Kokoro Connect

Chapter 9 - The Turning Point for Yaegas.h.i.+ Taichi

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Chapter 9 - The Turning Point for Yaegas.h.i.+ Taichi

Taichi subconsciously felt that he was unconscious.

It felt conflicting.

He felt he was floating in a warm, relaxing s.p.a.ce.

He couldn"t move his body——no, he couldn"t feel his body.

Only his sentiment.

A voice echoed in his mind. It felt like "Sentiment Transmission."

[ Were we ever in love with each other? ]

Taichi replied to the voice:

[ I think we were... At least I believe it that way. Even though it was a premature love. ]

[ I guess you"re right, I believe so too... I"m sorry. I"ve been an immature girl. ]

[ No, I should be the one apologizing. But, thank you. ]

[ No, I should be thanking you. Really. Thank you very much. ]

[ I never looked at your true nature properly, I"ve only been pursuing an ideal image all these time... ]

[ No, not at all... Did you? ]

[ I"m pretty sure I did... ]

[ That being said, I"m very happy that you"re willing to fall in love with me... Honest! ]

[ Ahh... Thank you. ]

[ I had loved you too. ]

[ Had loved...? ]

[ ...The I in the past really did love you, but that was when I was clueless about many things, and misunderstood many things. And then... I"ve changed. ]

[ Indeed, you really have changed. ]

[ Or should I say I"ve returned to normal? In any case, I"ve changed. For me, it was a very dramatic change. Not just from this time... Tons have happened after all. ]

[ Yeah. ]

[ Hence I want to restart everything from scratch... Sorry, I"m being so irresponsible. ]

[ Not at all. If I went through that much as well, I would choose to do the same. Not to mention, I think your change was great. And speaking of irresponsible, I could say the same for myself too. I mean, I did love you, but truth to be told... it felt like I only indulging myself about being in love. ]

[ Ah, I know how that feels. ]

[ You do right? Because... love is amazing. ]

[ It is amazing! How should I put it... It"s too complicated for words! ]

[ I was thinking, love is irresponsible to begin with right? Of course, it"s best to be honest with each other, but there"s no reason to be bound by responsibility, or worry about what the other thinks and keep holding yourself back... right? Though I must admit I"m just copying a certain somebody. ]

[ Love is a difficult question... In fact, I"m not even sure if I understood the meaning of being friends. But I"m not supposed to think about these with logic right? ]

[ Er... I don"t know the answer to that either! ]

[ Right? Hm~ I"d say, it would be like the feeling falling in love with someone, or someone falling in love with you. The sentiment in your heart, feel it, think about it... ]

[ And then one step at a time, slowly advance forward. ]

[ ...Ew, you sound like an old man! ]

[ Don"t call me an old man... ]

[ Then~ Hurry up and go out with someone already. ]

[ Yeah, you"re right. Speaking of which, I could say the same for you too. ]

[ Mhm. Though, that someone..., ...won"t be either one of us again right? ]

[ I... thought so too. How should I say it, we... Ours was an extraordinary love, did I say it right? ]

[ Yup. I was thinking of that too. It was premature, but it was without a doubt, real love. And exactly because of that... there"s no way for us to easily mend it. ]

[ Right. ]

[ By the way, this conversation is embarra.s.sing! There"s no way I could say any of these if we were face to face, not even on the phone. It"s only at this time, in this place, that I"m able to say it. ]

[ Should we thank this situation... this phenomenon? ]

[ h.e.l.l no! I hate it. In no way would I even think of thanking it! Ah, it"s almost time... Say, how did I even know? Actually, what"s even going on right now? I suppose I haven"t been sleeping well lately. I was about to collapse so I kinda took a nap... What"s the situation right now? ]

[ ...You know, I think we"re better off not to worry about it too much. ]

[ ...I guess. In that case, I have something to tell you in the end! ]

[ I have something to tell you too. ]

[ It"s great to be able to fall in love with you. ] [ It"s great to be able to fall in love with you. ]

His body"s senses were returning.

His mind was beginning to sync with his body.

He could sense light underneath his eyelids. His could hear noises with his ears. He could smell a unique stench and a sweet fragrant with his nose.

Taichi reached out towards the light.

He reached out his hand.

Taichi tried to move his hand.

His right hand was wrapped in a soft and warm touch.

He grasped the touch in return.

He grasped tightly, so as it wouldn"t slip away.

His sight returned.

He narrowed his eyes from the light"s sting, and slowly focus his sight.

Before him, was a tear-filled-eye"d——Inaba Himeko.

"Taichi! Taichi!"

As though wanting to lean her entire body on Taichi, Inaba hovered over him, calling his name.

Taichi found himself lying on the bed.

"...Morning, Inaba."

Her tears were about to come out. Taichi released her hand and brushed her eyes gently.

