―― Suddenly.

　A small ball of light bursts upward into the sky, illuminating the garden.

"Found you!"

From afar, from the party venue, a familiar voice called out, the owner of the voice approaching with determined steps.

"Hikaru! Why did you disappear like that?! I've been looking everywhere for you!?"

"Rifreia..."

It was unexpected.

I had even thought about just avoiding meeting you face to face today.

"Eh... Hikaru...? Were you crying?"

Rifreia leaned in closer. I turned my face away, not wanting to be seen.

"Haha, no way. Just a bit of night air, that's all."

"But... you look terrible."

"Maybe I just had a little too much to drink."

I couldn't even look at Reflair's face, so I just evaded vaguely.

"Hikaru... You can't... I'm holding back too, you know... "

"What are you talking about...?"

"I had decided to smile until the very end... to part with a smile... I really wanted to do that..."

Reflair bowed her head, shoulders trembling.

I had never once imagined she could think such a thing—completely at a loss for what to do.

In the garden as night fell, only Reflair's quiet sobs echoed.

"Hikaru... I'm leaving tomorrow."

Those words tightened my chest.

Even though I knew it would come to this.

Even though I had been the one to wish for it.

I made my decision while Hikaru was unconscious. I thought that if, when Hikaru regains consciousness… and still doesn’t change their mind, I should speak up before my own resolve weakens… Otherwise… I’ll never be able to let go of Hikaru again.”

“Is that so…”

Today, since I woke up, Reflair hasn’t said this, and neither have I.

Our relationship had already ended on the descending staircase leading to the fourth floor, where we await the Demon King.

I rejected Reflair, and she cried.

And then, the moment she used Photon Ray—everything became irreversible.

　

Reflair gently touched her forehead against mine, standing motionless.

Even in this moment, I felt uncomfortable knowing that hundreds of millions of viewers were watching us, and I hated myself for caring about it.

I want to face her properly at a time like this.

"...That race we were talking about, the one competing for viewership? What happened to that?"

A hesitant question, spoken while looking down.

"It didn't work out. We were doing pretty well, but there's always someone better on top."

"...I see... Then what about bringing back your childhood friend?"

"Yeah... Unfortunately..."

Saying it out loud, it feels like nothing good came from it, but that's not true.

There were good things too.

"But I'm glad Reflair managed to learn how to use Photon Ray. She stuck by me through my search... It makes me feel like I've at least returned some of the favor."

"I didn't want to learn something like Photon Ray at all."

"Reflair—"

"I didn't want to part ways with Hikaru!"

As if forcing out something rising within her, Refrea kept her gaze down and grasped my wrist.

"All this time... if I could just keep exploring with you, never having to go back to my family home... isn't that awful of me? I'm only thinking of myself. Even now, my younger sister is suffering from illness, and yet I'm... obsessed with someone I like, completely lost in my own dreams..."

I couldn't say how big a dream becoming a Saint Knight was for her.

But her words—saying she'd abandon that dream just to stay with me—were genuine.

If I weren't some foreigner from another world, but simply a regular person who'd accidentally ended up here... I'd have chosen to stay with Refrea, without hesitation.

　

Just... that's all there was to it.

"Reflare. I know this must make me seem like a terrible man, but... I really liked you. Ever since I came to this incomprehensible world, you've saved me—more than once. Not just my life, but my heart too. So... thank you."

I hadn't planned to say those words, but I told her anyway.

I couldn't have kept them silent. That was the last honest thing I could do for her.

"Hehe... I understand, you know. How much you've cared for me. Ever since that day, I've thought about it—constantly. If you'd wanted to, you could've loved me however you wished. But you're such a fool... really... kind-hearted, naïve, honest... so incredibly precious."

Far away, the melody drifting from the party hall shifted into a quieter tune.

The starry sky, unobstructed by clouds, twinkled brightly, the full moon shining brilliantly in the eastern sky.

"...Hikaru, shall we dance?"

"Sorry... I already told you this before, but right now everyone in the world is watching us, so I can't—"

　

Before he could finish, his hands were seized and Reflare suddenly leaned in.

Something soft pressed against him, making him flustered.

They were nearly embracing, so close that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats.

"I said I don't care. Besides... dancing shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

The closer they became, the more painful it felt to think about the distance that would come after.

Was Reflare not feeling the same way?

...No, that's exactly why she's saying she's leaving tomorrow.

This is the last time they'll spend together.

"Yeah, Ichini-san. Ichini-san. Hehe, not bad, are you?"

"Because my older sister put me through it."

My older sister, Celica, is an extremely social person, and she once treated me as her practice dummy, insisting that I had to be able to dance or else I couldn't even have a conversation.

Thanks to that, I managed to learn a few basic steps.

"Hey, Hikaru. Why did you run away when Alex called out to you a moment ago?"

"……You really want to ask that?"

"Yeah, you're friends with him, aren't you? Him…"

"I don't know."

Alex is a human from the same planet, and I'd say he's basically a good guy.

But I don't really know him well enough to say we're friends.

"Did you think I was being flirted with? That's why you couldn't bear to watch?"

Reflia giggled playfully, pressing her body close to mine.

Memories from the past resurfaced. Perhaps we were drinking together.

"…That's right. Alex is much more handsome than me… I always thought I couldn't possibly match up with someone like Reflia, a beauty like you. That's why I've always felt we weren't a good match."

"Hehe, so honest—that's good. …But the one I truly love is only Hikaru. I've always wanted to be with you alone—only you…"

With a laugh, a song, and even tears, Reflia poured her feelings into each step, leaving me utterly speechless.

"Alex was talking about you, Hikaru. He was worried because you seemed so tense and lonely, without any friends. He said you're a stiff, serious guy, but he asked me to help you, to look after you. That's what he asked me to do."

"Could he really have done something like that...?"

"Yes. That's why I asked him, in return. About you, after I'm gone."

"I see..."

I've mostly avoided him, yet he turns out to be genuinely good.

In contrast, I'm the one who's been unpleasant. I'll have to apologize later.

A few slow-tempo songs played on, and Rifaia and I slowly, gently, took steps as if to savor our final moments together.

Then, the music stopped, and we halted our movements.

Rifaia remained pressed against me, quietly lifting her face.

Bathed in moonlight, her beautiful features came into view.

Her eyes, shining with determination.

Her cheeks flushed red.

Her lips slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something.

"Hikaru..."

"R, Rifaia... It's not right... Everyone's watching... Even if you don't feel it, really..."

"It's okay"

Rifaia simply replied with those words and closed her eyes.

The words had no real basis, but at that moment, I was utterly overcome by them.

Our faces drawn so close they nearly touched.

I couldn't resist.

A fleeting, barely-there kiss.

She pulled back just once, her face flushed crimson, shyly smiling.

"See? No one's watching. Not even the moon."

With that, she kissed me again.

Love poured from our touching lips, and for a while, we both sought each other desperately.

—Knowing full well that this would become our final memory.