COTE : Is Talent Everything? (Rewrite)-Chapter 146 - 142: Imitation Boy

Without accomplishing anything. Without leaving anything behind. Without keeping my promise to Shirou.

Would I vanish, pitiful and insignificant?

That thought—

"Huh...?"

—disgusted me.

I was surprised by my own reaction.

Before I met Shirou, I had felt nothing about the idea of being eliminated. I hadn't even cared about myself. But now, for some reason...

"I don't want to disappear yet."

The thought surfaced, calm and matter-of-fact.

........

"...Hachiman."

On the way back to our rooms after the test results were announced, Shirou caught up to me from behind and walked alongside me.

"Don't worry too much about it. Academic tests are just about studying. If you work harder next time, you'll be fine."

"Yeah. I know."

I replied with a forced smile to Shirou, who was trying to cheer me up out of concern. He looked almost disappointed by my response.

"...You seem pretty calm. I thought you'd be more upset."

"It's not like I'm fine. I do feel a proportionate sense of crisis. Whether it's academics or combat, I just don't have any talent."

The White Room exposed us to various fields, pushing us to master them. The other children must have discovered at least some aptitude in certain areas. For example, Shirou had talent in combat—one of the best in the facility.

But I had nothing I could confidently call my strength. When you're forced to repeat something from birth, you can't help but realize your own mediocrity.

"But Hachiman, your grip strength and 50-meter dash times were almost the same as mine, weren't they?"

"Were they?"

"We compared them the other day. Don't tell me you forgot."

Ah, now that he mentioned it, Shirou had once challenged me to compare physical ability scores. In the end, we were practically even, with no clear winner.

"So your athletic ability is the same as mine. If you just change how you move, couldn't you do way better in judo or karate?"

"If I could do that, I wouldn't be talentless."

"You just don't know how to use your body. Even I have to think carefully about how I move during combat training."

"How to use my body..."

Shirou's words were something I would never have considered before I started caring about myself.

Physically, Shirou and I were no different. So if I just adjusted my approach a little, could I really reach his level?

"Helpful?"

"Yeah. Very."

"Good. Though, this might be the first time I've seen you so deep in thought about yourself. Even worrying about elimination."

"I never used to think about this stuff... but now I have my promise with you."

Shirou, walking beside me down the white hallway, suddenly stopped. Naturally, I turned to look at him, a step slower in my reaction. Shirou stared at me with a blank expression.

"What's wrong?"

When I asked, he seemed to snap out of it and quickly fell back into step beside me.

"Nah... I just didn't expect you to be so eager about the outside world."

Scratching his cheek awkwardly, Shirou's eyes darted away for a moment.

"It's because you're coming with me. Without this promise, I would've been eliminated long ago."

"...I've been able to keep going because of my promise with you too. I'm glad you're my friend."

For the first time, I saw a faint hint of embarrassment on his face. But contrary to that, his expression soon broke into a happy smile.

"...You're definitely gonna be a lady-killer when you grow up."

"What's a 'lady-killer'?"

"Hah, don't worry about it!"

This was how Shirou had become emotionally stable, able to laugh naturally. He could express all sorts of emotions freely now. Apparently, talking with me had helped him become more emotionally open—but I didn't feel any such change in myself yet.

"What's up, Hachiman?"

"...Nothing."

...I'll keep the fact that I felt just a little jealous to myself.

........

After that, Shirou went to the restroom, so we parted ways briefly. Lately, he had been with me almost constantly, so his absence felt strangely uncomfortable.

"And then—"

"Yeah."

From ahead, I heard two familiar voices. It was a situation I had experienced before.

"Kiyotaka and Yuki?"

In my line of sight were Yuki, the girl who had first shown me what a smile was and the reason I had connected with Shirou, happily chatting with Kiyotaka.

Last time, I had hidden on reflex, but this time, I had no reason to repeat such odd behavior. I simply watched them from behind.

"..."

