Chapter 28.1
『I want to tell you my secret . 』
I think that those words are surely, words that took a lot of courage from Chako .
The Chako who usually glossed things over by laughing “Ehehe” is trying to talk to me .
I want to hear .
Chako’s secret .
My heart thumps noisily at where I finally arrive .
In order to calm such a me down, and also to reassure Chako, I look at those golden eyes firmly, and nod .
Chako gives a small smile to that and continues the conversation .
“Yui-chan, previously, I spoke about past lives, right?”
About past lives .
That’s probably what she told us during the hike with the Photography Club .
“Un . Chako remembers what happened before you became Chako, wasn’t it?”
“Yes… well, I, used to be human . ”
Chako speaks with a joking tone…
But, her eyes look at me imploringly .
I smile gently at those eyes .
“Un… I thought that was the case . You said you were hit by falling rocks while hiking, right? So I guessed that you were human . ”
“I see, yes . Only humans hike, huh?”
Chako lets loose a lifeless, yet somehow joking voice .
It’s kind of distressing…
It’s okay .
You’re okay .
To convey such feelings, I pull Chako’s hand towards myself and wrap it with both hands .
Chako’s eyes widen for a moment at that .
And, the hand she had been continuously clenching opens, and grasps my hand in return .
A lot of strength is put into the hand holding mine tightly… it hurts a little .
“Yui-chan . I’m not from this world . ”
“… This world?”
Chako’s golden eyes look at me .
“This, is the world of a game . It’s not the world I lived in as a human . I played it when I was human . A small, silver disk . That is this world . ”
“… Game?”
“Yes . ”
… This is the world of a game?
“Incomprehensible, right? … I didn’t comprehend it either . Why I’m no longer human, and why I’m inside the world of a game . ”
Chako laughs “Haha” .
As always, her tone sounds like she’s joking .
But, her hand is still grasping mine back with so much strength that it hurts…
I decided to believe Chako .
That Chako said this is the world of a game .
In that case, are we all characters that appear in that game?
The story has been set from the beginning, and we’re only speaking according to the script?
Joy and sadness, have been set beforehand, and we’re only moving according to what has been laid down?
… That may have been the case .
That may be what is called fate .
“… I see, huh . This is the world of a game, huh . ”
I give a small nod of understanding to the Chako looking at me imploringly .
Seeing such a me, Chako’s brows knit tightly in pain .
This is the world of a game .
I’m a character in a game .
My heart may be fake .
It may be something that was made and pre-established .
But, the Chako in front of my eyes is in such pain .
So fearful of hurting me even though she knows I’m a game character .
She tries to protect my heart .
“… But, Chako doesn’t think of us as game characters . You’re properly looking at me . Kousuke-kun and Yuusei-kun too… You’re properly looking at everyone . ”
That’s right .
Chako’s properly looking at us .
She’s looking at us as living things .
Personally, I didn’t know I’m a character .
However, the Chako who knows that has been treating me as a living person .
“Even if this is the world of a game, I think everyone are living faithfully… You too, think that everyone are alive . ”
“Un… un . ”
In that case there’s no problem right?
Because Chako has been making a painful expression, I chuckle hoping to cheer her up .
Chako bites her lip strongly after seeing me like that .
Then, she takes a small breath and continues to speak .
“The first character I met was Tomotaksama . In the introduction of the manual, Tomotaksama was『A mysterious Prince who can do anything』y’know?”
“Ah… well, he does feel like that . ”
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“Ehhhh . ”
Chako raises a sound of surprise with widened eyes when I agree with Tomotaksenpai’s introduction .
Then, she shakes her head “No no” .
“He’s no Prince from my perspective . And it’s not just mysterious . It’s dark y’know, dark . ”
I don’t know what relationship Chako and Tomotaksenpai has, so I can’t say anything .
Therefore, I can only frown…
“I realised it’s the world of a game but, Tomotaksama was too different . That’s why, I understood immediately that the people here are alive, and that this world properly exists . ”
Chako looks at me firmly .
“Everyone is alive . Not faked . ”
“Un . ”
I nod firmly at the Chako who conveys firmly .
When I do so, Chako’s gaze wander about as she bites her lips strongly .
“That’s why… I thought that I might be the fake one . ”
Chako’s voice is grazed .
