1 Prologue
My name is Kanbaru Akito. I'm a first year high school student.
I'm an average guy, as cliche as that sounds, but that's all I can describe myself to be.
Anyway, I'm living a pretty normal life...
It was indeed a normal life... until...
...
[Shut up.] (Akito)
I slam the snooze button of my alarm clock.
Did it get louder, perhaps?
I turned my gaze around my room.
No burglars went in, huh... good.
Last night, I caught two shady looking punks sniffing around my room when I woke up at midnight.
They had knives but I still managed to defend myself.
They were amateur burglars so I was safe.
They even pleaded 'not remembering anything' or 'not remembering what they were doing' about the incident.
Sigh...
I took a brisk shower then groomed myself for school.
It's a Monday, after all.
After heading down for breakfast, I saw my neighbor and childhood friend Takahashi Minami preparing the meal. She attends the same school and she's the same grade as me.
She has a long peach hair along with her well figured body.
I'm not a pervert or anything, but I 'happen' to know her cup size.
Fufun~ She's a C cup.
Wait, a minute.
What the hell am I even thinking so early in the morning...?
[Good morning, Akito. Breakfast will be ready in a bit.] (Minami)
[Oh, good morning, honey.] (Akito)
[Ho-Honey?! Geez, what are you saying Akito, so early in the morning...?] (Minami)
[Just kidding.] (Akito)
Her face turned red as she puffed her cheeks.
How cute.
Minami and I were always together since we were kids.
We're practically inseparable after she and her family treated me as their own.
We even promised that we would be together for one hundred years.
Apparently, she has feelings for me.
"What an overly self-conscious guy", you might be thinking.
Honestly, that might be case but...
Not only did I notice them around middle school, I also heard her friends talk about it with her...
To be honest, I don't really know.
For all I could possibly speculate, it might just be a misunderstanding.
I've been together with Minami in my entire life, after all.
She's an irreplaceable girl in my heart.
My best friend, my family and my savior.
All I wish in this world is her happiness.
Even though she's not my girlfriend, just seeing her smile makes me feel satisfied.
[You always come over to prepare breakfast for me. We're like a wedded couple, don't you think?] (Akito)
[W-Well, if th-that's what it looks like to you, then I-I don't mind.] (Minami)
[You don't... mind...] (Akito)
Minami blushed as she puts the food on the table.
Even from a distance, I can feel her slightly heating up.
I'm quite conscious of her because of the said events, and even now, I can feel her slightly romantic affection towards me and I'm fine with that.
Although I feel like a jerk for constantly teasing her if her having feelings for me is actually true.
But, really, I have to thank her for always being there for me.
I'm really weird for not being head over heels for her after all that she's done.
After eating, we headed to school.
We were in different classes.
There, I met my friends; Kasugi Shouya, the innocent guy, Tendou Yuuki, the upbeat womanizer and Kagurazawa Eiji, the serious bishi nerd again.
(Note: Bishi can mean Hot Guy; like 'Ikemen')
[Oi Akito, good morning! So, how's your morning, did Takahashi-san give you a passionate good morning kiss?] (Shouya)
[Ooh, lovey-dovey as always I see.] (Yuuki)
[Damn. How unfair. Snagging a popular girl with your 'Childhood Friend' advantage. *Fixes Glasses*] (Eiji)
[Like your fantasies are gonna happen.] (Akito)
I smacked their heads with a hand chop simultaneously.
They say that, but they don't 'actually' know anything about my 'true' relationship with Minami.
The only thing they know is that Minami is my childhood friend, and that I walk with her to or from school from time to time.
These three would flip out of jealousy, more than they already have, if they find out.
Minami is on their "Girls to Ask Out" List, after all.
Class started.
Everything went normally as they should.
Then suddenly, it's lunch time.
As usual, the four of us headed to the rooftop.
Wow, their bentos look delicious.
Wait a minute...
