Arc 1 Chapter 9: Because you were there

    Maybe I'm dreaming again. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I've been having a lot of dreams about my senpai lately, so it must be a dream.

　

　Ah, but even so. Even if it was just a dream, an illusion.

　

"Yume-senpai..."

　

　If Senpai is awake, if we can talk again, then I don't care.

　

"Yume-Senpai!"

　

　I hugged my senpai.

　

"Whoa. Hoshino-chan... are you okay...?"

　

　Although she was worried about me, Senpai embraced me back. She stroked my head. Tears and words started to flow.

　

"Senpai... I'm sorry..."

　

"I... I've always regretted being so harsh towards you back then... But even though I wanted to apologize, you wouldn't wake up because of me... And..."

　

"..."

　

"And... thanks to the kind and honest juniors who came to see me, I realized that I... wasn't kind... I wasn't even honest... I was just causing trouble for my seniors... and I couldn't even protect them..."

　

　

"Hoshino-chan"

　

　

　In the end, I have nothing...

　

　

"I... I've always regretted that I shouldn't have gotten angry at Senpai back then... I shouldn't have offered my hand to Senpai back then..."

　

　

　No, that's not it. It was before that.

　

　

"Or maybe I just... hadn't been there in the first place..."

　

　

　By now, Senpai...

　

　

　

"Hoshino-chan!!!"

　

　

　

　My words were interrupted when my senior called my name in a loud voice.

　

"Hoshino-chan, that's not true. That's absolutely not true."

　

　What's different? Because I... love my senpai...

　

"It's true that Hoshino-chan was a little mean, but in reality she was the kindest and most reliable of all my juniors, my most important to me."

　

　Who on earth is Senpai talking about? I, I'm not that kind of person. I'm the worst kind of person who only drove Senpai into a corner.

　

　

"...Not at all...I'm not that kind..."

　

　

"Don't blame yourself too much. And, Hoshino-chan, at that time I couldn't see the future and it was painful. I was on the verge of giving up on Abydos."

　

"If Hoshino-chan hadn't reached out to me then, if Hoshino-chan hadn't been there, I would have given up on everything. Abydos is what it is today thanks to you."

　

"No matter what anyone else says, I was saved by Hoshino-chan. There's absolutely no way that Hoshino-chan isn't kind, that I can't rely on her, or that I wish she hadn't been there."

　

"That's... not possible..."

　

"I forgive what happened back then. It wasn't just your fault, Hoshino-chan. I made the same mistake, and we just had a bit of a misunderstanding. So there's absolutely no need for you to blame yourself too much, Hoshino-chan."

　

".....I..."

　

"Besides, if I'm still alive, then you must have come to rescue me when I was stranded, right? And after that, you protected Abydos all by yourself until I woke up, right?"

　

"So thank you, Hoshino-chan. For always protecting me and helping me. Thank you always."

　

　

　I had reached my limit.

"Ugh....Uhhh...."

　

"Aaaaaahhhh!"

　

　Tears flowed and wouldn't stop. They flowed in a way that was incomparable to before.

　

"It's been so hard being alone."

　

"Yes. I..., the truth is, it's been so, so painful. But Yume-senpai is the only one left in Abydos. I have to protect her, even if I'm the only one... It was painful when you left and didn't wake up, but even so, I..."

　

　When I said that, Senpai hugged me even tighter.

　

"There you go, Hoshino-chan. You've worked so hard... Thank you."

　

"Ugh..."

　

"Are you okay? Are you short of breath?"

　

　I feel so warm and happy, but this is just a dream, and the next time I wake up I won't be able to see you again.

　

"Yume-senpai... I miss you."

　

"I've always wanted to meet you too, you know?"

　

"Besides, don't worry Hoshino-chan. From today onwards, you'll get to see each other every single day."

　

　Senpai strokes my head. Even though I'm dreaming, I feel so warm and safe. If I fall asleep, I might never see her again, so I don't want to lose consciousness.

　

"Good night, Hoshino-chan."

　

　Hearing Senpai say those words, my consciousness faded.

---

"Maybe I'm tired from crying..."

　

　

　Hoshino-chan fell asleep while still clinging to me. Judging from her reaction earlier, she had probably been blaming herself the whole time, and like Hoshino-chan in the original work, she might have had a nightmare and not been able to sleep very well.

　

　I think that incident happened because I didn't trust Hoshino-chan from the bottom of my heart. Because somewhere in my heart I thought that Hoshino-chan was someone I had to protect. So I don't think I really relied on her. Because I didn't want to burden her.

　

　But I've given up on that idea. Hoshino-chan isn't weak enough that I need to protect her, and there's no point in being considerate to her if she doesn't want it. If it's not for her own good, then I'm just meddling.

　

　In fact, when I think about it, I think it was only natural that she got angry because he kept saying that she trusted me and relied on me, but never relied on me when it mattered.

　

　By the way, I told the doctor that I wanted to meet my junior, so I asked him to wait until tomorrow for detailed tests. The tests up until the day before hadn't shown anything abnormal, and the minimum tests had been completed, and the doctor seemed to be somewhat aware that Hoshino-chan had been suffering for a while. He even said that if there was something wrong with her health, he would rather have me meet her and reassure her.

　

"From now on, I'll try my best too."

　

　So I want you to take some time to rest now. Your mind and body must have been hurt a lot...

---

The next time I regained consciousness, I was in despair. Even though I had had such a happy and warm dream, in reality, Senpai was still asleep. Surely what had happened yesterday had been a dream or delusion, a wish to be saved.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　...or so I thought.

　

　

　

"Eh... Sen... Pai?"

　

　I was in bed, being held by something warm and soft, no, by Yume-senpai. I didn't understand what was going on. Tears started to flow again.

