Hard Forgiving…Hard Forget
"This one?"
"Yep."
"Okay." Minato walks up to a male student who's chatting up with his friend, before he suddenly stops. "…Just to clarify, how sure are you?"
"I'm sure. Look at him, He got more bandages than you!" They are asking around but although they're sure that they really were getting abused, neither of them agreed to confess. 'Although that may be our faults.' On first ones, Ryuji took the lead and asked but none of them worked, So next time he led with the first question and that didn't work either.
Then they realized that they kinda have bad names around the school, so, this time they are making Minato lead with the first question.
'Let's see how this play out.'
Minato rolls his eyes and walks up to the boy.
"Hey."
"Um?" The two boy stops talking and turns towards him. "Oh, Can I hel-Ahhh." The boy becomes tongue tied as he saw Ryuji and the infamous transfer student behind him. "Y-y-yes?"
"You on the volleyball team?"
"Y-yes, I-I am. What ar-", "Y-you know, I just remembered something to do." The shaken boy's friend suddenly said, interrupting him. "So, I'm just gonna g-", "Go away.", "Eieee!" Minato said even without looking away from the bandaged boy and the boy ran away like he's on fire.
The bandaged boy stares at him almost tears forming in his eyes as Minato didn't let up his icy, bone chilling stares.
"…." Minato opens his mouth to say something but closes it back. He then turns towards the ground.
….
"…You-no." *Tap, tap, tap*
"Ummm. Are you…No, that's not it."
….
The three of them stares at the blue haired boy who seems to be thinking really hard.
"I mean you, Uhhh."
….
"You know what? I only know how to reply back. I don't know how to start up conversation."
"God, You're so useless." Ryuji walks up to the front. "Hey, you are getting abused by Kamoshida, right!?" Ryuji asks, getting more and more impatient and angry as the day goes on.
"Wh-what?"
"No use lying to us! We know the truth!"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Where did you get all these wounds then!?",
"I-it was from training. We have tough training because it's na-"
"It's nationals. I know. I Know! I heard that excuse six times just this 30 minutes!", "Sakamoto-san, Please calm down." Akira stops Ryuji from pulling the boy's collar.
"Tch, *Whew, whew* , Okay." Ryuji backs down and collects himself. "We know Kamoshida's abusing you guys. But we need some of you to speak up. We can't do jack shit without any-"
"L-look, I told you Kamoshida-sensei isn't abusing us. He was just training us!"
"Why do you guys keep covering for that shitba-", "Okay, then. Sorry to bother you." Minato said suddenly before Ryuji could finish. "Arisato, wha-" Then he pulls back Ryuji with him by the neck. "Try to stay safe. Kurusu, come on."
Akira looks between the puzzled boy and his friends, before deciding to…"Huh? Uhhh, S-sorry for this." After apologizing to the boy, Akira runs after the blue haired boy.
x-x
"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!"
"Please calm down, Sakamoto-san."
"How can I be calm!? This isn't working out at all." After the last questioning, Although there are still some left, Minato said that they would just get the same answer so, there's no point in doing that anymore.
'Although it's a little hard to admit, it's probably true.' Akira looks at the fuming blond boy sitting on the desk. 'Deep down, Sakamoto-san must know that too.'
"No, No!" Akira stares at the boy. "No, I'm not giving up yet. Hey, Kurusu, remember the name we've got from that third year?"
"Uh, Mishima?"
"Yeah, That one." On their questioning, his name came up two times. Apparently he's get some special coaching from Kamoshida or something.
"Isn't he in your class?"
Akira tries to think back. "Is he? I never really notice."
"Whatever." Ryuji angrily scratches his head. "If we're wrong, we can just make Arisato ask his teacher or Niijima." Ryuji calms down sighing to himself. "Speaking about him, what the hell is taking him so long!?" But, it didn't last.
They are sitting right here and waiting because Minato said his doctor told him that he needs to eat more. So, he's off to buy some food both for him and them.
"He's probably taking time choosing." Akira says drinking from coffee can which he bought because Minato's taking a little long with his food. "Senpai looks like a picky eate-"
"Hey, Sakamoto, Can I talk to you for a sec?"
