030. Optical Illusion (2)
030. Optical Illusion (2)
Dreams are just dreams, after all.
I'd always thought that.
A dream because it can't come true.
I knew better than anyone that that was exactly what made them so precious and valuable.
So.
I prided myself on having tried desperately to turn my eyes away from that dream.
Just.
Doing what I could.
Doing my best, even if it was impossible.
...Even if I was going to disappear soon.
I wanted to leave a massive mark on the person I liked most: Yuna Castilla.
I prayed that she would reach a happy ending.
I thought I'd been running toward that goal all this time...
The dream came true.
And I couldn't stop the tears from bursting out.
Hing-hing.
I'm not usually this much of a crybaby.
But.
Yuna Castilla.
She's looking down at me, smiling brightly.
With a face full of tear tracks. Smiling so kindly and comfortably.
With an expression of pure, untainted kindness.
"Grab it."
She held out her blood-stained hand.
'...Blood?'
"Grab it, you orphan bitch. You're an orphan, aren't you? You're just like me."
...Right. I wasn't any different from Yuna.
It meant we were in the same position.
'You can't do that.'
Yuna shouldn't be in the same position as someone like me.
She has to go up. Higher.
Because the sun is meant to shine brightest in the sky.
For the world Yuna wants. For the happy ending I want.
Yuna shouldn't stay in a place like this.
...But.
"Idiot. Get up. Can't you even walk properly? How long are you going to stay like that? Get up and follow me."
Why is that? Yuna is a total angel.
She almost never curses, and even when she does, it's not that harsh.
Getting cursed at by Yuna was also very familiar.
'...The reason Yuna curses at me like that.'
It's entirely my fault. It's the price for me bullying Yuna so much.
It's karma.
I have absolutely no intention of shamelessly playing the victim, no matter what happens. Not even in the slightest.
But for some reason.
My body feels like it's going limp.
My heart started beating like crazy—thump, thump, thump-thump.
I can't put any strength into my body at all.
I couldn't look at Yuna's face anymore.
Even though it's the face I've always wanted to see so much.
Right now, her kind smile was so beautiful that I wanted to keep it forever in the pendant I was clutching in both hands.
It feels like I'm dreaming right now.
Ugh, ughhh.
My body just wouldn't move.
Suddenly.
M-my, my... my s-stomach... it's starting to feel so nauseous.
"Grab it, you orphan bitch."
I can't. The dry heaving... it's getting worse.
Every word Yuna says is sincere. It's all true. It's all correct.
...Not that.
I really, truly have no intention of getting hurt now, so ugly and pathetic...
B-but...
"Why are you blubbering? Why? What the hell is your problem!!!"
Flinch.
Startled by Yuna's shout, I ended up moving back—just a little bit.
"Uh...?"
T-this isn't it. In my heart, I should be really, really happy.
I shouldn't show her this, if only for Yuna's sake.
But. My head wouldn't let me.
'Yuna, you're really the best...'
"...What is it."
"N-no, I, ugh, a, a, a... u, u, ughhh..."
"Hey. Are you messing with me right now?"
"I-I'm not..."
O-oh, no. This is a situation that could really be misunderstood.
I-it's all my fault. If this keeps up, Yuna will look like a real, total, massive bitch.
She'll end up getting hurt badly by her friends.
So. I have to step in.
My vision is blurring because of the tears. I-I can't see what's in front of me properly.
I like Yuna. I liked Yuna.
Because Yuna wasn't a passive protagonist.
A confident protagonist whom I envied for her always dignified and self-assured appearance, easily overcoming any crisis.
I liked Yuna so much that I thought of her even until the moment I died.
[ Don't worry. I'm here. ]
Twisting a world full of bad luck and malice, saving everyone with strong bonds, and then proudly changing her own destiny. That figure was so cool. That's why.
"...N-no."
That's why I liked Yuna. I still like her. So.
"Stop it!!!!!!"
Until Yuna sent a cold glare toward Alisa, who was screaming at the top of her lungs at her. I definitely thought I could still handle it on my own.
"...Ha?"
Yuna frowned slightly. And slowly turned the direction of her blood-stained hand toward Alisa.
Twitch, twitch.
My legs went weak, and my bladder gave out too. I-I'm getting a little damp down there, but...
Still.
"Yu, Yuna... Castilla."
When I called her name. Yuna hesitated for a moment before fixing her gaze on me.
I know very well that she doesn't like me. I also know very well that she hates me a lot. That she wants to kill me. That she's disgusted by me.
So.
"You can... do that to me."
"What? What are you talking about?"
To me. You can, you can pay me back for everything I've done to you so far.
I won't run away or whine now. I'm ready to face it all.
But.
'To other people.'
Especially. I just hoped you wouldn't do that to Alisa, who has nothing to do with this.
This is our story. I didn't want to see someone uninvolved get hurt.
So I have to get up.
So that Yuna doesn't do anything bad anymore. I, I have to be by her side.
I stand up. Very slowly. Even if I have to use all my strength, I'll do it proudly. It's time to face it head-on.
Because I can't just run away forever.
'...Hehehe.'
Because I really, really like Yuna. This is a problem I have to solve.
One villain for this game was enough. Yuna doesn't need to wear clothes that don't suit her.
I just wanted Yuna to remain the protagonist. So. I faced Yuna. Head-on.
*
'Am I misunderstanding something?'
Aria thought she was no longer related to 'that person.'
So. She let her guard down just a little and felt at ease. For the first time. She just approached her first, thinking she wanted to be friends.
I hate to admit it, but I've been... keeping an eye on her since the moment I entered the Academy. Because I was envious. Because I admired her.
Because her brain, judgment, and appearance were so dazzling. Because I wanted to walk the same path.
The first meeting was a complete failure. It remained in the worst possible form.
But. The second meeting would be different. Now, I felt like I could really reach out my hand comfortably.
But.
'...Why.'
Why does it feel so familiar? This is just like...
Yuna gently, carefully untied the red ribbon that was holding her hair back and clutched it tightly in her fist. Then she looked at Aria.
'Why does it feel... so familiar?'
Aria Witri. She had been suspicious ever since the moment she saved her at the ballroom.
'But...' It had been clearly, clearly proven that she wasn't that person.
At that moment. Yuna felt a little chill.
'What if...'
If, by any chance. If the identity of that person... was the girl in front of her, who was standing up proudly even while trembling and shedding tears.
'What... have I... done... until now...?'
...No. Absolutely, there's no way that's true. So Aria is... No, it must be that way so that I can treat Aria as a friend.
'I just hope Aria is happy.'
That was the only reason she spoke to her.
It was just a word spoken first with kindness and goodwill. But. Aria's attitude was too strange.
'She has the look of someone who's scared.'
Why? She didn't really understand.
Yuna just wanted to forgive everything and encourage Aria.
If so. Why with those eyes? ...At me? Why? She wanted to know the reason. So she asked.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"Uh...?"
I wish you wouldn't look at me with those eyes. Even that cold gaze from before would be fine.
'...You make me feel awkward when you look at me like that. Idiot.'
This isn't anyone's fault. ...No. If I had to be precise. Aria Witri. She did, just a little bit, twist the relationship.
Yuna tried to gently approach Aria.
"D-don't!!! Please, don't do anything... to Aria..."
She didn't care about the shouts of an outsider. She hadn't been angry in the first place.
She had no intention of doing anything. ...Not yet.
Right now, just.
"Aria Witri."
Yuna said Aria's name out loud for the first time.
Because she just wanted to convey her true feelings to her.