Vol 1 Chapter 6 (2/2)

This alone isn’t enough for me to be sure of his plan.

“It’s morning, and he entered an abandoned building illegally. What’s he trying to do?”

Upon seeing this, I start to realize.

“He’s still waking up early. He just brought a large polyethylene tank into that abandoned building. It looks like a difficult job for his slender arms.”

And my imagination became belief.

“He went to that building in the morning again, s.p.a.cing out as he looks outside the window, and returned home again.”

“…Is he serious?”

The intel’s limited, but I understood from this much.

He wanted to kill himself, still seeking to suffer in an abnormally cruel way. He was already so determined for vengeance.

Again, I click my tongue, reaching out for the notebook I was so familiar with.

“Please, please! Things are really getting unsalvagable here!”

I again requested for Hikari Yumesaki to write about the memories between them.

If my guess is correct, there’s no issue about the operation to stop Kazes.h.i.+ro. Everything will go in place if I don’t miss the timing.

But there is a trump card I need no matter what. This plan will not work as long as Hikari Yumesaki does not reply to me.

“I’ll definitely stop you…Kazes.h.i.+ro.”

Her birthday’s 5 days later, right around the corner.

It’s 2 days later, a Sunday.

And I managed to wake up refreshed, something I never experienced for quite a while.

Did Hikari Yumesaki write it after all!? Feeling extremely expectant, I hopped out and opened the notebook first.

However,

“Nothing…”

I asked my sister while we were having breakfast. It seems I slept very early the previous day, and that’s why I’m feeling good. But that goes against her principle of not staying up.

What do I do now? This is getting really bad.

The operation will happen 3 days later.

I’ve done all the preparations I can.

There’s still one thing.

I just need one more card to get a royal straight flush, and my plan should trump his vengeance plan.

However, I’ll just hand up with a scratch if this goes on. It’s only meaningful if I can get the last card. This plan will never work as long as I don’t get Hikari Yumesaki’s a.s.sistance.

“…Hm?”

There’s a trembling in my pocket, notifying me of a mail.

Paying particular heed, I stare at the cellphone screen–

“Is it okay to meet you later?”

But rather than the content, it is the sender that shocked me.

“…”

And so, with cellphone in hand, I sprint out on the dark asphalt.

The string I once shred off.

Perhaps it did not burn off completely after all.

I begged quietly as I sprinted.

The sky was dyed black, ostensibly ready to cry.

As I expected, I was late. Having read into this a lot, my heart was aching.

“Sorry for calling you out so suddenly.”

The park back then.

The memories back then.

The memories of the recent past appeared in my mind, but it still feels nostalgic to me.

It’s my cla.s.smate, Kasumi.

The cold ice cream remains here, now in the form of a memory.

Ever since that confession, we pulled a little distance from us. Thanks to Hikari Yumesaki trying to maintain a relations.h.i.+p with Kasumi, we were at least able to chit-chat a little.

However, there are some things different from before. Different from before are the color of the sky, the positions we took on the bench, and the smile of her face as she chose to sit at the end.

“What’s the matter? Why so sudden?”

“U…um, there’s something I want to ask you no matter what.”

She’s stammering like before, her vision wavering in front of me.

Even if our personalities were different, and Hikari Yumesaki did all sorts of suggestive behavior, I was the one who pulled the plug, and it was the worst episode for me no matter how I thought about it. I thought that my notoriety would spread in school and I might get ostracized by my buddies, but unexpectedly, my cla.s.s felt I was a reliable guy. Some girls even showed some goodwill to me, so I guess Kasumi didn’t say anything bad about me. I really have to apologize to her about this; I actually rejected a confession from such a wonderful girl, and everyone probably thinks that I have a screw loose in my head or something. I’m really sorry.

Kasumi really is a kind girl.

What does she want from me now?

“Sakamoto, I hope you’re not angry, so hear me out.”

Saying that as a prelude, she continues,

“Are things going well…with the girl you like?”

“Eh?”

It’s an unexpected question. What does she mean?

“Wh-why you ask?”