"Thank goodness... Thank goodness! Even though it was a metal bar... it was thin and light... I knew you"d be okay... but if something happened to you... if something happened..."

"Don"t cry, Inaba."

Taichi said and pet her head softly.

What happened to me? Taichi tried to recall. He remembered that... a man suddenly charged at them to attack Inaba, so he stepped in between them to s.h.i.+eld Inaba, and was. .h.i.t in the head, and then... was he knocked out?

Taichi peered around the room and realised it was the school"s nurse"s office.

Since he wasn"t sent to the hospital, and with only Inaba by his side, it shouldn"t be too serious... Hopefully.

Inaba seemed to have noticed Taichi"s concern, and began explaining to him.

"Oh... The others are keeping watch outside in case those people show up again. They also need to make a few contact with others..."

"I see."

Nagase should be taking a short nap at the moment, but the bed next to him was empty... Hmm, why did he know Nagase was napping? He remembered a strange dream. Was it a dream...? No, even though it was a dream, he was fully conscious, so there was no doubt about it, it had to be reality, it had to be real...

Taichi sat up. His body seemed alright as he did, though Inaba immediately said to him "You need to lie down a bit longer!" Taichi touched his head. He could feel a thick piece of bandage on his forehead. It stung a little when he pressed on it.

"Stop pus.h.i.+ng yourself... I"m serious... If anything happened to you, I... And if it was because of me..."

Inaba struggled to hold her tears. At that moment, Taichi found her very dreamlike, very frail, as though she would break upon the slightest touch. He needed to protect her——More importantly, Taichi wanted to protect her.

"You"re... I... I——"

[ I need you. Very much. I can"t be without you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you really much. Love you. Love you. ]

It was Inaba"s "Sentiment Tranmission", her honest and genuine feelings flowed into Taichi. This feeling overflowed and flooded Taichi"s heart, overwhelming him. He felt as though he would be completely washed away.

"Wait... That"s.. not... I mean it"s... but don"t listen..."

Inaba shook her head and covered her face. He could see her cheeks blus.h.i.+ng scarlet from between her fingers.

[ Love you so much. Love you and love you. Love you. Love you. Love you. In love with you. Loving you. Love you. ]

Inaba"s "love" embraced Taichi. It felt very... warm. Very comfortable. Very happy. Very pa.s.sionate. Very endearing. He felt his mind at peace.

Was he ever this needed before?

He was needed so much, he even wondered whether it was a dream.

And then, himself.

He indeed had the notion of "wanting to repay this feeling". Taichi would not deny it. But it wasn"t all there was: He, too, needed Inaba.

Inaba taught him many things. Inaba made him realised what was truly important. Inaba pointed out that he was a "selfless freak." Inaba worried for him for that, and would always watch over him, keeping him in line. Inaba encouraged him to take the first step in many different ways. Inaba took up all kinds of burdens with him. Inaba tried harder than anyone to tell him how much he meant for the others.

It was all thanks to Inaba, that he could become what he was today.

They could complement each other"s flaws.

If they worked together, they could accomplish many things.

Is it really okay? Taichi asked himself.

Even though it had already ended, he had been in love with another person the whole time.

However... If he listened to his heart, if the other had been wis.h.i.+ng for the same...

After all, she had been patiently waiting for him all these times, even until now. If he could already see the conclusion, there was no reason for him to hesitate anymore. Taichi didn"t want to keep her waiting any longer.

This time, he would engage in a solid, down-to-earth relations.h.i.+p.

He desired to do so.

Hence, Taichi spoke.

"Can we... Will you go out with me?"

His word flowed surprisingly smoothly.

Inaba"s expression blanked, and was completely frozen.

She remained still for about a minute before she finally recov—

"Ehh...... EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?"

Just as Taichi was about to say she had finally came to and recovered some color on her face, Inaba flushed her cheeks bright red and became extremely confused.

Inaba frantically waved her limbs around, f.e.c.klessly pounding on the bed.

Then, she started combing her already beautiful black hair with her fingers.

"A-Am I pretty?"

She asked Taichi. She seemed very confused.

"Mhm, very pretty."

Taichi answered simply. Was it because he had just woken up? He did not feel embarra.s.sed at all.

"I-Is that so... No! What am I talking about!"

Inaba shook her head. Then, with her legs together and her hands on her knees, she sat up straight in a ceremonial posture on her chair.

"Uh... Ah... That... Really... It"s... That"s... But..."

She lowered her head, hiding her scarlet cheeks from view. For a long time, she would try to say something, and would struggle to put her words together properly. But Taichi silently watched over her.

Soon afterwards, Inaba raised her head and looked straight at Taichi"s eyes.

And then, she answered to Taichi"s proposal.

"..................Yes."

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