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The scramble was, as always, full of people. Salarymen returning home after another long day, tourists taking in the glittering lights of Shibuya, students enjoying the bustle of the district’s nightlife. None of them knew that it would be ripped away from them in an instant. No one knew this as clearly as Hitomi Osawa. She could feel it in her very bones, the knowledge causing her body to shake in terror and her eyes to fill with unshed tears. Still, she clung to hope. Without thought for her own safety, she wrapped her arms around the man closest to danger. Achi Endo was shaking too, imperceptible to all but her.
“Please Achi, don’t do this,” she whispered desperately.
In response, he clasped one of her hands tightly. She couldn’t see his expression, but she could guess. Serious, composed. One she had seen over and over again during the perilous day they had shared. His other arm remained resolutely cradled around an inconspicuous attache case. Under its frame, it held death. A tragedy ticking closer and closer.
“Hitomi, please. This is the only favour I’ll ever ask of you.”
His words were soft and gentle. Hitomi could feel hot tears slide down her face in response. It wasn’t fair. Her saviour, her confidant, her friend . Forced to protect everyone with his own life. Why? In the end, what was this all for?
“It’ll be ok. Just trust me, everything will be ok.”
Hitomi strained to believe Achi. He had never let her down before, but what could he do? What could she do? Hitomi only had one choice, one which Achi had helped her make. She could never deny him this. However she would not, could not, leave without telling him. Telling him that-
“There is still so many things I want to talk to you about. So much more that I want to know about you. So please Achi, don’t you die on me.”
Achi squeezed her hand in acknowledgment, somehow conveying his response.
Me too. There’s so much I want to know. Don’t die Hitomi, please.
Hitomi rose and hurried away. Achi’s quickly shouted out instructions to Susumu and the other S.O.S members. Once they had understood, he yelled out warnings at the top of his lungs. Hitomi couldn’t help but join him.
“Get back! Everyone, please you have to get out of here!”
How much time did they have left? It couldn’t be more than a minute. Detective Kano’s voice had joined the mix.
“There’s a bomb! Everyone run!”
The crowd wavered, confused and intrigued by the sight of Achi covering the attache case and the shouts of his friends. Finally, finally, they turned to run. Hitomi swung wildly back to face Achi. How long? Something was wrong. Everything was wrong. Hitomi heard her pulse pound in her ears. Someone was supposed to come. Right? They had to. She stared frozen at the sight of Achi, still clinging to the case. His head turned slowly upwards. Their gazes meet. The lights of the city seemed to grow stronger, shining with growing intensity. Hitomi’s pulse grew deafening. Something had to give. Her legs wouldn’t move, her mind grew hazy. She opened her mouth to scream-
Boom!
Hitomi flew bolt upright, releasing a terrified whimper. Looking wildly around, she could see nothing. Her hands grasped cool sheets. Slowly, she could see the familiar contours of her bedroom peeking out of the darkness Oh. Hitomi fell backward, letting her head hit the pillow with a muffled whump .
Of course.
Everyone had thought that night was behind them. The bomb had been stopped, Alphard had been captured and Maria was cured. Still, Hitomi returned to it in her dreams. The absolute terror of helplessly watching Achi curled around the bomb refused to leave her heart.
“He’s fine. Everyone is fine.”
Hitomi stated quietly, hoping the words would make it seem more real. It helped, a little. Still, she knew she wouldn’t go back to sleep soon. When she closed her eyes all she could see was that scene again. Achi looking deep into her eyes, before the blast blew him away from her forever.
Unbidden, she turned to look at her side table, where her phone rested. Hitomi felt the overwhelming urge to call him. Just to make sure. She knew if she stopped to think, she’d lose her nerve. As quickly as she could, she grabbed the phone and punched in Achi’s number. She could only sit and hold her breath in petrified silence as it rang, each unanswered ring slicing across her taut nerves.
“Whassup? What’s… Is something going on?”
Hitomi gasped in relief. He sounded exhausted, but exhausted was better than dead. Better than…
“Hitomi, is that you? Is everything alright? C’mon, answer me!”
Achi’s voice grew stronger, tiredness leaching out of his tone as it was replaced with something that sounded awfully like panic. The change made Hitomi’s heart drop into her stomach. Here she went again, pushing all her burdens on his shoulders. Scrambling to assuage his fear, she spat out the first thing she could think of.
