Chapter 8: A Resolution for All

Chapter 8: A Resolution for All

The school trip was nearly over. This afternoon, Taichi and the other Yamaboshi students were scheduled to fly back home.

The last day was spent touring the city of Otaru, and in true Yamaboshi fashion, everyone was free to wander around as they liked, no groups assigned. Admittedly, they nearly lost this privilege after everything that had happened the day before, but in the end the teachers decided to let them off with a slap on the wrist.

During breakfast, the guy who had originally spoken to Taichi about Operation Custom Tour came by to apologize to him directly for dragging him into it. Likewise, Taichi apologized in turn, and the two agreed to let bygones be bygones.

Truth be told, Taichi wanted to apologize to all the second-years for the trouble he helped cause, but he didn’t really have the time for that at the moment. Instead, he approached the president of each class and let them know that he wanted to speak with their class once they were safely back in school.

“Yo, Yaegashi-kun! Your eyes are looking a little red. You okay, man?” one of the guys asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” His brain had kept him up all night, so he was pretty sleep-deprived, but otherwise no worse for wear. There were a lot of things he needed to take care of: apologize to people, follow up with everyone waiting on him for his advice, decide on his next move, and so on. But one thing in particular took top priority.

He had lost the battle, and he needed to come to terms with that. Only after he confronted it could he start over anew. Or, looking at it a different way: all he needed to do to start over was face his failures.

The idea alone threatened to crush his spirit. Even if he came clean and acknowledged every fault and flaw, his past mistakes would still linger. Nothing could erase them. And he hated the thought of willfully wading out into that shame.

This was something he had already committed to doing, and yet... deep down, he still hesitated, worried that this wasn’t the right time. That worry was holding him back.

He pulled out his cell phone to check the time, but instead spotted an email notification from... Uwa Chihiro, of all people? Odd , he thought. So he opened it right away.

Sorry, I know it’s early. A guy I know has been badgering me to get in touch with you because he wants to know if you’d be willing to give him some advice on asking his crush out during the trip. Anyway, I’m only sending this out of obligation, so feel free to ignore it. Thanks.

Now here was an email Taichi no longer knew how to respond to. It’s over now. It’s too late. But then, he thought about that comment Chihiro had made to him, back in that music store:

—Frankly, Taichi-san, your behavior lately makes me sick.

Evidently, even Chihiro had noticed his shortcomings.

Just then, Taichi was struck with the urge to call him. There was still a little time before the students were scheduled to meet up, and for some reason, he really wanted to talk to him. He moved to the seating area in the hotel lobby, then hit the Call button. After a few rings, Chihiro picked up.

“Hey, good morning. Sorry about the email; I know you’re busy and all.”

In the background, Taichi could hear the familiar buzz of high school. Time-wise, first period wouldn’t have started yet, but apparently Chihiro was on campus somewhere—maybe sitting at his desk.

“No, no, I don’t mind. If anything, I’m sorry for calling you up out of the blue. Is this a good time?”

“Eh, I’ve got a few minutes or so. Let me step out of the classroom real quick.”

“Thanks.” Feeling a little guilty, he waited patiently.

“So, what’s up? Is this about what I sent you, or something else?”

“Oh, uh... well... I’m not sure, actually...”

“...You didn’t call me just because you were bored, did you? That’s kind of cringey.”

“Don’t be a jerk! I mean, yeah, I can see how that would be weird... It’s just, uh... Oh, right!” At last, the cork in his throat came free. “I was just thinking... You’re not the type of person to email me about that stuff, regardless of obligation. Or at least, you never used to be.”

And yet, back when Kimura tracked Taichi down to ask him to take part in the Tennis Club debate, Chihiro had tagged along, despite the fact that he wasn’t directly involved and thus could have safely ignored it.

“I ‘never used to be’? When was this?”

“I don’t know, uh... Six, seven months ago?”

“That’s a long time ago,” Chihiro snorted, and the implication was audible: Get with the program, slowpoke. “Sorry. What I mean to say is... I’ve, you know... I’ve changed since then.”

“Oh... Right.”

After the Phantom Projection phenomenon came to an end, Chihiro had told them that the CRC had changed him for the better, a sentiment that Enjouji had echoed. And now Taichi found himself staring down the barrel of the same situation.

“Is it really possible to change yourself that dramatically?” he asked.

“Yeah, it is. And it’s a lot easier than you might expect. To be blunt, it all comes down to whether you want to.”

Taichi ruminated on this for a moment.

“Ugh... Great, now I sound like I’m lecturing you. Preaching to the choir, am I right?”

“No, no. Not at all. Trust me, I... I’ve made my share of mistakes. Big ones. I’m a total loser.”

This was clearly not the sort of conversation one ought to have with his junior associate first thing in the morning—and yet he couldn’t stop himself.

“You, a loser? Please . If anyone’s a loser, it’s me. You really kicked my ass back then.”

“Sorry, I’m not trying to have a pity contest or anything. But still, I mean... you overcame those failures, right?”

There was a brief lull of silence.

“Saying I ‘overcame’ them makes it sound a lot cooler than it was. I just... didn’t have anything left to lose, that’s all.”

“But even so... wasn’t it scary? You know, to... fight your failures?”

Another pause. He could tell Chihiro was choosing his words carefully.

“In my case... I don’t think I ever fought them head-on. But if I had the chance to talk to my past self, I’d want to say something like: You only get one chance to make things right, and it won’t last forever .”

To Taichi, it totally clicked. Once you disgraced yourself in the eyes of a particular person, being around them only added more humiliation to the pile. The mere memory of your shame became excruciating, and the average person would be inclined to wait it out until the “storm” passed. But with enough time, that failure would be permanently etched into history, and you’d lose the chance to make it right. Chihiro was right; the opportunity wouldn’t last forever. Pain and embarrassment be damned—this was his only chance to redeem himself.

“I admit, I keep wishing I could’ve sorted it out sooner. It would’ve been so much easier that way. Anyway, yeah... It’s one of those things where you just have to bite the bullet and get it over with.”

Easy for you to say , Taichi thought. But as it turned out, Chihiro had more to say.

“Not like it’ll kill you.”

What?

“Compared to actually dying, it’s not scary at all. And with that mindset, you can do just about anything.”

Wait, but... now I look like a total idiot for spinning my wheels...

