My youth story cannot be a knight war

[“I will become the protagonist of my story, I will embark on the same journey as him, I will become a person like him, I will abide by the promises like him, and protect the smiles of everyone I meet during the journey, without any reason, just because I want to do it.”]

[“It may be clumsy, and I may encounter endless difficulties and obstacles, but I will not give up! I will personally turn this story I wrote into reality, so that it will no longer be a fictional fantasy. I will turn it into the ‘real thing’ in your mouth!”]

[“I make a promise with you, Hachiman. Even if it’s just my wishful thinking, one day, I will give you the story I wrote with myself as the protagonist, and let you be its first reader—”]

[“I swear!”]

[Zaimokuza's voice echoed in the empty house, even creating an echo, as if he was repeating his determination over and over again. His words were so resolute that even the mirrors hanging around the living room seemed to vibrate slightly.]

[But after a long time, there was still no sound coming from the direction of the stairs. Hikigaya Hachiman continued to walk upstairs without giving any response to Zaimokuza's promise.]

【“…”】

[After waiting for a long time and still getting no response, Zaimokuza lowered his head with an expression of disappointment. ]

[He silently bent down to pick up the story he had been describing for half a year on the floor, and walked towards the exit of the living room, intending to leave here.]

【——】

[But when he passed by the door of the living room, the wall-mounted mirror that reflected his figure suddenly had a faint ripple spreading in the center of the mirror, and the ripples gradually became clearer, distorting the reflection of Zaimokuza in it——]

【"……Can."】

【“——!”】

[The calm voice coming from behind made the somewhat depressed Zaimokuza look up in astonishment, and then turned around and looked behind him with a look of surprise. ]

[Hikigaya Hachiman, who had already walked up to the second floor, reappeared at the staircase again at some point. He leaned on the handrail of the stairs with one hand, and his deep eyes calmly stared at Zaimokuza.]

[Zaimokuza, who had just turned around, did not notice that the ripples on the mirror beside him had calmed down at an extremely fast speed after Hikigaya appeared and spoke, and the mirror reflection returned to normal in an instant.]

["Hachiman...!?"]

[“Since you’ve said that, I don’t mind taking a look… Anyway, the only thing I have the most right now is time.”]

[Hikigaya glanced at the mirror expressionlessly, then spoke to Zaimokuza in a calm voice.]

[“As a way to relieve stress, let me see… whether you can finish what you said, write your own story, and turn the story from a ‘fake’ into a ‘real thing’.”]

【“…I’ll wait.”】

……

【“——This is actually the promise we made in the beginning.”】

[Facing Zaimokuza's stunned expression, Hikigaya Hachiman spoke softly. ]

[“I’ve been watching you ever since… and you really did it.”]

[“You didn’t break your promise, Zaimokuza.”]

[After the words were spoken, the warm light around them illuminated the world still shrouded in the night, as well as the figures of the two people.]

[Countless mirrors with faint light appeared around the two people and slowly rotated, and a different scene appeared in each mirror.]

【“——”】

【Zaimokuza stared blankly at the mirrors that appeared around him, and as he looked at the scenes that appeared in the mirrors, his eyes slowly widened.】

[He was so familiar with the scenes in those mirrors... because each one was everything he had witnessed during his journey over the years, as well as the people and events he had met.]

[Zaimokuza in the mirror had once stood on the top of the mountain representing the highest peak in the world wearing a mountaineering suit; he had also once crossed the wall that connected thousands of miles with a backpack on his back; he had once crossed the most dangerous Amazon rainforest in the world wearing an expedition suit; he had once walked alone and barefoot on the salt lake that reflected the other side of the sky, and the sky and the earth merged into one at the end of the horizon...]

【But more importantly, it’s the people he met. 】

[Countless crying people appeared in the mirror. They may have different reasons, but they all shed tears because of similar pain.]

[But when that smiling white-haired young man appeared in the mirror, no matter how tortuous the process was, in the end, everyone was always able to burst into laughter, with that dazzling smile blooming on their faces.]

[Zaimokuza even saw the figures of Yuigahama Yui, Hiratsuka Shizuka, and Kousaka Kyosuke in it... The smiles they had lost in the past but regained in the end on their painful faces shone like stars in the mirror, illuminating Zaimokuza's trembling eyes.]

[“I have witnessed your journey. In this story, you have protected the smiles of countless people and kept the promise we made.”]

[“You proved to me that stories are powerful. This power is strong enough to turn falsehood into reality, and even change the fate of everyone... Whether it’s Yuigahama, Hiratsuka-sensei, or Kousaka Kyosuke, the path you followed changed those who met you and protected their smiles.”]

[“You are no longer a ‘fake’ now, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru.”]

[Hikigaya looked at Zaimokuza, reached into his arms, pulled out the familiar brown-covered book and handed it to him.]

[“You define the story in your own way, creating a story that is authentic and unique to you.”]

[“You who have accomplished this——are already the real thing.”]

【“…”】

[Zaimokuza stretched out his hands to take the book handed to him by Hikigaya, turned the book over, and stared at the name written on the cover of the book in his hand in a daze.]

[Although the cover style and texture are exactly the same as the previous "The Smiling Man", the title on the front has been replaced by a new English title. 】

[《KAMEN RIDER KUUGA》, this is the name of the book now, the kanji translation is——]

【"Kamen Rider Kuuga". 】

“This is the story you create now.”

