・・・ xli・・・

Ao stepped quietly outside the room.

The door closed behind him without making a sound.

The hallway was silent.

For a moment, all he did was stare at the white floor.

His legs were slightly shaking.

Everything felt so light.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

—He blinked.

A second later, Ao realized that there was someone in front of him.

He looked up, expecting to see Monica waiting for him.

It was someone else, however.

The same blonde hair.

The same blue eyes.

The same can of soda.

He was dressed in the same clothes that he had been wearing before.

Leo.

・・・ xlii・・・

No one breathed a word between them.

One.

Two.

Three.

Leo reluctantly stepped forward, looking unsure.

He opened his mouth.

He closed it.

He was looking at Ao with an expression of someone who didn't know what to say.

Leo tried to speak again.

This time, he finally managed to form his words.

"Ao—," his voice broke as he called his name.

"Ao, I—"

He swallowed and looked away, shaking his head.

Once again, he tried.

"I.... I—"

Leo's voice disappeared.

His eyes were troubled. Pleading.

He looked like he was about to cry again.

Ao didn't say anything.

Instead, he stepped forward.

Without thinking about it,
Ao suddenly leaned his head on Leo's shoulder,
burying his face to hide his expression.

For a few moments,
no one between them moved.

He could feel Leo shaking.

He could hear the uneven beating of his heart.

Ao finally managed to speak.

"... Can you... stay like this for a moment?" he asked in a low whisper.

・・・ xliii・・・

He couldn't understand what he was feeling.

Everything still felt numb.

However, there was one thing that he knew with absolute certainty.

—I'm here. I'm here.

Leo must have been taken aback.

Instead of answering him, he said nothing.

A brief, momentary stillness passed.

Ao closed his eyes.

Dozens of uncertain questions formed in his head.

Why... are you here?
Why are you doing this?
Why are you so kind to me?
Why did you say that it wasn't my fault?

Ao parted his lips.

The question that he asked was the question that carried the heaviest weight.

He hesitated before whispering.

"Did I... Did I do the right thing?"

・・・ xliv・・・

He felt Leo flinch slightly from his words.

To his ear, his own voice sounded too weak. Strained.

Ao didn't move or step away.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Then, after a moment,
Leo finally spoke.

When he did, his tone was so gentle.

"... Did you regret what you said to him?" he asked.

Ao blinked.

He thought about it.

Somehow, his words were stuck in his throat.

He felt the entire world shaking beneath his feet.

He remembered his father's words.

He remembered his father's face.

Ao breathed out.

He was shaking again.

Very, very slowly, he shook his head.

—No.

No, I didn't.

In that moment, he almost started to cry.

Before he could,
a warm, reassuring hand reached out and softly patted his back.

"Ah..." Leo said quietly.

"...There's your answer, Ao."

・・・ xlv・・・

He breathed in shakily.

His heart was still beating too loud.

I'm here.
I'm here.

I'm breathing.

This is real.

It's not a dream.

Ao closed his eyes.

"No.
Stop looking away.
It's real.
This is real."

He opened them.

Afterwards, Fujiwara Ao murmured a single request to his friend.

"... Can you go with me somewhere?"