A dark room. Cold. Indifferent. The shadows flicker,as if to move forward, hesitantly; and then they die.
He held a coat on one hand, bloody and punctured; and a recorder on the other. Both are important,but the recorder is life.
A thumb presses the play button down.
"You've always been a good, gentle boy, but you're also persistent. I'll be here to help youon whatever you want!"
Stop.
Rewind.
"...If you ever make Subaru cry, I will kill you."
Stop.
Rewind.
"Subaru-kun...I love you."
"I...I think you should stop making these silly jokes, Seishirou-san..." "Do I look like I--"
Stop.
Fast Forward.
"...Today is the end of our bet."
Stop.
Fast-forwards furiously. The tape whirrs, the only sound heard in the room.
Stop.
Play.
"...Do you like Sakura?"
Stop.
Fast forward. Stop. Fast forward.
Play.
"...I...love..."
It goes on playing. Then the tape stops-- end of the line. No more words, but he's sure he can add more to them.
He decides he'll try again. The recorder was then opened, almost ripped apart; the tape flipped to the other side. He snaps the lid shut, and presses 'record'.
"...Subaru-kun," he whispers, nd pauses for a second or two; then he adds, "Why?" to the microphone. He presses the 'stop' button, then switches to 'play'.
"...Subaru-kun," his voice said, tinny and lethargic through the recorder.
"I've been looking for you," he replied, smiling, because that's how it's supposed to have gone.
"...why?"
"To help my Wish...become a reality." Subaru laughed. "Silly Seishirou-san, don't you remember when I said that?"
He heard nothing afterwards. The tape stops again. Subaru frowns, then remembers that Seishirou-san said only two words. He should make him talk some more.
He smiles, and presses 'record' for a second time.
"You do know that smoking is bad for your health..?"
The shadows flicker, as if to to move forward hesitantly. And then, they die.