Only I know that this world will end – 108 | Sousaku – 創作

Nao and Ayaka

Hanayagi Ayaka left the shop and found Nao sitting on the stairs, about to smoke a cigarette.
After hesitating for a moment and swallowing her saliva as if to steel herself, Ayaka raised her voice.

"H-hey."

At that word, Nao seemed to realize who had come.
When she glanced at her, she raised her eyebrows slightly and muttered.

"……What? Do you still have something to say?"

Her voice was cold. From the tone of her voice, it was immediately clear that Nao did not think well of Ayaka.
Ayaka showed a little hesitation again towards Nao, and then quickly bowed her head and spoke.

"I'm sorry! Just now, I was…… I said something I shouldn't have."

At those words, Nao's eyes widened.
She probably didn't think she would be able to apologize so easily.
Nao stared at Ayaka with a blank expression, but then quickly changed her expression to a serious one, took a big puff of her cigarette, and slowly exhaled.

"…………I'm surprised. I never thought you would apologize. ……But that apology is not something you should be saying to me. It's something that should be said to Ichijou."
"……Yeah. I apologized a moment ago."
"……I see."

Murmuring, Nao let out another puff of smoke.
The conversation stopped, and an awkward atmosphere spread between them.

She probably couldn't bear the awkwardness. Ayaka bowed again with her words of apology, then turned her back on Nao and left.
It was then that words came out of Nao's mouth.

"Hanayagi, was it? Earlier you said you were almost killed by a monster…… What happened? "
"……It's not that important――――"
"If you don't mind, please let me hear it. Just smoking a cigarette is kind of boring."

Nao said this and smiled.
Ayaka turned around and mumbled to herself.

"Compared to what that man called Ichijou said, it's really not a big deal. When the monsters appeared in this world, Yukka and the others got excited about going out to defeat them as friends…… So, after looking for the monster using information from social media sites, we actually met one…… and I was almost killed. That's all."
"I can't believe it. Did you go out of your way to die? You deserved to be almost killed."
"Wha――!! ………… Yes, that's right. At the time, I didn't know how scary monsters were. I got what I deserved!! At the time, we were just…… thinking about it as a game."

Ayaka's words gradually became fainter.

"Six of us challenged the monster, and everyone but me died. I was lucky. I was able to escape while he was distracted by the bodies of Yukka and the others, and I was the only one who survived."
"…………"
"I survived by abandoning my friends! I got…… Only I……!”

Ayaka tightened her fists as if to express her frustration.
Nao, who had been silently taking it all in, slowly opened her mouth as she exhaled the smoke.

"You were almost killed by a monster, and yet you aren't afraid of them? "
"I can't. They are Yukka's enemies. I'm gonna kill them."

Ayaka replied to Nao's words.
Looking at Ayaka like that, Nao puffed on her cigarette to hide her expression.

'She's young,' thought Nao.

The resentment she feels is the result of her own actions. Because of their shallowness and naivety, they destroyed themselves, and she was the only one who survived by luck.
But even so. Nao could not deny the idea of avenging her dead comrades.
Some people are nearly killed by monsters and get so scared that they never recover.
The reason may be due to the girl's own faults, but if she has decided to face this world as a result, she doesn't need to be denied.

"……Since when have you had your unique skill? "
"When I was lucky enough to escape from the monster. There was something about conditions…… but I don't really understand."
"I see……"

Murmuring, Nao lowered her gaze.
This led to Ayaka asking Nao a question.

"Nanase-san…… right? Why are you with that person…… with Ichijou? "
"What do you mean? Why are you asking that? "
"After all, that person…… He's stronger than us, right? If that's the case, isn't it hard to be with that person? I imagine that he can do everything by himself."

Nao smiled at those words.
Then, after smoking and exhaling, she put the cigarette butt in her portable ashtray.

"Because he can do anything, that’s why. Did you hear about his unique skill? That guy can do anything as long as he doesn't give up on himself. Did you hear how many times he's died? "

Ayaka shook her head at the words.
Nao muttered as she watched the gesture.

"Twenty-nine times, it seems. Twenty-three of those times, he was killed by the same monster. His head was crushed, his legs were broken, and his body was eaten. Even so, he got up again and again, and here he is now. If I leave everything to that guy, how many times will he die from now on? How many times does he have to die before he's saved? Is there anyone who will save that guy who just keeps dying? "

Ayaka couldn't say anything in response to that.
After hearing Nao's words, Ayaka imagined. If I had lost both my legs the day I was almost killed by that monster. What if my head had been crushed? If it had eaten all the flesh on my body. Even then, could I really say that I was now avenging my fallen friends?

(I…… Might not be able to do that.)

Ayaka thought to herself.
Because she was actually almost killed, she knows the fear of death that lurked so close to them.
That is why they are terrified of death itself.

"So, although I might not be able to do anything. I thought I would support him."

Nao said quietly.
Ayaka was also embarrassed by her earlier comment when she heard those words.

"……I'm sorry."

Ayaka muttered, her voice quiet.
Nao smiled at those words and stood up, patting her hip.

"You don't need to apologize to me. But you should apologize to Ichijou properly again."
"……Yeah."
"Let's go back now. My tipsiness is wearing off. Thanks for listening to me."

Nao said this and tapped Ayaka on the shoulder before walking into the store.
Ayaka gently touched the shoulder that had been struck and then chased after Nao.