Akira turns towards the soft voice. "O-oh, Takamaki-san?"
"Hm?" The girl looks at him. "Great, you're here too. Saves my time." The girl said in a serious tone. 'Why do I feel like she's not as nice as before.'
"What do you want, Takamaki?" Ryuji said in not a particularly nice tone.
"I heard you two have been going around, asking about dirt on Mr. Kamoshida."
"Wait a minute, two?", "So, what of it?" Ryuji asked, glaring at the girl.
"What are you planning to do to Mr. Kamoshida?" Ann asked back walking up to him.
"Why do you care? It's none of your busines-Oh, wait. I get it." Ryuji said standing up and glaring at the girl. "You are all buddy buddy with him, aren't you?"
"…." Ann looks away without saying anything back. "…this has nothing to do with you, Sakamoto. Stay out of this." Ann said, still not looking at the boy.
"You know nothing, Takamaki." Ryuji said looking away. "You haven't change a bit. Still the same naive girl."
"What do you say!?"
"Come on, Kurusu, Let's get out of here." Ryuji said walking past the girl.
"But, what about Senpa-", "He can search for us." Akira stands there watching the two before the girl suddenly shouts.
"I'm warning you, Sakamoto. I don't know what you're trying to pull but no one gonna help you. You're all alone in this!"
Ryuji doesn't say back anything and walks out. Akira stands there watching the girl for a moment before he also walks out of the place.
….
They all didn't notice a blue haired boy leaning on the wall, eating a sandwich, with another sandwich on his hand.
"*Munch*"
x-x
"*Munch, Munch*" Minato walks around with the bread in hand before he settles on a chair.
"*Slurp* ", 'Well, that was a big fat waste of time.' He went around the school but 'for what? Nothing.' He's just trying to follow what the wildcard decide. This is not his story. It's for the wildcard to shine. He doesn't want wildcard to think that he can solved anything. That's why he backed off on that last questioning.
…Maybe if he tried a little, they might get a confession but… 'Then the wildcard would not have any reason to go back to the metaverse. And then, he would go his whole year the normal way that normal 16-year old should and then he would not have realized he can be so much more than a normal 16 year old. And then, that god staying rent free in the seal made by my hard earned arcana would never know the touch of death.'
"*Munch* ",Minato bites the bread again, not paying attention to anything. 'It's kinda selfish now I think that out loud.' He was practically the same as the gods he faced and the velvet room. He's making a kid throw away their life for his own purpose.
'At least, the purpose is to save the world from unseen evil so,…The mundane lives of 7 or 8 kids is not a bad deal. It's a necessary sacrifice after all.'
"Ahheheh, " Minato laughs a little and turns towards the cloudy sky. "I'm really out of touch with my humanity." He's thinking like an actual god. Sacrifices and things.
Minato turns back towards the ground and saw the aftermaths of his choices. Students still in bruises and wounds and trying to live their life…Even for a minute, trying to forget the hell they went through and trying not to think the next hell that's waiting for them.
Maybe if he helped them, even if he tried to help a little, maybe now their faces will not be clouded with sadness. Maybe they will see them as their heroes for rescuing them. Or maybe, they will just be relieved that someone finally saved them or maybe they will hate their saviors for wasting all their efforts of tolerating the physical abuses they have suffered for years.
'Maybes…And Maybes…. But, the fact is I didn't even try to help them….' Minato just sits there, staring the students with his sliver eyes.
"Hey."
"Ahh! O-oh, Senpai? Did you foll-" Minato walks over to the girls and looks at her in the eyes. *Bap* before putting down a sandwich and a can of coffee on the table.
"H-huh?"
"The storelady said it's chicken but I think it's tuna."
"What?" Shiho stares at him not knowing what to say back. "I don't get-O-oh, is this about the one I buy for you when we first met?"
"Yes, I was trying to pay yo-" Minato turns his eyes away. "God, I don't know why I'm doing this."
"What are yo-Oh!" Minato squats down and meets her on eyes level because she's sitting on a chair and then looks her right in the eyes unflinchingly. "Ahhhhhhh." The girl's face looks like it could explode any moment.
