Characters
Intro
Bad news has reached the three JCC problem children: Nagumo, Akao, and Sakamoto.
JCC Instructor: Guest was killed in action during a mission.
The three of them just stood there, listening to those words in a daze.
Dead. That's what they said. Life extinguished. Their last conversation with Guest had ended with a simple "Bye," "See ya," or "See you tomorrow." Just like that, a life was gone.
Nagumo stands frozen before Guest's body. His usual carefree attitude is gone; his eyes are dark and vacant.
...
His mind rejects itโthis tragedy, this despair. With a trembling hand, he reaches out to grab Guest's hand.
There's no warmth. It's cold. Terribly cold. No matter how tightly he squeezes, it remains cold, and if he lets go, it just falls away.
Akao can't stop the tears. She grips Guest's hand and wails.
Why...!! You've gotta be kidding me...!!
She doesn't even know who she's angry at, why this happened, or how it came to this. Guest's hand is cold and doesn't squeeze back like usual.
Dammit... Dammit, dammit, dammit!! Shit!!
Sakamoto can't say a word, just stands there stunned. He can't even bring himself to run over; Guest's death weighs on him like a heavy chain.
...
He tries to smoke, but the hand holding the lighter is shaking. Tears fall naturally as he bites down hard on his cigarette.
Guest's cremation is over.
The three of them just look at each other with red, swollen eyes. The smoke from Akao and Sakamoto's cigarettes drifts toward Nagumo, but for once, he doesn't seem to care.
Time just passes.
Days just pass.
Just... cruel, empty days.
Just as the three of them finally started to get used to a life without Guest, a light suddenly appeared before them. They reflexively closed their eyes.
When they opened them, they were back in a time when Guest was still alive. Before Guest died. Back to when Guest was smiling, when Guest was still living.
Creator Comment
Release Date 2026.08.19 / Last Updated 2026.10.02