2157年6月10日,晚上十二點,仙境大樓,七樓677Please respect copyright.PENANAwro9b47OlN
677Please respect copyright.PENANAfM8iBDotFO
677Please respect copyright.PENANAmi3Ktcsd5v
回仙境大樓,尼可拉斯直奔七樓,同時,他也在七樓的走廊上,遇見意想不到的人。677Please respect copyright.PENANATLFNaS8ABv
677Please respect copyright.PENANACOIoqhqNyf
「MIO?」677Please respect copyright.PENANA6pVtPT8t30
677Please respect copyright.PENANAQWw371jY4r
小女孩坐在走廊地板上,背靠著尼可拉斯的房門。看到尼可拉斯回來,MIO露出燦爛的笑容,朝他跑來。677Please respect copyright.PENANAst1lbpQEyi
677Please respect copyright.PENANACZshEMC4as
「尼可!你看,你看!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAGWUxKqyAGB
677Please respect copyright.PENANADKfPjJT3fC
按照慣例,由資歷最淺的成員作新人的嚮導,但李晴煬加入時,他的嚮導由哥哥李博洋擔任,不是當時資歷最淺的MIO。677Please respect copyright.PENANAQmFyV9oiZ2
677Please respect copyright.PENANA3zb8smovyf
輪到尼可拉斯,因為李晴煬也是新人,尼可拉斯的嚮導便由MIO代替。意外地,他和MIO處得很好──至少比那對兄弟好。677Please respect copyright.PENANAvmXGz5POL9
677Please respect copyright.PENANAregl1MQDyd
「MIO今天在廚房,做了這些喲!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAeRCgllfMeh
677Please respect copyright.PENANA5iNF4K2Snb
MIO手裡拿著便當盒,裡面裝著三顆飯糰,形狀很漂亮,全是MIO親手捏的。677Please respect copyright.PENANATLxLt1ONMa
677Please respect copyright.PENANAVu7SmjQd66
「真厲害。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAwja1QK5Aul
677Please respect copyright.PENANAO4bANRO0Q6
尼可拉斯收起剛才在夜店的苦瓜臉,伸手摸了摸MIO的頭,表情柔和地說:「看起來很好吃。」677Please respect copyright.PENANASB18kRaLsI
677Please respect copyright.PENANAxiXqIYi2rs
「嘻嘻!左邊是鮪魚,中間是梅子,右邊這個最厲害,是明太子口味的喔!」677Please respect copyright.PENANA9dZHrDwtX9
677Please respect copyright.PENANACDAk7qYrkl
MIO將便當盒遞到尼可拉斯面前,笑著說:「送你!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAPIA4OeZ9Ux
677Please respect copyright.PENANAWDNSkU8WUw
尼可拉斯微愣,「妳不自己吃嗎?或給李博洋?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAXSyPJCuotT
677Please respect copyright.PENANAsEDE4rkPJj
「我們剛剛吃過了!赫密士在睡覺,晴煬跑出去玩,不理他們!」MIO說:「所以全部留給尼可了,嘿嘿!」677Please respect copyright.PENANA29DCJTKDgt
677Please respect copyright.PENANAXKfY5cT6QR
尼可拉斯莞爾一笑,回了句「一起吃吧」,招待MIO來自己房間。他房間的色系是淺灰色,東西很少,比其他人的房間都要空。他大部分時間都在醫務室,房間不用多豪華,能洗澡睡覺就行。677Please respect copyright.PENANA5aejq2JzEs
677Please respect copyright.PENANAztAzcCOljA
身上都是菸味,尼可拉斯先讓坐在MIO沙發,自己則去洗澡。出浴後,MIO不在原位,人跑到尼可拉斯的床頭櫃前,盯著相框裡的照片發呆。677Please respect copyright.PENANA7zxg7BkqJG
677Please respect copyright.PENANAdqsMOO9FDV
「怎麼了?」尼可拉斯走到MIO身後,他連居家服都是灰色的短袖T恤。677Please respect copyright.PENANAFe8IHWoHcc
677Please respect copyright.PENANAa1om0MDJ4t
「這是尼可嗎?好可愛喔!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAhqoE7cXHEq
677Please respect copyright.PENANAip7Q08rxPl
MIO指著照片裡,一名有著銀白色頭髮、表情彆扭的小孩。尼可拉斯從小就不喜歡拍照。677Please respect copyright.PENANATvP5ieSE88
677Please respect copyright.PENANAplQADDkKj0
「後面這兩個人呢?」MIO再問。677Please respect copyright.PENANA719r1fekkB
677Please respect copyright.PENANAzhnvxtClAP
「我爸媽。」尼可拉斯有點意外,「妳不認得我媽?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAV6q4e0EZ8F
677Please respect copyright.PENANAC8gI9bqe0C
MIO搖頭,「只聽博洋提過。MIO來之前,葛蕾絲就不在了。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAdDDeEwJlXK
