Chapter 2: Lament

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Translator: Soafp

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Late at night, Suzune was awakened by the sound of the front door opening. A strange sense of unease stirred in her chest, prompting her to head toward Atsushi's room.

“Atsushi, I'm coming in.”

She quietly opened the door, trying not to make a sound, but Atsushi wasn't there.

The room was a mess, cold and dim, and among the scattered items, a single sheet of paper on the desk caught Suzune's attention.

As her eyes scanned the words written on the white background, she realized they were addressed to his family. With every sentence, Suzune's breathing grew more erratic.

“A… will? Why is something like this… here?”

Her voice trembled.

Time seemed to stop as a flood of dark thoughts clouded her mind. Cold blood coursed through her veins, and she began to sweat.

Her heart ached, tears welled up in her eyes, and her field of vision narrowed.

The painful contents of the letter made her want to stop reading, but her eyes continued to trace the words on their own.

The fear and desperation that Atsushi might disappear somewhere drove Suzune's heart to race even faster. As she read the final words, which were filled with gratitude towards her, Suzune's pent-up emotions finally spilled over. Large tears began to drip onto the floor.

Faced with a letter that seemed like a final farewell, Suzune felt both sadness and a small, rising anger.

[First-person perspective (Honoka)]

“Atsushi…!”

Forgetting to even catch my breath, I ran desperately through the night-shrouded streets.

Suzune-san had called to tell me that Atsushi had disappeared, and I was frantically searching every place I thought he might go.

In the midst of it, memories from the past resurfaced.

Back then, I was a shy, introverted otaku when I was little.

Because of that, I didn't fit in with others and spent a lot of time alone.

“I know that manga. It's really good, isn't it?”

Atsushi was the one who kindly smiled and spoke to me.

I was so happy to finally have someone to talk to.

Before I knew it, I was always following in Atsushi's footsteps.

Bit by bit, I started talking to other kids and even made some friends.

It was all thanks to Atsushi. Without him, nothing would've changed, and I wouldn't have made it to where I am now.

At some point, I started to feel jealous when I saw Atsushi getting close to other girls.

That's when I realized that I had feelings for him.

What I found here, with him, wasn't something I could find anywhere else. Even the most trivial conversations felt fun as long as I was with Atsushi.

There are still so many things I want to talk about.

Even though I was closer to him than anyone else, I couldn't hear his voice. I never noticed his pain.

Atsushi wouldn't let me share in his suffering.

Even if it's pointless, even if it's in vain, even if everything we've built gets shattered to pieces without any reward—I don't care.

I'm sick of being powerless.

This time, I want to be the one to support him. No matter how many times, I'll reach out to him, just like he once did for me.

Even if my unstable self tries to push him away, I'll believe in him.

That's what I need to convey more than anything.

So, I've come to get you—

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[Third-person perspective]

The gloomy, darkened sea sparkled with a silvery glow under the moonlight.

The only sound that echoed across the beach was the soft rustling of the waves. As Honoka, out of breath, scanned the shore, she spotted Atsushi's figure.

Relieved, she sighed in relief, but at the same time, seeing Atsushi looking like he was about to throw himself away at any moment made her chest tighten.

“You'll catch a cold, you know?”

Honoka sat down next to Atsushi and handed him her jacket.

“Atsushi… why are you here?”

“I’m worried about you being alone.”

Her words took Atsushi by surprise, and his face showed it.

“Ahaha… you’re worrying too much. I’m not a kid. I’m fine.”

“That’s a lie. You’re not fine, are you?”

Honoka gently took his hand, wrapped it in hers, and drew her face closer.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

Atsushi averted his gaze and looked down.

“That’s because… I didn't want to burden you, Honoka—”

“I’ve never once thought of you as a burden! It’s fine that you care about me, but you need to take care of yourself, too! You keep everything bottled up inside, and that doesn't make me happy at all! You need to rely on me, at least a little… We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Honoka’s voice, now wet with tears, trembled with anger.

“And if I told you, would it change anything? Would it fix the situation? Just leave me alone already!”

Atsushi raised his voice, his expression twisting in pain.

“What happens to me when you’re gone…? Isn’t it reason enough that I’m lonely without you?”

Honoka’s voice was on the verge of tears.

“I don't want a life without you, Atsushi! I hate it, absolutely hate it! No one can replace you. Stay with me, please, don't leave me alone!”

Atsushi stared at her, wide-eyed, his mouth slightly open.

“If you feel like you can't go on, it's okay to run away. There's no shame in it. You only get one life, so take care of it!”

Honoka’s voice broke as tears welled up.

“It’s okay to show weakness. You don't have to hold everything inside. Please don't say you don't want to worry anyone. When it's unbearably hard, it's okay to ask for help!”

Warm tears streamed down Honoka’s cheeks as she cupped Atsushi's face in her hands.

Her voice, echoing deep within his heart, cleared the dark fog in Atsushi's mind. For the first time, he could clearly see Honoka's face.

There was nothing clouding her gaze.

“Help me… please, help me!”

Before he knew it, large tears were falling from Atsushi’s eyes. The more he held back, the more they flowed.

“Take your time. Let out all the pain and suffering. I'll take it all in.”

With her eyebrows gently curved, Honoka smiled softly.

Atsushi let out all the emotions he had buried deep within him, crying until he was satisfied, just as Honoka urged him.

At some point, those tears turned from sadness into joy, and a smile finally appeared on Atsushi’s face.

“Honoka… I’m sorry, and thank you.”

“Yeah…”

“And… am I smiling properly now?”

Atsushi stretched his lips into a smile, and Honoka, with her eyes shaped like crescent moons, nodded.

“Let’s go home. Back to your house.”