Sunset Ghost

I'll See You Again

サンセットゴースト

Sunset Ghost

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第24章

もう一度お会いしましょう

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"Then don't go." Kageyama stared into Hinata's eyes and begged with his own. "Don't give up yet, please."

Hinata's chest shuddered as he let out a weak breath and his eyelids fluttered, as if they could barely stay open. "I gave myself up to save you before, remember? I... I knew there was a chance that I wouldn't come back, but I still did it anyway." He let out a tearful laugh. "Don't you get it? As long as you're still here, I'm fine with going. The only reason I was fighting was to get to see you again."

"You're really okay with dying?" Kageyama asked him searchingly. "Okay with leaving everything behind?"

"I left everything behind a long time ago," he responded quietly, staring up at the sky somberly. "Before I met you, I had nothing left to stay for, but I couldn't figure out how to get away." He exhaled shakily. "I guess this is how it's supposed to be. I should count myself lucky I got to spend as much time with you and Yacchan as I did."

"Stop..." Kageyama brought their joined hand to rest against his heart with a weak, shuddering breath. He could barely keep his voice from breaking. "Don't say any more, please..."

"Then..." Hinata's hand tightened briefly around Kageyama's—as if he would ever let go. "Please, do me one last favor before I go."

Kageyama felt something tighten in his chest at the words, like a hand crushing his heart from the inside. It was getting hard to breathe and he could feel a fresh set of tears sting the edges of his eyes, the words hitting him like bullets directly to the chest. "Idiot," he murmured, keeping his voice low so Hinata didn't hear it crack with anguish. "Don't... don't talk like that."

The redhead's lips curved into a small, familiar smile. "It's okay. Could you..." Hinata's lips paused to allow a deep, shuddering breath in through the mouth, eyelids fluttering like he was fighting off sleep. "Could you... please... call me by my name? Just— Just one more time?"

Kageyama shook his head, unwilling to accept his loss yet. "What are you saying?" He wiped his eyes desperately with his free hand, the other cementing its grip around Hinata's. "You're such a— such a dumbass..."

Hinata let out a weak, annoyed huff. "You're... always so difficult. Please, this once, can you just—" His eyelids fluttered closed and he let out a tired exhalation. "I can't fight anymore, Tobio. I've been here for a long time: too long. I can't stay anymore." He opened his eyes again and weakly squeezed Kageyama's hand, temperature dropping by the second. "It's okay, really. I'm... ready."

"Dammit..." Kageyama shook his head, unsure or just unable to deal with the myriad of emotions flowing through him. "I... I don't want to— I can't say goodbye. I want you to stay with me; with Yachi and Madoka, and even stupid Tsukishima." He clutched Hinata's tiny hand to his chest despairingly, cursing the world with every swear he could think of. "I— I love you, dammit. I love you."

For a second, they were both still, but then Hinata's eyes widened before his mouth twisted into a slight smile. "Is that what... what you wanted to tell me so long ago, but kept pushing off?" He closed his eyes. Kageyama saw new tears drip down his cheeks and mingle with the old, his own, and the rain as he laughed. "I love you, too, you dummy."