Speaking of lunch... I don't have mine!
I probably forgot about it!
How could I not notice, we even walked all the way here.
[Akito, what about you? Where's yours?] (Yuuki)
[Ah! T-That's- I forgot about it...] (Akito)
[Geez, what a careless guy.] (Yuuki)
Man, how unlucky.
Maybe I should just go buy an onigiri at the school cafeteria.
Before I could get up and go, someone suddenly opened the door and came up to us, or rather, to me.
[A-Akito-kun. Here's your lunch. You forgot about it this morning.] (Minami)
[Ah, M-Minami, thanks for this.] (Akito)
[Geez, how careless can you be? And here I am, always preparing them for you every morning.] (Minami)
[I-I'll be careful next time...] (Akito)
I really should be careful next time. Careful...?
Wait a minute-? Minami, did you just-?!
[*Sigh* As long as you understand. Also, you can tell me what you prefer for breakfast tomorrow. I'd like you to decide every now and then. Well then, see you later. Oops, before I forget, Kasugi-kun, Tendou-kun and Kagurazawa-kun, thanks for always getting along with Akito-kun. Bye!] (Minami)
Minami ran back after bowing her head to my friends.
I opened the bento that Minami brought me.
Ah, how heavenly.
But then, I suddenly felt a chill run down my brittle spine.
It came from my friends... who're emitting really dark auras right now.
I knew it, Minami said too much.
[Guys?!-] (Akito)
[Hah?! Say, Shouya. Do you know the name of that guy who suddenly talked to us?] (Eiji)
[Who knows, right?! Like, why is 'He' even talking to us? Shouldn't he be with his girlfriend?] (Shouya)
[Hm hm, a 'Should-be-Popular' guy like him shouldn't have any business with us 'Normies', right?] (Yuuki)
[Wait a minute. I thought couples were the normies...] (Shouya)
[Doesn't matter!] (Yuuki)
Oi oi, what the heck are these guys saying?
I've been found out, but since only they know about it, I won't be popular or anything, though it's a different story if they spread it.
I don't care either way.
But it'll be a pain, for sure.
To be honest, I might even get persecuted... by the male students, that is.
And also, she's not my girlfriend.
[Hey, stop that. Let's just eat, okay...] (Akito)
[Shut up, Traitor!] (Eiji)
[Yeah, how can you keep this a secret from us?!] (Shouya)
[I knew you were neighbors but... every morning? What a beast...] (Yuuki)
Sigh, these guys are hopeless.
It's not like they're not popular.
Girls occasionally confess to them.
And they've been in (short-lived) relationships back in middle school.
Though these guys always go for super-popular ones.
Am I the only one who doesn't mind being single?
[Okay, okay. My bad. I just thought that it wasn't that big of a deal so I never bothered telling anyone.] (Akito)
They suddenly dropped their comedy skits and looked at me seriously.
[Aren't you going out? Based from Minami-chan's attitude, she clearly likes you.] (Yuuki)
[No we aren't. I know she likes me, but she hasn't asked me out yet.] (Akito)
Yuuki suddenly grabs Eiji's book then throws it at me.
[Then YOU asked her out, Moron!] (Yuuki)
[Ah! My book!] (Eiji)
I catch the book.
[I don't dislike Minami, but I feel like it's not right for me to be the one to ask her out.] (Akito)
[Y-You...-] (Shouya)
[For me, just her being happy is enou-... Oi, why are you looking at me like that?] (Akito)
They're looking at me like I'm a murderer...
[Die!!! Apologize to ALL the guys that like her!!!] (Shouya/Yuuki/Eiji)
We finished eating as the school bell chimed.
We got back in class, attended it normally, same as every day.
I don't find my life boring since I have friends, especially with these three idiots around.
But, somehow, I feel incomplete.
I feel like going on an adventure like the ones in Light Novels.
Starting off new and everything.
Haha, what a petty dream.
