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She was the one who'd been startled. Why was she the one saying thank you?
More importantly—why could this guy see her at all?
The warmth of his arm at her waist, the light contact of skin through thin fabric, made her uncomfortable. She pulled herself free, putting a little distance between them.
"You… you can really see me?" she asked, wide-eyed.
"I like to think my eyesight's still fine," Rosen replied with a faint, teasing smile.
Her emotions shifted again—delight and something like I just survived flashing across her face.
"You scared me for a second," she admitted, blinking rapidly. "I didn't think anyone could actually see me."
"Forgive me for saying so, but dressed like that? I'd wager there's no one on earth—blind people aside—who wouldn't notice you. Even a completely straight schoolgirl would probably take a second glance on a rooftop like this… unless, of course, you're sneaking around playing some kind of master–servant game?"
"If that's the case, I can just pretend I never saw anything."
"It's not some kind of perverted game!" she shot back immediately.
"Oh, so you do know what I mean," he said, tone all too certain.
Her cheeks warmed, but she quickly smoothed her expression.
Stay calm.
No way was she going to blush over a younger boy's teasing. She was a grown woman. She had composure.
Reminding herself of that, Mai Sakurajima began retracing what had happened from the moment she left home to when she got to school.
She'd been… ignored. Fading from people's awareness. For a long time now.
It had started in the school's little convenience store. She'd been waiting in line to pay when the cashier simply skipped her entirely, scanning the items of the student behind her instead.
At first she'd thought it was strange. But after testing it several more times, she realized—sometimes, in the eyes of others, she simply ceased to exist.
At first, only a few people overlooked her. Even on the train, she still caught people sneaking photos of the retired idol.
But over time, it spread. The periods of being "invisible" lasted longer.
Until even her mother forgot she existed.
That was when the panic set in.
No matter what happened before, she'd always been able to call her mother and hear that familiar voice. Annoying sometimes, sure—but comforting all the same.
When even her mother forgot, Mai knew she had to find a way to reverse it.
She'd tried. Over and over for days. Nothing worked.
And today? Another day of being completely ignored.
Half breaking down inside, she'd decided to let go a little—wander around in a bunny girl costume just because no one could see her anyway.
And from what she'd seen this morning, her hunch was right—she was invisible to people, and even to phone cameras.
Until now.
The boy on the rooftop—the one who, for reasons unknown, could see her—was the only person who had truly looked her in the eye in all this time.
A gust of wind cut across the rooftop, and Mai shivered. Yeah… not exactly the best weather for wearing something like this.
"Here."
Rosen produced a fur coat in one hand.
"If someone saw us like this, they'd probably think I was up to something."
You were totally thinking about it, she muttered silently, but still took the coat without complaint.
It was fresh and scentless, like it had just come from a shop.
Weird. She hadn't seen him carrying it at all.
Given everything, Mai was starting to suspect Rosen might have… unusual qualities of his own.
Otherwise, how could he be the only one who saw her?
"You're like me, aren't you?" she asked, pulling the coat tight around herself and covering the more… distracting parts of the outfit.
"If you mean different from normal people, then yeah," Rosen shrugged. "But before we get into that, shouldn't the lovely bunny girl introduce herself?"
"I'm Mai Sakurajima. You've probably heard the name."
"I have," Rosen said with a nod.
Her answer confirmed his suspicions. He just hadn't expected it to be this coincidental.
"..."
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