'Takeru?'
Had someone said his name? He wasn't sure, hadn't really listened.
It was as bleak a day as any, a grey overcast that had become as obscuring as the fog in his mind. Takeru had run away from his supposedly comfortable home, and found a little bit of solace in the finality of sitting on the edge of that bridge. He could end it all, all of his fear would go away and he wouldn't have to worry anymore… no one else would ever get to leave him…
'Takeru?'
He turned, and met Hikari's eyes. He didn't even know how she'd managed to get up there, how he hadn't heard her. Had he been thinking that deeply? To be fair, he didn't even remember exactly how he'd gotten up there himself…
'Hikari, I-'
'Shh, it's ok. I'm right here.'
He took her hand, roughly, and she squeezed his hand back with just as much strength. Their legs dangled over the railing of the bridge. It was really high – he didn't feel that off-balance. It felt easy, sitting there. He could deliberate, and the lack of traffic of any kind was odd; Takeru wondered whether fate was just reminding him of how few people cared.
And yet, Hikari was there.
She said carefully, 'You know we have to get back down from here, don't you? I need to you to help me get down. I can't reach the floor.'
She was so calm, so nonchalant. She spoke as if nothing was wrong. What little wind there was whipped at her hair, and she looked radiant. It wasn't fair that she loved him, when she could love someone else instead.
It wasn't fair that he loved her too. Too much, he thought.
Takeru looked behind him, and checked the road. The railing was actually fairly high. The curb was equally low. The water back in front of him was even further down. Waxing, and waning, waving for him to jump down…
'Takeru, please help me get down.'
Hesitant, he faltered.
'I c-can't go back.'
She tugged his shirt gently back, like his mother had once used to do as she fussed over him, and assured, 'Yes you can. I need you to help me get down. Don't think about anything else just yet. Just help me, first. We'll get to the rest after, ok?'
He couldn't just leave her there. She needed his help. And yet, he couldn't stop shaking.
'I'm scared.'
'It's ok to be scared.'
'St-Stay with me, please.'
'Let's do it together. I'm not going anywhere.'
'Right... alright.'
'It'll be fine.' she assured.
Takeru began to turn around towards the pavement and then suddenly there were strong arms constricting his waist; dragging him backwards to the life he wasn't sure he even wanted anymore-
