The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria
Book 2: Chapter 5

May 1 (Friday), 11:22 PM

I’m dreaming.

I’ve had this dream many times before.

May 2 (Saturday)

May 2 (Saturday), 12:11 AM

My eyes open to the sound of something vibrating on my desk.

I climb out of bed, pick up the phone responsible for the racket, and take a look at the LCD screen.

Maria Otonashi.

Maria Otonashi? Why’s she calling me? If she’s reaching out despite the present circumstances, maybe “Kazuki Hoshino” really hasn’t told her about what’s happening to him yet… Nah, I’m sure even someone like him would have trouble bringing up something as outlandish as a Box to his girlfriend. Still, I wouldn’t be too surprised if she noticed something was off without him telling her… Whatever.

I leave those thoughts alone for the moment and answer the phone. There’s no fighting my desire to speak to the one I admire so much.

“Hello?”

“Kazuki. Come over right away.”

Wow! Is this how she always talks to him? Now what do I do?

I take a moment to consider my situation.

The Box will allow me to assume complete control of Kazuki Hoshino’s body in one week. If all I wanted to do was take over him, the best thing to do would be to sit back and wait. Of course, it’s also better if I have as little contact with Maria Otonashi as possible.

That isn’t my true purpose, though. I can’t let myself get the wrong idea.

Right now, I know what I want to do. Make Kazuki Hoshino suffer enough to want to rip off his own head—subjugate him so thoroughly that he offers up his body to me on bended knee and begs me to accept it. And then, when May 5, the final day, arrives, I want him so mutilated, so stripped of everything that made him who was, that he is nothing more than an empty shell that exists only to surrender control to me.And why is that what I’m after? Because then I’ll be able to feel like I really am Kazuki Hoshino.

If the takeover doesn’t feel real, I’ll never be anything more than some parasitic presence inhabiting his body, which would render all of this meaningless.

Perhaps that’s the reason we’re sharing this body for the time being—if I don’t do what I have to, I’ll never truly become him. I swear, this Box really is something.

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Oh yeah. Well, my path forward from here is clear. Maria Otonashi is unquestionably an important person in his life. Losing her would harm him irreparably.

That’s why “Yuhei Ishihara” is going to take her away. It’s an absolute must if my all-important desire is to be satisfied.

“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking a little.” I recall how “Kazuki Hoshino” speaks before I continue. “Um, so, your place. Okay, if you come and get me.”

Judging by what she said earlier, he must visit her home on a fairly regular basis.

“What’re you asking me that for? Surely you can ride your bike this far?”

“My bike isn’t in very good shape right now.”

I fire off some plausible excuse. The truth is that I don’t know where she lives. If I can’t convince her to come pick me up, then I’m in trouble.

“Seriously, what type of man asks a woman to come pick him up? It should be the other way around… Fine. I’ll be coming on my motorbike. I trust you’re okay with that?”

“Motorbike? …You mean like a moped?”

“No…it’s a 250cc.”

Dammit. There’s no reason Kazuki Hoshino wouldn’t know that Maria Otonashi rides an actual motorcycle.

“Oh, right. I didn’t tell you—I bought a motorcycle recently.”

“Ah, yeah, you must not have.”

That was too close… Actually, a little slipup like that wouldn’t be enough to blow my cover, so maybe I’m being a bit too cautious. Still, this is Maria Otonashi I’m dealing with here, so I can’t help but be on edge.

“Besides, I’m not old enough for a license yet.”

She doesn’t have a driver’s license? Maybe not pretending to know was the right choice after all.

“Anyway, I’ll come by your place in fifteen minutes. Wait for me outside.”

She hangs up before I have a chance to respond.

“…Who was that, Kazu? I thought I heard a girl’s voice. Why didn’t you go out on the veranda?” asks a girl in underwear—probably Kazuki Hoshino’s older sister. I see—he must not make phone calls in this room when she’s home. I’ll file that away for future reference.

“Probably not that Kasumi Mogi of yours, at this time of night…”

Kasumi Mogi? Who the hell is that?

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