“Now it begins.”
My phone buzzed with an alarm.
“...They want me to come to Abydos...”
Haruta immediately sensed it. Ako from Gehenna’s Prefect Team was already on the move to bring Sensei to Abydos.
All he had to do now was wipe out Akos’ unit and get out.
“...I can finally meet her...”
He could meet her now, but if he met Hina, the story would collapse—and in the worst case, Sensei’s death would be set in stone.
The most perfect story was one where I never interfered directly, and Hina protected Sensei and fought in his place. A perfect future where Sensei didn’t die and didn’t get dragged into the battle.
“Haa...”
Haruta could almost see the cigarette he’d quit, hovering right in front of him.
“...”
He put on his mask and tore open space.
“...Now it starts.”
In his mind, he saw Abydos’ shop get hit dead-on by a mortar and collapse.
“Let’s finish this fast...”
He clenched his hand so tightly that blood pooled in his palm.
The pooled blood soon stained Haruta’s hand red.
“Ah, so it’s starting now?”
In front of him, Gehenna’s Prefect Team and the students of Abydos were already fighting.
He gripped his sword harder and drew two blades, one in each hand—a sign that he didn’t need a gun for this.
“...”
Whoosh!
Clang!
Haruta rushed out in front of Abydos’ students at high speed and threw himself into the fight first.
“Wow! Reinforcements!”
“Yeah, he’s strong.”
“You came... Haruta.”
“Sensei... let’s save the greetings for later.”
Haruta tightened his grip on his blades and stared at the enemies ahead.
“Chinatsu? Who is that?”
“...Chaos....”
“What?! The person standing there is... Chaos?”
“Yes... I saw him once before, so I know... Kivotos’ one and only male student, and its worst criminal...”
“...What are our odds...”
“About the same as the Prefect Team chief’s... or...”
“You mean even higher than that?”
“Yes...”
Haruta heard all of that, then aimed first at Ako’s hologram.
He dragged a blade across his own throat in a clear warning.
“That’s...”
“Yes... it’s a kind of warning...”
Iori loaded her gun first and fired a shot.
“...”
Click.
“W-what... what is that guy... He caught the bullet... with his bare hand...”
Thwoom!
“Iori!”
When Chinatsu looked over at Iori, she was already collapsed in a bloody heap.
“...Everyone... retreat...”
At that sight, Problem Solver 68 felt something was off, and Aru’s eyes sparkled.
Kayoko stared at Haruta as if she knew exactly who he was.
“Ako? Where are you right now?”
“P-pff!? C-chief?”
“Yes, Ako? Where are you right now?”
“I-I’m... patrolling the park near Gehenna with the Prefect Team members...”
Bang!
In an instant, a car was crushed flat as Hina landed on top of it.
“...Ako, this time don’t expect to get off with just one written apology.”
“...”
Hina turned her gaze to Sensei, then slowly looked around as if searching for someone. At last, her eyes met Haruta’s, his face hidden behind a mask.
“...?”
“...”
They said nothing. They only looked at each other.
Tears welled in Hina’s eyes. They kept building, and building, until at last they spilled down her cheeks.
Hina recognized him by instinct. But his presence was different from before. He was clearly taller than her, kinder than anyone else, and the one she had cherished and loved more than anything.
That existence was now a love from long ago, one whose name she could barely remember anymore. And yet her heart was filled only with thoughts of him. The one she loved more than anyone.
The one who had supported her. The one and only person.
“...Haruta.”
Haruta said nothing as he slowly put away his blade and looked at Hina.
He was still wearing a mask, so there was no way to be certain. And yet Hina knew at once who it was by instinct alone. Even if his height changed, even if his face changed.
The essence of a person never changes. Hina understood that better than anyone.
“...”
“Haruta!!!”
“...”
“H-hic... sob... please... say something... I... I...!!”
“Hina...”
Haruta slowly removed his mask and looked at her.
His wings were intact. Four rare pairs of wings.
And eyes redder than any red.
“H... Haruta...?”
“Yeah... Hina, I missed you...”
And just like that, five years of separation came to an end.
The long, long five-year parting finally ended today.
“Hina... I’m sorry.”
“Five years... a full five years...”
“I’m sorry... I’m really sorry...”
“Do you know... what I went through to hold on... and keep holding on...?”
“I’m sorry...”
Hina threw herself into Haruta’s arms and let out all her pent-up grief.
“...I’m sorry... I won’t leave you again...”
“Really...?”
“Yeah... I promise...”
“Waaahhh!!!”
Hina poured out the resentment that had piled up and piled up inside her. As if to voice her humiliation and sorrow, a slow but heavy rain began to fall from the sky.
“Sniff... sob...”
“It’s okay now... and... I’m sorry.”
The rain showed no sign of stopping. If anything, it only grew heavier.
Everyone watched their grief unfold. Some shed tears, and some pointed at them while watching.
“...Have you calmed down now?”
“Yeah... five years. Five whole years... I didn’t know whether you were alive or dead all that time...”
“But I’m alive right in front of you now, aren’t I...?”
In Haruta’s arms, Hina seemed to have spent every last bit of her strength. Slowly, she closed her eyes.
“...Sleep well.”
“Hey! Prefect Team! Back off for now! I have things to discuss with your chief! So back off!”
“...Do you even hear yourself? How do we know what you’ll do to her, you—”
“Amo... Ako, was it?”
Haruta’s killing intent surged more fiercely than ever before.
It radiated from him with the force of a blade that seemed ready to cut down anything it touched.
“Get some sense. Take one more step and I’ll crush Gehenna itself.”
“...”
“Now go back while I’m still giving you a chance.”
“Tch...”
Haruta held Hina in his arms, tore open a rift in space, and prepared to step through it.
“Sensei... just a moment...”
“Fine. Go back. This doesn’t seem like my place to interfere right now...”
“Yes... thank you...”
“Yeah... well... talk it out properly.”
“Then...”
Haruta hugged Hina close and leaped into the crack in space.
-----------------------
“...Haruta!!!!”
“...Are you awake?”
In front of Hina, the one she loved most, cherished most, and treasured above all else was welcoming her back.
“...Sniff... Haruta... I missed you...”
“Me too... I missed you...”
And so, after five years, they were finally reunited.
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