“Huh...”

I'm still not getting enough sleep.

I couldn't sleep at all because I had the experience of sleeping in the same bed and being hugged. I don't even know when I fell asleep.

I still feel a little awkward about it!

　Honestly, my mind is still preoccupied with last night.

I finally got to go home, so I prepared for my stay, but I can't even remember what I packed in my suitcase.

If I forgot something, it's all Hirasawa's fault!

But what's annoying is that he doesn't seem to remember anything.

When we woke up in the morning, we were sleeping apart... You probably don't even know that you were hugging me, do you?

　—But we're on a plane now.

I'll just have to catch up on sleep here.

This is my first time overseas and my first time on a plane.

It's a dangerous job, but it's also a little exciting.

The airport was so big and beautiful that it was amazing, and when I boarded the plane, it felt like riding an attraction, and I was super nervous.

　Also, as Mr. Hirasawa told me, there were important figures from various countries among the passengers on the plane.

It seems that a commemorative ceremony will be held in the smart city of Bulkenesia.

Of course, we plan to gather information at the venue. The fact that the overseas mission was planned at this timing was also in conjunction with this event.

Speaking of which, there was another thing that made me nervous.

“Hey, Mr. Hirasawa. Is that passport also from Miss Mari?”

“Yeah. Everything we use is arranged by Martinez... Miss Mari.”

We slipped through the airport gate using the fake passports made by Miss Mari. It was just like a scene from a movie! Of course, when I showed my passport to the staff, my hands were shaking.

“Um... Mikoto. You didn't sleep much again today, did you? I'll keep watch here, so you should get some sleep while you can.”

“!?”

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing... It's nothing. But thank you.”

“Okay.”

Huh? What's suddenly gotten into him?

I thought he was going to make another non-delicious remark, but instead he showed concern.

　And he even blushed a little when I thanked him.

Of course, he's disguised as a middle-aged man now, so I'm not nervous. If he had done that as a beautiful young man, I don't know what I would have done.

That was close...

However, since Hirasawa-san gave me permission, I decided to get some sleep.

I closed my eyes slowly while secretly sniffing the scent of the man sitting next to me.

　◆◆◆

“Hey, stop it!”

“It's fine, right? It's just parent-child bonding.”

“You're not my father!”

“I will be soon. If your mother and I get married, you'll be my daughter. So let's play together. I'll make sure you grow up to be a proper woman.”

　—Another nightmare.

When I was little, my mother's boyfriend tried to assault me many times. Because of these incidents, I killed myself and erased my existence.

“Stop it!”

“What's wrong, Shizuku? Then you play with me.”

“I don't want to do that either!”

　Even in such a hellish situation, I had a strong ally at the time. She was my older sister, “Otuba Shizuku,” who was three years older than me.

Having lost my father at an early age, I was raised by my single mother. No, to be precise, it was Shizuku-san who raised me.

　Shizuku and I have different fathers, but we are connected by our mother's blood.

My mother had relationships with various men, and her promiscuity destroyed our family. I hate to think that her blood flows through my veins, but I am happy to think that Shizuku's blood, whom I love so much, flows through my veins.

　—But even that beloved sister is gone now.

The sight of my sister shielding me before my eyes fades away.

(No! I don't want to wake up from this dream yet!)

The surrounding scenery begins to warp, and the entire world distorts. It feels as though I am being rejected from the dream world.

—Is there no place for me in either the dream world or the real world?

(Shizuku-san! Don't leave me!)

My sister suddenly went missing.

My place had always been by her side, but suddenly it was taken away from me.

I don't even know if she's alive or dead.

She disappeared on her way home from elementary school after school. No matter how much I searched, I couldn't find her.

　——That's why I aimed to become an idol.

I thought that if I became famous, someone would find me.

If Shizuku-nee-san were still alive.

If I had the talent to be an idol.

If those two things came together, we could be together again. But I didn't have the talent to be an idol.

　That's why I took the most realistic job I could find: sales.

As a salesperson, I met many people and made connections, hoping that someday I might find information that would lead me to Shizuku-nee.

But I didn't have the talent for sales either.

Nothing I did worked.

Everything was half-hearted. That's who I am...

“Are you okay?”

“Yes!”

　When I opened my eyes, Ms. Hirasawa's face was right in front of me.

“What!”

“Shh! Be quiet!”

She covered my mouth with her hand and whispered in my ear.

I was shaken by the sudden turn of events, and my heart was pounding.

She was in a position where she could kiss me at any moment, and our lips were about to touch.

“Something's wrong with the cabin. And you looked like you were in pain.”

“Oh... I was just having a nightmare, so don't worry about it. But what do you mean, ‘something's wrong with the cabin’?”

I asked in a low voice, matching Hirasawa's tone.

“You have a keen sense of negative human emotions. Do you feel anything?”

　When you say “smell”... the only smell I can detect is the saliva coming from you.

“...I don't know.”

“I see. Sit up a little and take a quick look around. Naturally.”

I did as I was told and looked around.

There was nothing unusual.

I just noticed that many people were sleeping wrapped in blankets.

　They're completely covered up to their heads. ...Completely covered up to their heads?

I've heard rumors about flight attendants.

It was a conversation that came up while chatting with a customer during business hours.

“When someone dies on the plane, the flight attendants apparently cover the body with a blanket up to the head to hide it.”

　A very ominous thought crossed my mind.

Since we didn't know who might be listening around us, I asked carefully.

“Could it be... the people covered in blankets...”

“It's possible. They haven't moved at all since earlier. Plus, everyone covered in blankets is a VIP from various countries.”

Could it be that danger is already approaching...

“Got it. I'll go check around the cabin.”

“...Got it. Don't push yourself. Just find any abnormalities.”

“Got it.”

It's still just a suspicion.

But if they really are dead, this plane might turn into a coffin.

I took a deep breath and stood up.