Aoyama opened the door.
Akane was standing there, looking nervous. Behind her were two men.
One was Yusuke Hayashi, the "cousin" who had approached him before. The other was a middle-aged man who looked like an older, more imposing version of Yusuke.
Aoyama blinked. "Akane? And... uh, hi. Who's the gentleman?"
Masao Hayashi stared at Aoyama, his chest tight with emotion.
He was certain. This was his brother's only child. This was Kento Hayashi.
He remembered Akane's warning: 'He doesn't remember. Don't use his old name. Don't trigger him.'
"In... Aoyama," Masao said, catching himself just in time.
But as the first syllable of "Kento" left the man's lips, Aoyama felt a sudden, sharp jolt at the base of his spine.
His body, the actual physical vessel he occupied, began to tremble.
'Is this... memory?'
Aoyama realized then that Yusuke hadn't been lying. This body was Kento. And these people were his family.
Akane and the two men saw the change immediately. Aoyama's eyes went vacant for a moment, and his hands shook violently.
"Aoyama!"
Akane grabbed his hands, her face pale with worry. She'd been terrified of this - that even a hint of the past would break the peace he'd found.
"I'm fine," Aoyama said, his voice a bit strained. He squeezed her hands, drawing strength from her, but didn't let go.
He turned to the older man. "So... I take it the 'Uncle' has arrived?"
Masao Hayashi's eyes watered. "Kento! Do you... do you remember me?"
"No," Aoyama said with a dry laugh. "I just deducer it. This kid here said I was his brother, and you look like him. It's not exactly a mystery."
"I don't remember you. I don't remember anything from before I woke up in that hospital."
He said it gently, trying to suppress the physical reaction the name "Kento" had caused.
"Look. I'm sorry," Aoyama said. "Uncle. But my name is Aoyama now. I like this name. I like this life. I'm going to keep being Aoyama."
In his mind, he was offering a silent apology to the soul of the original Kento. He'd taken the body, but he wouldn't let the name go to waste. He would be the Aoyama he was always meant to be.
"I see..." Masao Hayashi said, his voice thick with a mix of sadness and acceptance. "Perhaps that is for the best. You don't need those memories."
"Actually, I *am* curious," Aoyama said. "What kind of person was I?"
Akane flinched, but Aoyama gave her a reassuring look.
"In time..." Masao said softly. "I'll tell you everything. I'll hire the best doctors to help you integrate the memories slowly, safely. My only concern is your safety, Aoyama. You are my brother's legacy. I won't lose you again."
Aoyama nodded. "Fair enough. When I've finished my project... let's talk."
"Before that," Masao Hayashi said, reaching into his assistant's briefcase. "I have something for you. From your parents."
He laid a stack of documents on the coffee table. Property deeds for villas in the Imperial Capital. Bank books with massive balances. Stock certificates.
It's just a small allowance (a million or so) to show my sincerity."
Aoyama looked at the pile of wealth on his table and slowly, his mouth fell open.
---
The weekend arrived, and for once, the Metropolis Metro was almost peaceful.
Students and office workers were heading out for lunch, but everywhere they looked, they saw the same image.
Massive, full-color posters for the finale of Cyberpunk 2077: Edgerunners.
The posters showed the entire crew: David, Lucy, Rebecca, Kiwi, Falco... and the dead: Maine, Dorio, Pilar. They were all there, standing together in front of the Arasaka Tower.
The taglines were everywhere:
"THE FINAL CLASH AT ARASAKA TOWER!"
"A LEGEND CARRYING THE DREAMS OF THE FALLEN!"
"LUCY... I'M TAKING YOU TO THE MOON!"
The city had become a countdown clock.
had donned the "Cyberskeleton," a machine that was slowly eating his soul.
Everyone knew it was a tragedy. Everyone knew David wasn't coming home.
But nobody could stop reading.
Shuu Fumiya had pre-ordered his issue of Comic World GoGo. He ran from the mailbox to his apartment, the thick magazine clutched in his hand.
The cover showed David with his back to the reader, looking up at the summit of Arasaka Tower. It was time.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]