The End of Akira
Chapter 34: I'm Thankful

3 months later.

At school..

Starting today, Ayano and her friends are back in school. The confrontation with Ayano was inevitable given her attitude and behavior towards Akira and Hiro back then. He was shunned by others even by his own friends.

Actually Akira is still angry and afraid to be around him especially he experienced the danger directly caused by Ayano. But since no one wanted to get in touch with her, so Ayano was forced to stay seated next to Akira with strict guard from the teacher as well as their classmates.

"How is this, Akira is uncomfortable" Akira said in his heart.

"Sorry Akira" whispered Ayano.

"Did Ayano say something?" Akira said inwardly and only glanced at Ayano.

After that Ayano said nothing. They then continue their studies with awkward and uncomfortable conditions.

"Sorry Mom, I have permission to go to the toilet" Akira told Ms. Guru.

"Please, but not for long."

"Thank you Ma'am" Akira said then went outside the classroom. "Ah really uncomfortable. Akira what should it be now?" Akira was confused.

"about!" Call Ayano in the hallway.

"A-Ayano, a-what's up?" Nervous Akira. 

"I'm sorry Akira, I know I was wrong please forgive me. I'm sorry Akira" he muttered which Akira could hear.

"Ayano apologized?"

"I'm sorry Akira, I admit I'm guilty. Please forgive me, please" he said again with sparkling eyes.

"I'm sorry if I made a mistake unconsciously to you, Ayano. I honestly didn't expect you to do this to me. I can't understand why you're doing this to me. I'm sorry" Akira said, bending his gaze.

"I am not God who always forgives the mistakes of his servants but I also have no right not to forgive you. If I do, I feel very sinful to God," Akira said, staring at Ayano.

"Honestly, I'm very angry with you. If you only hurt me, I wouldn't be this angry, but you've already implicated Hiro. I don't think he had anything to do with any of this. If you hate me, why should you involve Hiro? Why should he be a victim too? Do you know how scared I was then? I was afraid of not being able to return, I was also afraid that if I met a wild and dangerous beast, I was also afraid that I would have to die there, but I'm more afraid to see people I know let alone my friend get hurt like that. I was really very scared when Hiro fell down and got hurt like that" Akira explained starting to shed tears.

"about.."

"You should know if you make me lose Hiro will also get lost, why don't you realize it? He walked behind me, why don't you notice?" Akira said with a tone of disappointment heard in every sentence.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry Akira. My mind was completely deadlocked back then, I just-" 

"No problem. Besides I'm fine and Hiro has improved too but I ask you for help, please don't do such a horrible thing to anyone else, Ayano. I know death will always follow us but don't send others into death that way. Thanks to all of this, I have come to understand that there are truly terrible humans, but I have always believed that there are many survivors from his horrible side. You may hate me more, but I want you to change. Not for me, not for friends, not even for your parents but for yourself. I forgive you but I won't forget it" Akira said.

"I'm sorry I have to go now" Akira said, leaving Ayano still on the spot.

"You did it Akira, you did it" Akira murmured while crying in the toilet room. "About fear, Akira was really scared. This bagimama?" He murmured again while still crying.

Akira cried for a long time in the toilet. It was heard in a quiet toilet.

"You must face it, you must not avoid it, Akira" the monologue Akifa wiped away her tears. He came out of the toilet washing his face. "Yosh, there are other teachers and friends with you, so don't be afraid of Akira" she said back to her reflection in the mirror. Akira then came out of the ladies' room.

"About" call Hiro with a smile.

"hiro's? What are you doing here? This is a woman's toilet, you're not doing anything indecent, are you?" Panic Akira confused.

Hiro patted Akira's head slowly and then rubbed it.

"Of course not" Hiro protested.

"Then"

"Thank you" Hiro said with a smile. "I heard it, I heard it all. Thank you for worrying about me but I won't die that easily" she smiled as she stroked Akira's head.

"Hiro.."

Akira shed his tears again. He cried again and this time his sobbing sounded very clear.

"Sorry Hiro. sorry." he said as he continued to wipe away his unwilling tears.

"It's not your fault, thank you" Hiro said and hugged Akira. "Have not cried, I'm like the bad guy here" Hiro said, letting go of his arms. "Let's go back, teacher will look for us, Sou must be worried too" Hiro smiled.

Akira then wiped away all his tears and smiled. "Come on."

Rest..

"Come on Akira" asked Sou to stare intently at Ayano.

"Hm, come on" said Akira smiling. As usual, they went to the rooftop.

"What's up Sou? Why do you keep looking at me?" Akira asked confusedly.

"You're okay, aren't you? He's not doing anything bad anymore, is he?" Asked Sou worried.

"Ayano didn't do anything to me" explained Akira smiling.

"Thank God" said Sou who was also smiling. "I'm grateful to have a good lover like you" Sou smiled.

