A strange atmosphere hung in the air. The scene left Tifa's mind in complete disorder.
She could not understand what had happened to produce a situation like this.
"Don't get angry yet, Tifa!"
Aerith knew Tifa would be deeply confused by the scene before her, because the video she had opened also featured Tifa.
"Calm down first and listen to me."
"Huh? O-okay."
Blushing faintly, Tifa listened as Aerith explained the current situation.
Even after hearing it, Tifa's thoughts were still a little tangled.
"So, basically, right now we need to make Mr. Kain stop pretending he can't see us, right? We need him to respond to us. And it would be best if he responds before midnight—or at least make sure he doesn't fall asleep at midnight, because something might change then. Is that it?"
"Right."
Aerith nodded.
"Then okay."
Tifa suddenly did something abrupt. She pressed both hands against Mr. Kain's face and tried to force his head around so his gaze would meet hers.
At first, Tifa could feel solid contact as she tried to turn him. The more strength she used, the stronger the sensation became—until, in the end, her hands passed through Mr. Kain as though she could no longer touch him at all.
That also left Aerith stunned for a moment. Before she had sensed Tifa, she had originally intended to try a similar forceful action herself.
Now it seemed that when it came to direct physical contact, the more forceful the attempt, the harder it became to touch him. It was as if things had returned to the way they were on the second day.
This was bad. Judging by the time, Mr. Kain was about to finish.
Once this "activity" ended, he would go to sleep.
Suddenly, a bold idea lit up in Aerith's mind.
Perhaps this had a real chance of working.
She took a deep breath, bit her lip, and her face flushed even deeper as she abruptly closed the video playing on the computer.
"Aerith?"
Tifa was puzzled by her actions. Hadn't Aerith said that letting him watch the video would make it easier for them to become tangible in this world and be noticed?
Why had Aerith suddenly shut it off?
In the next second, Aerith's sudden move left Tifa staring in shock.
Aerith was imitating the "Aerith" in the video—but instead of directing her actions toward a fake stand-in, she aimed them at the real person in front of her.
"A-Aerith, what are you doing?"
"Tifa, look at Mr. Kain's expression. Isn't he obviously shaken?"
Instead of answering Tifa's question directly, Aerith motioned for her to pay attention to that.
After Aerith's sudden move, Mr. Kain—who had ignored her all this time, truly acting as if she did not exist—finally showed an unmistakable reaction.
Aerith's bold action had worked.
"Mr. Kain, stop pretending."
As she spoke, she gently guided the situation out of his control, and he seemed to tremble faintly in fear.
No, it definitely was not fear.
Of course, Aerith herself could feel her heart racing.
Speaking of which, did she still have a heartbeat?
To connect with Mr. Kain and enter the Lifestream, she had stopped the heartbeat of her real body.
No, she did have one. She placed a hand over her chest and confirmed that her heart was beating very fast.
Maybe it was because this mental world felt almost identical to reality.
"Come on, let go. Leave this to me."
Aerith spoke softly and gradually made him relax, taking over completely.
"Hehe. You're so obedient. You really can see me, can't you? What a dishonest boy."
She could not help teasing him a little, and Mr. Kain's reaction at that moment made him seem strangely cute.
A trace of embarrassment appeared on his face.
"Hm? I see."
Aerith suddenly nodded. She had begun to understand Mr. Kain's current condition.
Because of this contact, Mr. Kain's reaction clearly showed that he had acknowledged her existence. Otherwise, he would never have reacted so adorably, nor would he have allowed her to take control.
And because of that, her mind had connected more deeply with his, allowing her to understand that he was currently in a half-awake, half-dreaming state.
The world they were in now was the world of Mr. Kain's half-dream.
When people dreamed, they were somewhat muddled and unable to fully control their own actions.
The version of oneself in a dream was like someone who had lost the memories and awareness of a clear-headed state. So, in truth, the current Mr. Kain was more like an inexperienced young man.
To him, the current situation was like being caught by the real Aerith while watching a fake "Aerith" do something improper. It carried the crushing embarrassment of social death.
He wanted to panic and end what was happening, yet at the same time, he was also hoping for something.
So Aerith needed to fulfill that hope now. If she did, he would want the dream to continue.
Her actions would also cause intense emotional fluctuations. In a way, this was also a method to restore Mr. Kain's humanity and emotions, which were in the process of fading away.
The longer the dream continued, the more Mr. Kain would gradually wake up, until he could fully control himself.
Aerith needed to speak with that fully awake, emotional Mr. Kain and persuade him not to keep expanding that field. Otherwise, he truly would never be able to turn back.
So Aerith told Tifa what she had discovered, leaving Tifa looking rather overwhelmed as well.
Watching Tifa's reaction, Aerith noticed that she looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. A faint, downcast shadow seemed to flicker through her eyes.
"Tifa, could I trouble you to help too? If both of us do it, the stimulation should be stronger."
Aerith made the request plainly.
Normally speaking, this kind of act was something she should "sacrifice" herself for. There was no need to make Tifa take part in such an awkward method—unless Tifa also had feelings for Mr. Kain.
But right now, Aerith could clearly sense Tifa's emotions. She understood what Tifa was truly thinking.
"Huh? M-me too?"
"Right. With two people, the effect will be greater. If you mind, or if you can't accept it, then I can do it alone. I'll just have him all to myself."
Tifa could see the mischief in Aerith's final words.
It was as if she were saying that if Tifa was unwilling, then Aerith would keep him all to herself.
It seemed Aerith had seen right through her feelings.
"T-then I'll help too."
Tifa answered in a slightly trembling voice. Aerith, who had been holding on with both hands, released one hand so Tifa could step in and help.
And as for what they were facing, Tifa had actually seen it even earlier than Aerith.
Because of Dr. Yūko Kōzuki's livestream, she had watched the whole thing from beginning to end. It had been an absolute disaster.
She never expected that one day, she herself might have to do something similar.
The night deepened around them. The sound from the computer had been silenced, and the room seemed to fold inward, shutting out the city and its encroaching fog.
What followed was not something either Aerith or Tifa could calmly put into words.
They only knew that Mr. Kain's emotions, which had been fading toward an inhuman emptiness, finally began to stir again.
(End of Chapter)
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