677Please respect copyright.PENANA2m9dl3tyx4
不只MIO,整個神與畜,只有最早的赫密士與里奧見過葛蕾絲。母親在大家心中,就像上個世紀的人名一樣陌生。尼可拉斯的心情很複雜,一時不知該說什麼。677Please respect copyright.PENANAj1vgTGzW6F
677Please respect copyright.PENANAChIBB5qsuO
「尼可的媽媽,是什麼樣的人?」MIO突然抬頭,大大的黑色眼睛由下往上,看著尼可拉斯。677Please respect copyright.PENANAo7Lzvzu3Si
677Please respect copyright.PENANAWFQ0rjHCCn
「我媽啊……很囉唆的人。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAWfVGmj28bT
677Please respect copyright.PENANAuVNE3v1OnH
尼可拉斯和MIO回到沙發。尼可拉斯拿起便當盒中的飯糰,開始吃起來。677Please respect copyright.PENANAKpjIgu94sy
677Please respect copyright.PENANAbSsJQfPeOB
「很囉唆?」MIO歪頭。677Please respect copyright.PENANAoKhlBDGwPs
677Please respect copyright.PENANAzE6ZmwNMxn
「她什麼都能唸。東西不歸位、天氣冷不穿外套、太晚洗澡、不吃小黃瓜、回到家不跟她打招呼……唉,太多了,數都數不清。」677Please respect copyright.PENANANuwJSyWeag
677Please respect copyright.PENANAL749srtG2E
尼可拉斯咬到了鮪魚內陷,「嗯,好吃。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAravuTTKykn
677Please respect copyright.PENANALMQV22vYKh
「嘿嘿,尼可喜歡就好!」677Please respect copyright.PENANApqENzYRWze
677Please respect copyright.PENANAA0gpqfIbiE
MIO兩手放在大腿、端正地坐在另一邊的沙發。她穿著一件黃底、上面有白色花朵的浴衣,看起來十分乖巧。677Please respect copyright.PENANAxnkTbaB8yV
677Please respect copyright.PENANAMqgLktoCue
「我媽跟我一樣,頭髮是銀白色的。她常跟我抱怨,說這種顏色的頭髮很難搭衣服,但她是家庭主婦,沒多少時候需要打扮……她食量很大,明明是易胖體質,卻喜歡吃雞腿,開口閉口說要減肥,往往一天就放棄……現在想起來,確實是很麻煩的人。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAXWUPaCgn2f
677Please respect copyright.PENANAsKE0I8dxmx
雖然是囉嗦、少根筋的母親,但提到她,尼可拉斯的臉部肌肉都放鬆下來,忍不住和MIO越說越多。677Please respect copyright.PENANAm4hO0ruTFo
677Please respect copyright.PENANAz5qXsnChdm
那是他這輩子最愛的女人。對他而言,母親代表快樂,葛蕾絲也帶給他好多回憶。尼可拉斯說著說著,眼淚不自覺掉下來。他用手背拭去眼淚,倔強地假裝自己沒有哭。677Please respect copyright.PENANAbNkuIekJLU
677Please respect copyright.PENANAN9XzOx8b3k
「聽起來是很溫柔的人!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAp8iMLD8Xdp
677Please respect copyright.PENANAqd6JeaVSJI
MIO很貼心,沒有把尼可拉斯哭的事情說出來,這讓尼可拉斯非常感激。677Please respect copyright.PENANAzG3NP1jlBT
677Please respect copyright.PENANAalb7JFDKJW
「嗯,溫柔過頭了。」尼可拉斯回應。677Please respect copyright.PENANAClpFKcUmuI
677Please respect copyright.PENANAkpTOvpKMQ9
「也許媽媽都是那樣子吧。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAbVjQAaMFHi
677Please respect copyright.PENANA75rkUtLSak
MIO因為微笑,眼睛瞇成了兩條線。677Please respect copyright.PENANAPPrGIZRpJK
677Please respect copyright.PENANAQwojtNuals
「MIO的媽媽,也是很溫柔的人喲。」677Please respect copyright.PENANA5mjcvDhpYB
677Please respect copyright.PENANAFUYyAQAu6J
「……?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAxyXzw74dx6
677Please respect copyright.PENANAwP5yHXTQf7
神與畜的大家都不愛聊過往,其中,MIO的過往最為神秘。雖然很失禮,但尼可拉斯一直覺得,MIO的存在很「不正常」;像媽媽這樣「正常」的概念,竟然套在MIO身上,尼可拉斯很訝異。677Please respect copyright.PENANAUOtak5FQLR
677Please respect copyright.PENANAkaVIf789Pt
「MIO,」677Please respect copyright.PENANAf9Xtcvkav9
677Please respect copyright.PENANAWXV0xs73M3
這是了解MIO的最佳良機,尼可拉斯坐直身子,試探性地問:「妳媽媽……還健在嗎?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAimdLLAYZWE
677Please respect copyright.PENANAEoP0utVZHg
「沒有喔,她死很久了。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAjpE1xgkUCN