“...Ugh, listen to me preaching again. I caught myself talking like this on the phone with Yui-san earlier...”

“Oh, you and Kiriyama—?”

Suddenly, Taichi heard some sort of commotion on the other end of the line.

“What the?! What’s your problem?!”

“...should ask you the same... on the phone with Taichi-senpai? Not fair! I want... sexy voice! Let me... Chihiro-kun!”

He could only make out bits and pieces, but even then, the culprit was obvious.

“You’re so mean!”

“Says the chick who tried to swipe my damn phone!”

“What’s the matter, Enjouji? That is you, right?”

“Give me the phone, Chihiro-kun! Yes, hello, this is Enjouji speaking! Enjouji Shino! Good morning, Taichi-senpai!”

“I see you’re full of pep this morning.”

Believe it or not (and it was getting harder to believe these days), there was actually a time when Enjouji was quiet and demure. But now she had graduated to snatching people’s cell phones? Seriously, calm down.

“Obviously! Here I was, thinking I wouldn’t get to hear your wonderful voice for quite a while, and then what do I hear on the other end of a phone conversation?! Your dulcet tones!”

“Oh... Sorry, I haven’t had time to talk much...”

“No, no! You have nothing to apologize for, Taichi-senpai! Well... Okay, outside of your voice, there are probably quite a few things, but I’m not paying attention to any of that!”

“Is that why you think I’m cool?! Because you’re not paying attention?!” He could feel his self-esteem take a hit.

“Oh yeah, um... Taichi-senpai?” She sounded more composed all of a sudden. “I maybe kinda... overheard parts of your conversation just now... Just the things Chihiro-kun said, but yeah... Are you having a bad time right now?”

“Oh... uh... Yeah, kinda. But it’s nothing serious, so don’t worry about it.”

“O-Okay, I won’t—oh! In that case, um, I have something to say!”

“Okay,” Taichi replied, bracing himself.

He heard her take a deep breath, and then—

“You can do it, Taichi... I mean, Taichi-senpai!”

He laughed. “You think so?”

The words had a familiar ring to them, as though she were echoing a statement he had once made to her—but when? He could vaguely remember the view from the roof of the Rec Hall, but not much else. It must’ve happened at some point, though.

“Oh... Maybe a loser like me can’t inspire you the same way... Maybe I’m just being annoying...”

“No, no, not at all. I’m touched, actually. Thanks.” With her help, he’d found the resolve to commit to a plan of action. Nothing to it but to do it. “Anyway, could you put Chihiro back on the phone?”

“Sure!” And with that, Chihiro returned.

“About the guy who wants my advice—tell him I just need a little time. I’m sure I’ll be able to find an answer... A real answer,” Taichi declared, hoping his tone would convey his implicit meaning: I’m a different person now.

“Okay, will do... I look forward to it.” The amusement in Chihiro’s voice suggested that he got the message loud and clear. Clever kid.

“Anyway, I...” Taichi began, then hesitated.

Then, after a moment of internal debate, he decided to say one last thing before ending the call. After all, he’d only have this one chance, and it wouldn’t last forever.

“...I’m glad you two joined the club.”

On the other end of the line, he heard Enjouji shrieking gleefully: “Oh my gosh, YAY!”

After they hung up, Taichi hurried back to his room, got dressed, and went with Watase and Ishikawa to the meetup spot out in the parking lot. Outside, Kiriyama waved him down; he apologized to the other guys and stepped away to speak with her.

“Hey, Kiriyama. You’ve got some dark circles under your eyes.”

“And yours are all bloodshot.”

They shared a laugh.

She was wearing a baggy white shirt with beige shorts and a pair of mules—a look that was both cutesy and a fair bit more elegant than her usual style.

“So, what’s up?”

“W-Well... um...” Her face was flushed bright pink, whether out of embarrassment or fear, he couldn’t tell. “W-Would you want to... maybe... w-witness the biggest challenge of my entire life or whatever? I mean, not that it’s a life-or-death crisis! Just a totally regular challenge!”

“Uhhh...?”

“Rrgh! Okay, look... Basically, I... I’m gonna, like, say stuff... to Aoki... so... do you wanna come?” She stared at the ground, her cheeks burning red.

“You want me to... supervise your love confession?” It was a baffling proposition, to say the least.

“Wh... It’s not a love confession! I mean... like... okay, kind of, but like...”

“Why me, though?” Surely it was none of his business (although he had no right to say this considering he’d spied on her love life on more than one occasion).

“You’ve been there for me through a lot of stuff, Taichi. Now I want you to see me take my first steps into new territory. I mean, you’ve, like, earned it after helping me all those times.”

“Aww, come on. You don’t owe me anything for that.”

“Sure I do! Haven’t you ever heard of the Bushido code?!”

“What are you, a samurai...?”

She was right, though; he’d been observing her personal journey for quite a while now. Where would she go from here? What would become of her relationship with Aoki? He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t curious.

“...Plus, having you there means I can’t try to, like, back out of it at the last minute.”

Aha. So she wants me there to keep her honest, in other words.

“B-But just so you know, I already cleared it with Aoki. I... I told him you might be coming when we were arranging to meet up!”

“Yeah? What’d he say?”

“He was totally fine with it. Seriously, the crap he’s willing to put up with...”

She pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head. It was a sentiment Taichi could agree with.

“Oh, and... I talked to him about the Dream Vision and told him I kinda regret some of the stuff we did. And then he smiled for like the first time in a million years, and he was like, ‘Yeah, I was being a baby about it myself. I just felt like it was a slippery slope.’ But he apologized for his attitude and stuff... so I think we’ve officially cleared the air for the most part.”

The relief in her voice reassured him that it was safe to tag along with her.

“Alright. If you’re both okay with me being there, then... sure, I’ll come. And I promise I won’t interrupt.”

“Awesome! I’ll email you the details later. See you then!”

□■□■□

Once they arrived at the famous Otaru canal, the students were free to go their separate ways until 1 PM, when they were expected to meet back up at this very spot. With no restrictions on travel groups, Taichi expected that quite a few people would openly pair off for a romantic day tour.

“Wow, look at this canal! ...What is a canal, anyway?” asked Miyagami.

Previously Taichi had agreed to tour Otaru with Watase, Miyagami, Sone, Ishikawa, and a few other guys from their class. Starting now, they had three hours to kill.

