I don’t really get it.
In this situation, Yuka couldn’t quite understand what Koto Ne was saying.
It felt like a really strange thing.
Wasn’t Koto Ne dead for a few days…?
And now she just came back here.
“Yuka.”
Koto Ne was speaking like she was pleading.
“We don’t have much time.”
Koto Ne’s hands were trembling.
It didn’t seem like she was shaking out of fear. As Koto Ne said, it must be because ‘there’s not much time.’ The presence that had become one with Koto Ne was trying to escape from this situation.
That deity was laughing.
As if this situation was simply enjoyable, as if they were witnessing a scene they wanted to see, laughter filled the air. There was even a sound that seemed to hit the ground.
Yuka couldn’t understand what Koto Ne was saying, but she could grasp the situation itself.
Right now, this was the situation that deity desired.
Stabbing Koto Ne would hasten the destruction of the world—
“……No.”
As if reading Yuka’s thoughts, Koto Ne spoke.
“That’s not it, Yuka. You know that.”
The surroundings were noisy. A buzzing sound echoed in her ears.
It was probably a sound created by Yuka’s own ears rather than a real noise.
“Yuka, just think about it one more time.”
“……”
Yuka, who had been moving her lips at Koto Ne’s words, whispered.
“…You want to live, right?”
Yeah. She said she wanted to live. She definitely said that.
Hadn’t they talked about it?
Yuka didn’t want to lose Koto Ne.
She wanted to attend school in the same uniform, study together, and take tests together.
To compare their scores and visit various places after the exams were over.
And later, if she had juniors, she wanted to pretend to be a senior in the club as well. The next club event she would create was supposed to be better than the one they had made this time.
“Yeah, that’s right. I want to live.”
“But why……!”
Yuka shouted, taken aback by Koto Ne’s calm words.
She knew full well that shouldn’t be the case.
Koto Ne was trying to sacrifice herself for everyone. She wouldn’t have shared such an ending without any emotional preparation.
She was trying to give up even the little happiness she had just barely attained.
“Why are you trying to sacrifice everything like this?”
It had always been this way.
If Koto Ne thought it was necessary, she would carelessly cut her wrist. Even in calls for help, she would just help.
Even while hurting so much, she would help over and over again, thanking each little thing.
“I’ve never sacrificed anything.”
Feeling provoked by Koto Ne’s words, Yuka lifted her head, but she couldn’t find the words to say.
There was a smiling face of Koto Ne.
“I thought everything would be left over.”
A lie.
No, she knew it wasn’t a lie.
Koto Ne probably really thought this way.
That was just how Koto Ne was.
Not wanting to lose the happiness she had barely gotten, wanting to keep it by any means.
“……Does that even make sense, you fool?”
Yuka knelt down.
She had no strength in her body. Maybe it was because she had been running around just a moment ago, and it could also be because there were numerous wounds on her body.
But more than that, this situation felt unbearably heavy.
Koto Ne also knelt down in front of Yuka.
“You said you wanted to live, right…?”
“That’s right. I want to live.”
Koto Ne said gently while meeting Yuka’s gaze.
“I want to spend school life together. I want to graduate, and I want to take graduation photos with you.”
“But then why…?”
“Because if we can’t change the future, then none of that will happen.”
Koto Ne said.
There was a gentle smile at the corners of her mouth.
“If things continue like this, you won’t be able to graduate, Yuka. Koko won’t either.”
“……”
“Many people will die, Yuka. There will be our friends, as well as grandfather and father. They’ve all treated me well.”
“So, you plan to sacrifice them all?”
“It’s not a sacrifice, Yuka. I’m just speaking what I wish for.”
Her vision blurred.
Yuka roughly moved her arm and wiped her tears with her sleeve.
“I, Yuka, want you to be able to graduate properly. I want you to have a lot of friends and to go out and have fun.”
She gritted her teeth, but it was inevitable that sobs escaped her.
“I wish you could study hard, go to a good university, and if you have a job you want, that you’d be able to have it.”
“But you’re not there.”
“No. I will be there.”
