房客(糙汉)何璐程曜坤

The local clinic was small, but like almost every healthcare-related place it still had some elderly hanging out around there even without a reason for the appointment.

Zoemi's father went to speak with the person behind the counter and the boy and his mother sat on the bench by the window.

"We're third."

The honey-blond-haired man came back and sat beside his family before sighing.

"Umm... mom, dad... what about work...?"

Zoemi glanced at the clock hanging on the wall next to the counter and looked at his parents.

He certainly didn't want them to realize that he had no idea what they do for a living but hoped to gain some clarity after hearing their explanation.

If what he remembered was only a dream then maybe a healthy dose of reality would stir up his brain to kick in the right gear.

"Don't worry, I already called the office, if you are fine then I will simply show up late, Yamada said she will cover up for me."

The black-haired woman smiled and patted his son's head, implying that if his situation is serious she will stay by his side. Anyway, she had it covered – and most likely was a white-collar worker.

​ "...ah... right. I should let everyone at the gym know! Uhhh... I think that little Mizu has a free spot so he could take over my first client..."

On the other hand, the boy's father seemed to be reminded of his responsibilities and hurriedly took out his phone, tapping a message with a focused expression.

"Abuse of authority."

"No, it's not!"

Zoemi's mother snickered teasingly at her husband and the man took the bait splendidly getting flustered.

"I'll have you know that little Mizu was the one to ask me for more early shifts because he started to date that one teacher from Aku's school and wants to take her somewhere nice! If anything I am doing him a favor!"

The honey-blond-haired man declared while his face was getting slightly pink – just then his phone let out a sound of notification and...

"A-ha! See?! Look! He is thanking me!"

The man cheered out, proudly showing off his phone's screen with the message app open.

"...huh...?"

Zoemi glanced at it and his eyes widened seeing the avatar picture of the person his father was messaging.

It was small so he could not be sure but...

"D-dad... that picture...?"

The black-haired boy hesitated but he ended up raising his hand and pointing it out.

"Hmm? Oh, you didn't see it before? What, are you shocked that the guy your go-to personal trainer hooked up with one of your teachers?"

The honey-blond-haired man snickered and clicked on the avatar to show off the original picture and showed it off to his son.

"..."

Zoemi went silent.

The colors of their hair and eyes were different, but the pair cuddling up to pose for the picture was without a doubt Mizoe and Rokiana...!

And apparently, Mizoe was Zoemi's go-to personal trainer...?

If so then... why...

|Why don't I remember a thing about that and can only recognize both of them as people from the kingdom of Bellcephora...?|

The boy thought and his head became even more of a mess.

Still, he didn't show his inner confusion on the outside to not worry his parents and waited patiently for his turn.

The clinic was really small. The clinic was on the first floor while the people running it lived on the second one. It was basically a family business run by the husband and wife – both family doctors – that sometimes got help from her daughter who wanted to follow their path so she studied relentlessly...

"Yuu... you've been playing that game instead of studying... again..."

The daughter walked down the stairs, dressed casually but rather slovenly, with her bushy hair set loose onto her face and shoulders – which was a sight that made her mother behind the counter furrow her brows and sighs.

"Nah, that's where I got'cha mother. I have been doing both~!"

"...?!"

The girl responded dismissively – but have done so in a such familiar manner that Zoemi who had no other choice but to hear their quick exchange perked up in disbelief.

Not only the way she spoke but even her voice...

|...Burushi...?!|

The black-haired boy thought staring at the girl almost unlocked.

Her hair was black hair instead of gold, her eyes were dark brown instead of blue, and she was rather short in stature but that was maybe one of the few common features she shared with the heroine of the Kampf um die Liebe because one of the heroine's most recognizable feature – or features – was not bestowed upon that local clinic's daughter's slender body.

"If you say so... still... shouldn't you mind your looks a bit more? If you will parade around like that even if there is someone interested in you they might get disilusioned~"

The woman behind the counter rolled her eyes and dropped the subject, but then for a second her eyes darted to the flabbergasted Zoemi sitting between his parents and she smirked cheekily at her daughter.

