CK 07

Chapter 07…

First-Year Students

Section 1 – Reunion

I Don’t Want to Involve You

I can hear someone’s voice.
I don’t understand my situation.

What was I doing? What happened to me?

I can’t seem to put strength into my body, and I can’t move right away.
One thing I do understand is that I’m not lying on hard ground but on something soft.

I recall the memories just before I lost consciousness.

That’s right. I was fighting with Haeza.
My last memory was of the poolside.

…Then why am I lying on something soft now?

I finally open my eyes, and there’s an unfamiliar ceiling above me.
I turn my head and look around.

I figure out that this is probably the infirmary.

And right beside me are the two people I least wanted to see right now.

They’re sitting in chairs placed next to my bed, talking to each other.
Seeing that scene, the situation finally makes sense to me.

And then the two notice that I’ve opened my eyes.

“Finally awake! Ah… um… are you okay?”
“…Why are you two here?”
“Hey, that’s no way to talk when we went out of our way to carry you here.”

Shirakami Yui and Mizusaki Hiyori.
My two childhood friends were there.

Apparently, they carried me, unconscious, to the infirmary.

Normally, I should thank them.
But no matter what, the feeling of “I don’t want you involved” wins out.

I force strength into my still-uncooperative body and try to get up from the bed.
Then I try to get off the bed.

“Wait! Where are you going!?”
“I’m going home.”

I can’t stay here.
I don’t want to drag the two of them into anything dangerous any further.

But as expected, I must have used too much star power; I can’t stand properly.

I start to fall, and Yui supports me, trying to push me back onto the bed.
I don’t have the strength to resist and end up sitting back down.

Then Yui asks, “Hey… why are you fighting so hard?”

“It’s none of your business.”
“True… maybe it isn’t my business. Maybe it’s right not to get involved with monsters like that.”

What the hell. So you do understand what I’m trying to say.
Thinking that, I spit out, “If you understand, then stay out of it.”

“But! Am I not allowed to worry about a friend fighting monsters? We don’t have the power to fight. If people like us get involved, it might not end with just injuries.”
“Then!!”
“But!! Even knowing that, I’m still worried about you, Ma-kun!
…Do you remember at the beginning? Back then, I didn’t know how to get along with people. I was always alone.
But you told me, ‘Being alone is lonely,’ and brought me into the group. That made me so happy. I was able to change thanks to you, Ma-kun.
So this time, I want to be the one to help you.”

I’m at a loss for words.
Over the past few days, I’ve painfully realized how much the two of them think of me as a friend and worry about me.
Even though I’ve changed so much over these three years.

But I can’t respond to those feelings.
I can’t be with them.

I stand up again.

This time, I can stand a little better.

I push Yui aside as she tries to stop me and try once more to leave the infirmary.

She calls out to stop me, but I pretend not to hear.

But my other childhood friend stands blocking the exit.

“What, are you just going to ignore us and leave?”
“…Don’t get involved with me.”
“That’s all you ever say. Don’t you feel anything about how worried Yui is about you?”
“…That’s not it.”
“Then why?”

I’m at a loss for words again.

If I could live a normal high school life, I would have stayed friends with them.
But I can’t do that.

I don’t want to repeat what happened before.

At that moment, memories of those days with him flash through my mind.

“That’s why I wanted to save you.”
“Fighting for someone else… huh. You’re amazing, Masato. Like a hero of justice.”
“I wish I could help you, Masato.”
“Hey, if I had that power too… could we wipe out everyone here?”
“That’s why I’m going to kill everyone here. I’m sick of the weak being trampled on!”

“I’ll stop you with this power of mine.”

…That’s right. I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.

That’s why I can’t be with these two. I can’t drag them into this.

I silently shove Hiyori aside and head for the infirmary door.
But Hiyori resists too.

As we’re pushing against each other, Yui, who had been silent, speaks from behind.

“Ma-kun, you never tell us anything, but… I’m sure something so painful happened to you that we can’t even imagine.
That’s why I won’t ask you to tell us everything. I won’t even say we should go back to how we used to be. But I’ll wait until you’re ready to talk!”
“Yui…”

Hiyori must not have expected Yui’s words.
Her resistance weakens, and I push her aside and leave the infirmary.

As I walk away, Yui keeps calling after me.

“But just promise me one thing! Don’t die. That’s the only thing… I can’t stand!”

Without stopping, I leave the infirmary.
I really can’t stay here.

Right now, I just wanted to turn my eyes away from Yui’s radiance.