Blue Archive: Miracle's End

Sweet & Bitter

In the quiet solitude of a dimly lit alleyway, Misono Mika leaned against the cold brick wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She had been fleeing from her teacher, her heart pounding with the stress of her escape. Now, struggling to steady herself, she tried to keep her tears at bay. The eerie silence was abruptly shattered by the echo of approaching footsteps. Her pursuers had finally caught up.

As Mika turned to face them, her eyes blazed with unmistakable disdain. "You two are really persistent, and it's starting to piss me off..." she groaned.

Hoshino extended her hands in a placating gesture. "Now, now... the sun's getting low, Mika-chan. Let's all calm down..."

Hina, arms crossed, added, "Sensei was worried about you, Misono Mika."

"Yet it's you two loli hags who chased me instead of him... but I suppose it's for the best. I wouldn't want him to see me like this again." Mika's gaze shifted to a nearby puddle, its surface reflecting her desolate expression.

" Uhe... calling Oji-san a loli hurts more than expected..." awkwardly giggled Hoshino while rubbing her head.

"Care to hear what we have to say?" Hina's voice was firm and unbothered.

Mika stared at her reflection in the puddle, lost in thought. For what felt like an eternity, she remained motionless, her mind swirling with a myriad of uncertainties.

Despite her inner turmoil, Mika knew that Hina and Hoshino had more insight into Sensei's situation than she did. Hence, she slowly lifted her gaze to meet Hina's, then nodded slightly, signaling her readiness to hear the truth.

"Sensei wields a power beyond our comprehension, the very force he used to protect and save all his students," Hina explained. She paused, glancing at Hoshino, whose surprised expression revealed that Hina was aware of the true reason behind Sensei's departure. "Yet, the same power he uses to safeguard Kivotos may ultimately lead to his own demise..."

"W-What do you mean... Sensei's demise?" Mika stuttered, her voice trembling with each word. "Are you saying that Sensei is going to die?!"

"Hina-chan... did Sensei tell you about this as well?" Hoshino whispered, her voice tinged with pain. Though she made sure Hina could hear her, Hina remained focused on Mika who was her priority.

"Despite everything, Sensei wants to care for us until the very end. Adding to the burden he already carries would only cause him more pain, and to us too, his students, who owe him so much for everything he's done. That's why I'm pleading with you, Misono Mika... please forgive Sensei for keeping this painful truth from you."

"Hina-chan..." said Hoshino.

"W-What the hell... to be bossed around by a Gehenna student of all people..." Mika sobbed, struggling to catch her breath. "Are you asking me to pretend nothing ever happened in front of him from now on? To do nothing as I wait for the day he leaves me...?"

" I am..."

" You're crazy... forcing me such joke of a choice when I can barely even think straight..."

An eerie silence fell over the group, lasting nearly a minute. Lost in this oppressive quiet, Mika looked at the two students before her. Both Hoshino and Hina stared at the ground, their eyes betraying the effort to contain their emotions. Their faces were drawn and weary, revealing the countless restless nights they must have endured under the weight of their burden.

Despite the heavy toll, they maintained unwavering smiles when facing Sensei, their expressions masking the deep sorrow they carried.

Mika wondered why.