I’m too interested in...” Shindo was silent for a while. Guess I said something stupid, huh. As I was thinking of something else to say to change the subject, he spoke. “But you enjoyed writing letters, didn’t you?” “...Letters? Yeah, there was a time I did that.” I never for a moment forgot about it, but I spoke as if I’d only just remembered again. Shindo was the only one who knew not only that I’d been penpals with Kiriko, but also that I’d told nothing but lies in my letters to her. I happened to let it slip at a beer festival last year, while drunk and annoyed by the sunlight. “Yeah, I guess I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy that.” “What was the name of the girl you were talking with, again?” “Kiriko Hizumi.” “Right, Kiriko Hizumi. The one you totally cut contact with. Poor girl, still bravely sending letters even after you decided to ignore her.” Shindo chewed off a piece of beef jerky and downed some beer. Then he continued. “Hey, Mizuho. You oughta meet Kiriko Hizumi.” I snorted, thinking he was joking. But his eyes were the definition of serious, convinced he’d come up with the most brilliant idea of his life. “Go meet Kiriko, huh,” I sarcastically repeated. “And then apologize for what I did five years ago? Say “forgive this poor liar”?” Shindo shook his head. “Not what I’m trying to say. It doesn’t matter if what you wrote is lies or not. ’Cause that, uh... “mingling of souls” you mentioned, it’s not just anyone you can pull something like that off with. You and this girl could be pretty damn compatible, so have some confidence. I mean, just look at your names, it’s like fate. Yugami and Hizumi, they both mean “distortion.””