Suicide Island 27

*Only for use by I-M.

tl by molokidan

125)
Chapter 27 - Ryou II

126)
1: E...
2: Eri...!

127)
1(2b): After that came-- the hospital...and then the funeral.
2: And strangely enough, I can hardly remember a thing.
3: The next thing I knew
4: I was in that room.
5: Something must have broken then.
6: No concrete feelings like sadness or anything came into my head.
7: I just remembered. Over and over--...

128)
1: "It's so nice...being together."
2: "Hm? Yeah."
3: "I never want...to be alone."
4: "Ryou...don't ever..."
5: "leave me alone..."
6: "You're the one who'd better not cheat on me!"
7: "I won't!"
8: Within our ordinary conversation
9(2b): Eri brought up that topic so many times...and

129)
1: I even started having dreams.
2: That Eri was walking alone in a dark place.
3: What's wrong?
4: Where are you?! Eri!!!
5: The dreams continued daily.
6: I stopped leaving my room.
7: A friend from work who was worried about me brought me my bike.
8: He said insurance covered the repairs.

130)
1: Ironic as it seemed, the bike was back to a brand new condition.
2: I couldn't even stand to look at it...
3: And that night
4: I dreamed again.
5: Eri...
6: Eri, I'm right here!
7: Eri!!!
8: E...!!!

131)
1: She's all alone
2: again.
3: Where?
4: It's obvious.
5: On the highway off the road.
6: That big road...the one we always go on.
7: Whether I was still sane or not
8: I don't really care.
9: I was just thinking
10: about one thing.

132)
1: I left Eri there.
2: I have to go there.
3: She must be waiting.
4: at that spot.
5: At that intersection.

134)
1: E...
2: ri

135)
1: Please, smile.
2: When I opened my eyes--
3: for some reason...I thought I'd see Eri.
4: But of course, I when I opened my eyes--
5: all I saw was the hospital ceiling.
6: I
7: failed...

136)
1: I couldn't budge an inch...apparently, I underwent some really serious surgery.
2(2b): Afterwards, I had two other big surgeries...and when I was in the hospital, my parents only came to visit once.
3: The doctor...was really seriously trying to save me.
4(2b): The staff also worked really hard at my rehabilitation...cheering me on every day.
5: My heart and body gradually recovered...and then
6: I thought about forgetting...about giving up on Eri.

137)
1(2b): I could move my body again, so I returned to my part-time job. Finally--
2: Then, one day when I was finally able to really settle down,
3: a bag of candy fell off the shelf.
4: And I remembered instantly.
5: Now that I think about it, I remember her always holding this...
6: So I took that with me
7: to the intersection I had only been to once since I left the hospital, the intersection I had avoided.

138)
1: Flowers...were there.
2: I had put them there one month ago.
3: Withered flowers were all that remained.
4: I was the only person
5: who had come here.
6: Why...?
7: What about her family, who came to her funeral? Her friends?
8: I didn't understand...she never wanted to talk about her past!
9: ...it's just

139)
1: Just me. I was everything.
2: I was all she had...
3: Don't...
4: Don't leave me alone...

140)
1: Eri...I'm sorry.
2: We were together the whole time,
3: yet I made you wait so long...
4: But it's alright...now.
5: It's alright.
6: But...not only did I not die this time, I didn't even get any major injuries.
7: It was so stupid.
8: There...
9: I should have died there...!!

141)
1: I couldn't say anything...
2: How could I?
3: Ryou had a dire enough reason to take his own life.
4: But I...
5: I--
6: I ran from fighting with people, even ran from compromising with people, losing all my confidence and willpower, finally running away from myself.
7: That's me.

142)
1: I was shocked...by the deer you brought!
2(2b): It tasted good, too...I was moved. And--...
3(2b): the fishing we all did together...the tools we used...searching for water, and salt...
4: We even searched for stuff to eat in the mountains.
5(2b): Ever since coming here, I've no longer felt the sadness or hollowness I felt in my teen years.
6: And of all things, I've even become able to feel the completeness of living.
7: This place--

143)
1(2b): doesn't have a single thing that makes me remember Eri...and as each day comes, my memories of her grow thinner...
2: So I thought...if I stay here, then she might eventually disappear...
3: I need to go back...!
4: To that place...
5: Ryou...

144)
1: Could I tell Ryou that since he's "standing on countless lives," that I want him to live?
2: I couldn't.
3: I had no right to.
4: "I'm jealous..."
5: Ahh
6: She must have a big reason to...
7: And yet I've...
8: lost all understanding
9: again.

[Chapter 27 - END]