Masked Mirror
“Oh.”
The moment I took off my mask to get a drink of water, I heard a voice and moved my eyes.
There was a girl.
I didn’t know her. Well, of course I didn’t know. There was nothing strange about it.
As if to loudly state that I intended to ignore her, I turned my eyes back.
“Hi, Ms.Sakata.”
She kept talking. Either she was really dull, or she just didn’t care. I realized ignoring her would only make things worse, so I gave up and looked at her.
She was standing there idly. With my right hand, I pulled the string of the mask that was hanging from one ear. I put it over my ear.
“Who?”
I asked. It would be the worst possible solution given the situation. But Sakata’s acquaintances would know that Sakata was that kind of person.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Kazehara. You know, we were in the same group during last year’s comparative exercise class.”
‘I’m not good at remembering names and faces, so please start by telling me where we’ve met before.’ Thanks to spreading like this all the time, I usually get an answer when I ask ‘who?’. She replied without a suspicious look, so she actually knew Sakata.
“...You too?”
I grabbed a stack of Japanese history lecture handouts and waved them. She nodded.
“You were taking this class too. I was surprised ’cause it’s hard to know who’s in the class online.”
“Ya, you’re right.”
She went around and sat on my left side. After thinking for a moment, I realized she was trying to get some cool air from the open door. It was hot today. There was no air conditioning in the hallway.
“You look different when you wear a mask.”
“Really?”
I took off my mask to drink some water just to fill the silence. Ah, if it looks more natural without the mask than with it, I should have removed the string on my left ear.
The seat I was assigned in the exam room was far away from Kazehara. That was the end of my conversation with her. I finished writing my test answers in 10 minutes. As soon as I was allowed to leave, I handed my answer sheet to the exam supervisor and left the school.
When I arrive at my destination station, I avoid people and look at my smartphone.
It was a good age. AI or other things can generate a lot of “unknown faces”. I picked up an image, and saw it.
As I left the ticket gate, Sakata waved at me. Her face looked almost exactly like mine had been a moment ago. It all made sense.
“Ha, ha.”
“What’s this all of a sudden, Mirror?”
“Well, nothing.”
I just noticed she has a mole under her right eye, which was probably made more visible by the mask earlier. When I copy her it’s a mirror image, so it must have been under my left eye.
“Anyway, it might have been ok if you had taken the test today instead of me. It wasn’t an hour-long test, it was a test that could be completed in a few minutes.”
“But it would be safer if you did it, ha?”
“Oh, my. You really know how to use monsters. How I was found by a nasty guy.”
“I’m more comfortable ’cause of founding you. Thanks.”
She - the real Sakata - stuck out her tongue. I snorted with “unknown faces”. Although only half of our face is visible, it’s a wonder no one notices.
