Rebung

2. Clean Slate

[SPOILER]

This story has direct spoiler of SUNNY ENDING in the Omori game, which contains depictions of depression, anxiety, and suicide, and may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader's discretion is advised.

***

The creak of the opening door hit the hearing of four people inside the patient room. Outside, sunshine sparkled behind a person that stood still; clearly trying his best to hide a lot of pain.

The people inside the room gasped. The knowledge of two friends bathed in blood overwhelmed the three visitors inside a room.

"I have to tell you something," whispered the one that had just come in.

"Sunny, you are still recovering," said the oldest person in the room. He approached Sunny. "Let's get you back—"

"No!" Sunny walked closer to the group of people. "Let me speak, Hero."

The only girl in the room intervened, "Hero is right. This is not your time to visit Basil. You have time to explain—"

"I killed Mari," Sunny shouted.

Silence.

The younger male visitor chimed, "Sunny, I am sorry. This is not the time to joke around. Let Aubrey and I help you—"

"I am serious." Sunny threw his gaze to the floor. "I pushed her down the stairs on the day of the recital."

The air froze.

"Hero. Aubrey. Kel. Please, believe me." Sunny's eyes darted to the three visitors. "I am not lying."

"That doesn't make sense!" Aubrey shouted. "We found her hanging in the backyard! Hero cut the rope! Your dad cut the tree down!"

Suddenly, the patient that lied on the bed whispered, "Yeah, because I hung her."

Four head snapped.

"Basil, don't join in Sunny's fun right now," Hero whimpered. "Both of you are still healing. We don't take any nonsense from you right now."

"Last night, we fought because Basil wanted to keep it secret." Sunny took a very deep breath. "Sorry that I can just open up to you after four years of being apart."

No words were exchanged, yet the heaviness of the air lingered.

Suddenly, Hero charged at Sunny. He screamed, "HOW DARE YOU!"

Hero's hand gripped Sunny's shoulder. His eyes reddened; not even fighting the tears that fell down.

Sunny didn't resist. His eyes closed slowly; embracing every inch of anger spewed from Hero.

Suddenly, Sunny found that the grip loosened. He opened his eyes to find Hero barging outside, leaving the doors open.

The second person that reacted was Aubrey. She took a very slow stride and stopped in front of Sunny. Her hand was up in the air. Once again, Sunny's eyes were closed.

Silence.

Sunny opened his eyes. Aubrey kept her stature. Her flushed cheek was wet of tears.

Aubrey lowered her hand. She took a deep breath, muttered, "Coward," and dragged her strand outside.

Kel, the only visitor left in the room, moved to Basil's bedside. He touched Basil's shoulder while announcing, "I know that we are finally together again after being separated for a long time. I know both of you well enough to catch your obvious lie. Please, tell me that I am right."

Basil threw his gaze to the other side of the room. Because of that, Kel walked to where Sunny froze to confirm, "Both of you are fooling around, right?"

Sunny's empty stare greeted Kel. Overwhelmed, Kel chose to leave the room.

With all visitors leaving, Sunny faced Basil. Just the both of them.

On the day of Sunny's moving schedule.

One day after their vicious fight.

One day after Sunny lost his right eye.

Four days after Sunny left his house after locking himself up for four years.

Four years after the friend group lost Mari.

Four years after Basil hung Mari's corpse to mask Mari's death as suicide.

Four years after Sunny pushed Mari down the stairs.

Four years after keeping the secret locked away.

On that day, the weight of Sunny's shoulder melted away. On that day, the sin he tried to hide vanished in the broad daylight.

After losing his spark for four years, Sunny smiled for the first time.

With his best friend's smile, Basil closed his eyes and basked in the warm sunlight.

The overwhelming guilt had been released.

March 21, 2023