Well, here it is, willing readers. The final part of my tribute to the greatness of Sket Dance. Hopefully my ending is satisfying enough for y'all. Enjoy, because God knows I worked as hard as hell on it! :)
"Such majesty...I have always wondered what spirits might take residence in such great trees. The power contained would truly be beyond our understanding. Don't you feel something otherworldly from a place like this, Switch-kun?"
As Yuuki's eyes made direct contact with her rival's, a strong breeze began to course through the circle of trees. He hair blew with the wild wind, and the atmosphere around her only added to her already ghastly appearance. Switch typed a quick response on his keyboard as he walked past Yuuki, his eyes now glued to the canopy above.
[There isn't even a hint of an EM wave in this place, let alone spirits. I imagine your fascination with this place might have to do with nostalgia. Am I right, or am I right, Yuuki-san?]
The occult girl just glared at Switch in response. It was at this time that she was beginning to wonder why she still tried to get him to listen to her ideals. It was amazing enough that he had been spending so much time with her in the first place. But to get him to believe in the occult like she did...perhaps that was asking for a little too much.
But then again, perhaps the thing she found herself asking him next might have also been a bit much. Yuuki moved closer to Switch as the forest around them seemed to howl. There was a curious glint in her eyes as she spoke.
"You have so much faith in your scientific ideals. Let us try to commune with the spirits here. If there is truly nothing here, then what harm will it do? Just take hold of my hand, and together we can prove just how wrong you are."
Switch stared back at his eternal rival, his expression unchanging. She could only wonder what he was thinking inside that head of his.
[I refuse!] he typed out quickly. Yuuki made an evil smile before taunting him.
"I see! You are afraid. Afraid that I might be right!" she declared with confidence in her voice.
[Ridiculous! My reasons have nothing to do with fear. Chapter 90, Page 9, Panel 3 is proof that the fans will only be teased by this kind of thing. They will never be satisfied, and the tension between us will always remain unresolved.]
Caught off-guard by his statement, Yuuki could not immediately think of anything to say, and so Switch continued to just go on with his rant uninterrupted.
[And besides, there is something that you fail to realize. This circle of trees is simply a natural occurrence. It is common for wind to come spiraling through here, and the sounds produced is what you perceive as some sort of spiritual wail. In truth, it is nothing of the sort, Yuuki-san. Blaming such a regular phenomenon on something as ridiculous as spirits is truly foolish.]
"I will admit you are always one step ahead of me, Switch-kun. But despite this, I will never falter. I still know the truth, while you stand behind your lies made of metal and plastic. That curse...it still plagues your precious machine, does it not?"
There was an awkward silence between the two rivals as Switch contemplated what he should say next. With a grim expression, Yuuki anxiously waited for his answer. The sound of his fingers tapping on his keyboard was almost like music to her ears.
[Yes. I am still having some minor problems. But they will be solved soon.]
Yuuki moved closer. The morbid smile on her face was beginning to become unnerving, even to the normally stoic Switch. "You are minimizing the problem, when you yourself know that it will not be solved soon. It is not something minor. It is bothering you, Switch-kun. It is clawing at your very soul, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!"
Switch and Yuuki were practically face to face now. The wind howled loudly and whipped around them. Switch glared down at the occult girl, his mind filling up quickly with things he wanted to say to her. His typing was perfect as he laid down his point.
[I may be spending this time with you now, Yuuki-san, but listen well when I say that I will not stray off-course. I know what you're trying to do. It's not working.]
Frustration ran through Yuuki's mind, and it was starting to become apparent based on the look she was wearing that Switch was really starting to get on her nerves. The more she looked into his eyes, and saw nothing but his blank, disinterested stare, the more she wanted to scream. But somehow Yuuki managed to keep that urge contained, and she just glared right back at him, her lips twisting into the most evil smile she could muster.
"There are things that science cannot explain. For all we know, Switch-kun, the spirits could be dancing around us right now. Who's to say that there isn't someone dear to you watching us as we speak? Can't you feel their cold touch? Surely that thought could unnerve even you."
Switch knew that Yuuki was beginning to become desperate at this point, but at the same time, her mere words couldn't help but make him feel slightly uncomfortable. As the most trusted source of information on others in all of Kaimei, Switch could only wonder if Yuuki's implications were purposeful or if they were just coincidental.
He could see that she was forcing her cruel smile. Chances are she probably didn't know what she was talking about.
[This conversation is becoming pointless. Why do you keep persisting? Haven't you gotten it by now? I will never accept your occult beliefs! Never!]