But, it's not that bad to dream from time to time, right?
Class finally ended and Eiji called me out.
He said that Minami called for me so I went to the Music Room where she apparently waits.
There, I saw her fidgeting nervously while murmuring something.
A confession?
It's about time, huh.
I'm honestly satisfied with how we're best friends right now.
But if she confesses to me, why would I refuse?
Surely, I can learn to romantically like someone once we start going out, right?
[Yo, Minami.] (Akito)
[Ah! A-A-Akito... Sorry for calling you out of the blue so suddenly... Uhm...] (Minami)
'Out of the Blue', 'So Suddenly'?
Redundant.
She's clearly nervous.
[Ah, that's fine. So, you wanted to tell me something?] (Akito)
[Y- Yes. A-Actually...] (Minami)
Alright, bring it Minami. You can do it.
[A-Akito... w-would you...] (Minami)
I'm hearing the sound of my heartbeat.
I'm getting nervous too, somehow.
[...walk home with me today?!] (Minami)
[Eh...?! Ah! I mean, sure! No problem.] (Akito)
[Kanbaru-kun! About our preparations for the Cultural Festival...!] (Class Rep)
[Ah, the Class Rep is calling for me, see you later!] (Akito)
Damn... I thought it was the real deal already.
Did I perhaps misunderstand her feelings, all this time?
Maybe.
But why would she ask to walk home with me in that shy manner if she felt otherwise?
Ugh... I might just be overly self-conscious about her, after all...
I looked back at Minami and saw her hands covering her red face.
Is that steam, coming out of her head?
---Scene-Change---
[See you tomorrow, dudes.] (Akito)
I told the three about my situation and waved them goodbye as they head home.
I feel like they were glaring at me though...
Then, I met up with Minami by the bicycle rack.
[Sorry for making you wait.] (Akito)
[It's okay. I just got here.] (Minami)
We walked and talked about different stuff as we passed through all the places in our childhood memories.
It was nostalgic.
The playground where we once spent our time making sand castles in the sandbox, the riverbank where we would throw stones in the water, the bakery where we would often eat barbarically after playing all day- they were all there.
We were laughing out loud about our childhood dumbness.
I can't do anything but give off a relieved smile.
I'm genuinely happy to see her have fun.
Her happiness is all I care for in this world.
Yeah. Even more than my own...
[Oh! That toy was the same model as the one you gave me nine years ago!] (Minami)
Minami pointed at the a man holding a transparent box containing different old toys.
That's weird! Definitely weird!
You never see those in this age.
[You're right! They're still selling that? How weird!] (Akito)
[I'll take a look!] (Minami)
Minami said as she ran at full speed towards a wandering toy peddler on the other side of the road.
The peddler look at our direction.
The atmosphere instantly became heavy...
My chest- no, my entire body was suddenly feeling sick...
What is this...? I feel nauseous...
...
Not knowing what's up, I'll look towards Minami's direction.
In front of him was the peddler with the said toys...
Where have I seen him before...?
Have I even seen him before...?
...
Suddenly, he smiled in a very terrifying and sinister manner with his eyes only slightly opened.
I felt like time suddenly slowed down.
I glanced at the street lights.
...
They were all red.
I looked forward again.
...
A fast-moving truck was recklessly heading towards Minami!
What the fuck?! There's no one inside?!
Mina- Agh-!
What the- I can't... I can't move... my fucking body...
[Minami!] (Akito)
Time was slow, but I couldn't run in to save her...
WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!
[MIIINAMIII!!!] (Akito)
*KRAAAAASHHH*
I tried to reach her... but... I was... too late.
She got hit...
She got ran over by that fucking truck!
...
My mind went blank.
Then suddenly, the suffocating atmosphere dissipated and I can move my body normally again.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Minami!!!
I rushed to her side and held her in my arms.