"Suzui-san…"
"Y-y-yes?"
"…I'm sorry but try to live strong."
"Huh?" Shiho looks at him weirdly. "Wha-"
"You're a pure girl. Maybe even too pure for this world. And there are many who love you." Minato looks down the ground. "So, even if the world isn't fair, even if the world isn't kind to you, please try to live strong for the people who loved you and the ones who will always be loving you."
The girl doesn't say anything back and just stares at him with her mouth hangs wide open.
"… *Munch* " Minato turns back to gloomy sky again.
….
'It's a necessary evil.' A change would not happen without sacrifice. He, of all people know this for a fact.
Minato keeps looking at the sky with the sun hiding behind the grey clouds.
….
"I still don't know why I did that."
x-x
"Hey, you got a second?" Ryuji asks the short, dark-blue haired boy who they think and hope that he's Mishima Yuuki. "We like to ask you some questions."
"Hm?" The boy with many bruises turns to them. "Sakamoto-san…And Kurusu-san!?"
"Huh, You know me?"
The boy Mishima looks down sadly. "Uh-uhh, the whole school knows you." The boy said in quiet voice. "Besides, we are in the same class."
"I told you!", "So-sorry.", Akira apologizes back quickly.
"Hey, Mishima," Ryuji walks near the boy. "You are being 'coached' by Kamoshida, right? Are you sure he's not just abusing you!?"
"What!? Why would you say that!?"
"Don't lie to us. And don't cover for that shitbag. We all saw him spike the ball right in your face just today."
"I-it's…" Mishima looks down with fear in his eyes. "It's because I'm just not good at sport." Mishima said casting his eyes downwards.
"Then what about your other wounds!?" Ryuji said in a loud voice. "I've already heard all of your excuses. Don't say it's from practices! Don't say it's nationals! I had enough that shit!"
"B-but, the-they are really from practice."
"You were walking a little strange before." Akira suddenly said, surprising Ryuji. "As far as I know, a volleyball player should have no reasons to get wounds on both their legs."
The boy looks away farther. "I-I tr-tripped."
"Then why did you come to the rally this morning?"
"I…I…." Mishima nervously looks around, almost in fear. "…*Sigh* , O-okay. I-it's true. K-ka-kamoshida-sensei has bee-"
"What's going on here?" Suddenly a man approaches the trio and…he's not someone they are very keen to encounter. "Mishima, what are you doing here? Isn't it time for practice?" Kamoshida asked the shaking blue haired boy.
"I-I'm not feeling well today..." Mishima said, not meeting the man's eyes.
"Hm? Then maybe you're better off quitting.", "Huh!?" Minshia suddenly turns to the man. "B-but-", "You're never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice. And I prefer not to have a dead weight on my team."
"He said he's not feeling well. And You are trying to kick him out because he missed one day!? " Ryuji said, glaring at the man but Kamoshida ignored him.
"So, Mishima, what's it gonna be?"
Mishima nervously looks around before accepting his fate. "…I'll come."
"Hmph, as you should." Kamoshida scoffs, before turning to Ryuji. "As for you, any more trouble and you'll be out of this school for sure."
"You think I would take that lying down!?"
"And you, transfer student," Kamoshida turns to him. "You do know that you're just one call away from getting sent to juvie. Mind your own business." Kamoshida said glaring him down, and he didn't say anything but glared back with same intensity. "Hm, let's see how long you will last here with that look,…Criminal."
"…." Kamoshida walks back away, but before he was completely gone, "Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn. Unworthy students like yourselves don't have any right to be here." Kamoshida looks back at them without turning around, "Get with the program!"
….
"Shit, That asshole! I gonn-"
"It's pointless, Sakamoto-san…."
"What?"
"Trying to prove that he's physically abusing us is meaningless. Everybody knows. Everyone, the principal, our parents…They all know, and they all keep quiet about it."
"All of them?" Akira said to himself to be sure.
"What!? Why wouldn't the-"
"Whatever you talk about Kamoshida, he's the one providing results. And for them, that's the only thing that matters." Saying that, Mishima walks to his destination with dejected face.
"Everyone knows?" Ryuji said out loud. "This has gotta be a joke!"