The city was a harmonious blend of historic buildings and more modern construction, creating an old-timey vibe. The blend of red bricks and European stone architecture made them feel almost as though they’d been transported to another country altogether... and yet it still retained a distinct Japanese style. It was unlike anything Taichi had ever seen before.

“Wait... Ishikawa, weren’t you gonna hang out with your girlfriend today?” asked Sone.

“I will a bit later. Near the end.”

“You better! I demand to know who she is, damn it! What about you, Yaegashi?” asked Miyagami.

“Actually... I gotta get going,” he replied. As much as he hated to leave the guys hanging, he had a lot of scores to settle.

“Already?! Well... I guess that’s fair. She deserves one day with you, at least! Rrgh... Lucky bastard!”

“Listen here, buddy,” Watase called to him in a stage whisper as he was about to leave. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but... you got this!”

And Taichi found he was immensely grateful for the friendship they’d built since the start of high school.

“Look for the... sign of the glass-blowing studio... then go two streets up... and make a right...” he wheezed under his breath as he raced to make it in time. “Is this it?”

The area was on the outskirts of the tourist district, and foot traffic was next to nonexistent. But sure enough, there behind a rectangular, two-story European-style mansion stood two figures he recognized all too well.

They stood a few meters apart; Aoki was staring directly at Kiriyama, whose gaze was fixed to the ground. Staying carefully out of sight, Taichi leaned against a nearby vending machine. He didn’t want to interrupt, after all.

Aoki had been professing his love for Kiriyama for... well, a year now. The whole club was used to hearing about it; to them, it was just another part of their daily lives. Meanwhile, Kiriyama had steadily put in the effort to overcome her androphobia—and now here she was, facing him head-on.

The two of them had come so far... Was this the climax of their story? Either way, Taichi resolved to bear witness to whatever resolution awaited them. He could feel his nerves escalating, and if he was nervous, he could only imagine how the other two must have felt.

“Uh... um... uhhh... T-Tod... day... I wah... wah...”

“Yui, c’mon. Relax, girl! You’re getting all tongue-tied!”

That was putting it lightly. She was stumbling over her words to the point that she was practically incoherent.

“S-Sorry... Okay, deep breath...” She inhaled sharply, then exhaled. “Okay... Ready.”

Aoki was palpably nervous too, though not to the same extent as Kiriyama.

“Battle mode, activate! Here I go!”

She crossed her arms in front of herself, thrust her fists back down to her sides, and looked straight up at him.

“I used to be pretty uncomfortable around guys, but these days I can look at them without feeling afraid—just like anyone else. So I started thinking, and I realized... If you want to know what my ‘type’ is, it definitely isn’t you.”

“Wha—?!” Aoki yelped.

“Wha...?” Taichi muttered under his breath.

“To be totally honest, I prefer more aloof guys. Guys like Chihiro-kun.”

“Whaaa?! ”

“...Why do you keep reacting like that?”

“Well, can you blame me?! If that’s your opening line, I don’t think I’m gonna like the rest...”

“Will you just shut up and listen?! ANYWAY! So yeah, I’m into guys like Chihiro-kun.”

“Gghh...” Aoki pressed a hand to his mouth to keep himself quiet, and Taichi was tempted to follow suit.

“But... I can’t see myself dating someone like that. Not right now, anyway. It just doesn’t fit.”

The slight chill of the autumn air encompassed them as she spoke, almost as though it were watching over them.

“My ideal relationship would be really sappy and romantic. That’s the sort of relationship I dream about. But that’s not realistic ; that’s just me swooning over the idea of a knight in shining armor. I don’t see it ever coming true.”

Aoki’s expression slowly hardened.

“But if I try to imagine what sort of relationship I would actually have, like, realistically... I think it would be a lot like a regular friendship,” she continued. “I mean, like, there’s no one right way to have a relationship, you know? And yeah, I know some people out there probably wouldn’t approve of it or whatever, like, ‘Why don’t you kiss him?!’ and all that... Maybe it wouldn’t seem all that special...” she mumbled down at the ground, bashful, before looking up once more. “But thinking about it more broadly, like... Sure, it’d be great to date a sexy aloof guy and all, but when it comes to marriage and stuff, it’s like... I’d really rather be with someone who I can joke around with, you know? I want my marriage to be a happy one.”

Meanwhile, Taichi listened carefully. He was impressed to see the level of thought Kiriyama had put into this.

“So when it comes down to it, you know, ‘What’s my type? What kind of relationship should I have?’ Well... I won’t know if something’s right for me until I try.”

Indeed, mental simulations would only get her so far.

“In the end, I can see myself eventually having both a romantic relationship and a more platonic relationship at some point or another. And over time, I’ll figure out what’s right for me.”

They had their whole lives in front of them. This didn’t have to be the end—it could be the beginning, or just a stop along the way.

Aoki didn’t try to cut in; instead, he simply let her say her piece.

“I’m sorry I’m being so... selfish about it, you know?”

Was it really selfish, or was it simply honest?

“I can’t love someone unconditionally the way you can... but... I think maybe I don’t have to. Obviously the idea of it is super romantic and stuff... but I can’t keep hiding behind my romantic fantasies forever.”

Humans were born to dream, and keeping those dreams alive was a vital part of life. But that didn’t mean they were free to turn a blind eye to reality altogether. Reality was where the rest of their lives happened.

“I’m not madly in love with you... but I do love you.”

Was that statement truly bereft of romance? Even the slightest hint?

“It’s just that... we love each other in different ways.”

At last, Kiriyama had put it into words. Their viewpoints were different; she had hers, and he had his. They wouldn’t get anywhere by changing themselves to fit the other’s mold. They were their own people, after all.

“But that difference doesn’t matter to me. I still want to give it a try. And the person I selfishly consider to be the best fit for my first relationship... is you. And only you.”

She had put her dreams into words, and now it would decide her fate.

“So, if you’re still interested... I think we should go out sometime.”

After putting it all on the table, after thinking long and hard about her own desires—this was the conclusion she had reached. And instead of running from it, she was honest and upfront. Sure, maybe some people would judge her for it, but Taichi? He saw that honesty as something worthy of respect.

So how would Aoki respond, given that he claimed to love her?

With the biggest smile he could manage.