[A-Akito-kun...?] (Minami)
[D-Don't worry! H-Help is coming. Ha-Hang in there! Minami, please!] (Akito)
Blood was coming out of her wounded head.
I tried to cover it with my uniform...
She suddenly opens her eyes slightly, where tears started to flow.
[I see... I got hit... by that truck... I'm such a... stupid girl, aren't I...?] (Minami)
W-What is this shit?!
[Shh, Minami. Stop talking... S-Save your energy...] (Akito)
Why is this suddenly happening?!
[Gufu- Gh-Gaha-...] (Minami)
She cough... She coughed blood.
My phone... My phone... I need to call the ambulance...
Where is it...
There it is!
Dial...
Dial...
Dial faster, you moron!
*Beep*
I immediately called for an ambulance from the local Health Center.
Where are they?!
Can't they go any faster?!
Where the fuck are they?!
Minami is-
[I'm sorry, Akito-kun. I-I couldn't keep our promise.] (Minami)
Promise?
I remember.
Of course I remember!
"We'll be together for one hundred years, okay?"
[Don't say that! We'll definitely fulfill our promise! So, so... please!] (Akito)
Tears run down my face as I pleaded her to stay awake.
Everyone around us called ambulances for help. I can't do anything!
Shit!
I'm so useless!
[Akito-kun... It's alright...] (Minami)
She holds up her hand to my face. I grabbed it tightly as I looked into her eyes.
[Minami, everything is going to be fine, okay...] (Akito)
[Yeah, I know. It's because you're here.] (Minami)
I grit my teeth out of anger... to no one else but myself.
[Minami... Minami!] (Akito)
God, I beg of you... Not her... Please!
[Akito-kun...] (Minami)
She look at me with her eyes filled with hope.
...
[I-I love you...] (Minami)
No... Please... Don't say that... Please!
I don't deserve your love...
I don't deserve it!
[...and a-also... thank you...] (Minami)
She said those words as she slowly closes her eyes...
Her beautiful smile gradually fades as the tight grasp from her hand disappears...
And just like that... she's gone.
[MIIINAMIII!!!] (Akito)
I looked up at the sky with my eyes closed while tears were flowing out.
I screamed with all my might, protesting to God.
Why her, of all people?!
It could've been me, right, RIGHT?!
Why couldn't I do anything for her?
Why am I this weak and useless?!
Minami...
...
The police came and asked a few questions.
None of what they said could go through my ears. I just nodded and said 'Yes' with my dead-fish eyes.
I just stood there, powerless, while the ambulance took Minami's body inside... which was confirmed... to be lifeless.
Her family arrived.
They were crying as they thanked me for always being there for her.
I apologized to them for being such a useless friend.
His older brother offered taking me home, but I politely refused.
I walked home while my body was shivering in exhaustion.
Then, rain started pouring.
I felt empty, I felt nothing.
I want to die.
I sat by the swing where I would I always push her back.
I cried, loudly.
The rain hid my tears.
Why did she have to die?
What did she do to suffer this?
What did I do to go through this?
I want to see her smile again.
I want to hold her hand again.
I want to eat her homemade food again.
I want her by my side.
[I love her.] (Akito)
I softly muttered those words as my lips trembled. All this time, my feelings were clouded with doubt.
I have deceived myself this whole time.
I was unsure if she was gonna be happy with me. That's why didn't do anything to make her mine.
I wanted to protect her happiness. I'm such an idiot.
My heart was screaming her name all this time...
...
I loved her all this time...
...
[Do you want to see her again?]
I suddenly heard a voice.
I looked around me but there was no one.
I didn't know what to do so I just went home.
I got back. I looked at my face at the mirror.
Ah, I'm such a mess.
I changed my wet clothes as I sulked in the bath.
I secluded myself on top of my bed.
I tried to stop myself from shedding any more tears... but that only made me weep even harder...
I eventually cried myself to sleep.
I woke up and decided not to go to school.
I'm done.
...