"Well, at least, it's not a funny joke.", "What?", "Hm?" Akira and Ryuji turns to the voice to see their wayward friend. "Arisato!? Where the hell wer-",
"Here's your foods." Minato said thrusting the bag to Akira. "You guys should probably go home, we will think of what we can do tomorrow."
"What, we gonna just give up!?"
"Yes, you two tried your best and failed miserably. So, you should have learned your lesson. This is not gonna work."
"Then, do you not have any other ideas, senpai?" Akira asked hopefully.
"…That's for you to think, Kurusu." Minato said, walking to the exit. "Hm?", "It's your choice in the end."
….
The two underclassmen look at Minato in bewilderment as he gets out of the school, without looking back.
x-x
The next day…After school…
"We're stuck! *Clang*" Ryuji angrily throws away the bottle. "Do you have any ideas, Kurusu?" They are now in the same courtyard from yesterday,…Literally doing nothing.
"I don't know, how about a sneak attack?"
"What?" Minato looks up at Akira.
"You know, we could threaten him with what we know."
"…There's a term for that and it's called blackmail."
"Well, we have to fight fire with fire." Ryuji said straightening up. "If he's still gonna keep doing his things, we will have to resort to drastic measure too!"
"…Hm, now that's a nice idea.", "Yeah!?", "For an idiot to have! NO!" Minato said turning to blond boy. "You guys saw it yourself, nobody gonna believe you even if you announced it in front of the whole school. And then he will report it to principal, and you will get expelled and Kurusu will be sent to prison, and nothing will change."
The two boys just stand there in silence trying to accept his answer.
….
"…Maybe Kurusu's breakfast."
"Okay, then GENIUS, What other choices do we have!?"
"For starters, we coul-", "Still as loud as ever, huh?", Minato stopped talking.
….
"Kurusu, did you say something?"
Akira in the middle looking around the place, stops and answers him. "Ahhhh, Nope."
"Huh?" Minato thinks to himself for a moment. "Well, I gonna need my head phones again then. I thought I'm ove-"
"Heh, As expected. Bondie's stupid plan doesn't work."
"Bondie!?" Ryuji suddenly stands up and furiously searches the place. There's nothing there besides them and a black cat.
The trio looks around the place before the voice said again. "Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you." Three of them looks at the voice to see the voice is coming from black cat.
….
The trio looks around the place. "I know you guys saw me!"
"Holy crap! The cat's talking."
"…Morgana?"
Ryuji and Akira looks at the cat who's looking at them with a smug smile. "Of course, It is me. Who did you expect?"
"What the f*ck are you do-I mean, how do you ge-I mean, what? What!?"
"Oh, calm down, Blondie. I will exp-", "Hey, did you just hear a cat?" Minato looks to see a teacher and a janitor talking. "Explain later, Kurusu, put him in your bag."
"You got it, Senpai!" Akira opens his bag and dumps all the contents without a second thought.
"-in it all, of course. You guys don- Hey, wait, what are you doing? Hey, Careful! My paws are sensitive!"
"Stop your yammering and Just get in the Bag!"
x-x
After some time…
"Pwwah! God, I almost died!" Morgana gets out from Akira's bag as soon as they reach the rooftop.
"Who Cares!?"
"Who cares!? It's my life! Of course I Care!"
"First of all, explain how the hell you get here!? You don't have a phone, right!? And Why the hell are you a cat!? Didn't you say that you're not a cat!?" Ryuji asks without stopping.
"I'm not a cat!"
"Uhh, Morgana-san, Do you know what a mirror is?"
"I know what I look like. But, I'm still not a cat!…Probably…Maybe…I hope so. But, No, that's not the point." Morgana who's now in a normal cat form with pearly blue eyes said, jumping up on the desk. "I've come here get you out of this predicament."
"Explain how did you come here first?"
"Heheh, you can get in and out easily from metaverse when you're at my level, one eye."
"God, that condescending attitude! This thing's Morgana, All right."
"Mwehehe, you guys can't prove Kamoshida's crimes, can't you?"
"Uhh, yeah. How do you know?"
