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“Where was it… ah, here!”

The woman brought out a storage medium. It had been recently developed and was high-performance for video files, superior to traditional products¹.

“What is the video about?”
“Let me think, it’s from eight years ago, so… Kanata was around six at the time.”
“Huh…”
“It’s from that research institute. As a matter of fact, they regularly send us the recordings of some of their experiments.”

This was something Sakura heard for the first time. Heedless of the girl’s surprise, the woman plugged the storage device into the TV with practiced motions and opened the video file selection.

“That’s the one I wanted to show you, Sakura. Well, there are many other things I’d like to ask you about, but for now have a seat.”
“O-Of course.”

She did as she had been told and sat down on the sofa. Kanata’s mother used the remote control to select one of the videos and started the playback. This experimental record apparently consisted of an interview about everyday things.

On the other side of the screen was a young Kanata, indistinguishable from a pretty girl, which made nostalgic feelings rush through Sakura. All the same, this was the first time she got a proper look at how the young Kanata had looked like, and she was shocked at how feminine he appeared.

“Kanata, he was incredibly cute…”
“He resembles his other brother in that… Well, even my husband and I were undoubtedly so as kids.”

On the screen, Kanata seemed to be waiting for something as he sat on his own on a stool. When about a minute had passed, a researcher arrived, who didn’t show up on screen but instead sat down somewhere next to the camera.

“I kept you waiting.”
“I don’t mind.” the six-year-old Kanata replied in a surprisingly composed tone.

His big, round eyes seemed to move between the researcher and the camera.

“In that case, can we start with the usual questions? How old are you currently?”
“I’m six.”
“You just started grade school, haven’t you?”
“Yes, I have.”

He seemed quite happy in his reply. Anyone seeing this would assume the boy had fun at school.

“Do you enjoy school?”
“I do! I get to meet lots of different people!”
“I see, that’s good to hear… Do you like it more than preschool?”
“…It’s too early to tell. I should at least experience it for one month.”
“You have a point there.”

The researcher seemed to be writing something down.

“With your IQ… no, your talents, you could surely pass the entry exam for a university if you studied for it. Many past geniuses at your level did so… why not you? Could you tell me your reason?”
“That’s easy to answer. It would be a huge waste, wouldn’t it?”
“A waste, you say…?”

The young Kanata nodded while smiling. The researcher made another note.

“Why is that?”
“I want friends my own age, and I read in a book that you go on a school trip in the sixth year of grade school! Going to university without experiencing the things you can only do when you’re young would be a waste²!”
“Oh-ho… I see, so that’s your train of thought.”

For some reason, the researcher seemed happy. Maybe it was because the answer was unexpected or maybe because it contradicted past data.

“But all the other students around you will be clearly less capable. Ever the teachers might be inferior to you. I can only imagine class being boring for you. How do you think about that?”
“It’s true, that part scares me, so I’m only half paying attention to class and spend the rest of the time sleeping or doing other things!”
“Ha, ha-ha-ha. You mean to say you’re slacking off?”
“…I am.”

The researcher laughed at the boy’s brazen declaration. Kanata’s mother and Sakura also broke into smiles.

“He’s making good on that promise…”
“Isn’t he…? I honestly didn’t think he’d keep it up. That’s why your exam scores surpassed his, Sakura.”
“That’s true!”

On the screen, the researcher and Kanata were still talking.

“Next, I want to ask you something about your childhood friend, Sakura.”

“Huh!?”

Sakura’s eyes went wide when she heard her own name, and she listened even more closely.

“Ok.”
“We do know quite a lot about her. You also told us of her several times. At the age of three, she became unable to see without the aid of glasses due to an accident, correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”

The boy’s childish and lovely face turned serious. Anyone would’ve been astonished at a six-year-old giving such a knowing look.

“Who is she to you? Couldn’t having a blind friend turn out disadvantageous for you?”
“From my perspective, Sakura is…”

From the change in the boy’s voice, it could be heard that he was reluctant to answer the question³. Still with a grim look, he was about to give his reply. Sakura pricked her ears.

“…She is someone I have to protect.”
“Someone you have to protect? Why?”
“When she lost the ability to see, it was as if something inside me also disappeared.”

The researcher jotted down another note. The earlier relaxed atmosphere was nowhere to be found, instead having turned into a mirror of the boy’s frigid expression.

“I still don’t know what that was. But I have to protect her… I’m not sure how to put it.”
“Is it your sense of duty?”
“That’s it. A sense of duty.”

At this point, Sakura was completely engrossed in the boy’s words. The Kanata’s mother gave a chuckle as she looked at the girl.

1. I’m not sure where the author is going with this. This was written in 2017, so 4K-HD blue rays weren’t anything new, plus you’d rather use a USB storage for a video like the one described here. Sure, those regularly get bigger capacities and writing/reading speed improves, but that’s more of a gradual process.
2. I guess if you have to choose between soul-crushingly hard studies while being unable to connect with your peers, and being bored while having the possibility to take things slow, find friends, and enjoy yourself, the latter does seem more attractive.
3. The original makes it sound like it’s the researcher reluctant to reply, which wouldn’t make sense, so I assume that’s an error.

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