Episode 5: Under the Same Blue Sky as Always

The sky is as beautiful as ever.

But today, there’s someone at the edge of the rooftop. What’s more, one foot is dangling over the edge; if they step any further forward, they’ll fall.

To me, that person didn’t look like they were playing around at all.

That girl, with hair a deep blue almost black, clearly looked like they were about to jump.

I’d rather not witness someone dying. I don’t want to see anyone lying in a hospital bed with their face hidden anymore.

My body moved of its own accord. I headed towards the girl and, without thinking, shouted loudly.

“What on earth are you doing?!”

The voice that came out was so loud I couldn’t believe it was mine.

The girl looked startled at me, and the foot that had been dangling came back onto the rooftop floor. She looked like she might fall if she stayed there, so I pulled her with all my strength to a safe spot.

　Only then did I see her face clearly, and I gasped.

It was Takizawa-san.

Why was she doing something like that? Why was she here?

Was it because of that bullying-like thing she’d been through before? As these thoughts swirled around in my head, I forgot the face I usually put on and blurted out the question.

“What were you trying to do just now…?”

—Was she trying to die?

I felt anxious that might be the answer I’d get.

“I like walking along the edge of the roof.”

Takizawa-san spoke without meeting my eyes.

It was definitely a lie.

Why tell such a lie? Perhaps there was a reason she didn’t want me to know. Rather than prying and hurting her, I thought it better to keep things calm by asking my current question.

“What were you going to do if you died?”

Everyone has family, at least, if they’re alive. They might have friends too. If they died, the people around them would be sad. I know that better than anyone.

Those left behind carry the sorrow of that person’s absence for the rest of their lives.

It might sound like pretty words, but I believed that no matter how painful it was, choosing death was the one option you mustn’t take.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Takizawa-san, who always seemed cool and collected, raised her voice slightly. I felt like getting angry myself – wasn’t that attitude a bit much, considering how worried I’d been? But tears were streaming down her cheeks.

I knew I shouldn’t be thinking such things at a time like this, but her tears were so beautiful I found myself drawn to her.

Unconsciously, my hand reached out and wiped the tears from her cheek.

“Are you… alright?”

　My voice betrayed genuine concern. Usually, I’d say something polite to avoid being disliked, but now I felt I was speaking from the heart.

The next moment, my hand was slapped away.

“Don’t touch me!”

It was certainly wrong to touch someone’s face and wipe their tears without permission while they were crying. But our positions were reversed from that time; I felt drawn into her tears.

　She didn’t remember me, but I had once been saved by Takizawa-san.

“Tears…”

Hearing that, Takizawa-san became agitated and tried to flee the scene. I grabbed her hand unconsciously. I couldn’t just leave her.

Though hurt by her harsh words – “Let go!” and “Don’t touch me!” – I felt I couldn’t let go of this hand now.

　If I let go now, I’d probably never speak to Takizawa-san again. That’s how it felt.

Despite grabbing her arm firmly to stop her, I couldn’t think of a better solution. For now, I searched for something to wipe her tears. All I had in my pocket was a handkerchief.

And it was a precious handkerchief.
Something I didn’t want Takizawa-san to see.

But there was no alternative, so I handed her the handkerchief.

“If you stay like that, people will start worrying about you. For now, I’m the only one here. Why don’t you stay until you’ve stopped crying? If I’m in the way, I’ll leave.”

Takizawa-san looked surprised when she saw the handkerchief. Of course she would. It was the one she’d given me.

“I’ll take that back next time, alright?”

Saying that, I walked away.