After You're Gone...
Idiot, you'll regret it for choosing me...
I'm telling you to stay away from me...
But...I really want to be with you...
Honest...
Are you really sure about it?
Yes, and I know I won't regret it.
Nooo...! Don't leave us...! We need you!
...I need you!
Heh, hearing that from you makes me want to laugh... *coughs out blood*
Please, don't die...
Don't worry, even if I die, I won't leave anyone's side...
Especially yours...
Shinji-senpai, I'm glad to have met you...
Me too, even though you annoy me as much as Aki does. *chuckle*
The weather's so warm... *closes her eyes slowly*
Hey, don't close your eyes! Stop foolin' around!
*sobbing* Minako...!
Those were the words still ringing in my head.
I can't believe it all slipped by past me just like that.
What a cruel fate...
Iwatodai Dorm
"Senpai, would you teach me how to prepare this meal again?" Fuuka asked me while I was watching blankly at the TV. Nothing good was on except for that show Ken likes to watch, Featherman, was it? "Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have disturbed you. But if you have the time, please teach me," and she left to go upstairs to go get Ken. A few minutes, later, she and Ken came down and left the dorm.
It's been a month after Graduation, everyone's getting busy nowadays. Me? Heh, I'm repeating Senior year, which means I might be in the same boat as those guys. Mitsuru and Aki are off enrolling at some university in the neighboring city. I'll probably follow them there after I finish high school. Want to know how the others been doing? Fine, you're lucky that I'm in the mood for these silly reminiscing. Though I'm going back to Gekkoukan, I'm still hurt...not by that gunshot months ago, you know what I'm saying.
Yukari got a call from her mom saying she's missing her badly that she had her whole vacation at her mom's place. Junpei and Chidori are dating, which we all thought he wouldn't get a girlfriend. Fortunately for him, she's regaining her memories bit by bit. She sometimes misses those Strega guys, but was relieved to have left them. Fuuka is getting better at cooking, though she sometimes asks me to help, and even almost blowing up the kitchen. Ken's gotten taller too, not just his height; he's grown more mature as well. He's currently with Fuuka buying some groceries. Koromaru is my companion whenever I'm here alone; the little guy's grown too. He's always happy to be with us. Y'know what? He's missing you too... And Aigis, she's become more human and she's always up on the roof on her spare time. I don't know why, but I guess it might be the same as what I feel. She probably misses you too...
"Arf!" Koromaru barked at me with a wagging tail. "Oh, you're hungry again? Wait here, I'll go get you some."
"Shinjiro-san?" Aigis came down the stairs.
"Yeah, what is it?" I said while pouring a bowl of dog food for Koromaru.
"Um, nothing..." she looked at me with sorrowful eyes.
"If it's about it, forget about it. We can't return the past, y'know... Even if I wanted to..." I laid down the food bowl beside Koromaru, and he ate it quickly. "Whoa, slow down, you'll get sick."
"This feeling is too much for me; I'm not sure whether I regret to have develop my human emotions or not."
"Bear with it; that's what being human is about," tch, I laugh at myself for saying things like that, but if she were here, she's the one who'd laugh. "Aigis, you miss her too, huh?"
"As much as you do," she frowned, "I still can't forget that day... She was smiling so peacefully. Yet I feel that I failed to protect her..."
"By the way, what're you gonna do about school? You'll still enter Gekkoukan?"
"Yes," she nodded, "I wish to be more human by attending school, and do all things that everyone does."
"Good, no one's stopping you anyway," I said. "You'll learn much other than relying on your embedded knowledge."
"You are attending as well, correct?"
"Yeah," I stood up and walked towards the window, "she's gonna haunt me if I won't. Plus, Aki's got me convinced too. I don't regret it, it's for the best I guess."
"You have such a strong will, Shinjiro-san," she petted Koromaru, "If you have not possessed such character, we would all be still depressed if you had died that time. We were all overjoyed that you had survived that incident."
"There's one thing that made me live, Aigis..."'
"What is it?"
"Minako."
"Minako-san?"
"I know she's been visiting me since I was in a coma, I even thought I heard her whispering sweet nothings to me."
"That is so romantic," she chuckled, "I would have done the same too."
"Heh, you're lucky enough, Aigis."
"For what?"
"For not going through a tough time like I am right now," I leaned on the window.
"I suppose so."
Just then, Fuuka and Ken returned carrying a heavy bag on each of their hands. We can't eat all that! The rest will spoil too if we don't preserve it properly! "Why are you two carrying that many?" I said.
Ken heaved and placed the bags down, "Phew... Oh, don't you remember? Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai are coming over." I forgot to mention, those two left the dorm to stay near the university they're going to. Obviously, they're coming over for a visit.
"That's why we're going to have a huge meal for all of us," Fuuka smiled, "I'll do my best to make delicious dishes!" Though I said that she's getting better, there are some instances that she's still going to make our stomachs upset...
"Oh right! Come, Ken-san, let's go prepare the table," Aigis smiled with glee, forgetting all about our little talk earlier.
"What about you, Shinjiro-senpai?" asked Fuuka, "Won't you help me cook?"
"You'll do fine without me. I'm heading over at the rooftop."
