All those memories of his childhood revived in Koutarou and he was overcome with deep loneliness and an intense sense of loss. Koutarou had lost his mother once more.
“Damnit, I couldn't save her! I couldn't save mom!!”
Koutarou slammed his fist into the hard concrete. The strong blow tore his skin and blood poured out. It was possible that the flowing blood was a replacement for tears.
“I was just a little bit away!!”
Koutarou continued pounding his fist into the concrete, not giving a single care for the blood flowing out. He felt that if he didn't do that, his heart would break into pieces. It was only because he hurt himself like that the he was able to maintain his sanity.
“Even if you call me a knight, I can't save anyone!! History is still the same!! GOD DAMNIT!!”
Koutarou screamed. The sight of his mother dying in front of him once more was more painful than he could ever imagine. He couldn't save anyone. He couldn't be of help to anyone. Everything proceeded as if according to a script or history. Koutarou couldn't do anything. Overcome with that despairing feeling of helplessness, solitude and sense of loss, Koutarou looked like he would shatter if he was even touched.
“I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Onii-chan!!”
However, there was someone who was protecting Koutarou as he looked like he'd fall apart. It was the young girl, Kii, who had desperately chased after Koutarou.
Not caring for her own clothes being bloodied, she held Koutarou's fist by her chest and embraced it with all her might. It was as if she was going to accept all of the feelings in his fist.
“It's, It's all Kii's fault!! If Kii hadn't run away from home, Onii-chan's mother...!! Onii-chan's mother would still...!!”
Kii couldn't stop herself from doing so as her soul screamed.
She felt responsible, she felt that it was all her fault that Koutarou's mother had died because Maya had captured her. And looking back at it, she had been captured because she ran away from home. Kii's selfish actions had deeply hurt Koutarou, which was a massive failure for Kii.
Kii understood Koutarou's feelings more than anyone. They were the same feelings that she had felt before she found her mother's star. She had felt the same despair and solitude herself.
More than anything however, Kii loved Koutarou. That was surely the young girl's immature first love. Her pure emotions screamed at her that she couldn't leave Koutarou alone. Something deep inside her screamed at her to save him.
“I promise you, Onii-chan!! Kii will never let you feel lonely!! Kii will always be by your side!! So, so..!”
Just like Koutarou had healed her heart, Kii felt that it was now her turn to heal his. Since she loved him more than anyone else, she accepted that role. She would always stay by his side so he wouldn't feel lonely. She would learn how to cook, she would do the cleaning and washing. She would do all of the things a mother would do. She wanted to pour her warmth into Koutarou. She believed that together they could save each other from solitude.
“So, please don't cry!! You're not lonely, Kii is here!! Kii will always protect you, Onii-chan!!”
Tears scattered as Kii screamed.
The pure, warm and gentle emotions jumped into the Koutarou's heart. And they gently wrapped his frozen and cracked heart.
“Kii-chan...”
Kii's desperate barely kept Koutarou's heart from breaking. Thanks to that, he managed to calm down a little. It wasn't like the sorrow of losing his mother had vanished, but he managed to recover from the shock of losing his mother twice.
Kii's clothes were dyed red with his blood, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Her body shook and her voice was desperate.
All of that let Koutarou know that he wasn't alone. At the same time, it turned into the power he needed to be able to stand up again.
“...Thank you, Kii-chan. I feel a little better... thanks to you.”
Koutarou somehow managed to smile at Kii.
“Onii-chan...”
After showing a stiff expression, Kii always showed a smile.
“I-I'm so glad... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Onii-chan... I am really, really sorry...”
Kii reached out and touched Koutarou's cheek. She gently wiped his tears away. Relieved to see Koutarou act like that, she let out tears of relief. But Koutarou wiped her tears away as well.
“You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong.”
“But, but!!”
“It's okay. Thank you, Kii-chan.”
“Onii-chan!! Uaaaa, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
Deeply moved, Kii threw herself at Koutarou and hugged him.
She cried for my sake...
Koutarou embraced Kii's trembling body, gently patted her back and felt grateful that she had cried for him.
And thanks to her crying first, he somehow managed to choke back his tears.