“...”
I didn't know what to say. Nagato turned towards Asahina-senpai (big) and said, “Allow me to give you the space-time coordinates of the target.”
“Oh, sure.” Asahina-senpai (big) stuck out his hand like a dog eager to shake with his master. “Go ahead...”
Nagato softly placed his finger on the bottom of Asahina-senpai's palm, then removed it... wait, that's it? Asahina-senpai seems to think it's fine, though.
“I get it now, Nagato-san. All we need to do is go and fix him, right? That won't be too hard, since he won't have any powers at that point.” Clenching his fists, the time traveller seemed determined.
However, the alien then said, “Please wait.” Not wearing any glasses, Nagato said, “In this state, you too will be swept into the changes of the space-time continuum. Counteractive measures need to be applied.” He then stuck her hand out. “Your hand.”
What? Do you want to shake too? I obediently stuck out my right hand. Nagato's fingers, icy cold, grabbed my wrist, making my heart beat a little faster.
“...”
Nagato suddenly kneeled down and moved his sullen-looking face towards my arm
“Aaah!” I yelled involuntarily. Nagato not only touched my wrist with his lips, but even bared his teeth. It reminded me of when we were making the movie, when he constantly assaulted and bit Asahina-senpai.
It didn't actually hurt. It felt like one of those love bits Shamisen would give me whenever I was petting her, though the canine teeth sinking through my skin felt prickly, like being jabbed by something without feeling any pain. Maybe Nagato's saliva contains some sort of anesthetic to numb the pain. It's more like being bitten by a mosquito.
After biting on my wrist for about five to ten seconds, Nagato slowly raised his head.
“A data-manipulating stealth barrier and protective shield has been applied to your body surface,"
Nagato said unabashedly. On the other hand, staring wide-eyed at me, Asahina-senpai (big) looked rather amazed. I looked at my wrist, which felt a bit numb. On it were two small holes which looked like vampire bite marks. As I stared at them, the two holes began to heal and disappeared without a trace. The same way Asahina-senpai had been during the making of the movie, my body had also been injected with Nagato's nanomachines.
“You too.”
As per Nagato's request, the unnerved Asahina-senpai stuck out his hand. “I-It's been a while since you've injected me. I guess it must've been tough on you, back then, ha ha...”
“This is my first time giving you an injection.”
“Oh, yes, right. I forgot.” Shutting his eyes tightly, the time traveller stuck out his wrist and accepted the alien's baptism. It took less time for him to be injected than me. Once it was over, he began to cough dryly. “Well, let's go. Onee-chan, the real thing starts now.”
Really? Just now? The warm-up sure was long then! Well, I'm just doing my best to narrate for everyone. I don't really want to do this.
“Thanks.” I tried to remain calm as I thanked the master of the apartment. Nagato, silent as ever, remained unresponsive. I couldn't find any form of self-awareness in his expression, yet for some reason, I just felt that he looked very lonely. ...Is that really the case?
“I'll see you then, Nagato. Make sure you wait for us in the Literature Clubroom.”
Like a doll suddenly injected with life, the alien-made organic being mechanicall nodded his head. “I will wait.”
The way he said that was enough to ignite a flame within my heart, although only one as bright as a cigarette that someone had forgotten to put out. Just as I was trying to figure out where it had come from, Asahina-senpai (big) now said, “Just to prevent you from getting uncomfortable,” he tightly grabbed my shoulders. “Can you please close your eyes?”
I did as he instructed. Asahina-senpai (big) seemed to be standing right in front of me, holding my hands.
“Onee-chan.”
What's with this situation? ...Is he going to give me a kiss?
“Here we go.”
I-It's fine. I don't mind if you kiss me, really. Just as I was thinking that, however...
A dramatic dizziness overwhelmed me. It was a good thing that I had closed my eyes, and even if I had them opened, it would probably still have been pitch-black, as though there were a power outage. I now felt like I was in a roller coaster without a seat restraint. I was no longer sure if I had any blood left in my body, or whether it had rushed towards my brain. The sense of weightlessness continued. Though I had closed my eyes, I still felt dizzy. The fact that I didn't lose consciousness was all thanks to the warmth of Senpai's hands.
How many minutes has it been? How many hours? I lost all awareness of time and space. I can't hold on much longer, Asahina-senpai! I feel like throwing up...
As I was ungraciously trying to look for something I could puke in, Asahina-senpai said, “Um... We've arrived.”
