...I was too scared to sleep.

If I went to sleep, I might not find Satoshi-kun there in the morning.

So I kept talking to him until I passed out...

I told him about what happened while he was missing...

I told him that I realized how much I loved him after he went away.

I'd searched for him, looking into various different things.

I'd gathered underground information through Kasai, and bargained for police information with Ooishi.

But I couldn't find any leads. A long time passed, but I kept thinking about him.

Et cetera, et cetera...

I told him all the small details from my daily life.

...The places I wanted to go with him,

the things I wanted to do with him,

the food I wanted to share with him...

and, and......

I told him a lot of things.

I was sitting up at first.

But I got tired, so I lay down.

...I got tired of moving my mouth too, so I started talking to him in my mind......

It was the happiest night I'd ever had.

When I woke up...

.........I didn't find Satoshi-kun by my side.

I knew it somehow...

I was afraid of it.

That was why I didn't want to go to sleep.

...But at least I got to see him for one night.

...Just when I'd resigned myself to that...

...I felt Satoshi-kun's presence again... It wasn't a dream after all. I thanked God.

And so I began my strange life with Satoshi-kun.

As promised, Satoshi-kun was always by my side.

...He couldn't laugh, mumble, or stroke my head.

...But he was always with me,

always right by my side.

He disappeared sometimes, but he'd come back when I looked for him.

It seemed that all I could hear was his footsteps.

...That's just the way it was.

...It was a bit sad, but I was still satisfied.

His presence was really faint, so it was hard to sense him in a crowd.

But he never left me.

...If he were tangible, I'd be taking his hand all the time so that he wouldn't be lost.

In contrast, I could feel him very strongly in a quiet environment.

Of course,

I couldn't tell what his expressions were, because he was just a presence.

...But... after I got used to it, I could tell what he was thinking.

At first, I could only tell if he was laughing or not.

...Eventually, I started to feel his emotions more strongly.

...I could communicate with him normally.

...I was usually alone with him, though.

I didn't want to go to school or hang out with my friends anymore.

But... Satoshi-kun got upset about that.

He'd keep mumbling unhappily.

Now that I knew he'd always be with me,

I shouldn't just stay home all the time.

I was sticking to my time alone with him, however, because I was scared that he might suddenly disappear again, and I wanted to make the most of the time I was sharing with him right now.

I must've been worrying too excessively.

...Satoshi-kun will always be by my side.

Yeah.

...That was his promise.

...He never breaks his promises.

I was fine, because he was there.

Of course, I couldn't tell anybody about him, not even Sis.

I could try to explain it to them, but they'd never understand.

But I was certain.

Certain that he was with me.

So...

I'd be all right...

"Shion-san, what are you going to do

on Watanagashi this year?"

"Hm.

I guess I'll have some fun at the festival.

Maybe I'll tease Sis and her friends...

Ahahahaha."

I wanted to go to the festival with Satoshi-kun.

I knew he liked to see me having fun with everybody.

He might get jealous if I play with Kei-chan...

But Satoshi-kun isn't very sensitive in that way.

Satoshi-kun loved to see me and my friends have fun...

so, I should have a lot of fun for his sake.

Then I'd talk about the day with him later.

"How are you going to Hinamizawa?

I can give you a ride if you want."

"I'm taking my moped, so you don't have to."

"That won't do.

Aren't you going to the family party afterwards?

I can't let you drive under the influence."

He won't let me drive,

but he's kind enough to let me drink.

"All right, take me then."

"Good.

Let's leave before nightfall.

I'll come pick you up around that time."

After Kasai left... I sensed that Satoshi-kun was excited about going to the festival.

".........Watanagashi, huh...?

So... it's been almost a year since you went away..."

Satoshi-kun seemed confused.

"I bet you're going all 'mmph...' right now, aren't you?

Ahahahahaha."

We laughed together...