“C’mon, you already know what I’m gonna say. You and me, we can overcome our differences. ‘Variety is the spice of life’ and all that! I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Kiriyama shyly scratched her cheek.

“I gotta say, it’s kinda neat how much thought you put into it! Me, I’m just a ‘go with your gut’ kinda guy. Buuut they say opposites attract, so I guess it’s all good! Anyway, back on topic...”

After a pause, he put into words their new beginning:

“I love you, Yui.”

“Heehee... I still think you put up with way too much from me.”

And so fate had brought them together at last.

□■□■□

Taichi quietly stepped away from the scene. Watching Kiriyama’s bravery in action had given him the courage he needed to fight his own fight... and the time had come. It was 12:40 PM; he needed to hurry, or else he’d be late to his rendezvous with Fujishima Maiko.

At first he’d had reservations about trying to schedule anything during the trip, but upon further consideration, he realized that Fujishima had spent a great deal of it chasing after him anyway. Sure enough, when he floated the idea of a meetup, she pounced right away: “When?! Where?! Now?!”

At Fujishima’s suggestion, their meetup location was at the harbor, on the pier next to a row of warehouses. When Taichi arrived on foot 20 minutes later, he found her standing on the very edge, her back to the ocean, waiting for him.

“There you are! Now then, I demand some answers, if you please! Tell me everything! I want to know about your ‘Visions,’ and... and whatever «Heartseed» is, and—”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down! One thing at a time, okay?”

Detective Fujishima was practically frothing at the mouth.

“Why’d we have to come all the way out here, anyway?”

It was a long walk on a mostly gravel road, and he’d needed a map to find his way here. Then again, no one else was around, so perhaps it was the perfect place for a private conversation.

“Any criminal confession has to take place beside the ocean—why, it’s practically an unwritten rule! Truth be told, I would’ve preferred to do this on a cliff, but I couldn’t find one nearby... Rrgh, this stupid ocean is way too calm! Where are all the crashing waves?!”

Apparently Fujishima really liked to set the stage.

“...Okay, well... First things first, there’s something I’d like to get out of the way. Is that cool?”

This was not a battle; any battle between them had long since come to an end with Fujishima as the victor. He’d tried to think of some clever way to get out of it, but quickly realized he was well and truly screwed.

“By all means. I have all the time in the world.”

Perhaps he was nothing more than a sore loser making excuses, but nevertheless... if he wanted to fight his failures, then this was a bridge he needed to cross.

“For the past... month and a half? You’ve made your opinions known. Criticized me, you could say.”

“But of course. It was a battle between detective and suspect.”

“Well, all that ‘You lack agency’ stuff... It gave me a lot to think about.”

Truth be told, however, he didn’t think about it at first. Deep down, he could sense that there was a problem, but he turned a blind eye to it. He was too scared to really look at his faults.

“And now I’ve finally thought it through.”

He had hit a dead end and thrown a tantrum. Then, with a little help from Nagase, he’d spent the past night examining himself fully. And after a phone call with his two favorite kouhai, he’d thought about it a lot more on the bus ride to Otaru. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

“Have you, now? So... Who stands to benefit from your actions this time?”

This question made him realize that Fujishima had understood all along. Of course . The smell of the ocean made his heart ache.

“...Me. I do.”

His life was his to live. It was a sentiment he always agreed with in theory... except when he wanted to trot out “helping someone else” as a convenient excuse. Yes, that’s right—it was an excuse.

“It’s so much easier to say I’m doing it to help someone, you know? That way I don’t have to make any of the hard choices.”

Fujishima nodded. “You’re a follower, not a leader.”

Life was easier as a follower. All you had to do was obey the instructions you were given. And anyone could do that—even those without a self. Not only that, but it was hard to criticize someone who was only following orders. The blame naturally traveled upwards, to the person who had made the decisions.

“I pretended I was doing it for them, but in the end, I was just avoiding having to make my own choices. You were right... Someone like me was never cut out to give people advice.”

“And yet somehow your advice always worked out.”

“Well...”

Supposing that telling her the truth would expose her to danger at «Heartseed»’s hands... was it better to lie and say it was pure coincidence? Shrug his shoulders and play dumb?

“Sorry, I promise I’m going somewhere with this, but... I need a minute.”

“No problem.” Likewise, she held up her hand in an “okay” gesture.

“In a sense... I didn’t have a self .” Would she understand what he meant by that? He wasn’t sure, but continued nonetheless. “I was subservient. I always did what I was told. And then I gained the power to influence people.”

He was going to tell her the truth of everything—what he thought, what he felt—because only the truth had the power to change the world. She seemed to sense his intentions, because she quirked a brow in surprise.

“But I lost control, and in the end, I failed. My desire to help people morphed into a fear of rocking the boat.”

“A fear of rocking the boat...? ”

“And once I failed... for the first time in my life, I was completely destroyed. Stripped down to my most vulnerable self. There, I could finally see my faults for what they were.”

“Stripped down...? ” Fujishima kept repeating his words under her breath as though they’d struck a chord somewhere.

“I had nothing—literally. But now I want to start again, bit by bit. I’m going to say goodbye to my fragile ego and all the rest of it... and I’m going to trust in the truth of who I really am.”

“Trust in... the truth of who you are...? ”

Why does she keep repeating all the most embarrassing parts? He decided to clarify: “I’m going to find the courage within myself to let go of all the things I was hiding behind. I’m going to start over.”

She gasped. “The courage to let go of the things you were hiding behind...! ” she repeated, then fell deep into thought. It was clear some part of this had spoken to her, though he wasn’t sure what or why.

Nevertheless, Taichi pushed forward.

“So, as a token of gratitude for hearing me out... I’m going to tell you what you want to know.” He exhaled, forcing his body to relax. It’s okay. It’ll all work out. Not like it’ll kill me, right?

Then he straightened back up. There was no telling how far sincerity would get him, but it was a risk he’d have to take.

“I’m caught up in a... problematic situation. But I can’t go into more detail at this stage. Once I know it’s safe to tell you... Once it’s all over...” No—it’s high time I started taking responsibility for once. “Actually, no. Once I put an end to it... then I’ll tell you all the details.”

He wasn’t going to sit around and simply hope «Heartseed» would go away. He was going to stand his ground and fight.

