Work Text:
The room now felt quiet.
There was no longer playful laughter by the desk, no more light coming from her computer, no more teasing through the voice chat.
Only a silent realization remained in Mizuki's now lifeless room.
The first one to know was Ena.
The note requested it. A small note written in tear-stained paper, with shaky handwriting.
“I'm so sorry. I can’t handle this anymore. I'm so tired. I don’t want to keep living anymore.
I never wanted to cause any pain to anyone. I know this will cause pain to a lot of people.
Mom, dad, Yuuki.
Kanade, Mafuyu, Ena.
I hope you can forgive me one day. I'm sorry I couldn’t gather the courage to tell you guys the pain I am carrying.
But I'm losing the battle. I can’t keep doing this anymore.
I don’t know who will find this first. But please.
Take this note to Shinonome Ena.
I love you. I'm sorry I let you down like this. I'm sorry I made promises I couldn’t keep. You'd probably scold me, right? Calling me ‘idiot’. That I knew I could tell you anything. That you would always be there for me. I know. I'm an idiot.
But I just . . .
I can’t keep going. I'm tired, Ena.
I know I said I wouldn’t do it again. I lied.
I hope you can find a way to forgive me one day.
Tell the others that I'm sorry.
Be happy, Ena.
Goodbye. I really . . . I really love you.”
Now all that remained was Mizuki's forgotten ribbons and a small note.
The world kept spinning. But for Ena, everything stopped. Tears and condolences and flowers. But for Ena, everything felt as it was all too far away from her.
Everyone seemed to share Ena's same pain.
Hers was different. Deeper. More shattering.
Frustration and pain and sadness was all that filled her mind. How was I so blind? How did I miss it? How did I miss Mizuki's pain? Why wasn’t I there? Why couldn’t I stop her?
“You made a promise, idiot,” Ena muttered all to herself, locked away in her room, darkness surrounding her. She could only hold closer to her chest the picture frame that held a photo of Mizuki. Smiling. Hiding away all her pain she never fully allowed Ena to see. Only unspoken words haunted her all day and all night. Between the two, Mizuki had always been the most unfiltered one. She used to say “I love you” too easily.
Now Ena knew why.
Never once had she ever said “I love you” back.
“I love you too.”
Now, only the silence of her room would only ever get to hear it.