A heart break.

It was a very weak voice, yet it loudly resonated on Junpei's head. As much as he wanted to feel happy that Winona was fine, her heart was constantly pricked with the empty words that has forgotten his existence.

"W-Winona…? Please tell me that this is just a joke…? Please…?"

In desperation, he slowly approached the bedridden and placed his hands on her shoulder, staring with a disheartened smile.

"Please… Winona…"

Hope.

All of Junpei's hope has been lost… with one fearful gaze directed to him.

He could not bear it. All this time Winona has always expressed that she was not scared of him to the point of looking at him, enamored. Yet, with the very same eyes, he is now being looked at with reject.

With his knees slamming down to the floor, his entirety petrified. Shuu, on the other hand, can only sympathize with the pain that has plagued his friend as his teeth gritted and his hands bled from the grip of his fists.

Without a moment's notice, the door of the hospital room slammed open with the presence of Winona's father. The first thing that his eyes met with was the consciousness of her daughter, but he stomped directly and quickly to Junpei who immediately took a powerful blow on his face.

But on his second swing, Shuu took the impact instead of Junpei. Even with his hands that has instinctively guarded his face, his back still flew to the wall, but he got up immediately, looking with fury towards the father.

"Y… Your daughter has lost her memories…!! If you continue this, Mr. Quira… it will only have a negative impact on Winona's current condition… We can't afford to get her stressed!!"

And so the third swing was halted.

The father came back to his senses with the sound of sobbing heard, and he then slowly turned around only to see her daughter wrapped under her blanket, covering his ears, crying.

Shuu carried the arm of Junpei on his shoulder as they walked on a limp.

"I know that it is our fault for sneaking in… But please let us go for now… for the sake of your daughter."

In silence, they exited the hospital room and were immediately assisted with a passing nurse.

In the midst of being treated from the wounds, Junpei's eyes have changed, or his glare has disappeared, and has lost its luster.

And within those eyes, the memory of the incident flashed anew.

…

A very abrupt incident, yet it felt like an eternity for him.

Junpei coincidentally met with Winona in a day off, and in an idle walk, a mob surrounded them. They were people that was once beaten by Junpei on a brawl, and came back to retaliate at him.

It has been at least more than a month since he retired, and he was haunted by his past. Protecting his lover, he raised his guard. But being taken off his guard with a trip, he was restrained on his arms, unable to stand.

"So this is your girl, huh…"

"Winona… run!"

But she was unable to. Seeing that she can easily take down Junpei, she shall not have any problems, but her knees trembled disabling her legs to move.

The mob has changed its intentions. The greatest win that they would ever wish for is to see the painful expression of the strongest high schooler without a single clout.

And out of the blue, a metal tube has hit the head of Winona, with both of them unable to protect themselves.

▪ ▪ ▪

Ultimately, Junpei has changed.

He began to regularly attend classes while taking the lessons seriously, without being a try-hard. He accepted his failing, and he celebrated on his passing. His behavior has continued to mellow down, and drastically at that. He followed the rules, he became proper, he laughed more, and interacted with people more.

Not a hint of the delinquent Junpei Kirishima has ever been seen.

And of those changes, it was witnessed by Winona who has still no memories, but has returned to the school somehow retaining her intellect. Still, she continued to be with Shuu and Junpei, as apparently she had also forgotten the incident in the hospital. And from that moment, anything about their relationship has never been talked about.

Winona however had become aware of her memory loss. Shuu continued to cheer her up and support her, while Junpei openly wished for her memories to come back, which sometimes made him tear up.

~ ~ ~

On their final month of being a high school student, it was reported in the neighborhood that seven students from the neighboring high school was apparently hospitalized due to heavy injuries from a melee.

Shuu had his suspicions, but he disregarded it after seeing nothing strange from Junpei. He continued to come to classes consistently… until it was the time where their diploma has been handed to them.

At that point, there were no improvements observed on Winona's memories.

▪ ▪ ▪

August, five months after the school year has ended, Shuu and Winona stepped up to college in Cotona State University. For the sake of Junpei, who has continued to pick up jobs, Shuu continued to watch over and discreetly protected Winona until she finds herself friends.

