A midsummer night's dream: 08/07/2031, 08:00  ♪ BGM: Languid Hours of Rokumei City ♫ Prison Guard: --And don't you ever come back, you hear?  But of course. ...Thanks for all your help.Watase deeply bowed his head when he said that... Then turned around and walked out into the outside world for the first time in about a year. He took a great deep breath. Wheeeew... fresh air really does taste the best.That line was just as cliched as the guards had been, but he was only being half serious. Well then... what to do now...?He was glad he was finally out, but he didn't have a place to stay the night. The plan had been for Ena to pick him up and take him to his new temporary residence-- But she was nowhere to be found. (Did something come up...?)Just as he thought that, a voice called out to him from behind. ???: Watase. ...Watase turned around in surprise to see--  ♪ BGM: Loyalist / Theme of Tachibana ♫ None other than Kazami standing there. Kazami... why are you here...? Ms. Tsubakiyama told me you were being released today. What?Ena was being far too considerate. She'd gone ahead and arranged for this even though Watase hadn't asked for it-- Wait... more importantly, is it okay for you to even be here!? What do you mean? Aren't you being targeted by the press, or all sorts of examination authorities, or whatever?Kazami was currently one of the few Ability Level 6 Communicators in all of Japan. Though she was keeping that a secret from the world, she was also one of the victims of the LABO incident. Watase had heard from Ena that she'd been living a secluded life, just like Natsuhiko and the others. That's why she'd never come to visit Watase in prison, and why he thought he'd never see her again... You realize what kinds of articles they'll write if they find out you've met up with someone who literally just got out of prison? I don't care. I can't let you act that way. Even the ESP Bureau's keeping an eye on-- Didn't you hear me? I just said I don't care.The force in Kazami's voice discouraged him from speaking further. Watase swallowed what he had been about to say and watched silently.  Because... I've been waiting for this day for a long time.Watase just then noticed that her eyes were brimming with tears. ...Kazami. You don't know just how much I missed you, do you? First you suddenly break up with me two years ago, then I finally learned the reason why after a year of waiting... And the moment I thought we could get a fresh start together, you disappear again... I've had it up to here with your selfishness! ! I finally meet you again for the first time in a year, and what do I get? No words of comfort, just the cold shoulder! The ESP Bureau and the media can go to hell for all I care! None of that matters to me! You met with Ms. Tsubakiyama all the time, yet you never sent me a single letter! Ah, well... I'm sorry about that.A year of pent up emotions from Kazami came shooting out of her mouth all at once. Watase was stunned by the look on her face. He'd never seen that kind of expression from her ever before. Besides, don't you remember our promise!? Don't you remember what you said back when we kissed in the engine room!? You said 'let's go for a walk through that park again if we make it out of here', remember!? O-of course I do! I remember, but--Watase's face suddenly grew dead serious as he tried to calm Kazami. ...Don't you get it, Kazami? I'm an ex-convict. What's worse, I'm the terrorist who destroyed LABO, and from Q's perspective, I'm a traitor. There are probably guys in the Rokumei City government and Q who hate my guts. Some probably even want me dead. You could never be happy being with someone like me. You idiot. Do you really think a wimpy little threat like that is all it'll take to get me to leave you? 'Wimpy'... are you... I've grown strong, you know. I spent three months in tears after losing Nagisa again... But I was able to overcome that even without you around. I'm no longer the kind of woman who'll just keep waiting for you. From now on, I'm sticking with you no matter how much you protest.Kazami stared Watase dead in the eye. There was indeed a strong light in her eyes, but-- (... There's that part about her where she pushes herself too far.)Watase knew that. Kazami was probably under the surveillance of BC officials throughout Japan. Just like Natsuhiko and the others were. He didn't expect there to be any woman who could live under that kind of pressure all by herself. Yet she pushed all that aside, went to see Watase, and bared these feelings to him for the first time in her life. Watase felt heartfelt respect for her resolve. ...I'm sorry, Kazami. I'm sorry I kept you waiting for a year. I'll keep my promise.♪ BGM: Convergence ♫ Watase said that, then looked at Kazami. --She was no ordinary woman. She was a Level 6 Communicator who had once hated Watase enough to want him dead. Neither of them knew if she'd one day become N-ified. Perhaps she would turn into an uncontrollable monster. But despite that-- Watase wanted to respond to her feelings earnestly. ...However, I'm not going to suggest we start dating again. Huh...!? I don't want you to be my girlfriend.Watase said that, walked up to Kazami-- And embraced her. Kazami, will you marry me? ...The woman in his arms gasped. Before long, she gave him the biggest, most relieved smile he had ever seen from her. --I will.
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| ← # ? Jun 3, 2017 11:33 |
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