EpilogueRays of the eastern sun hits his fingers. Night elapses, and a new day has come.
Levan gently looks up towards the sky. The morning sun that he sees from the top floor is beautiful that day.
There, he has been thinking of a young woman.
Minami—To him, she is the incarnation of beauty.
Like a lead is his bearing, while sorrow exudes from his eyes. This young boy is aware of how his own mentality has far outgrown those around his age.
Even so, it was inevitable that he was drawn to her. The moment they met, he already knew that they were living in two different worlds.
However, his immature awakening of love has made it very easy for him to cross over that henge into the her world.
He wanted to stay with her, he wanted to see her, he wanted to hear her voice.
And, he wanted her to attain happiness.
She is beautiful as she is strong. And that becomes the more reason that he wishes for her happiness.
That young boy has prepared to throw everything away for her sake.
There is a chance that the young woman will return to this room. Although he may have realized that it was merely his wishful thinking, still he will not move away from that place.
Suddenly, the front door opens.
“Minami?”
However, the person standing there is instead an old woman unfamiliar to Levan. He looks perplexed, while the old woman, on the other hand, narrows her eyes as she looks at him.
“My, what are you doing here?”
Hemming and hawwing, Levan finds it difficult to answer her. The old woman understandingly steps into the room.
“Why are you here?”
Instead of her ident.i.ty, that is what he asked of the old woman. Because, the young boy can tell that the old woman dwells in the same world as Minami. Which in turn means, that he would not be able to meet her any more.
To Levan’s question, the woman heaves a sigh. On her face is signs of weariness that is too obvious to see.
“To clean up the mess. It is always up to me to wipe her b.u.t.tocks… Honestly, that girl…”
Although she grumbles, the woman looks slightly happy.
And from her words, Levan could deduce the fact that Minami is not coming back any more.
“What do you want to drink?”
The woman asks the young boy who is standing stock still in the middle of the room.
“Something warm…”
Hearing his answer, the old woman starts heating up some water. The sun illuminates the room through the window, and dusts are reflecting its light. And Levan, is getting teary-eyed from looking the scene.
The world keeps on rotating no matter what happens. The sun will rise in the morning, and night will come when it sets. Levan’s night—his final night that he spent with Minami—is over, and a new morning has started.
A cup of black tea is presented to him, and Levan finally starts crying after feeling its warmth.
His first love has left him for good. The warmth of her existence, her beauty; he knows that he has lost the one and only—the irreplaceable existence.
He holds his tattered sketchbook tight.
He is thinking of drawing pictures again.
Perhaps a future will come where he finds these days as his encouragement. Perhaps a day will come when he manages to depict Minami’s beauty that exists within him into a painting, spreading happiness to everyone who sees it.
However, Minami will not be among them. Although, she does not wish for happiness, either. And now, Levan and Minami are walking down their separate paths that are not going to intersect again.
Even so, he will never cease to wish.
For her happiness.
That was but one genuine wish stemming from the young boy’s love.
The old woman smokes a tabacco, and the sweet fragrant permeates the room.
♦♦♦
It was a stolen Mini Cooper. Inside the car could barely contain Kozuki’s luggages that she brought from her unit.
“They’re our a.s.surance for the next time.”
I am really irritated by how proud she looks as she says it.
I do not know what happened to Popper afterwards. First, we stopped his heartbeat, then we waited for the glowing fish to leave his body before resuscitating him again with AED. We escaped after that, taking both the Ark and the notebook with us.
Actually, I do not know if the organization he is affiliated with will keep their promise. Nevertheless, I do not think that they would confront us again after the lost a fight they had waged themselves. Besides, the fire this time should take them much efforts to extinguish.
On the other hand, his organization is an existence that should be destroyed. After all, they are gangs who have turned ESP users into objects to sell. Crushing them is exactly the action that I should take if I truly want to liberate the espers.
However, that is not my role. I am not a hero.
Also, I still need their influence. What I need from them is not just the weapons, but also information, as well as their connections. That is why I will shut my eyes to their modus operandi.
I will take in both good and evil. I am not saying that I will accept sacrifices for the greater good. Instead, I will make sacrifices for my own goals. There are espers who have become victims of abduction, and more will be sacrificed. But, I am not going to ask for their forgiveness. I do not need it, either.
I will survive, even if it means piling up corpses, and creating rivers of blood. I will still carry out my will.
“Where should we go next?”
A question from the carefree Kozuki.
“I’m sick of going north. Let’s go south.”
“That sounds good. Let us go southeast towards Asia then.”
“This is going to be a long journey.”
“Everything will be all right. The two of us managed to overcome this place, too, after all.”
The two of us… huh.
Perhaps Kyoutarou does not belong to my side anymore. But in his place, Kozuki is here; a hopeless thief with a social deficit disorder. I feel there is something invisible connecting between Kozuki and me. I guess I am content to have her by my side…
I look outside the car window, and more greenery is visible now.
‘If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?’——Such expression exists in this country.
fin
Afterwords
It is nice to meet you. I have the pleasure of writing ‘Tokyo ESP Gaiden – London ESP’, Mori Tetsuya.
How did you find it? In the original story, what were Minami and Kozuki-chan doing during the gap between the two arcs? I hope that I have managed to answer your expectations.
It was three months after the night of Great Liberation. There was Minami, who was making her comeback after losing Professor and Azuma. And there was the innocent and slightly psychotic Kozuki who was learning self-control. It would be my greatest happiness if you have enjoyed how these two people, both hopeless in social relationship, were clumsily building their sense of camaderie.
To Segawa-sensei who has entrusted Minami and Kozuki-chan and given me this task; and has also been waiting patiently as an editor for my ma.n.u.script. To the publishing editor who has publicized these writings of the nameless me. And also for Kadokawa Shoten’s generosity for providing their approval. And to the fans and readers who have read this to the end; I would like to give everyone my words of grat.i.tude.
Thank you very much!