I spent a lot of time reflecting on my past, my mistakes, and where I wanted to go from here. After so long of pretending to be fine, I'd finally reached my limit. My heart was quietly screaming for a way out of this exhausting life. But the memory of Mio's lifeless body reminded me I couldn't give up just yet.
That was when I decided to contact Mama for the first time in a long while. I flew from Tokyo to Nara and waited for her outside her busy filming schedule. When she finally stepped out from an outdoor shoot, we found a quiet corner in the hotel lobby to talk.
"I want to drop out of school," I said, getting straight to the point.
Her brows furrowed. She didn't agree with my decision—her silence said enough. But when I reminded her how she'd always stayed out of my choices before, she let out a quiet sigh and stopped trying to argue. It felt like she was letting the conversation move on, even if she wasn't happy about it.
And then, time felt too precious to waste. I moved quickly to make everything official. I still remember the day I went with Mama to speak to the school—how people stared, whispered as we passed by, like they were watching a scene from a drama.
But I didn't care anymore. I just wanted to cut ties with the school, with everyone, with the bittersweet memories that still clung to me like vines. At least, that was what I told myself.
Then came the day I returned to pick up my final documents. And that's when I saw her.
"What about our club? The exhibition we worked so hard for?" Nanase's voice stopped me in my tracks. The usual brightness in her eyes was gone, replaced by something fragile and unsure.
I'd forgotten how much the club meant to all of us. To Nanase, who always led with passion. To Inoue, who went along even if he rolled his eyes at her ideas. To Asakura, who followed with innocent trust. And even Hasegawa—who couldn't draw to save his life—but gave everything to help us bring the club back to life.
But my path was already set. I was leaving. I couldn't turn back.
"Even without you, the exhibition will still be carried out. But senpai… I hope you'll come," Hasegawa said, his usual smile on his face, though his eyes gave away the sadness he tried to hide.
"…We'll see."
I turned and walked away, not letting them see my face. It was a quiet farewell, a promise to myself that I wouldn't look back. I never found out how the exhibition went, but deep down, I hoped it was a success. I hoped it helped Nanase step closer to her dreams.
As for me, I moved far away and started over. I enrolled in a cram school and began preparing for the High School Equivalency Exam. It wasn't easy. Balancing late-night part-time jobs and intense study sessions wore me down, but the worst part was the wait. Every day felt like a countdown toward something I couldn't predict—an invisible door I had to open to reach whatever came next.
Oddly enough, I wasn't worried about the exam itself. I'd always been good at studying. Even during the dropout meeting, Mama had smiled sadly when the school staff told her they were losing one of their best students. My cram school teachers said the same. They believed I'd pass with no problem.
Those words stuck with me. And they made me wonder: if I hadn't fallen so deep into that dark place, where would I be now? Would my life be brighter? Simpler? Happier?
I didn't know the answer. But I kept walking forward anyway.