The relationship between Kiyotaka and Yuki felt vaguely similar to mine and Shirou's.

Two children in the White Room who stood out for their conversations.

One was expressive, talkative, with a well-established sense of self and emotions.

The other was nearly devoid of self, their emotions faint.

The difference, perhaps, was the gap in ability between me and Kiyotaka.

Shirou had undeniable talent in combat, and Yuki had enough skill to take first place in swimming.

Kiyotaka excelled in everything. Whether it was combat or swimming, he steadily improved, closing in on the other two.

The framework was the same, but I lacked the ability of those three.

"What's the difference?"

"What's wrong?"

"!"

Lost in thought, I had been walking unconsciously when the voice startled me, making my back jerk.

The speaker was Kiyotaka. He tilted his head slightly at my frozen reaction, but since we had never spoken before, it made sense that I'd be surprised.

Yuki, who had been with him earlier, was nowhere to be seen. While I had been lost in thought, the situation had become strange. For now, I decided to try conversing.

"Where's Yuki? She was with you earlier."

"She went to the restroom. Said I could go ahead."

"...Then why did you talk to me?"

Normally, he would have ignored me and gone straight to his room. But Kiyotaka, expressionless as ever, continued.

"You were muttering to yourself. It caught my attention."

"...That's it?"

"And the fact that you're usually with Shirou, but not today."

In other words, pure curiosity. He had approached me because something had piqued his interest.

"Shirou left earlier for the same reason as Yuki. As for the muttering... I was thinking about you."

"Me?"

Since the subject of my thoughts was standing right in front of me, I had answered honestly without thinking. But it was too late to take it back, so I decided to ask what I wanted to know.

"How do you keep getting first place in the academic tests? How do you excel in other fields too?"

"..."

Kiyotaka fell silent at my question. But that was to be expected—he had no obligation to give me advice.

After a brief pause, he muttered a single sentence.

"The academic tests... have a logic to them."

"...Logic?"

"If you remember the questions from the last few tests, try reviewing them. The problems seem high-difficulty at first glance, but there's a bias in the question patterns across all subjects."

His tone remained flat, utterly devoid of inflection as he dropped this hint.

"If you can decipher the test's logic and question patterns, getting first place isn't hard."

"Tha—"

That's impossible—I almost said, but stopped myself.

The results spoke for themselves. Kiyotaka had repeatedly taken first place, proving it.

But if that were true, there was one thing that didn't add up.

"Then why was your correct answer rate only 80% today?"

Kiyotaka had said it wasn't hard. So what was today's result about? It didn't seem like a simple mistake.

"Do you know how the White Room's written exams determine their difficulty?"

"Difficulty? ...Ah."

The word difficulty connected the dots in my mind.

"It adjusts... based on the top scorer's performance."

"If I kept getting perfect scores, the difficulty would keep rising. So I held back. To reduce the number of eliminations."

Indeed, ever since Kiyotaka had started consistently taking first place, the number of eliminations had only increased.

"––––––"

This was probably the most shocked I had ever been in my life.

Because I understood just how abnormal what Kiyotaka had casually said was.

Deciphering the patterns of the written exams.

Acquiring the knowledge to execute that.

And on top of that, figuring out the logic behind the difficulty and deliberately lowering his score to reduce eliminations.

Was something like this even possible for a single person?

"It's the same for other fields. Like the academic tests, changing your perspective can drastically alter the difficulty."

Kiyotaka had answered my initial question.

The foundation of his abilities—it felt like I had just seen proof of it.

Kiyotaka wasn't just about talent or instinct. He perceived things from multiple angles, used himself efficiently, and adapted to all phenomena, evolving continuously.

Hearing it directly from him... I felt expectant.

"What... is this?"

It was like all the common sense in my head was being rewritten. Kiyotaka's way of thinking, his methods, his proof—all of it overlapped with a new way of thought.

Deciphering the patterns of the written exams?

Acquiring the knowledge to execute that?