677Please respect copyright.PENANA4Kmm6GvOn3
MIO試著回想,但她的表情很苦惱,似乎想不太起來。677Please respect copyright.PENANAurziCa8EVz
677Please respect copyright.PENANAECkN2Jmvyn
「MIO只記得,媽媽很溫柔,總是穿著黑色的上衣、黑色的裙子,胸前綁一條可愛的帶子,常常和MIO一起吃咖哩飯。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAuvsbxFUwra
677Please respect copyright.PENANAVpNR1a6c6A
意識到MIO的母親是學生,尼可拉斯問:「爸爸呢?妳對爸爸有印象嗎?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAjLDMlWQuJJ
677Please respect copyright.PENANAb2SuwrP8WJ
「沒有,不知道是誰。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAs8xR5ST8B5
677Please respect copyright.PENANAWJHxLBWxsY
MIO一副無所謂。看來,MIO的母親除了未成年,還是未婚懷孕,恐怕……連小孩都不是自願生下的。677Please respect copyright.PENANAxKnAGleBcR
677Please respect copyright.PENANA3OWKIkl78o
「雖然想不起來,但媽媽很愛MIO!」MIO炫耀自己的和服,「MIO一直想讓媽媽看,看博洋送MIO的衣服!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAENOSvzSNU9
677Please respect copyright.PENANAbRXz6PwsXK
「說到衣服。」尼可拉斯突然問:「MIO,妳是E區來的吧?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAUmk8orhK7k
677Please respect copyright.PENANAfcO2MCG4t7
「E區?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAfiMnNFeelC
677Please respect copyright.PENANA5nl7rl8BV0
「大眾媒體E區,東北亞。」尼可拉斯說:「二十一世紀,有個國家叫日本,妳的衣服是日本的傳統服飾。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAJw67rhpBBa
677Please respect copyright.PENANAUNWW7XoVTi
「哇,好久沒聽到『日本』了,真懷念。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAh7bofFT4NH
677Please respect copyright.PENANAfTxBt4IeiJ
MIO感嘆地說:「一轉眼,日本就不見了,只剩下E區;大家都不會說自己的話,只會講中文和英文;大家都忘記了以前,只認得十大家族……一轉眼就這樣了,到底為什麼呢?」677Please respect copyright.PENANA9SlHsXNiWk
677Please respect copyright.PENANALjsGumpiKg
「……。」677Please respect copyright.PENANACHGSuRJIqV
677Please respect copyright.PENANA5IhIndzogY
MIO不可能只有五歲,但萬萬沒想到,她竟然是上個世紀的人。尼可拉斯好奇,為什麼MIO都不會老、不會死?她到底是「什麼」?677Please respect copyright.PENANALObYd0ygEA
677Please respect copyright.PENANANkqVxbucFw
「MIO,」677Please respect copyright.PENANADu5n2fm6lo
677Please respect copyright.PENANAZRn0FMIxZ4
尼可拉斯想起今天和李博洋的對話,「聽說上個月,李晴煬不是長這個樣子。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAGGcBdkR5Cd
677Please respect copyright.PENANAo4DXgRZ4vw
「嗯。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAJJEvSfx88V
677Please respect copyright.PENANApk1sYUx7tk
MIO瞇著眼睛笑,「他原本很小,跟豆芽菜一樣!」677Please respect copyright.PENANA22zwRMX8c9
677Please respect copyright.PENANAGFmmST0jC6
「那,為什麼豆芽突然長大了?」尼可拉斯說:「醫學上,這是絕對不可能的。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAKJSzwk34JL
677Please respect copyright.PENANAPhO0s2jYVa
「那不是醫學呀!」MIO澄清:「是MIO和晴煬的『交換』!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAeXCqTZk0WP
677Please respect copyright.PENANAbtpEjylIH3
「『交換』?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAJTN8oDUQUl
677Please respect copyright.PENANA7Sgqo2F2wW
「晴煬自己說的。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAnIU7ud5NmQ
677Please respect copyright.PENANAhHY1XCIb98
記性不好的MIO,竟一字不漏地重複一遍:「『又高又帥、身材好、頭腦靈光、喜歡使壞……不管做什麼,都能因為長得帥被原諒』。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAAKxYEVIl1C
