Humanity Salvation Academy Final Episode "Ho-omaru Byodoin" iii

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iii.

Slowly, Kyuse's body began to collapse. As he fell, leaning against Ho-omaru, Ho-omaru welcomed him—as if to embrace him. Then, buckling under Kyuse's weight, the two of them fell to their knees, supporting each other.

It was quiet.

Silence and darkness.
The scent of Kyuse's blood and brain matter.
Kyuse's body heat.
Kyuse's breathing.
And, Kyuse's heartbeat.

"Haha, you really were... an amazing guy..."

That is what Kyuse said.

"I knew it from the moment we first met... You were different from anyone else... You were... dazzling."

Feeling Kyuse's warm, intermittent breaths, Ho-omaru gently held his body close.

"I was just... lucky."

Kyuse let out a deep sigh. With his chin resting on Ho-omaru's shoulder, Kyuse whispered quietly.

"What am I, I wonder... I am..."

I am... foolish and miserable.

Ho-omaru interrupted Kyuse as he was about to say that.

"You are"

Ho-omaru gently tightened his arms. He felt Kyuse's heartbeat weakening. Little by little, surely. The warmth was beginning to fade from his body.

"You are Kyuse Yumedono. No one else. No matter how many times you graduate, no matter how many times you enroll... to me, you are Kyuse Yumedono."

Ah, Kyuse let out a sound. And his mouth... moved to say, thank you.

It was a time for just the two of them.

The final, just the two of them—

"Hey..."

"What is it, Kyuse-kun..."

"That day... when I first met you... in the corridor... behind me... you were giggling, weren't you..."

"Ah... now that you mention it, that did happen..."

"What was... that all about...?"

"Eh? Ahaha..."

Ho-o-maru laughed.

"You're asking that now?"

"It's been bothering me... for a long time..."

"Ahaha... is that so... Kyuse-kun, you really are...!"

Ho-o-maru laughed sadly.

"That was... well, it was just funny. You were acting so dignified. You looked very impressive. But when I looked closely... I realized you were casually stylish... that gap was just funny to me... that's all it was."

Kyuse also laughed.

"Haha... so that's all it was..."

"That's right... that's all it was! Why... why are you still worrying about something like that..."

Kyuse muttered as if he were truly relieved.

"I see, that's good..."

Kyuse's heartbeat could hardly be felt anymore. Ho-o-maru continued to talk.

"Hey... that time was fun, wasn't it? You suddenly started singing the school anthem."

"Yeah..."

“Seeing that, I thought... this guy is kind of interesting. And I thought... I might actually like this guy quite a bit.”

“Haha...”

“Ahaha...”

The two of them laughed. That day they first met. It was a moment that would never return. A precious, vivid moment that had passed, remaining only in their memories.

Eventually.

“...I'm sorry.”

Kyusei spoke as if squeezing the words out.

“I'm sorry, Ho-omaru... I... seeing you attached to me... I always... thought of you... as if you were a puppy...”

“Eh... that's kind of mean...”

“But... that wasn't the case...”

The blood flowing from Kyusei, along with his warmth, was soaking Ho-omaru's shoulder. Thump, went Kyusei's heartbeat. It was like a fading spark. A fleeting—.

Kyusei said.

“I was the one who was dependent all along.”

Ho-omaru,

“Kyusei-kun...!”

was holding his body tightly. Kyusei... as if exhaling into the void.

“The one who was dependent... was... me.”

As if trembling.

“The one who was dependent on you... was me...!”

As if praying.

"I... I, with you... ev... er..."

Saying that,

"Kyusei... Yumedono Kyusei!"

Like fireflies, he decomposed into shimmering particles of light. And in Ho-o-maru's arms,

"Ah... ugh... Kyusei-kun... Kyusei..."

As if being erased... he withdrew from the academy.

【Next time, the final episode】

"Humanity Salvation Academy" is scheduled to be updated Monday through Friday at 7:30 PM (tentative).