Yuuki began to laugh. Her laugh was coarse, as if she was choking on something. She backed away from Switch like some sort of horrible ghost, and the wind rose around her hair right on cue.
"It's easy to see your problem. Yes. Very easy now."
[Oh? And what problem is this?]
"You can't admit the truth of the occult because it is a weakness of yours. You just can't admit things in general."
Switch typed quickly, and his response sounded suddenly curious. [I assure you that I can easily admit anything that is plausible. I simply have trouble with admitting the existence of ridiculous notions such as your superstitions.]
Yuuki practically screamed in response. "Stop changing the subject! This has nothing to do with the occult!"
The two rivals were locked on each other once again. Strangely, Yuuki still had a huge smile on her face, while Switch glared back at her with all the emotion of a Greek sculpture. Yuuki's next few words were especially cryptic.
"You are in love, Switch-kun. You are in love and you cannot admit it."
[Do not even waste your time going further. Your claims are obviously false. You have no proof of such a thing. Come off of it before you make yourself sound even more like a fool.]
"Look at me, Switch-kun. Do you see the truth staring you right in the face? Or are you just afraid to admit it, much like you are afraid to admit anything else!"
[I see you, Yuuki-san. You look like you woke up from the grave. But what else is new?]
Yuuki's voice suddenly gained an angered tone. As if sensing her rising rage, the wind simply howled like a crazed animal, nearly drowning out Yuuki's voice. "All I hear is fear. You are hiding behind your jokes and your accursed machine. You've always been hiding by that machine."
Switch's typing seemed to become faster. The synthesized voice had become determined.
[There is nothing you can do to frighten me. Go ahead. Try all you want. But in the end, I will always stand triumphant.]
There was a moment of silence between Yuuki and Switch as she processed his words. Then her expression began to contort, and her eyes bulged with what Switch might have assumed was insanity. Yuuki's slender hands went for Switch's face, cupping themselves around it as she stared deeply into his eyes.
Switch could do nothing, for once. His mind began to drift, and Yuuki noticed what she thought might be a small change in his eyes. She could see some sort of emotion screaming to break out. She could feel her face start to tingle. Sparks of excitement rushed through her entire body. The occult girl would help this trapped emotion find its way out.
"Nothing can scare you, Switch-kun? Fool! I'll show you true fear whether you want it or not!" Yuuki declared, before her lips went for his.
The wind slowed as Yuuki and Switch were caught up in their silent embrace. Yuuki's hair waved in the breeze, and Switch's fingers remained poised just above his keyboard. He wanted to type; to say something, anything, just to end the silence.
But for the first time in a long time, Switch could not control his emotions. His eyes could only stare ahead at Yuuki, unwavering as they saw the soft expression on her face. It was strange. The longer she kissed him, the more Switch found her face becoming more and more pleasant. She was just on the edge of beauty for him before she finally let go.
The dark blush on Yuuki's face was easily obvious. Switch fixed his glasses before standing up straight again. He wore a blank stare as Yuuki moved back in an attempt to give him some space. She searched for any sign of happiness, surprise, or even disgust, on Switch's face, but she could find nothing. Looking down at the leaf-covered ground, Yuuki could feel her heart beat finally slowing down. The moment of ecstasy that came with finally kissing a boy had passed, only to be replaced by a horrible emptiness.
Then came the typing. It was a terrible sound to Yuuki's ears, and it came with an even more terrible response.
[It seems my analysis on this circle of trees is complete. I'm finished with you for today, Yuuki-san.]
Switch didn't even say goodbye. He was far down the path out of the forest as Yuuki still had her gaze fixed on the ground. Each one of his steps continued to repeat in her mind. His words had practically burned into her psyche. When she tried to walk, she found that her legs had become weak, and she had to lean on one of the nearby trees for support. Her body shivering wildly, Yuuki said a few quiet words under her breath.
"Too strong...perhaps the spirits here were too strong for you, Switch-kun..."
The staring had lasted for quite awhile, and it had become quite unsettling, even for someone like Switch. After a good five minutes, the normally uncaring Himeko couldn't help but notice that the otaku of the Sket Dan wasn't making any effort to even pretend like he do anything on his laptop. Switch had just been aimlessly staring at the computer's screen the whole time.
"Hey!" Himeko called out in an annoyed tone, which managed to wake up Bossun from his nap.
Switch gave her no response. Gritting her teeth, Himeko called out again, louder this time.