“Achi? I’m… I’m fine. I shouldn’t have-”
“Don’t even start with that! What’s really going on? I know you wouldn’t call unless something was bothering you. So spill!”
“No really, everything is good here. I just-”
“Hitomi,” Achi said softly. “It’s ok, you know? I’m here.”
A fond smile creeped onto her face. She could practically see him then. She imagined the presumably serious look on his face, brows furrowed as he considered each word.
“It’s… I had a nightmare,” she confessed quietly. For a moment she felt awkward, like a small child hiding behind her mother’s skirts.
“Oh, I getcha. You wanna talk about it? I’ve got tonnes of practice, ‘cause Suzune used to come to me when she was a little kid. Not- not that there’s anything childish about nightmares or whatever! It’s totally normal!”
The panic was back in his tone, but this time it made Hitomi let out a small giggle.
“Achi, it’s alright.”
“Oh good. Yeah.”
There was a pause. In the sudden quiet, the full weight of her fears fell back on Hitomi’s shoulders.
“It was about that night on the scramble. When you were holding the bom- case. The case,” she stuttered. She could already feel tears pool in her eyes again.
Achi hummed in acknowledgement, encouraging her to continue.
“I saw you there, holding it,” she murmured faintly. “Except Mr Minorikawa and Detective Kano didn’t appear. There was no one to stop it. One second you were looking at me and the next you were… you were…”
“Gone,” Achi finished.
At that, Hitomi released a choked sob. The idea was too much, too wrong to consider. Shibuya without Achi? It was impossible.
“I was… I was just so scared . I couldn’t get it out of my head, you know? I know you’re fine but I just… I had to hear your voice. I had to know for sure.”
“I get it. It’s ok, Hitomi. It’s ok. Oh, actually, I’ll prove it! One second.”
The sound of rustling sheets echoed from the phone. There were a few beats of silence, followed by more rustling.
“Did you hear it?” Achi said excitedly.
“You moving your sheets around?”
“No, that’s not-” Achi muttered, then paused. “Oh right, of course you wouldn’t be able to,” he muttered, sudden embarrassment colouring his tone.
“I was trying to show you my heartbeat. To prove I was still okay. But I guess you would need one of those stenographs or something.”
A watery laugh escaped Hitomi. It was just so typical of Achi, the well-meaning, if slightly ineloquent man she had come to know.
“Stethoscope, Achi, they’re called stethoscopes,” she giggled.
“Oh, yeah, of course. Anyway, that’s not the point! What I’m trying to say is, I’ll always be here for you, no matter what. You remember how strong my heart is, yeah?” She could practically hear the sound of him thumping his chest for emphasis.
“It won’t give up anytime soon, and neither will I. You can count on that!”
Another smile slowly spread across Hitomi’s face, growing brighter as she wiped away her drying tears. The sheer determination in his voice calmed her. She knew it then: they had gone through too much together to give in after it was all over. Of that, she was certain.
“Hitomi? Is everything alright over there?”
“Yes, everything is fine now. You always know just how to cheer me up, Achi!”
He let out a low breath at that.
“Good,” he said gently. “That’s good, I’m glad. I don’t want you to worry about that kind of thing. I just want you to get the happiness you deserve.”
Her heart skipped a beat as the warmth of his words enveloped her, before finally settling somewhere in her chest. Suddenly, Hitomi knew what she had to do. All the time they had shared, on that day and every day after, was leading to this.
“Can I see you tomorrow? There’s something I want to tell you,” she burst out.
“Huh? Can’t you just tell me now?”
“No, it’s something I need to tell you face to face.”
“If that’s what you need, I’ll do it. Want me to just meet you at your school?”
“Yes, please. At around 3, okay?”
“Got it. Are you… alright now? I can stay on the line, if you want me to.”
“I’d… I’d like that. Thank you, Achi. For everything. Good night,” Hitomi whispered tenderly.
“Good night Hitomi. Sleep tight,” Achi whispered back, tone no less tender.
Hitomi carefully placed her phone back onto her bedside table before curling back into her blankets. The idea of Achi doing the same made further warmth blossom in her chest. With that feeling, she drifted into a peaceful slumber.