Love You Eighth Day: 02 [Mido Sayoko] ★ (76) (Patreon)

*Eighth Day: 02 [Mido Sayoko] ★*

After Violet and the others released her and the screen disappeared... the fairy Kyoka said nothing, did not respond to Sayoko's calls, and disappeared without so much as a twitch.

The girl stared at the floor where her partner had lain, her shoulders slumped as she muttered.

"I couldn't do anything for her."

She couldn't have. Kyoka and Sayoko were separated by a distance of a quarter of the Earth's circumference, and she didn't even know her whereabouts. There was nothing she could have done.

But still, Sayoko couldn't help but be overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness.

(Did this happen to Kyoka... because she went along with my plan, because I kept winning?)

It was true that Kyoka had decided on her own and aligned herself with Sayoko. But because she had gone along with the plan, a girl of only ten had been subjected to such a violation.

She had regrets.

『Sayoko, help me, Sayoko.』

The sound of Kyoka's voice asking Sayoko for help still lingered in her ears.

And the strange sense of solidarity that had sprouted between her and Kyoka over the past few days.

She couldn't simply dismiss it as Kyoka's own responsibility.

(But if I didn't do this, Eri-chan would...)

To save Erika, this was the only option.

Even if Sayoko had been a prophet or a psychic and had known this would happen... she would have had no choice but to make the decision.

(I decided to go to hell to save Eri-chan.)

She had already killed four people with her own hands. Tonight, she had to kill one more. No, she would definitely kill one.

If there were gods and buddhas in this world, her trip to hell was already unavoidable. All the more so since Sayoko would also bear Erika's sins. What did it matter if she added to her sins now?

Sayoko desperately tried to guide her thoughts, to plaster over the cracks that had formed in her heart.

(Not yet.)

Don't break yet, my heart.

If I don't accomplish it after coming this far, it will all be meaningless.

So, one more battle. Just hold on for one more battle.

Sayoko closed her eyes and continued to mutter. And after nearly a few minutes of incantations, she quietly raised her face.

Strength had returned to the eyes of the girl who had finished plastering over the cracks in her heart.

"I'm sorry, Kyoka... but I will definitely accomplish it. After that, I'll go to hell for you too."

◆

While she was doing her research and shopping, time had somehow turned to evening.

Sayoko finished her dinner properly, took a bath, and did some light stretching to loosen up her body. After that, to rest her mind and body, she got into bed until the start time.

This was something Kyoka had originally recommended.

"...I have a message."

Looking at her SNS on her smartphone, there was a message from Erika, like a report, saying that she was having dinner with her mother at a trendy restaurant.

In addition to that, what was written was,

《Hey, Sacchan. Want to hang out together all day tomorrow for the school's founding anniversary? Mom's going to work, so she won't be around.》

It was a proposal.

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow, huh."

If Sayoko survived, and Erika survived, and they could meet each other tomorrow... that would mean Mido Sayoko had achieved her long-cherished desire.

"If that's the case, that would be nice."

《Okay, Eri-chan. Let's hang out together tomorrow. It's a promise! It's a definite promise!》

Sayoko quickly replied, connected her smartphone to the charging cable, and placed it by her pillow.

This was a prayer, a kotodama to herself. She would definitely meet Erika tomorrow. Yes, definitely.

Nodding firmly to herself, Sayoko curled up in her futon.

◆

Perhaps because she sensed a presence as her sleep became lighter, Sayoko's sleep was interrupted after about an hour.

And standing by her pillow was Kyoka's avatar. In a panic, Sayoko jumped up.

"Kyoka!"

She was about to say, Are you okay!?, but held her tongue.

How could she be? There was no way she was okay.

『...』

As she had worried, Kyoka still didn't say a word. As if reflecting her own mental state, the avatar also had a blank expression and empty eyes.

"...!"

After hesitating whether to speak to her, Sayoko spoke after a while, as if she had made up her mind.

"...Did you tell the professor or the TV station?"

Kyoka didn't say a word. Instead, she slowly nodded her head.

"I see... so they'll help you, then?"

Again, she didn't reply with words. And Kyoka gently shook her head from side to side.

"No way."

Sayoko's shoulders slumped. A few minutes passed like that.

"...I know saying sorry won't fix it, but..."

Sayoko opened her mouth, her eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry, for making you go along with my plan. It's my fault."

The fairy's small shoulder trembled for a moment. But after a few seconds, she shook her head from side to side.

Slowly. But firmly.

...Silence dominated the space between the two. A few more minutes passed.

『...』

Eventually, Sayoko noticed Kyoka's gaze alternating between the pillow and her pajamas, and opened her mouth.

"Oh. As you recommended, I was thinking of resting up for the battle. Physical fatigue doesn't carry over, but it's not the same for the mental side. For Eri-chan's sake, too, I absolutely can't lose tonight."

Kyoka nodded in response.

Next, the fairy walked closer to Sayoko... lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.

Seeing that, Sayoko asked slowly and gently.

"Shall we... sleep together?"

Kyoka nodded again, still lying down.

Sayoko adjusted her position so that she was at her chest, then lay down, pulled the futon over them, and held Kyoka in her arms, as if to enclose her.

And then she closed her eyelids and quietly waited for the return of drowsiness.

◆

"November 2nd, Monday, 1:58 AM"

The smartphone's clock announced that it was almost time for the battle. Sayoko sat on the bed, waiting for that time.

...When she had woken up a little while ago, Kyoka was already gone.

She had probably used up her meeting time and was no longer able to project her avatar.

But still, she must be monitoring Sayoko even now. From somewhere a quarter of the way around the Earth.

So.

To Kyoka, who was watching over her, Sayoko gave a thumbs-up and made a promise.

"Well then, I'm off, partner."