( almost as if she had forgotten other people were there and listening, chiaki jumps in her seat when someone else speaks up. it pulls her from her memories, and she's grateful for the distraction, though she still rubs her thigh gently where a phantom pain doesn't seem to want to go away. how long will it last for? there's no cure for a pain that doesn't actually exist here. no wound to bandage, to stitch up. all it acts as now is a reminder.

the lighter-haired girl seems stern, serious. but anything is a welcome distraction from her story, even if the gamer still isn't quite sure why she decided to tell it. it's not something she ever intended on letting slip, even in the form of a nightmare or a fake story she made up to scare people around a campfire. it was just meant to be hers. )

Y-Yeah, I guess so. ( the blonde girl with the pigtails. chiaki recognised her, but her name... ) Some people are just...

( she can't finish the sentence. there's no doubt that chiaki has faith in people, but after thinking of what happened, it's hard to remind herself of it. )

Yes. There's a door that says "Goal" on it, I go inside, and it's game over. ( a pause. ) And then I wake up. Kinda weird, right?