Two days passed and Minami's older brother visited me.
I didn't let him in but I told him by the door that "I need some time... Please leave me be for a while..." prompting him to quietly leave saying "No one's blaming you, and it's not your fault, so don't beat yourself up too much, or Minami will be sad."...
Four days passed and my best friends visited me.
I told them the same thing and they quietly left saying "Come back soon. Everyone's waiting for you, not just us."...
Thinking about it, I do get along pretty well with not just my whole class, but practically anyone in my year, along with some of my senpai from middle school...
One week passed and I'm still locking myself inside the house.
I appreciate everyone easing my pain... but nothing... nothing goes through...
...
That night, I dreamt about Minami.
[Minami!] (Akito)
[Akito...? Eh-?! Akito?! What are you doing here?!] (Minami)
[Huh? What are you saying...?] (Akito)
[Oh... A dream... That's right, this is a dream. N-Nothing. A-Anyway, what are you doing you dummy?!!!] (Minami)
[Ehhh?! What?!] (Akito)
[Why are you casting yourself away from outside?! Live your life, for goodness' sake!] (Minami)
[But-] (Akito)
[What do you mean "But"?! Just because my life ended doesn't mean yours should too!] (Minami)
[If you're not in my life, it's basically the same thing... I was stupid... When you died, that was the only time I realized that I love you... I loved you more than anything in the world...] (Akito)
"*Blushes* HE LOVES ME?! M-M-MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD?!", Minami thought.
[W-W-Whatever! I even worked up the courage to confess, damn it! Don't waste your life now!] (Minami)
[I get it, I get it... But something's suspicious. This might just be me subconsciously controlling these events in a lucid dream, but I'm starting to doubt it. These conversations seem too real to be manipulated by my subconscious. Minami, am I- are we really in a dream?] (Akito)
[Geh- O-Of course you are...] (Minami)
[Hmmmmm...?] (Akito)
[O-Okay. Bye-bye now.] (Minami)
[What the-?! Wai-] (Akito)
*RIIIIING*
*Wham*
[Ow... What the heck was that dream...?] (Akito)
I laughed inside...
If only...
If only her death was all a bad dream...
[Well, whatever...] (Akito)
It might just be me losing my mind, too.
I might be going insane, which is probably not too far from the truth.
But...
[Is it just me, or does my face look healthier than it was for the past days?] (Akito)
I said as I observed myself in the mirror.
ALRIGHT!
Enough mourning, I need to cheer up.
Even Minami would get angry if I spend all my time crying like a baby.
But still...
Aaarghhh! Get a grip, me!
FINE! I'll go to school tomorrow.
I can't keep making the people around me worry too much.
Though if I am being honest, I'd rather kill myself, or live a new life in a new town...
Sadly, both options are not within my reach right now.
I feel like Minami would haunt me in the afterlife if I suddenly commit suicide, if that's even possible.
Now, to spend my day...
I turned my sight towards the corner of my room.
A small bunch of Anime CDs were piled up.
On top was my favorite Anime; "The Fangs of the Demon Lord".
It was from a Light Novel Series written by 'Maoni Akuma'-sensei.
He was a phenomenal author who wrote a lot of awesome adventure and fantasy series.
But for some reason, his personal background remains a complete mystery.
Even the most desperate journalists failed to find any personal information regarding Maoni Akuma-sensei's life.
My dad was an author in the same league as him, but I was a huge fan of Akuma-sensei.
To vent sadness away, I decided to rewatch my favorite series...
Well, it was 'our' favorite Series... Minami... and mine...
I put the lights off, curled myself up inside the blanket and faced the television.
The show starts.
But, as soon as the time frame reached "00:01"...
The cold air from the AC suddenly disappeared.
The darkness that covered me suddenly vanished as sunlight startles my eyesight.
The television in front of my eyes became a scenery of bushes and trees. The room that sheltered me suddenly became... a forest?