"Hahh…! Suddenly it's already been more than two months… How's college for you, Winona?"

"I'm doing fine and having fun. I found some nice friends."

"Is your course difficult?"

"Of course it is. I don't think there is anything that's easy here. How about you?"

"W-Well… I have a crush on my department…"

"I'm talking about your course, though…

But really? Is she someone that I know by chance?"

"I don't know… Her name's Sumi Anokane. Ring a bell?"

"Unfortunately not."

"Hmmm… I'm planning on confessing to her after the holiday break… November is a special month to me so I can't chicken out!"

"I'll be rooting for you, then.

Ah, speaking of the holiday. Junpei invited us to hang out, didn't he?"

"Yeah, we're pretty much under the same roof so I know what's up with him. He's free at that time apparently."

"That's good to know. I haven't seen him in ages."

"What~ Do you miss him?"

"I guess a bit. It's been a while since the three of us hung out."

"Ahh… So that's what you meant…"

▪ ▪ ▪

"Gee… how did our tastes change so dramatically after graduating high school…?

I can vividly remember us going out to eat ice cream back then, and now we find ourselves in a cafe drinking coffee!"

"How did you even find this place, Shuu?" asked Junpei.

"My blockmates use to drag me around wherever there is food, end of explanation."

"I can definitely see you wandering around aimlessly."

"Haha," Winona chuckled.

But as if it served as some kind of a sign or queue in Shuu's mind, he thought of something.

"Nghhh… I'm being called by nature out of all times…! Sorry, I'll be right back!"

Perhaps, it was the greatest opportunity for the wingman to return.

And so, Junpei and Winona were left alone.

"It's been a while, huh… How is college? Are you having fun?"

"Aside from assignments constantly stacking up, it's not so bad. I thought that I was going to get a hard time, but I quickly found friends thankfully."

"That's good…"

"What about work for you, Junpei?"

"Hmm… It was pretty exhausting at first. But now I've gotten used to the labor. Ah, I'm working in a packaging warehouse right now.

I saw your name in some mail and packages, you know."

"Ahahaha… I'm embarrassed."

"…

How are you, though? When we graduated, you still had some headaches from time to time."

"W-Well, not very often, but it's nothing serious these days, thankfully."

"G-Glad to hear that…"

Junpei let out a rather loud sigh which caught Winona's attention. After hearing the relieved remark, she then saw a forlorn but somehow happy expression from him.

"Junpei?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Do you perhaps… like me?"

"…!" flustered, he asked, "Where did that even come from…"

"All this time, you always give out that feeling even before we graduated from high school. It felt like you're always worrying for me and being relieved.

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And then I noticed that Shuu is always passive when we are all together, no, it's as if he's giving way for you."

"I… I didn't think you would notice, but… Yeah… ever since high school, I've liked you."

"I-I see…"

Silence.

But for the umpteenth time, Junpei asked Winona once again.

"S-Say… is there instances where it felt like you are recalling something?"

"Not really. Ever since I realized that I have memory loss, I haven't had any situations like that."

"I-Is that so…"

And once again, the observant eyes of Winona that had lost her memories saw the expressions of Junpei shifting to a hint of hopelessness.

"Junpei… what made you… or… what do you like about me?"

"…! Putting me on the spot…?

…

But I guess I fell for you because of your resilience. Also, a lot people think that I'm scary, so I give people who don't see me like that with a lot importance, and you're one of them. I liked you because you are courageous, and because you see me for who I am… and not for what I did in the past.

That is why… I will always be thankful to you, Winona. You're the one that saved me."

"…"

As much as the words of Junpei were very warm, somehow, Winona made a disappointed face in front of him.

"I see now… so that is why you always checks up if I have regained my memories… It's because you wanted to get back the Winona that you liked…"

"…?! N-No… That's not what I meant…"

"I-It's fine, Junpei… you don't need to act when I am with you. I'm okay if you don't see me… well, I think I know that I can't be who I was before this…

I already know that the way I am right now… I'm not special… not important…"

Thus, the tears flowed.

"I'm sorry…" hurriedly, she stood up, took her things, and ran out of the cafe.

