It took awhile as I simply stayed by her Tsuchida-san on the roof, just beyond the fence. With my heart throbbing every second of the duration before finally stepping away from the edge. Returning back into the hospital in search for a restroom so Tsuchida-san could wash up, we bump into Jougasaki-san stepping out of one.
"Jougasaki...san..?"
Stuck in a momentarily awkward silence, her face is flushed as she's subtly avoiding eye contact. Tsuchida-san paying no attention enters the restroom.
"Jougasaki-san... what-"
"How is she?"
As though to dodge my incoming question, she rubs her eyes with her sleeve before taking a quick sniffle.
"Oh... she's okay now, I guess... I'm glad we're out of the ringer though... But..."
"M-Mm... you're right about that."
Trying her best to force a smile, her eyes water as I realise she's holding back her tears.
"Jougasaki-san... about... about what happened, with everything, I'm really grateful and-"
"No, don't... don't thank me..."
Her lip quivers as she turns the other way, I don't think I've seen her before in such a state.
"What terrible luck... I honestly, did not want you to see me like this."
"...Why, why did you help me? Why did you help Tsuchida-san too, if..."
"Why? Heh, that's a good question, " staring off, she steps into the empty hallway, "Perhaps it's because I wanted you to feel indebt to me, or perhaps something else entirely. I still think I could've made things work my way, but in the end, I guess it all worked out."
"Even though you..."
"She... She needs you, and if you're not there, then well, you see? I had my chances, but you were looking at her, so what friend would I've been if I took advantage of that?"
Turning back, she reveals a smile with watery eyes.
"Good luck, Nao-kun... I can't say it doesn't hurt but, hehe, I'm glad to have helped."
Her gaze falls ever so slightly as I tightly clench my fist. Knowing well she doesn't want to touch on the situation, she wants to move away from it. But even so, how could I not thank her for all she's done?
And so, I lower my head, so much as so that I'm looking directly at the ground.
"W-What are you-..."
"Thank you for everything, Jougasaki-san."
She speaks up for me to stop, however, I push forward.
"Without you, I don't know how we would've managed; how I would've managed. It means a lot to me and I am in debt to you. Whatever you want, just ask."
"A-Ahh..! Geez, idiot, Nao-kun. I told you not to."
Stifling a laugh, she soon bursts into laughter which attracts passerby's as we awkwardly avoid eye contact while bowing apologetically.
"But, anything I want, huh?"
Giggling to herself, I wonder just how far she's planning to go with it. I hope it's not too much, but then again, I do owe her a lot. Once I attend school again, I'm sure I'll be relying on her again.
"I'll keep that in mind. For now, don't make me regret my decision, Nao-kun. Make her happy, okay? She needs you, more than I. She's a mess and you're the only one who can set her straight."
"Y-Yeah? Well sure... but, ehh... why are you so sure that we'll..."
Jougasaki-san simply glares at me.
"----Let's work together, towards the future you desired, my love. You did say that, and as a man you have to take responsibility."
"Okay yes, I did say that but not the, my love, part! Why did you even add that in?"
I even ended up using air quotes.
"Hmm? Why else? Just to mess with you."
"Hahh... well, I wasn't going to go back on my word anyway. I want to know her end of the story, and how we winded up here in the first place. Maybe I just want to sate my curiosity."
"Well I don't knoww.~ Seeing how you lost your memory, perhaps you'll finally admit that you enjoy being the subject of girl talk among our ju-"
Tsuchida-san exits the restroom looking refreshed, greeting me with a small nod, she looks to Jougasaki-san as their eyes meet.
"Jougasaki-senpai... I, umm..."
"Heh," stepping closer to her, she flicks her forehead as Tsuchida-san recoils back in reaction, "I'm sure you want to apologise, or praise me for being such a good humanitarian. But sadly, I don't want to hear it."
"O-Oh..."
Given how intensely she voiced her hatred towards Jougasaki-san, she's awfully docile.
"That little incident that resulted in all this, I'm willing to look the other way. But only if you promise to not endanger either of us again. That of course includes yourself, am I clear?"
"O-Oh.. Mm... I-I'll try-"
"Clear?"
Repeating herself while staring at her dead in the eyes, Tsuchida-san twitches in reaction.
"Y-Yes, clear!"
"Great, because I won't be so nice the next time. If you pull any similar stunt, then well, I'm sure you can figure that out."
Tsuchida-san nods in agreement before Jougasaki-san then looks to me as if I'm part of the agreement too, and for some reason I end up nodding too.
"Hehe, perfect.~ Then...- Oh, and also one last thing..."
Stepping closer to Tsuchida-san, she begins whispering something to her which causes Tsuchida-san's eyes widen in shock before staring daggers at her, looking awfully irritated, Jougasaki-san only smirks in reply.