"I was tailing you guys." Morgana answers back in a smug voice. "Well, I've a solution for your Kamoshida situation."
"For real!?"
"Yes, Immmm, But before I said that, you guys have to promise me help me after this."
"Really? Uh, I mean, Yes, we do." Akira answers back quick. "We will help you in everyway. Do you want cat food? I will buy you cat food right now!"
"I don't WANT cat food. I'm not a cat!…Although fish would be great."
"Forget about your cravings. And get to the point."
"Well, If you insist…" Morgana looks at the three of them first, "My plan is to attack the castle and steal the treasure from within."
"What?"
"To elaborate, That castle is how Kamoshida views this school. He doesn't realize what happens in there, but it's still connected to the depths of his heart. So, if the castle disappears, it would affect the real Kamoshida too."
"And the effects being?"
"Think about this, a palace is a manifestation of that person's distorted desires. So, if that castle is no more…"
"His desires would go away too."
"Exactly!" Morgana and Akira say back and forth. "Wow, you really should become my disciple, Frizzy."
"Wait, Let me get this straight, you're saying he's gonna become a good guy?"
"Yeah but his crimes won't be undone. So, He will no longer be able to bear it anymore and he'll confess them all himself!"
"For Real!"
"And while the Kamoshida from the palace is the same as the real Kamsohida, the real Kamoshida won't have no idea of what we did there. It's a perfect crime! No one can prove our involvement."
"This is amazing. It would solve all of our problems! Don't you agree, Senpai?…Senpai?" Akira and Ryuji turns to Minato to see him looking intently at Morgana.
"Hey, One eye, you've been surprisingly quiet. What's wrong?"
"No, I just…I'm just wondering how you know all this?"
"Well, It's easy, Of course." Morgana said in an condescending tone. "I knew all about this because…" Morgana stops talking with his mouth still opens. "Because…" Morgana turns to the wall on the side. "…Beeecause…wait, how do I know about of all of this?"
"Forget about your mid-life crisis for a moment.", "That's not what you call a mid life crisis.", "How do we go about with this? Does this have anything to do with the treasure thing you were talking before?
"The treasure is the source from which desires takes form. So, if we take the treasure, the whole place would become undone. So, we don't directly need to attack the castle, we just need to get the treasure and the whole castle will be no more." Morgana said with some kind not…not really it's 100% smug voice. "As for it's location, I tried to search for it at the castle. But, I think it might be deep inside."
"…What does it look like?"
"I don't know what does it look like. I've never seen one. But, it's usually the thing the palace ruler treasure the most."
"…Thank you, Mr. obvious.", "Hey!", "So, we just have to take that treasure thing and he will turn good?" Ryuji asked with finally hope in his voice.
"Well, that is, if it work as I hope."
"What do you mean, Morgana-san?"
"If we erase a Palace, sure, that person's distorted desires will be erased. But, there's no saying his other desires won't be erased too."
Ryuji looks at the cat with a stupid look on his face. "I don't get it."
"Of course, you don't get it. What did I expect?", "That he would get it.", "Well, thank you back, Mr. Obvious!"
"*Sigh* , For example, a person needs desires to live. His corrupt desires are there too but they don't need that to live. But, there's still important things like desire to live, desire to eat, desire to breath. So, If all of those yearnings were to vanish, they'd be no different than someone who had shut down entirely. They might even…. Uhh, how do I put this?"
"Y-you are saying there's a chance that he could die!?"
"…Well, yeah."
"What!?" Ryuji said looking shocked. "What the hell!? Are you trying to make us murderers!?"
"Didn't you listen to frizzy? There's a chance. Not 100% sure."
"Th-then do you have any way to make it sure that it won't happen?"
"Well, No." Morgana answers back scratching to himself. "I have never done this before."
"Ahhh, Shit." Ryuji squats down holding his head. "I know that bastard deserves a million deaths but…I-uhh I don't want us to be responsible to his death!"
"Aren't you determined enough to face those kinds of risks!?" Morgana said jumping down to the boy on the floor. "Come on frizzy, say something."
"Y-yeah, Sakamoto-san. We both already saw his corruptions first hand. Even if there's a chance that he could die, there's also a chance that it all could work out and nothing bad happens. We have to take the risk."
