Part 109: Like a Dream World

That ending was...really short, huh. Let's see if the other ending is any better, shall we?

BGM: The Sacred Large Hall


-Choose to alter fate.
-Do nothing.

I'll do it. I'll make it so that none of this ever happened. By my own hand.

Well said. In that case, all you must do is make a wish.

I do as he says. Being alive is all that matters.

Even if it means both me and Miharu will forget about those sides of each other we came to know.

Even if it means forgetting all about the other participants.

Even if it means forgetting about Naomi's conviction to shoulder my burden with me.

Even if it means forgetting about how I fell in love with Miharu.

Even if it means forgetting about the time I spent with everyone.

That's fine.



Farewell, Rinka. I pray that you find happiness in your future.

Good things are bound to happen so long as we're alive.

...and credits, again. Once they've finished...

BGM: Powerless


07/23 (MON), Morning
It takes me a while to drag myself out of bed upon waking up. I feel so drowsy today.

Mmm...

I let a groan slip out while I take a big stretch. Today's the first day of summer vacation. It's also Marine Day, a public holiday. Nothing special has happened up until now. That leads me to hope that maybe something will during summer. I go through my usual morning routine while daydreaming about such a possibility. You can't change reality with wishes, though. Part of me knows that I'll just spend time with my friends, doing the same things as usual.

…...

BGM: Town


I'm not quite sure why I've chosen to come here today. I feel like going for a walk, and before I know it, here I am. At Shinjuku National Park. I've been here with my gran plenty of times, so it's kind of a special place to me. The view of the clock tower from here is great, too.



Excuse me. I'm looking for a hotel to stay at...

A woman approaches me while I'm walking around. She seems like a tourist. It's actually pretty common to run into foreigners here.

You may want to get out of the park first if you're looking for a hotel.

Wait, this is a park? When'd I even get here...?

Bit of a weird thing to say when you need to pay to get in, but I stand with her while she whips out her phone. Beside her is a pleasant-looking man. I can only assume it's her boyfriend, based on how comfortable he seems to be with her. Or maybe he's her husband.

Oh, well. Guess we'll take a walk around here first. Let's go, Bill.



Thanks for the help!

Saying that, they skip away. She seemed like the kind of person who just went with the flow, so it made sense that she'd randomly wander in here. The man with her was smiling about it though, so it must be a healthy relationship. Wait a minute. How did I talk to her just now? She was speaking English- a language I'm hardly fluent in.

Things only get stranger from there.



Now this is a lovely place...

I overhear a man in a suit. He starts speaking to his family after that, but in Chinese. I can't understand a thing they're saying.

I notice an interesting duo after some more walking. They seem pretty spirited, to say the least.



Hey, mind explaining why we're wasting time in a place like this?



Huh? No reason, dumbass. We're gonna be spending a fair bit of time in this country, ain't we? Might as well enjoy the culture while we're stuck.

Guess we ain't got a choice, since your boat sank. I ain't complaining, though. Can't see any of 'em chasing me all the way out here. But damn, the Italian wine they sell here is way too expensive!

You probably went to a crappy bar, then. Lemme take you to a real nice dive later. Hehe. As thanks, you can foot the bill.

Like hell!



Now here's a photogenic pair. Mind if I snap a picture?

Hey! You might wanna wait for an answer first!

Haha, don't worry. I'm not posting any of these online.

They're all pretty tall people, but you could mistake them for high school kids with the way they're acting. It's funny. They've just met, but I get the feeling they've known each other for years.



Hmph... I'd appreciate it if people weren't so noisy in a place like this.

A dark-skinned young man complains about them from not too far away.

Amrita keeps going on about wanting to study here, but perhaps I should change her mind personally if this is the sort of country it is.



Japan's quite the lovely place.

...Okay.

So my baby's three months old now.

And you're telling me why?

You seem awfully stressed, so it's just my way of helping you relax. No one wants to spend a holiday feeling like that. Right, Haruki?

I'm here on business, actually. I could say your concern isn't warranted, but... perhaps it would be wise to let myself relax while here.

Today's full of conversations between randoms. Odd as this seems, I doubt someone's going to pop up and explain the reason why to me.



Ahhh...



You're down in the dumps today, aren't you? I made out pretty well today, so let's get some ice cream.

Okay...

An old man and his granddaughter pass by. The girl has a golden key attached to her backpack.

Next, I hear the energetic voice of another girl. She seems to have overheard the conversation that just took place.



Father! I want to eat ice cream, as well!

She's walking along with her parents while carrying a stuffed animal. They seem like a wealthy family, but more importantly, a happy one.

Say hello to the nice lady over there, Passazhir.

Uh...

She makes her teddy bear bow at me. I don't deal with stuff like this very well out of the blue, so I just bow back. Dunno if that's an appropriate response, but she's already run off to catch up with her family at the ice cream stall.

Today's quite a lively day in the park... Kind of feels like I've fallen into wonderland, but whatever. Who cares. Just as I'm about to head back home, I notice a familiar figure. I sneak over toward her before planting myself down right next to her.

BGM: Bonds


You're not as stealthy as you think, Rinka.

Hehe. Yeah, I know. What brings you here?

I wanted to see you.

Oh. Same as always, then.

I lean in close to her. She's pretty tall, so I end up resting my head against her arm.

Rinka...



I feel exhausted for some reason. Miharu's face lights up a bit, but she eventually leans in toward me as well. There's nothing special about today. We're just living out our normal lives. It's our one and only shot at life.



A black cat sits with its back toward the sunset.

Meow.

With one mew, it resumes yet another of its leisurely strolls.

[GOOD ENDING: LIKE A DREAM WORLD]