"Enjoy the rest of the day, I know I would.~"
With that, she walks off with a wave behind her, clearly in a good mood having seem to one up Tsuchida-san.
"..."
"Umm, just curious, what did she say?"
Tsuchida-san clenches her cellphone as she looks to me with pleading eyes, "Senpai! You really do like her panties, don't you? Well, take a picture of me in mine so you can compare!!"
"...Y-your, I-I'm sorry, what..?"
...
It took awhile for her to calm down as she got strangely competitive over such a strange issue. Returning to my assigned room, I sit against the side of the bed as she chooses to sit on the other side.
Unsure whether or not to look at her, for some reason it's still difficult to come to terms with the situation.
"Why are you sitting there?"
"...Because, I umm... hehe, with what's happened... now that I've settled down, it's hard to look you in the eye, Senpai."
"Hmm... Well, can't argue with that."
Staring at the ceiling, I sigh aloud. With what's been said; specifically what I said, I don't quite know how to start. For starters, we may have stopped the incident from occurring today, but who knows if it'll happen again later down the line. While it's optimistic to think it's a one off thing, it's highly unlikely. Now I am prepared with what's to come, but we'd most likely require professional help, unless...
"Hey, Tsuchida-san?"
"Yes, Senpai?"
"...Were you really serious with ending your life?"
A prolonged silence stretched between us, as Tsuchida-san fidgets about, enough to rustle the bed sheets.
"I... I don't know. When I was out there, I was afraid, but at the same time, I wasn't really. Like even if I was scared, being here... Living in this world, frightened me more. It just felt, right. Like I had say to how it ends, knowing how it ends."
Closure... huh..?
"I see... Then, how about now? Do you still feel that way?"
"Hehe... that's the thing, Senpai. I don't really know. I'm happy now, really. To have you here with me, but what comes tonight, or tomorrow? I don't know... I didn't have these thoughts until the incident. Thinking what I did to you, hurting you... It isn't what I really wanted, but I didn't know what else to do. I was happy just playing with you then after... In this hospital room, thinking we really were together. But the guilt of just lying to you and having you fall to the lies, fooling you. I was scared... I couldn't...-"
Sobs escape from her as her trembling body shakes my own. Clasping her hand tightly with both of mine, I dislike the fact I remember very little of her.
"Just for clarification, what exactly did you do to me prior? It doesn't seem we were on bad terms but..."
"..."
With it being something she's ashamed about, it's probably best left unsaid. However, I'm sure it'd make her feel better than keeping it locked inside her.
"I... used your phone to trick you into my home, and then...---"
It took awhile for her to muster up the courage, but as she spoke, before long, small fragmented memories return.
"..."
Trying to process it all, I hop off the bed clutching my head; not even knowing how to feel or what.
"S-Senpai..?"
Attempting to zone her voice out, I turn back to her.
"So, Jougasaki-san. She gave you my phone? Wait, how?"
"I-I told her I wanted a way to talk to you... And she said she found your lost phone and offered me to return it to you... I-umm... sorry, you're mad at me, right?"
Watching what we built up fall to shambles, it's not necessarily being angry but more of... Wow, Jougasaki-san set the whole thing up. But Tsuchida-san took it so far...
"It's not that, not at all. I'm just... surprised. You really did ask her for help and she did."
"M-Mm... the two of you were close... and I knew that if I didn't do anything... you would've..."
"I see..."
Thinking that Jougasaki-san and I would end up together, she hatched a scheme... A rather twisted one at that. She clearly has a few screws loose, but not for ill intent; at least not purposely, but blindly.
"Hahhh... Well, now that I know that. I see you in a new light."
"S-Senpai..?"
Looking up at me in anticipation, I step towards her and prod her forehead. I'm well aware of how much of a bad person you are.
"You're an idiot."
"...E-Ehh?"
Taking awhile for her to digest my words, I've already taken a few steps back before she clutched her forehead.
"If it were someone else, they really would've taken advantage of you. Guys are scums, you know that, right?"
Not that I'm speaking on the behalf of men, but she really needs to come to terms with what she's done, with reality.
"E-ehh..."
"They would've had their way with you, and you wouldn't even feel the least bit of fulfilment. Now, I am surprised that it ended up that way, because if you'd ask any other guy? Well, it's obvious what would've happened. And in the end, you'd end up with regret."
If anyone else was involved; by the time she's able to reflect, there'd be more on her mind than simple regret.
"...You're right, I know. I know, I know. What I did was wrong. Everything was, but I couldn't help it. I just thought that it would've worked out, because I didn't need anything else. I don't. All I wanted was to have you. And now with what happened... I know Senpai doesn't want that.. so, I'll try to be a better person..."
"Yeah, I said I'd help and so, I'll be right here, with you."
If no one will be on your side, if you can't forgive yourself, I'll be the one to. From now until you decide that you no longer need me. By then, I'll probably need you.
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