"She really did?!" Kiana suddenly became excited, like a child hearing that a fantastical story was true.
She let go of Mei's shoulders, eyes wide, breathing slightly ragged as she stared down at her palm.
She really had forgotten someone... someone very important...
Watching the inexplicably agitated Kiana, Mei realized she might have made a mistake.
Kiana was the type of straightforward person who, once convinced of a fact, couldn't be swayed even by ten bulls trying to drag her back. [Idiom: extremely stubborn]
Even if she hit a wall on her path, even if she faced setbacks, her first thought wouldn't be to turn back, but rather whether she could smash the wall down, whether she could overcome this obstacle.
Unless she discovered her goal itself was wrong.
Kiana knew her own shortcomings. That's why, much of the time, she didn't have strong opinions of her own. Except for things she was already certain about, she relied heavily on those around her.
Commonly known as: relying on an external brain.
Without her external brains, Kiana would become cautious, taking one step and testing three times [Idiom: extremely careful], becoming incredibly wary of her surroundings, terrified of taking the wrong path and letting others down.
That's why Kiana had been uncertain about her own thoughts, assuming she was wrong, that her thinking was flawed, even suspecting she might have just become stupid...
But—
Now she had successfully gathered "approval" from her two external brains—Bronya and Mei!
She—Kiana—really had forgotten someone important!!
What? You say they were just humoring me, lying to me?!
We're such good friends, wouldn't I know if they were lying or not?!
Since I chose to trust them, I won't doubt them even for a second! Even if Mei was out getting cozy with some other pretty girl, touching places she'd never touched on me, saying things like "Respond to me! ****!", there must be a good reason!!
Even if the whole world said Mei was wrong, she would firmly believe Mei was right!
Therefore...
She had definitely forgotten someone, she had definitely forgotten someone very important!!
Kiana bit her lip, looked up at the two concerned and confused faces, then lowered her head and turned to walk away.
Mei and Bronya looked at each other, perplexed by Kiana's unusual behavior.
"Sister Mei, is something wrong with Kiana?" Bronya had already put down her chopsticks. "Does Bronya need to follow her?"
Mei watched Kiana's departing figure, her eyes filled with worry.
However, she still shook her head.
"No... Kiana knows what she needs to do..."
Kiana trusted her completely, and hadn't she, in turn, long since entrusted her everything to Kiana?
The conclusion was reached. Kiana's brain kicked into gear.
It wasn't just her... Everyone had forgotten that person, but she must have been the first one "cursed," which is why Mei reminded her she'd forgotten someone important.
Since it was someone important to her, their relationship must have been good, at least good enough to have eaten together, played games together!
Then there must be some traces left! There had to be some traces!
Traces... where would traces be left?
Kiana first thought of the kitchen. A look in the fridge might reveal something – maybe she could find food that person liked?
Sneaking into the kitchen, she opened the fridge door. It was filled entirely with vegetables and meats she liked...
Okay, not a great start.
Kiana took out a head of cabbage, turning it over and over, but couldn't find any sign that it was specifically bought because someone else liked it.
Grabbing a leftover cookie from yesterday that she hadn't finished sneaking, she stuffed it into her mouth and was about to close the fridge door to head to the next location...
Suddenly, Kiana froze, her hand on the door, the chewing motion in her mouth halting.
"Me... Bronya... Mei..." She crouched down by the fridge, counting on her fingers. "One, two, three..."
Three people... There were only three people on the train...
Then, she looked up again, counting the plates holding cookies inside the fridge.
"One, two, three... four."
Blinking, Kiana counted again, deliberately slowing down this time. "This big plate is mine... This small plate is Mei's own, this small plate is Bronya's... this one..."
Kiana stared at the only remaining plate that still held cookies, her expression changing instantly.
Really?
Had she really... forgotten someone?
Was this train... really missing a person?
Kiana stared at the three remaining cookies on the plate for a long time, then turned, gritted her teeth, and started running outside.
In that moment, Kiana's intelligence went into overdrive.
Originally, she was going to check the place where she and Bronya played games, but now she understood that there was a high probability of finding no useful information there.
Only Bronya treasured game cartridges like that, and only Bronya would choose them as items for "concealment" when packing.
Kiana packed daily necessities, Mei chose various textbooks for tutoring her, so Bronya could only choose Homu merchandise and game cartridges.
Because it had to fit their personalities so no one would notice anything was wrong...
But... "concealment" from whom?
Why were they doing this... Who was it for?
Another question, but it also pointed towards that non-existent fourth person.
Adding the extra plate of cookies—
That person was on the train!!
Or, had been on the train!!
He lived on the train, just like them!!
The living quarters!
But after running only two steps, several images and memory fragments flashed through Kiana's mind.
The extra cookies were because Mei made a bit too much and had to use another plate... They carried those unnecessary things to deceive the others back at the base...
Rational explanations arrived, but Kiana only slowed for a split second before shaking her head, stubbornly continuing towards the rooms.
Really? I don't buy it!
I believe what Mei and Bronya said: We really did forget someone!
Glancing down at the writing on her hand, Kiana reached the living area.
It had been modified, leaving only six or seven rooms.
Kiana decisively stopped at the first room and yanked the door open.
An extremely familiar layout greeted her eyes: a tidy room layout paired with a messy bed... clearly her own room.
Mei wasn't feeling well today and hadn't made Kiana's bed, but Mei had tidied up the rest of the place neatly.
After looking around repeatedly, Kiana followed the corridor to the second door.