December 31st, 7:20 AM.
"Ah... I feel terrible..."
Sitting in the crowded bus, Honjou Nia's face was as haggard as a withered old tree.
The air in the bus, a mix of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, was unusually stifling. The crowd packed inside felt as if it would burst the space open. Even sitting down, she felt an imnse pressure that made it hard to breathe.
Although she had the option of taking the subway, based on past experience, Nia knew very well that the subway lines at this hour would only be more terrifying than the bus. Leaving aside whether she could even buy a ticket, even if she got in, she'd probably be floating in the dense crowd with her feet off the ground.
Well, even though she said that, the feeling of riding the bus wasn't much better in reality.
(I should have just asked my editor to drive .)
Nia thought with regret. When she woke up this morning, her editor had called to urge her to hurry to the venue. They had originally planned to drive her, but today was probably the morning with the worst mood Nia had ever experienced since she was born. Although she didn't lose her temper or start an argunt, she just coldly refused and hung up the phone.
(What am I doing...)
Nia couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Just then, as the bus passed an intersection, it unfortunately hit a red light, causing the driver to brake sowhat abruptly. The passengers inside swayed slightly forward due to the inertia of braking.
Although it was just an insignificant sway, to the current Honjou Nia, it felt as if the whole world had turned upside down.
"Ugh, bleurgh—"
A nauseating taste surged from deep in her throat to her mouth. Nia hurriedly covered her mouth, letting out a faint and hoarse retching sound.
"Do you need a bag?"
Right then, the brown-haired girl standing beside her seat very tily held a plastic bag in front of her and asked faintly.
"No... it's just dry heaving."
Nia gently shook her head, rejecting the other's kindness. She should be glad she hadn't eaten anything this morning due to lack of appetite, or rather, that she had already thrown up everything she could last night. Otherwise, Nia would have definitely thrown up her gastric juices along with her food by now.
"Oh..."
After a simple response, the girl didn't say much else. She just stood silently beside her, isolating her from the crowd.
Normally, Nia would have definitely teased, "Your boyfriend power is so high that probably most boys would feel ashad." But right now, Nia didn't even want to say a simple "thank you".
Not for any other reason, but because if it weren't for this girl—Ryougi Yutsuki—she could have headed to Comic Con today with a very refreshing mood.
—Today you will invert out of despair, and then you will be killed.
An unchangeable, unavoidable ending that she was destined to et.
Last night, the girl had declared such an incredibly cruel future to her.
She turned her head to look out the window on the other side. Shops, streets, trees, pedestrians—various sceneries flashed past Nia's eyes.
(No, perhaps I am the one leaving them.)
For an instant, Nia had this illusion. She was on a one-way train heading to the underworld, and everything before her eyes was just a life flashing before her eyes (soumatou).
So, I'd like to ask everyone a question now. If soone suddenly told you, "I saw your future, and tomorrow you will be killed," would you believe them?
You wouldn't believe it. That is the answer. Unless it's an extrely special circumstance, the reaction of most people would be, "Is this person crazy?", "You're talking nonsense, it's a joke, right?", "What kind of religious pyramid sche is this?". Normally, Nia would also scoff at this.
However, unfortunately, Nia happened to be in that "extrely special" circumstance.
The Angel that knows all things—Rasiel, the Angel that predicts the future—Ratziel. Both are miracles that transcend human common sense. The future they observed wasn't sothing that could be explained by sothing as gentle as "possibility"; it was the truth with absolute authority.
That scene of an unknown hand piercing through her chest, even recalling it now, it still felt so real.
Even now, Nia couldn't help but want to complain. Since it was peeking into the future, why couldn't it show her a future like "pulling ten SSRs in one ten-roll"? If it did, she would definitely be grinning from ear to ear right now.
If she didn't know that Angels lacked independent consciousness, Nia would have even suspected Rasiel was teaming up with Yutsuki to take revenge on her, locking her future into a dead end.
If it weren't for this, perhaps today would have just been a very common "special" day for Honjou Nia.
(What am I letting my imagination run wild for...)
A feeling of self-loathing surged in her heart. Nia looked at her reflection in the bus window and frowned unpleasantly.
The person who proposed the experint of connecting the Angels to the girl was herself. The other party had made her refusal clear from the very beginning and emphasized the risks involved. It was her own repeated demands, even using sowhat coercive thods to force the other party to compromise. Then, no matter what happened next, she only had herself to bla.
The person at fault wasn't Yutsuki, but herself. She had known this all along. However, even so, she still couldn't help but treat Yutsuki with a resentful attitude.
Being able to bla soone else. Although it's a very terrible thought, only by thinking this way could Honjou Nia prevent herself from breaking down completely right now.