And on top of that, figuring out the logic behind the difficulty and deliberately lowering his score to reduce eliminations?

What Kiyotaka had done was abnormal. But—

"If I could do the same..."

The world Kiyotaka saw.

The landscape only an abnormal person could witness.

Just how vast was it...?

For the first time in my life, I felt curiosity.

How would this knowledge change me?

"Why did you lower your score to reduce eliminations?"

I wanted to know more. I wanted a "textbook" that could change me.

Kiyotaka didn't react to my question. In the same monotone as before, he replied:

"There are things you can learn from the weak. Losing the chance to interact with eliminated children would mean losing interpersonal experience."

Things you could learn from the weak.

Given the conversation so far, it didn't seem like a lie.

Kiyotaka had truly called the other children weak, implying they were only useful for his own experience. Everyone else, including me.

It was hard to believe he was even human. His emotions were nonexistent. Everything reflected in his eyes was inorganic.

"Seems like you're out of questions. I'll head back first."

Kiyotaka left, and I remained alone in the white hallway.

.......

"A-A perfect 100%...!?"

The room buzzed with shock. Yuki and Shirou, whose emotions had developed the most, along with the rest of the fourth generation, all stared at me in disbelief.

Even the instructor who had just announced the results was wide-eyed in shock. But they couldn't stay frozen forever, so after a brief glance at me, they spoke.

"...Correct answer rate: 100%. First place, Hachiman."

I, who had been near the bottom in the last test, had suddenly shot up to first place. While Kiyotaka had been steadily climbing the ranks, my academic performance had improved exponentially. It was only natural they were surprised.

Honestly, even I hadn't expected it to work this well.

"Correct answer rate: 80%. Second place, Kiyotaka."

I was the first to outscore Kiyotaka since the third academic test. Of course, Kiyotaka had held back, so it wasn't anything to boast about.

"Hachiman!!"

After the day's curriculum ended and I was heading back to my room, a voice called out from behind. Before I knew it, Shirou was running up to me, practically jumping in excitement.

"Hachiman, that's amazing! First place!? How did you do it!? You were around 30th last time!"

"Shirou, that hurts—ow."

He was slapping my back pretty hard, talking in a higher-pitched voice than usual.

"Sorry, sorry! But this is seriously incredible! You shot straight to the top!"

"It wasn't me. I got help... from Kiyotaka."

"Kiyotaka? Why's he involved?"

"Well..."

I explained to Shirou that the academic tests had a logic to them, that they were easy if you deciphered the question patterns, and everything else.

But...

"No way. That's impossible."

"Huh?"

"I mean, sure, you got first place, and I can believe there's a logic to the tests... but realistically, it's impossible."

"What's impossible?"

I tilted my head, and Shirou continued explaining.

"First of all, even if there's a logic, figuring it out is impossible. The academic tests are held once every few months. How could you compare them and crack the patterns in that time? We have regular studies too."

"But... Kiyotaka did it. And so did I."

"Even if you decipher the logic, you still have to actually understand the material. It all comes down to memory. You and Kiyotaka are just freaks."

I had simply imitated Kiyotaka, but apparently, what I'd done was absurd.

As I pondered this, Shirou slapped my back again.

"Don't make that face. Either way, what you did is amazing."

"You seem happier about this than I am."

"Of course I am. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Yeah... Oh."

We had stopped walking to talk, so I hadn't noticed the footsteps approaching from behind. When I turned, I saw the very person we'd been discussing.

"Impressive, Hachiman. You deciphered the test's logic in a single attempt."

Expressionless as ever, Kiyotaka offered his praise.

He tried to walk past me, but as he did, he paused.

"...I've never been this surprised before. Honestly, I didn't think you could mimic the logic even after I explained it."

But I had done it. Exactly as Kiyotaka had described.

"From now on, I'll keep my score at 80% too."

"Yeah. That's better. Fewer eliminations that way."

He had likely come just to say that. With no further business, Kiyotaka began to walk past me again.

