Backstage 2All Alone?
"Kouhei."
Huh?
I finally arrived at Tenshudai, out of breath.
The sun had already set, and the place was pitch black.
Kouhei was there alone, looking gloomy.
"...Uenohara. I'm sorry about that, making you wait like that."
Kouhei replied without turning his head, his elbows resting on the handrail.
"...It's okay."
"I took Otsuki-san home. In the end, we didn't make it."
"...I see."
I had expected it because there was no response, but... ...it really did fail.
My heart was still pounding, and I felt angry at my heart as I opened my mouth.
"So, what are you going to do from here and out?"
"..."
Kouhei didn't answer me.
"Hey."
"..."
Kouhei, who was staring into the distance, seemed to have lost his usual enthusiasm.
Kouhei's hunched back looked very small. The Kouhei of today was completely different from the overly confident Kouhei who always walked with his chest puffed out.
"You're not just going to stand there, are you?"
"..."
"Kouhei..."
"..."
Kouhei still didn't respond to me.
My breathing remained shallow.
─What if...
The words that come out of Kouhei's mouth next aren't what I want to hear?
Just thinking about it makes my chest feel tight.
─At times like this.
I, as Kouhei's "Accomplice"...
I, as Kouhei's "Childhood Friend"...
What should I do...? ...What would be the best course of action?
"..."
I thought.
I thought, and thought, and thought.
Looking at that back, bent over as if alone—.
I made up my mind.
"Huh...?"
Gently.
On that back.
I placed both my hands.
"U-Uenohara...?"
I could feel Kouhei's body temperature in the palms of my hands.
Now that I was touching him directly like this... ...Kouhei felt even more unreliable than I had thought.
"Kouhei."
"What's wrong...?"
That's why I...
...decided to tell Kouhei.
"—If you need help, I'll be here for you."
That's the best.
That's what both versions of me can do, I thought.
—...
—...
"—I see. That's right."
Kouhei's voice echoed in the palm of my hand.
"I'm not alone. And I'm not alone now either... ...that's why I can be myself."
And then, those words.
Those words slowly spread from my hands, echoing throughout my body.
"...I'm sorry. No, thank you, Uenohara. For coming this far."
"Mhm."
...Yeah.
I guess Kouhei is fine now.
I let my hands go of Kouhei and stood beside him, leaning against the fence.
I could still feel a little warmth in my palm.
...Wait.
Now that I think about it, am I sweating?
First of all, my heartbeat is irregular and my breathing is uneven just from running this far. My physical condition is really poor.
As I thought about this useless physical weakness, Kouhei sighed deeply.
"I won't give up just because of a failure like this — the protagonist would never give up!"
Those words had returned to normal completely. Those were the words of the idiot boy I knew.
"Hinoharu-senpai won't survive if things stay like this. There's no good that comes from just watching others and ignoring yourself."
"..."
"That's why I won't accept this reality. If reality doesn't give me a happy ending..."
"—I'll change reality into a happy ending!"
As I stood beside Kouhei, I stole his words, and Kouhei snorted before extending his right hand to me.
"I'm sorry, but are you willing to accept me again, 'Accomplice'?"
"...Yeah, after all, that's my role as your 'Accomplice', right?"
Then, I—
Clapped my right hand against Kouhei's right hand, producing a loud clapping sound.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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