(...I really want to go ho.)
Suddenly, she felt like nothing mattered anymore. Nia couldn't help but think despondently.
Since she was going to die today anyway, why did she have to take such a crowded bus to the venue for a doujinshi event? Since she wouldn't need money after she died, why bother working?
Why not stay holed up at ho and use her remaining ti to catch up on as many unfinished ani and novels as possible?
—Because, this is the promise you made to them.
A voice ca from sowhere in her heart.
Yes, in the 2D world, a promise is often a very important thing.
Cherishing a promise, valuing a promise, keeping a promise, seeing a promise through to the end. It's very pure, very simple, yet very difficult to achieve.
Many stories beco deeply moving precisely because of a promise made by the protagonist.
If possible, before she died, Nia hoped to beco soone who kept her promises.
(Maybe if I do this, after I die, I'll be able to isekai into the 2D world. Hopefully a world with a beautiful boy like Tokiya, hehehe...)
Ahem... Excuse my loss of composure.
Honjou Nia felt that no matter the circumstances, humans should always hold onto their dreams.
(Moreover...)
Thinking of this, Nia secretly looked up and glanced at Yutsuki.
[However, since Biri-chan dares to say this, then in your eyes, you must have also seen the beautiful side of people, right?]
[...Tomorrow, you'll naturally find out.]
Perhaps, deep down, she still held onto so expectations.
—————————————
"I'm here—Ah."
Stepping off the bus and taking a long, deep breath, this incredibly familiar atmosphere felt as refreshing as a fish returning to water.
At Tengu Square, in front of the stadium entrance, tens of thousands of Honjou Nia's compatriots were forming long lines, waiting for the stadium to open.
Before entering the stadium from the backstage area, Nia couldn't help but turn around, open her arms, and shout proudly.
"Look! The people look just like garbage!"
"...That has been overused a long ti ago." Looking speechlessly at Nia acting up, Yutsuki sighed and waved her hand, urging, "Hurry up and go, otherwise you won't even have ti to set up your stall."
Doujinshi! rch! Cosplay! One Piece does exist!!
A world like heaven surrounded Honjou Nia, intoxicating her and gradually helping her find her rhythm again.
That Honjou Nia who wanted to hole up and die at ho just now must have had water on the brain.
"Biri-chan... As expected, people really should live in the mont."
Bending down and peeking at the 'Zettai Ryouiki' (absolute territory) created by a famous cosplayer's long legs and miniskirt, Honjou Nia remarked like an enlightened holy monk.
"...You perverted old man."
Yutsuki said with a cold face. To this, Nia retorted dissatisfied.
"How rude. I'm a fresh and juicy beautiful young girl, you know."
"Beautiful young girl... hmph..."
Yutsuki let out a disdainful sneer.
"Hey! What did that sound just now an, Biri-chan!?"
"Nothing at all~ Stop dawdling if you've seen enough, let's go quickly."
Seeing Yutsuki taking large strides into the venue, Nia hurriedly followed.
Of course, seeing through everything was a lie. Nia knew she just wanted to imrse herself in the world she loved, to numb her fear of death. Simply put, it was a form of escapism and putting on a brave front.
Most likely, Ryougi Yutsuki had already seen through her intentions.
Walking into the East Hall of the venue, Nia quickly noticed Itsuka Shido and his sister hiding in a corner whispering to each other.
(Let's go scare them a bit.)
A mischievous thought popped into Nia's mind.
"Hoo~ Did you call ~ Ko-to-ri-chan?"
"—Ghost aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
Seeing their reaction exactly as expected, Nia couldn't help but feel very satisfied.
However—
(So they already know...)
Noticing the attitude of the two upon seeing her, Nia sharply realized that they already knew about her situation.
Actually, it wasn't surprising. She hadn't asked Yutsuki to keep it a secret. Even if she reported the future of her death to the boy and the others, Nia had no right to complain.
(But, shouldn't this usually be kept a secret in situations like this, Biri-chan?)
Indeed, if soone could sympathize with her and care about her, Nia's heart would feel a little better.
But the one thing she absolutely didn't want was for them, who were about to compete on the sa stage with her, to pity her.
Fortunately, what she worried about didn't happen.
"Just you wait! Honjou Nia! Our work will definitely make you admit defeat wholeheartedly!"
—You don't need anyone's pity, because you are absolutely not the heroine of a tragedy.
—We will definitely save you.
From the firm gazes of the two, Nia read these feelings.
(Honestly... You guys are way too cool.)
In response to such feelings, Nia raised the corners of her mouth with high spirits.
"Of course, bring it on!"
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