"Kiyotaka, I have one more question."

"What?"

Just as he was about to pass me, I stopped him.

Everything had been confirmed in this academic test. The method for me to survive in this facility. For a talentless person like me to become the best in this world.

The answer was—imitating Kiyotaka.

Kiyotaka's way of thinking, his mindset, his actions—they fit me terrifyingly well. Whether it was academics or combat, I could mimic everything.

Kiyotaka's growth never stopped. If he could adapt to any situation, all I had to do was imitate him.

A shiver ran down my spine. My curiosity was insatiable. How high could I climb? How much could I grow? And what would I see... at the end of this imitation?

"Kiyotaka... do you like tomatoes?"

"...That's your question? I don't like or dislike them. I'll eat them if they're served."

For the first time, his expression shifted slightly in confusion before he walked away.

.......

"Magnificent...! He's undoubtedly a genius!"

In one of the White Room's instructor rooms, a member of Suzukake's team trembled as they reviewed the fourth generation's records.

"Kiyotaka is a true genius! The tests show he retains memories from as early as infancy, with no signs of childhood amnesia! A prodigy like this has never been seen in any previous—"

"But the source of his abilities remains unexplained."

Suzukake dismissed the subordinate's excitement. They acknowledged Kiyotaka's brilliance but weren't satisfied without a clear reason.

"But... what else can we call him but a genius?"

"...For now, we can only call it a mutation."

Kiyotaka's abilities were extraordinary, but his parents' DNA was far from exceptional. Suzukake concluded it was a fluke—at least until they could unravel the mystery.

"What about him? I think he's a different kind of genius."

"Hachiman?"

The subordinate handed Suzukake a file containing Hachiman's data.

"He's incredible too! Since turning seven, his growth in academics, physical ability, and other fields has been abnormal. Even more than Kiyotaka!"

After scoring first in the academic test, Hachiman had achieved unprecedented growth.

In academics, he matched Kiyotaka for first place. In combat training, he rose to rival Shirou and Kiyotaka. In chess, swimming, and other fields, he was now Kiyotaka's equal. His rapid improvement was astounding.

"In terms of raw ability, he's on par with Kiyotaka."

"Then...!"

"But Hachiman is not a genius."

"Wh-Why not!?"

The facility's purpose was to produce geniuses. To the subordinate, Hachiman and Kiyotaka were the very definition of that. Suzukake's response was a shock.

"Look at this."

Suzukake pulled up footage of today's combat training on a tablet.

"Shirou vs. Hachiman? Hachiman won this match, right...?"

"Yes. What do you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you feel something off about Hachiman's movements?"

The subordinate squinted but saw nothing unusual—just that Shirou and Hachiman were both incredibly skilled.

"If you can't tell, compare it to this."

"This is... Kiyotaka's combat footage?"

Suzukake displayed Kiyotaka's movements on another tablet, placing the two videos side by side.

"...Eh... Wh-What!? This is...! How!?"

The subordinate gasped, gripping the tablet tightly, eyes wide.

"Th-This can't be...! It's impossible...!"

They looked back and forth between the tablet and Suzukake, sweating nervously. Suzukake paused the footage and pulled up a numerical comparison: 98.9%.

"Analysis confirms a 98.9% match between Hachiman's and Kiyotaka's physical movements."

In other words, the margin of error was just 1.1%.

"The reason for Hachiman's rapid growth? He's imitating Kiyotaka."

"Th-That's impossible! They're different people! How can anyone mimic another person's movements so perfectly...!?"

"Yet Hachiman has done it. The numbers don't lie."

Suzukake's tone was flat, but their expression was slightly troubled.

"Th-Then why isn't Hachiman a genius? This goes beyond mere mimicry. It's talent—no, genius!"

"You're misunderstanding the premise."

Suzukake's face remained stern as they continued.

"A genius is someone born with innate talent. Someone who can achieve results without relying on others."

That was Suzukake's definition of genius versus ordinary.