Koto Ne said.
There was no wavering in her voice.
“Yuka.”
“Yeah, Yuka.”
A different voice overlapped Koto Ne’s voice.
Someone’s hand rested on Koto Ne’s shoulder. And as if jokingly, they peeked over Koto Ne’s shoulder, looking at Yuka with just their eyes.
The mouth wasn’t visible.
But those eyes were definitely smiling.
“What if you stab a friend with your own hands? You’ve already done it once, so you’ll do better this time.”
“……”
Yuka slightly parted her lips and looked at that.
“Come on, do it. It’s your job.”
That voice was saturated with a mocking emotion.
“……Yuka.”
Koto Ne said.
“Think carefully.”
Koto Ne said.
“……I want to protect this world. I want to end this.”
“……”
“As much as I want to live, I want you to live too. I hope everyone’s lives can continue.”
Koto Ne smiled.
She smiled while crying.
“My, request.”
Hearing Koto Ne’s words, Yuka lowered her head.
For a while, she trembled her shoulders, and then exhaled deeply.
“If you put it that way… I can’t refuse.”
Yuka, with the voice of a child whining, slowly reached out and picked up the knife that was beside her.
She brought the tip of that knife to Koto Ne’s chest.
“—Ah, seriously!”
And she shouted.
Rather than a scream, it resembled an emotional voice full of a teenager’s frustration.
“If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have taken such a job!”
She knew it was forced.
In the end, it was Yuka who had chosen the knife after such a long time.
Perhaps, that knife knew this deep down.
To slay countless Yōkai and temper itself, to complete by eventually slaying even the God in its last moment, it might have been passed down from person to person as it defeated time.
Yuka didn’t really care, though.
“Yeah, Yuka.”
Koto Ne laughed.
“Then, let’s just quit after this is over.”
“……Really?”
Facing Koto Ne’s laughter, Yuka also forced a smile. In reality, her vision was blurred, so the smile was hard to see. She wanted to wipe her tears, but she couldn’t do so because she was gripping the sword tightly with both hands.
“It’s a promise, right?”
Yuka knew that promise was one that couldn’t be kept.
The tip of the sword dug a little deeper into her quivering center.
Red and black blood flowed and spilled over the blade.
“After it’s all over, you’ll quit this kind of thing, right?”
“Yeah.”
In response to Yuka’s question, Koto Ne also answered.
“I’ll quit everything. Honestly, I’ve had enough of cutting my wrists. Once this is all over, I’ll just live as I please.”
Biting her lip, she somehow managed to pull up her lips into a smile.
She put weight behind her hand.
It felt like the knife was digging into flesh.
What touched the knife writhed as though it was struggling. Blood gushed out. Yuka actually wanted to just quit.
But she corrected that thought.
How could she quit when Koto Ne was smiling like that?
Because Koto Ne… that was her wish.
“To attend school together, and to go out during the vacation.”
“We missed Comiket. Let’s go together during summer vacation.”
“After it’s all over, you have to study hard too. I have no intention of going to some crappy university.”
“Do I go together too?”
“Koko too. All together.”
“……Yeah, all together.”
Blood flowed from Koto Ne’s lips.
As their faces drew closer, Yuka could now see Koto Ne’s face through the blurry tears.
She was bleeding. There were wounds all over her face, and her body was melting away here and there.
It was a horrific sight.
Oh, I see.
Koto Ne… yeah, the meaning of Koto Ne saying she wanted to live was…
She heard someone calling Koto Ne’s name from behind.
Even after quite a while, Koko and Kagami had not arrived here.
It was probably because both of them had been hurt too much.
…I’m sorry.
To both of them.
To Koto Ne too.
I was sorry for everything.
“Yuka.”
Koto Ne was smiling even with such a face.
Koto Ne let go of her hand.
Now, there was no longer any reason to open her wounds to the side.
“Pitiful thing.”
A voice tinged with laughter said.
“Thanks to you, it was fun, really.”
A mumbling voice as if satisfied.
“But you end up losing everything you wanted.”
