Chapter 8: The Fading Light

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Translator: Soafp

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Thunderous applause and cheers filled the air.

All the students surrounding the campfire had their eyes fixed on Aoi and Toru, their gazes full of expectation.

In Toru's arms, Aoi froze, looking utterly shocked. But the next moment… she quietly closed her eyes and slowly wrapped her arms around his back.

“What!? Does this mean a new couple was just born!?”

“Of course it does!”

Toru's embrace was as good as a confession. And Aoi's gentle act of returning the embrace was her answer.

“Ao…i…?”

Seeing that scene made a chill shoot down my spine. To me, Aoi was… only Aoi was… my source of strength, the light that brightened my clouded heart.

“Whoa!! The student council president and vice president are officially a couple!”

“I knew they liked each other!”

Aoi, the beloved student council president, the most popular girl in school. mAnd Toru, the vice president who always supported her.

Like a perfect couple out of a storybook, their union was met with thunderous applause. I prayed with all my heart that what I was seeing… was nothing more than a terrible dream.

My beloved Aoi…

The Aoi who was my source of strength…

The Aoi who was the light in my heart…

She was slipping away from me.

Right before my eyes, Aoi was in Toru's arms. She was so close, yet in that moment she felt impossibly far away. My whole body trembled.

Toru, passionately embracing Aoi. Aoi, closing her eyes and gently putting her arms around him.

“A…Aoi… why…?”

A few seconds later, Aoi opened her eyes. I, lost in despair and unable to think straight, met her gaze. Her eyes widened when they locked with mine.

“Ya…ma…to…”

I couldn't hear her through the cheers and applause of the crowd, but I thought I saw her lips form my name.

That was the breaking point. My heart couldn't take it anymore. I turned on my heel and fled, desperate to escape the reality in front of me.

---

I ran with all my strength back to the school gates. My whole body trembled with cold. My breathing was ragged.

I couldn't bear to watch any longer—Aoi in Toru's arms. I couldn't bear to see her return his embrace.

I looked down at the small box in my hands, Aoi's birthday present. Though cheap, I had treasured it, determined to give it to her.

But now tears streamed down my face, dripping onto the carefully wrapped paper.

I hurriedly pulled a handkerchief from my pocket to wipe it off, but…

“…What does it matter… I can't give it to her anymore…”

I bought this gift just to see her smile…

“…I should go home.”

Aoi loved Toru.

Surely he had given her a wonderful present, and surely she had shown him that bright smile I longed for.

Not to me… but to Toru.

No—stop. Enough. Aoi's gone now… far away…

“Wait, Yamato!”

A voice called my name from behind. Of course, I knew instantly who it was.

---

“Yamato, wait!”

Breathless, Aoi ran up to me.

(Aoi…)

A shadow fell over my heart.

“Y-you were here after all… I didn't see you during roll call this morning, so…”

I couldn't look her in the eye. The face I once loved so much—right now, I couldn't bear to face it. I averted my gaze, but Aoi stepped closer.

“T-this year's festival was such a huge success! Tons of parents and guests came to see it!”

Ever since we were kids, Aoi had always told me about her day like this. But lately, with how much of a mess I've been, she had stopped doing it.

“It was really tough, but everyone worked so hard to make it a success!”

Yes… that smile of hers as she talked happily— that's what I loved.
But now… it felt different.

“The student council and the committee worked together, it was fun, but… if you had been there, Yamato, it would've been so much more fun.”

If I'd been there… it would've been more fun? Did she really… think that way?

“This year's festival is over, but n-next year… with me—”
“That dance just now!!”

I cut her off, my voice overriding hers.

“That folk dance… it was really something. You and Toru… looked good together.”

I finally raised my eyes to look at her.

“T-that was just… it just happened that way!”

“You mean the legend? That if you hold hands, you'll end up together. I didn't expect… hugging.”

“N-no! It's not like that!!”

Aoi's voice shook as she shouted in panic.

“What… isn't like that…?”

Toru must have liked her. That's why he asked her to dance.

And she… must have liked him too.

That's why she accepted his embrace. That's why she hugged him back.

“Y-Yamato! Listen, I—”

Just then—

“Aoi! Why'd you suddenly run off like that!?”

A boy came running up to us, clearly chasing after her.

“Toru…”

“Ya-Yamato!? I thought you were out sick today!?”

It was Toru—the one who had danced with her, the one everyone had cheered for.

And right behind him…

“Aoi, what's the matter? Don't trouble Toru-kun too much by running off like that.”

A middle-aged man followed. I knew him well.

“Hm? …Ah, Yamato-kun, is that you? It's been a while.”

“Y-yes. Long time no see, Daisuke-san…”

His name was Daisuke Miyano—the president of a large company, and Aoi's father. He had once been very fond of me, but after a certain incident, he had started keeping his distance.

“How's your father doing, Yamato-kun?”