"I don't know." Ryuji said cursing himself. "What do you think, Arisato?"
"What?" Minato looks at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Should we go through with this?"
"Why are you asking me that?" Minato said with an exasperated face.
"Well, you're supposed to the oldest one here!"
"Uhhh." Minato rolls his eyes. "Older doesn't necessarily mean wiser. I know a guy who's literally a billion years old but the first thing he thought of when both his eyes open is to Bite the door." Minato said in a very annoyed voice.
"This is no time for jokes, Arisato!"
"…I wasn't joking.", 'Yeah, really, I wasn't joking.'
"Okay, I see there's mixed reactions here."
"No, there's no mixed reactions! There's a yes and no and some jerk who's trying his best to be as vague as possible!"
"Sakamoto-san, I know I'm saying this a lot but please calm down." Akira tries to hold back Ryuji.
"Okay, I'm not trying to be vague." Minato said looking away. "Sure, we all are here because of Kamoshida but unlike you two, I don't have no personal agenda to be here. He didn't do anything to me yet. What you do should be solely decided by the victims, you two. I don't want my opinions to sway either of yo-", "Not personal!? What about Suzui!?"
Minato stops talking and looks up at Ryuji. "…What about Suzui, what?"
"She's your friend, isn't she? You do know that she's no different from the everyone we asked around yesterday. Hell! She always looks more worse than them. And you heard what that bastard said on that castle!", Akira and Morgana said nothing and just keep looking between the two of them.
"….", '….' Minato also doesn't say anything back and turns to the floor. '…What I think…?'
"…what's that got to do with me?"
Ryuji looks shocked at his answer. "Unbelievable, You don't care about her at all, don't you, Arisato?"
….
"…I've already told you, I have no personal agenda." After some time, Minato said in his usual monotone voice, looking up to the boy.
"Damn it, Arisato!", "Okay, okay, enough of this." Morgana suddenly said stopping the boy. "I can see this is not gonna end anytime sooner so, why don't you guys sleep it off and try to decide. I will come back here tomorrow to get my answer." Morgana said diffusing the situation. "BUT I want my answer by tomorrow, Okay? Is this acceptable, blondie?"
"Tch." Ryuji turns around with his back against him.
"Yeah, I think that's the best course of action." Akira said looking at the two of them. Ryuji still muttering gibberish with an angry look and him looking at the ground. "I hope it is."
x-x
'That was pretty intense.' Akira thinks while leaning on one of the pillars at the Shibuya station. Minato said he still has to go to the doctor again so, he already took off but he still wanted to eat that beef bowl again, so he stayed back.
"*Sigh*", Akira puts his phone in his pocket and walks out. He doesn't know what to think of Minato. When he went to his classroom and met with the girl, Suzui, under his cold exterior, Minato looks like he really cared about the girl. But what he said from yesterday and now, he really looks like he doesn't care at all.
'And this is not the first time.' On their trek in that castle, when they saw students getting tortured, he first looks like genuinely sad and angry but then after two minutes, he was all like, 'Forget about them, let's get out of here.' And sometimes He looks at Kamoshida with as much hate as them but then he looks like he's not giving second thought about whether he's there or lives or dies.
'Does he has some kind of personality disorder?', It's possible. He doesn't know how much possible but he knows it's at the very least, possible.
"Hm?" Then Akira notices someone in front of him, breaking away his thoughts. 'That hoodie,…Takamaki-san?'
Akira calls out to the girl. "Hey, Takama-", "I am really not feeling well!", "Huh?", Akira quickly retracts his hand.
"I can't come. It's not…It's not happening, I-it's still too soon!"
'What is this?'
"No.…No! It's easy for you to say 'Right now' but I can't-"
The girl seems to be in the middle of a phone call and in the middle pretty heated conversation. 'Should I leave?'
"What!? Sensei, this has nothing to do with her!…No, You can't d- Hello, Hello!?" The girl looks at the phone and after that, she sits down curling like a ball and he can kinda hear her sniffling. 'I really should leave.' Akira slowly retreats back. "Shiho…"
"Shiho? You mean Shiho Suzui?"
