Prove Your Eternal Love. There Shall Be No Heroine Correction. - Appendix

Clutching the stamp, I climbed the stairs. In front of the rooftop was Tokiwa Minagi.

She was Shirase-kun’s ex-girlfriend.

I’ve only talked to her a little, and I don’t even know her well, but I was not very good with this person.

She stood in front of me even now with eyes that seemed to see through everything.

“Hello. Aogashima Yuno.”

“…Why are you here?”

“Hmm? Well, I’m like that, you know. I always assume the worst.”

With a wry smile, Tokiwa Minagi leaned against the rooftop door.

“Then, were you waiting for me?”

“I was waiting for you. So, did Suguru make you cry after all? He’s really terrible, isn’t he?”

“…I didn’t cry.”

Yes, it was not me who cried.

If she showed me something like that, I have no choice but to give up.

─ Um, Aogashima-senpai. I’m sorry.

—I have all sorts of mixed-up feelings. I know I shouldn’t cry only in front of Aogashima-senpai.

Tokiwa Nagisa shed tears when she saw the memory of me and Shirase-kun.

She felt jealousy, sympathy, pity, and guilt toward me. Her tears seemed to shine brightly, reflecting the light of her strong feelings.

I was sure I could cry the same way.

But still—

—From the bottom of my heart, I wanted her to be happy.

I wonder if she has already remembered.

I really wanted to be friends with her.

But I was a hindrance to her and to Shirase-kun.

So, I’m sorry, me. I tried my best to change.

I just decided to forget about it.

“That’s right. I think it’s better to forget.”

Tokiwa Minagi answered without changing her expression. I raised my eyebrows in suspicion because the response was different from what I had imagined.

“Surprised? Did you think I would stop you? Actually, I myself don’t really like that kind of neatness. Of course, I think it was cool that Suguru is going through with it. I didn’t have the same values as Suguru. That was why things didn’t work out with Suguru.”

She cowered her shoulders. But she seemed to have reconsidered something and was searching for words while twirling her index finger.

“I think that was different. Yeah, it was. It wasn’t sequential in our relationship. It’s a more fundamental problem that didn’t work out with Suguru.”

Tokiwa Minagi knocked on the unused locker next to the door.

I really don’t know.

“I mean, we stopped loving each other at some point. We started to drift apart, and then one day I found out why it wasn’t working. I’ll tell you why it doesn’t work. That’s not the fundamental of it at all.”

Tokiwa Minagi, patting the locker regretfully as she spoke, slowly approached me who standing a few steps below.

What she was saying was a little like the conclusion Shirase-kun had drawn earlier.

“I’m going to be honest with you.”

She walked step by step, and eventually came down to the top of my step.

“Aogashima-san. I was a little impressed by what I heard. I think you and Jie are a great match, much more so than Nagisa. I mean, those two don’t get along any better than I do. Both of them are stubborn, Suguru is not honest, and Nagisa holds a lot of things in.”

What does this person mean? Is she trying to encourage me or make me give up? I could not get her purpose at all.

“But I don’t think love is about that.”

“Then what is it?”

The answer seemed to be in her mind. I don’t know if it was the same as Shirase’s or not. But she didn’t seem to want to tell me about it. Or rather, she seemed to be somewhat shy about it.

“I dare Suguru to say that—it is the process of finding out together that is important.”

“Why do you make Shirase-kun tell me the important part…?”

Tokiwa Minagi laughed at the troubled expression I showed her. I also laughed along with her. We patted each other on the shoulder for a while.

“So — I hope it shows up for you, too, someday. Aogashima Yuno.”

Tokiwa Minagi smiled gently and held out her right hand to me.

I hesitantly grasped it back.

“Well then, take care. Let’s meet again sometime. Also, I quite like you.”

Then she waved me off. I walked up the stairs with her on my back.

What in the world was that all about?

She said she assumed the worst, but did she think I would throw myself over? If so, what a pessimistic personality I have.

But she was right. Yes, this was a kind of throwing oneself.