“Well, you haven’t been looking fine recently, so I wonder if that’s the case. If I’m wrong, I’m sorry…”

…

Even she thinks that’s the case after all?

If this girl too has such thoughts, I guess Hikari Yumesaki’s really at her wits end, huh? d.a.m.n it.

“Erm, well…did you call me out because you want to encourage me?”

“…No, that’s not it.”

Kasumi lowers her head as she mutters,

“I thought this would be a chance…that if things weren’t going well…then maybe, I…I still have a chance…”

“…”

“…I guess not after all. Sorry…but I still don’t want to give up.”

I can’t help but look away.

That’s because I can’t look at her now. Why does she still like me? Normally speaking, she should be hating me now. However, I understand how she feels now. If I liked someone once, it’s impossible to hate that person so easily.

“Kasumi, can I say some cruel things…?”

“Eh–”

I look at her straight in the eyes.

And then, I gently weave these words,

“There’s a very important person to me who’s suffering alone in pain. I want to save her, but I don’t know what to do. I want to protect her, to embrace her, to cuddle her head, to comfort her, but I can’t even do all of these.”

I can’t even face her, hold her hand, or exchange words with her.

To us, this is a wish that will never be fulfilled.

I fell in love with a girl I will never meet again.

“…You love that girl till…”

Kasumi muttered as she closed her eyes.

The painful voice is too much that I don’t dare to look at her.

“What do I do? How can I make her smile again? If it’s you…what do you want me to do?”

I know I’m saying such cruel things.

I feel that I’ve did lot of cruel stuff to Kasumi.

“…Sorry for saying such annoying things.”

“N-no, don’t worry about it. I’m happy that you’re…still thinking for my sake even in this situation…”

I hear a choking voice, and that’s soon overpowered by snivelling.

Her eyes a little teary, she gives a little smile.

“Open up your heart. If you are able to convey your feelings to her, she’ll definitely smile. I-I definitely will wish for that from you, Sakamoto…if it’s me… because I want to know that person’s true thoughts…”

“…”

I felt something pa.s.s through my mind at that instance.

The thing I was always running from has finally shown its true form.

“…You’re kind as I expected, always kind…no matter when…”

“I’m not kind in any way.”

“That’s not true. You are really kind, Sakamoto, kinder than anyone else.”

She spoke with a warm voice that seems to engulf the me nearly burning out like a candle.

And she embraced me gently to prevent me from being extinguished.

“…Fufu, now you owe me a huge favor, you know…?”

She stands up, and turn to me, saying this.

She bares her teeth, showing a rare smile that felt really dazzling.

“See you tomorrow, Sakamoto. Bye bye.”

She smiles, looking as if she has given up on something as she runs off.

I relax my shoulders after so long, and look up at the sky.

I then say the words I was unable to say.

Thank you for loving this me.

“Is that all?”

After bidding farewell with Kasumi, I sat down and face the notebook for a few hours, completing this pa.s.sage,

“I never regretted saving you, and never will I regret it, ever. So please believe me. I’ll protect you.”

Just writing these words alone caused me to spend quite some time.

But these are the true thoughts I tried my best to think of.

The true feelings of mine which I was unable to convey before.

After my chat with Kasumi, I finally realized how much of an emotional crutch HIkari Yumesaki was to me.

“I’ll leave the me tomorrow to you, Kasumi.”

And so, I fall asleep.

I see a girl in my dream.

And she is standing behind me, smiling.

“…Huh?”

I was suddenly awaken from my sleep.

Darkness and the silent wind surround my body, and my consciousness resides in it.

I stand at the veranda, looking up at the sunrise sky.

…I didn’t sleep…?

It seems like Hikari Yumesaki didn’t sleep and waited for 4.59am to arrive. What does this mean? I’m starting to be afraid thinking about it, and quickly look over at the cellphone in my left hand to check the date.

It’s July 17, and tomorrow’s Hikari Yumesaki’s birthday

“–Ah.”

And then, I notice the thing in my right hand.

The only bridge linking her and me.

The notebook that can be said to be the bond between her and me.

“…She did it…!”

And I didn’t have the time to hesitate.

