Part 161: A last request is granted

We didn't really do anything, and we didn't really talk about anything. Rukako rests her head on my shoulder. I embrace her shoulder, and feel her breathing near me. We just keep silently gazing at the sky. In our hearts, we pray for Mayuri's happiness in the afterlife.

I'm sorry, Mayuri.

I'm sorry...

"Hey, Okabe..."

Rukako raises her head and breaks the silence. I could feel some sort of resolution emanating from her expression.

"There's still one thing that I should have done for Mayuri that I left undone. Because of that, I made a sad memory for Mayuri..."

"Something left undone?"



Oh, that...

These last few weeks, Mayuri was constantly asking Rukako to wear the costumes she made for her, but Rukako would always reject her, because it's too embarrassing. I remember Mayuri on the day she died.



"Ruka is so cute, she makes Mayushii's heart throb, you know."

"Ruka's usually a very obedient girl, right? She rarely gives her own opinion. When you cosplay, your usual self becomes another self. That's why I think that if Ruka cosplays once, even if it's embarrassing at first, she'll definitely find a new Ruka. And when that happens, she'll become more assertive than before, and maybe even dominate Okarin in the butt! Ehehe."



I stood her up on my promise to bring Rukako to ComiMa, and made her lonely, even though she got over it. Mayuri wanted to get Rukako to cosplay from the bottom of her heart.

"Could that machine that goes back in time... go back to that day?"

"Go back? You mean, you will...?!"

Rukako nods firmly.

"Are you serious?"

Nobody has used the Time Leap Machine except me. At present, it's never failed, but if something does happen, it might not be reversible. In SERN's time machine experiments, the test subjects turned into jellymen. Something like that may happen, and there's a significant possibility that her memories might break in the process.

"It's too dangerous. So far, only I have used it..."

"Please...! At the very least, I want Mayuri to leave with a smile... Because I wasn't able to do anything for her..."

"But if we go there, you won't be able to handle all the otaku..."

"I am a bit scared after all... But... I never said that... Besides that, I want to really be the same as Okabe. If I use that device... I'll have completely gone outside the confines of cause and effect, won't I? And then I can bear the same feelings as Okabe... So, please..."



Rukako is thinking about me and Mayuri form the bottom of her heart. In the end, I couldn't say no to those feelings.



Even though just a few days ago, Mayuri, Kurisu, Daru and I, along with the others, were spending our time noisily here. With Mayuri gone, it seems like only dreams of those days are left behind. Now, only loneliness floats through the lab.

But without expressing those feelings, I enter the experiment room with Rukako.



"What time will you jump to?"

"...The morning of that day. If I jump to the day before, I don't think I would be mentally stable enough to accept it as reality. That's why..."

Meaning she's chosen the very day to cosplay with a smile. But, to jump to that day would take at least three jumps. I don't know if we can successfully get her to the 15th...

I'm worried, but Rukako's will doesn't waver.

"Get in touch with me after you've leaped safely. Then I'm sure I'd take you to where Mayuri is."

"Okay..."

I cover Rukako's head with the headgear attached to the Time Leap Machine. Her body is obviously shaking. That's understandable, I guess. Even I'm starting to get so tense my heart seems like it'll explode. This is the first experiment where someone besides me will use the Time Leap Machine. I can't stop thinking about what would happen if we fail.

"Don't worry. Your brain will hurt a bit, but it'll settle down in a while."

"O-Okay..."

"Even if you get to the other side, don't get distracted. Calm down and try to understand your surroundings. It'll be okay. I'm with you."



"Then... let's go."

I nod, and, hiding the shakiness in my fingertips from Rukako, set the microwave timer.

"I'll be sure to return..."

"Yeah. I'll be waiting."

I smile to Rukako.



When I see Rukako's body as if it's shining, I open my eyes wide. The building violently shakes. The smell of ozone fills my nose. The already strong electrical discharge becomes even stronger, strong enough that I can't even open my eyes.

"Okab--"

Rukako's voice calling my name is suddenly cut short--



"...This is..."

It's not like I time leaped myself. Nevertheless, I teleported from the lab to Yanagibayashi Shrine.

Did the world line change...? No, Reading Steiner didn't activate, so there's no way the world line changed. Then, why? Was it because Rukako made small changes after jumping to the past...?





When she notices my gaze, she gets up and smiles.

"Want to see the pictures?"

"Pictures?"

What’s this about pictures?



"Do you not remember? Okabe, you suddenly changed..."

"Right after you leaped into the past, I found myself standing here. Did you go to ComiMa?"

Once again, Rukako starts crying wordlessly. Then, she nods slowly. She takes out a few pictures and hands them to me.

"Mayuri... was so... happy..."

I look at the first picture handed to me. I gasp in surprise when I see what's in it.

"You and I, we got carried away..."

Before I notice, tears blur my vision.

In that picture... was Mayuri.



(Curiously, there's no credits on this route. Instead, we just get this picture:)



THE END?