Part 14: Budding Bonds
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BGM: Miharu
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05/15 (TUE), Morning
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Miharu's already here when I get to school. She gives me her usual smile before she continues.
...
BGM: At Amecha Girls' University High School
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05/15 (TUE), Evening
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Naomi comes running over to me from the gate.
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She almost trips in her haste, but she manages to catch herself. Seems like she's just as clumsy as ever when she lets her guard down. She's been waiting for me at the school gate, just like she said she would yesterday. There's little point in her coming all the way to my classroom anyway, considering it's a big detour for her.
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Following that, we both made our way to the station.
...
BGM: Town
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One transfer from Shinjuku to the metro and two stops later, you'll find this park. There's an entrance fee, but it's fairly inexpensive. It's one of the biggest parks in Tokyo, and was apparently an old samurai's garden back in the day. I'm not sure why, but it was restructured to resemble a mix between Japanese, English, and French parks. There are normally tourists all over the place, but it's a lot less busy on weekdays. That makes it ideal for a change of pace.
I came here a lot when I was a kid. There's one place in particular that I really enjoyed visiting.
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There's a sole small bench in the middle of the garden. We sit down there, taking in the surroundings and the clock tower-esque building in the distance. Few buildings in Shinjuku stand out as much as that one. Part of me wants to say it's the building for a telephone company. The sound of the greenery whispering in the wind is nice and relaxing.
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An odd sensation washes over me out of nowhere. It makes me wonder whether or not I've actually been here before. But I'm sure of it. I know I've been here plenty of times as a kid.
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I take a deep breath and get ready to tell her all about Divine Selection.
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...
BGM: Silence
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She utters my name in a painful manner once I finish telling her everything. She started to get teary-eyed midway, but I kept going. I doubt she would want me to stop without painting her the whole picture. She nodded attentively from beginning to end, as if to reassure me that the decision to tell her was the right one.
BGM: A Dot on a Piece of Paper
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Saying that, she takes my hand in hers. The surface of her hand is cold, but I can feel her warmth underneath. There's no doubt the same goes for me. That warmth serves as proof that I'm alive.
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She doesn't doubt what I have to say for a second. Chances are that my cause of death lines up with her dream so much that she has no choice but to believe it. It gives her an answer as to why she's having that dream too, although it does nothing to resolve the situation at hand...
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I wasn't sure whether or not I should tell her about Miharu, but I decided to do so in the end. On the one hand, there's no point in trying to keep certain things to myself; on the other, I simply gave into my desire to lighten my own burden.
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She's referring to Miharu's statement regarding her own participation. That she's willing to give her life for mine.
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BGM: Silence
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Another breeze blows through, catching our hair. It's a surprisingly cold breeze for this time of year. I can see the sunset off in the distance. The mixture of blue and orange on the horizon somehow resembles a wavering heart to me.
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She's the complete opposite of me. She knows exactly what she wants to do, whereas I'm sitting here unable to make any sort of decision. She might have already gotten started on gathering info based on the cards she's received. In fact, I'm certain she has. The determination in her eyes makes it apparent. Her attitude at school isn't any different from usual, but that's just further proof of her resolve.
There's no doubt she's doing as much research as she can elsewhere. And she's doing it all for my sake. I'd say that all the time she's been spending at work lately was just a front for said research, but that'd be overthinking things. That's something she's been doing for a while now.
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Saying that, I get up off the bench. Or... I try to, but Naomi stops me by grabbing my sleeve.
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She nods firmly in response.
BGM: Bonds
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It's not that I'm struggling to make a choice. I'm simply avoiding it altogether. Naomi makes sure to be as frank as possible with her words. And they turn my entire world upside-down. The reality that I've been running from, my responsibility to choose whether I'll live or die, finally sinks in. Before I know it, the sky has been dyed entirely in orange.
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Her words are filled to bursting with resolve.
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She turns to face me, waiting for my follow-up comment. Having the truth put in front of me like that makes me realize what I'm most afraid of.
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I've seen the expressions of those who were mere moments away from being elected. I wouldn't describe them as sad, angry, or even accepting. They simply looked powerless in the face of what was about to happen. Those were the faces of people who died without being able to fulfill what they wanted out of life. Meanwhile, I'm not sure if I have that much invested into anything to begin with. That's why part of me feels like my life isn't worth being saved in exchange for theirs.
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Why would she go this far for my sake?
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She turns her gaze towards the sky, desperately trying to fight back the tears that are ready to fall at any moment. It's a weird time to have a thought like this, but I can't help but consider just how vast the sky truly is. Naomi has nothing but praise for the coffee I make. She's made me realize that I am avoiding reality. That, and a number of other important things.
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The tears have started to stream down her face by the time I say that.
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Unable to get the words out, she bites her lower lip and nods her head.
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I extend my right hand to her, which she takes. Her nervousness melts away with the beaming smile she gives me afterwards. Her tear-stained cheeks serve as a nice contrast to that.
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Her tears don't stop flowing, even though she's all smiles. Just then, the announcement comes that it is almost time for the park to close for the day. I take the opportunity to tell Naomi that I'll see her tomorrow, and then I make my way home.