The sound of the pages flipping roamed about as I hurried through them.

Written o it was the long belated reply from her.

The last hope Hikari Yumesaki left to me–

“Sorry. I’ll tell you everything here. You have to stop Kazes.h.i.+ro!”

It’s rare for that girl to not joke around here, nor was she playing a prank on me. That one line was like a prayer.

…Truth? What is it?

At that instant, I hesitated over whether I should continue reading it, but I chose to shake my head and shake off all unnecessary thoughts.

No matter how much of a painful truth it was.

“Because I’m your partner, Hikari Yumesaki.”

I mutter this, and continue to read.

The truth about Hikari Yumesaki, what she entrusted to me–

………

……

…

“………Are you serious…?”

Wait…that is…

This unbelievable truth caused me to groan in a deep voice, and I again scan the date on the cellphone.

It’s July 17, past 5am.

Kazes.h.i.+ro’s plan is to be done on July 18.

I only have 24 hours left.

“…No choice but to go.”

I clench my fists hard under the clouds, while neither the sun nor moon were visible.

The rain continues to pour hard, and it’s 4.30am.

I waited in the abandoned building for that time to arrive.

It’s July 18. Hikari Yumesaki’s birthday has finally arrived.

And also, this is the day of Kazes.h.i.+ro’s vengeance.

It’s the beginning of the day here, but I only have another 29 minutes to go. After that, it won’t be me, and I have to end all these before that happens.

Even if it’s raining hard, I can see a few reporters here and there on the streets, here after Kazes.h.i.+ro proclaimed on the internet that he would kill himself. They didn’t know where he would be, what time it is, or whether it would really happen. These guys really have some

free time.

But it doesn’t matter whether they’re here. Rather, it’s a good thing that they’re here.

That guy should be here soon–

“ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!”

“–!?”

There was a startling roar in the rain.

And at the same time, the groggy media bunch quickly look over. Standing over there is–

“It’s me!! I’m going to kill myself now!! RAAAWWWRRRRR!!!”

A man’s standing in the middle of a cross junction that’s without anyone driving through, growling.

A motorbike with its engines roaring.

About the same height as me.

He has a thoroughly trained body.

And, and–

A mohawk hair that’s no less than the rain!!

“What’s the point of life if there’s no two-shots with girls!! Come with me, reporters! Watch how I die here!!”

“Hey, wait! Cameras ready! He’s here!”

“What!? So early?”

“Looks like there’s point in setting ambush here!”

You idiot! Act natural when luring the enemy! Why are you fussing about a two-shot at such a time!?

“RAAAWWRRR!! I’ll get my long-awaited two-shot once I complete this!”

But that mohawk head doesn’t care about my worries at all.

Once he furiously made his suicide declare, he rode off on the motorbike. The onlookers naturally follow him off, and the lured media personnel start to give chase. Ah…I guess it’s fine since it works.

And this really is the perfect timing for me.

“Yo, Kazes.h.i.+ro. Waiting for you here.”

“…Sakamoto. What do you want?”

Standing at the entrance of the abandoned building is a figure holding an embrella.

Takayuki Kazes.h.i.+ro has finally appeared.

“What about you? What are you doing?”

“Shut up. That phone call just now was from you…d.a.m.n it!”

Haha. Don’t be so angry, Kazes.h.i.+ro, your plan is a little too naive.

Your plan requires the attention of the media for it to be significant. Then, before you put it to action, I’ll just have to get the mohawk head to cause a ruckus and lure the media away. Whether he gets caught or escapes successfully, n.o.body in the media will notice you. j.a.pan’s already a country with high suicide rates. There’s nothing strange about a copycat criminal.

“Also, the polyethylene tanks got moved away thanks to those delinquents.”

“…d.a.m.n it…”

And thanks to my sister’s a.s.sistance, I have a rough guess on this guy’s plan.

“This is an abandoned building, and you intend to splash kerosene here and burn away. That’s why you moved the oil tank here.”

If it’s noon, and the empty abandoned building is to be set aflame, it’ll definitely garner attention. I don’t know how he intends to kill himself later on, but doing so much till this point is basically success. Unfortunately, this is all he can do.

