-POV An –
“I don’t care if this love is a selfish one”<
“Forgive me, An-chan. Hearing you sing really makes me… so happy!”
Kohane’s gaze is full of kindness, too gentle to imagine how much her sweet words could hurt me.
“I want to sing with you again! I want to chase your dream together, I really do, but…”
But? Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. You know I can’t handle hearing it.
“Just thinking about standing on stage… it makes me really—”
My heart shatters into pieces hearing her say that. How could I never notice?
I’ve been pushing her all this time, forcing her to keep going—all because of my selfishness.
“Someone like me… can’t be by your side.”
“That’s not true!”
Did I really think my useless reply would change anything?
Right now… Kohane’s afraid. And it’s my fault.
I can’t keep forcing this. I’ll only scare her more than she already is.
I’ve been selfish enough already—pushing her to follow my dream, persuading her even when she clearly felt uncomfortable.
“Forgive me, An-chan…”
I don’t want to believe this. This whole time, it was just me…
“But even so, I want you to make your dream come true.”
…What?
“Because I really love the way you sing, An-chan. I honestly believe that you can surpass the legendary event.”
No.
“Yeah, leave it to me.”
NO.
“I’ll make it happen.”
…Since when did I become such a liar?
I can’t do this without you, Kohane.
The thought of being on stage without you scares me now.
When I said I was waiting for the perfect singing partner, I meant it.
So many people have tried to be that person, and even if we shared the same dream… they never convinced me.
But you did.
From the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one.
It was like the universe was finally telling me it’s time.
Before you, I was completely alone.
I felt like something inside me was missing—something I needed to keep moving forward.
But you, with just your gaze, filled that empty space I’d been carrying for so long.
NO! I don’t want you to leave me.
Please, I don’t want my heart to feel empty again.
Why is it so hard to tell you how much I need you?
Not just for our dream… but for you.
I wish I could be selfish one more time, just so you’d stay by my side.
But every time I’ve been selfish, I’ve ended up hurting someone.
You’re already hurting because of my choices—because of me.
I don’t want you to suffer anymore… but still—
Is there a way you could stay with me anyway?
There’s so much I want to say, but I don’t feel like my throat will let me.
“So… I’m sorry, An-chan. I’ll be cheering for you from afar. I know you’ll make it.”
…How do I tell you that I don’t want to do this alone?
That I want to do it with you.
Some might say it’s stupid—getting this attached to someone I’ve only known for a week.
But I know, deep down, that you have something special.
Something that could take us far—something no one else could ever give me.
Even if you didn’t tell me what you were feeling, I still…
I hoped things could change somehow.
Seeing you leave me forever—it hurts.
I want to stand in front of you and say, “Don’t go.”
Ask you for another chance.
Tell you how much I’ve longed to find someone like you for years.
Tell you… how I still believe we can be together—no matter what, no matter the struggles between us or within us.
We’d find a way to support each other and make it through, together.
I want to spend all my time with you…
Because I know you’re the only one I can truly be myself with.
This is so stupid.
I’m stupid for letting you suffer in silence like this.
“Hey, Kohane… Do you think in another universe… we could be together?”
--Maybe in another universe--
“I’ll wait outside the bathroom door. I’ll make sure there are no ghosts!”
“Ko... Kohane…!”
I throw myself into her arms—my dear singing partner.
I can’t thank her enough for everything she’s done, even in the smallest ways.
“Hey, Kohane… Do you think in another universe, we’d be this close?”
“Yeah… I’m sure of it.”
Ah… I wish I could be with her all the time.
But I guess everything eventually comes to an end.