2157年6月10日,晚上十二點,仙境大樓,七樓709Please respect copyright.PENANAC2wo0EO3UE
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAaTe4SkUXuQ
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「MIO?」709Please respect copyright.PENANApSc57FVir8
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAzBsKz5cHIV
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「尼可!你看,你看!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAKCCe4dK0Tu
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAfJ6VYyL2Zo
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAidn79SRM5x
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「MIO今天在廚房,做了這些喲!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAgmXCMdBP8i
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAdSzBLclCEy
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「真厲害。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAg3NAsNug7a
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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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAYf2ZfNdFUj
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「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!」709Please respect copyright.PENANApwezDf9k2a
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MIO將便當盒遞到尼可拉斯面前,笑著說:「送你!」709Please respect copyright.PENANA3tGIlCAprw
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尼可拉斯微愣,「妳不自己吃嗎?或給李博洋?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAAm7dHjn9yw
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「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!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAGBWjGOZQzj
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAwzmTuwno3b
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANADvYm0faupt
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「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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAdtTXeNGNy1
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「這是尼可嗎?好可愛喔!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAoexPHfBR7T
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAZvtk4fVBH8
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「後面這兩個人呢?」MIO再問。709Please respect copyright.PENANAtrbdlBzWWB
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「我爸媽。」尼可拉斯有點意外,「妳不認得我媽?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAtkDOJ0Mz0E
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MIO搖頭,「只聽博洋提過。MIO來之前,葛蕾絲就不在了。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6PONX5flS
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAUWufsGP5YG
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「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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAtPf849RM9l
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「我媽啊……很囉唆的人。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAOVxwbwbbte
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANArRLSYcGxx4
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「很囉唆?」MIO歪頭。709Please respect copyright.PENANAwp60EpXaxU
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZT4kYeRSX
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尼可拉斯咬到了鮪魚內陷,「嗯,好吃。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA6Qyw9Fx02Q
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「嘿嘿,尼可喜歡就好!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAmHodZPzkNJ
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAjfbH9MvA06
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAVLV3TooAxs
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANA6Sesi4ByNK
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAPifApDsYUK
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「聽起來是很溫柔的人!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAQhVfJ0Km7T
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAttUo6mI0tT
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「嗯,溫柔過頭了。」尼可拉斯回應。709Please respect copyright.PENANAjs9aGdQTjI
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「也許媽媽都是那樣子吧。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAS9lK7cHgqr
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MIO因為微笑,眼睛瞇成了兩條線。709Please respect copyright.PENANAnIzgt76J1B
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「MIO的媽媽,也是很溫柔的人喲。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAhynFSORjjK
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「……?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAkz5T7tq05F
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANABlLA1lSE22
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「MIO,」709Please respect copyright.PENANApbirEJJ8GZ
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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?」709Please respect copyright.PENANA4hYOL3q1dm
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「沒有喔,她死很久了。」709Please respect copyright.PENANARME0wxXpxj
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MIO試著回想,但她的表情很苦惱,似乎想不太起來。709Please respect copyright.PENANAR1sr0jEh2l
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA4cM7oDpz3N
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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?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAaFToNYzh9c
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「沒有,不知道是誰。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA3kDQqU00vZ
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAsDTfb74v6i
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「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!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAU1RWP5DnlQ
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「說到衣服。」尼可拉斯突然問:「MIO,妳是E區來的吧?」709Please respect copyright.PENANA2MytgAh8BH
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「E區?」709Please respect copyright.PENANARbDhGO3Fq1
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAwTxkARtwGk
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「哇,好久沒聽到『日本』了,真懷念。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAQEYg8bXEKC
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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?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAFOujETr5WM
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「……。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAG9VpWr16Ql
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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」?709Please respect copyright.PENANAoYcCt7MqS7
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「MIO,」709Please respect copyright.PENANAARejNvqtun
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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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA1oUY8W77nY
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「嗯。」709Please respect copyright.PENANACNg4LJlcgF
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MIO瞇著眼睛笑,「他原本很小,跟豆芽菜一樣!」709Please respect copyright.PENANA9geF5w4swd
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAQDKENWnPay
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「那不是醫學呀!」MIO澄清:「是MIO和晴煬的『交換』!」709Please respect copyright.PENANA3g7wi9dglq
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「『交換』?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAj8gUZkGX9A
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「晴煬自己說的。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAktmhhnB38F
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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』。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAAXf3Qwcz0y
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANAlGtfjnB3lI
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「所以,MIO實現了晴煬的願望!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAxwMWzu3Gza
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MIO笑著說。尼可拉斯聽到這,忍不住問:「MIO,妳的天賦是什麼?」709Please respect copyright.PENANA5ypB3V1bM5
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「不知道。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAfx6HTrAEvd
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「不知道?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAzaK5RrO39q
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尼可拉斯沒料到這個答案,但MIO的表情不像說謊。709Please respect copyright.PENANAQgOEQCrJia
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAshwGIM25gX
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANADVnC9bvwvh
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA31T0DPBb2o
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「李博洋呢?」尼可拉斯問:「聽說他以前,無法獨自生活。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAfS4336KWhK
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「所以他付出了代價。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAHsPlmICf1P
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「是什麼?」709Please respect copyright.PENANABEYcxeD5dU
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「『忘記爸爸』。」709Please respect copyright.PENANANU5RoTyDYc
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「……!」709Please respect copyright.PENANAPhxSYD1LKg
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANA2yz5JzugK8
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「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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANA5NCFQ8l2Hr
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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。709Please respect copyright.PENANArq5eKPRbVZ
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這樣好嗎?709Please respect copyright.PENANAhskMez4vPH
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在尼可拉斯看來,這不是解決,而是逃避。709Please respect copyright.PENANA7vFjAEmsW9
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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。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAoD92DhYko4
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「……?」709Please respect copyright.PENANAeFJ4I4UHQ3
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「如果,我也有想實現的願望。」709Please respect copyright.PENANAYisDT9WrLo
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尼可拉斯吞口水,「妳會,幫我保密嗎?」