[The duel that began between the two was so intense that it was hard to believe they were bound by the ties of a married couple.]
"It seems your skills have dulled quite a bit!!"
"...Don't tell me you failed to notice I'm intentionally holding back?"
The action scene between Hoshino Yume and Hoshino Ai was so desperate and grand that the practice they had done together until now seemed like mere child's play.
Even though Yume was matching Ai's pace, Ai's swordsmanship was at a level where even actors known for their action scenes would bow their heads in respect.
"Ha! I haven't even started yet either!!"
"Useless."
[The duel between the two continued incessantly, but eventually, it was clear who would lose their strength first.]
"Haah... haah...!"
"I told you, you're still far from being able to reach me..... Tsukiyo."
"It's not..... over.... yet... isn't it.... too... early... haah.... to be.... so... arrogant....?"
[But the end of the duel was drawing near, and Tsukiyo was the first to slowly grow exhausted.]
"I'm sure you know, but the power of my Spirit Blade is the ability to never tire. While its ranking as a Spirit Blade might be low..... depending on the user, it becomes an overwhelmingly powerful weapon.
In comparison, Tsukiyo, your sword is definitely one of softness. It's true that skill can surpass strength. However."
I thought you knew all too well that in the face of overwhelming power, any technique becomes meaningless!!!
[In the end, Tsukiyo fell, having been disarmed of her Spirit Blade, while Tsukino watched her slowly.]
"Why didn't you listen to me back then? If you had just taken Toki and run away, we wouldn't have had to fight like this now!!!!"
"Did you think I would actually be killed by those petty assassins!!!!"
"Why... why!!!!!! Why won't you listen to me!!!!!"
"Tsukiyooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
[Tsukino grabbed Tsukiyo by the collar, forcing her to face him, and shouted as if letting out all his long-suppressed resentment. But Tsukiyo...]
"......Even if you told me to leave you alone, do you think I could ever leave you by yourself!?"
"I feel the same way!! Why do you always, always try to handle everything alone!! To you, am I!!! Is Toki!! Just something for you to protect!?"
"I can fight by your side too!!! I have the skill now to stand proudly beside a foolish husband who tries to handle everything on his own!!"
"So don't push me away, Tsukinoooooo!!!!!!!!!"
[Tsukiyo also had much resentment toward Tsukino, so she struggled even more, striking Tsukino's face with both hands and crying out miserably as tears flowed.]
[The sight of the two was wretched, but no one could say a word. It was because they loved each other that much.]
[However, an anomaly occurred.]
"...Guh!?"
"Kyah!?"
[Two assassins suddenly appeared and thrust each other's Spirit Blades through their hearts.]
"...We can no longer leave 'Irregulars' like you alone."
"Since you are a couple who loves each other..... die by each other's blades."
[With those final words, the assassins pulled the Spirit Blades out from their hearts, retrieved them, and fled. The remaining two lives were slowly fading away.]
"...Haha... cough!?.... Haah... haah... are you.. alive..... Tsukino...?"
".....This one's no good."
"..Haha...!... Cough... urgh.. kyah..!?"
"Don't laugh. Even dying peacefully will be impossible for us."
[Realizing that their deaths were imminent, the two slowly pushed themselves up and leaned on each other's shoulders.]
"Ah.. aaah~.... if I were to die..... I wanted to... die by your... hand... cough!?.... what a.. shame...."
"...Our Spirit Blades pierced each other's hearts. In a way... me by your hand and you by mine, Tsukiyo... it's like... we're dying... similarly."
"Hahaha.... it's funny... even in this situation.... you don't.. get... flustered... do you?"
[Tsukiyo's voice trembled more and more as her strength faded away.]
"Hey... Tsukino?"
"....Why do you call?"
".....Toki will be alright, won't he?"
"....Don't worry. He's our son."
He'll surely overcome it.
[Even as Tsukiyo and Tsukino were dying, their only concern was for their precious son, Toki.]
"....Hehe... still, it's romantic.. isn't it?"
"Even while dying....?"
"Yeah.... at least we.... won't be lonely, right?"
"......"
[Tsukiyo smiled and held Tsukino's hand as she spoke, and hearing that, Tsukino slowly smiled and looked at Tsukiyo.]
"....Of course. I'm right here by your side."
".....Yes.... I really... love.... you...."
Tsukino.
[Tsukiyo squeezed out her last bit of strength to kiss Tsukino, and then... she breathed her last.]
"......Haah.... I love you too."
Tsukiyo.
[As Tsukino's life was also slowly, very slowly, fading away.]
"Huff... huff... huff.....!!!"
[A man came running toward the spot and eventually collapsed in front of Tsukino.]
"Aah.... aaah... aaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
[That man was Toki, the son of Tsukiyo and Tsukino.]
"Fa.. Father.... Mother.... Why... how could this.....!?"
[Toki desperately tried to steady his trembling hands, holding Tsukiyo's hand with one and Tsukino's with the other.]
