『ノエル: すべてをやり直すために (第二の並行世界にて)』

生きる・きた ‐ パート4

「Bleeding...? 」

　Ah, right.... bleeding.

「Wait―」

　I shake myself out of a shock-induced stupor.

　What am I even doing, just standing still like a fool after seeing my own blood flowing like a river?!

　Obviously, I've been stabbed, my back telling me as such with the pain. But by who? Why?

　The stupid rain obscures my vision more than is optimal as I pivot around to see, almost falling over in the process. There I see a boy, likely my age or just younger, breathing like a lunatic with a knife shakily held in hand, wearing the uniform of our high school.

　Staring at me with hateful eyes.

「Why...」

　He's holding the knife... Which means nothing is closing the wound. That's bad, really bad.

　I just can't get my mind off the fact I'm bleeding, and it hurts so unimaginably bad. I just want to curl up and cry, but something stops me.

　Yes, all that training I've done with my father amounts to something. A degree of composure where I didn't think I'd have any. All those times he had thrown me over his shoulder, saying 「You need to practice your break-falls!」.

　Every leg-sweep he taught me, every shoulder throw, every lock and ways to break from those locks. Would I really let all his time spent training me go to waste, especially when there is a girl beside me?

（If only I had been more perceptive!）

　But there's little time left for me to complain.

　He was running.

　Running towards me again.

　Holding the knife in both hands and shouting at me.

　Me? What have I done to deserve this...?

「Damn it!! You took her from me, you bastard! She's mine!」

　He's jealous? Is that what it is? Or as I would put it, envious? Did I really get stabbed because of some bullshit like this?

「You took her from me!! I'll kill you, then I'll kill Sazanami! You'll both get what you deserve!」

　Maybe he was one of those I'd wronged in the past... But he's really going to kill me over a girl? Seriously?!

　Wait... it's selfish for me to think like that. It's not just my life in danger, but my friend's.

　I've already lost enough blood to be in bad shape, so I don't know if there's any out for me. But for her, Sazanami-chan, the girl I've known since I was so young. The girl who always so kindly walked to school with me. The girl who, indeed, did appear rather cute to me. For her, there is still an out from this.

　Exactly. She's not just 『A girl』, she's Sazanami. Why is it all this time I've thought of her as just『A girl』? Tch... I'm a horrible friend. I've ignored her feelings, and I've hardly seen her as anything more than『A girl』. I've got to pay her back...

　I won't let her die over something so stupid.

　I refuse to let that happen...

　I refuse!

　My legs wobble uselessly and I feel weak, but regardless I step forward.

　He's getting closer. That knife is getting closer.

　Just one more step... that's all I want. To get better positioned. My head is spinning and my back burns with the worst pain I've felt in my life.

　But I move.

　I ready myself.