Kagerou Daze II - A Headphone Actor

Headphone Actor I

Only me and my shadow stand still in the corridor of sunset.

Earlier, I could overhear music broadcasted by the radio from the headphones that hung around my neck.
But now, I hear noise, as well as something resembling a person's voice.
The atmosphere was obviously different, so I put on my headphones, curious.

The intermittent voice gradually began to form words.
It seemed like a news interview of some country's president.
It was like a performance, with an exaggerated voice, and a slightly delayed simultaneous translation.
There was quite a lot of noise mixed in, but I could somehow make out a few parts.
"......it's a very unfortunate......thing......but......today......the world is going to.......end"

Once those words had been said, I could hear many screams and an enumeration of words I couldn't understand.
Even if I removed the headphones, the appearance of pandemonium was conveyed so clearly it hurt.
Outside the red-stained window, a crescent moon was afloat in the deep purple sky, obscured by so many birds; it was almost like a cluster of black ants.
Removing my headphones, I went back to my room, and glanced around; a half finished game and a mountain of textbooks reflected the sunset, glowing orange.

I wonder what I was doing until now.
I had a vague feeling that I was talking with someone a few moments ago, but I couldn't remember anything more.

"......It's surely just some kind of joke"

I whispered, in an attempt to persuade myself; opening one of the windows lining the corridor. Once I did so, I heard a loud siren I'd never heard before, along with the cries of people.

That noise slowly becomes louder and louder, engulfing the whole city.

My lips are shaking, my teeth are chattering.
I am alone.

There's no one left here anymore.
And soon, I too will cease to exist.
My heartbeat quickens, and my tears tell my cheek.
——————I hate being alone, being alone is scary.
So I can run away from a world being swallowed up by a whirlpool of despair, so I can separate myself, I wear the soundproof headphones once again.

The sound of the radio has stopped, and I can't hear anything but noise now.
"......Shall I just give up on everything already......"
The minute I murmured that, I felt like I heard something.
When I listened carefully, it seemed to be a voice talking specifically to me.
——————And finally, I realized.
That voice, it was none other than my own.

"Hey, can you hear me? You still have a place you want to go to, and something you want to say, don't you?"

I couldn't remember what those things were.
But, for some reason, I felt like I understood the meaning of those words.

"It's alright, trust me. If you can just reach that hill, you'll learn the significance of this, even if you don't want to. If you stay here, you'll just disappear. Hey——————"
As I wiped away the tears that threatened to fall again, I took a deep breath.
"You want to survive, yes?"
That day, when the world ended.
With my own voice as my guide, I ran with all my strength on the trembling ground.