The next day. I didn’t get any sleep last night due to the guilt I felt due to Hayato’s death. No matter how much I try I can’t forget it.

 

Fuck! Everything was going well, I was doing ok until yesterday and this news comes and hits me like a rock. My mind is a mess right now. I can’t think of anything else but this. Why? Why did this happening to me? Someone must be fucking with me.

 

Nevertheless I still have to go to school ,so I got ready. I went to the cafeteria to have breakfast. While eating breakfast I got a personal message from Sakura asking if I wanted to use the Watanabe family facilities tomorrow and day after?

 

Ah yes, I forgot today is Friday, so tomorrow and day after are weekends so no school. I of course answered yes, my original goal was getting stronger and that applied to staying in the Student council as well. Especially with what has happened now I have to be stronger so as not to let everyone down.

 

With everything that has happened I can’t turn my back on everything and quit. If I do that I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself in the future. So my current path is moving forward with what’s o come, for that I need to be stronger, a lot stronger, cause I don’t know what else will happen as the plot keeps changing.

 

Sigh, I would have felt comfortable if I could share my secret with someone. Share my guilt and ask for their opinion of it. It will ease the burden at least a bit. But I can’t , I can’t possibly tell anyone and that is causing my pain to build up.

 

Anyway I don’t have much time before class starts so  have to hurry. So after replying yes to Sakura, I quickly finished my breakfast and went to class.

 

At class I saw Emily was as usual surrounded by a lot of students but she seemed more meek than usual. She was politely thanking them when they cheered her up about the kidnapping event.

 

She looked at me and smiled and nodded and I returned.

 

The other students after seeing me asked me about the fights and stuff related to the kidnapping and praised me. I just smiled at them and answered them. I wasn’t really feeling it. After a while they dispersed and I made my way to my seat.

 

After putting my bag down, I looked at Megumi, she looked deep in though and had her head on the desk.

 

I cautiously approached her and said, “Umm Megumi how are you feeling?”.

 

Megumi looked up hearing my voice and answered in a soft voice, “Ah Takeru-kun I am ok. It’s just that……I keep think about Hayato” . With this she started crying.

 

I awkwardly patted her shoulder trying to calm her down. All the students looked at her with sad faces. They knew what happened. After a bit she stopped crying.

 

She then said, “So-Sorry..”. I shook my head and said, “No don’t be sorry. It’s understandable. Rather if you need someone for anything I am here”, I replied with a smile.

 

She was started a bit but said, “Thank you….Can you stay with me for today for the whole day and also a bit after school, I need to go out to the city to get some fresh air?”.

 

I smiled and said, “Of course, I will be there”. To which she perked up. Then the teacher enters and we all go to our respective seats and the class starts.

 

To be honest seeing her crying face is what haunts me the most. I would like to avoid that but that’s not possible and it won’t feel right. So the best thing I can do is be there when she needs an emotional support. That’s the least I can do.

 

I messaged Himari-sensei and Jiro-sensei telling them that I wouldn’t be able to come for training today.

 

I stayed with her the whole day. At lunch we ate together at the cafeteria. Normally she would eat with Hayato but that’s not possible now. She cried thinking about this at lunch and I had to comfort her.

 

With time approaching the end of the day however her mood improved. And during free periods we talked about random things and she laughed a bit too, so I was able to give her a little bit of comfort. That’s good.

 

After school ended we went to the Student Council to ask for the day off.

 

When we entered we found Emily there. She looked at us and smile and we smiled back. All the other Student Council members were present as well.

 

Sakura said, “Ah Takeru-kun and Megumi-san you are here, as of today Emily-san has decided to join us”.

 

“What?”, Megumi asked. Well I knew this would happen as it did in the anime but I decided to have a confused expression so as not to arouse suspicion.

 

Emily said, “Ah after what happened that day, I found out that I lacked a lot of things so I decided to join the Student Council to gain experience and well…I wanted to help you guys for rescuing me”.

 

“I see. Good luck”, I said and smiled. Megumi nodded and smiled as well. Emily looked relieved.

 

Megumi then turned to Sakura and said, “Ah President can I and Takeru-kun have today off? I.. still haven’t gotten over Hayato’s death and need some fresh air and Takeru-kun said he would accompany me”.

 

Sakura looked at us and then smiled as said, “As you wish take today off”.

 

Megumi smiled and said, “Thank you”. I also smiled and nodded. Sakura smiled back.

 

So me and Megumi left the school to take a stroll in the city.

 

We walked together for sometime with talking to each other. Then we arrived at a park.

 

We bought some drinks from the vending machine and then sat at a bench.

 

We watched the sunset in silence. Then Megumi spoke, “Thank you Takeru-kun. Thank you being with me today. I was able to pull myself together because of you”.

 

I just smiled and said, “No problem, happy to help a friends”. To which she smiled.

 

After sometimes we returned back to the school.

 

Before parting ways to the dormitory, Megumi suddenly hugged me. I returned.

 

After staying like that for sometime, we let go of each other.

 

Then she turned to leave and as if she remembered something she turned. Before I had a chance to chance to ask her what was the problem she kissed me in the cheek and said, “Once again, thank you for everything” and immediately turned and ran to her dormitory.

 

I was stunned and unable to react for a few minutes.

 

After that I came to my senses and shook my head, “What was that for?”, I wondered aloud.

 

But it’s good that she finally cheered up. With such thoughts in mind I retired for the day. I need to rest quickly for tomorrow’s training.