What I Couldn't Say
After being scolded for secretly following me around, Kyra came up with a new strategy...
Which was just openly following me around.
Kyra's favorite is Assistant Meow!
Oh, but I also love Boss Seal and Manager Bearcoon too!
Kyra was excitedly chattering away.
It seemed like she was rambling about her favorite characters.
Oh, really...
I couldn't really understand what she was saying, so I just nodded along.
Yup. Anyway, so my favorite merch is—
...Mm.
*Sigh* Captain, hold on.
Kyra stopped walking and tugged at my sleeve.
She kept rubbing her thighs as if they were sore.
Despite the ongoing training, Kyra's stamina was still below average.
It looked like she could use a break.
How about sitting down over there at the playground?
...Huh? The playground?
Uh... Um...
Kyra doesn't want to be a burden, Captain...
Huh? You were about to take a break too?
Then...
Okay.
...Mm.
Mm...
...
Kyra seemed restless, glancing around anxiously.
Are you feeling okay? Should we go back?
N-no... I'm fine.
It's nothing.
I'm just happy to be walking with you, Captain. Let's keep going.
Even as she said that...
Kyra was fidgeting with her toy, a habit I thought she'd kicked.
...Maybe we should just head ba—
Hahaha! Yeah, that was hilarious back then.
I mean, we were kids then, can't blame us!
...Hey, look over there.
Huh? What is it?
Isn't that her?
Who?
You don't remember? From way back...
A group of young people glanced over at Kyra.
...?!
You're... Kyra, right?
H-hi...
...Hey! Why are you talking to her?
I-I was just saying hi...
I think she's kinda scary...
Hey. Stop talking to her.
Did you forget? Whenever she talks, something bad happens.
When she said, "Don't go," I couldn't move for two hours with my feet stuck to the ground.
A-and when she said,"Give the ball back," I flew f-five meters along with the b-ball...
Another kid almost had his leg crushed because of her creepy powers.
O-oh...
U-um...
I-I just...
...
...N-never mind. I'm fine.
I'll see you around. Yeah.
Let's go.
Y-yeah. Okay.
W-wait up...!
Kyra stood there for a long moment, watching them leave, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
...Were they people you know?
...Yeah. Some old frie—
I mean... some kids I used to hang out with.
...Sorry, Captain.
My legs feel better now. Should we get going?
Are you okay?
...Okay? What do you mean?
You looked like you wanted to say something to them.
Ah... Yeah. It was nothing.
...
...I was going to apologize for what happened back then...
...I was going to say I was sorry...
But it doesn't matter. They wouldn't listen to me anyway...
Nobody wants to be friends with someone like Kyra.
...It's all Kyra's fault.
You see, Captain, Kyra... hurt a lot of her friends when she was a kid.
...It wasn't intentional. But...
The friends I used to play with started to hate me.
Because whenever they played with Kyra, they got hurt.
So after realizing that, I just... stopped going to playgrounds.
That's why... playgrounds still feel awkward for me. Ahaha.
...
But it can't be helped, right?
It's Kyra's fault, after all.
Everything is Kyra's fault.
If I hadn't hurt anyone, things wouldn't have ended up this way.
It's only natural.
Being hated by everyone... and being all alone...
Kyra nudged the dirt with her foot, forcing a smile.
But now, it's okay.
...Now, Kyra has someone she can talk to without holding back.
I have you, Captain.
Kyra has you now, Captain.
I was finally starting to understand Kyra a little better.
Her guilt over potentially hurting someone again, the wary stares from those around her.
All those things had isolated her, making her feel lonelier and lonelier.
To Kyra, I was the only one she felt she could talk to without fear.
No wonder she clung to me so much.
Hmm? You agree, right, Captain?
You're going to stay by my side, right?
As Kyra looked up at me, waiting for my response, I gave her a small smile.