“What do you intend to do!? It’s too late for you to move the kerosene again. It’s easy to light it up, but it’s going to rain the entire day! I’ll call the fire brigade!”

‘…!”

Things were simple after that. My little sister found Kazes.h.i.+ro’s cellphone number for this, and I waited for a moment to give a phone call, saying ‘your plan’s revealed. We moved away the kerosene’, and everything’s fine. That paranoid guy would surely come by to have a look.

“I-it’s not over yet, Sakamoto…”

“You really are a sore loser.”

I give a wry smile at Kazes.h.i.+ro, who still hasn’t given up.

Guess there’s no choice.

“Kazes.h.i.+ro! Do you know where this place is?”

I ask Kazes.h.i.+ro, who dropped his umbrella, as I point at the front of the abandoned building as we face off against each other, the pedestrian crossing.

“How can I not know!?”

“I know right!?”

There’s no way he won’t know about it. This is a place absolutely unforgettable to us both.

This is the place where the girl we loved departed the Earth.

To Kazes.h.i.+ro, this is the end of the story.

To me, this is the beginning.

The story woven in a corner of the world has to end at this place after all.

“Kazes.h.i.+ro! What do you think of me!”

I yelled, seemingly shaking away the rain splattering the building.

I’m begging that this voice will reach the crybaby who’s not on this world.

“Kazes.h.i.+ro, I used to be a guy everyone hated, just someone who caused trouble for everyone. The one who changed me isn’t anyone else; it’s Hikari Yumesaki.”

Kazes.h.i.+ro didn’t say anything.

And so, I continue.

“But when I think about it carefully, I realize its a mistake. I didn’t change at all. I just feel that I changed, because I didn’t do anything.”

Yes, I didn’t do anything.

“I always thought I couldn’t do anything. But that’s not the case. Hikari Yumesaki taught me this, that this me is able to do anything. I can make friends, get a girlfriend, be the most popular guy in cla.s.s. These are what she taught me.”

I thought I was the one who saved her.

But that’s not the case.

In fact, I was the one being saved all this while.

She had always been watching over me.

And so,

Because of this, I didn’t change.

For her sake, I have to be stronger.

“Kazes.h.i.+ro, stop trying to kill yourself! Your vengeance can be said to be just some stupid self-satisfaction! Nothing will change even if you do this! Wake up!”

But the haze shrouding Kazes.h.i.+ro’s face has yet to subside.

“…What do you know? I’m taking revenge for Hikari Yumesaki. n.o.body can stop me.”

Standing in a dark corner, Kazes.h.i.+ro pulls out something from his bag.

That’s a lighter, and a PET bottle…?

“Sakamoto, did you think this will be enough to stop me? The attention has decreased, true, but the media’s just insurance for me. As long as I die here, I’ll definitely gain attention. All the preparations are already done.”

“…Preparations?”

“Tomorrow, when tomorrow comes, my email will automatically send messages to news stations and the press. The mails will include the truth about Hikari and my deaths. I-it’s not over yet!”

Wait–

“What are you planning, Kazes.h.i.+ro?”

“I said it many times already. I’m going to die here today. There’s kerosene in this bottle, and I still have more inside. It’s not enough to burn the building, but it’s enough for me to burn myself. It’s not a nice feeling to pour kerosene down my head though.”

And so, Kazes.h.i.+ro opened the PET bottle.

………That idiot!

“Kazes.h.i.+ro, stop! Throw away that lighter!”

“Don’t come!”

“I told you to stop!”

d.a.m.n it…

Kazes.h.i.+ro, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Why haven’t you given up yet?

“Please, don’t come here…I can’t come here any longer…it’s because of me that Hikari died. Do you know how much I’m suffering here!?”

“You’re mistaken! That’s not the case!”

“I’m not wrong! This is the final redemption I can do–!”

And so, Kazes.h.i.+ro flicks the lighter in front of him.

But, but,

I can’t let him kill himself.

And my feet naturally move forward.

And then, I feel as if I’m casting aside the me that day.