After hearing that voice, the chill Yuka felt from behind slowly disappeared.
Koto Ne embraced Yuka with both hands.
Yuka was held in Koto Ne’s embrace.
Koto Ne’s melting body was slowly reverting to the form Yuka had known.
The flesh that had been stuck here and there slowly turned to sand and disappeared. Her long hair gradually became as short as Koto Ne’s that Yuka had known.
The disappearing body turned into light and melted into the world.
Yuka didn’t know what that meant.
Whether it was Koto Ne’s last farewell or if even in this moment, Koto Ne was doing something in the world.
Didn’t she say “God”?
Perhaps…
“Koto Ne, definitely…”
Sensing this was the last moment, Yuka said.
“Yeah, definitely.”
Koto Ne answered back.
There was no strength in that voice.
But there was a faint smile at the corners of her mouth.
Yuka slowly held Koto Ne’s shoulders and laid her down on the ground.
clang The sound of a metallic object hitting the ground was heard.
When it fell, the sword was carelessly tossed onto the floor. The color of the blade had slightly changed. Perhaps, it was because it absorbed the blood of a God.
But right now, it didn’t matter.
Holding Koto Ne’s hand, Yuka quietly looked down at her.
“……”
Koto Ne had her eyes closed.
With voice that wouldn’t come out, she didn’t even try to struggle to convey any words.
She didn’t even open her eyes as if something was remaining.
At least this time, she seemed at peace.
Yuka bit her lip.
She heard footsteps running towards her.
She tightly grasped Koto Ne’s hand. The warmth had not faded yet.
Yuka continued to cry in that state.
*
Something must have happened.
But no one really knew what had happened.
After everything was over, what people learned was that the road which had been fine until just a moment ago was torn apart, the cars that were parked correctly were smashed up, and the house was destroyed because it ran into something unidentifiable.
There were rumors of casualties, but those were just the inevitable rumors that came. Such was the state of the world.
Some thought there had been an earthquake, while others believed a meteor had crashed.
But in the end, no one properly understood what incident occurred.
“……”
Except for a very small number.
On that day, those who were influenced by Koto Ne were aware of the incident. At least until the moment the incident began, the government also remembered that the incident had occurred.
But after that, they had no idea.
It was a strange thing.
“Are you saying that you truly know nothing?”
The person interrogating Yuka was the old man she had seen previously.
Yuka nodded her head.
“……If the experts don’t know, how can I?”
“There’s someone who remembers you.”
“Yeah, because Koto Ne helped me.”
Yuka looked up and spoke, staring directly at the old man.
Seeing something in her gaze, the old man momentarily paused.
“What did you want to do with Koto Ne’s corpse?”
“We—”
“Did you really take the corpse to protect the world?”
“I don’t think I have the right to speak about that…”
“…That seems about right.”
Yuka murmured softly.
And thought.
Then you people shouldn’t have the right to hear our story either.
“Who died?”
“……At least, as far as we can tell, there are no fatalities.”
The old man revealed that much information.
“Those in the car that was assaulted were in a state where they wouldn’t be surprised if they had died, but they are all still alive. Those who ran to stop Kurosawa Kosuzu… Yes. They are currently undergoing intensive care in the hospital but somehow, they are alive.”
Alive.
That was strange. Clearly, when Yuka checked, they were all dead.
She shifted her gaze slightly, spaced out in thought.
That moment when Koto Ne’s body turned to light and scattered; perhaps that event was related.
The dead writhing within the tentacles. The Yōkai pouring out from behind the gate.
…In the aftermath of all that, there were no traces of such events. Yuka felt a bit hollow.
“Alright.”
“Is that the end?”
“……If there’s anything else I want to ask, I will call you.”
Yuka stood up, not feeling the need to answer, and left the interrogation room.
“Yuka.”
Outside, her grandfather and father were waiting.
“Grandfather.”
The grandfather, who seemed to mumble something while looking at Yuka, soon let out a small sigh and said,
“Let’s go.”
Yuka nodded.
*
For now, they got into the car and returned home.
