Disclaimer: Last Game belongs to Shinobu Amano
Three hours had passed since Yanagi's meeting with his father, and his head was still reeling from the sudden proposition.
"Come to America with me," he had said.
Groaning, Yanagi tried to quell the roar of thoughts in his head. - He had been attempting to do so in vain for the past three hours.
Finally, Yanagi took a deep breath and prepared to use his last resort. He used this strategy to cheer himself up on the worst of days, the tactic had never failed him before, and Yanagi fervently hoped that it wouldn't start now.
Closing his eyes, Yanagi willed his mind to fantasize about life without a certain expressionless, pigtailed girl named Kujou Mikoto…
Had Kujou never transferred to Yanagi's school in their tenth year, he would have remained top of the class: excelling in sports and academics alike. His achievements would never have been overshadowed by her's, nor would he have dismissed all of his tutors who helped him maintain his academic accomplishments.
If Kujou had never came into his life, after graduation, Yanagi would have gone on to the best schools in Japan (private, of course). There, he would have been able to establish connections with scions, heiresses and other students of distinguished lineage like himself. Doubtless, he would also have been the best there as well.
Moreover, without Kujou, there would have been no need for Yanagi to feel so torn over his father's current proposal.
Oh, how he detested her. For that was the truth - well, no, maybe not exactly the truth. In fact, it was a blatant lie.
The expressionless, pigtailed girl taught the spoiled, selfish [brat] boy the taste of defeat and the importance of working for something yourself, because it doesn't matter if "you're the son of the president or what. That just shows the success of your father, it doesn't mean you are excellent too."
The poker-faced and still pigtailed girl taught the sulky, hotheaded teenage boy the meaning of humility and the reality of society, because not everyone can have the privilege of attending private school, no matter how bright and talented they are.
Then, there was a girl with unbound hair and a stoic - but not emotionless he had learned, never emotionless - personality. She was a dedicated student, an outstanding athlete and a person with as great a capacity to feel as any other.
She taught a perhaps more caring, more respectful, humbler, wiser but no less competitive and headstrong man how to love. - Because he did love her, and since he was competitive and headstrong, he will make her realize it. It would be their Last Game.
Opening his eyes, Yanagi smiled softly to himself. Yes, imagining life without Kujou always helped him get through the bad days.
It worked, because it never failed to remind him of how much worse off he could be, and how incredible it was that Yanagi Naoto lived a life with the presence of Kujou Mikoto, instead of without.
Nothing had been solved yet, and his father was still waiting for a reply. But for today, for now, being grateful (at least, as much as a spoiled, selfish [brat] man can be) was enough.
Releasing a content sigh, Yanagi lowered himself onto the bed and fell into a long, dreamless sleep.