Discharge from the Hospital
The day of my discharge had arrived. I had been hospitalized for nearly a month, but thankfully, I made it in time for the university entrance ceremony.
My belongings consisted of the bag from the accident and my school uniform. It felt strange to wear a uniform after graduating, but it was the only presentable outfit I had.
The bloodstains on my clothes had been thoroughly cleaned, and there wasn’t a trace of any foul odor. I was nothing but grateful to the hospital staff.
“Thank you for everything,” I said to the receptionist.
With a mix of emotions, I stepped outside the hospital, and an overwhelming sense of freedom washed over me. The sun was shining brightly, and the cherry blossoms were just starting to bud. In recent years, the cherry blossoms often finished blooming before the entrance ceremony, but at this rate, they should be in full bloom by then.
“Alright, then…”
My wounds were still healing, so they were still painful. Aside from my right arm, I probably looked like a normal person. However, under my clothes, I was wrapped in bandages. Walking was still a struggle.
“Haa… It’s hard to believe that just a few steps can feel this exhausting…”
I wondered if I should have stayed in the hospital a little longer.
“Satoshi-kun! Wait up!”
“Huh?”
I turned around to see Sakurazuki pushing a wheelchair as she ran towards me.
“You’re not fully healed yet, so you shouldn’t be walking around alone! Here, here, sit down.”
“Ah, um, thank you.”
I did as she said and sat in the wheelchair. Sakurazuki puffed out her cheeks and put her hands on her hips.
“You’re so distant, Satoshi-kun. Leaving on your own on the day of your discharge.”
“Well, I didn’t expect you to come…”
“Of course, I would! I can’t leave you alone when you’re not fully healed!”
“Sakurazuki…”
She’s too good…
Sakurazuki’s heroine moves were dazzling. I was happy that she would accompany me even after my discharge.
“Well, before any interlopers come—” “What do you think you’re doing!?” Tch.”
Huh? Did someone just click their tongue?
I was in the wheelchair, so I could only hear Sakurazuki’s voice behind me. It must have been my imagination. But I recognized that voice as well.
I heard rapid footsteps coming from behind. I turned around to see Reon with her silver hair flowing as she ran towards us with a fierce expression. She stopped in front of Sakurazuki and glared at her.
“We agreed not to try to get ahead when welcoming Satoshi-sama, didn’t we!?”
“It’s a misunderstanding, Reon. Satoshi-kun came out a little early, so I just thought I’d go ahead.”
“…How convenient.”
“What are you talking about~?”
Sakurazuki brushed off Reon’s anger like a willow in the wind.
“Reon, you came too?”
“Y-yes. I thought it might be difficult for you, even though you’ve been discharged. Was it a bother…?”
She looked up at me with an anxious expression.
“No, no. I’m glad you came. Thank you both, okay?”
“I-it’s not like I wanted to.”
“Hehe, you’re welcome~”
Reon was nonchalantly twirling her hair, but her cheeks were flushed. Sakurazuki accepted my words with a beaming smile.
“…What are you all doing~?”
“I see. So, you’re resorting to those kinds of tactics.”
A soft voice and polite language. I looked forward to see Akina with a saintly smile and Shino with an emotionless smile. They were both looking at Sakurazuki and Reon behind me, not at me.
“Oh, it’s Akina and Shino. What’s wrong?”
“Fufu, you’re pretending not to know, aren’t you? Reon-san.”
“What are you talking about?”
Reon and Shino’s gazes clashed. They were both smiling, but it felt like winter had returned.
“You two shouldn’t fight. Have you forgotten the Four-Way Agreement?”
Reon and Shino, who had been glaring at each other, looked at Sakurazuki with a displeased look.
“Are you the one to say that, Sakurazuki…?”
“Sakurazuki-san was the first one to break it, wasn’t she? I saw it with my own eyes.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Why are you avoiding eye contact when you answer?”
Reon and Shino were gradually cornering Sakurazuki, probably because they thought her excuses were weak.
Then, my wheelchair moved. It seemed Akina was pushing it from behind.
“Akina?”
“Shh~”
Akina put a finger to her lips.
“Let’s leave the three who are fighting behind~”
“Eh? But, well…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay~”
She said, and we gradually moved away from Reon and the others who were holding Sakurazuki’s trial.
“Hey, hey, Satoshi-kun. I have a favor to ask, is that okay~?”
“A favor? Sure.”
“Thank you~ Actually, I’m going to buy a smartphone for my university entrance, but I don’t know anything about them, so I want you to come with me.”
“Is that all? I broke my phone in the accident, so I was thinking of buying a new one too. Let’s go together.”
“Okay! Thank you—” “Hold on a minute…” Tch.”
Huh? Did I just hear Akina click her tongue?
“You’re completely unguarded.”