There’s definitely someone pus.h.i.+ng me forward from behind.

I, I…

I said that I’ll protect you–!”

“I once practiced swimming with Kazes.h.i.+ro, but we can’t because neither of us can swim!”

“—-Huh?”

Just when Kazes.h.i.+ro was about to light the fire, I yell at him while shouting this.

His movements stop, and once I saw that, I slowly approach him, yelling,

“I once held a birthday party for Kazes.h.i.+ro at the ‘South Polar Star’! I forgot my wallet, so I had him treat me.”

“I once went to Kazes.h.i.+ro’s house to prepare for chemistry exam, and when I asked him, what is a mole, he laughed at me!”

“When Kazes.h.i.+ro wrote his career aspirations as a teacher, I said it doesn’t suit it, and he got angry!”

“Kazes.h.i.+ro got angry that I fed him parsley, which he doesn’t like! I’ll get him to eat that again!”

“…Wh…aa…”

“…My room reeks of parsley because of you, huh? Take responsibility for that.”

I stand in front of Kazes.h.i.+ro, and s.n.a.t.c.h the lighter while he was dumbfounded. Well, that’s dangerous, huh?

And then, I take out the notebook from my shoulder bag.

That’s the secret diary between Hikari Yumesaki and me. To be honest, I’m really reluctant to show it to Kazes.h.i.+ro.

“Look at this!”

I open the notebook and show it to Kazes.h.i.+ro.

“I did say at the graveyard that she’s my other half. That girl and I swap personalities every day. This is what the me yesterday wrote, stuff only you and Hikari Yumesaki will know of. This is the proof, and you should believe me now.”

“…!”

Kazes.h.i.+ro’s swimming eyes started at the notebook.

Written on it was Hikari Yumesaki’s last wish, the memories only Kazes.h.i.+ro and she would know of. It was crammed with words, some of them tilted even.

And at the bottom, she wrote,

“I didn’t kill myself. Trust me.”

“…Eh…? Eh?”

“How about that, Kazes.h.i.+ro? Listen up. That girl didn’t kill herself. You may think it’s all a joke before this, but look closely. The next page shows the true reason for her death.”

“Wait, how did you know about the pool–eh, she didn’t…kill herself?”

“Yeah, that girl didn’t kill herself. Hikari Yumesaki wrote down the truth here.”

“…!”

While Kazes.h.i.+ro remained speechless, I let out a sigh

“…Now’s the troublesome part.”

What sort of reaction will this guy have? In a certan sense, I’m looking forward to it.

“Before I show you the next page, Kazes.h.i.+ro, let’s make a promise. You already believe that she’s my other half–”

“Enough yapping and show me already!”

“I’ll show it to you, but before that–”

“Hurry up!”

“…Okay then.”

And so, I turn over to the next page.

I show the truth written on it to Kazes.h.i.+ro.

The final words from the girl we liked,

“To Sakamoto and Kazes.h.i.+ro,

This incident is caused me, so I’m really sorry about this. But I have to reiterate here.

I did not kill myself.

It’s a painful thing to be bullied, but I never intended of killing myself.

I did think of it, but you probably had such thoughts, don’t you, Sakamoto, Akitsuki? When you’re feeling depressed, or when you feel disgusted with everything else. When I thought of mom and Kazes.h.i.+ro, I couldn’t bring myself to do that.

But on that day, I died.

As the police had reported, I did die of an accident because I was careless. It’s not fully because of me being careless though.

On that day, I…”

At that point, I took the notebook back.

“W-what are you doing, Sakamoto?”

“Wait. Before this, there’s something I have to talk to you about.”

“What? Hurry up!!”

Kazes.h.i.+ro yelled with his face pale, the bellow mixing in with the rain.

There’s something I have to say no matter what.

“Well, fine, Kazes.h.i.+ro. Let me tell you first. What appears next is the truth. No matter how unbelievable it is, don’t lose your cool.”

“…Yeah, got it.”

“It’s a promise. Keep calm no matter what you see, ‘kay?”

“…I promise”

“Really?”

“Really.”

…

Both of us stare at each other.

And t

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