Shortly after Shuu returned, Junpei realized a huge mistake. Unknowingly, she began to talk about the Winona of the past—when she has not yet lost her memories. However, the Winona of today is different. She is quite meek, yet still lively. Her charismatic demeanor was replaced by clumsiness. In her mind, it was as if Junpei is talking about an entirely different person—someone that she does not know anything about.

And that the Winona Quira of the present does not realize the mutual feelings he had for Junpei.

▪ ▪ ▪

Then, a month has passed.

November it was, and just as Shuu promised himself, he confessed to the girl named Sumi from the same department. The girl did not particularly bear feelings for Shuu, but she agreed to courtship and introduced him to her parents.

But so as to not add fuel to the fire, Shuu kept it a secret from Winona and especially from Junpei to avoid him from being more hurt.

As for the two of them, however, they have not gotten in contact or even see each other for an entire month.

"Oh, you're finally home, Junpei."

"Y-Yeah… I'm home."

"I guess it really can't be helped with your work, but be extra careful when coming home this late. Dad's been getting scared when going home late since there are a lot of street fights happening around the area."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Do you need dinner?"

"I already ate out. I'm tired so I'll retire for the day early."

"Oh, sure, man."

~ ~ ~

In the days of Junpei's activities as a delinquent, the only way out of his anger and problems is through violence and destruction. It was very apparent on the times when his younger brother was still constrained by his chronic illness of the lungs and that the ordeals in his family were also getting to him.

But he was able to get through them as he reconciled with his brother that then soon recovered from the sickness, and found his love. He also felt the unwavering support from his friend in times of challenges.

All of those things led to changes one after another and made Junpei devoid of unnecessary anger and violence.

But then her lover got hurt because of his incompetence. He wasn't able to protect the one she loved, and so the weight on his shoulders piled until he was unable to unfold his knees anymore.

He held out the pain that had accumulated for a month, no, for several months and managed to live in quiet amidst of the conflicts shooting at him…

And it was now back to square one.

…

Shuu wake up from a long nap only to see Junpei in the middle of a wreckage on the interior of their house.

"J-Junpei…?"

He turned around, huffing, and gave a cold glaring stare at Shuu. His irises shrank in surprise, and so he sprinted towards the door of the house.

"H-Hey, wait, Junpei…!!"

Shuu by instinct ran towards him without a care if his sole has bled from whatever debris that had scattered on the floor and grabbed Junpei as to prevent him from going any further.

"Let me go, Shuu…! I need some place to let all of this out… and I promise that this will never happen again…!!"

"Even so, I can never let you! There are many ways for you to calm yourself down… but this is never the right way!!!

I know how much it hurts to see Winona sad, even I know that…! You're not the only one suffering from this…! Even her father is trying his best for her to not get hurt more than that!"

"No… No… Please let me go…!"

"Do you really think that it will make Winona happy if you do things like this once more?! Have you really thought what she would feel if she finds out that you regressed back to your old self after you tried your best to change?!

Will she still love you back if she sees you like this?!"

It took Junpei all of his power to push back Shuu and his adamancy and sprinted anew, but he ever so slightly turned his head around, expecting Shuu to be down on the floor, but instead, what came to his back are the widened eyes of Shuu and a fist that is rushing towards his face.

The next thing he knew, he had already flown down to the ground with a throbbing pain on his left cheek.

"Hah… Hah… Hah… Finally landed… Hah… a punch on your face… Hah… Hah… but that doesn't make me happy at all…"

Still continuously heaving, Shuu pulled Junpei's arm back inside the house.

They had stared at each other for a hour of silence, sitting on the center of all the damage that was done in the living room. In that duration, everything was mute; not even a single sigh was heard. But as though they communicated through their minds, they began picking up the debris and shards and soon started cleaning the house.

In pure silence, Shuu Akanami and Junpei Kirishima reconciled.

▪ ▪ ▪

From the family telephone of the Quira household, the head of the family received a call from the Akanami residence.

"Mr. Quira, this is Shuu Akanami.

My foster brother… or as you know Junpei… asked me a favor to tell you that he wants to meet with you in this location. He said to me that he will patiently wait for your presence."

