I Want to Hear Your Voice - Chapter 19

Epilogue

“Satori, are you done preparing?”

“Ah, wait. I just need to fill the water bottle with tea.”

Satori filled the water bottle with hot tea and closed the lid. He also put the rice ball that he had prepared since early in the morning to eat on the train, into a container. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Satori said to Sousuke who was waiting for him in the living room.

“Hey, what about the white fluffy spirits we talked about before, are they still here?”

“Yup. The weather is nice today, so it looks like they’re basking in the sun.”

“We’re leaving,” Satori told the white fluffy spirits, then they left the house.

After that incident, there were no visible changes so far in Sousuke who was supposed to have given up his life as a human. Sousuke surmised that they’d just have to wait and see what would happen, and worry about it later. For the time being, he was still continuing his life as an announcer called “Ogigami Sousuke.”

Unlike Satori, Sousuke had friends and family that were important to him. Sometimes, Satori still wondered and worried if Sousuke had really made the right choice that day. If there ever came a day when he could no longer be together with Sousuke, he thought that he would step aside, wishing only for Sousuke’s happiness. Satori decided on that secretly.

Today they were going to take advantage of Sousuke’s late summer vacation to visit his grandmother’s grave.

Perhaps because it wasn’t in season, the seats on the bullet train were empty. After having lunch with the boxed lunch and tea that they had prepared, they looked at the passing scenery outside the window. From the train station, they then hailed a taxi.

Beyond the fields of golden-colored rice ears, the nostalgic lush mountains of his hometown could be seen.

The autumn breeze that was clearly different from summer, caressed Satori’s forehead softly. Satori still couldn’t get used to his short bangs. When Sousuke found out the reason why Satori had been growing out his bangs, he said, “You don’t need to do that anymore,” and cut them off. The much wider field of vision seemed to show Satori the things he couldn’t see before.

“Satori, what’s wrong?”

Satori had come to visit the grave together with Sousuke. But he felt that he had no right to pray in front of Sousuke’s grandmother’s grave, as he had taken away Sousuke’s future as a human being. Satori had planned to wait near the entrance of the cemetery. But then Sousuke, who was walking ahead of him with a bucket of water in his hand, turned around and called his name.

“It’s alright, come here.”

(Grandma won’t blame you or anything like that.)

Satori tightly bit his lip and ran over to Sousuke, who was beckoning him with his other empty hand.

After paying respects in front of the grave, they cleaned it and placed the flowers they had bought in the flower stand. After putting out the lit incense with his hand, Sousuke quietly put his hands together and closed his eyes. Satori, who was beside Sousuke, followed suit. He also put his hands together and closed his eyes.

—Sousuke’s grandma, I’m sorry. I might have ruined Sousuke’s life, but I really, really love him. If there ever comes a day when Sousuke regrets being with me, I’ll disappear immediately. So please, let me be together with Sousuke until that time comes. I’m really sorry. Please let me be with him.

When Satori opened his eyes Sousuke was beside him, staring at him with gentle eyes.

“That’s a long prayer you made there.”

Sousuke asked him what he was praying about, and Satori, who couldn’t tell him the real answer, just smiled to dodge the question. 

“Let’s take a walk for a bit before going home.”

“Yeah.”

Satori took the hand that was extended to him naturally.

chirp chirp chirp

Autumn clouds were floating in the pale blue sky that had become much more distant.

When his name was called by Sousuke, Satori turned his head toward Sousuke’s direction.

“I’m glad I got to meet you back when I was just a kid. I couldn’t keep my promise and made you feel lonely, but I’m glad you came to see me. Thank you.”

“Sou…suke?”

Satori unconsciously tried to let go of his hand, but then Sousuke squeezed his hand and held him back with a firm grip.

“You’ve been regretting everything since that incident, right? …No, it’s different from regret, I guess? If something happens to me in the future, you plan to step aside immediately.”

Satori widened his eyes. He didn’t think that Sousuke would find out.

A mischievous smile spread across Sousuke’s face as he watched Satori.

(You’re more obvious than you think.)

Satori wondered if Sousuke had purposefully talked to him with his inner voice. Sousuke’s eyes turned into a smile as he saw the surprised Satori.

“I don’t regret anything, not meeting you, not falling in love with you, or anything else that might happen in the future. What about you? Do you regret meeting me?”

Suddenly his vision blurred. Satori hurriedly rubbed his eyes then shook his head. It wasn’t enough, so he hugged Sousuke’s body tightly.

“Sousuke …I like you, I really like you. I don’t want to be separated from you. I… want to always, always be together with you.”

Sousuke exhaled in relief.

“…You finally said it.”

Then, as if to punish Satori who was slow in understanding, Sousuke hugged him back.

A voice that was much gentler than anyone else’s reached Satori’s ear.

“I like you, Satori …We’ll always be together from now on.”

chirp chirp chirp

A bird circled in the sky above the two. There was the same peaceful scenery as usual.

End.

T/N: There are side stories and extras ~