020. Coincidence (1)
020. Coincidence (1)
"Wow, it's a waning moon."
Hehe. By the way, a waning moon refers to the moon that rises in the east at dawn.
I think I'm seriously, totally super smart.
How on earth do I even know this?
But the surroundings are, like, super dark.
The fact that I can see things clearly is gloomy, terrifying, and creepy...
I mean, the moonlight is shining here and there, but.
There are way, way more places that are hidden in darkness.
But it's fine now.
Because there definitely won't be anyone here at this hour, hehehe.
"First, starting with this..."
It's a letter filled with my genuine gratitude and apologies to Yuna.
Hing-hing. I felt sorry that this was all I could give her.
But this was, like, the best I could do.
If I had, like, tons of time, I would also—hing-hing-hing.
I'd be by Yuna's side, giving her advice on this and that, helping her in real-time, and stuff.
Unfortunately.
It's truly a shame, but it didn't seem like I had that much time given to me. It's seriously super disappointing.
Still.
Let's do my best with what I can.
That's all I could think of.
"Uhehe."
I really hope Yuna is super happy when she sees this.
Yuna's birthday is passing soon.
And the Academy gets swallowed up by the lushness of April and stuff.
And at that time.
A huge main event called the 'Advancement Evaluation' happens.
It's an exam where we go into a massive forest north of the Academy and beat up monsters and stuff.
However.
Yuna gets into a huge, huge accident there.
So.
I have to let her know in advance to prevent it.
The Advancement Evaluation happens twice a year.
Literally, it's the test that decides whether you move on to the next grade or not.
'I... won't be able to go, though.'
But my heart will always be with Yuna.
Uhehe.
Yuna is seriously super pretty and incredibly beautiful.
So, just looking at her makes my heart feel super warm.
If I get the chance...
I really do want to see Yuna one last time.
Hing-hing.
I put the letter, filled with my gratitude and deep concern for Yuna, into the mailbox.
It's not a note, but a real, long-form letter.
Hehehe.
I hope Yuna is super touched after reading this.
Next.
I took out the bouquet I had been holding onto dearly.
'...Will Yuna be able to find this too?'
If I leave it in a conspicuous place, someone will trample or steal it.
It's not that the Academy students aren't nice, it's just like that.
I heard that the sons and daughters of those "robber nobles"—or whatever they're called—who are scattered all over the kingdom, have enrolled in huge numbers.
But I don't think I can put this bouquet in the mailbox.
The corner of the mailbox is, like, broken.
It's wide open, so if there's something other than a letter inside, it stands out way, way too much.
Especially since it's a bouquet full of colorful roses.
Hehe.
A gift truly filled with my heart.
But if possible, I wanted to give her gifts like this next year too.
But I don't think that'll be possible.
"Hing-hing."
Still, I won't whine.
I won't even cry about it.
Because Yuna would hate me so, so, so much.
Since I'm the one who made it that way.
So, I did my absolute best to make sure Yuna's heart wouldn't be broken.
I think it's probably fine now, right?
Uhehe. There shouldn't be anyone who would be sad even if I were gone.
I mean, no one who would get hurt.
But at that moment.
Rustle-
Something made a sound in the nearby bushes.
I flinched and turned my head.
"U, ugh..."
Ah, this is bad.
This place is way too secluded.
I could, like, get... subjected to some really nasty stuff...
Hing-hing.
But I can't let that happen yet.
My given time is limited.
I can't waste such time in some weird place.
Getting into some weird situation.
However.
"Ugh..."
My head suddenly started to ache.
"Ugh..."
I couldn't hold it back and ended up vomiting blood.
I quickly covered it with the surrounding dirt to get rid of the blood.
Because I shouldn't leave, like, evidence like this.
And I shouldn't collapse here either.
If I were to collapse here and lose consciousness...
Hing-hing-hing.
The chances of me getting into a really rough situation were, like, seriously super high.
So, it's time to turn back.
I flinched and looked at the bushes.
There were no human shapes or traces of beasts.
Silence.
Only the chirping of insects, which had begun their concert to welcome the dawn of spring, broke the stillness.
Ugh... did I, like, hear it wrong?
Honestly, I'm scared.