What the heck is going on?
...
Questions suddenly conquered my thoughts.
Am I dreaming?
Am I hallucinating?
Did I go crazy and started to see things?
Before I tried to question my sanity any more than I already have, a dazzling light suddenly shone in front of me.
(SFX: Holy Musical Choir)
[Greetings Kanbaru Akito-san, I am Lichtia, the Goddess of Light. I am the one responsible for this matter.] (Lichtia)
Eh-?
Ehhhhh...-?!?!?!
I don't even know what to think...
Things are getting more and more ridiculous.
I just lost Minami, my friend and the girl I love... and now, I'm talking to a... Goddess?
I can't seem to get the gist of the situation since it seemed too unreal.
[First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. I'm the voice you heard from the playground a little while ago.] (Lichtia)
(Note: Lichtia is read as "Liktia")
I come back to my senses and listen to her.
I'll believe her for three reasons.
She knows about Minami's death from last week.
She knew about the voice I heard after that.
And of course, she magically appeared in front of me...
So I guess doing something like transporting me in a different world must also be easy for her, a Goddess.
She is the Goddess of Light which means she's only one of them, proving the "Many Gods Theory" true.
[For what purpose did you summon me here, Goddess-san?] (Akito)
I looked at the Goddess once more.
She had a long and bright blond hair extending to her feet.
She had a very mature and beautiful figure along with her fully developed chest.
She wears a long but simple white dress which was masterfully made.
It must be made by heavenly craftsmen!
A God, huh?
I guess I'll brace myself for a wave of self-praise and narcissism.
[I can hear your thoughts, Akito-san. Don't worry, I'm not a narrow-minded god, so please don't think of me so badly.] (Lichtia)
[Eh?! I apologize for that. Forgive me for judging you so quickly Goddess-san.] (Akito)
[It's fine, as long as you understand. Also, just call me Lichtia.] (Lichtia)
[I understand, Lichtia...-sama.] (Akito)
That was really embarrassing.
But, I'm glad that she's a very understanding Goddess.
Also, I won't go crazy and demand the crap out of her to revive Minami or something.
The sadness I feel is still overwhelming and I still can't get over her tragic death, but I need to accept it so that I can... move on.
[I'm sorry... I can't do that, but-] (Lichtia)
[It's okay! It's fine...] (Akito)
She heard my mind. It's totally fine though.
[Anyway, I remember seeing you being asked by the police earlier when I was in human form. I definitely knew what was going on and I felt sorry for what happened. After that, just when I was about go back to the Realm of Gods after buying some mochi, I saw you at the playground. Out on a whim, I followed you back to your house.] (Lichtia)
[So, you also saw me taking a bath...? And all those stuff...? For a whole week?!] (Akito)
The Goddess Lichtia's face suddenly turns red as she retracted herself back on impulse.
[Wa-?!] (Lichtia)
[It's a joke. Anyway, I want to know why I'm here.] (Akito)
[Geez, you're one insolent human for having the nerves to tease a goddess... Eherm. To put it simply, I heard your wish. That's why I sent you here.] (Lichtia)
Huh? What wish?
Oh, the thing about me wanting an adventurous life...? Or how I'd rather kill myself ? Or how I wanna live a new life in a different city?
How ironic.
[Those wishes? It seems like you misund-] (Lichtia)
[It's fine Lichtia-sama. I consider myself dead now to begin with. Please, tell me the details that I need to know for living inside of this world, please.] (Akito)
I'm just going with the flow, aren't I? This is a ridiculous decision, but I don't even care anymore.
Funny how this is like a Light Novel...
There's no going back now. I just realized that she was everything to me... but I lost her.
With Minami gone, I don't have any means to live anymore...
Well, in that world, at least.
So, I'll just spend the rest of my life in a different world.
It's kind of sad, but I want to leave everyone and everything behind... if it's gonna be a life without the only girl that I long for and protect.