"Oh, ha ha. Yah, kick your unpopular daughter when she's down! Seriously, in times like this, I can count only on my Surou..."

The girl didn't take kindly to her mother's words and started grumbling while reaching her hand to her pocket from where she took out a smartphone in a case printed with the image of the second prince of the Bellcephora kingdom.

"...!"

That made Zoemi straighten his back even more as his attention was heightened – he was basically devouring the girl with a Burushi-like way of speaking while trying to figure out whether it was her or not.

"...mhmm... are you sure about that?"

"...wha...?"

The woman behind the counter snickered and glanced rather obviously back at Zoemi, and caused her annoyed daughter to groan and look over her shoulder...

"Wahbabasabjaa....!?"

Where once she met the fiery gaze of the black-haired boy she immediately turned red and started to back up the staircase backward while grabbing her bushy hair and covering her face with it.

"..." "..."

Since it was done basically a few feet away from them, Zoemi's parents not only saw what happened but heard everything from the start as neither the clinic's mother nor daughter didn't keep their voices down... which caused the married couple to look between the evacuating girl and their son before exchange understanding looks.

"Mister Kuro."

After a few minutes, their family name was called and the boy and his parents entered the doctor's office.

The procedure was rather simple, with a few questions lots of head-touching, and using some equipment to check the boy's eyes and ears for whatever reason.

"Everything's fine – we might schedule him for an x-ray if any of the symptoms appear but as things are now your boy is clear to go."

"Oh, thank goodness...!"

The middle-aged doctor with round glasses and a kind face noted a few things down and nodded to the family making the boy's mother let out a relieved sigh...

...while on the boy's father's face bloomed a rather sleazy smile and he squinted his eyes looking at his soon...

"..."

When they left the doctor's office, the first sight that greeted them was the clinic's daughter standing timidly behind the counter by her mother's side.

Her hair was tied up into a neat ponytail and was wearing a very cute blouse with strategically placed frills that helped divert the attention from the assets that weren't in her possession.

"H-have a nice day..."

The Burushi-like girl mumbled while glancing awkwardly at Zoemi.

"Ah...! A... thank you. You too..."

He didn't expect her to call out to him so he stuttered and turned around.

If this world was the real one and everything that he went through was just a dream, then there she should have nothing to do with him.

Nonetheless, since nothing was wrong with the boy, his mother wanted to go to work so whatever question the boy had wasn't meant to be answered.

"...haaa..." *wham*

"GAH...!"

As the family of three said their goodbye and was walking to the door, the woman behind the counter sighted and elbowed her daughter in the side, causing the girl to let out a shocked cry and making them stop.

"D-do you know Kampf um die liebe...?"

The Burushi-like girl blushed to form the attention she was getting and asked, nervously playing with her ponytail.

"!!!"

Zoemi straightened his back and stared at her in utter shock.

Why would she mention that game here all of a sudden?! How in the world would that game come up in a conversation all of a sudden, unless...!

|Is she like me and tries to test the waters?!|

Zoemi gasped internally and lowered his head, looking to the side while biting his lips.

In that case, by any chance was this world, not a dream or an illusion but... a new timeline...?

It would make sense – he already retained the memories of the past timeline that got destroyed, could it be that the same thing happened again?!

It had to be investigated!

"Ughhh... Please pardon her. That girl can only think about video games."

"No, no. It's okay – our boy is the same, they seem to have a lot in common~"

The woman behind the counter apologized lowering her head and making her daughter do the same, but Zoemi's father smiled and waved his hand dismissively while snickering at his confused son.

Shortly after Zoemi and his parents were on their way to his mother's workplace.

"Don't tease him too much about it."

"...?"

As she was leaving the car, the black-haired woman leaned towards her honey-blond-haired husband and squinted her eyes at him, which actually made Zoemi the most confused one again.

What was he supposed to get teased about?