"But Hachiman is an imitation. Without Kiyotaka's genius, he'd be nothing. His talent is acquired, not innate."

On paper, Hachiman and Kiyotaka were nearly equal. But Hachiman didn't qualify as a genius.

"An imitation can never surpass the original."

The subordinate's face was a mix of understanding and disbelief, but Suzukake paid it no mind.

"So Hachiman has no talent?"

"...I wouldn't go that far. His mimicry is abnormal in its own right. Just in a different way from Kiyotaka."

"Meaning...?"

"For now, we'll classify him as another mutation."

Since neither boy's parents had exceptional DNA, this was the only conclusion for the time being.

"Oh, I should also report on the fifth generation."

"How are they?"

"Among them, Takuya and Ichika stand out. Though they're not on the fourth generation's level."

"As I said before, ensure the fifth generation is aware of Kiyotaka and... Hachiman's existence."

"Hachiman too? Understood."

By exposing the younger children to Kiyotaka and Hachiman's achievements, they hoped to instill rivalry, driving the fifth generation to improve.

.......

At seven years old, my abilities had nearly caught up to Kiyotaka's. But I still couldn't call myself his equal. Even if my stats were close, something was missing.

Shirou had gotten injured during training and was taken to the infirmary, so after the day's curriculum, I walked back to my room alone. With Shirou usually by my side, his absence felt strange.

"...Hm?"

Lost in thought, I noticed a girl crouching in front of the girls' restroom. A familiar face.

"Yuki, what's wrong?"

"! ...Hachiman?"

I hadn't spoken much with Yuki, but our interactions through Kiyotaka made us acquaintances.

"Did something happen?"

"My stomach hurts..."

"Did you eat something bad? Or is it gastroenteritis?"

The curriculum had grown increasingly harsh lately. Maybe it was stress-related. But Yuki shook her head weakly.

"No, I don't think so. I've been feeling off lately."

"Should I call an instructor?"

"No, it's fine! If I miss tomorrow's training, it'll be bad. I'll be okay soon."

Her forced cheerfulness was obvious, but if she insisted, I wouldn't push.

"Then, is there anything else I can do?"

"Well... do you know where Kiyotaka is right now?"

Hesitantly, she brought up Kiyotaka's name.

"Haven't seen him... Do you want to see him?"

"Yeah."

"Why? Seeing him won't make you feel better. Nothing will change."

"It's not about that. I just want to see him because I like him."

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

What kind of emotion was this? Not quite a smile, not quite tears. An expression I'd never seen before.

"You and Kiyotaka talk a lot, don't you?"

"We're really close! You and Shirou are too, right?"

"Shirou's my friend."

"Then Kiyotaka and I are friends too! Though... Huh? It feels a little different with you."

"How so?"

"...I don't know."

Her stomachache seemed to have eased slightly as she giggled.

Were Yuki and Kiyotaka friends like Shirou and me? Friendship wasn't one-sided. Did Kiyotaka... No, I was overthinking it.

........

Time flew by, and before I knew it, our fourth-generation group had dwindled to just four: me, Shirou, Kiyotaka, and Yuki. Coincidentally, the four of us had some connection.

Today began with a written exam. The questions were far more complex than the early days. For me and Kiyotaka, it was just a matter of recalling what we'd memorized.

After finishing, I stared at Yuki's back in the seat ahead of me. She had looked unwell since morning.

"Time's up."

"W-Wait, please!!"

The instructor's announcement was met with a desperate shout from Yuki. She stood abruptly, panicked.

"J-Just a little more...!!"

"No. We're grading now."

"...!"

Yuki froze, her face twisted in protest. The instructor ignored her and began grading.

All four of us in the room imagined the worst. I'd never seen Yuki so distraught before.

"Tied for first, 80% correct. Kiyotaka, Hachiman."

No change for us. Shirou's score was as usual. That left Yuki.

"..."

The instructor paused, hesitating to announce Yuki's score.