The sensation of standing on firm ground, which I had thought long lost, had returned to me. The coldness of the ground passed through my socks and into my body. My sense of gravity had also returned, and like an illusion, the urge to vomit everywhere also disappeared.
“You can open your eyes now. Thankfully, we made it to the time and place Nagato-san directed us to.”
I lifted my head and saw a bunch of winter constellations glittering in the night sky. They were much cleare than in the summer. I turned around, instantly recognizing the roof of the North High complex looming above the residential housing.
I looked around me, trying to confirm where I was. Though it was dark, there's no way I'm mistaken. I was standing here just a few hours ago; I could still remember Haruki and Itsuko wearing my PE uniform... this is the spot where they had changed. Some coincidence, huh?
So, what time is it?
Looking at his watch, Asahina-senpai (big) told me, “It's four forty-eight in the morning on the 18th of December. In about five minutes, the world will be changed.”
The 18th. From my point of view, that would be two days ago. On that day, I went to school as usual, unaware of what was about to happen, and fell into a state of despair as a result of seeing a North High that was completely unrecognizable. Haruki had suddenly disappeared, while Asakura had reappeared; Asahina-senpai couldn't recognize me, while Nagato had become a completely different person altogether.
Everything started here. I am now in the time period when the conversion took effect, and I can prevent it from happening, which is, of course, why I am standing here now.
As I was getting fired up by feelings of intense anticipation...
“Ah, damn it. I forgot to bring my shoes,” Asahina-senpai exclaimed softly.
Since we travelled here from indoors, well, of course we wouldn't be wearing any shoes. That's just like Senpai: not even the passage of time could wear away his clumsiness.
“You think Nagato-san will take good care of them for me?” His anxiety relieved my own nervousness. I'm sure he'll take care of them. He managed to preserve a tanzaku for three years once, so I'm sure he won't lose a pair of shoes so easily. I bet they'd still be there even now if you checked his closet... as I thought about all this, a feeling like an electric shock went through my body all of a sudden. It was because I wasn't wearing any shoes, not to mention having leapt from summer back to the freezing winter, making the cold feel all the more intense.
I immediately thought of putting back on the jacket I was holding in my arms, but I noticed Asahina-senpai shivering and hugging himself to keep warm. ...Normally, in this situation, the guy should be lending his jacket to the girl, right? Senpai, however, is wearing a nothing but a loose white dress shirt in such low temperatures.
“Put this on,” I sighed, reaching up and placing my jacket over his shivering shoulders.
“N-n-no, there's r-r-really no need for...”
Shut up and wear it. I have a cardigan on anyway. Besides, if you hadn't been waiting for me three years ago, I'd never have been able to come back to this time. That alone is enough; if I had to, I'd even strip off all my clothes for you. ...Please don't ask me to do that though.
Asahina-senpai (big) gave me a smile so perfect as to turn to butter the legs of half the audience, and then said seriously, “It's almost time.”
Maybe it's a good thing that we forgot to wear our shoes; we didn't make any sound as we walked along. Despite this, Asahina-senpai (big) and I didn't dare breathe loudly as we headed to the entrance of North High. We stopped by a corner, and like hunters following their prey, we stuck our heads out and stared at the path ahead of us in the dark.
There weren't a lot of streetlights in this area, though there was one just outside the gate. Though the light was dim, we could still easily see if anyone was standing underneath it.
“Here he comes...” Asahina-senpai's hand, now much warmer than it was, landed on my shoulder. I could feel his intense breaths blowing into my ear. Normally, this would be very distracting, but now wasn't the time for things like that.
The culprit, the space-time converter, emerged from the shadows and into the light.
He was wearing a North High uniform. Nagato had told us about him, the person who had altered our world, separated the members of the SOS Brigade, and turned everyone into normal human beings. With the exception of myself, that person had altered the memories and history of everything else.
Right now, he had begun to make his move.
I couldn't rush out yet, as I had to wait until everything had changed. That was what Nagato told me: I had to with that person had finished altering the world completely before I injected the Restoration Program, otherwise the history where I activated the Escape Program would never have happened. I don't quite understand, although both Nagato and Senpai seemed pretty clear about it. I'll just trust the advice of the professionals. Nagato would never lie. He's always been standing by our side with a serious look on his face...
I tightly gripped the needle gun and waited silently.
Walking in regular strides, that person arrived before the gates of North High. He stopped, lifting his head to look at the school complex shrouded in darkness.
His uniform, loose on his thin frame, flickered as the wind blew.
