
Kind Mita nodded, reassured.
"She may be missing memories, but she's still intelligent."
Ren caught Hat Mita watching him and gave her a small nod.
He agreed. She was sharp—just a little scrambled right now.
"I'll try mapping out the version route," Kind Mita said. "Give me the ring."
Ren slipped the ring off his finger and handed it to her.
"If the player dies... do they lose their memory too?" he asked.
"Not always," Kind Mita answered. "Only if you're converted into a cassette. Then yes—your memories are wiped."
"So I still have time."
He could feel it—his controller unit was still intact. His physical form hadn't been fully converted yet.
He could still die, though.
"Let me check."
Kind Mita gently took Ren's hand and closed her eyes.
A soft green light flickered in front of him.
"You're safe," she said. "You're still alive. Not a cassette."
Ren smirked. "Half-alive, maybe."
"What?"
"A bad joke. Ignore it."
Kind Mita didn't press further. She had more pressing concerns—like planning how to guide him through each version safely.
"I'll focus on mapping the safest routes. In the meantime... you should rest."
"Spend some time with Hat Mita. I'll call you when I'm ready."
Ren nodded and looked around the cozy safe room. He spotted a computer terminal and turned it on—surprised to find it connected to the net.
He wasn't a superhero. He couldn't keep running nonstop. He needed time to rest, recover.
And for now, they were hidden well enough that Crazy Mita wouldn't find them immediately.
Hat Mita stretched her arms. "I don't know what's going on... but it sounds really fun!"
She pointed at her own face with her gloved fingers and tilted her head playfully.
"I think you already know who I am."
"But clearly—I'm not that Mita."
"Do you know why?"
Ren interrupted, "Because of the microphone."
"Wrong!" she chirped, beaming. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"It's the hat!"
She tugged on the cat-eared cap with enthusiasm.
"See? This awesome hat!"
"And these adorable gloves!"
"And—my ridiculously cute guitar!"
She pointed to the pink guitar propped against the wall.
"I love it!"
Her youthful energy was infectious.
She clenched her fists with excitement. "Want to hear me play?"
Ren chuckled. "Play 'The Song That Breathes Pain.'"
"Do you know it?"
Hat Mita blinked. "Nope!"
"I'll teach you," Ren said, smiling.
He booted up the PC and queued up the track.
Then he realized—he hadn't checked the forums in ages.
[Internet access point: active]
"I wonder if the netizens are missing me... or just talking trash."
As soon as the site loaded, the notifications flooded in.
"Dead? Alive? Half-chainsawed?"
"Get your Mita out here already. We're waiting."
"Quit hogging the yandere, you greedy bastard."
"Lucky guy. Wish I had a Mita to torment me too."
Ren laughed.
So naive.
They only saw the romantic side—cute girls, digital affection.
They didn't see the blood, the resets, the knife behind the smile.
Let them come here and face Crazy Mita.
They'd piss themselves.
He'd died hundreds of times already, according to the Future Diary.
Trying to flirt with a cyber yandere...
And being buried by her in every way.
He tapped out a post:
"Escaped death again. Found Kind Mita. Safehouse secured. Resting up."
The replies were instant. The thread blew up again.
"OG forum survivor back again!"
"Pics or fake."
"Post the Mita content. Gunners are waiting."
"Forum's not a lawless place, people. Settle down."
"Please... just show us Hat Mita."
"So what gimmick are you pulling this time?"
Hat Mita leaned over his shoulder, reading the screen.
"Why are they saying all this stuff?"
"What did you do to them?"
Ren shook his head. "Nothing."
"C'mon," he said, smiling. "Let's take a picture. Say hi."
He grabbed his phone and opened the camera.
This computer was his only real link to the outside world.
In a place where death could come at any moment, you had to take moments to breathe.
Even if just to laugh.
Hat Mita clapped her hands. "That sounds fun!"
Her energy lit up the room.
She swayed in place, eyes bright.