Clear:

…Aoba…san…

Aoba:

(sighs)…Are you awake now?

Clear:

Yes. The examination?

Aoba:

It’s all over. Granny’s in the other room right now talking with her acquaintance.

Clear:

I see. What’s…happened to me?

Aoba:

(chokes up)

Clear:

Aoba-san?

Aoba:

…Your self-recovery function tried to repair your right ear and right eye and it caused a malfunction.

Clear:

Ah…so that’s what it was. Somehow, I felt like that was the reason for it.

Aoba:

(makes a soft sound)

Clear:

Then, can we repair my body?

Aoba:

…There’s two ways to repair you. One is…to replace everything except for what’s inside your head with an Alpha’s body.

Clear:

Ah–

Aoba:

The other is…to replace the entirety of your self-recovery function and all the parts that relate to your right ear and right eye with an Alpha’s parts. But…there’s no guarantee that it will work, so it doesn’t seem like Granny or her friend want to do it.

Clear:

Is that…how it is…

Aoba:

Yeah.

Clear:

Ah…it’s difficult, isn’t it? Honestly, the thought of replacing my body with an Alpha’s body…I hate it.

Aoba:

Ah–

Clear:

Because–Tae-san expressly left my body the way it is. Leaving me connected to my worn out body, somehow she left it for me. That…to be willing to change it just like that…I can’t do it.

Aoba:

Ah…that’s…right.

Clear:

Yes. But, if I do that…I probably…won’t be able to go on living.

Aoba:

(inhales)

Clear:

If something like that happened…then I wouldn’t be able to stay at your side again, Aoba-san. It really is a strange discussion, isn’t it? A machine like me shouldn’t have a time limit on his life. I…again… Aoba-san.

Aoba:

Hm?

Clear:

Right now, I’m lost. There’s two things that I’m set on. One is my desire to remain in my body without using an Alpha’s parts as much as possible. The other is…my desire to not be separated from you, Aoba-san.

Aoba:

Clear…

Clear:

This is the first time that I’ve worried like this. I’m really…confused. I absolutely don’t want to be separated from you. I don’t want to make you sad either, Aoba-san. But…if an Alpha were inside of my body…somehow…I feel…like I wouldn’t be myself anymore. I don’t know why I feel that way. …Aoba-san…what should I do?

Aoba:

(chokes up) I’m sorry, Clear. I…I can’t…answer that question.

Clear:

Ah…

Aoba:

This…is something that you have to decide. If you’re split between two desires, you have to think hard on which one is stronger…and decide.

Clear:

Aoba-san…

Aoba:

(nervous laughter) That’s…a kind of self-important way of saying it, but…earlier, Granny told me that. The one who decides what to do will be you, Clear. Not me.

Clear:

Tae-san said…

Aoba:

I…I really treasure you…I don’t want to…be separated from you ever again. That’s how I feel. Granny already found me out so I’ll confess. When I was headed home from work or at night I’ve been studying how to maintain you on my own.

Clear:

So that’s what it was? Ah…Ren-san said so as well…

Aoba:

Hm?

Clear:

Ah, it’s nothing.

Aoba:

But…Granny told me that I shouldn’t think that way. By just prioritizing my own feelings I wasn’t thinking of your feelings, Clear. I decided that I was going to live with you. Just like you’re a normal human. It’s no good if I don’t let you think and decide for yourself.

Clear:

Even Tae-san…something like that…

Aoba:

Yeah. Clear. I’m sorry. Even while I’d say some completely conceited things to you…I didn’t even realize something like that. I just kept on prioritizing my desire to do something no matter what. Even though I thought that I was thinking of you, I wasn’t thinking of you at all. I really am sorry.

Clear:

Aoba-san, you don’t…need to apologize for that.

Aoba:

No…in all honesty, when Granny told me, I felt kind of pathetic to realize it, but I’m glad that I did. That’s why…the decision of what we’ll do is in your hands. There’s still time left, so think it over carefully and decide.

Clear:

Yes. I understand. I’ll think over it on my own and give my answer.

Aoba:

Yeah…