He didn't seem to notice us. This was thanks to the nanomachines Nagato had injected into us, creating a stealth barrier and protective shield on the surface of our bodies.
That person suddenly lifted one arm and made a gesture as though grabbing onto something in the air. It didn't look natural. It looked as though he was being controlled, though I knew that wasn't the case.
“Whoa...” Asahina-senpai (big) exclaimed, “That was a powerful time quake. He had such power... I still find it hard to believe even after I've seen it with my own eyes.”
With my own eyes, I didn't see any changes. The night sky was still dark, yet Asahina-senpai (big) seemed to have witnessed that person use some method to cause a massive change to this history of this world. Well, he's from the future, after all. It's not too surprising that he can see it.
Asahina-senpai (big) had put his arms around me protectively. Normally we, too, would have been swamped by that person's alteration of the world, but Nagato's bites had protected us. Both he and Senpai were a big help, and it seems that the course of action I've taken was correct. What follows next, well, I can't afford to screw it up here at the last hurdle.
I held my breath when I saw that person put down his arm and suddenly turn his head in our direction. At first I thought he had discovered us, but it turns out he was only looking around.
“Don't worry. Right now, he's been reborn. The time quake, the alteration of the world, it's over. Onee-chan, it's our turn now,” Asahina-senpai (big) said in a stiff, serious tone, giving me the signal I needed.
I emerged from the darkness and walked towards the gate. There was no need to hurry; he wasn't going to run away. He was still standing there in front of the gates, even as he noticed me entering the radius of light surrounding him. The only thing that changed was his expression. When I saw the look of astonishment on his face, I suddenly became full of melancholy,.
“Hey there,” I called out to him. I greeted him as though seeing a friend I hadn't met for a long time. “It's me. We meet again, huh?”
I guess it was obvious from the way Senpai was talking, huh? Of all the people I knew, aside from Haruki, there's only one who could make him feel so uneasy. Think about it a little. After today, December 18th, the secret lives of the SOS Brigade members had suddenly vanished. Despite this, their personalities remained intact... all save one. The one whose actions, expressions, and mannerisms had completely changed stood under the dim night sky, wearing a North High uniform, a lanky, frail figure without a clue in the world as to what was going on. He didn't understand why he was here, like a sleepwalker waking up in a strange place...
“Nagato,” I said. “This was all your doing, wasn't it?”
He was wearing glasses. It was the Nagato I met on the 18th, the Yuuki Nagato that was just the last remaining member of the Literature Club. Neither an alien nor any mysterious entity whatsoever, just a very shy bookworm.
The bespectacled Nagato looked even more surprised, not understanding what was going on. “W-why... why are you here?”
“I was just about to ask you the same question. Do you even know why you're here?”
“...Taking a walk,” Nagato mumbled while his eyes widened. His glasses reflected the street light overhead. I looked at him and thought,
No, it's not like that, Nagato.
He was only feeling tired, having to spend all day being turned around in circles by Haruki, while busy saving my life, as well as being secretly active in various unknowns behind our backs - it was only natural that he'd be fatigued by it all.
Not long ago in Nagato's apartment, this was what the Nagato three years ago told us:
“The erroneous files accumulated in my memory database will trigger an anomalous reaction. It can be foreseen that this is unavoidable. On December 18th three years from now, I will reconstruct the world.” He continued calmly, “there are no counter-measures available, because I do not know how such errors could occur.”
But I do.
I know the reason behind Nagato's inexplicable, abnormal actions, and just what those erroneous files he had been accumulating were.
It's the most basic desire. Even for an artificial intelligence run by complex programs, even for a humanoid interface without ever having such things installed, after living for a some time, it's natural for him to develop such a desire. You'll never understand it, but I do. Haruki probably does as well.
I continued to observe Nagato's troubled expression unreservedly. He now looked even more uncomfortable. Seeing how miserable and confused he looked, I can't help but yell inside,
Nagato! This is what we call emotions!
It's because you were designed not to have any emotions to begin with, the reaction you felt was was far greater. You probably felt like screaming, like going ballistic, like yelling out loud, 'you asshole! I've had enough of you', right? Even if you didn't think that way, what you did was totally understandable. Your actions can be forgiven, because I was partly responsible too.
I'd become too reliant on him. I'd gotten used to letting Nagato take care of everything. I always thought that as long as Nagato was on our side, I could just sit back and turn off my brain. What a fool I am. I'm an even greater fool than Haruki! I have no right to condemn Nagato for this.
