Volume 3 Chapter 6 (1/2)
It’s a cal, absolutely silent Not even the sound of birds could be heard It’s a pure white
The date indicated on the cellphone was April 9th
There’s no sign of anywritten in the journal that laid
Such a h I woke up froe–beautiful dream that I could not recall
“…“Thanks”, huh?”
I sent a e on the cellphone The receiver’s Kazeshi+ro
“Sending”
This short e’s sent over immediately
“Hey Akitsuki”
“Hm?”
“Do you have any troubles, if I may ask?’
“Hm”
“If possible, please tell me”
“Right now, I’m bothered that whenever I sleep in the infiret onto the bed to sleep with me”
It’s the spring, the sakuras bloo, and the weather’s clear
I skipped class, and cah, I’ at me from up close Ehh, what’s with you?”
“Kukuku Sorry about that Your sleeping face is cute, Akitsuki, so I can’t looking at you”
“Enough with that”
Higuivesaway She probably finds it interesting, as she covers her le After some silence, she says,
“But time really passed by It’s been a year, hasn’t it?’
“Hm? What?”
“It’s been a year since the time when you first came to see me, no?”
“Ah”
I see If it wasn’t for what happened a year ago, I probably wouldn’t be here Besides, I won’t be looking for her
“Anyway, get out Not a good thing to be seen now”
“I refuse It’s rare to get such opportunities”
Higuh already, damn it I don’t like it, but it seem like a waste to break free damn it
“Hey, Akitsuki, I got a request”
“What?”
Probably soht, and I retorted back
And as expected, her reply’s stupid
“Want to do it with sensei?”
“…Again with that?”
Higuer at her opened collar, and blew atchar every day, and this woed at all
“Do you want to?”
“Of course But I won’t”
“Fufu How dishonest of you Hm? That was for real?”
I can’t be bothered with you Seriously, get out already
“A year huh?”
However, Higuic look
“It’s been a long while No, kind of short, isn’t it?”
“What’s with you? What are youabout?”
“Kuku Actually, sensei here is going to resign”
The sudden news left me speechless Eh, hy at this moment–
“My job is done However, someone else will continue thefulfilled This is a challenge for the children I do suppose–there is such kindness on this world, isn’t there/”
“Huh? What?”
Eh, what are you saying? No, n–
“Akitsuki”
Higunores my confused stated, and stands up,
The hair flows, and the pretty muffler fluttered
With a childish–yet piercing voice, she whispered,
“You need to continue being kind”
“Huh?”
My cheek’s touched by the soft, boneless-like hand
Seeing ain s out of the infirmary
“…This is ridiculous”
I, re in the infirmary, can only space out and watch her leave I just feel like ot rattled
“…Tiuess”
It’s a bit weird to be re stupidly in the empty infirmary, so I decide to return to class
I pull the door aside, and turn to look back at the infirmary
And again–I feel a little lonely not hearing these words,
“…I’ my hair”
I silently close the door, and say these words
These are the last words I exchanged with Higumo
Like a proper high school student, preparing for exams, I pass this day as usual
“I’m back”
After school, I return home, and walk into my room
I’m back to my usual quiet daily life like before However, it just feels that there’s a large hole opened in the room, or maybe it’s just me
“…”
I look around There are pentabs, ania, doujins, BL novels, and all kinds of things Then, there’s also a notebook
Naturally, there’s no reply to the journal entry I wrote two days ago I knew that would happen I saw everything Hikari Yumesaki wanted to say on the letter in the rain When yesterday ended, Hikari Yumesaki ended The cute words, the pranks that drove me crazy, the outlandish reports, the ridiculous rules, the cute illustrations, none of theain
“Ehh, not like I can do anything about it”
I kept repeating such thoughts inany lingering thoughts It’s not good to keep thinking about it
“Now then, tie anyway”
I try to coax rades really slipped To be honest, it feels like I was playing around for half the year
Anyway, I finally e to return to my usual daily life–and so a week pass
Why is this happening? I assuuish, but I never expect myself to accept this current situation so easily Of course, there are ti, I’ll findstuff i know, it just feels weird toto write a journal before I sleepSoh I’ve woken up frohed about it
Surely it’s because of the last letter she left behind for me
Don’t cry, smile
I kneas because of these words supportingon enthusiastically Even until the very end, she lived on for my sake
–However,
I can no longer open the exchange journal
Back in the day, whenever I woke up, I would open the journal Hikari Yuht now, even if I open it, there won’t be any new content, I guess, only the memories she once left behind But for some reason, I can’t open it
Because I know
That if I’m to open it–and see the words she wrote, surely,
Soht collapse,
……
“Nn…”
Sunday arrives The sun rises, and I wake up I take a look at the date on the cellphone, see that it’s Sunday, and scan the roo on? I just feel so refreshed on a Sunday after spending Saturday So a week is this long?
