“Hnngh… Hmm?”
Waking up and rubbing my eyes, I was in a daze trying to process my surroundings. My memory was hazy as I tried recalling whatever that happened to me. Where am I? Why am I here? Who brought me here? What is this feeling of nostalgia… Looking around, curtains around the bed…? The infirmary? Hmm? As though sensing my movement, someone clasped my left hand showing their concern for me.
“Umm… Sakura, are you feeling okay? You fell unconscious during gym class just now and it seems like you were having a fever according to the school nurse. I hope that you are feeling better now.”
Shifting my gaze to the person seated on my left, tears started dripping down my cheeks. Aoi…? Wha-What is wrong with me? Why am I crying? My chest hurts… Am I forgetting something? Noticing that Aoi has a look of concern, I wiped my tears and smiled at him hoping to lessen his worry. Feeling my left hand being clasped, he attempts to assure me that everything is fine and is going to be okay.
“I am fine, sorry for worrying you. Have you been looking after me?”
“Well… Anyways… You did not have to apologise besides… It is only normal that I will be looking out for you. Also will you be okay with walking? You have been asleep until past classes ended… Looking at the time now, it is almost 5 PM.”
“I see. Thank you.”
After showing my gratitude, I nodded my head and tried to get off the bed from the left side, a wave of dizziness hit me. Aoi hastily supported me in standing and after I could somewhat stand steadily, I held the railing of the bed as Aoi picked up our bag and slings on both sides of his shoulder. Before walking off from the bed, Aoi held out his hand for me to grasp and guided me out of the room.
Stepping out of the infirmary, the quiet corridor was illuminated in autumnal colours from the setting sun. Still holding hands, we started walking towards the main entrance and, not being able to bear the silence, Aoi wanted to start a conversation but hesitated. Wondering what he was going to say, I tilted my head and as time passed, the silence continued.
Walking down the corridor void of any sound aside from our footsteps, it felt as though it would continue forever until Aoi stopped and since we were holding hands, I was slightly pulled back. Attempting to voice his thoughts, Aoi wondered briefly before continuing.
“Sa-Sakura… I… Always regretted not being able to say this… But! Since this will be the last time, I will definitely say it.”
“Huh? Wha-What are you talking about? La-Last time?”
Turning around after responding to Aoi, I suddenly realised that he, who I knew was no longer the same. The person standing in front of me was much older and taller. The once energetic and confident youth had become a haggard young adult with a stubble on his chin. If it were not for the fact that just before this he was Aoi and that he seems to be wearing the pendant that was gifted to me on my 9th birthday, I would barely be able to recognise him.
“I see. So that is your appearance now…”
Trying to understand what he meant by that, I turned towards the windows lined along the corridor to look at my reflection, a foreigner with blonde hair and jade green eyes. Blinking once and twice, I placed my free hand on my cheeks and as though mimicking me, the reflection did the same. Flustered, I kept switching from looking at the reflection and Aoi. Seeing this, he chuckled for a bit and then as if making up his mind, he said.
“You do not have to be so surprised, after all that’s the current you… Although it is unfortunate that we will probably never meet again after you wake up…I will say this now. I had always loved you since we first met. Even now after 15 years have passed I still do…”
Pulling me in closer, Aoi embraced me after the confession. Not being able to see his face, I noticed his ears had turned red and that he had started crying due to the sniffling sounds coming from him.
“So… The 15 years really had not been a dream but my current reality… Aoi… I too had always loved you and I also regretted not being able to say it earlier. Sorry that I had to leave you alone… But being able to see you for the last time is a miracle. That aside, I am really proud of you for continuing to live on. I hope we both can move on from this and that I will not bind you anymore.”
“In-Indeed… Although it was tough, I tried my best and continued to believe that maybe one day, we would have a chance meeting like this and it really did happen.”
Suddenly, our surroundings started to fade. Realising that the end of the meeting was near, both of us took a step back with Aoi wiping his tears to take a final look at each other’s appearance.
“Well… It seems that this is goodbye… I should have better used the time we had to talk about a lot more things but… it is what it is huh…”
“Can’t be helped, I too really wished this would continue even longer but I can’t really keep the people in my new life waiting as well. Also you better take proper care of yourself okay?”
“Alright alright. Sakura as well. Take care okay.”
Accepting fate, we embraced each other for the final time as the world got engulfed in white. While slowly fading away we smiled to assure each other.
At the very end, I saw the figures of the three goddesses waving at me.
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