That said... he couldn’t think of any realistic methods to put an end to the «Heartseed» problem. Maybe it was just a fruitless dream. But so what? Everyone was free to have their own crazy ambitions, and this was his. Going forward, he would take steps toward his dream, like a normal person.

“So... could I ask you to wait until then?” Frankly, it was an audacious request, but it was the best he could manage right now.

Fujishima pursed her lips. Her eyes were... shining. “And where’s my guarantee that you’ll make good on that promise?” she asked, in a tiny voice that the peaceful ocean waves threatened to swallow up.

“Well...” Truth be told, there was no guarantee. But for now... “I need you to trust me.”

“Trust you? The one whose faults ultimately destroyed him?”

“Be that as it may... I have faith in my true self. Starting now, I’m going to build something new. And I’m going to get stronger.”

It was a ballsy declaration, and for a moment he wondered if he was even capable of—no, I’ll make it happen.

Fujishima fell silent again. Clearly something was on her mind. How was she reacting to his proposal? He wasn’t sure, but... he got the sense that she was impressed.

“After everything you just said... you’ve helped me realize something, too. Something about myself.”

“Fujishima...?”

Trembling, she pressed a hand to her forehead.

“All this time... all I ever cared about was my title!”

Uhhh... where did THIS come from?

“Of course... I see it now... I admit, I’m reeling a bit.”

She dropped to one knee, right there on the pier. But whatever internal struggle she was having, it was a good two or three steps ahead of Taichi, and he was at a total loss.

“Uhhh... Fujishima...? Care to clue me in here?”

“I was so pleased that they called me the Love Guru... I worked hard so I wouldn’t let them down. It was fulfilling work, and I was perfectly happy. Then I got ‘promoted’ to Apostle of Love, and from there, even Goddess of Love... I was over the moon. I wanted to accomplish great feats so they would see that I’d earned it. But over time... I started prioritizing my title over my work.”

“Oh... uh... Gotcha.” Personally, he could empathize. He, too, had experienced what it was like to be so revered.

“Thinking back, I was the same way regarding student council matters, too. At some point, my entire identity revolved around other people seeing me as ‘class president.’ That’s why losing the election hit me so hard.”

“Ah... I see.”

Fujishima had always seemed hyper-competent, but deep down, she was human like all the rest of them. It all started to click.

“And then, the pièce de résistance ... I called myself Detective in the name of catching you with your pants down. And once again, before I knew it, being a detective was all I cared about. I could have tried to stop the students from breaking the rules... but I didn’t.”

“Don’t blame yourself for that. It’s my fault,” Taichi replied, but she wasn’t listening.

“I was so consumed by my title of Detective, I completely lost sight of what actually mattered!”

“R-Right.”

“But you helped me see that. Thank you, Yaegashi-kun.”

“I don’t think I contributed all that much, actually...”

“No, you most certainly did ,” she insisted. “All because you had the courage to cast off those shackles and bare your naked self to me.”

“Phrasing!”

All jokes aside, her words—and her soft smile—warmed his heart. Before now, he never would have imagined he and Fujishima would one day share a moment like this.

But in a flash, the smile vanished from her face. “Anyway, now you’re caught up on my emotional process. But that doesn’t get you out of answering my questions.”

“Urk... Right...” He was hoping she’d conveniently forget, but life simply wasn’t that charitable.

“However... I’m willing to wait.”

He wasn’t expecting this. “...Huh?”

“Look at you, taking responsibility for a change! You’re going to put an end to your problem? And you want me to trust this new, upstanding Yaegashi-kun? Then I suppose I just might!” She grinned. “I have to say, you always have a way with words. I’m starting to understand how you make all these girls fall for you.”

Taichi blushed furiously at her sweet compliment—

“Womanizer! You really piss me off!”

—or not. She’s a real live wire, this one.

“Now then, shall we head back?” she suggested. “I’d hate for you to lose the chance to accomplish something meaningful. After all, there won’t be another opportunity quite like this one.”

As usual, she was quick to change tack. Then she looked up suddenly.

“You know, Yaegashi-kun, you remind me of the protagonist in a superhero film,” she mused quietly.

“Ha ha, very funny. I’m just an ordinary guy... The protagonist of my own life, I guess.” Just like everyone else.

“Oh, slick line. Did you have to practice that one in the mirror?”

“Shut up! You made me say it!” he retorted, though admittedly he was enjoying their banter.

“In that case, allow me to make a little declaration of my own.” She put her foot up on a mooring post and struck a pose. “Now that I’ve seen the error of my ways, I’m going to mend my faults. And once I’ve polished myself up, I will stand before you as Fujishima Maiko Restored... no, Fujishima Maiko Reborn! ”

“...If anyone should star in a superhero movie, it’s you.”

□■□■□

The conversation with Fujishima had taken longer than he’d anticipated. There was still some time until his next battle, but first he had an errand to run. And in a situation where time was of the essence, he was willing to splurge on a taxi to get him to his destination.

With just minutes to spare, Taichi arrived at a small church, with Gothic architecture beautiful in its simplicity. Its most striking feature was the red steeple in the center of the building, adorned with a cross. And with its ceiling-to-floor stained glass murals, the stone porch out front radiated gravitas.

Outside, tourists were few and far between. He did glimpse one other group from Yamaboshi, but they were on their way out, so they didn’t stick around for long.

Then he saw a figure at the entrance. A girl.

“Ina—”

Taichi froze in his tracks as her beauty took his breath away.

She was wearing a white cardigan over a white dress—the very picture of purity. This was the last thing Taichi was expecting to see. Not only did she generally avoid this sort of style in her day-to-day wear, but over the course of this particular trip, she had expressly chosen her outfits based on practicality. None of that mattered now, though. Here in the church, she was glowing like a goddess.

“...What?” she asked coldly.

In the time since their last conversation, in which she told him she didn’t love (the current version of) him, he hadn’t made a single attempt to smooth things over with her. It was practically a miracle that she’d agreed to meet with him at all.

“Oh... um... Well, for starters, thank you for... meeting with me today.”

“You didn’t really leave me a choice, considering how hard you were begging for ‘one last chance.’ ”

His face flushed with shame. Over the phone he’d acted like a desperate loser... No, it wasn’t just his behavior. He was a desperate loser.

“I’m surprised you’d want to come here. You know, to a church.”

“Don’t read anything into it. I’m meeting other friends here later.”