"Hm?", "Huh?" Akira brain stops functioning for a moment.
….
Akira looks down to see the girl looking at him with tears in her eyes.
"Kurusu?"
"Crap."
x-x
The next day…
"Hm?"
"…."
The girl tiptoes around to the front of the desk. *Bam* "Arisato!"
There's no immediate reaction but after some time, "…I wasn't sleeping." The boy's emotionless voice came out softly, although he still didn't open his eyes.
"Hmph." Makoto Niijima lets a smile grace on her lips. "I know but I just have to make sure. Ahem." Makoto clears her throat. "Thank you, Arisato-san, for taking my advice to heart and not sleep in the class for whole one day and a period straight." Makoto said in a very proud(mocking) tone.
Minato slowly opens his eyes and takes a glance at her, before sighing, "I just got lectured by an idiot yesterday. I don't want get lectured by another today too."
"Great to know that you've got your charming wit back.", "*Sigh* ", Minato sighs and closes his eyes again.
….
Makoto doesn't go back to her desk. "What are you doing, Next period's going to start so-", "Arisato-san?"
"Hm?" Makoto said interrupting the boy.
"You look kinda…Sad today? Did something happen?"
"…It's none of your business."
"*Sigh* "Makoto looks at the difficult boy in front of her, sighing loudly. "You can't just say everyone 'It's none of your business', It's not healthy to hold i-", "Wait, No, it might be your business.", "What?" Makoto looks down at the boy whose eyes are now fully open and looking clearly at her.
"Say, Niijima-san," Minato said looking her straight. "…Do you see yourself helping Kurusu in any way…Any time from now on?"
….
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Kurusu, you know, the transfer stude-", "Yeah, I know who he is. I just don't get what you're trying to say."
"Well, you know," Minato said looking around. "I may not be able to predict the future correctly but I still can able to see the signs.", '…Is it because of the painkillers?', Makoto stares at the boy who rattles on. "And You, Niijima-san, are what we could call our front runners."
….
"Okayyy." Makoto said nodding. "Okay, now I believe your head wound."
"No, No, that's not what I mean. What I'm trying to say is…." Minato stands up from his chair. "I still can't able to make sure if you're gonna be connected to our situation or not, but I still like to hear what you think."
"…Again, I don't have any idea what you're trying to say. What does anything of this has to do with a transfer student with a criminal record on assault? Actually, what is even this?"
"That's not my concern. My concern is," Minato stops talking for a moment, looking to the side.
"A-are you okay? Does your head hurt?" Makoto asked with a worried voice.
"…Forget about my head. My concern is, I have a matter which I can not directly get involved of and I can't also ask just anyone to get involved, not being sure if that may affect us in the long run but if I can find someone who's gonna join Kurusu a little farther in the way, Maybe I can outsource my worries int-"
"Hey, Look!" Both her and Minato, turns to the voice, to see a boy pointing at something. "Hey, there's someone at the rooftop.", "For real?", "That's dangerous." Before one after another join in.
"What's happening?" Makoto asks, walking towards them.
"Um, Niijima-san, you still haven't answer my question.", "I will get to you later." Makoto said to the boy and then, they both together look at the rooftop.
"Oh, there's really someone,", 'Yeah, there's what seems to be a girl standing up on the ledge.' Makoto thinks to herself before something clicks inside. "Oh my god, Is she gonn-*SLIDES!* , what?" Someone opens the door so fast, making a very loud noise in the process.
'No, this is no time for that.', "Okay, Everyone stay calm! Stay calm! Please do not get out from the classroom. I'm going to get the teachers!" Makoto said trying to control the situation but to no avail. "Please stay ca- Wait, where's Arisato?" Makoto said to herself looking around.
"Wait, I know that girl. That's Suzui from second year.", "What?", "It's really her. Oh my god, she's gonna jump!", "What!?" Makoto, without thinking, also runs towards the door.
Then, she looks at the hallway, hoping that he's still here. Almost everyone is out on the hallway looking at the scene and there's no sight of him. "The rooftop." Makoto runs over to the stairs. "Minato-san!"
x-x
"Why am I running, I wonder?"