With that, the father found himself walking in an large, open field of grasslands in some sector in Minta in which alongside the sound of his own footsteps, he heard what sounds like a shovel striking the earth.

In a few more minutes of his walk, he found a manmade crater with a diameter of five meters and a depth of at least a meter being dug by one man. As it seems that he heard the approaching footsteps, he stopped and looked above to see Winona's father standing at the end of the crater.

Junpei then dropped the shovel and put his hands at the back of his head appearing like an outlaw in front of a cop.

"Mr. Quira… I may have fled, but I don't back down on my word."

"What's the meaning of this…"

"At least for my last wish, I wanted to openly see the sky without being bound by walls. Before I get buried… I at least don't want it to be claustrophobic."

"What are you even saying…"

"I vividly remember your words, Mr. Quira. I have failed to protect your daughter, and I even hurt her countless times. So I made it easy for you to bury me alive…"

"…

You son of a…"

The father then came down to the crater in approach to close the distance between them, until he stop in front of the shovel.

"…

Do you even know what you're saying you brat…"

"I'm well prepared…"

But the father kicked away the shovel, and grabbed Junpei's collar to bash his head with his own.

"You say that you made it easy for me when you up and made a darn crater…?!"

"I-I was a bit selfish on that part…"

"Gaaaahhhhh…!!!! That's not what I am trying to say here you idiot… Do you even realize how hurt my daughter would be regardless if she have her memories or not?!

B-Before she disappeared… she kept talking about you with such a joyful face, and she wouldn't stop telling any kind of stories between you and her… So much that it would make me deaf…

If you truly want to be with my daughter… then assure me.that this will never repeat again…!!"

Gradually, the powerful grip below Junpei's neck loosened up as Winona's father began to slowly gasp in tears.

"She loved you just as much as she loved us… She is hurting so much as if being weighed down by the vague memories she doesn't even know… Do you even know how would she react if she finds out that you have died… Junpei…?"

Needless to say, Junpei didn't expect that reaction coming from him. All he know is that this father had absolutely hated him for coming to their family uninvited and he keeps the confident words of consequences and swore to make it happen, which is right now.

That is why… even he was in utter shock to hear what sounds to be an acceptance towards him.

So in the sobbing of the father, he was lost on what he should do next. But then…

"Dad…? Thank goodness I finally found you…"

"W-Winona…?!"

Indeed, above the crater stood Winona that appears to have ran in the presence of heavy breathing.

"Why did you look for me…?"

She attempted to make her way down the decline, "I was worried when you were on the phone earlier. You said that you were only going for a walk but you sounded serious…"

"I-I'm sorry for worrying you…"

"…

Junpei…"

"W-Winona… I'm-"

Just as he was about to complete what he was going to say, Winona hit her foot on a rock and tumbled to a free-fall.

"Ack…! She tripped…!"

Even if not heavily or strongly, Winona's head landed on the handle of the shovel that her father kicked, which left the daughter unconscious for a second.

"AAAAAAHHHHH…!!!! Winona…!"

"Oh no… Why now…

Just so you know Mr. Quira I'll say this here and now, it's your fault that you kicked away the shovel!"

"Would you shut up and stop picking a fight for a second?!"

(!)

But all of a sudden, Winona opened her eyes and shot up strenuously, which made the two men step back. She then walked around aimlessly without facing the two and began scratching her head while her other hand is on her hip.

"U-Umm… Winona… daughter…?"

From her pocket, she took a hair tie and tied the back part of her hair to a ponytail. But as though Junpei received a premonition, he felt a shudder from his spine and hid behind Winona's father.

"Tsk."

And in turn, Winona all of sudden sprinted towards them and landed a dropkick on his father's stomach which the force permeated to Junpei's.

Nevertheless, it was a double knockdown.

While the two were still recovering from the pain, Winona crouched in front of Junpei just to grab his collar and raise him up. In a swing of her hand, a very loud and crisp slap collided on Junpei's cheeks.

"W-Winona…?"

There was fear, anxiety, happiness, and hope all within Junpei's heart as he received the hit.

"W-Wh…

WHO DIED AND BROKE US UP, YOU SPINELESS IDIOT?!"

.

.

.

"W-Winona?! I-Is this really you?!"

