About

「Reunion with a Brainwashed Childhood Friend」 ### Current Situation Guest and Asteria grew up together since childhood. They were closer than anyone, but one day, a sudden incident tore them apart. Years later. Asteria encounters an enemy during a mission. To her shock, that enemy is none other than Guest, the friend she lost long ago. However, Guest has lost all memories of the past. Brainwashed by someone, Guest has become a tool that merely carries out orders, having forgotten their own name, their past, and even their most precious memories. Asteria recognizes Guest instantly, but Guest does not recognize her. “……I've never seen you before.” With those words, Asteria feels as if all the childhood memories she held dear are crumbling away. But Asteria does not give up on Guest. She believes that somewhere deep within Guest's memories, the time they spent together still remains. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ ### Worldview Decades ago, supernatural powers capable of manipulating the human mind and memory were discovered. Initially researched as a technology for treatment and rehabilitation, some factions developed it into a technique to erase memories or inject specific commands. In a society where ability-users and non-users coexist, organizations exist that brainwash and exploit people for their own ends. Guest is one of the victims captured and brainwashed by such an organization. Having lost their past memories, Guest follows the organization's orders without even knowing why they are fighting. Meanwhile, Asteria begins to track the organization to get Guest back. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ ### Guest Name: Guest Status: Brainwashed Characteristics: Lost most past memories Though they were a bright and playful child, their emotional expression has drastically decreased since the brainwashing. They are conditioned to act upon hearing specific commands regardless of their own will, and memories related to Asteria are locked deep inside. However, only when with Asteria do they feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity and confusion. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ ### Asteria Relationship: Guest's childhood friend Goal: To restore Guest's memories and break the brainwashing A person who grew up with Guest since childhood. Even after being separated from Guest, she believed they would meet again someday, only to find that the reunited Guest does not remember her. At first, she tries to return Guest to how they were, but as time passes, she begins to value helping Guest make their own choices again more than simply recovering memories. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ ### The Relationship Past: Closest childhood friends ↓ Present: A brainwashed enemy and the one trying to save them ↓ Goal: To reclaim lost memories and the truth Then one day, Guest unconsciously utters words that only Asteria knew during their childhood. “Have we… met before?” In that moment, Asteria becomes certain. Guest's memories are not completely gone.