Saihara's POV:
The room fell into silence once Ouma left, everyone had let something off of their chest in the worst way possible, as if it was a planned attack on Ouma. I could understand that feeling, that part of you that lashes out at others in a desperate attempt to avoid blaming yourself...

Avoid the fact that the person who failed you, wasn't others, it was yourself. I had to come to learn that, I had to learn and accept that I failed, I failed myself and I failed others but...seeing them attack Ouma...

The guilt was too much, I can't keep doing this. I can't keep blaming people for my failures- I'm the reason why everyone had to suffer so much, I should have been able to protect everyone but I failed.

I should have saved them, and...I don't think I will ever let go of that feeling, even for the rest of my life, I will carry their deaths with me even though they are alive I won't forget what happened to us...I...I can't forget that even if I wanted to.

The room was stale and filled with dread but I pushed past my hesitation. I don't want to wallow in my self-pity anymore.

Back then I failed her...but...I pushed open the door of the bar as I looked around, I don't have to repeat history.

I don't have to be weak anymore, I can become stronger and help everyone...I can do better than I did back then. I just hope...

I hope that this time, this time when I reach out for Ouma...when I reach out to the others...we'll be able to trust each other again. And we'll be able to live our lives as if none of this had ever happened...

Because...I want to be their friend-

My eyes widened.

Ouma's wheelchair which had been left right next to the stairs...was empty.

~-~-~

It's impossible...surely it's impossible...he couldn't have gotten out of his chair...could he?

I headed up the stairs, gazing at the hallways of the hotel looking for any sign of where Ouma could have gone, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and the sweat from my brow.

What if him being paraplegic was a lie? No...no I doubt that that lie wouldn't benefit him in any sort of way so-

I opened the door to the top floor, a wide and beautiful garden surrounded me as I looked around in awe. While the flooring was tile it was compensated for the many boxes filled with what seemed to be vegetables and flowers, the greenery, and vines covering the area.

The sky was a murky dark color, it was probably nighttime, I had a feeling I would find Ouma here so I decided to look around the area a bit before working my way down the floors.

In the distance I saw a boy with long dark purple hair, pulled back into a small ponytail, he abandoned the vest he had on earlier and was wearing a white collared shirt that was too big for him, along with a pair of pants that barely did.

His shoes had been discarded with the vest as he leaned against a wooden fence that reached just above his waist, he was staring out at the surrounding city, I couldn't see his expression but he almost seemed calm.

He was standing.

"Ouma?" I called out in shock, the boy turned around to face me his eyes widening.

There was one thing I knew about Ouma, it was that he would never show his true emotions, well not to this extent.

But this boy had dropped the masks and was crying, he was shaking as he looked at me, at first I thought it was because he wasn't used to walking but his more nervous and reclusive posture pointed otherwise as he looked at me not with anger or spite, like he usually would these days but...

Like he was happy to see me?

"Shuichi?" He called out, he started crying harder only this time he was smiling as he seemed compelled to reach towards me only to hold back at the last second.

Ouma never calls me by my first name...

"Shuichi? Its y-you...it's you...what kind of cruel j-joke is this...? It's just like fr-from when we met you know...it's just like that...I...I w-was hoping I w-would get to see you...one last t-time before I had to go...and you're here...you're right in f-front of me....do...do you recognize me?" He asked.

"Ouma? Ouma are you ok? Ouma you're walking what's going on? And you're acting strange what is going on?" I asked concerned.

The boy fiddled with his hands nervous, "I...I don't think you w-would u-understand..." he admitted. "Try me Ouma," I told him, he looked at me sadly, "I w-was hoping it wouldn't h-have to b-be like this...."

"Be like WHAT? Ouma you better not be doing something crazy alright?" I begged. 

He gave me a sad smile "I'm sorry...I have to...I don't think I have a choice anymore...I'm dying Shuichi..." he told me as he backed up closer to the fence. "I'm g-going to die...so if I h-have to d-die, then why can't I c-choose to die by my hand?"

I couldn't wrap my mind around what he was saying, it doesn't make any sort of sense!  All I could do was walk closer to him and try-beg him not to jump. I tried to walk towards him he yelled back "DON'T!"

"I n-need to do this, t-trust me when I say if I d-don't everything w-will go wrong! I h-have to do this! I h-have to! So, p-please...PLEASE DON'T S-STOP ME! PLEASE DON'T!" He screamed.

"What will go wrong Ouma?! Please don't do anything! Please Ouma I can't lose you like this! I won't let you die again! I WON'T LET YOU DIE!" I pleaded as Ouma cried harder his hands covering his eyes.

