episode_0021

Kyotarou

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Even as I asked Takeo, who had protected us from Chihana’s deadly blade, if he was alright, he quietly knelt on the spot with his eyes downcast, remaining motionless and slumped over. The dripping fresh blood stained the already red carpet a deeper crimson.

“No… no, nooo! Takeo, Takeo!”

Tomoe’s scream echoed through the wedding hall. Tomoe got out of her wheelchair and crawled closer, but Takeo showed no reaction. Perhaps we shouldn’t have gotten married. The tragedy before us, the magnitude of what we had lost, was so great that I couldn’t help but think that.

Chihana, who had been embraced by Takeo, remained pinned to the floor, staring blankly, utterly blankly, at Takeo with dead-fish eyes, yet she was crying.

None of us had wanted this. We never dreamed our relationship would end for a reason like this. No matter how much we regretted it, no matter how much we grieved, it was beyond repair.

“Why, why… Takeo. If anyone was to be stabbed, it should have been me, there’s no reason for you to die. Is it because I broke up with Chihana and married Tomoe, is that why?”

No matter how many words of remorse I uttered, Takeo would not return. We had to live with regret. Perhaps we, who had failed in every single choice we made, could never be truly happy.

Just as I thought that, at that moment.

“…………You idiot, don’t just kill people off on your own…”

Takeo opened his eyes slightly and looked at us.

“Takeo…”

“It’s fine, even if we find happiness. Of course, Chihana too.”

Chihana, whose name had been called, watched Takeo quietly, her eyes moist. Bathed in splattered blood, with half his body stained red, Chihana simply stared at Takeo without even a single blink.

“Haa… I’m fine, don’t look so worried. I’ll definitely come back, so you do your best too, Chihana. …And, sorry, Kyotarou, Tomoe. It was such an important wedding, but this happened.”

“W-what are you saying, Takeo…”

“It’s pretty deep… but, it’s probably fine. Humans are surprisingly hard to kill.”

Pressing his hand against the embedded blade, Takeo smiled slightly.

In moments, paramedics arrived, placed Takeo on a stretcher, and hastily transported him away. We repeatedly shouted, “Please take care of Takeo!” and watched him go, praying for our best friend’s safety.

Then, police officers appeared as if to replace them, arrived at the scene, arrested Chihana on suspicion of attempted murder, handcuffed her, and took her to the police station. Chihana didn’t look at us until the very end, continuing to follow Takeo with her eyes, and disappeared from our sight without a word.

The wedding ceremony was immediately disbanded, but police interrogations and voluntary questioning continued. We were released around midnight, but we began our activities the next day. First, we went to apologize to the wedding venue, and then we headed to the hospital where Takeo was admitted.

“Yo, you two, don’t you think we meet in hospital rooms a lot?”

The surgery had safely concluded, and we saw Takeo vigorously training his muscles on his hospital bed. With iron weights, dumbbells, resistance bands, protein powder, and more, the room looked nothing like a patient’s room, and both Tomoe and I burst out laughing.

“It’s so good that Takeo is safe. Thank you.”

“I’m a pro fighter, avoiding vital points is a piece of cake. See, you know it, right? Stopping a blade with muscle. Never thought I’d actually put it into practice though.”

As Takeo struck a triumphant pose, Tomoe’s wheelchair made a creaking sound as she approached him and tightly hugged his arm. Takeo patted her back and looked at me, and I returned his gaze with a smile.

“I really… thought you were going to die.”

“Thanks for worrying about me, Tomoe. Well, like I said. Humans don’t die that easily. You probably know that best, Tomoe, after all, you didn’t die even after getting hit by a car.”

“Stop bringing up old stories like that.”

Takeo laughed, his expression crinkling, and Tomoe, blushing, sat down on the bed. I smiled and sat on a nearby round stool, making idle conversation. It felt like we had gone back ten years. Like that time when the three of us studied for high school entrance exams together and simply laughed.

My relationship with Tomoe had changed names to husband and wife, but Takeo remained unchanged. He was still our childhood friend… no, our best friend. Afterward, we talked excitedly about the secret story of my and Tomoe’s reunion, which people at the venue had wanted to hear, and Takeo’s heroic tales. After we had talked through most of the accumulated topics, Takeo brought this up.

“But well, I kinda knew how you two felt about Chihana. Otherwise, she wouldn’t normally be allowed in, right? You gave permission, didn’t you?”

“…Yeah, I wanted to send an invitation to Chihana too, but I couldn’t. And we couldn’t meet her, so at least… you know.”

“Normally, ordinary people aren’t allowed through, so she was on the guest list after all, huh? Never imagined it would lead to something like that… Oh, by the way, I’m sorry to you two, but I won’t be pressing charges this time.”

Takeo crunched into an apple, then got up from the bed and looked at us.

“I understand Chihana’s feelings well. Someone has to be there for her. Right now, there are probably only good-for-nothing people around her. I don’t know if Chihana will accept it, but I intend to act as her guardian.”

“…Thank you. Thank you for everything, really. We also came to ask you not to press charges. What happened to Chihana this time is definitely our fault…”

Takeo ruffled my head and lay down on the bed contentedly. He said he was tired from talking too much, and added, “Oh right, visits at the detention center are until 5 PM.”

Tomoe and I left the hospital and headed to see Chihana, but we were told that visits would be difficult for three days after her arrest. Interrogations seemed to be the top priority, and no one except a lawyer would be allowed to see her. We politely gave up and went around to the relatives and companies who had attended the wedding, and finally, after visiting our parents.

“…Phew, we can finally breathe a little.”

By the time we were able to return home, the round moon had risen high in the sky and begun to shine softly. I sat on the sofa by the window, stretching my legs while gazing at the beautiful full moon. I had been walking around all day, so my legs truly felt like sticks.

“I feel like I’m apologizing every time there’s an event.”

Tomoe said this as she placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table. I sat up, said “Thank you,” and took a sip.

“Sorry, it’s mostly my fault, isn’t it? …Somehow, I feel bad.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course I do.”

“Well then, I’ll have you wash everything for me in the bath. And then foot massages, finger massages, and since my butt hurts, butt massages too, please.”

Tomoe held out both hands and asked for me. Though Tomoe used her wheelchair skillfully, she couldn’t use her legs well. It seemed she could stand on her own while holding onto something, but that was all.

When I picked her up, she was so light. Then Tomoe and I kissed. After pressing our lips together several times with a soft sound, we headed to the bathroom together. I carefully removed Tomoe’s clothes one by one, but I still hadn’t gotten used to her.

“…Somehow, Kyotarou, you’re a pervert.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, I’m just happy.”

The night was long. After washing ourselves and soaking in the large bathtub where we could both stretch out our legs, Tomoe lay down and leaned her body against me, completely relaxed. It had been a tumultuous day. We would never forget that day when happiness and despair became two sides of the same coin.

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Next Chapter: “Goodbye” *Posted today at 8 PM*