“U-Um... I’m here...to apologize...”
Mitarai Aoi timidly cut to the chase. There was clear fear in her voice. She was terrified that her friend hated her now. No matter how strong her muscles were now thanks to her power as a visitor, this was one thing she couldn’t do anything about. The one here wasn’t the savior known as the Stalwart Snow White. She was just a girl who’d mustered the courage to come here. Katou Mana felt that courage should be acknowledged, even if her perception of this situation was a little skewed.
“Mana, you don’t really see Majima-senpai that way, right?” Aoi said. “And yet, I jumped to conclusions and made a huge fuss...”
Katou Mana was speechless.
“I-I heard you got caught in some kinda incident,” Aoi continued. “It happened right after we fought, so I really regretted it. I kept asking myself why I did such a thing. But I’m so glad you’re okay.”
There really was something off about what she was saying, but at the very least, she was being sincere. During the battle the other day, she’d participated in the Alliance Knights’ rescue alongside Shiran and Kei. This had been for the sake of lending Katou Mana a hand. Even back when she’d criticized Majima Takahiro, it had been out of genuine concern for her friend. As for why she would do such things, it was extremely natural when going by the sensibilities of their old world.
The cause of this disconnect—the one who’d changed—was in fact Katou Mana. She knew this too. That was why she hesitated to coldly turn this girl away on the spot. She couldn’t deny that their old friendship played a part in this.
Before she knew it, Katou Mana’s eyes had naturally drifted elsewhere. She looked past Iino Yuna and right at Rose, who was watching how things progressed attentively. Rose smiled humbly, her expression so gentle one would never think it was a fabrication, then nodded. The reason she wasn’t saying anything was because she was leaving everything to Katou Mana. Understanding that, Mana felt her expression loosen up. Having received courage from her best friend, she turned once more to the girl who’d once been her friend.
“Sorry, Mana, I...”
“No, it’s fine, Aoi,” Mana said, shaking her head. “I mean, I made it all up, so there’s no need for you to apologize to me.”
“Huh...?”
“I mean, what I said back then was all a lie.”
“Wuh...?”
Mitarai Aoi’s eyes turned to saucers.
“About me not being in love with Majima-senpai,” Mana explained clearly.
She figured she should talk about her feelings for that boy, and about who she was now.
“Please hear me out, Aoi,” Mana continued. “There’s a big gap in understanding between us. I doubt you’ve noticed, though.”
Mitarai Aoi’s behavior was definitely skewed, but she wasn’t aware of it. That was why it was important to correct that point first, even if it meant resetting their relationship to zero.
“Teleporting to this world with everyone from school and having lived that way ever since, I believe you see this as an extension of your school life,” Mana started. “But that isn’t the case for me. Because of the Colony’s destruction, everything I had was set back to nothing.”
“Mana...”
“So, I’m sorry. To me, that world is no more than the past now.”
After a short while, realizing what she meant, Mitarai Aoi bit her lip. “By the past...you mean me too?”
“Yes.”
This should’ve been made clear from the very beginning. Her failure to do so had been an error in judgment, as well as a sign of weakness. That said, their relationship was now back to the starting line. It was all over... Not that it would really end that way.
“That’s why I was happy to get along with you again,” Mana said. “It’s pretty selfish of me to say so, though.”
Being a thing of the past didn’t mean she thought of it as inconsequential. This girl had been such a dear friend that Katou Mana had made such an uncharacteristic mistake, after all.
“Huh? Wuh? Mana? What does that mean?”
“You don’t necessarily have to get along with an old friend, right?” Mana elaborated. “I’m with Majima-senpai, and you’re part of the exploration team. Naturally, if you acknowledge me as I am now and still want to be friends, then that’s another thing entirely.”
If she thought of her as the same friend she’d been before, it would only get more complicated. For example, if somebody met a friend from ten years ago, their environment and circumstances could be completely different, and their sense of values could have changed. Nevertheless, it was possible for them to rekindle that friendship.
“How about it?” Mana said, holding out her hand.
Mitarai Aoi didn’t seem to really understand. Still, she knew what this gesture meant.
“S-Sorry, Mana,” she said. “I’m dumb. Can I still consider us friends?”
“No,” Mana answered, shaking her head. “I’m saying we can become friends once more. If you wish to be friends with who I am now, that is.”
After explaining it as simply as she could, it seemed Mitarai Aoi finally began to catch on. Her expression regained its usual cheeriness. It was true, she wasn’t very smart, but she wasn’t a hopeless idiot either. She made mistakes, spun her wheels, and caused trouble. But she also apologized honestly, repented, and gave things proper thought when they were explained to her. That was exactly why Katou Mana had once been close to her.
“Aaah, I kinda get it,” Aoi muttered. “Mana, a whole lot has happened to you since then, huh? That’s what you mean by going back to nothing. But you came this far...with Majima-senpai. You found something precious by doing so. I can’t possibly become your friend if I refuse to acknowledge that.”
She should’ve done this from the very beginning. Mitarai Aoi timidly took her hand, and once she saw that Katou Mana wasn’t going to shake her off, she clung to her with both hands.
“Mana, I’m so sorry,” she said with a weak and pitiful smile.
“I’m sorry too,” Katou Mana replied, returning a smile of her own.
It was just like those long-gone days. Their circumstances were so different now, but they were able to smile at each other just like they had before.