Fragments of Memory

Night had settled over the city, and in the dim glow of the lab’s monitors, Kurisu found herself alone with Hitagi, both of them watching the looping results of the latest experiment. There was an odd quiet between them, not awkward but weighted with something unspoken.

"You’re surprisingly calm about all this," Kurisu remarked.

Hitagi tilted her head. "Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not the first time my world has been rewritten."

Kurisu raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you expected it."

Hitagi gave a slow, measured smile. "Perhaps. I’ve always lived in a world filled with oddities. What’s one more disruption?"

Kurisu folded her arms. "We’ll fix this. I don’t believe in fate, only in the science that can shape reality."

Hitagi took a step closer, her voice softer now. "Then you should understand why I’m intrigued by you."

Kurisu blinked, heat rising to her cheeks. "I—That’s irrelevant to the situation."

Hitagi chuckled. "Deny it all you like, but it’s rare to meet someone with an intellect as sharp as yours. I enjoy it."

Kurisu turned away, muttering under her breath. "You’re insufferable."

Meanwhile, on the lab’s rooftop, Mayuri leaned against the railing, looking at the moonlit sky. Beside her, Hanekawa sat with her hands folded in her lap.

"You don’t seem afraid," Hanekawa noted.

Mayuri swayed lightly, humming. "Nope! Because I believe that whatever happens, everything will work out."

Hanekawa looked at her, fascinated. "You remind me of someone I used to know."

Mayuri giggled. "A special person?"

Hanekawa hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. But now, I don’t even know if they existed. It’s like my memories are fading."

Mayuri took her hand gently. "Then let’s make new memories together."

Hanekawa’s breath caught. For the first time since arriving in this world, the void inside her didn’t feel quite as empty.

As the night stretched on, the lines between timelines and emotions blurred further. Somewhere, in the shifting tides of fate, two minds clashed, two hearts aligned, and the story of SteinsGatari continued.