"Didja hear me? Hey! Say something! Your weirdness is really starting to creep me out over here!" she exclaimed, but he still remained silent. Now sitting up and awake, Bossun looked over at Switch, quickly noticing the lack of energy in him as well. For a moment, he thought Switch's fingers were reaching for the keys in front of him, only to pull back at the last second.
Bossun couldn't watch his friend like this. So when the leader of the Sket Dan looked over Switch's shoulder, he could see that the otaku was just staring at what was left of his desktop wallpaper. The same Futari Wa Nervous! Wallpaper from before was still blurred with bloody marks, and the timer signifying the presence of the Midnight Curse was still counting down. Squinting, Bossun could see that there was only one interval left on the timer. Twelve hours remained until the last stroke of midnight.
"I'm going to make a wild guess and say that you're still having some trouble with the whole virus business..." Bossun commented. Quick typing from Switch's fingers came in response. His voice, however, was much less audible than usual. His voice synthesizer sounded like it was practically whispering.
[There are errors in my system now that I fear may be irreversible. This virus is proving to be something that I did not expect.]
"Sounds like it's really screwing up with your voice too." Bossun said in a sympathetic tone. He put a hand on Switch's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "I think you can get through this though. I know you, Switch. You're not one to give up so easily."
Himeko made a loud slurp, before pulling the Pellolipop out of her mouth. "Maybe this is a sign, leader. Maybe I was right for once! It's probably a real curse. If all of Switch's research on the occult didn't work, then he's only got one option left."
"And what might that be? Assuming this really is some sort of crazy mystical curse..." Bossun asked, and in response, Himeko just made a grimace, as if she really didn't want to say her next few words.
"At this point, he'd have to go directly to Yuuki-san for help. If she's the cause of this Midnight Curse, then she's probably the only one who can reverse it."
Bossun looked down at Switch. There was an uneasy look in the leader's eyes as he contemplated the options in front of his friend. Of course, there was still information that Himeko didn't know about the situation. He would tell her that soon enough.
"It all comes down to you, Switch. You're the best one with computers among us, so I'm afraid we aren't much help to you." Bossun admitted reluctantly. Switch just continued to look at the laptop screen for another few seconds, before turning his gaze to Bossun and typing quickly on his keyboard.
[Despite how hard it is for me to admit it, I am starting to realize that the only path left for me leads directly to Yuuki-san. I never imagined that I would ever find myself saying such a thing.] Switch said, his voice filled with obvious discomfort. Bossun just put on big smile in hopes that he could make his friend feel just a little better.
"Just do whatever you have to do. No matter what, we'll be behind you one hundred percent."
Himeko laughed under her breath. "I guess the leader speaks some truth there. Go take care of your business. We'll be waiting for you."
Switch stood up from his chair. With his computer slung over his shoulders, he looked back at his two fellow Sket Dan members with his blank stare. On the outside he seemed just as interesting as a block of flat stone. But on the inside, he was different. It might not look like it, but there was still a jumbled mix of emotions rolling around in Switch's mind. Each one was practically screaming to be released. Only his powerful sense of reason stopped him from going truly insane.
In the end, he was glad to know that his friends were supporting him no matter what. And even though he didn't show this based on his expression, Bossun and Himeko somehow knew that he was grateful that they cared.
[I will return. This business with Yuuki-san will be resolved once and for all. Try not to make a mess while I'm gone. And remember that the leader is fragile, Himeko!] Switch declared, before spinning around like a top and opening the door to the clubroom with astounding speed. He was already making his way down the hall by the time Himeko realized what he had just said.
"Hey! What's with all those weird implications!" she yelled as she waved Flagarance at Switch from just outside the clubroom door. "Don't go leaving after saying stuff like that, you coward!"
"There he goes." Bossun said with a cocky smile as he looked down the hallway right behind Himeko. "I had a feeling he'd be like this. Switch has a way of telling us things without actually telling exactly what they are."
"What do you mean? You guys passing secrets behind my back now?" Himeko barked, but even her raging expressions were unable to wipe the confident smile off of Bossun's face.
"Switch has got things under control. That's been pretty obvious to me for awhile now."
Himeko grumbled before dropping down on the tatami mat. "So you did figure something out the other night. Care to tell me why you lied about it?"
"I can't really say why. All I know is that we have to trust Switch about this. The virus on his computer isn't a problem though. I'm pretty sure if he wanted to get rid of it, it would have been gone days ago. This is definitely something that Switch has planned out, and I think the best thing we can do is just leave him to it." Bossun stated as he sat down next to Himeko, his arms crossed and a knowing glint apparent in his eyes.