“What are you talking about~?”
Reon was blaming Akina, but she didn’t seem to care at all. Her poker face might be the strongest.
“Satoshi-san.”
“Shino? What’s wrong?”
She knelt in front of me and took my hand.
“No, I just wanted to say congratulations on your discharge. I’m really glad.”
“Ah, yeah. Thank you.”
A smile from the usually stoic Shino was powerful!
I felt embarrassed and looked away, but in my line of sight, I saw Sakurazuki with her highlights gone.
“That’s unfair…”
“Hmm? What are you talking about?”
“You know what I mean…”
Sakurazuki and Shino, Akina and Reon were glaring at each other. I had no way to stop their fighting, and I couldn’t escape because I was sitting in a wheelchair. I decided to escape reality and sink into contemplation.
Even so, the Four-Way Agreement was such a nostalgic name…
It was something that was created after Sano reached the Harem Ending to prevent the heroines from fighting over him. It was a term that never appeared in individual routes or Bad Endings.
Well, in the end, everyone broke it and continued to flirt with each other…
However, there was something that bothered me. The condition for the Harem Ending was that the heroines had to get along. To do that, Sano had to solve the problems that each heroine had, but he couldn’t do it.
In other words, because they were still at odds, that terrible confession was never accepted. I wonder how it is now.
Well, maybe it’s a minor thing.
“Satoshi-kun, is something wrong?”
Sakurazuki called out to me. I must have been spacing out a bit. The heroines had stopped arguing and were looking at me.
“I’m so glad you guys are alive…”
“━━━”
It’s strange. The sky was clear, but my vision was blurring.
What I wanted to protect was their future that had been crushed by the creators’ convenience. I risked my life for that.
And now, having overcome the instant death ending, they were living in the “present.” That alone made me feel like my life had meaning.
There was no scenario beyond this point. The heroines were finally free.
Then, I made eye contact with the heroines who were looking at me intently. My face flushed.
“Sorry, I showed you something embarrassing. Just wait a moment.”
I was overwhelmed with embarrassment and wiped away my tears, but the more I tried to act normal, the more I dug myself into a hole.
“It’s not embarrassing at all. You’ve always helped us, haven’t you?”
“…Eh?”
Hands were intertwined on my shoulders, back, and arms. It took me a moment to realize that they were the hands of all four of them.
“W-what…?”
“You’re our savior, you know~? There’s no way we’d think you’re uncool~?”
“I wouldn’t have been able to live if you weren’t here.”
“Please don’t say you’re embarrassing. Satoshi-san is the coolest person I know.”
The warm words that were spoken one by one were absorbed into my ears and remained in the depths of my heart.
Ah, I’ve been rewarded…
As I was thinking that, the four of them moved away from me. Then, they looked at me with gentle eyes.
“Well, let’s go celebrate your discharge! I made a reservation for yakiniku for Satoshi-kun!”
“Eh!? Really?”
I couldn’t help but react to Sakurazuki’s words. I had been eating hospital food, so I desperately wanted to eat meat, and my stomach rumbled.
“Haa… Don’t act like it was your achievement, Saionji-san. It’s a high-class yakiniku restaurant run by the Shinonome Conglomerate.”
“That’s going to be incredibly expensive…”
My face turned pale. I had spent so much because of Sano that I had almost nothing left…
“We won’t let Satoshi-san pay for the celebration. It’s all free for everyone tonight.”
“Oh… Thank you…”
What should I do? Shino looked like a god to me.
“I haven’t had yakiniku in years~”
“It’s my first time in my life. I’ve never eaten out with my family… I didn’t have any friends either…”
“You guys eat as much as you want.”
I’ll be kind to Akina (poor) and Reon (abusive parents). At least I want them to be happy for all the hardships they’ve gone through.
“Okay, let’s go!”
Sakurazuki’s cheerful voice echoed.
◇
Satoshi-kun is really kind.
I like that about you.
I’m sorry for this sudden message, okay?
We have two secrets we’ve been keeping from you.
That day, we knew we were going to die.
We’ve incurred a debt we can never repay for sacrificing yourself to save us.
Thank you.
No, it’s not just that.
You’ve been helping us all along, haven’t you?
Was it the ‘World’s Compulsion’?
Because of that, we don’t remember, but we found out.
That’s why, we’ve decided to support you for the rest of our lives.
You, who have been supporting us from the shadows, deserve that much.
I think the other three feel the same way.
And, the other secret.
It’s to kill the root of all evil, Yuto Sano, who manipulates our hearts and lives, and who controls the ‘World’s Compulsion’ that hurt Satoshi-kun.
━━━
Thank you for reading this far!
Please [Follow]!
If possible, please return to the [Work Page] and press the [⊕] button three times in the [Praise with ★] section of the [Review]!