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"So, Anti-kun, what did you want to do differently?"
He blinks. His face buried in a plate of food that he barely has time to taste between bites. He stops, for a moment. His face is covered in scraps. Just a moment ago, she had commented that eating with him was absolutely disgusting. That she was only here because he had done a good job, and she wanted to congratulate him. He blinks again. Raises his head. And before him sits–
Shinjou Akane. The god of this world. She smiles at him. Hands on her cheeks and elbows on the table. Her feet kick out, over and over again, and she looks... normal. Just as she always looks. And yet–
Something cracks.
"C'mon," She smiles brighter, tilting her head to the side just a bit. "You and I both know better. This isn't real, Anti-kun. All of this is far far behind you." She leans forward, nails tapping against the skin on her cheek in an impatient manner. "Maybe I shouldn't even be using that name for you. What do they call you now? Knight-kun?"
He's silent. He doesn't know what to say to her. Not that he ever really knew what to say to her.
"No, I don't like the sound of that." She sighs. "Anti-kun is much cuter, don't you think? You should tell them. Those new friends of yours." She points at him. Her expression can't seem to choose an emotion. Happy, to annoyed, and now she's frowning. Disappointed. "You should tell them where you came from."
Anti wonders how she would know about that.
"But anyway!" She chirps, holding her hands up. "Remember this scene?" She gestures around them. "We thought you killed Gridman, and I took you out to eat as a thank you!" She says, smile bright and turning to look at him again. "You hated him back then. Like, hated him. But you don't feel that way now, do you?" She tilts her head to the side. He mimics the action.
"So, Anti-kun, since you're back here after all this time," She smiles at him once again. Small and sweet, but her expressions were never truly sweet. "There must be something that you wanted to do differently. Right?"
Something he wanted to do differently?
There were many things that he had wanted to do differently. Many lives that he had wanted to save. Many things that he wished he had never done. Many things that he wished he had.
He stares at her. Those eyes – soft pink. A lovely color, according to most. He had never quite understood the appeal – could drill right to his soul, if they wanted. But for now they are merciful. They allow him a moment to think.
"I wanted to save you sooner." He says. The voice that comes from his lungs isn't one that matches his body. It's older. It's wiser. It understands far more than the boy facing this girl does. "I wished I could save you sooner." He says again. His fingers loosen. The stained plate drops from his grip, and he stands from his seat.
Something cracks. It's loud.
"I wanted to hold out a hand to you sooner." He says, and the plate shatters into a thousand pieces as it hits the ground. The world shatters with it.
Anti extends a hand.
It's not the hand of the young boy who had sat in this restaurant, all those years ago.
"Akane-san." He says her name, and she stares up at him. Wide-eyed and shocked. She's not real. They both know she's not real. And yet–
"There's nothing I would have done differently." Anti says. "I am grateful, that I could help heal your heart."
She stares at him. Silent. Shocked. He recognizes her expression. It's one she's held for him before.
And then it falls away. It falls away to a smile. A real smile. A rare sight, on her beautiful face.
Shinjou Akane laughs. She laughs, and the world falls to pieces.
"That's so you, Anti-kun." She giggles, as she falls to pieces with it. "I'm so happy, for whoever you manage to save next~!"
The restaurant crumbles away,
Gridknight has work to do.