Himeko laughed softly next to her leader. "To think that he'd do all of this for Yuuki-san. Maybe he's going to go confess to her. Talk about crazy."
Bossun's eyes suddenly became cold and serious. "Actually, that's not such a ridiculous notion."
"What? Since when are you Mr. Observant? That's Switch's job, not yours!" Himeko exclaimed to Bossun, pushing him a little as her face glowed with a mix of anguish and surprise.
"I don't know what you're talking about. It's not like there's anything for him to observe between the two of us." Bossun said with a big smile as he waved his finger knowingly. He failed to notice the rising anger in Himeko's eyes. Laughing loudly at his own statement, the leader of the Sket Dan looked at Himeko a second too late.
A sound comparable to a sonic boom could be heard throughout the outside hallway as Flagarance made contact with Bossun's face, knocking off his Poppaman hat and sending it flying to the other side of the room. Shaking in pain as reached out to touch the huge red mark now stretching down from his forehead to his lips, Bossun could only look up from his kneeling position as tears of pain stained his face.
"What the HELL was that for?" he screamed loudly. Himeko just gave him her piercing Yankee gaze, with Flagarance still poised to strike just above his head. Bossun couldn't see it, but there was just a slight tinge of pink present on her face. She looked away, crossing her arms before giving him an almost quiet response.
"You're just so annoying sometimes that I can't help myself, leader."
There was a strange feeling in the air. It was something that Switch couldn't really put his finger on, and it would be the death of him if he decided to admit that it was something of spiritual origin. He looked back at the old incinerator behind him with blank eyes. To think that such a relic could contain so-called spirits was ridiculous. But then again, so were some of his recent actions. Switch turned back around, and continued to wait with his computer situated perfectly on his lap.
All in all, the last three days had been pretty ridiculous in general. Switch was absolutely sure of that.
In the distance, he could see her approaching. Her long raven hair covered part of her face, and she walked with her arms outstretched. Her back was hunched over, and she looked like a zombie as she made her way next to Switch and sat down. The cold cement between the two felt like some sort of barrier, especially considering how silent Yuuki was.
Switch's head pivoted like a submarine periscope. He stared at Yuuki as he typed his words out quickly. Despite the giddy emotion he was trying to convey, his words were becoming very quiet and distorted.
[So I see you got my memo. Bravo, Yuuki-san!]
His attempt to lift the mood didn't seem to affect Yuuki very much. Her response was quiet and more dead than usual, even for her.
"Shimada-san told me you wanted to see me here after school. So I came."
[I can see that.] Switch said with a laugh in his synthesized voice. [I must say that you look more beautifully dreadful than usual.]
When his typing stopped, Yuuki turned to look at him, and then glanced at his computer. His synthesized voice was becoming so low that she could barely hear what he was saying. It was as if each passing sentence of his was becoming quieter than the last.
"Your computer..." she said, her tone becoming suddenly grave. "...I see that the curse has its final hold on you. I feel sorry for you, Switch-kun, but I am also disappointed. I expected more from someone like you..."
Then the occult girl laughed, her eyes glowing with ghastly excitement. "It's so strange. You're finally on the edge of my world, yet something feels so wrong..."
[I am not surprised you feel that way.] Switch declared, before he stood up and suddenly became very intimidating. [Considering the fact that this curse never had anything to do with you in the first place.]
Yuuki's eyes widened in surprise. Switch's tall shadow felt like it was crushing her now.
[I have my reasons for calling you here. Let's start with the obvious facts. There is no virus on my computer. Instead, what you have been calling the Midnight Curse is nothing more than an executable program of my own creation. In a way, you could say that I got the inspiration for it from you, Yuuki-san.]
Yuuki couldn't come up with anything to say. Her eyes just gave the impression that she was under some powerful spell. Switch continued typing, his voice struggling to formulate itself through the distortion.
[You're probably wondering why I would go through such madness. After all, a self-professed man of science like myself just spent three days making you believe my computer had been cursed. Someone like Bossun would have definitely seen through my charade, but your reaction was my true interest. And you did play along with it all, didn't you?]
Yuuki's expression softened as she nodded in agreement. "The entire thing caught my by surprise. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that it made me happy. I couldn't believe I had finally been able to catch you under my spell. Or so I had thought..."