“… Ti up”
This is the rooether
I want to ot from so that I have longing feelings for them Memories are memories, to be left buried in the heart At the very least, I should at least revert my room to how it’s like before
“Alright, tiet pumped up!”
I shout, quickly finish e into comfy clothes This motivation is important It’s pointless to remain dejected all the time; I still need to live on
With such determination, I start to clean up I’m mentally prepared, but there’s still a lot of work
Either way, there’s way too uess I’ll be done in a short while, but with so much, I’ll be done at sunset if I do this seriously
So, to heck with being serious Rather than a cleanup, I hts, I start to clean up my room little by little It’s been a while since I cleaned up my room like this–
“Hm?”
Suddenly, so of a way to stuff theflutters out from between the books
“A note?”
I have a look at the thing that fell onto the floor So it’s a folded piece of paper, and there see written on it I pick it up; what’s written in there–
“Hikari shows up after being forgotten! It’s aed to find this hidden Hikari! As to be expected of you, partner!”
Ah–
“This…”
The next moment, I can’t be bothered
I start looking around the room, and I find papers stuck under the carpet, in the creases of the chair, at the back of the clock
When did she stick them? When did she put so many–
Countless bits of papers are stuck at every corner of the room The other half that I so love–
“Ohhh! You’re able to find Hikari even after she’s hiding here! As to be expected of you, Sakamoto!”
“Ehehe! This is an afterie of Hikari!”
“Even if you find …”
“Even though I’ after me!”
“You idiot! I’m a shadow clone!”
“…!”
The paper slips aren’t only in the room They’re also in the corners of the washroo scrolls, beneath the table in the living room
The house I lived in with her, one by one–
“Ah…”
My eyes catch sight of one of the bits, and with pretty handwriting, the words written are,
“The na Hikari’s order”
“…”
“Akitsuki Sakakmoto, you died once in Hikari’s place After that, Hikari was coet Hikari and live on happily Please continue to live on happily”
“–!”
No, I can’t cry Got to hold it in
Didn’t I make a promise? I can’t cry She and I–“
“Brother…?”
“Woah!?”
Suddenly, I hear a shout, and recoil in shock I turn around, and find Yukiko behind me
Th-that shockedon?
“What ar eyou doing? You’ve been looking around everywhere”
“Eh, ah, yeah…”
Got to find a way to bluff her Hold it, try to bluff her,
“W-well I’s up, I’ll be done immediately”
I try my best to tweak my tone That’s close, but I should be able to pull a fast one
–However,
“…”
“Yukiko?”
My answer doesn’t see, but why does Yukiko look surprised?
And her face starts to look sad
“Brother”
“Hm?”
“Erm, it’s late to ask this now, but I’ now has nothing to do hat you said, right…?”
“Hm? Ah, what?”
“I really thought hard about it, but I don’t get what you mean at all I’m really curious”
Looks like Hikari Yue stuff to Yukiko What happened
“Erm, what did I say?”
“You said,on that day, ‘tomorroill die, and your brother will revive, so relax’ I can’t get what you mean at all”
“–“
Those words…
“E-even if it’s a joke, don’t die or anything I heard that those ant to die will look clean up the stuff around theht brother?”
“–!…”
–I finally obtained a delinquent's body I alanted! I now fear nothing!
–Yukiko got a boyfriend!
–Okay, based on Hikari-styled's majority vote, it's decided that I'm not the one at fault~
–One day, the two of us will go see ht?
–Ehehe It’s great to be in your body❤
“…”
“Yukiko’s sensitive to such things, so please don’t say such strong things Don’t say anything strange whenever you want to As-as punishment, brother, today, you must–“
–Kyu
“Eh–!?”