“Sorry to interrupt your plans. Like I said over the phone, I hope I’m not forcing you into it...”

“Hmph. They were nagging me to ‘go spend time with my boyfriend’ anyway, so it works out perfectly.”

There was a pause in the conversation. Normally he never thought twice about spending a quiet moment with Inaba, but today that same silence was agonizing . He was now painfully aware of the massive gulf between them.

“So, what did you need me for?” Inaba asked, her expression hard.

“Oh, um, well... Actually, can we take this somewhere else?” He didn’t want to block foot traffic by standing around the doorway. “Is it busy inside? Or would you rather—”

“Let’s just go in. It’s not that busy, and I already took the tour.”

And so Inaba led him into the building. How was she feeling? She refused to make eye contact with him, so it was hard to tell.

Inside, the church’s historic origins became much more apparent. Light streamed in through the stained glass windows, filling the interior with the aura of the sacred, on top of the homey warmth engendered through the natural wood furnishings. They climbed the stairs to the second floor.

“They call this area the sanctuary,” Inaba explained as they passed through the wooden threshold.

This was Taichi’s first time being inside a real church, and the first things he noticed were the white walls and high ceiling. In here, the stained-glass windows were arched in shape. Wooden pews sat in two neat rows, each of them adorned with decorative trim. On the other end of the room sat an altar, with a statue of Jesus on one side and the Holy Mother on the other.

With no one else around, the room felt peaceful.

Gazing around at the furnishings, he and Inaba walked down the aisle to the altar, then casually turned to face each other. Was this the climax of his story? The solemnity of their surroundings weighed on him like a ton of bricks. In this holy sanctuary, dishonesty and vanity were implicitly forbidden. He could feel himself tensing up.

But nevertheless, it was time to start over. It was time to fight his failures. He had nothing left to lose; it wasn’t going to kill him. But most of all, he wanted this church to be their stage. And so he decided to tell Inaba everything.

“There’s a lot I want to talk about... but first, I want to start with the things you’ve pointed out to me lately. The things you want me to fix. And I want to tell you my thoughts about that. Is that alright with you?”

She nodded firmly. He took a deep breath... and thought back to their previous conversation.

—You once changed me, but... apparently I can’t change you.

“Inaba... I think I can change, and I’m going to try.”

He looked directly into her eyes, taking her in fully. No more putting his head in the sand.

“...Huh?” She blinked at him in confusion. “Change? What are you talking about?”

Starting the conversation was the hardest part. But once it got started, it was relatively smooth sailing from there. All he had to do was keep going, step by step.

“A while ago, you told me that in a hypothetical world where everyone is focused on helping others instead of themselves, humanity would go extinct. And now I understand what you meant by that.”

Not to suggest he hadn’t understood her point right from the moment she said it, but now he had physically experienced it for himself.

“If no one’s around to lead the way forward, the world will stop advancing. Someone somewhere needs to set the standard.”

Someone had to step up. Someone had to carry that weight. And that someone was him.

“But even then, there’s no guarantee that standard will be the ‘correct’ one... I mean, it’ll never be ‘correct’ for every single person.”

There were simply too many viewpoints in this world for a single approach to fit all of them.

“What seems like justice to one person might look like injustice to someone else.”

Sure, maybe there were some circumstances in which one approach was objectively just, but for the most part, it was completely subjective. Even in wars, both sides were simultaneously heroes and villains, depending on what side you were standing on.

Meanwhile, Inaba listened without interrupting. And maybe he was just seeing things, but... he thought he saw the faint light of hope in her eyes.

“I tried to decide right from wrong, but in the end, no one can decide that. And it wasn’t a sense of right and wrong that I needed. Instead, what I really needed... was my own set of beliefs. The ability to make decisions. Agency. Don’t you think?”

That was what he was truly missing. Everyone around him had helped him see that. He’d been a real pain in their asses, but now he was finally on the same page.

He awaited her judgment.

“...Oh, uh... did you want me to answer that?” She turned away and sheepishly scratched her head, a masculine gesture that contrasted sharply with her feminine attire. “Well, uh... yeah, that’s pretty much what I was getting at. But it’s not really as serious as you’re making it sound. We’re still kids and all.”

“What happened to ‘We can’t stay children forever’?”

“Sh-Shut up! Yes, I regret saying that, okay?! Don’t rub it in my face!” She grimaced in embarrassment.

In the end, they were still just kids, and being a kid was about learning. Even if they lacked conviction now, surely they’d find it in time. The same went for Taichi himself; he didn’t need to rush. He could grow at his own pace... though admittedly perhaps his fear was somewhat justified, since he was already more than halfway through high school and still didn’t have a self. But even then, when he gained that supernatural power, he gained the ability to influence people.

“I mean... after all the supernatural shit we went through, and then we were given powers of our own? This was bound to happen,” she sighed.

Those powers changed everything. With the Dream Vision, they possessed the ability to affect people’s lives on par with any average adult—no, possibly even moreso.

“When it comes down to it... all I care about is seeing the people in my life happy. Childish, I know. But when it comes to wielding power, it takes more than that.” As does growing up.

“Basically, it’s all in the timing. The time came, so we needed to step up to the plate. Not like we all magically become adults the second we reach a certain age... but I guess in our case, we’re ahead of the curve, huh?” she replied.

No matter who you were, sooner or later, your time would come, and you would be expected to make the best possible decision while considering all the options and angles. In Taichi’s case, that time was now.

“You know, thinking back... you saw it all coming, didn’t you, Inaba? If only I’d listened to you... and I mean actually listened...”

“No, I wouldn’t say that.” Her expression softened somewhat. “It’s better that you figured it out on your own. That way you genuinely understand it. Plus... if I was really all that competent, I would’ve solved it a long time ago. But I couldn’t.” She looked down at the floor. “No matter how ‘correct’ I believed myself to be, I... I couldn’t help but wonder how you saw it. Sure, I have my strengths, but... I also have a fuckton of weaknesses... and... well... I...”

She started to fidget, playing with her fingers. Her tough front had receded, exposing the vulnerable girl underneath.

“It’s okay, Inaba. I’ll—” Taichi began, but just then, she glared up at him.

“This is your fault for... for being such a softie! For running around helping anyone and everyone! You... It feels like you only agreed to go out with me because you knew it was what I wanted. I love you so much, but you—oh god, what am I saying?!” She clutched at her hair in a panic. “Goddamn it, what’s the matter with me?! I thought I was done with you... I told myself it couldn’t work... but now look at me...”