“That the real person or phantom Tomonaga Chako might actually be somewhere, and I stole her role . ”
『Role』
That word in particular resounds in my ear .
“Yui-chan, you see, this world is called an otome game, a game where the female protagonist falls in love with cool boys, and works hard for happiness . ”
Chako raises her eyes that were shut .
Those golden eyes look straight at me .
“Yui-chan . Yui-chan is the protagonist . ”
… I’m the protagonist?
“Tomonaga Chako is the villain . She obstructs Yui-chan’s love . ”
… Chako is, the villain?
“I cleared this game only once so, I don’t know where Yui-chan is progressing, now . ”
The golden eyes looking straight at me darken .
Chako’s brows knit in pain .
“I’m fake, so I don’t know what I should do . ”
That voice has been shivering since some time ago .
“What do I do if things don’t go well between Yui-chan and the partner Yui-chan chose because of me? What do I do if I don’t carry out my role properly?”
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――I’ve always been afraid of that .
The face of Chako who speaks with utmost efforts looks like she’s about to cry even now .
Brows knitted, lips bitten .
Idiot .
Chako’s an idiot .
“This world . It’s a game to me, but everyone’s properly alive . It’s really fun… The me who should’ve died from falling rocks that time, is here… I think it’s all thanks to Yui-chan . Because Yui-chan is the protagonist of this world . ”
Chako breathes out a little .
To calm herself down .
Then, she looks at me firmly again .
“… That’s why, I want to repay Yui-chan . ”
Her voice shakes .
Her lips are bitten tightly too .
However, determination dwells in those golden eyes…
“Even a fake like me can properly carry out my role――”
“Idiot . ”
Unable to continue looking at such a Chako, I cover her words with my voice .
“You don’t have to carry out any role . ”
I don’t want you to, Chako .
Don’t make such a decision .
“Chako isn’t fake . You’re properly here . You’re properly alive . ”
You don’t have to be something like a villain .
“Perhaps, the villain Tomonaga Chako was somewhere . But, I only know the current Chako . The only real one to me is the current Chako . Only the one here, staring at me . ”
I hold Chako’s hand tightly and stare back at the golden eyes .
I want to look at Chako properly, but her figure blurs .
“Don’t carry out the role of a villain . ”
“… Un . ”
“Chako, isn’t fake…”
“Un . ”
“Chako is n,ot fake . ”
“Un . ”
“Being a villain doesn’t suit Chako . ”
“Un . ”
I continue to speak while ignoring my tears that are about to overflow .
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Chako closes her eyes in response and nods “Un” .
Chako… have you always been carrying out the role of a villain?
That’s why, you disappear in the end even when I turn back time?
“… Sorry . ”
Sorry .
Sorry, Chako .
I, didn’t understand Chako even though I repeated time again and again .
“… It must have been awful being the villain . ”
It must have hurt .
“It must have been scary… Being assigned the villain role in an incomprehensible world . Not knowing what to do and what will happen to you . ”
Chako has always been suffering over the contradiction between the things she wants to do and the things she must do .
Unable to act according to her own intention, straining her nerves and desperating wondering what will happen in the future…
“… Yui-chan, you said during the hike . That it’s not scary . ”
”That was quite effective for me”, Chako mutters .
“At that time… Chako, I thought you were scared because you recalled what happened when you died . It didn’t cross my mind that you questioned your own existence and hadn’t grown accustomed to this world . ”
“Un… It’s fine, Yui-chan . I, wasn’t able to say anything . I couldn’t tell anyone . There was no way you could have known . ”
”And, a part of me really was scared because I recalled what happened when I died . ” Chako’s golden eyes regard me .
Then, she slowly continues to speak .
“Yui-chan pulled my hand, and said that it’s not scary, that I’ll be okay . That’s why, I made it to today . Even now, Yui-chan believes all my incomprehensible talk… when you should be feeling awful… Yui-chan’s always all about me . ”
Saying so, she raises our hands that are held together .
Then, while still holding my hand, she gently wipes my tears .
A soft light dwells in those golden eyes…
“Chako’s the same…”
Chako’s the same .
――She’s always all about me .
Chako’s figure blurs even more .
“… thanks, Chako . ”
“… Nn?”
Chako’s golden eyes look at me tenderly .
“Thank you for, always, living for my sake . ”
“… Un . ”