"Hm. Such...insight. I can't help but wonder...could you be KIRA yourself?"
How rude! I absolutely will not stand for this. With an intense push of will, I shove Diana away and return to myself. "Gomen nassai, forgive me, please," I gasp. "I--did not mean for her to say that. I had no control, please forgive her rudeness." I wait for the lady to speak.
16 January 2023
She seems bewildered as she answers, "That--that's okay. I mean, you didn't mean any harm, right?" She looks nervously to the side.
I sigh. "I'm sorry. I...have multiple personalities. Sometimes they get away from me. My name is Michiko, but you can call me Koko," I explain.
The lady looks relieved. "Oh! I get it," she says. "My name's Kaori."
I glance over Kaori's shoulder and suddenly notice Nicola watching us both. "Oh, and this is my friend, Nicola," I say.
Kaori turns around to say hello, and he blushes furiously. He's a little bit shy when it comes to meeting new people. "B-b-b-buon p-p-pomeriggio, s-s-signorina," he says softly.
The lady--I mean, Kaori--turns back to me. "So was it just your personality that was interested in..." She doesn't finish her sentence, but I know what she means.
"No," I answer, "I support KIRA in whatever he or she does. My dream is to one day meet KIRA and be able to serve them to the best of my ability. I...couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the man earlier."
"Oh," says Kaori.
"And what you said...about KIRA, your beliefs," I continue excitedly, "I feel the exact same way! If KIRA could do his or her work without falling victim to a god complex, this world would be perfect! I was hoping...maybe we could work together to find KIRA. I'm not always able to be out, you know."
"Um..." Kaori looks unsure, and I don't blame her. I fish around in my purse for a card, and hand it to her.
"Here, this is the number for the asylum where I live. When you want to get in touch, just call and ask for Koko, alright?" Kaori nods and takes the card, tucking it into her own purse.
I go back to my table, where the waitress has already brought our food. "B-b-bella," Nicola begins in warning.
"Don't worry about me, tenshi," I say. "I want to help KIRA, and I know I'm smart enough to do it. This lady feels the same as I do. This is my big chance!"
"I know," he says, "b-but she-she's s-still a s-stranger, and y-you know I d-d-don't t-trust strangers." Even though he's two years older than me, Nicola could act very childish at times.
"Nicola, tell me why I'm in the mental hospital in the first place," I say gently.
He huffs and looks out the window. We've had this discussion before. "B-because one of your p-p-personalities k-killed a g-girl to p-protect y-y-you," he says in reply.
I nod. "Exactly. And what makes you think she wouldn't do it again? If anything happens, you know I'm not going down without a fight." He nods sullenly, and I continue. "Nicola, I know we've never talked about it, but...do you hate KIRA for the possibility that he might have killed your father?"
He stares out the window as he replies slowly, "N-no. I th-th-think my f-father d-d-deserved what he g-got. H-he had it c-c-coming anyway."
"That's good," I say, the small guilt I felt now lifting. We finish up our lunch, and then head back to the asylum where they are waiting for us.
