Chapter 58: The Weight of Life

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Translator: Soafp

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The message that Mizuki had attempted suicide came from Katsuragi.

Even Katsuragi wouldn't send such a tasteless joke message.

Though I couldn't believe Mizuki would do such a thing, I hurried to the hospital. Reluctantly, Maya came with me as well.

Driving at a speed that could easily get us a ticket, we arrived at the hospital where Mizuki had been taken around 11 p.m.

As we got out of the car and headed to the parking lot, I noticed Katsuragi standing off to the side, looking out of place.

Maya and I rushed over to him.

“…You two got here quickly,”

Katsuragi said in a calm tone, trying hard to conceal his exhaustion.

“How is Mizuki?”

But I couldn't stay calm.

In response to my urgent questioning, Katsuragi struggled to maintain his facade of calmness and answered,

“…It seems she got caught on a telephone wire or something and survived the fall, but her condition is still critical. Tonight might be the turning point.”

Upon hearing this, Maya collapsed to the ground, crying.

“Ah, aahhh!! Why, why, why…”

Even though we're acquaintances, there's no way we could be allowed to stay by Mizuki's side while she hovers between life and death.

That's probably why Katsuragi was there.

Indeed, Mizuki's behavior was strange when I last saw her.

But I never thought she would take such drastic action.

—It might be our fault.

Katsuragi's next words almost confirmed my suspicions.

“…Mizuki sent me an email, which is unlike her. Not a message, but an email. Just one sentence — ‘Please tell everyone I'm sorry for causing so much trouble.' I wondered why she sent it to me, but I guess she found it hard to tell you and Kazunari.”

As I listened in a daze, a tremendous sense of guilt washed over me.

“Ah, ah, ah, ahhhh!! Ahhh!! It's my fault, it's all my fault, ahhhh!! Ahhh…”

It seemed that Maya was in the same state.

In the night parking lot, nothing but his wails echoed.

“If I hadn’t cheated, if I hadn’t done something so stupid!! Mizuki always tried to set me straight!! I’m an idiot, I’m a complete idiot, it’s all my fault!! Mizuki, Mizuki, Mizuki!! Why, whyyyyy!!”

I couldn’t bring myself to stop Maya in his frenzy.

Because I harbored similar feelings myself.

If only I hadn’t said those things to Mizuki, maybe.

No.

If only I could forgive Maya, maybe──

In a rational state, I wouldn’t blame myself.

But.

In this moment where the life of Mizuki Konno, a friend connected by some twisted fate and affection, might be lost, I couldn’t possibly remain calm.

Who pushed Mizuki to this point?

That’s all I could think about.

I wasn’t so lenient with myself to conveniently blame everything on Maya being at fault.