Chapter Text
An odd feeling had been building up all day. Tsukasa felt distant. It was like he was dreaming, but it felt too real to be a dream. It started from when he woke up. As he cooked food for him and Saki, he felt odd. Even as he greeted Saki, he felt odd. In classes, it was hard to pay attention. He felt odd. At lunch he felt odd. He ended up not touching his food.
“Oh, Tsukasa-kun~! Please trade your delicious looking lunch with me! Won’t you take this vegetable-contaminated lunch off my hands?” Rui had come up to him, and sat right down next to him.
Tsukasa looked over the rooftop, feeling a light breeze pass by.
“You know what? Just take it. I’m not hungry.” Tsukasa pushed his lunchbox towards his good friend.
“Wow~ all for me? You really are so kind Tsukasa-kun!!” Rui thanked him with sparkly eyes.
Even as he reached the stage, he felt odd. As he practiced this show for the last time he felt odd.
But now, as he and his troupe mates spoke their final lines, it all made sense.
He looked into the crowd, his heart warm. Everyone he knew was there, and they were smiling. The entire crowd had the brightest, sparkliest smiles on their faces and.. he couldn’t help but feel proud. Of himself, but more importantly, his troupe mates.
They had put everything they had into this show, so to see all those smiles in the crowd? Tsukasa couldn’t be happier. The troupe all bowed, and Tsukasa said his goodbyes to everyone.
“Everyone, thank you for staying with us until the end!! Thank you for showing us your smiles!! Goodbye, everyone!!” He exclaimed for everyone to hear.
Emu, Rui and Nene waved goodbye with him, and the curtain fell.
“Amazing work everyone! Everyone’s smiles were so dazzling!!” Emu jumped up and down, satisfied.
“I agree. This must be our best show yet, everyone looked so happy.” Rui was impressed.
“Wh- Tsukasa-kun?!” Emu noticed as tears rolled down Tsukasa’s face. “What’s wrong?! Are you not happy?!”
“Emu.. I’m more than happy..!! Everyone smiled so brightly all thanks to us! I’m so proud of you all, you all have grown so much!!” Tsukasa cried, before embracing Emu in a hug.
”Hehe, you’re forgetting yourself, Tsukasa-kun. You, our wonderful leader and dear friend, shine brighter than ever before. We’re so proud of you, too.” Rui joined Tsukasa and Emu’s tight embrace, dragging Nene into it too.
“Yeah.. what he said.. Rui, you’re crushing me-” Nene wheezed out, pretending to be annoyed.
She, like everyone else there, couldn’t be happier. This truly was their best show.
“I’m going to miss this.” Tsukasa whispered under his breath.
”What was that, Tsukasa kun?”
“Hm? I didn’t say anything.”
“Okay then!”
“Big bro!! You did so well!! I couldn’t stop smiling!!” Saki squealed happily the moment she saw her brother.
“Saki!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the show!! It must have been our best, I’ve never seen the audience smile like that!!” Tsukasa lifted her off the ground and spun her around.
“I know!! The whole thing was so well done, no wonder everyone was so happy!!” Saki’s feet touched the ground again, and she lost her balance momentarily.
“Careful!!” Tsukasa put an arm on her shoulder.
”Haha, thanks. Anyways! I better get going, like I said this morning, I’m having a sleepover with Ichi-chan and the others! See you later big bro!!”
Tsukasa’s heart clenched.
“Bye Saki! Get there safely!!” Tsukasa waved his sister goodbye, then went backstage to get ready to go home.
“Farewell, everyone!!” Emu, Rui and Nene, and Tsukasa all went their separate ways, and Tsukasa was all alone now.
The off feeling from earlier that day had finally settled. The show was like a soothing cup of tea, and Tsukasa’s thoughts were finally calmed. He knew what would happen now. He felt a little sad, but it was okay. It’s all okay now.
Tsukasa reached his room, and shut the door. He put his phone on his bed and looked underneath it. As he pulled something out, he heard a voice come from his phone.
“Tsukasa-kun..” That robotic voice.
“Miku..”
He knew what was coming next. He knew well.
“You already know what happened, don’t you?” He knew well.
”Your true feelings have changed”
”Is.. is it really okay? Will it really be okay?”
“It will be okay. You’ve done enough for everyone. You can finally rest, Tsukasa-kun.”
Before he realised it, he was crying again. His shoulders shook, and he sobbed as he listened to Miku telling him “it will be okay” and “you can finally rest.” He sobbed and sobbed. He finally let out all of those years of repressed emotions and it felt so good.
After at least an hour, he finally calmed down.
“It’s time, Tsukasa-kun.”
He tied the rope.
Tsukasa opened his eyes to.. his sekai.
“You’re here, Tsukasa-kun..
You did it.”
Tsukasa collapsed onto her shoulder.
“It’s okay. You did a good thing. I’ll be here for you. I’ll be here until you disappear.”
”I’m going to miss them.”