Chapter 98 This Time It’s My Turn to Make a Promise
“Onichan, have you packed everything?”
In the Tsukimi family.
Dressed in home clothes, Yukino poked her head out from the open door, curiously looking at Kanade, who was packing his luggage inside the room.
“All packed… I think?” Kanade’s response was a bit hesitant, lacking confidence.
After all, this was the first time he was leaving home and moving into the school dormitory after growing up and becoming sensible.
Moreover, unlike ordinary boarding schools,
the “Special Course” at Ark Academy had strict regulations, making it almost impossible to leave the artificial school island except during a few holidays.
It was said to be to protect potential supernatural ability users like him from attacks by fantasy creatures.
Thus, these restrictions would only be lifted after he graduated from high school at Ark Academy.
So for Kanade,
this departure was essentially a farewell to the uncle and aunt who had taken him in.
It was also goodbye to Kawano City.
The next time Kanade truly left Ark Academy, he would likely be 18 years old.
By then, he would have no face or reason to continue staying with his uncle and aunt, right?
Perhaps he would hardly use this room in the future.
With this in mind,
Kanade couldn’t grasp what he should bring to count as “ready.”
“……Oniichan, do you really have that much stuff to take with you?” Yukino, unaware of the restrictions at Ark Academy,
was taken aback when she saw several backpacks and boxes in the room.
This was because Kanade had brought every gift Nagi had given him since childhood.
Unbeknownst to him, all the gifts from Nagi could fill several small boxes.
Thankfully, Ark Academy provided a baggage shipping service.
Otherwise, Kanade really wouldn’t know how to move all these things.
“By the way, Oniichan, is this really okay?”
Yukino noticed something very conspicuous on the now tidy desk in the room.
Hearing this, Kanade followed Yukino’s gaze.
He then fell into contemplation.
That was something he wanted to return to Nagi.
It was the “Star Bracelet” he gave to Nagi, which ended up back in his hands after a long detour.
Every time Kanade picked it up,
the image of Nagi lying in a pool of blood involuntarily flashed through his mind.
This led to Kanade repeatedly missing opportunities to return it to Nagi.
Unknowingly, the time had come for the final day.
This gift still hadn’t been returned…
Knowing this, Yukino looked at her indecisive brother and couldn’t help but sigh.
“Hurry up and go! I’ll help you pack the rest!”
Yukino impatiently pushed Kanade from behind.
She knew her hesitant brother would definitely regret not acting in this moment.
“Yukino… you’re right.”
Kanade glanced at Yukino, slowly shifting his gaze to the floor.
There lay a box filled with gifts from Nagi.
Those were the memories they shared.
Even if he lived at Ark Academy, as long as he had these things with him, it would feel as if Nagi was still by his side, right?
But did Nagi have any gifts that she could use to remember him?
Thinking of this, Kanade made up his mind and grabbed the bracelet from the table.
“Thank you, Yukino. I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t take too long, or I’ll be mad, you big idiot!”
…..
Just as Kanade opened the door and stepped out of the house,
he caught sight of Nagi standing outside the Tsukimi home, wearing a white dress.
From her little hand raised at the doorbell and her surprised expression, he could tell
Nagi had almost rung the bell just as he was about to leave.
The two locked eyes due to this coincidence.
In the end, Nagi was the first to reveal a radiant smile, as if genuinely pleased by such a coincidence.
Seeing her cute smile, Kanade shook off the unease and gloom in his heart.
— Just like before.
He couldn’t help but recall the times when Nagi would come to his house to play when they were younger.
It was always like this.
Every time she saw him come out through the door, she would have a happy smile on her face like that.
It was such a smile that made young Kanade realize that even in a town that didn’t belong to him, there was someone who would be happy because of his existence.
“Wow, there are actually people in this world who would smile like that because of me?”
Such thoughts emerged in young Kanade’s mind, helping him break free from the loneliness of being abandoned by his parents.
Since then, although so much time had passed,
that petite and cute little girl had now transformed into a tall and graceful beauty.
Her social circle had expanded exponentially compared to before, and in her world, there was no longer just the ordinary little boy that he was.
Despite that,
she still regarded him as the most important part of her world.
And it was because she had always been by his side that he could find redemption.