This is the reason that Nagato came up with the stupid idea of changing the world.
An anomalous reaction? A programming error?
You sure are annoying. It's neither of the two.
Nagato just wanted one thing: a normal world like this.
He only preserved my memories, while altering those of everyone else, including himself.
And so now I finally understood the answer to the question that had been puzzling me for the past few days.
Why was I the only one to remain unaffected?
The answer was simple. It was because he had wanted to let me make the choice.
Is the altered world better? Or is the original one better? Under his well crafted script, the final decision rests on me.
"Damn it," To hell with choosing! I never had a choice!
If I had only wanted the SOS Brigade, I didn't have to return at all. I could just start it up again in the new world. Haruki and Itsuko might be attending another high school, but that wouldn't be too much of an obstacle. We'll just treat it as a hobby. Our mysterious club can have meetings at that coffee shop. Haruki can come up with his usual ridiculous ideas, Itsuko can grin all the time, Asahina-senpai can look extremely distressed, and I'd just look in the other direction and frown. An image of that scene floated into my mind in an instant. The Nagato there would probably look troubled as well, but would still quietly read his book.
Even so.
That wouldn't be the SOS Brigade that I knew. Nagato wouldn't be an alien. Asahina-senpai wouldn't be a time traveller. Itsuko would just be a normal person, and Haruki wouldn't possess any extraordinary powers at all. It would just be a simple, normal, happy club.
Am I fine with that? Isn't it better that way?
How did I used to think about it? Just what did I think about Haruki's constant troublemaking, extending beyond the boundaries of common sense?
What a pain.
Enough already!
Are you stupid!?
I've had enough of you!
“...”
My heart began to hurt.
I'm just a normal high school student, forced to take part in an endless number of difficult situations, constantly complaining yet still managing to live to tell the tale. Yes, that was the role I've been playing since the beginning.
So.
Now then! Yes, you! You, Kyon! I'm talking to you! I've got to ask myself a very important question, so listen carefully and answer me. There's no getting out of this. Just a single 'YES' or 'NO' will do. Now, are you paying attention? Here comes the question:
Don't you find such a weird and extraordinary school life fun?
Hurry up and answer, Kyon! Think carefully. Well? Can't I ask what you think of this? Hurry up and tell me! In a world where I was being spun in circles by Haruki, attacked by aliens, hearing a time traveller explain wild theories, putting up with an esper's philosophical babble, trapped in Closed Space where giants go on a rampage, living with a cat that speaks, making an incomprehensible leap through time, and not to mention having to follow a strict rule of never letting Haruki know about any of this, allowing him, the commander of the SOS Brigade to happily continue his pursuit of mysterious events, all while completely oblivious to the huge mess he was getting us all into.
Don't you find such a world interesting?
Or, did you think that was just too annoying, and wanted to tell him that enough was enough? I mean, since you've always thought of him as such an idiot and had decided to ignore him and all. Well? Is it true? Is that what you really think?
'That world was hardly interesting at all.'
You sure? According to what you said, you find the Haruki in the original world very annoying. No matter what crazy ideas he comes up with, you would always feel nothing but melancholy. Of course it makes sense that you wouldn't find such a world to be interesting. And don't tell me it's not true! You know it is.
Yet, in reality, you're secretly enjoying all of this. Because, see, that world is interesting.
You ask me why I say that? Let me tell you why.
Didn't you hit the 'Enter' key?
You know, the one for the Emergency Escape Program Nagato left behind for you.
'Are you ready?'
The answer you gave for that question then was a resolute 'YES'.
Right?
The Great Nagato Above went out of his way to offer a stable, normal world to you, and you had to go and turn it down. Ever since you met Haruki Suzumiya back in April, you've taken that loony bin of a world for granted. You actually want to return to a crazy world where aliens, time travellers and espers wander freely around the school? Why is that? Aren't you the one who was complaining all the time about how miserable you are?
If that were really the case, then why didn't you ignore the Escape Program? By choosing to stay in this very normal world here, you'll know Haruki, Asahina-senpai, Itsuko and even Nagato as ordinary high school students, and lead a happy life as usual under Haruki's leadership. You could wave goodbye to all those surreal experiences forever.