"For failing to meet the minimum correct answer rate, Yuki, you are eliminated."

Eliminated.

The word drained the color from Yuki's face.

"N-No... No!!"

Her expression twisted in horror as tears welled up. Her desperation turned toward the one who had always supported her.

"Help me, Kiyotaka!!"

She ran to him, crying.

Not because he was the most capable. Not out of calculation. She called for him because it was him.

"I don't want to disappear!"

She clung to Kiyotaka. But...

As the instructor approached slowly, Kiyotaka remained indifferent.

"It's impossible."

"...!"

His cold words shattered Yuki's expression into pure anguish.

"Please! I'll do better next time! I promise!"

"Next time?"

His eyes, which had refused to look at her until now, flicked downward slightly.

"Why didn't you try harder before? You knew there wouldn't be a next time."

"Th-That's...!"

The instructor grabbed Yuki's arm.

At the same time, Kiyotaka's gaze shifted away from her completely.

"This is your limit."

As Yuki was pried away, those were his final words to her.

"No!! Let me go...! Kiyotaka! Help me...! Kiyotaka...!!?"

Her screams turned into pained gasps as she clutched her stomach, doubling over.

Her unexplained illness from earlier had returned. Likely menstrual cramps. Kiyotaka must have noticed too.

"Instructor, Yuki's condition is abnormal. Her performance today was affected."

"...We'll check."

Kiyotaka spoke up, but the instructor's response was vague as they led Yuki away.

His words might not save her, but they had at least opened a slim possibility.

Yet in the end, Yuki never returned.

........

"Kiyotaka."

"...Hachiman? What is it?"

After Yuki's elimination, once the day's curriculum ended, I approached Kiyotaka. I'd told Shirou to go ahead.

"I have a question."

The answer would reveal what I lacked compared to Kiyotaka. The one thing he had that I didn't.

"How did you feel about Yuki?"

What had Kiyotaka thought of Yuki? What had he felt when she was eliminated? And why had he tried to help her at the end?

"Yuki said you were friends. That she liked you."

I added what I'd heard from her.

But even then, Kiyotaka's expression didn't change. Not even slightly.

"Huh."

"'Huh'?"

"Just surprised she thought of me that way."

I didn't understand.

No—I did understand. I just hadn't let go of my own assumptions.

So when Kiyotaka spoke next, it hit me like a shock.

"Yuki was... nothing special to me."

His words settled heavily in my mind.

"Then... why did you tell the instructor about her condition?"

"That instructor was new. If they couldn't even notice her condition, they'd be useless. I wanted to expose their incompetence."

"...I see."

I see.

So that's how it was.

This was the difference. The reason I couldn't catch up to Kiyotaka.

Somewhere in my mind, I'd assumed Kiyotaka cared about Yuki. That he'd spoken up to save her.

That assumption had been foolish.

Kiyotaka felt nothing for others. That was why he could always find the optimal solution.

Unbound by emotion.

Guided solely by logic.

That was what I'd lacked.

Something was draining from me.

A strange sensation, like useless parts of myself were being washed away.

Something inside me was changing.

No—not changing.

Humans fear change.

I felt no fear.

No joy. No sorrow. Just emptiness.

This wasn't change.

It was metamorphosis.

This was—evolution.

"Thank you, Kiyotaka."

I wonder what expression Kiyotaka wore as he looked at me then. Surprise? Or perhaps a troubled frown?

The only certainty was that it wasn't his usual blank stare.

........

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

A few days after Yuki's elimination, I stopped by the restroom before heading to my room.

"Sorry for calling you here."

"It's fine, but why here? We could've talked in the hallway."

Shirou had summoned me. But I hadn't asked why the restroom.

"This felt right. Remember? This is where we first talked."

"Now that you mention it, yeah."

"You were pulling on your cheeks, practicing smiling. It was hilarious."

He brought up old memories, and we chatted for a while. Shirou reminisced like he was recalling some of the few happy moments in this facility.

