Guilty Thoughts

Romeo is left trailing behind Yuri and Nana as they head to the hospital to visit Endo. He offered to walk Yuri over himself, but Nana strongly opposed the idea.

“I’m not going to leave my Yuri alone when she’s at her most fragile, especially not with some stranger!”

“N-Nana, he’s fine. He’s a good guy, trust me…”

Yuri, who still sounded sad but is no longer crying, stands up for Romeo with her sweet voice. It is like a punch to the gut.

I’m not a good guy, Yuri. Not yet, anyway.

Nana clicks her tongue and links arms with Yuri, holding her umbrella over both of them before walking away. Romeo has no choice but to walk beside them, protected only by the hood of his red coat.

He was resolved to quit violence, but he couldn't even keep his word for a single day. Confessing to someone as pure as Yuri now would be a terrible idea.

One day. Just twenty-four hours. If he can manage that long, he'll certainly earn the right to tell her everything.

“Um… Romeo? What did you want to talk to me about on the roof, by the way?”

Huh!? She asked about it much quicker than I expected!?

Romeo straightens up quickly in a panic, then immediately cringes in pain. He'd forgotten that his bat was hidden under his coat in a secret holster sewn on the inside, and that he hadn't had the time to wrap it back up. It was prickling at his back, awkwardly and painfully at times. Yuri doesn’t seem to notice and looks away with an apologetic expression, continuing.

“I’m sorry… I really did plan to go… I was on my way over when I got the phone call from the hospital, and—”

“Aah! Don’t worry about it! Don’t worry about it!” Romeo shakes a dismissive hand at her comment, noticing that she's starting to look sad again. “This is much more important, isn’t it!?”

Nana looks at Romeo with a death glare, stopping at a crossing light.

“Yeah, Romeo. Why did you ask a pure girl like Yuri to the roof, all alone? You weren’t planning something stupid like a love confession, were you? Pretty old-fashioned, don’t you think?”

Oof! Her words hit Romeo like a giant brick right on the head. And he has nowhere to run.

“I—”

I. What!? What am I supposed to say!? Think Romeo, think!!

“Nana, stop it!”

Yuri interrupts with a blush. Romeo’s eyes widen.

Yuri shoots him an embarrassed glance, and their eyes meet a third time, this time both their faces tinted red. Nana narrows her eyes at this suspicious exchange.

Eh?

Time stops. She looks away first. The wind is blowing away the last drops of falling rain.

Romeo turns to face forward again and continues walking in silence along with them when the light changes.

Ba-dump.

What was that?