I decided to go there and start doing what Aigis does-reminiscing. Even if it makes me want to laugh at myself, I still can't forget about Minako. She gave meaning to my worthless dull life; if it hadn't been for her, I'd still be the ruthless grunt loitering in the alleys. Pff, I'm glad I've changed. It's really nice, having someone to care about; I never knew this was great. After Aki's sister's was gone, I haven't seen him happy until he finally moved on. And that goes for Ken with his mother; I'm glad he forgives me.
"If you hadn't saved this world, we'll all be dead right now. Call me crazy, but I'd want to have spent those moments with you and battled side by side. If only I wasn't in bed that time."
It's already evening, but I still went up to get a view on the place. Those city lights are like little candles lit up for you, saying their thanks for saving the world from Nyx. Thinking about Nyx right now makes me think about Ryoji. Aki told me that he's been living inside you for ten years, developed his own set of human emotions as well. It's crazy to think having the Harbinger of the Fall live inside your body. He also went through the trouble of confessing his love for you, well that's according to what Junpei told me. When I heard about it, I thought I'd get jealous.
Shinji-senpai, why can't you tell me what's bothering you?
You wouldn't understand it. Even if I told you, you won't be able to change it.
How come? Is that problem of yours so complicated?
Let's just say...that if the time comes, I'll be gone by then.
Those were the times that we spent together while you question me about why I don't want to get too close to you. I don't really intend on being mean, even to the others, I just don't want everyone to get upset seeing me die. But you, you pestered me enough to change all that. I don't regret meeting you. I hate myself for seeing you take up my place in death; I should've been the one who's gone right now. I bet you're laughing right now hearing me talk like this, huh? Minako, if only you didn't die... I would've been the luckiest guy ever.
Is that Aki and Mitsuru heading over here? Sheesh... I forgot about our little welcome home party. They'll do fine, Fuuka's got the meals covered. Oh shoot, she's got a 50-50 chance of getting us sick again! No, she won't screw up, I believe in that girl.
"Here you are, Shinji!" Aki walked towards me after appearing from the door.
"Aki!" I turned around to look at him, "I just saw you and Mitsuru came in, and here you are, that was fast," I chuckled. Maybe the two I saw walking towards the dorm must be Junpei and Yukari. I haven't noticed since I'm busy standing here like a lovesick moron. Love can be crazy, right, Minako?
"So how's it been with everyone? Are you still the grumpy alley cat?" he let out a laugh.
"I've changed, Aki. And I've been doing great with those guys, each one of them matured as well. We've had some good times too; vacation was short, but we all had fun."
"That's good to hear."
"What about you two?"
"We've been doing great too. She's finally smiling and letting off her seriousness. We just went out to Hagakure earlier; she's still unfamiliar eating like a commoner."
"I meant you two about college," I laughed.
"O-Oh..." he blushed in embarrassment, "Geez, you made me spill it out."
"Oh so you two are dating, huh? Way to go, Aki. The only daughter and now head of the Kirijo Group dating a well-known boxer, what a combination."
"Stop teasing me! But I'm sorry about you and Minako..."
"Hm? Forget about it, it's already happened anyway."
"Are you still jealous that she met me before you do? I mean, we were a couple before so..."
"I admit that I was, but that didn't made me mad, right? So it's not much of a big deal anyways."
"You've changed a whole lot alright, I'm happy for you," he said and patted me on the shoulder. "She's probably smiling somewhere while saying her thanks."
"I know, I can feel it somehow."
He stretched and leaned on the railings, "It's been a long day for us, we had a long trip anyway. Let's go down and eat up."
I shook and head and said, "You go on ahead, I'll come down in a minute."
"I understand. But we really won't start without you, so better get down."
"Just shut up and eat without me, will ya?" I laughed and gave him a light punch on the chest. "I'll go down."
"Fine, fine!" he laughed too, "But Shinji," he placed his hand on my right shoulder, "try to loosen up, she won't be happy if you keep on thinking about her. You've been sulking for months after that day. I know all of us witnessed her pass away, but we accepted it and moved on. We all know we can't bring her back. It's not bad to think about her, but you'll wear yourself out if you keep on being depressed."
"You're right," I sighed, "I won't sulk anymore, thanks a lot, Aki."
"No problem, if you're ever in need, you know you can always count on us. We're here for each other."
He left after and I returned to face the horizon, "Those glittering stars looks like your tears. Haha, I'm such an idiot, but I don't regret it. We're both idiots and we'll see each other again someday." Just then, I felt a cool breeze flew in my ear, I thought it was just the wind, but something tells me that she's happy and wanted to say something to me.
* Glittering pink lights appear, racing in front of Shinjiro *
"What the...?" I rubbed my eyes and saw that it wasn't a dream.
* Accompanied by a cool breeze *
"Minako, is that you?" I smiled and said, "Nice to know that you're here and listening to me. How you've been? Are you okay with your new place? Don't worry about them, they may be sad that you're gone, but they know that you'll never leave their side. Me? Heh, I'm good. I'm fine, really, don't worry about me. You making me feel that you're here right now made me happy. Don't ever leave, alright?"
* The glittering pink lights forms a small pink butterfly and flew up to Shinjiro's lips *
"Tch, you little idiot..."
* Shinjiro held the butterfly in his hands and murmured *
I love you too...
- END -