NOVEL NEXT [Extra 4] Things that can’t be avoided
I woke up to the sound of an angelic, genderless voice in my ear.
[Host], it called, like the touch of a feather.
I was in a daze, taking a moment to remember where I was. I was still in bed, Mizuki sleeping in arms, and it was very early morning. A weekend, where no alarm would pull us out of sleep. The only other sound was the chirping of birds from outside through the open window.
The voice continued with slight amusement.
[Are you awake enough to talk?]
...You can talk out loud, after all.
[Yeah, but I was told not to do it.]
The voice paused and I felt a sense of discomfort. Why now, then?
[Host, it’s time for me to leave.]
Leave? Why? It hasn’t been that long, I’m still young. You can just stay with me.
A rustling sound, like the shaking of a head with hair moving along.
[No, my task is over. I need to return to my boss. You’ll be fine on your own now.]
…
[Riku.]
My throat felt blocked.
[I’m gonna come visit soon, okay? So don’t be surprised if you suddenly hear voices, alright? I-]
A short pause.
[I really liked watching you. I wasn’t sure what to think of this task at first, because you were so flustering and awkward. But you’re a fun person to be with, and it makes me happy to see you be with Mizuki. It was nice with you, all those years, but that’s exactly why I won’t try to drag this farewell out any longer.]
The voice earned a sad tone, as if talking was hard.
[Riku, I wish you all the best. I’ll… I’ll try to come to visit for a day or two in a few months, okay? And then really often, in the years after that.]
The only reason why I could answer at all was that I didn't have to say anything out loud.
Thank you. Thank you for being with me, and helping me, and supporting me.
Thank you.
I'll be waiting for you to visit.
[Be well, Riku. Until we meet again.]
And then, everything was quiet.
Completely quiet.
I opened my eyes that were stinging, feeling like something was missing from my sight and my soul.
I sniffled, pulling Mizuki closer to me.
He stirred under the tight embrace, then returned it.
“Riku?”, he called out sleepily but with worry.
I was shaking a bit, allowing the tears to run down my face.
“Are you crying?”
I couldn’t answer him, just made a sad noise and hugged him tighter.
He struggled free so that he could look at me, using a rough hand to wipe away some of my tears.
“What happened?”
My lips were trembling.
“I’ve had someone accompany me for almost ten years now”, I whimpered. “They helped me talked to you. They helped me go out with you. They helped me with everything. But now they left.”
The hand paused, then continued.
I looked at his eyes, which didn’t show the slightest bit of doubt and felt like crying worse.
“Is that so. They must have been an important friend.”
“They were.”
He pulled me into his chest, caressing my head as I stupidly cried, too sad at the loss of someone I had liked so much. I had no way of contacting the system on my own, I had to hope that they really would return to visit.
“I remember you telling me about that before”, he whispered after some time. “It really has been a long time.”
I hummed.
“I gotta be really happy for when they return”, I mumbled, calming my heart. “So that they won’t have to worry. That’s why, you have to stay with me, alright?”
He chuckled, the tremble running through his body and transmitting to me where we touched.
“Of course. I promise that when they return, we will be just like this.”
For all the times they return, no matter how long into the future.