".....Toki.... I'm sorry. To have to show you this side of us.... cough!?"
"Father!?"
[The wound he had forcibly suppressed in front of Tsukiyo eventually burst, and Tsukino's remaining time was also dwindling.]
"....Toki, there's one last thing... I want to tell you."
"Aah.. stop it, Father.. stop.... You can still live....!!! If we use Sayahime's power.....!!"
"It's impossible.... if you do that... Sayahime's.. life would be in danger.... Your mission is to protect Sayahime.... you know that, don't you?"
"....Ah.... aaah.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Tokiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Tsukino's... no, Yume's shout rang out through the venue with just that one word, a sound so immense it could be heard not just on stage but backstage and in the staff room as well.
Now is the time. If it's not now, I won't be able to convey these words to Aqua....!
I've been waiting for this moment. This is why I made that request to Samejima-sensei!! Because I don't want Aqua to suffer anymore!!!!
Even if Aqua is hurt right now!!! I have the 'faith' that he will surely overcome it in the future!!!!
Don't look away, look at me, Aqua!!!!!!!!!!!
SIDE Hoshino Aqua.
'Ah.... they're dying... Ai. Yume. Once again, they're dying before my eyes...'
'In the end, am I unable to protect anything? No, this is acting right now. They're not actually dying...'
'But what if something like this happens in the future? Could I protect the two of them?'
[See? In the end, you haven't changed.]
[What if the situation unfolding before your eyes right now wasn't a play, but reality?]
[Do you really think you can just forget everything and live a normal life enjoying theater?]
[No, not a chance. Of course not.]
[You, I, we must have revenge. We must find the one who tried to kill Yume.]
[If it wasn't for Yume, it definitely would have been Ai. You must find the person who tried to kill Ai and get revenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
[You have no right to be happy.]
'Ah.... that's right. I..... have no right to be happy.'
'Unless I finish Ai's revenge and Yume's revenge, I have no right to be any happier than this.....'
'None...'
'If I just push these emotions down... further and further.... and keep pushing them down....'
'Will it become easier.....?'
"Tokiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
But Aqua's monologue didn't last long. Because Yume's shout reached him.
"I!!!! Tsukiyo is dying here in this place!!!"
"But our will!! Will live on forever in your heart!!"
"So don't give up easily and keep moving forward!! Even if the future is so dark you can't see ahead!!!!"
"Don't move forward alone!! Look around you!!"
"They will never allow you to walk through that darkness alone!!!!!"
"Pour out all your emotions!!! Nothing is resolved by just bottling it up!!!"
"Sadness!! Anger!! Joy!! Despair!! Hope!! You must not throw any of it away!!"
"Toki! You are definitely the one and only hope for me and Tsukiyo!!! So!!"
At that moment, Aqua's eyes met those of Hoshino Yume and Hoshino Ai. He looked clearly and certainly into the eyes of Yume and Ai. And Yume..... the Hoshino family spoke.
""I love you.""
With those words, the two closed their eyes. As if they had truly died. Aqua, who continued to watch that scene, eventually thought:
'.......Don't try to lecture me even at a time like this.....'
"Damn father.....!"
Tears would not stop falling from Aqua's eyes. Yet, his expression looked more relieved than anyone's.
SIDE Hoshino Yume.
"I!!!! Tsukiyo is dying here in this place!!!"
I won't die. I'll never let Ai die either. Aqua, I—we don't want to watch you live in that pain forever.
"But our will!! Will live on forever in your heart!!"
But if, if such a situation ever arises, I swear I will never let Ai die.
"So don't give up easily and keep moving forward!! Even if the future is so dark you can't see ahead!!!!"
Giving up is easy. But I know better than anyone that moving forward without giving up is the hardest thing of all.
"Don't move forward alone!! Look around you!!"
If the path forward is difficult, Aqua, look at those around you.
"They will never allow you to walk through that darkness alone!!!!!"
Surely the bonds you've built up until now will help you. This dad has built up strength just for that purpose.
"Pour out all your emotions!!! Nothing is resolved by just bottling it up!!!"
So don't keep your solitude, your despair, and your sadness forever. If I can't do it, then Ai; if Ai can't, then Ruby; and if Ruby finds it hard too.... trust Akane-san or Kana-san.
"Sadness!! Anger!! Joy!! Despair!! Hope!! You must not throw any of it away!!"
The sadness you carry. The anger you harbor. Even the joy you have. Compared to the despair eating away at you, they might seem light. But that's exactly why you have hope, Aqua.
"Toki! You are definitely the one and only hope for me and Tsukiyo!!! So!!"
Aqua, you are the precious son of me, Hoshino Yume, and Hoshino Ai. Our precious son, one of only two in the world.
""I love you.""
We truly love you, Aqua.
With those words, I closed my eyes, and through the single sentence that followed, I knew our performance was over.
"Damn father.....!"
It was a shout filled with Aqua's emotion, but why is it? That I felt a bit of relief.
Is it my imagination?
I hope it's not an imagination.
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