“Honestly, I feel like I never would’ve gotten this far if you hadn’t tried to break things off.”

“Yeah... See? I knew we just needed some time apart...”

The way she looked away from him, it felt like she was conceding something. Why? Was it his fault? He needed to do something. Was this him “acting on reflex” again? No, he needed to examine this more thoroughly—take the next step.

What was next for himself and Inaba? How did he, Yaegashi Taichi, feel about it?

He had overcome a formidable hurdle and learned what he was meant to do. But in a way, that much was small potatoes. All he did was discover his inadequacies and discuss a potential fix. But where would he go from there? He needed to be an active participant in the decision-making process. He needed to have a vision for his future.

“I have something I want to tell you. Will you hear me out?”

She froze for a moment... then nodded. She seemed so fragile. Right now, they were just two people standing in a church.

“I believe that love takes many forms.”

He had to do this right. She deserved that much. After watching Aoki and Kiriyama, he knew he needed to put himself out there the same way they had.

“And there are a lot of different kinds of relationships. Everyone has different ideals... including you and me.”

Everyone on the planet had their own unique viewpoint; no two were exactly alike.

“But despite our differences... we make connections anyway.”

Compromises could be made.

“So I asked myself, how is that possible? But when I thought about it, I realized that friendships just kind of happen regardless, so maybe romantic relationships aren’t much different.”

Life was like a river. It could carry you into a new relationship on momentum alone. And sometimes that worked out just fine.

“But... there’s no guarantee that those spontaneous relationships will all be successful.”

Sure, you can leave it to luck. It’s your life. But if this is the only chance you’ll get, would you really want to risk it?

“You have to want it.”

Inaba listened as he spoke. Fortunately, no one else had entered the sanctuary—almost as though fate itself was giving them time.

“When you make a decision, you have to take a lot of things into consideration. Like how it will affect other people, for example.”

Obviously it wasn’t healthy to base a decision entirely on the needs of other people, but you couldn’t outright ignore them either.

“But in the end, it’s a decision you have to make yourself.”

This was something far bigger than simply picking dialogue options in a video game. In a big, chaotic world where the right answer was never clear-cut, all you could do was prepare yourself for the consequences of your choice. But first, you needed to take a hard look at your desires and make your opinion heard. That was the first step.

“That’s why I want to tell you the conclusion I’ve come up with.”

It was a lengthy disclaimer, but she seemed to sense his sincerity from it. She swallowed hard, and he realized she was scared. Then he remembered he was scared, too.

This wasn’t his first big declaration, but it was certainly the most carefully considered. This was the final battle between Yaegashi Taichi and Inaba Himeko.

“I’m sorry to have to say this, but... I’d be lying if I said there weren’t times I believed that because you loved me, I was ‘supposed’ to love you back.”

His blunt honesty made her gaze waver, but she maintained her composure. “Yeah... If you’d tried to deny it, I would’ve called bullshit anyway. Besides, I don’t think it’s a bad thing, per se.”

“But those fears were just getting in the way, so I pushed them aside and probed deeper.”

She pursed her lips together, bracing herself. He looked her dead in the eye.

“You’re adorable and beautiful and smart and sweet. And you’ve taught me so much.”

Rosy color filled her cheeks.

“Those things alone make me want you.”

They were perfectly valid reasons in and of themselves... but in Taichi’s mind, they weren’t quite enough.

“But the thing about me is... It’s hard to explain, but... I want to go on a journey of self-discovery. I always want to keep learning.”

For once, he was being true to his desires.

“And I want to learn how to help people—and not just to stroke my own ego. I want to really help them.”

The point of life.

“And I can’t get there without your help.”

The point of human connection.

“...No, that’s not quite right. I just... want you to watch me and see how far I go.”

She’d pointed out all of his most shameful faults, and now he had changed. Likewise, he’d once done the same for her. And if being together helped them grow, and could help them make their dreams come true... then that was what he wanted.

Did that count as love? Maybe it wasn’t normal... but then again, what was? This was his normal; what else mattered? He set the standard. It was his decision. He didn’t know if it was safe to call this love, but either way, he wanted to be with her—and that was enough.

“I love you, Inaba, and I hope you’ll still be my girlfriend.”

Conviction. Vision. Agency. Those were the things he lacked.

Inaba fell silent for a moment, staring at him, her expression perfectly blank. “You... love me?” she asked slowly, probingly.

“Yes, I do,” he replied.

“As in... romantically?” she pressed further.

“Yes, romantically,” he replied.

“I see. Well, as it happens, I’m romantically interested in you too,” she mentioned casually.

It was so out of nowhere, his heart nearly stopped. Was she going to take him back?

The next instant, tears began to stream down her cheeks.

“Haha... What the? That’s weird... Why am I crying...?”

It was like a dam had burst. Inaba rubbed at them with both hands, but they kept coming and coming. And as they flowed, her emotions spilled forth in turn.

“I was so scared... I thought it was all one-sided. I couldn’t tell how you felt... and I just needed you so bad... It felt like if I didn’t do something, I’d end up being alone again.”

Her feelings washed over him in a tidal wave.

“I told myself I needed to handle it on my own... Needed to be able to stand on my own two feet. But if you broke up with me, I was scared I’d lose everything—and I hated the thought of being so dependent on you. So I pushed you away.”

Although she’d seemed strong and self-confident on the outside, she’d been at odds with herself on the inside, just like him.

“All those times I criticized you... I was really just lashing out,” she sniffled. “I’m sorry... It was immature of me.”

“Hey, come on. It’s okay. I was the same way.”

Their immaturity had posed a risk to their relationship. In a weird way, they had grown too dependent upon each other. But after they fought and spent some time apart, they learned some important lessons. And maybe this was the best they could manage right now... but they had plenty of time to improve going forward.

Then he realized she hadn’t technically answered him yet.

“So, uh... I asked if you could still be my girlfriend... Is that cool, or...?”

“Wh... You want me to say it?! Out loud?! Just read between the lines, damn it!” For some reason she sounded angry.

“S-Sorry...”

“Ugh, don’t look at me with those puppy eyes. You make me feel like the bad guy... Anyway, uh... yeah... I’d love to be your girlfriend.”