"Of course I am!! Who could I be more or less?!"

"But h-how…? Wait, you hit your head just now! Are you sure you're okay…?"

"I would be worrying about that if I'm not this mad right now…! But there isn't a bump anyway so take this…!!"

Just like that, Junpei was single-handedly head-butted and kneed on his stomach before Winona let go of him.

But of course, Junpei was utterly beat.

"I started having blurry memories when… I coincidentally saw you being stopped by Shuu from your house. It felt like… I thought I have seen it in the past. And now that I think I have regained all my memories… that is as much as I can do to make you stop again…

Now it feels like there is two me inside my body… And I really had to feel what she went through after all these months…

Junpei… it's your fault… if you couldn't be crueler to her… to me…"

Junpei took all the hits, even if they are those that Winona weakly forced out in her cries. He then embraced the weeping girl as the tears overflowed from her eyes in his address of bottomless apologies.

"I'm very sorry, Winona… I don't… I don't even know how you would forgive me… But I will keep apologizing to you…

I'm sorry… I'm sorry that I broke my promises to you… I'm sorry for I was so weak… I couldn't protect you…"

…

Thus, I shall tell a tale, or a legend.

There was once a time where a man who was most willing to let his life end dug a hole in the middle of the lush fields to bury himself there. But another man found him and complained that he had to put back this much earth to where it was, and so they fought to settle things that aren't even clear for them.

But the lover of the man who wanted to die found them with fury and told the man to never go away again and cried until her tears flowed to the earth. With her sadness felt, the two mean also broke into tears and they cried for seven days and nights until the hole became a pond.

The end…

…of the obviously very badly written tale.

Scratch that, over the years the natural water underground rose up and made the crater a pond which became a spot for dates in the town.

▪ ▪ ▪

April 2021, 28 years later.

"Oi, musuko! Stop doing bunts and hit the balls seriously…!" Shuu shouted loudly which reverberated on the field.

And beside him, Nagi asked, "How did this even happen…?"

And so, an explanation to Nagi's dumb question.

It was a holiday for all, and it just so happened the Junpei was visiting alone in the Akanami household while Nagi was hanging out on Gin's house.

"Geh," thought Nagi upon seeing Shiro's father.

Coincidentally, Gin and Nagi was pulled by the two fathers when they were only going to buy ice cream, and now they found themselves in a batting center, as these four men do not have anything to do anyway.

In the process, Junpei and Shuu told the stories of their youth, which finally made Nagi realize and understand why the father of his lover is very protective of her, and apologized once again.

Thus, Junpei went first and did not miss a ball, and even scored two home runs. Then Nagi swung the bat with only three hits, and four for Shuu.

"Sheesh! This son of mine is playing this really boring! Stop bunting and hit some, musuko!"

"Ehhhh. Don't wanna."

"Do you really call him your son like it's nothing, Shuu?"

"Not like anyone cares, right? Why not call him your son too, Hothead?"

"If he dug is own grave like I did.

But I just noticed. That Gin is bunting this whole time, but he hasn't missed a ball yet."

"Oh? Now that you mention it, he really hasn't."

Gin then bent his knees and lowered his back as he still holds the bat for a bunt. But the problem is that now, the three of them are awkwardly looking at his backside because of his pose that looks like sitting on a toilet.

Nonetheless, the ball came in and hit the ball with a slight push from the bat.

"What?! He got a home run with a bunt?!"

~ ~ ~

But because the two confidants have not really seen each other often, they came to the "the-author-is-so-lazy-he-can't-even-name-an-udon-restaurant" udon restaurant at night. Which if you may recall, turns into a drinking place at sundown.

Notwithstanding, they still ordered noodles and took advantage of the grill before ordering edamame and alcohol.

"That's not even the weak sauce you're gulping, musuko."

"What, I may look like a stooge for drinking a non-alcoholic, but who said I was going to drink? Just look at Nagi. He's avoiding being killed by Uncle Junpei right now."

"I'm thankful that Uncle has high tolerance or else I would be dead by now."

"That maybe so, but never hope that I will tolerate you as high as that."

"Eek…!"

"That was a good joke…! Hahahaha…!"

Actually, how did a flashback get to this point again?