“Little Nagi.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Nagi tilted her head in confusion upon hearing this.
— Surely, such a mindless thank you would only confuse her further?
But in the next moment,
Nagi beamed again with a radiant smile, “Although I don’t know what it’s for, you don’t have to mention it, Kanade-kun~”
After they exchanged smiles and pleasantries,
Kanade took the initiative to invite Nagi.
“Little Nagi, shall we go for a walk together?”
In the city where they had lived since childhood,
the two would walk hand in hand on this familiar street, both in the past and the present.
Even though the boy had grown into a young man and the girl into a young woman, nothing had changed.
The little chats during their walk, even though they weren’t particularly interesting topics, always made Kanade feel relaxed.
— Just being with this girl in front of him made him happy.
— No other reason was needed.
— It was as if his world needed only her to be filled with color, happiness, and beauty.
Such feelings dispersed the unease that had accumulated deep in Kanade’s heart.
Even the ominous signs from an unknown dream—
— I won’t let that happen.
Kanade resolved in his heart.
Although he couldn’t clearly remember the details,
he felt he could do anything to protect this girl’s happiness.
Even through the agonizing time of having to part.
As long as he looked forward to reuniting with her, he wouldn’t fear the future.
Before he knew it,
Kanade and Nagi had arrived at the park where they used to play together.
That park which had been renovated and no longer reflected the past’s shadow.
But Kanade felt that as long as he was with Nagi, the memories of the past could resurface at any moment.
“How nostalgic…” Kanade couldn’t help but sigh.
“Hey, Kanade-kun, do you still remember… the promise we made here before?” Nagi, standing beside Kanade, revealed a hint of unease while glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
She seemed worried about something.
Nagi’s question took Kanade’s thoughts back to the past.
At that time, they were both preparing to graduate from kindergarten.
One day after school, as usual, they went to play in this park.
On that day, Nagi rarely wore a smile and instead looked troubled.
It took Kanade quite a while to figure out the reason for her gloom.
At that time, Nagi was worried that after they graduated from kindergarten, they would be separated due to attending different elementary schools.
Seeing the frail girl in front of him, young Kanade mustered his courage for the first time.
He made a promise to her—
“Even if we have to part ways, I will definitely come find you, no matter where you are or what happens, I will always be your partner, Nagi, and will always stand by your side.”
“Kanade-kun, you really kept that promise~”
The ever-present reporters.
The girl surrounded by malice and darkness.
Kanade remembered.
The reason he would go find Nagi.
— Because they had made a promise.
— No matter what happened.
— He would definitely come for her.
Nagi released the hand she had been holding onto Kanade’s.
She took small steps to the front and spun around lightly, her long hair flowing like the night sky.
“Kanade-kun, thank you!” Nagi’s adorable face radiated an incredibly happy smile.
“This time, it’s my turn to make a promise to you, Kanade-kun.”
Nagi noticed Kanade’s restless demeanor during this time and realized he still couldn’t let go of the thought of their separation.
So—
“Even if we have to part ways, I will definitely come find you! No matter what happens!”
“……Ah, no, this really won’t do… I thought I had grown up.” Kanade laughed while covering his wet eyes with his hand, “But it turns out I’ve become that little kid again…”
“Hehe, Kanade-kun may have grown taller, but deep down, you’re still a child~”
“Little Nagi, this—”
Kanade reached out, holding Nagi’s hand from below, placing the Star Bracelet along with the note in her palm.
“Ah!? This is—”
“I’m sorry. Actually, this bracelet has been with me since that aquarium date.”
Hearing this, Nagi shook her head, “Kanade-kun doesn’t need to apologize~”
“Instead, I should be thanking you.” Nagi lifted the hand tightly gripping the bracelet to her chest, revealing a relieved smile, “I thought I had lost it~”
Then Nagi noticed that in her hand, besides that Star Bracelet, there was also a note.
And the color of that note—
“This is the ticket I couldn’t submit.” Kanade gathered his courage, looking straight at Nagi’s face, and although his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, he didn’t back down this time.
“This ticket no longer needs to be counted or witnessed by anyone.”
“Whatever others may say.”
“I will always cast this vote for Little Nagi.”
“Because—Little Nagi, who has always been by my side, is the cutest and most beautiful girl in the world.”
