Vol. 1 Ch. 3 Ep. 14: You, and Us

...

U-Um...

Argh... Ugh!

Sh-Shiroko!

Even Shiroko is no match. H-Has the gap in power...always been like this...?

It seems you've grown even stronger, Hoshino...

...You really are strong, Shiroko. You're going to outdo me in no time at this rate.

*pant*... *pant*...

There we go. You satisfied, Shiroko?

Hoshino...

Back then... I thought the whole world was against me. But then Nonomi... Nonomi saved me.

Without her, I probably would've fallen, become a criminal. I never would've met Shiroko.

...

I met Nonomi and Shiroko, and that's how the Foreclosure Task Force came to be. That's how they saved me.

That's why I can't just pretend Nonomi's time with the Foreclosure Task Force wasn't real.

I can't let her make herself the bad guy or let her believe she never deserved to be here.

...

So, I'm going to go and bring back Nonomi safely. But none of that will matter if she has nowhere to come back to. That's why you guys need to stay here.

...

I'm sure there's a way... If we wait for Sensei...

There has to be a way...

You're not wrong. Yeah... Sure. With Sensei's help, we'd be able to beat anything that comes our way.

...But not even Sensei can undo the past. It's the same as not being able to bring back the dead.

...?

This Train Cannon, the antithesis of Yume's dream for Abydos, the ongoing war with the private equity fund...

...It all originates from the Abydos Student Council's mistakes.

If Yume had found out about this Train Cannon...she would've come running for help to destroy it right away. That's just who she was.

But I wasn't there by her side.

So I can't begin to pretend I knew what Yume was thinking with this contract.

Maybe...she was hoping the Train Cannon would be impossible to find in the Abydos Desert.

That's why...I'm going to finish this. I'll do what I couldn't two years ago.

The Train Cannon is the symbol of the Abydos Student Council's darkness. There's no reason for the Foreclosure Task Force to involve itself.

Nonomi shouldn't be shouldering all this guilt. Shiroko, you have no obligation to take on old responsibilities.

This is my cross to bear.

Don't go. Hoshino.

I...I'll never be able to know what kind of person Yume was.

The only memories I have are of the Foreclosure Task Force... So I'll never know what happened to her.

I can't pretend to understand your feelings...or the person you were in the Abydos Student Council. I'm sorry for that...

But to me...to me, the Foreclosure Task Force is everything. It's all I know. Don't reject it, Hoshino.

Why...Why do you keep referring to the Foreclosure Task Force as "you guys"?

Shiroko...

It should be "we," right? Not "you guys"? So why...?

...Sorry, Shiroko. I have to go.

Stop kidding around!!

...So you're saying you're going to go without us?

This is no different from what happened last time!

Ayane...? Where did all these Water Clouds come from...?

Do you completely lack the ability to learn from your mistakes? You intend to repeat the same cycle, over and over? You're acting irresponsibly! It's completely careless! And everyone else will shoulder that burden!

We barely, just barely, made it out the last time, and only thanks to Sensei! Now you're going to run off and make the same exact mistake?!

Are we going to see Ayane's famous table flip...?

Mm. Well, this is about right. You sure do get things done when you set your mind to it, Ayane.

So that's how it's gonna be? A two-on-one fight against Serika and Ayane? I guess I won't be able to call myself your upperclassman if I don't give it my all.

…Yes. I'll prevent this ridiculous, idiotic, reckless behavior, no matter what it takes.

Brace yourself, Hoshino!