If all I wanted to do was to forget, I would simply not put a stamp on it. But I was still going out of my way to throw away my broken love by locking myself in the stamp.

The rooftop lock was closed. Without hesitation, I unlock the door with the key at hand and stepped outside. I slinked forward, and put my fingers on the fence on the courtyard side.

This was the last time.

If I could see his face for the last time. I would surely be happy. I would meet someone more wonderful.

A wish before the end of love.

I glanced at him and immediately gasped.

Shirase-kun was looking at me and our eyes met.

No way. Can such a miracle happen?

With a big smile on my face that I never showed to anyone, I carefully teared the diary I was holding, into little pieces. I threw the pieces of paper into the sky, and as if waiting for me, the wind took them away.

And then, the rest. All I had to do was to grab the stamp again and throw it away. I took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. The fence was high, but maybe I’ll be okay. The target — okay, let’s make it that little cloud.

Before I could throw it, I heard the door open with a mighty bang. At the same time, I heard the familiar voice of my best friend.

“Yuno!”

I was a little surprised. From her voice, she seemed to know what I was about to do. But I did not turn around. If I saw Aika, I would surely be moved.

I stared at the clouds in the distance with my throwing stance. Fly to wherever you want.

“Farewell. —My first love.”

I was about to swing my right arm out, but just before I did, I stopped.

The cloud that had been my goal suddenly disappeared, and I didn’t know what was going on.

While I was gawking at the incredible sight, Aika hugged me from behind.

Why?

How?

In my vision, between the blue sky in front of me. It appeared all at once.

Balloons.

Many balloons were rushing up and passing in front of us.

Green, orange. Then blue. Red. White. The colorful balloons soared into the sky, one after another.

“This is crazy!”

As soon as the festival was over, the balloons were to be cut loose. That was the plan. It was still early. That President Fuyuki made a mistake?

A round of applause echoed from the ground. It was as if they were celebrating the fulfillment of someone’s love.

Looking up at the sky, the colorful balloons were getting smaller and smaller, just like candy balls.

—No? Hey, can you hear me? Yuno!”

Aika seemed to be talking all the time. But I was too absorbed in the balloons to notice.

I nodded my head. After listening to Aika’s words, I have yet to see her face. I didn’t know how I should treat her. Even now, I don’t know.

“…Yuno. I’ll tell you first. Kuroiwa Aika is 99% as your best friend right now. So I’m going to say this without any silly ulterior motives or anything like that.”

The other one percent was different. I almost laughed, but I still kept looking at the sky. The balloon wouldsoon be out of sight. Where would that balloon go? I don’t even need to think about it. They will all shrivel up and fall. Or it would break.

“Hey, Yuno. —Are you crazy!?”

My shoulders jump in surprise at the loud voice. The strength of her hug became stronger.

“You’ll forget your first love that didn’t come true one day, so there’s no need to rush to forget it!”

That was not the point. Aika doesn’t understand at all.

I don’t understand, so why do her words seep into my heart?

“Yuno. You are very beautiful. And you’re also cute. And you are smart and hardworking. You can get so many better men than him.”

Hey, why was Aika crying? Why are you crying over me?

It was totally different.

But the feelings that Aika was expressing to me were so strong that it enveloped my heart. It softened everything.

“So—”

We’ve been in the same position for a long time. Aika’s voice became closer and closer.

“I’m begging you. Yuno should remain as Yuno.”

“I gently touched Aika’s thin fingers. I had never seen Aika’s fingers shaped like this.

It was strange.

I don’t know Aika. Aika doesn’t know me either.

I thought there was no need for it. Because we defined a comfortable relationship as a best friend.

But now, it was different.

I wanted to know about Aika. I wanted Aika to know about me.

“Hey, Aika.”

“What is it, Yuno?”

I was happy that she replied in such a gentle tone of voice.

“I don’t want you to leave me.”

“You don’t, you say?”

I was happy that she could understand my feelings.

“I want you to be with me forever.”

I said the words as I felt them in my heart. I still don’t understand what I meant by that.

“I’m not stupid. …Isn’t that given?”

Aika’s answer was very warm to my heart.