Work Text:
Shuka High School…
How long has it been since I came here?
I have no idea to be honest.
I lost my sense of time while I was in my room.
All because of her…
[Hitori-chan]
…
She sure is something…
She is the girl I love.
And today is the day I tell her!
[Nerves]
…
Maybe it’ll be a bit hard…
…
I know she loves me.
[...]
I know she loved me.
She told me so.
But then I ran away.
…
Hitori-chan is sensitive.
Her feelings are hard to handle.
…
I just hope she is willing to talk to me again…
[...]
As I walk in the sea of people on my way to school,
I realize how small I am,
how similar I am to others,
how hard it would be to tell me apart.
I'm just another person,
but Hitori-chan chose me.
I mean something to her.
…
The world is so big.
It moves so fast.
Everything changes so quickly.
There are a lot of things taking place.
Lots of good things.
Lots of bad things.
Lots of tragedies.
Lots of miracles.
There is always something better,
something worse,
someone better,
someone worse.
But among all that chaos,
I know that I mattered in this world,
because I mattered to Hitori-chan.
…
[I matter in the world]
[I matter to Hitori-chan]
[...]
[Hitori-chan is my world]
[...]
[Smile]
…
…Though maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.
I have to find out if she wants to talk to me first…
I have to tell her what I feel first……
…
I walk through the school gates with everyone.
This may be a normal day to most of them,
but to me,
it’s the most important day of them all.
The love of my life will be decided today…
…
What is love?
[...]
It’s just a feeling, isn’t it?
Hm…
Well, not really.
It’s not a feeling, it’s the feeling.
All other feelings are based on how much we love.
When we really love something,
it makes us really happy,
really sad,
really worried.
Love is just an amplifier of feelings.
That’s why I feel like this…
…
[Hitori-chan’s classroom]
…
I’m getting more nervous as I approach it…
…
I open the door just a bit,
enough to see.
…
There she is,
Hitori-chan.
…
I can’t even see her eyes,
her bangs are in the middle.
[...]
School will start soon if I don’t hurry.
I should just approach her.
It’s just a conversation,
I can do it…
…
“H-Hitori-chan…”
She turns around fast.
She isn’t used to people approaching her.
[Smile]
“K-K-K-Kita-san!?”
…
Did she just smile?
[...]
I’ve never seen her smile so widely,
even if it was just for a second.
…
She looked really cute.
…
…At least I know she is happy to see me.
“...”
She looks down.
…
Neither of us knows what to say…
Though that is normal for her…
…
[Silence]
…
[Silence…]
…
This is really tense…
This silence…
…
It’s like we are further away from each other every second…
…
We are in the same room…
We are standing next to each other…
But she is so far…
…
I have to get her closer…
She has to hear me…
…
[Breathe in]
…
“W-WILL YOU GIVE ME THE USUAL GUITAR LESSONS?!”
[...]
She is stunned.
[Scared]
…
Maybe I screamed too much…
…But she heard me, that’s progress.
…
“U-Uh-Sure…”
“...”
Oh no,
she is getting away again…
…
Why is it so hard to talk to her……
…
[Bell]
…
The bell is ringing.
…
I ran out of time.
…
“I-I’ll see you during recess, Hitori-chan…!”
I run away.
…
The bell separated us,
…Maybe it was for the better…
I don’t know how much longer I could have resisted that silence…
And now I have time to think how to tell her.
…
How to tell someone that you love them…
How to tell someone something you want to tell them but can’t because of your feelings…
…
[Maybe I should simplify it a bit]
…
How to say a hard thing.
…
That seems easier.
It makes it look like I just have to tell the wall.
…
[Breathe in]
“...”
[...]
“...I-”
I can’t.
This is way too hard,
even if it’s just a wall.
…
[How to get past an impenetrable wall]
…
I can’t do any direct attack,
the wall won’t break.
…
I can’t just stay still,
I won’t get to the other side.
[.............................]
I have no idea.
I guess the only way is…
to work hard and keep trying.
I’ll find a way somehow.
…
[Bell]
…
The time has come.
I walk to the supply closet,
with my guitar,
alone…
Hitori-chan is already there,
alone…
It’s just the two of us,
in this closet,
alone…
…
Neither of us dares to say a word.
We just play the guitar.
Each playing their own thing.