What if something pops out from there?
And if that something is, like, an Academy student I bullied who has bad intentions...
Then I'll never be able to see Yuna again.
That's what's scary. Hing-hing.
So I have to hurry.
I carefully placed the bouquet in front of the mailbox.
Since there's no proper place to put it... and I can't think of anything else...
I hope Yuna finds it first.
I prayed for that in my heart, over and over.
'Please, I hope the gift is delivered to Yuna safely.'
This is the last one.
Since it will be my last gift...
But that's enough.
Today is a totally joyful and super happy day.
That much is enough for me to be truly, super satisfied.
So.
I bowed my head low.
And I pulled down the hood, which I had hidden in my uniform pocket, to cover just my head and shoulders.
They call this a cowl, but I don't really know what's what, hing-hing.
But Clara gave it to me, saying it didn't fit her, uhehe.
But our builds are similar, so there's no way it wouldn't fit.
'...Does she mean for me to dispose of something she's too lazy to throw away?'
But I'm using it quite usefully right now.
If I pull this down low, no one will be able to catch me.
At least, not my face.
Waning moon.
The moon, encroached upon by clouds, slowly erased its own traces.
The moonlight that had been faintly shining on the ground also disappeared.
At such a late hour.
Thump.
Footsteps were heard from somewhere.
'Ugh...'
Praying that it wasn't someone bad or strange.
I curled my body as much as I could.
And started walking, stepping gingerly.
In the direction where the footsteps weren't coming from.
*
"...Haa."
Yuna wandered around the Academy, breathing heavily.
Walking around the vast grounds, again and again.
Trying to somehow relieve her stifling heart.
She ran and ran until she was out of breath.
And inadvertently, she arrived at Aria's [Dormitory].
"I won't... go inside."
Because she didn't have the courage to do so.
'That bitch is a bad person. Everything... everything is just her getting back what she did...'
Even though it's so late, the lights are on.
It must be proof that she's in a normal state, plotting some strange and evil plans.
So, there's no need to pay any attention to it.
Thinking that, Yuna slowly turned her steps away.
But for some reason.
"Ha..."
Yuna let out a sigh of relief.
Unconsciously.
Without even realizing it.
Why... exactly?
She hates Aria so terribly.
Beyond hating her, she actually loathes Aria.
That bitch... said and did too many things she shouldn't have.
Everything Aria is going through now is retribution.
It means she is paying the price for her sins, receiving back everything she did, moment by moment.
If she has a conscience.
If there is even a shred of human heart left in Aria.
She must bear everything she is going through right now all by herself.
Because that is atonement.
However.
After that...
Really, after Aria admits all her faults, apologizes to her, and pays the price for her sins completely...
At that time, how should she... look at Aria?
Yuna's face flushed hot at that moment.
'W, w, what did I just think?'
Aria doesn't matter anymore.
She never really worried about her.
And it's all a coincidence that she ended up at Aria's [Dormitory] at such a late hour.
She doesn't think about her at all.
She is healthy.
She's healthy enough to be awake until late at night.
Naturally, the whole "terminally ill" thing must have been a blatant lie.
Even though she confirmed it with her own eyes and heard it with her own ears.
'...It has to be a lie.'
Yuna's footsteps, thinking that, were much lighter.
Then.
Suddenly, that place came to mind.
Yuna Castilla.
She, with her red ribbon that had slipped down in the breeze tied tightly again.
As if possessed, she headed toward that place.
She thought of Aria.
And naturally, that person came to mind.
She doesn't know the reason, but.
The place of her promise with that person also came to mind along with it.
Coincidence.
All of this is a thorough coincidence.
Yuna thought so.
A coincidence that feels like fate.
That is why Yuna put meaning into every step she took.
Because it felt like she had to.
Perhaps today.
She might be able to meet that person.
Clock tower.
Yuna took a step toward the abandoned mailbox.
The moon that had been in the dawn sky slowly gave its body to the clouds.
The moonlight that had been illuminating Yuna's path also soon disappeared.
The noisy concert of the insects also stimulated Yuna's ears.
At such a late hour.
Step.
Footsteps were heard from somewhere.
Yuna inadvertently pricked up her ears at those footsteps.