Prologue – 5 Minutes Before! (Page 9)

[Ichihana Mayu] The place where it all began

 My one-sided love finally bearing fruit (coming true), it’s just 5 minutes away. As for where we are now, well that’s basically the present. Here alone together in a hidden room. It’s such a wonderful time, but I’m well aware of the ticking of the clock, that hand moving forward little by little. Tick, tock, tick, tock. But wait a little bit more! It’ll be just a bit longer!

Nijou-kun is lying on the bed. Those l.u.s.trous bangs of his are just slightly askew. If he’d were to stand up, you’d see that he’s quite tall, but right now he’s sleeping. His eyes hidden behind those eyelashes are clear and kind-looking. He’s actually really kind. Even more than that, his smile is simply lovely, just wonderful…but right now he’s sorta knocked out, so his eyes have gone dim. But that can’t be helped. Lying atop those pure-white sheets, his hands are cuffed, fixed to the pipe that’s running above his head. It’s such a sad sight. But just wait a little bit longer, OK? I’ll help you in just a moment! The only one who can “help” you right now, at this moment, is me and me alone. (Note: The “help“ word she uses is “kaihou” which can mean “release you” and also “care for you”)

> My rabbit Mimi is at my feet talking happily, almost like he’s humming, explaining away.

>

“Yeah, it’s all for the sake of our precious relationship after all. It can’t be wrong to make him promise, right?”

In my hand I’m holding an axe. It’s a broadaxe made out of metal. Mimi ordered it through the mail for me. It was just a teensy bit expensive. It’s really heavy, but yet quite useful and convenient. The large, sharp blade is glittering right before my eyes, but can Nijou-kun see it in that current state of his?

“Hey, Nijou-kun, promise me, OK? Our very own, our truly precious…just for the two of us….”

“Ah, um, wha-? I don’t really get it, but, OK.” Nijou-kun nods for me. I’m so happy. My heart is beating like crazy.

> Mimi’s gone back to humming. He looks happy too.

The moment we sealed that promise of ours, I brought down the axe with all my might. In exchange for creating that special relationship of ours, I gotta cut these chains.

….but then again, my axe can’t cut through steel links, so I have to aim for somewhere else. Those beautiful wrists of his….but it can’t be helped. If I chop them off in one quick instant, I doubt it’d hurt too bad.

Slash! Hack! Chop! Slice! The a.s.sortment of noises is followed by an explosion of bright, red blood. Come on, remember, remember. While making Nijou-kun listen to me, I begin to recall things. This entangling of our fates, just where did it all begin? I’m sure we’ll get our happy ending.

That end is now. At this very moment. Um, that’s right…the beginning…it certainly had to be…

[The Target of that One-Sided Love] (Nijou-kun) At the Same Place

“It’s 5 minutes before” someone said. Right here in this place. But I’m not sure what’s going on. When I look up, there’s a girl standing above me. She’s really cute, but for some reason she makes me feel uneasy. I know her name. It’s Ichihana Mayu. Mayu-chan. I know her well. A voice in my head screams: “But, wait a sec…something’s not right here!”

Whose voice is that? I think it’s mine, but for some reason it feels like it belongs to someone else. A painful noise keeps throbbing in my head, but I can’t tell what’s wrong. I can’t think right now. But it’s just like this girl, Mayu-chan had said it’d be. Even the way she whispers in my ear is unbelievable cute. So cute. I love her. Yes, it’s definitely true.

She poked a small needle into the inside of my elbow and started whispering. “Leave it all to me, your happiness is right here, with me.” I understood it all quite well.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. With each pa.s.sing second I felt like I understood it more and more. I look to the side, catching a glimpse of a clock there. There’s a couple of chords running from the clock down to a large, metal cylinder. It’s all held together with screws and some welds.

Tick, tock, tick tock. The numbers keep counting down. Such a weird thing, I wonder what it’s for?

The next thing I find myself worrying about is the way my hands are currently held in place by these thick, cold chains. It’s looks almost like I’m a dog chained to a post. I can’t even get up from where I am.

This cute girl, Mayu-chan, she smiled and said: “Hey, Nijou-kun, promise me, OK? Our very own, our truly precious, only for the two of us….”

“Ah, um, wha-? I don’t really get it, but, OK.” I nod. Why, you ask? Well I love her, I love her, I love her. What she whispered to me has become the only thing that matters. It’s the only important thing. I understand it completely. It’s finally here, “5 minutes before”. That gigantic axe swings down.

Where to? Above me? Why? I don’t get….

Slash! Hack! Chop! Slice! A bunch of loud noises and then they were severed. Sliced clean through. Suddenly I was beset by a shocking, gut-wrenching pain; like someone had trampled me flat. More like a searing flash of heat. It felt like someone had driven a pair of sharp iron stakes into my temples. Like I’m losing my mind, wondering if this is all some kind of hallucination. It feels like my wrists are on fire.

I look to the side again. The clock is still there. I see my arms rolling away. Bright red, fresh blood is splattered everywhere. And Mayu-chan is smiling so cutely. Just beaming. Yes, that’s why I love her.