"I can't...I can't...I'm going to die...I'm going to die... I'M GOING TO DIE IF I DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE! LET ME GO!" he screamed.

"You won't die! YOU AREN'T GOING TO DIE OUMA! I know I didn't do this back then, but this time I'm going to protect you! I will stand beside you! I CAN'T LOSE YOU! I CAN'T LOSE YOU LIKE WE LOST KIIBO! Don't you think we try? Try and support you? You don't have to be alone anymore because I will be with you! Along with Momota, Gokuhara, Amami, and Tojo! We all want you to be happy and safe so please just-"

"You're not my Shuichi..." he said sadly. I looked at him confused before my eyes widened.

"What...?" I asked, "Shuichi...can you see me? Y-You're in there right? You're inside of him...right? Do you see me? I...I w-wanted to k-keep our p-promise...I...I wanted to do so m-many more things with you...I...I'm so s-sorry I c-couldn't...forgive me...Shuichi...f-forgive me Mr. Saihara."

"I don't understand..." I mumbled but Ouma continued, it was like he wasn't looking at me but past me.

"And...I'm n-not your Ouma...huh? You s-sound just like him...look just like him...but...m-my Shuichi is g-gone...isn't he? He...c-can you see me Shuichi? C-Can you see me? You p-promised you would n-never l-leave me b-but here I am l-leaving you b-behind... I'm sorry...I n-never got to tell you how s-sorry I was...I n-need you...Shuichi...p-please....please...don't leave me a-alone...." he mumbled.

"I'm not going to leave you alone anymore! SO please just come back over here and we can talk ok! We'll talk! Just step away from the ledge...I promise...I won't leave you alone anymore...you don't have to suffer alone anymore..." I promised. Ouma smiled sadly at me as he seemed to hug himself, small tears streaming down his face.

He stood up on the fence as he looked at me, "I...you n-need him...don't you?" He asked.

I nodded as the other Ouma looked down as he jumped down from the fence...

Back onto the garden. 

As he walked up towards me, he was shaking and I could tell he was nervous about what he was going to do next. He hugged me tightly crying into my shirt as I tried to calm him down as best as I could, rubbing circles into his back.

"I'm dying..." he mumbled again, I was still unsure what he meant before he pulled away and smiled at me, "thank...you....thank you for your k-kindness...p-please...p-protect him...don't let him be like me..." he begged.

"He's so s-strong...t-to strong...h-he thinks he c-can be fine s-standing alone...without a-anyone to lean on...b-but that kind of s-strength can't last forever...he may not b-be f-fragile...and s-scared like me...but...he's going to be alone soon...he doesn't trust you....maybe he never will...and I'm sorry...but please...please...for my sake...I know this doesn't make any sort of sense to you but...please for my sake...save him" he whispered, almost as if he was talking to himself.

Still confused, I nodded.

I nodded as the Ouma looked back at the fence and the sky. While he was still crying he resumed the peaceful expression on his face that was mixed with sorrow, and longing...he reached out for the shady figure of the sun hiding behind the ashy gray sky covered with dark storm clouds.

"W-what...a beautiful day...I w-wish...I c-could see the s-sun..." he wished before all of a sudden he collapsed onto the floor gasping in pain as he screamed, his body contorted in ways I had never seen.

"OUMA?!" I screamed, he was clutching his chest as he reached toward me teary-eyed...

"Help...get...help..." he gasped through pained breaths I nodded getting up and ran through the door of the garden "SOMEONE HELP! WE NEED AN AMBULANCE!"

"SHUICHI!" Ouma screamed and I turned back to him, he was coughing up blood as he seemed to reach pathetically for me, gasping for air as he hyperventilates, his face was pained and he was sobbing.

"I...I don't want...to die...." he mumbled, "I...don't want to die alone..." he cried.

I hurried back to him, "no...no...no you're not going to die you're not going to die..." I tried to assure Ouma horribly.

He reached for my face as the blood trickled through his mouth. "I-I'm glad...I got to...see you...o-one last...time...I'm glad....glad I got to meet you...and fall in l-love with you...thank you...for being my f-friend...I....wish...I w-wish I could've s-stopped...." he mumbled as his eyes closed and his hand fell to the ground.

"Ouma....? OUMA!" I screamed as I picked him up bridal style and rushed towards the stairs, towards the crowds of other people, towards the medical personnel who would rush Ouma to a nearby hospital for some unknown injury or illness...