677Please respect copyright.PENANAvb9zQxfFfa
尼可拉斯不知道,因為那是歡迎會時,MIO問李晴煬想成為什麼樣的神與畜,李晴煬的回答。677Please respect copyright.PENANAPBhvIGuNQg
677Please respect copyright.PENANAg2jHJhH35n
「所以,MIO實現了晴煬的願望!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAERUMDjcWBl
677Please respect copyright.PENANABD7ndazy9g
MIO笑著說。尼可拉斯聽到這,忍不住問:「MIO,妳的天賦是什麼?」677Please respect copyright.PENANA90OOAnr1UL
677Please respect copyright.PENANAvnom4HCSM9
「不知道。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAolD2DXTNB2
677Please respect copyright.PENANAiI3JUFKKhO
「不知道?」677Please respect copyright.PENANArVk3uzdrpZ
677Please respect copyright.PENANAgYrKMWgMIP
尼可拉斯沒料到這個答案,但MIO的表情不像說謊。677Please respect copyright.PENANAqL8mapmOuz
677Please respect copyright.PENANA9l2LT4EI2d
「MIO只有聽宇維少爺說過。」MIO表示:「他說我是『假海龜』,很厲害,但MIO試來試去,只用得出『交換』──MIO可以幫大家實現願望,相對地,他們必須付出對等的代價。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAofd4YqtOhF
677Please respect copyright.PENANA4qba5lff1b
就像和朋友介紹玩具,MIO用平常的口氣說,絲毫沒發現自己的話,在尼可拉斯聽來有多震驚。677Please respect copyright.PENANAMGQReE2XSm
677Please respect copyright.PENANAoyX4eh0CyZ
「就像她們,希望MIO幫她們復仇,以『自由』為代價,靈魂被鎖在MIO的娃娃,從此都要聽MIO的話;晴煬想改變外表,以『暫時沉睡』為代價,變成現在的模樣。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAdr6wIOo99X
677Please respect copyright.PENANAsCn92F4UnC
「李博洋呢?」尼可拉斯問:「聽說他以前,無法獨自生活。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAoDrp25yJ5k
677Please respect copyright.PENANAlssIlXXpxe
「所以他付出了代價。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAOKl21oGCb4
677Please respect copyright.PENANAD0CgHWhLYB
「是什麼?」677Please respect copyright.PENANAq23il1XOY0
677Please respect copyright.PENANAYvknMOdQ1L
「『忘記爸爸』。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAERbQ2U8KYv
677Please respect copyright.PENANAsMk9WV2xlQ
「……!」677Please respect copyright.PENANAuo6KlkZ361
677Please respect copyright.PENANA4M67f26lFj
尼可拉斯瞪大眼睛。在監獄時,李博洋曾經提過父親。當時尼可拉斯覺得奇怪,明明是很重要的人,為什麼李博洋可以這麼冷靜,彷彿在說別人的故事,原來是因為MIO。677Please respect copyright.PENANAcJdviKU50F
677Please respect copyright.PENANAV7GCxfzxyC
「博洋不是失憶喔!他還是記得他的爸爸,只是,他把『對爸爸的情感』當成代價,實現『擺脫過去、獨當一面』的願望。只是,沒想到不只爸爸,博洋也變得不在乎其他家人,叫他回李門都不要。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAqvvlm5pMgd
677Please respect copyright.PENANAT1hXnivC3V
或許,這也能解釋李博洋對身邊的人,都只有表面友善,對方死了也不在乎。他把自己簡化成「only高宇維」的新型人種,多餘的情感全被割捨掉。677Please respect copyright.PENANAc59aODLR0n
677Please respect copyright.PENANALySI9XnOQV
677Please respect copyright.PENANAcFkO2A0VxS
這樣好嗎?677Please respect copyright.PENANA2VfsSJVvOC
677Please respect copyright.PENANAfzprP29j2A
在尼可拉斯看來,這不是解決,而是逃避。677Please respect copyright.PENANAfitBiUqiki
677Please respect copyright.PENANAn3KOqElX4j
677Please respect copyright.PENANAIe4b5D0OZz
不過,李博洋也好,李晴煬也好。MIO的「交換」,明明能用在更用意義的地方。一個念頭閃過尼可拉斯腦中,他壓低聲音:「MIO。」677Please respect copyright.PENANAic44QabMdg
677Please respect copyright.PENANASvKZXrcR9C
「……?」677Please respect copyright.PENANA5qHHlCUbgM
677Please respect copyright.PENANA0QkgHSCeU9
「如果,我也有想實現的願望。」677Please respect copyright.PENANA71u2h7fLn8
677Please respect copyright.PENANAAN3bjejw0P
尼可拉斯吞口水,「妳會,幫我保密嗎?」