COTE: New Game+

Vol. 0 Chapter 2: Kiyotaka And Kei

Kiyotaka's POV
March 18, 2018 (Original Timeline)
Karuizawa Kei's Dormitory

"I see..."

Kei's gloomy expression said it all.

"I wonder... why you were being so cold. I guess this is why..."

A break-up. It is a painful event that no one in a relationship would want to experience. After all, it is the act of separation to the one person you would have considered your other half. No matter how peaceful the process is, it would still be an absolutely depressing thing to experience by anyone.

And right now, me and Kei are going through this process.

"Why would you do this, Kiyotaka?" she asked. Tears were slowly running down her face, but she wasn't angry at all. She simply wanted to know why.

"Our relationship wasn't meant to last for a long time." I said. "Now that my time here in ANHS is close to its conclusion, so would our time together."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I came to this school to learn things about the outside world. Emotions, common sense, friendship, love. Things I never had before."

I could see the shock and confusion on her face.

"Were you simply... using me to learn about love?" she asked.

I didn't say anything. I simply nodded at her words. I could clearly see the pain in her expression, but instead of crying further, she chuckled.

"I have been so blind." she said. "You've always been like that, Kiyotaka. Always so cold, harsh, and ruthless. It was me who didn't realize it until it was too late. I was so stupid."

She sighed heavily.

"Still, despite this, I want to thank you, Kiyotaka." she continued. "My time with you had been the best I've ever had in my entire miserable life. It's a shame that it couldn't last long."

She really has grown. She's not a parasite clinging to anyone anymore. She has become capable of standing on her own two feet.

"Don't worry, Kei." I said, before approaching her and kissing her on the lips briefly. "I will never forget you until the day I died."

"Thank you." she smiled sadly. I then turned away from her and started walking at the direction of the school gates, to where a bunch of my father's men were waiting.

I turned around one last time to see her, and I smiled, catching her off-guard.

"Goodbye, Karuizawa Kei."

*****
March 18, 2020 (Original Timeline)
Undisclosed Location, White Room

It's been two years.

Returning back to the White Room had always been an inevitability for me even when I had first stepped foot in ANHS. Despite this, I always have this feeling... of emptiness that I just couldn't remove from myself. I didn't know where it was coming from, but as I continued learning and doing my tasks, the feeling grew stronger and stronger, but I simply continued to ignore it.

Just then, as I was pondering all of this information, I heard a large explosion somewhere outside the facility. It didn't take long for the facility to descend into chaos afterwards, as hundreds of soldiers stormed the White Room.

This day, which would later be known in history as the "White Raid", was a turning point in my life that I would never ever forget. It was the day that I finally acquired my freedom.