The blank stare coming from Switch felt like it was boring into Yuuki's brain. She was having trouble looking him directly, and instead chose to stare at her hands nestled in her lap. "I never thought you had any sort of curse over your head, Switch-kun. I wanted to think that. I tried my best to believe in the notion, but in the end, I couldn't. I was just happy that you were starting to think like me."
[Is that all you wanted? Because I was under the impression you enjoyed our rivalry.]
"I do. That's why this is so confusing. There is a normal girl still somewhere inside me. The one that loved Kobayashi began to develop feelings for another. But the occult girl in me wanted to see you fall into the darkness. That part of me wanted to turn you into a fellow occultist. I assume that it was natural that these two desires eventually merged." Yuuki said softly. Her face was surprisingly lacking emotion.
"Ever since you came with me to buy a computer, I've had some trouble shaking off these feelings. I thought for the longest time that I just wanted to see you have a genuine interest in the occult. I felt so obsessed in sharing it with you."
Yuuki's head lowered, and her long black hair began to obscure her face even more as her voice became even softer. "But after that event in the circle of trees, I couldn't shake off the truth. This isn't about a curse. This isn't about getting you to love the occult. This was just about you."
Yuuki slowly stood up, her hands clasped together as her cheeks brightened with color. She still couldn't find the strength to look into Switch's eyes.
"I love you, Switch-kun. Despite all our arguments, and despite what you might think of my obsession and my appearance, I love you. It took me this long to finally realize that. May the spirits have mercy on my soul for such blasphemy."
A huge weight lifted from Yuuki's shoulders as she finished with her words. There was a lightness in her heart now. Her body began to relax. Slowly, she found herself able to look at the boy in front of her. There was a quality in Switch's blank stare that no longer bothered her. Instead, it made her smile just a little bit.
"So...what do you think of this?" she asked nervously. "I imagine this is very sudden, and I should probably apologize for my attack on your personal space yesterday..."
Switch typed slowly, his gaze fixed only on Yuuki.
[I'm not sure what I think. At least, not yet.]
"I will not be surprised to have my confession rejected by you. I'm far from your scientific ideals, after all..." Yuuki commented sadly. Switch continued typing however, his synthesized tone still methodical despite how quiet it was.
[The truth is that these four days have been a test on myself. The countdown has come early. In less than three minutes, my computer will shut down completely. Only then will I know what I truly think, and if the time I spent with you has affected me at all.]
"I do not completely understand..."
[Soon you will. You should be flattered, Yuuki-san. I've gone to a lot of trouble just for you. Maybe the fact that we're both so dedicated to our ideals is what sparked these thoughts in me. Or maybe it was my own mistake in thinking that you didn't look as pretty without make-up. I'm not exactly sure.]
Switch slipped off one his laptop suspenders.
[But I will be soon enough.]
His voice was beginning to fade away now. [I will warn you now, Yuuki-san. You may end up hurt and dissatisfied. I am truly sorry if that occurs.]
Yuuki nodded in understanding. Then the otaku slipped off the other suspender. He was holding his laptop in his two hands now. There was a light beeping sound, before the familiar ghostly wail emerged.
"Fool! You are forever a victim of the Midnight Curse!"
Midnight...the exact time when Switch had stopped speaking. The moment he closed the window.
The cryptic silence felt like it would last for an eternity as Switch slowly put his laptop down on the concrete surface beside him. His blank stare remained as he clapped his hands together. Yuuki could only watch in astonishment when reached for his glasses. He stopped an inch away from them though, taking a moment to gaze into the occult girl's eyes once again. He could see it now. There was beauty to her, both inside and out. He had known that for a long time. It was only now that Switch could truly admit it to himself.
Then the otaku removed his glasses, and the world changed completely. He could feel something different as he looked at Yuuki without a frame around his vision. A slight change began to happen at the corner of Switch's mouth. Over the next few seconds, a smile emerged. Switch slowly took Yuuki's hand. Her cheeks just became redder as she found herself lost in his eyes.
Then, for the first time in years, Usui Kazuyoshi opened the window.
"I could care less about the occult." he began, his natural voice filled with a carefree tone that Yuuki could have never imagined. "I could care less about spells, spirits and curses. None of that means anything to me. For the last four days, I used those things as an excuse. For the last four days, my interest has been focused on you."
The transformation that had occurred before Yuuki was something she had always thought to be impossible. She held her breath as Switch opened his mouth once again. To Yuuki, the world felt like it was slowing down around her as he said his next four words.
"I love you, Reiko."
