Chapter 77: Beyond the Storm
Beyond the Storm
Leaning against the rooftop’s safety railing, I, Uhyou Sakuya, asked.
“Then, let me hear it. The answer you came to.”
“Yes.”
The way he nodded was composed and confident, completely different from the timid attitude he had shown me before.
I do not know what happened to him, but I can clearly see that he is serious now.
I was finally about to hear the answer I had been waiting for all this time.
My heart kept pounding with that realization.
I would listen and decide for myself whether his answer was something I could accept.
“The comfortable youth I am living right now is a lie, and if it is a lie, then I do not need it. That is my answer.”
“I see. So that is the conclusion you reached, Matake-kun.”
At the very least, he had arrived at a definite answer.
To be honest, I was not that interested in the answer itself.
Whether he affirmed or rejected the situation did not matter to me.
What I wanted to know first was the process that led him to that conclusion.
“Tell me. What made you think that way.”
“Of course.”
He still showed no hesitation.
It seemed he had thought through all of this very thoroughly.
“Just like you said, Uhyou-senpai, I was relying on everyone’s kindness. And in the end, I hurt them.”
“So, you believe everything up until now was a mistake.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
It was an honest and painfully straightforward answer.
Still, the logic in his words was sound, and there was nothing to argue against.
And in his eyes, I could see a strong will that refused to bend.
Even if I tried to shake him now, he would not break.
He had grown surprisingly much in just a few hours.
Accepting that so easily felt dull, but considering his growth, I decided to accept the reasoning behind his conclusion.
“I understand your conclusion, Matake-kun.”
“Thank you. But you still have something you want to ask, do you not?”
“Yes. You understand that well.”
After reaching a conclusion, the real question was what he intended to do next.
In this situation, that held more value than the process itself.
“What will you do from here, Matake-kun?”
In response to my question, Matake-kun slowly closed his eyes.
Then, as if finalizing his resolve, he gave a small nod and looked straight into my eyes.
“I will choose only one future. Sometime this year.”
“What…?”
The words he forced out from deep within shook my entire body.
To choose only one future.
It meant facing the feelings he had left vague, giving a clear answer, and ending the relationships built on pretense.
I did not know if he would choose one person or refuse all of them and choose no one.
What mattered most was that in order to stop hurting others carelessly, he had accepted the resolve to hurt someone.
Deciding that is something that cannot be done without great strength.
I had finally come to understand what I had wanted to know all along.
“Uhyou-senpai, are you satisfied with this?”
Even as he spoke, Matake-kun kept his eyes fixed on mine until the end.
I no longer had any reason to deny his resolve.
The next day. The third day of the cultural festival.
I watched the ending of the Romeo and Juliet performance by Yuito and the others from the side of the gymnasium stage.
I had originally been assigned to a different task, but Fujikawa adjusted the stage management schedule so I would be here.
As the curtain lowered under a wave of applause, Mia standing beside me spoke.
“Satoshi-cchi. About yesterday, I am sorry.”
“If anyone should apologize, it is me. I made you feel terrible, Mia.”
“No, that is not…”
“It is true. I was the one who caused all of it.”
“Satoshi-cchi…?”
I gave Mia a reassuring smile as she looked at me anxiously.
“After that, I talked with Uhyou-senpai.”
“And…?”
“She promised that she will not approach me carelessly anymore.”
“Really…?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
When I asked, Uhyou-senpai agreed, satisfied with the answer I gave her.
However, since I declared I would choose one future, I would only report the results once everything was settled.
Even so, the storm that began with Uhyou-senpai had finally passed, and I was able to move forward again.
I had caused everyone worry in many ways, but this matter was finally settled.
“In the end, I guess I could not do anything.”
“That is not true. Because you stepped in, I realized something important. I am grateful for that, Mia.”
“Satoshi-cchi…”
“Sorry. It is time for my next job. Tell Yuito and Nagisa that their performance was really good.”
Leaving those words behind, I exited the gym.
There was not much time left in the cultural festival, but there was still plenty to do as student council.
And after the festival ended, there would be follow-up work, so I would remain busy for a while.
To end this false youth for good, it seemed I would move in earnest a little later.
But at the time, I had no idea.
That a relationship I thought would never change was about to shift without warning.