“H-he's… fine…”

A chill shot through me.

“Well, I know things must be tough for you, but hang in there.”

Why bring up my father now…?

“Tough? Yamato, what do you mean?”

Aoi must have sensed something in our exchange.

“It's… nothing. Nothing at all.”

This was something… I could never let her know.

“Why…?”

My father, my home, our financial situation—

Aoi could never know about any of it.

“Why is it always like this with you, Yamato!? You never tell me anything!!”

Her voice cracked as she shouted, anger bursting forth.

“N-no… there's nothing worth telling…”

Her sudden anger startled me, but I couldn't explain—not here, not now.

“There is! After school, you always run off! You never reply when I try to reach you on holidays!”

She had been bottling it all up, holding in all this frustration…

“Your grades keep getting worse! You're not involved in school events! You even skipped today's festival without telling anyone!”

Her resentment toward me was pouring out without end…

“Next year is the entrance exams! If things stay like this, you won't be able to get into university!”

University…

I… can't… go to university anymore…

“You know, don't you, Yamato? Behind your back, people call you a ‘fallen prodigy'! Doesn't that make you angry?!”

Of course I'm angry.

Of course I… wanted to try harder…

“You used to get such good grades, and everyone in class admired you!”

The past…?

What about the past…?

“Please… I'm begging you, get it together!”

I'm fighting desperately just to survive right now…

“What would you… know about me!!”

To silence Aoi, who was scolding me at the top of her lungs, I raised my voice and glared at her.

“What do you know about the past!! You can't possibly understand how I feel!!”

Just like yesterday.

Once again, my blood was boiling.

Aoi flinched at my outburst, her body trembling.

“I-I'm sorry, Yamato… I… I didn't mean to blame you…”

Her fiery energy from a moment ago vanished, and she spoke weakly.

“I-I just thought… if this goes on… our promise…”

“What promise?!”

“The promise that we'd go to the same university… I thought it wouldn't come true, and I…”

A promise…?

But I can't go to university anymore…

“That promise doesn't matter anymore! I don't care!”

The splitting headaches… the exhaustion… the frustration toward my father… that scene of Aoi and Toru

Hugging… they gnawed mercilessly at my heart.

“N-no… I just… I wanted to stay with you, Yamato…”

I couldn't really understand what she was saying anymore.

“You've got Toru, don't you…”

“T-that's not true! We're not like that!”

“Not like that, huh?!”

Then why did you dance the folk dance with him?

Why did you hug him back?

“Enough, Aoi…”

I pushed her away with a cold tone.

“I-I'm sorry, Yamato… It's my fault, so please, the promise…”

No… the truth is, Aoi wasn't at fault.

It was me—hiding my family's situation, unable to be honest, messing everything up.

But still… I wanted her to admit it honestly if she loved Toru.

I wanted her to crush my hopeless feelings once and for all.

“Aoi, that's enough. Sorry, Yamato-kun, for my daughter's behavior.”

At Daesuke-san's words, Aoi fell silent…

“Yamato… is that… maybe…”

Her eyes widened as she noticed the small wrapped gift box I was holding in my right hand.

“A-Aoi! I know this isn't the best timing, but—!”

Toru, who had been quietly watching us until now, suddenly rushed over to Aoi's side in a panic. He pulled a fancy brand-name accessory box out of his uniform pocket.

“Happy birthday! Please accept this!”

“Eh… ah…”

But instead of looking at Toru, Aoi's eyes darted nervously toward what I was holding. Growing impatient, Toru grabbed her hand and forced his gift into it.

“W-what… is this?”

“Open it!”

She opened the elegant box, and inside lay a beautiful silver necklace that sparkled brilliantly.

“This… how much did it cost…?”

“About 30,000 yen. Sorry it's not something more expensive…”

30,000 yen…?!

And my gift… was just a 2,400 yen ballpoint pen…

I knew Toru's family was rich…

But being shown such a stark difference like this… I couldn't stand being here any longer.

“W-wait! Yamato!”

I dashed out of the school gate.

Aoi had accepted Toru's feelings.

That much was obvious, just from seeing the folk dance.

“Yamato, please, wait!”

Aoi chased after me, grabbing my hand and forcefully blocking my path.

“Let me go…”

“Yamato, the promise… we're going to the same university, right?”

Her face, staring straight at me, looked like she was about to cry.

“You've got Toru, don't you?”

“I want to stay with you, Yamato! Always…!”

I didn't know her true feelings anymore.

I didn't… want to know.

“Aoi…”

My head hurt.

“I can't… anymore…”

My body felt heavy.

“I can't…”

It was painful.

“Don't get involved with me anymore.”

None of it mattered anymore.

“Ya…ma…to…?”

Under the dim streetlights, I saw tears stream down Aoi's face.

A sharp pain pierced my chest, like my heart was being torn apart.

Even so, I shook her hand off and ran, as if fleeing from her.