Yuuki's heart nearly stopped. Her face became frozen in awe. It was as if she had been struck by lightning. Her mind couldn't believe the words being said to her, let alone believe that her eternal rival was actually speaking right to her face. She felt light-headed all of a sudden. The occult girl nearly fell over, only to have Switch catch her in a sweet embrace. They remained like this for a few seconds, and for once, Yuuki felt perfect bliss. She closed her eyes, hoping this feeling would last forever.
She was somehow able to regain her senses when Switch finally let go. Her face was still red as he slowly put his glasses back on his face and then proceeded to reach for his laptop. She didn't exactly know what to say as he started up his computer. When his blank stare returned, Yuuki found the courage to speak.
"I thought...I thought you said your heart was not fit for love." Yuuki asked, her tone of voice unsure. The familiar sound of Switch typing came in response, and when his synthesized voice came out, it was back to the very same one Yuuki had heard on the first day she met him.
[You were right about my fears before. It is unfortunate that it took me this long to overcome them. So I hope my words were proof enough for you.]
Yuuki slowly processed his statement, and slowly she could feel a genuine smile forming on her face. Looking at the boy who was both her rival and her love, she felt more wonderful than words could describe. A nervous question escaped from her lips as her cheeks remained red.
"So...what happens now, Switch-kun?"
Switch's voice became suddenly energetic. [Well, I'm not one to go ahead and disappoint the fans, Yuuki-san. After all, Bossun's not going to keep the highest position in popularity forever!]
"What do you mean, Switch-ku-" Yuuki attempted to ask, only to be cut off by the last thing she'd ever expect from her eternal rival.
Her first kiss from Switch was the most pleasant thing she could ever imagine. Her eyes had been closed for the duration, so she couldn't see his expression as they kissed. But even still, Yuuki felt as if she was experiencing a part of him that had been locked away for the longest time. When they parted, Yuuki felt as if she knew more about Switch in through that kiss than she did through all the time they had spent together combined.
"A powerful spirit...I cannot describe the origin of such a feeling in any other way..." Yuuki commented through a deep breath. Switch's response was quick and concise.
[This is something new for me. Eventually I'll get used to it.]
Yuuki made a small smile before making a surprisingly sweet laugh under her breath. "Practice as much as you want. These are new experiences for me as well. The spirits are strong among us, it seems."
Switch snickered. [Spirits? What an obvious excuse. Clearly it's your hormones that's causing these sensations. Don't deny the truth, Yuuki-san.]
"What a foolish proposition. Unlike you, I have control of this mortal shell! I pity your utter incompetence with your own body, Switch-kun!" Yuuki shrieked, but Switch remained as stalwart as always.
[It's you who is incompetent. Just like the filmmakers of that movie.]
"Blasphemy! You'll understand true fear soon enough! I'll make you my slave! I will bathe you in the darkness!"
[Give it your best shot. But I already know the final outcome of this conflict, Yuuki-san.]
"We shall see, Switch-kun. We shall see..."
[Yes. I guess we will.]
The argument continued well into the afternoon as the two rivals headed away from the old incinerator.
Anyone passing by might think they were part of the debate team as they went on their rant through the empty halls of Kaimei.
But if a passerby took a closer look, they'd notice that Switch was typing with one hand. His other one was tightly clasped around Yuuki's. One might be able to say that their mix of aruging and affection symbolized a special connection between them despite all their differences.
Things had become obvious now. Switch and Yuuki knew the truth of their situation. Their relationship, their rivalry; it didn't matter what it was called at this point. The facts were clear, yet muddled in mystery at the same time. It was something strange, unique, and somehow sweet.
As he continued to hold his ground against his rival/love, he couldn't help but feel good about the days that had yet to come. He had so much to tell Bossun and Himeko.
It was official now. He had opened the window, if only just a crack.
Perhaps one day, when the time was right, he'd let all the sunshine in. But for now, a little sliver of happiness was more than enough.
After all, he had a good feeling that this sliver of happiness, disguised in the form of a misunderstood girl obsessed with occult, would be keeping him busy for a long time.
Because that, in all its irony, was most likely the most plausible hypothesis of them all.
THE END
Now that was some story! I just gotta say that I had a blast writing this tale, and that perhaps in the near future I may revist Sket Dance in one way or another. I was considering a possible story about Bossun and Himeko, mainly because their little romance is quite interesting. But that's all up in the air right now.
For now, I've got this story about my two favorite characters in Sket Dance getting the spot light under my belt. I'm pretty happy with the end product, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Happy Halloween y'all, and thanks for reading!
~ Hejin