Love You Twenty-Fourth Day: 01 [Kyouka Kuribayashi] ★ (91) (Patreon)

*Twenty-Fourth Day: 01 [Kyouka Kuribayashi] ★*

Pshhh. Shaa.

The boarding gate of the chronoship opened, and from it, a single girl walked out like a sleepwalker.

It was Kyouka Kuribayashi, who had remained holed up inside the ship like a cave dweller for so long.

Squinting in the brilliant, glaring sunlight, she walked slowly.

There was no one else in sight. The only sounds that reached her ears were the calls of birds from the tropical forest and the sound of the waves.

In various places along her path, she could see areas where the earth or sand was slightly raised. The strange thing was that a tree branch had been stuck into each one, as if to mark it.

(Ah, I see.)

Kyouka immediately realized that her classmates were buried underneath.

And the protruding branches were less like tombstones and more like markers, seemingly to say, "A body is buried here, so be careful not to dig it up by mistake."

They had that kind of casual feel to them. It was easy to guess whose work it was.

...Kyouka walked on, looking around. Eventually, she reached a place that seemed to be the site of the wrap party.

A stage-like set had been erected there, and in addition, several barbecue grills... a girl from the 27th century wouldn't know that name... were lined up, and from one of them, the smell of something cooking drifted.

"Hmm-hmm-hmm ha-han-han"

Standing there was Kyouka's accomplice, Sayoko Mido.

She was grilling some kind of brightly colored fish on the grill. Naked, wearing only an apron.

"Oh, has Lady Amaterasu finally emerged?"

Sayoko, having noticed Kyouka's presence, called out to her, waving a hand.

"...Hey, [Scar]."

Kyouka spoke for the first time in two weeks. Her tongue wouldn't move properly, and her words were halting.

"No, it's Sayoko. I'm Sayoko."

"I see."

The dark, sad, and ferocious spirit that had resided within Sayoko.

The madness born to protect Erika had nearly consumed Sayoko herself, and just before it did, it had fallen asleep.

(It must be thanks to Eri-chan.)

It was her feelings for Erika that had pushed Sayoko into madness. But what had tethered Sayoko to sanity was undoubtedly Erika's feelings for her.

By knowing Erika's love, Sayoko was still here as Sayoko. In the end, Erika Nagano had saved not only Sayoko Mido's life, but her heart as well.

Hiding her mournful eyes by casting them down, Kyouka nodded to herself.

"So, it's over now, [Sayoko]."

"Yes. It's over."

A carefree smile.

"I can't be bothered with the ones who went to be shark bait on their own, but I've already buried all the bodies. Oh, you want some fish too?"

Kyouka wrinkled her nose at the distinct smell of cooking fish and refused with an "I don't want any."

"Oh, really? Well, you future folks don't seem like you'd eat real fish. But this is surprisingly light and easy to eat. I don't know how to cook, so I can only roast it whole though."

"More importantly, why are you naked with just an apron on...?"

"I don't know if this is near the equator or not, but it's hot! This island!"

"That doesn't mean you have to be naked... And what's with the apron-only choice?"

"If grease splatters on me, it'll be hot, won't it?"

"...Yeah, forget it."

Kyouka's shoulders slumped, and she sighed.

She remained looking down as if her strength had drained away, but after a while, she looked up.

"If it's all over, can you give me my reward for helping you, Sayoko?"

"What? You want some fish after all? Sure."

"That's not it."

After a pause.

"I told you then, didn't I? 'Kill me too.' I have nothing left. No place to go back to, no one waiting for me, nothing at all. So..."

Hearing this, Sayoko blinked her eyes.

Then, as if remembering, she clapped her palm with a "pon."

"Ah, that."

"Hey, don't tell me you forgot?"

"That's rejected."

Sayoko refused, waving her left hand lightly.

"Why not!"

Kyouka raised her voice in response to her answer.

To which Sayoko replied,

"You're too damn late! It's been almost a week since I finished everyone off! If this were a daily quest in an online game, the quest would have failed long ago because the time ran out, you idiot!"

She retorted with a fierce expression.

"Eeeh..."

"On top of that, I ran out of food and water, so I had to find my own. I boiled rainwater to drink, but when I was trying to catch fish, a shark almost bit me, you bastard."

"That's just ridiculous..."

Ignoring the dejected Kyouka, Sayoko transferred the cooked fish to a plate.

Then, after removing the bones and sprinkling some salt and pepper on it, she began to poke at the scorched fish with a fork.

"Hm, not bad."

Sayoko continued to eat her meal bit by bit. But eventually, she glanced at Kyouka and mumbled.

"...Besides, if you were gone, I'd be lonely."

So she said.

Hearing this, Kyouka raised her face with a surprised expression.

But she soon let out a small breath, a "ff," and...

"...I see. Yeah. If that's the case, then fine."

She murmured as if convinced.

Sayoko, while picking at her fish, silently nodded over and over.

"Maybe I'll have some of that too."

"Sure, go get a plate and fork from over there."

"Yeah, got it."

With a cheerful face, Kyouka walked across the sand.

◆

"Hey Sayoko, what are you going to do now?"

The two of them sat side by side on the sandy beach. Kyouka asked Sayoko.

"Huh? I'm going to live. Because that's what Eri-chan wished for."

"...You're right."

Kyouka nodded, closing her eyelids lightly.

Zah, zah, zah.

Sayoko stood up and, making the sand crunch, walked to the water's edge.

She looked up at the blue sky and, with her back still to him, continued to speak to Kyouka.

"Eri-chan, you see, she wanted me to live."

"Yeah."

"Even if she had to sacrifice herself, even if she had to sacrifice everything, all that girl wanted was for me to live."

"That's right."

"That girl, you see, she loved me."

"Yeah."

"Sure, it was different from what I felt for her. But Eri-chan definitely loved me."

Sayoko's back and shoulders trembled as she continued to look up at the sky.

Kyouka quietly said only, "I think so too."

"So I won't let her wish go to waste. I won't let her feelings end. If that's what she wished for, if that's what she felt... then it's my wish and my feeling as well."

After rubbing her eyes for a while, Sayoko turned around.

"So I'm going to live to the fullest. I'm going to do such reckless things that both the future people and Eri-chan would be shocked, and I'm going to live my life to the absolute fullest."

She looked at Kyouka with a beaming smile. Kyouka also stared back into her eyes.

"So Kyouka. You come with me too. I'm sure it'll be fun."

"Pursuers might come from the future, you know?"

Kyouka said cheerfully.

"It'll be fine."

Sayoko struck her left fist with her right palm. A vigorous pashin sound was made.

"You see, I was loved by the person I loved."

"Yeah."

"With that memory, I can live anywhere, and knowing that feeling, I'll always be the strongest."

"Yeah."

"No matter how many weaklings from the future come, I'll beat them all back. Don't worry."

"...Yeah, you're right. It's just as you say."

The two of them laughed, "fufufu."

Then Sayoko slowly walked toward Kyouka and...

"So from now on, I'll be counting on you, partner."

She held out her right hand.

"For now, just put some clothes on."

Kyouka also reached out her hand while making a lighthearted joke.

And their hands, touching... were gripped tightly, tightly together.