Then, after a while, his expression turned serious.

"Let's leave. Hachiman."

"...That's sudden."

"Wasn't it the plan anyway?"

We were only eight. Our original plan had been to leave after turning ten.

Shirou's face darkened slightly.

"Sorry... I got scared."

"Scared?"

"After Yuki was eliminated... I started thinking our turn might be next."

Ah. Shirou wasn't scared of elimination itself. He was scared of being separated from me—of our promise to leave together going unfulfilled.

"What do you think? I want to go as soon as possible... even tomorrow."

The outside world, huh?

"I'll leave it to you."

"! ...Thanks, Hachiman."

I gave my vague agreement, and Shirou smiled faintly.

"Honestly, I'm relieved."

"Why?"

"You've been acting strange lately. Like you don't feel anything... almost like Kiyotaka."

The last part was a joke, judging by his wry smile.

"Oh, right. One last suggestion."

"?"

Did he have more to say? As I tilted my head, Shirou continued.

"Should we invite Kiyotaka?"

"Kiyotaka...? To the outside world?"

"Yeah. Maybe he wants to leave too. He's the only one left from our year."

After some discussion, we decided to leave right after tomorrow's curriculum. Shirou would ask Kiyotaka during their combat training match.

Either way, I had planned to hear Kiyotaka's answer before leaving. If Shirou asked, even better.

At any rate, Shirou's dream—our promise—was finally within reach.

"I can't wait, Hachiman! Tomorrow, we'll be out of here!"

"...Yeah."

I only managed that single word in response to Shirou's excitement.

Since today was our last night here, we stayed up late talking about the outside world.

Even when the instructors found us.

........

The next day, the final curriculum of the day was judo.

Shirou planned to invite Kiyotaka here, so he had requested a match against him. The instructor agreed, and with only three of us left, I was left to observe.

"Begin the judo match. Competitors, step forward!"

At the instructor's command, the two faced off in the center of the mat.

"Begin!!"

They moved—but not seriously. Shirou had successfully steered the match into a conversation. If I listened closely, I could hear their whispers.

"Kiyotaka, aren't you interested in the outside world?"

"I've never had any interest in that."

"Here, knowledge is forced on you. Do you really think you can endure what's ahead?"

"I don't see it as endurance."

"...You're weird."

"Are you leaving to do something meaningful?"

"...I want to be free. With Hachiman. With my friend."

"We're at an impasse."

"...Guess so."

As the conversation stalled, Kiyotaka shifted his grip and threw Shirou with a seamless ippon seoi nage.

Thud.

Shirou hit the mat but immediately rose. He'd taken the fall properly—no injuries.

"Ippon! Match over!"

"...I never could beat you, Kiyotaka. Or Hachiman, for that matter."

Standing, Shirou faced Kiyotaka one last time.

"You're really going? To the outside world?"

"To be free with Hachiman. That's my dream."

"I won't stop you."

"Right. Then I'll go first."

With that, they turned their backs to each other.

"Goodbye, Kiyotaka."

"Goodbye, Shirou."

The final exchange over, Shirou walked toward me. His expression was slightly sad but quickly turned into a smile when he saw me.

"Sorry, Kiyotaka—"

"I heard everything. He refused, right?"

I'd caught their entire conversation. Shirou had tried everything, but Kiyotaka had rejected it all.

Hearing it had solidified my resolve.

"Let's go, Hachiman. The outside world awaits."

Barely containing his excitement, Shirou started walking ahead.

Then he turned.

"...Hachiman?"

He stopped, staring at my unmoving form.

"What are you doing? Come on."

He reached out a hand, offering to pull me along.

To take me outside.

To fulfill our promise.

To grant us freedom.

Our promise... Shirou.

"...Hachiman...?"

He called my name again, and our eyes met.

"Shirou."

The name I'd spoken most in my life.

What followed was the first time I'd ever said these words.

"I'm not going."

The expression on Shirou's face at that moment—I would never forget it.

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