Angel Beats!- Touch

by TheBritishGuy

It's been 135 people since Yuzuru's closest friends in the Afterlife has departed to another life. He still remembers the time, shortly after their departure, where he had returned to the real world. But was that simply an illusion created by his cruel mind? Takes place after the events AFTER the episode 13 credits.

One touch, one tap of the back was all that was needed to get her attention. One simple tap of Kanade's left shoulder. That was all that I needed to do. But, the right hand that I swung simply glided straight through her, as if she, or I, was simply a ghost.

But, that's right. I'm the soul that cannot remove itself from this world, Otonashi Yuzuru. And for that short moment, I thought that I had met the person who took my heart, and that my return to the living world was genuine. Nothing but a simple illusion, a dream made by my brain, which died along with me in that tunnel; that's all that it was.

I cannot know how long has passed since their departure, because why keep time in an eternal world? But, every few sundowns, a stray passenger in this train to a new life boards, and it is my duty as the man who is trapped to guide them to the next station.

"Do you remember who you are?" I'd normally say in a stern way, while looking down at them in my student council outfit. Unlike me, though, they'd remember every little detail on who they were and how they died.

After that I'd loosen up and show them around the school grounds, getting to know them a bit better. I would lay down the ground rules, such as making sure to not pay attention in classes; however I did not explain why, because allowing them to disappear was my job.

One by one, I'd fulfill their wishes, and they'd go off to begin a new life, and leaving me behind to move on to the next passenger.

In the gaps between each person, I'd return to the empty student council room, waiting for Tachibana Kanade to return; that was all I wished for, but that day never came.

The amount of travelers to the afterlife continued to increase, to the point where I'd measure time using the number of people I help.

The number rose, 25, 35, up to 50, and as I saw their happy faces go around the school campus, sometimes with other people who came at the same time yet with completely different regrets, I began to wish for one of my friends to return: Yuri, Hinata, even TK, just someone whom I became good friends with when people spent prolonged time here. But even if they did arrive here, I would be filled to the brim with regret, because I was essentially wishing for them to die.

But, here I am, having reached passenger 135, I'm beginning to think that my life (or afterlife, should I say) needs to change in order to leave here and return to my friends; and most importantly Kanade.