After preparing a bit, they had to go right away.
She didn’t know what kind of things she would hear.
Had they informed Koto Ne’s other friends about that day?
Even if they hadn’t told, Koko and Kagami who had been there…
Both of them couldn’t say anything.
They couldn’t even cry.
At that moment, Yuka had shattered both of their hopes.
No matter how much Koto Ne had wished, it didn’t matter.
While opening the closet in her room, Yuka ultimately crumbled.
She fell to the floor and shouted. Maybe the next-door neighbors heard, but she didn’t care.
“……Koto Ne, how do I…?”
Yuka spoke while sobbing.
“What should I do?”
There was no answer.
For a long time, she wouldn’t hear that answer.
“What should I do?”
But she couldn’t help but ask.
Yeah, anyone might think it was strange.
They might say Yuka was still young and that she would forget everything as she lived on.
After all, it was only a memory of childhood, merely a passing memory.
But within the time that was flowing, Yuka didn’t know what she should do.
In the end, the world could be saved.
Countless children would laugh and spend their childhoods, graduating from school and becoming adults.
Yuka too, along with her friends, would likely do the same.
But Koto Ne couldn’t do that anymore.
“Ah!”
She shouted with all her might, but it did nothing to ease her heart.
scrape, her nails scratched the floor, making a sound.
Yeah. It was quite likely.
As time passed, these strange wounds would heal, and all the painful memories would eventually fade and be forgotten.
How long would it take? A few years?
No, perhaps one year or even just a few months. It might sting every time she remembered Koto Ne, but ultimately, Yuka would adapt.
“I don’t want that!”
But she didn’t want that.
Yuka wanted to keep remembering Koto Ne.
Finally, she remembered that Koto Ne had been diligently taking pictures since the beginning of vacation. Yuka’s camera had many different pictures of Koto Ne.
She knew everything.
After hearing that prophecy, Koto Ne would have probably started accepting it from that moment on.
“I don’t want to, I don’t want that—!”
Screaming in anger, she punched the ground several times. She hit it so hard that her hand hurt.
Her cries could be heard unabashedly.
She just didn’t want to let go. She wanted to hold onto even this memory as it stretched out.
Koto Ne already felt so far away. It had only been a couple of days, and Koto Ne was becoming a mere child who remained in her memories.
That made her feel too miserable and sad.
She couldn’t show this kind of face in front of others.
Especially in front of her friends, it was even more so.
If it was Koko—
“How can… how can you act like nothing happened…”
Yuka cried softly.
To no one in particular.
No, perhaps her words were directed at Koto Ne.
Could she hear?
If she could hear, these words were something she shouldn’t say. Because Koto Ne would hurt listening to this story.
But…
“You said we would go to school together.”
Yuka murmured in a bit of a weary voice.
“You promised, why aren’t you coming back?”
In that moment, she knew very well that the words were merely to comfort Yuka.
The reason she had said that to Yuka, who hesitated with what she should do, was simply because she wished Yuka wouldn’t blame herself like this after it all ended.
That was how Koto Ne was.
Pretending to not care about those around her, acting annoyed, yet she had worked harder than anyone else to help others.
Until the very last moment, Yuka was cared for.
The one who must have hurt the most was Koto Ne.
“……Koto Ne.”
Yuka slowly raised her head.
Her face was a mess.
“Sorry, I…”
She apologized quietly towards Koto Ne.
“As you said, I don’t want to. I don’t want to live pretending like nothing happened.”
She didn’t want to be okay.
The last words were something she could barely choke out.
“Koto Ne, what should I do?”
To that girl who never gave up on living even in the worst situations, Yuka asked.
There was no answer.
For a while, Yuka sat quietly without saying anything, then slowly stood up.
And wiped her tears with her sleeve.
She looked into the mirror and straightened her face.
…Right. At least she shouldn’t show such a face in front of Koko.
No matter what that girl might say; she had to accept everything.
“……Yeah. I’ll do well.”
Yuka wasn’t sure to whom she was speaking, but she murmured like that regardless.
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