She blushed beet-red, and Taichi could tell he was blushing, too.

“Gah... This is so awkward... Why are we doing this in a church?! It almost feels like you’re... p-proposing or something!” Inaba stammered bashfully.

Then he remembered—“Oh!”—well, not that he forgot, per se; he just wasn’t sure when to bring it up. He pulled something out of a small paper bag and held it out to her.

“...What’s that?”

“A token of our relationship restored... or our bond, or... my love for you...”

It was a necklace—a trinket he’d bought on his way here today. The comma-shaped magatama pendant was made of red glass with a swirly pattern. She lifted it up to eye level to examine it.

“It’s... pretty.”

“Yeah... I liked the smooth, glossy look. They had bigger ones, but I figured it might be easier to wear something smaller and more discreet.”

“I love it. Thank you,” she replied without batting a lash. Blunt and to the point, but he could tell that she was sincerely grateful... so he took it as a sign to continue.

“And guess what? I got one for me, too.” He took out a second necklace, nearly identical to hers, except his pendant was blue.

“To match?”

“Yep. Exactly.”

Truth be told, he’d been worried that it was an extremely presumptuous move... but one look at her smile and that fear went out the window. It was the sweetest, brightest, most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

With her face burning red, Inaba quietly closed her eyes. Drawn in like a magnet—but with a clear will of his own—he moved close and kissed her.

As with their lips, their hearts were connected.

□■□■□

Shyly, they took turns reaching over and clasping a necklace around the other’s neck. Then they walked out of the building, thanked the tour guide, and set off down the street.

There was less than an hour left until they were scheduled to meet up with the rest of the students, but they wanted to spend the remainder of their time exploring together. And to make up for all the time they’d spent apart, they were firmly holding hands.

This was their one and only high school trip, and now it was almost over. But before it ended, there was still time to make a few more happy memories.

They turned a corner, and right there on the side of the road—

«Heartseed».

Why? Why now?

He didn’t understand. But then again, when it came to «Heartseed», its arrival never made sense. One minute they were enjoying their peaceful lives, and the next minute, something soulless showed up wearing Gotou Ryuuzen’s body.

“What are you... doing here...? No matter where we go, you’ll always find us? Is that it?” Inaba asked in a hard voice, trembling.

Taichi squeezed her hand. It hurt him to see her like this.

“My, my... I’m glad we made it in time,” «Heartseed» replied, ignoring her questions entirely. “That was quite the close shave... Yes, right down to the—”

Just then, it froze mid-sentence. Its gaze shifted up and to the side, almost like it was listening to something.

“Wh... What?” Inaba prompted, baffled.

“Oh, just... marvelling at what a close call it was... Now then... Yaegashi-san.”

At the sound of his name, Taichi braced himself, then took a half-step forward... only for Inaba to follow suit. The look in her eyes said I’m not letting you go alone .

“Truly, I cannot thank you enough... As I suspected, watching you has... led me to the thing I was searching for... Yes... Just as I anticipated...”

«Heartseed» was... thanking him? This was practically unheard of. What had it found?

“Why was it watching you?” Inaba whispered.

“Hell if I know,” Taichi whispered back.

“Anyway... This should just about be the right time to... wrap things up.”

It was here to announce the end of the phenomenon. That much wasn’t too far out of the ordinary. Sooner or later it would complain that things had grown stale, then vanish from their lives. And for this “final bonus round,” Taichi expected something along those same lines.

“But you’re just going to come back and screw with us again some other time, aren’t you?” he asked.

“No,” «Heartseed» answered promptly.

“Yeah, that’s what I—wait, what?” Inaba blinked in surprise.

“By ‘no,’ do you mean... we won’t see you again?” Taichi asked, his voice quavering.

“Correct... That’s my intention, anyway...” «Heartseed» replied casually.

...That’s it?

“What the hell...? Are you serious?!” Shaking like a leaf, Inaba relinquished her grip on Taichi’s hand. “Then we’re... we’re free from you and «The Second» and all the supernatural shit? Is that what you’re telling me?!”

“Well... Yes, I suppose you will be...”

“And you’re... telling the truth?” Taichi asked.

“You don’t have to believe me if you don’t want to, Yaegashi-san... I don’t care if you spend your whole life dreading my return... Alternatively, you can simply forget all about me... I’m fine either way...”

Is it serious? Does it... really mean that?

“Wait, but... This doesn’t make any goddamn sense! Do you know how much we’ve suffered because of you and your senseless experiments?!” Inaba’s voice wavered with emotion. “And now all we get is fucking ‘Thanks a lot, see ya’?! No explanation, nothing?!”

“Uh, Inaba? It almost sounds like you want «Heartseed» to stay.”

“Fuck no I don’t!” She landed a kick to his shin. “What I’m saying is, I refuse to accept this! It’s ridiculously unfair to us! What was the point of all this, goddamn it?!”

“Oh, well... it was simply a story of my own making... Commenced and concluded as I saw fit...” «Heartseed» replied in a flat, detached voice.

“You think this is a game?!”

“It always was, right from the start... Surely you people weren’t under the impression that you were in control, were you? Don’t be silly... How arrogant can you possibly be...?”

“If anyone’s arrogant, it’s you! ” Inaba roared.

“I like to think I was rather considerate, relatively speaking... I’m a good person, you know... Anyway... there you have it.” «Heartseed» looked up and to the side once more. “It seems I’ve well and truly run out of time, so... I’ll be going now... May we never cross paths again...”

Out of time?

“Wait... seriously?” Inaba murmured. Taichi stared blankly.

The nightmare had descended upon them without warning, so really, it was only natural that it ended in a similar fashion. But considering just how much it had helped them grow, it felt distinctly unfair that they would have no hand in its conclusion. Or perhaps they did, but they just didn’t realize it. This was «Heartseed»’s story, after all.

“...Huh?!” Just then, Gotou Ryuuzen snapped back to life. “Wait... Where am I? What the? What happened to the souvenir shop?” He glanced around, puzzled. “How did I...? Man, something’s not right. Was I sleepwalking...? Maybe I should think about making a doctor’s appointment... Oh, hey there, kids! Weird question: how long have I been standing here?”

And so the tale of the Yamaboshi High School Cultural Research Club and the supernatural phenomena came to an end.

It’s over.