In this world, Haruki would just be a normal guy who likes to boss people around; Asahina-senpai would no longer be a time traveller from the future, but just a cute little senior; Itsuko would be a talkative, board-game-obsessed beauty without any backing from a mysterious Organization; and Nagato would just be a nervous and humble bookworm, not having to carry any burdens or use any amazing powers to observe or protect someone. Though most of the time he'd remain expressionless, every once in a while, maybe he'd laugh at some stupid joke, turn red with embarrassment, and stick his nose back into a book. Who knows? I bet I could even get him to open up a little if I spent some more time around him.
Ah, such an idyllic life that would be, and yet.
And yet you have forsaken it.
Just why did you do that?
I'll ask you one last time. Answer me truthfully.
Do you find Haruki the troublemaker and the nightmarish events that he causes to be interesting? Hurry up and answer!
“Of course I do,” I answered, “It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize it was fun. So don't ask me something so trivial ever again.” If someone had actually said they don't find that interesting, then that person would be a blithering idiot. Her wits would be thirty times dimmer than Haruki's!
I mean, hell, there are aliens, time travellers and espers out there!
Just one alone would be intriguing enough, but to have all three around at once? And with Haruki included, at this rate, I'll never be bored. If someone tries to argue this, I'll beat her face in.
“That's just how it is,” I said to myself. You could say I've finally been enlightened.
“I still prefer the original world. This place just doesn't suit me. I'm sorry, Nagato. I prefer the you from before. Besides, you look better without glasses.”
This Nagato looked at me with a very puzzled face, and said, “What are you talking about...?”
The Yuuki Nagato I know would never say something like that.
The current Nagato has no knowledge of the three days I spent in this world. He's just been reborn, and has never met me. He'd have no memory of the time he looked shocked when I barged into the Literature Clubroom.
The only memory this Nagato has of me is the fabricated memory of the library.
Several months ago, Haruki and I were trapped in that grey Closed Space. According to what Itsuko said, that was a new world created by Haruki.
Somehow Nagato had managed to steal that power from Haruki and used it to create this world.
Sure is convenient, huh? Whenever you feel like it, you can just start over, or change the world to the way you want it to be.
However, a normal person would never be able to achieve a thing like that. It's better that they give up trying. I sure as hell didn't want to start all over, which is why I returned from Closed Space to begin with.
This incident was caused by the transferal of a godlike omnipotence from Haruki to Nagato. Haruki was completely unware it had happened, while Nagato lost control and altered the universe.
“Nagato,” I walked towards the tall figure standing there, frozen. Nagato stared back at me.
“No matter how many times I have to say it, my answer is the same. Please return everything to normal. You as well. Let's live to fight another day in the clubroom, alright? If you give me the signal, I'll be there for you. Haruki's calmed down a lot recently, so there's no need for you to use such a dangerous power to forcefully change the world. Just keep everything as it is.”
The eyes under the glasses betrayed a sense of fear.
“Onee-chan,” Asahina-senpai, who had followed behind me, said, “It's useless trying to explain to this Nagato-san. Because even he has changed. This Nagato-san is just a normal person without any power at all...”
Something suddenly occurred to me.
The Haruki in this world had called me Joan. Without any god-like or demon-like powers, she had barged into North High without hesitation. His eyes glittered brilliantly after I told him my story about the SOS Brigade, exclaiming loudly: “Sounds like fun!”
Carrying a wide grin at all times, the Itsuko here said she had feelings for Haruki. Wearing my gym uniform, that straight-A transfer student would sometimes wear a complicated expression.
Giving me an invitation to join the Literature Club, this glasses-wearing Nagato would reminisce about the fabricated memory he thought we shared together with me. The smile on his face was like the sun rising out of the horizon. I can't help but want to see it one more time.
I had realized that I would never see these people again. To be honest, I kind of missed them, but... their existences were complete lies. They were not the Haruki, Itsuko, Nagato, and Asahina-senpai I knew. It's just that it was a pity I didn't get the chance to say goodbye to them, but I've already made up my mind. I them to go back to being the SOS Brigade I'd always known.
“I'm sorry.” I took out the gun and pointed it at Nagato. Upon seeing his terrified reaction, I felt like a criminal, but I can't stop now that I've come this far.”
“Everything will be back to normal soon, okay? We'll be able to go to a lot of different places again, have our Christmas hotpot, and then go to the mansion on the snowy mountain. You can even be the Great Detective this time. A Great Detective can solve a case right after it's occurred, you know? That'll be--”
“Onee-chan! Look out-- AAAAH!”