　

　After all, it was supposed to be a dream, and in reality, Senpai was still asleep. I wondered if he was still dreaming, and thought such a stupid thing. I decided to wake Senpai up.

　

"Senpai, please wake up."

　

　When I called out to him while shaking his body, he immediately woke up.

　

"Hmm... that voice... is... Hoshino-chan? What's wrong... Hoshino-chan..."

　

　I feel like I'm half asleep. I feel a bit more airy than usual.

　

"Um... why was I sleeping with you? I thought it was just my dream that you woke up..."

　

"Dream? Is this a dream?"

　

"Well, I'd like to know that too..."

　

　I feel like the conversation isn't going well because the senior is half asleep.

　

"Hehe, I'm so happy that Hoshino-chan appears in my dream too."

　

　He hugged me tightly while saying that.

　

"Eh, wait, wait a minute, senpai?!"

　

　It's not just a feeling. There's no doubt that the conversation isn't going well.

　

"Fufu, I can do whatever I want with Hoshino-chan, right?"

　

　While saying that, senpai rubs her cheek against mine. It's embarrassing. However, senpai seems to think it's a dream and won't stop.

　

"I love you, Hoshino-chan. Thank you for coming to Abydos. I hope you will be very happy."

　

　I don't know what to do at all anymore. So much has happened since yesterday, and I've been told so much. My emotions and thoughts are all mixed up.

　

"I've been so happy ever since Hoshino-chan came to visit. It was the first time in my life that I'd ever felt so happy and joyful. Before that, I'd always been worried about the future..."

　

"But when I was with Hoshino-chan, I felt so safe that I forgot all of those worries... My future started to look brighter little by little."

"I was able to persevere thanks to Hoshino-chan. I was able to persevere until that point because I believed that Hoshino-chan would come."

　

"So, I'm sure there will be many things to come, but I'd be happy if we could work hard together again..."

　

　

　Even though I had no idea what to do, I absolutely wanted to respond to these words.

　

"Of course, senpai. Let's work hard together again from now on."

　

"...Fufu. Thank you, Hoshino-chan."

　

　Yume-senpai looked happy, and her smile was so bright that it was clear to me that she was truly happy.

　

"I said something a little embarrassing in the heat of the moment... But it was just a dream, so I guess it's okay...?"

　

　

　It seemed like senpai still thought it was a dream. I finally realized that what happened yesterday and what was happening now were definitely real.

　

　...I'm starting to feel a little sorry, I was the only one who heard what you were thinking...

　

"Senpai... well, it's hard to say..."

　

"what happened?"

　

"Maybe this isn't a dream... it's reality."

　

"...Wow... You're right. My cheek hurts..."

　

　Senpai said this while pinching his cheek. It seemed she hadn't noticed after all. She didn't seem half asleep anymore.

　

"Hmm... well, I guess it's fine."

　

"Is it okay? You said it was just a dream... I feel like I'm the only one who heard your feelings, so I feel kind of sorry..."

　

"Well, it's true that it's a little embarrassing... but what I said earlier was my true feelings. And the content wasn't anything to be embarrassed about, so I think it's fine."

　

"I don't think that's the kind of thing you'd say so casually..."

　

"Well, maybe that's true. But I think I've said similar things all the time."

　

　...That's true. Now that I think about it, this person was the type to tell me things like "I love you" or "You're cute" right away. Yume-senpai hadn't changed at all, just like always. I felt relieved somehow.

　

"Now that I think about it, Yume-senpai was a strange person."

　

"...Fufu. Hoshino-chan, you finally smiled. A smile really suits you, Hoshino-chan."

　

"Let's work hard together from now on."

　

　Come to think of it, I was so shocked to see Yume-senpai awake that I completely forgot to tell her about my juniors. I had come to visit her to tell her this.

　

"Yume-senpai, actually..."

　

　Just as I was about to tell him about my juniors, I heard the thumping of two hurried footsteps coming from outside the hospital room.

　

　It occurred to me...wouldn't it be pretty embarrassing for someone to see me in this state? After all, I'm in bed with Senpai holding me like a body pillow, and my face is buried in her chest.

　

"Y-Yume-senpai. Could you please let go? Someone is probably here and it would be embarrassing if they saw me in my current state

"Y-You're right..."

　

　Senpai seemed to be thinking the same thing, and though she blushed a little, she let go of me. And just as I was about to get up from the bed,

　

"Ah."

　

"Eh, Hoshino-chan?!"

　

　I lost my balance and fell backwards onto Yume-senpai.

　

"S-sorry Yume-senpai. I think I got a little too comfortable and my legs gave out... I'll get up right away."

　

　Yume-senpai caught me and I wasn't injured, but I was lying on my back and my posture was almost the same as before. And before I could stand up, the door to my hospital room opened.

　

"Hoshino-senpai! Is it true that Yume-senpai has woken up?! We just got a call from the hospital at school..."

　

　Nonomi-chan and Shiroko-chan came in. At first Nonomi-chan was yelling loudly, probably because she was worried, but once she made eye contact with us she started to quiet down.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　It's awkward...very awkward. Because right now I'm lying face up on the bed with Yume-senpai on top of me. My junior is watching me like this.

　

　Nonomi-chan is frozen with her mouth open, and Shiroko-chan is tilting her head.

　

"Well... I'm sorry... I'm in the way..."

　

　I feel like there's some kind of misunderstanding

　

"That's not true, Nonomi-chan! It's not true! It's a misunderstanding!! It's a misunderstanding!!!"

　

　After some explanation, Nonomi's misunderstanding was finally cleared up. By the way, Shiroko had been tilting her head the whole time.