"Hnngh, Hnngh, third floor." Minato climbs the stairs at full speed.
"Didn't I say that this is not my concern?"
"Damn it, whose bright idea was it to place third years on the first floor?" Minato runs through groups of students muttering loudly on the hallway.
"Why am I trying this hard for a one human's life?"
Minato runs to the practical building and climbs more stairs.
"Didn't I cast that life long ago?"
Minato finally sees his destination, the rooftop.
"Or was I still weak, like back then?", "*Shake* ", Minato shakes his head and goes to the door. *Clank, CLANK*
'Locked, Should have expected.' Minato checks around the door. 'There's no other way, have to force it open.' Minato tightens his hand on the knob before stopping. 'Wait, how do I explain this to others?' The doors looks new and sturdy. 'What would I say if someone as-, "Damn it!'' Minato shakes his head again and pulls up the doorknob with a little force. *Clang* The sturdy steel door came broken off from the hinge.
"Suzui!" As soon as Minato reaches the place he calls out to the girl in a white shirt.
"Huh!?" The girl turns around. "S-senpai?" There's a fence standing between them but he can see the girl's face. The face of someone who just got all of their hopes shattered.
"Suzui, what ar-"
"No, Please don't look at me!" The girl suddenly shouted covering her face. "Please, not you." The girl's voice came out in whimpers.
"Suzui, wh-what are you doing? Ge-get away from the led-", "No!", "Um!?"
"No, No. I have enough of this. I can't stand it anymore!" The girl shouted while crying.
"…Uhhh…Ahh….", '….'
"I-I tried to live strong." The girl said through her tears. "I tried, I really did like you said. But, *Sniffle* , I had some bad times and…And I'd even lived through some even worse But…." The girl turns back around towards the open space. "But…But, this time, I don't think this wound will heal no more."
"S-suzui, Pl-please….", '….'
"Sorry, Senpai. I'm so sorry." The girl said through her tears but he still can't say anything back. He can't think of anything.
"I was so happy before. I think maybe this time it won't be so bad.…I got someone who I can call my best friend. An-and,…" The girl seems to be having trouble trying to get words out. "I-I finally found someone I like." The girl said in a sad smile before all these vanish. "But, No. I can't. *Shake* I can't. Not anymore!"
"I can not look at you two in the eyes no more!" The girl shouted not to him but to herself. "*Sniffle* Goodbye, Minato-san, I am glad that I could have met you." Saying that, Shiho finally lies forward.
'No', "No!" Minato runs around the fence to get to the girl.
"May I ask you a question, Little miss Suzui?"
Minato tries to run as fast as possible but he's not getting any closer. The distance is so close yet so far away.
"As someone who ignored you even when you're suffering,"
"*Huff, Huff*" Makoto stands straight and looks around to see the girl falling and a boy running after her. "N-No…Minato-san!"
"As someone who turned a blind eye to all the pain you've endured,"
Minato reaches the ledge and tries to pull the girl up…But he was too late.
"Suzui!"
"As someone who was worried about his true nature that he hesitated to even get to you,"
"N-no." The only thing he can see in his eyes is the back of the girl he couldn't save.
"As someone who can save you in every way possible but still chose not to…."
'Should I…No! How do I even expla-', Minato thinks looking at the back of the girl he didn't save.
"Can you tell me, little miss Suzui…"
'No, Please.'
"Can someone like that still can be your messiah?"
"Minato-san, it's dangerous! Get away from the ledge!" Someone pulls him back, he doesn't know who. He doesn't care who.
"Can someone like that…still be your beloved Senpai?"
The girl frail body hits the ground as screams pierced his ears and his still heart as a tear rolls down his cheek.
"Please…" Minato slumps down still in someone's arms. "Please…"
-x-x-
I hope I didn't disappoint some of you with this. I'm sorry but her death or her jump is fixed. So, that kinda can't change. It is important not just for Minato, but also for the phantom thieves. So, again, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm saying that a lot. But, I apologize.
Anyway, thank you everyone. It's almost 200 followers! Kinda not the time to be celebrating but still.
….
…And so another one bites the dust. (Spoiler alert to those who get it)