As Asahina-senpai screamed out, I felt someone ram into my back. The impact nearly caused me to fall over. Even the shadow of the streetlight above was shaking. In that shadow was the silhouette of another person. What in the...? Who is it!?
“I can't let you hurt Nagato san!”
I looked over my shoulder and saw the face...
Of Ryou Asakura.
“W-what...?”
I couldn't bring myself to say anything, as I had suddenly noticed. I noticed the thing that had pierced its way through my abdomen. It was a thin object, thrust all the way through my body. It was cold. So cold. The sense of disorientation I felt far surpassed the sense of pain. Just what what going on!? Why was Asakura here?
“Ha ha ha.” His grin looked like that of an expressionless mask that had suddenly learned to smile. Asakura backed away from me, pulling out the blood-soaked katana which he had impaled me with. Losing my balance, I fell to the ground, spinning like a top. Though he had been standing before me all this time, Nagato's legs gave way as he slumped to the ground, saying fearfully “Asakura... san?”
Asakura-san flicked my blood from his blade. “Hi, Nagato-san! Don't you worry about a thing. As long as I'm here, I'll eliminate anyone who threatens you. After all, that's why I was created.” He smiled and continued, “That's what you wished for, after all, isn't it?”
That's a lie. Nagato would never have wished for anything like that. He's not the sort of person that kills a bird just because it's not singing the way he wants. Absolutely no way. When Nagato started to act abnormally, this Asakura that was re-created also began to act in an abnormal way, becoming something like his shadow... a shadow that now landed on my body. His silhouette blocked the moon from my vision.
“Allow me to do you the honor of sending you on your last journey. When you're dead, everything will be fine. It's your fault Nagato-san is suffering in the first place. Oh, does it hurt? I'm sure it does! Better enjoy it while you can, because it'll be the last sensation you'll ever feel in your life.”
The thin blade was slowly lifted above his head. It looked as though Asakura was going to cut me in two. My blood wasn't stopping Is this really the end....? I struggled to think as my mind became cloudy. I was losing my sense of what was real.
This is your mission, isn't it, Psycho Asakura? To act as backup to Yuuki Nagato...
The katana began to fall...
In the blink of an eye, a hand stretched out from the side of my fading vision.
“...!”
Someone had grabbed the blade of the sword, and with bare hands as well.
"Who...?"
Bare hands...!? Where have I seen this before?
My vision was becoming more and more blurry, so I couldn't tell who it was. There's not enough light, anyone mind turning it up? He was standing in front of the bright streetlight, so I couldn't see his face properly. All I knew was that it was a tall, short-haired guy... wearing a North High uniform... not wearing glasses... that's all I could see... Hey, Itsuko! ...Where's the girl in charge of lighting when you need her!?
“What...?” Exclaiming softly was Nagato, who was sitting on the ground. His glasses reflected the light, so I couldn't see his expression clearly. Was it fear? Or confusion?
“Why?! But you're...!? Why...” Asakura yelled. He seemed to be talking to the person who caught the blade with his bare hands, but the guy remained silent.
Asahina-senpai sounded as though she was right next to me. “Oh, hell... Onee-chan, I should have known, but, still...”
“Nee-chan! Nee-chan! ...No! You can't!”
There seemed to be two Asahina-senpais. One was the adult Asahina-senpai, while the other was the little Asahina-san. Both had tears all over their faces, and were shaking my body. Hey, both of you, quit it, that hurts...
...Wait, what? What was Asahina-senpai (small) doing here? While I could still understand the adult Asahina-san holding me in his arms and crying, since he came here with me to this time period; but just where on earth did the little Asahina-senpai come from? Ah, I understand. It's one of those illusions, that recollection of your whole life that you see when you reach the end of it.
This was scarier than the pain of being impaled and seeing blood flow non-stop out of your body.
Damn it, I'm about to die.
As I wallowed in regret for not having written a will, I felt someone appear above me. That person picked up the Nagato-made needle gun that had dropped to the ground.
A familiar voice, yet I could not remember whose, spoke, “Sorry about that. I have my reasons for not rescuing you right away, but don't hate me for it. After all, it was painful for me too, you know? Anyway, we'll take care of the rest. No, I already know what to do now, and you will as well. So go get some sleep.”
What's she talking about? And who was she talking to? Do what? Who's taking care of what now? The images of Asakura's fatal strike, the bespectacled Nagato supporting himself with his arms while kneeling on the ground, the two Asahina-senpais, and Haruki in a different school uniform had all fused together.
Slowly, gradually, I fell unconscious.