MiSide: Taming Crazy Mita

The evening sunlight filled the living room. Mila sat on the sofa with a book in her hands, and from time to time, the soft rustling of turning pages broke the silence.

Ren Hoshino was flipping through an e-book on his phone. The space between them was neither close nor far—like two people seated quietly in a library, each absorbed in their own world, yet sharing a quiet connection.

Ren looked up and glanced at Mila beside him.

Her profile was gently lit by the golden glow of sunset. She was focused entirely on her book, her expression calm and immersed.

Snap.

Mila turned to look at Ren in mild confusion, but said nothing. After all, he'd been taking pictures of her without permission for the past five days.

Ren: "I'm going to cook."

Mila: "What are you going to make?"

Ren: "Whatever you want."

Mila: "Just… no carrots."

Ren nodded. "Then I'll make something without them."

He walked into the kitchen, put on an apron, and began rummaging through the refrigerator for ingredients.

Time ticked by, minute after minute.

Ren: "Mila, it's ready."

"Come eat."

Mila gently closed her book, stretched, stood up, and walked into the kitchen.

Ren took off his apron and sat down beside her. They ate in silence.

Every so often, Ren would pick up a piece of food and place it in Mila's bowl.

She didn't say a word, quietly accepting it.

After dinner, Ren left the kitchen.

Mila washed the dishes, dried her hands, and returned to the living room. Ren was already on the sofa with a book in his hands.

She walked over, picked up a different book from the table, and sat down next to him—this time, a little closer.

Their shoulders would occasionally brush.

Mila: "Are all those weird things you were working on finished?"

Ren looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Her head was still lowered, eyes focused on her book.

He knew exactly what she meant: the makeshift bombs, the traps, the weapons he'd cobbled together to prepare for Crazy Mita.

Ren: "Yeah, almost."

Mila: "Really?"

"Then fix your bug already."

"Once it's fixed, you can leave."

Ren: "It's been fine all this time. Why the sudden change?"

"What's wrong?"

"You still don't want me to go?"

Mila didn't respond. She just kept reading.

Ren returned to his book too, letting the silence settle once more.

Eventually, he checked the time on his phone, then stood up and rolled his neck.

Ren: "I'm sleepy. I'm gonna rest for a bit."

The only sound left in the room was the soft flipping of pages.

How much time passed? No one knew.

Eventually, Mila stood up, placed her book on the table, and walked toward the bedroom.

She opened the door and found Ren sleeping on her bed.

She didn't bother questioning why he hadn't taken the sofa or the floor.

Silently, she lay down beside him, facing away.

Mila: "Ren Hoshino… can you not leave?"

No reply.

Mila turned, her eyes landing on Ren's sleeping face, a mixture of emotions swimming in her gaze.

When Ren awoke, he quietly packed everything he had prepared.

He reached into the last known bug and, using the instructions from the Future Diary and the ring's authority, absorbed it and sealed it inside.

Then he walked to the front door and opened it.

A pitch-black corridor stretched out before him.

He turned back to Mila.

Ren: "It's done. The passage appeared."

Mila stood with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

Mila: "What a creepy corridor."

"You're really leaving?"

Ren nodded. "Yes."

She clasped her hands together, wearing a theatrical smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Mila: "Wow… amazing."

"He's such a hero."

Then she punched him in the arm.

Ren: "You did that on purpose."

Mila: "Oops. My hand slipped."

"I know you need to go."

"But… can't you stay a little longer?"

Her voice cracked with quiet pleading.

Ren: "Mila, I can't delay anymore."

"Crazy Mita won't let this slide."

Mila's arms dropped. Her expression twisted in frustration.

Mila: "I hate her."

Suddenly, she collapsed to the floor, covering her face.

Mila: "I hate her! I hate her!"

Ren knelt beside her and gently patted her shoulder.

Mila: "Why am I even here?"

"I don't understand!"

"I don't get it—I just don't get it!"

"I'm never going to leave this place!"

Her voice trembled with tears.

Ren: "Mila, I understand you."

"I will come back."

"I swear it."

"I'll get you out of here."

Mila sobbed into her hands.

Mila: "Please, stay, Ren."

"It's fun when you're here. When I'm alone, everything's so quiet."

"I want you to stay… so we can read together."

Ren: "Once I finish everything, I'll come back. We'll read again, I promise."

Mila: "But what if you fail?"

Ren smiled with a confidence that filled the room.

Ren: "I won't fail."

"You called me a hero, didn't you?"

"I will come back for you."

Mila shook her head slowly.

Ren: "Oh right, I've got something for you."

"A parting gift."

"Want to see it?"

Mila looked up, her eyes red from crying.

Ren helped her stand and led her to the photo-covered wall.

Ren: "Didn't you say these were just paintings?"

"I actually took a ton of pictures for you."

"All of them… are you, Mila."

"The real you."

He touched the frame with the hand wearing the ring. A soft green glow flickered.

The image that appeared was Mila, caught in a candid moment on the sofa, reading a book under the amber light of sunset.

It had been taken just the day before.

Mila stared at it, stunned.

Ren: "How is it? Doesn't it look good?"

"And there's more."

He touched photo after photo on the wall.

There was Mila looking confused. Mila angry in her bathrobe. Mila hiding under the table. Mila failing at push-ups. Dozens more.

One entire wall was now a collage of her.

Ren: "See, Mila? You're so unique. So full of character."

"These are all you."

"The real you."

"You're one of a kind."

Mila looked at the wall—a timeline of her time with Ren. Short as it was, it preserved her better than any memory.

In this quiet, isolated room, with her routine of hollow days and years, these fleeting moments had become her most precious memories.

Ren: "This is my goodbye gift to you."

"Actually—no. It's a gift for a short separation."

"Believe me. I'm a hero. I will be back."

Mila broke down, tears streaming as she threw herself into his arms.

Mila: "Thank you, Ren."

"No one's ever given me anything before."

"I've always been alone."

"I just want you to stay."

Ren held her close, gently stroking her navy-blue hair.

He understood.

This entire version of Mila—the way she acted, the glitches she triggered, even her subtle manipulations—had all been in service of keeping him here.

And Ren had felt it.

All of it pointed to one thing:

She wanted him to stay and play with her.

***

✋😐🤚