Our Bonds (A Kantai Collection Fanfic) (Remastered)

Chapter 24: Truth and Reconciliation

"Ah crap. I knew it." (Ryuujou)

I looked up to see Ryuujou standing at the doorway.

"That bad eh." (Ryuujou)

I rubbed my eyes and nod my head,

"She passed by us earlier. Shouhou is chasing after her right now. Gonna make sure that flatty ain't gonna do anything stupid." (Ryuujou)

"How did she find out?"

Ryuujou explained that on the 19th of June, the night of her birthday, Zuihou saw me going up the hill and followed me. She heard me talking to the 'other Zuihou' and ran off when it looked like her cover was about to be blown. She went back up there a few days later and discovered the cairn. After that, she forced Shouhou to tell her about that incident and fell sick from the shocking revelation. It seems that she still doesn't believe it and wanted to hear the truth from my mouth. That's why she confronted me.

"This sucks. That's the worst way for her to find out."

"Yep. More importantly, why are ya still sitting on your ass and doing nothing?" (Ryuujou)

"What should I do then? She completely hates me now. Just like before, I failed her once again."

Maybe I'm not fit to be an Admiral after all.

There was a sudden sharp pain on my head as I felt something hit it.

"Ow! What?!"

I looked up once again to see Ryuujou visibly pissed off with her fist clenched.

"You halfwit!" (Ryuujou)

She grabbed me by the collar,

"Just like before?! What do you mean just like before?! When Zuihou sank in the North Salmon Sea? Why the hell are you comparing that to this?! Back then, back then, back then... 'nough of this shit! How long are ya going to keep living in the past?!" (Ryuujou)

"Let go of me!"

"Do you think being like this is helping anyone? Atone? For what? For that incident? Who is blaming you? No one but yourself!" (Ryuujou)

"I was the one who sent them on the mission. It was my strategy that killed her!"

"Did Shouhou blame ya for her death? Did I resent ya for it? The answer is no! No one resents ya for anything! Why can't you understand that? Why da hell are ya beating yourself over this case all these years?  All of us have moved on from that already. Why can't you do that as well?!" (Ryuujou)

"Then tell me how! How do I move on? Teach me! I loved her. I miss her so much. Every time I look at Zuihou, I can't help but compare the two of them. I still see the old Zuihou in her. How can I not think about her every time?"

"You are being disrespectful to Zuihou. The current one." (Ryuujou)

"Sorry but I can't help it. I really... don't know what to do..."

The two of them just share the same body, face, love for planes, cuteness, sweetness, culinary skills... the list goes on. It's all these common traits which always caused me to compare both of them and think about the past.

Ryuujou let go of my collar,

"I can't teach you how to move on. Ya gonna hafta learn that yourself. How 'bout tis? Instead of looking at the similarities, try looking at the differences" (Ryuujou)

"I already know their differences. The current Zuihou is more innocent, curious, gets flustered more easily and not true to herself."

"I ain't asking you to compare them. I'm saying, instead of seeing her as just a lookalike, look at Zuihou as another person. I know it can be hard but," (Ryuujou)