Follow the Script

Chapter 16

Y/N: Maybe we should hurry... maybe...

He mumbled to the girl. After gathering everything necessary, his will to continue grew weaker. When facing the end of his journey, he couldn't do the last step to bring an end to this endless torment.

Koishi: ...

That expression, she knew it too well, the look of terror and fear. It was something familiar to her, something that she wished to forget, now haunting her friend's face. Even after knowing the reason of his hesitation, she couldn't say anything.

Just like him, she was also clouded with fear, the fear of what she is, the fear of being forgotten by all. It was a weight that she had to carry around, growing stronger each time she attempts to break the cycle of loneliness. Now, it was going to repeat, that was her her true feelings, the anxiety of losing someone close.

'Everywhere I go, everyone fears me, why am I being treated that way?'

Koishi: ...

She tried to calm herself down, pretending to not see the anomaly standing in front of her, she wished that it was as simple as that. However, her eyes were not betraying her, something was wrong and she needed to confront it somehow but how? Even if she told him what she was seeing, he would assume that she was tired or even think that she was crazy.

...

Y/N's mind: Stop worrying about it dumbass, we're at the end, no point doubting myself.

Quietly, he shrugged off the fears inhabiting his mind and felt a wave of worries slipping away. Normally, that would be the only thing he needed to do in order to calm himself down but another problem emerged afterwards.

...The girl was looking at him with blank eyes, eyes of terror, eyes of tension. Seeing his face struck one of her chords and turned her otherwise blank visage covered by a smiling mask into an expression that he wasn't expecting on her face. Something was wrong, he could tell but he couldn't find the words to say it.

After all, she would just shrug it off and call him crazy. That girl almost never showed her emotions and the occasions that this statement became untrue were so rare that he could probably count them on one hand. Plus, that girl doesn't seem to really understand her own emotions, no point telling her that information.

Y/N: ...

Both noticing each's others pressure, none of them spoke up, keeping the secrets to themselves. Fearing the possible rejection, both prefered to close their eyes on the truth, to not alarm nor harm the other. Being so close to the end, their journey was over and so would their friendship.

...They were allied under the goal of cheating death, simply to correct the man's mistake. Once completed, they would simply go their separate ways and that story would come to an end.

...Maybe?

....

....

In the end, both worked together to reach that goal but not many words were said about each other. Sure, their personalities were quickly grasped and understood but nothing else under that simple layer. The girl never learned much about the librarian's past except for the whole 'I did a mistake that I wish to undo' and the man knew even less, only learning that the youkai had a sister and knew a lot of people in Gensokyo.

...They were strangers, nothing more, nothing less. Yet, they were able to trust each other like they were gazing into a mirror.

Y/N: ...

Koishi: ...

Glancing to his left, everything they needed was to their disposal, they could begin the ritual at any moment. The both of them knew but none raised their voice, reinforcing the silence surrounding them.

Y/N knew how to end his torment, the key was right in front of him but the last step made his legs falter under the pressure. Meanwhile, the girl knew that the end was there but couldn't bring herself to bring that up, fearing that she might never see the man, the one that she wanted to call a friend.

...

However, the gap youkai along with the witch were coming back for vengeance, if they stalled for more time, they would be killed. Time was running out and a decision had to be made.

To finish what has begun or to clear the doubts.

Time is running out, they needed to proceed or else the plan would be met with failure... bringing the end to their efforts.

>Proceed with the ritual

>Do not proceed