Convergence

Part 2 : chapter 12

Early March 2006, Tokyo Train Station:

Utahime: "Satoru... I think we should stop."

Satoru: "Stop?"

Utahime: "Yes... I think we should go back to being friends... like before...?"

Satoru: "Did I do something wrong?"

Utahime: "No! No, not at all... It's just that..."

Satoru: "It's just that...?"

It's just that I don't see a future for us.

No matter how much I think about it every night, I can't imagine a single world where we could stay together. I am nothing, and you are everything. My death would be insignificant—but yours... yours would make the world collapse. I can die at any moment, while you... you cannot afford to die, not even once. I don't want you to be sad because of me. Not even for a second. I want you to be happy... even if I'm not part of your life.

Utahime: "It's just that I'm going to be very busy. I got accepted into the Kyoto Teachers' School... I won't have time for a relationship."

Her voice trembled. Her head remained lowered. She couldn't look Satoru in the eyes. She didn't want him to see the tears she was desperately holding back. Every word felt like a blade cutting through her heart.

But she had to do it.

It was the reasonable thing to do.

Satoru: "I can wait...!"

Utahime: "No, Satoru. Don't wait for me. I won't be around much."

Satoru: "But I want to! I don't want to break up with you. I want us to stay together! I don't want to be apart from you!"

Utahime slowly raised her head.

And her heart shattered a little more.

Satoru stood before her, fists clenched, his eyes filled with anger—and something else. 

Something that hurt even more.

At that moment, she hated herself.

How could she do this to him?

How could she make him suffer like this?

Why did he have to be Gojo Satoru...?

And she... almost no one?

Utahime: "Satoru... I don't think it's a good idea..."

Satoru: "But why?! What happened?! Tell me—I need to understand, Utahime!!"

A voice echoed through the station:

"The Tokaido-Sanyo Nozomi 280 train to Kyoto will depart shortly. Passengers are requested to board. Departure is imminent."

Utahime: "I have to go, Satoru... I'm sorry..."

Satoru: "Wait, Utahime! Answer me! Can I wait for you?!"

Her chest tightened.

She wanted to cry.

She wanted to run back to him.

She didn't know what to say.

She didn't know what to do.

She was nineteen.

He was seventeen.

If she had been reasonable, she would have said no.

If she had been reasonable, she wouldn't have turned around.