"Huh?"

"You didn't hear it or pretend you didn't hear it?" Sou asked looking at Akira.

"I-it's, i-it's"

"I said, I'm grateful to have a good lover like you" Sou explained with a smile that made Akira blush. "Your face is red A-"

"Gara-gara Sou" said Akira cut off Sou's conversation.

"Hhh you are adorable" Sou smiled.

"Sou sucks!" Pissed Akira.

"Sorry" he said, smiling.

Arriving at the rooftop, Sou hugs Akira from behind all of a sudden.

"S-Sou what are you doing?" Ask Akira to panic.

"It's not like that." murmured Akira holding Sou's arm. "It's at Sou's school, don't fuck around."

"Hiro told me about it" Sou said, staying in the same position.

"Hiro?"

"You're beautiful, smart and kind, I'm grateful that you're my lover" Sou explained. "Hm. but I'm a little annoyed by that. Would you do and feel the same way if I were in Hiro's position?"

"No" Akira answered briefly.

"Eh? Why?" Asked Sou surprised. He then released his embrace and looked at Akira in surprise.

"Because I would destroy such bad things before injuring Sou" Akira insisted which made Sou shocked. His net widened, staring in Akira's eyes. A second later, Sou hugged Akira again.

"Are you teasing me?" Sou's whisper was right in Akira's ear. 

"I'm not teasing you, I mean it, Sou."

Sou then smiled. "I'm really grateful that you're my lover" Sou said, tightening his arms.

"I'm also grateful to have a lover like Sou" Akira replied to Sou's embrace. "But please don't whisper in my ear like that, it's scary."

"A-ah sorry" said Hiro who suddenly came to the rooftop.

Sou and Akira then let go of his embrace. The three of them looked wrong with Akira and Sou's face flushed red.

"Please continue, sorry for the intrusion" Hiro said, then he would leave.

"W-What's up Hiro?" Ask Sou.

"No, there's nothing. Sorry" murmured Hiro again.

"Wait Hiro. Where you going? Let's eat together" Sou smiled.

"Eh? Nope, no. Just continue your activities" Hiro refused.

"It's not what you think Hiro is" Sou panicked.

"Everybody would think the same way I would if they saw him. See you around"

"Wait, wait for Hiro. I can explain it" Sou said in a panic. And so did Akira who panicked.

"Why should I hear your explanation? Already ah, I'll go. Please enjoy your time."

"Therefore listen to my explanation. I won't let you off the hook" said Sou pulling Hiro's hand.

"I told you I-"

"We just hugged, nothing more. You exaggerated it too much" Sou explained, turning his eyes away.

"True Hiro, S-Sou is right" explained Akira bending his gaze in embarrassment. "This is because of Sou" murmured Akira who could still be heard Sou.

"Pardon"

"Is that right?" Ask Hiro to make sure

"Hm" Akira and Sou replied simultaneously.

"I told you, I don't need to hear your explanation because I don't have the right to know, but you have to hold back your lust before you get married, Sou." Hiro told Sou.

"I-I know too" said Sou nervously. "So what's up?"

"I want to eat together. In the classroom is completely chaotic due to Ayano's existence. A lot of other class students come to class, I'm not calm" explained Hiro then sat on one of the benches.

"Is that so?" Said Sou understood.

"Then let's eat together. I brought a lot of supplies today" said Akira smiling.

"really?"

"That's what he said" Sou smiled.

"Thank you" said Hiro who was also smiling. "He doesn't do anything anymore, does he?" 

"A-ah hm, he didn't do anything. But still I felt a little scared" Akira murmured subduing his gaze.

"Just calm down, this time I must have taken care of you properly" Sou gently stroked Akira's head.

"I will also help you, Akira" explained Hiro who also smiled. "But you better not trust Sou too much, Akira. He's a pretty dangerous man. If you let your guard down just a little, he'll pounce on you."

"I told you you misunderstood, Hiro! Don't make Akira hate me!" Firmly Sou to Hiro.

"Hiro's right" murmured Akira looking at Hiro.

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again. Please trust me"

"Don't believe him" Hiro explained again.

"Tch, you!"

"seen right? He even clucked before me" Hiro explained again.

"Hm. After all it's Sou's fault so Sou apologizing is the right decision. But I still trust Sou" explained Akira smiling.

"About.thank God. It's because of you, Hiro" Sou protests to Hiro again.

A second later laughter rang out from the mouths of Akira and Hiro.

"I just found out Sou can be like this too" Hiro said still laughing.

"You're right. It's the first time I've seen a shy and whining Sou like this" Akira smiled.

Sou's face turned red in embarrassment. He scratched the back of his neck that was not itchy.

I am so grateful to meet such good people as you. 

"Thank you very much Sou, Hiro."