This is not music,
this is just sound.
…
“…What is music?”
“Eh?”
[...Eh?]
I said that outloud?
…
“I-I guess it’s… a sound… that has feelings…”
Feelings…
…
A sound that has feelings…
[...]
I strum the guitar…
I put my feelings into it,
my love into it…
That’s the only way to make Hitori-chan know…
I play,
and play,
and play,
and play…
…
I don’t hear Hitori-chan.
Did she stop playing?
…
[Darkness]
…
[Void]
…
The whole room is pitch black.
I can hear nothing.
I can see nothing.
I can only see Hitori-chan.
Can she hear me?
…
[I can’t breathe.]
…
I don’t feel like there is a floor.
I don’t feel like there is a ceiling.
We are drifting in the middle of the void.
…
Sound can’t move.
…
[Hitori-chan]
She’s still playing.
Her bangs cover her eyes.
…
I don’t think she has realized where she is.
I stretch a hand.
[...]
She is drifting away,
we are drifting apart,
but I can’t bring myself to touch her.
…
She’s getting further…
Soon she’ll be so far I won’t be able to see her.
We won’t be able to see each other.
We’ll drift in the void…
alone…
forever…
[...]
I’m so nervous I don’t know where I am.
I’m so nervous I can’t breathe.
…
Wasn't there a story like this?
[Tanabata]
…
The story of two lovers separated by the void of space.
Once a year,
the stars make a bridge that allows them to meet.
...
But there is a problem…
Space expands.
Things are further away every day.
Even if it's unnoticeable,
it'll make a difference with time.
They will be further and further away,
until one day,
there won't be enough stars to make the bridge.
They will never see each other again.
There is a wall of nothing between them.
An impenetrable wall.
…
Orihime was a princess…
Hikoboshi was a herder…
They were never meant to be together…
…
A miracle joined them,
and the universe did them apart.
They have no choice but to give up and continue with their lives as if they never met.
…Only a miracle could join them again…
…
A miracle…
…
A wish…
…
[Shooting star]
A star that grants wishes…
A star that moves…
…
Even if it's unlikely,
one day,
a shooting star will come…
…And as long as they don't give up,
as long as they believe in their love,
they'll be able to catch it,
and ride it to see each other again…
…even if there is no bridge…
…even if there is a void between them…
…
[What am I doing?]
…
[I know she likes me]
[I know I like her]
[But I'm not telling her]
[I’m making her feel bad]
[I’m making her feel ashamed]
…
[She won’t want to see me anymore at this rate]
[She’ll avoid me]
[And we’ll never see each other again]
…
This is my last chance.
…
I stretch a hand,
and grab her shoulder.
…
How to get past an impenetrable wall?
…Looks like I was overthinking it.
The best way to get to the other side…
Is to go around it.
[Kiss]
…
…
Hitori-chan’s lips…
They are so soft…
…
I don’t feel nervous.
…
I don’t feel ashamed.
…
I don’t feel happy.
…
I feel nothing.
…
The moment our lips touched,
all my feelings vanished.
…
So this is how love feels…
…
I let go of her.
[Her eyes]
…
For the first time,
I can see her eyes clearly.
They are glittering.
…
They're so beautiful…
…
“Hitori-chan…”
…
She knows now,
she is aware of my love,
that makes it easier to say it.
…
“I love you.”
…
“E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E”
…
She is too shocked to speak…
…
I think she crashed.
…
[Boop]
[...]
[Restarting.]
[Restarting..]
[Restarting…]
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!”
She runs away,
so fast.
I’ve never seen her move so fast…
…
[Her guitar]
…
[She forgot it]
…
It is said that lovers are joined by a thread…
…
…I guess we are joined by a guitar string.
…
…
The sea of people,
a common event that happens every morning.
I always find myself in the middle of it.
It’s pretty much something that comes with being a member of society.
You become just another drop,
unrecognizable from the rest.
The sky is cloudy,
there is no sight of blue above,
just grey.
Most people would say this is a depressing day,
but I am not sad,
I have no reason to be.
I am not happy either.
“Kita…-chan”
…
“…Good morning, Hitori-chan!”
She looks straight at me.
I look into her eyes.
We hold hands,
and walk together among the people.
I am confident that I matter to someone in this world.
I am loved.