Part 175: 11/23/09-11/27/09

11/23/09

We had the day off today, which is good because I almost didn’t manage to wake up.



Officially, Chidori is still ‘missing’.



Newscaster: Miraculously, no one was killed or wounded, but one patient is presently unaccounted for…

Junpei might as well be too, for all I’ve seen of him since she died.



…but I know he’s going to be okay.

No idea what he’s up to, but I hope it’s not trying to track down those Strega bastards.



They couldn’t have come from nowhere; someone must have created them.
I wonder what that person was thinking…
Couldn’t he foresee that this would happen?

Even if he did find them, he’s not a killer like them.



Do you think he’ll be okay…?
I don’t know.
Oh, don’t say that.
You’re making me nervous…

Unlike those monsters he’s a good person, and that’s why she chose him in the end.



…is the preservation of their own lives.
But, Chidori-san gave her life force to Junpei-san.
There was a connection between them that transcended space and time.

I feel bad now that we all didn’t take more of a chance to get to know her.



But Fate chose the most beautiful way to end her life.

If we hadn’t been so caught up on trying to get information from her like she was just any other enemy maybe things could have been different.



I know they’re still “together” now…
But, I never thought it would end like this…

Time only moves one way, though. Always forward, never slowing or stopping.



…Junpei-san’s still in his room…
It’s hard to lose someone you’re so close to…
……
I’m worried about him…

No matter how much we wish things would just stay the way they are, that’s just not how the world is.

11/24/09

They’ve got me working down at Wuck for the week.



> You will help clean here for the next four days.
> …
> ……
> ………
> The amount of trash is unbelievable…
> The garbage is overflowing with food that expired and had to be tossed out…
> ……

Probably not going to write for a bit, don’t feel like thinking.

11/27/09

In a bizarre way this week was actually kind of fun.



> Today is the last day of the career experience…
> …
> ……
> ………
> From what the manager tells you, many of the ingredients used are imported from developing countries.
> Some regions seem to have become rich due to the exports…
> ……
> You feel as if you learned something important that cannot be easily dismissed as a “wasted” week…

Like I tossed a whole bunch of worries out with all that trash. So when Ryoji asked me to head down to the café, I wasn’t even that worried about how bad I smelled.



I’m sorry to call you over without warning. Am I interrupting anything important?
I’m all right.
I see…
> Ryoji seems relieved…
I was in the same group as Junpei-kun, but he never showed up at the beginning.
He only came on one of the days because the teacher said that he had to…
Something seemed really strange about him, though…
I’d talk to him, but he didn’t seem like he was listening at all.
He looked like he was about to cry…
…Did something happen?
He lost someone precious…
…I see.
……

Normally I start to feel like I’m doing something wrong when I hang around with Ryoji but I’ve just stopped listening to that feeling.



I think that’s something you just have to accept.
…Do you think I’m being too cold?
> Ryoji looks down sadly…
Junpei-kun is someone I care about.
That’s why I’m worried. I’ve never seen him this way before…
I wonder… if there’s anything I can do.
> You can sense Ryoji’s deep concern for Junpei…
> You feel that you’ve come to understand Ryoji a little better now.

I’m sick of being afraid of what might happen in the future.



“People die…”
…I have a feeling like I’ve heard that somewhere. Wait… Was it something I said before?
I think it was to someone very precious to me too…
……
> You spent time with Ryoji, but little was said…

Strega, the Shadows, love, life, and death,…



Junpei-san’s still not feeling well…
I’m getting really worried now…
After all he’s been through… I can understand why he’s feeling down.
He got really lucky this week, though…
No one realized he took some days off because everyone was at Career Experience.
Well, I hope he’s feeling a little better now…
…I’m going to defeat those Strega guys.
I can’t take this anymore…!
…I know how you feel.
But, you don’t have to do it all by yourself.
…I know.

Whatever is in store for us next, we’ll be ready. I’ll be ready.



He’s just afraid to do it.
I think all he needs is a little push.

And if it’s not a future we like, then we’ll MAKE it one.



It was fun.
Oh, it’s too bad Junpei-san didn’t attend, then. It would’ve made him happy again.
…On second thought, it probably wouldn’t have been that easy…

And maybe things will change, and something comfortable will give way to something scary and new.



Newscaster: There seems to be a high likelihood that the girl was kidnapped by the culprit who threw the explosives…

It’s not like that hasn’t happened to us time and again, though, and each time we’ve lived through it.



That, and what happened to Junpei…
Speaking of which, I wonder if he’s going to be okay…

Hah I’m doing it again, all this fake profound crap.



Career Experience was interesting…
I performed routine labor, over and over again.

Whatever, it’s really how I feel right now.



A few days have already passed, but he still seems the same.
Should we just give him more time? Or should we try to help him?
Let’s give him more time.
You’re right… His loved one is dead. It’s going to take longer than just a few days for him to get over that.

As I think about it, the moon is getting full.



He must have gone somewhere…
…What if Junpei-kun never recovers from this…?

I guess we’ll see if that means anything anymore soon.



You can’t help it.
Easy there, pal. No need to get all sensitive on me.
But, thanks… I’ll try to get out of this funk.