[“I created this story, it’s my story…”]

[Zaimokuza held the book in his hands with trembling hands, and slowly turned the first page of the book, revealing the first page's table of contents, chapter titles, and volume one: The Man Who Guards a Smile, with a total of eighty-three chapters.]

[As he flipped through the book, countless words appeared on the book in front of Zaimokuza. Every page was written with his own past, and every word was transformed by his experience.]

[Volume 2 - In the name of "Hero", a total of thirty-four chapters. ]

[Volume 3: The story that exists because of you, total ? ? ? chapters. ]

[After Zaimokuza read to the 29th chapter of the third volume, he looked at the last line of text in the story with a dull expression.]

[——This is the story you are creating now. ]

[——I created this story, it belongs to me…]

[The last paragraph of the last page is exactly what he just said to Hikigaya, without any deviation.]

[And after this passage, brand new words are being born in the golden light, writing the next development of the story. ]

【This represents...】

[“…You understand now.”]

【Hikigaya's words made Zaimokuza look up at him, and he saw the pair of dead fish eyes disappear and become peaceful, looking at him with relief.】

[“——Your story is not over yet.”]

[“There are still people who believe in you, waiting for you.”]

[Hikigaya did not move at all, but one of the mirrors floating around him moved in front of Zaimokuza and displayed the scene inside.]

[The warrior in blue armor faced the enemy that was rushing forward like a mighty army, and the huge shadow behind it. Without the slightest fear or hesitation, he drew the weapon at his waist and rode his mount to charge at the enemy...]

["Mr. Kosaka..."]

【Zaimokuza looks at the scene in the mirror and murmurs the name of the warrior.】

[“He has always believed in you, and believed that you will definitely surpass yourself... Now it’s your turn to respond to his expectations.”]

[“It’s already dawn… Zaimokuza.”]

[After the words fell, at the end of the sky, the golden red sun began to rise gradually. ]

[The fiery red light pierced into the darkness, mixing with the pitch-black color to form a dreamy deep blue rainbow. Everything began to be illuminated, and ink-like light spots rose above the earth toward the sky.]

[This long night that seemed to have no end finally ended with dawn. ]

【“…”】

[The mirror in front of me turned into dust and melted into the morning light, revealing the smiling face of my best friend. His eyebrows and eyelashes all looked so beautiful in the light.]

[Even though it was just a dream, Hikigaya Hachiman finally smiled again and offered his blessings to his friend. ]

[“It’s time for you to go and write your own ending for this story.”]

【“…”】

【Listening to his best friend's advice, Zaimokuza gritted his teeth, held the story tightly in his arms, and lowered his head. 】

【Then, he raised his head and smiled at Hikigaya. 】

[This smile is not false at all, it is sincere and pure, with the softness and gentleness of the rising sun. ]

[“I will, Hachiman…”]

[“Can we… meet again?”]

[In response to Zaimokuza's question, Hikigaya gave a non-answer:]

[“I will keep watching you until your story comes to an end.”]

【“——”】

[After receiving this answer, Zaimokuza smiled once again, with crystal tears sparkling in the corners of his narrowed eyes.]

[He looked at Hikigaya, smiled, and slowly turned around, looking at the sky where the sun was rising in the distance.]

[It's already dawn, so...it's time to wake up from the dream. ]

(BGM: Da Caop.)

【Zaimokuza took his own steps toward the world where the light was rising.】

["——Taimu Seat."]

[The voice behind him made him stop, but Zaimokuza just stood there without looking back.]

[Because he was worried that if he turned around and saw his best friend's face, the tears that he had been suppressing for so long would burst out no longer.]

[——At least, we should say goodbye with a smile.]

【“Go forward boldly and don’t look back.”】

[Looking at Zaimokuza's back, Hikigaya spoke softly.]

[“Also, I hope that every smile you make from now on…will be genuine.”]

【Zaimokuza said nothing about Hikigaya's words.】

[He just took another step forward, walking towards the direction of the rising sun. This time he did not pause, and gave his answer with his actions.]

【“～”】

[Looking at Zaimokuza like this, Hikigaya's mouth curled up slightly. ]

[Then, without any hesitation, he took steps towards the town behind him that was still shrouded in darkness, and walked in the opposite direction of Zaimokuza.]

[At dawn, the two who were once close friends went their separate ways. ]

【Hikigaya Hachiman returned to the darkness; Zaimokuza Yoshiteru stepped into the light.】

[One stayed in the past forever, while the other had already passed the long night and walked towards his own brand new future. ]

【“——”】

[A blue light flashed across the tear-stained face, and Zaimokuza's eyes trembled, but he did not look back.]

[Even though he knew that the figure that was walking in the opposite direction to him was gradually turning into light and dissipating between heaven and earth, and would never be seen again.]

[Because the words of farewell have already been said, all we have to do now is to move forward, not to stop. ]

【But tears flowed out of my eyes uncontrollably. 】

[“Thank you, thank you…!”]

[Zaimokuza choked up as he spoke, bathed in the blue light that flew past him like fireflies.]

[Even if our story doesn't end beautifully, thank you for appearing in my life. ]

【Meeting you started our story. In this story, we cried and laughed, and imagined our future together.】

[I have imagined it, both good and bad.]

[But I never thought that you would leave before the story even began, leaving me alone to start this story that should have belonged to us.]

[But I will always remember this story because of you and will never forget it. ]

[——Meeting you is a unique treasure in my life. ]

[After the blazing sun rose completely, endless light shone down from the sky, illuminating the entire world and turning it into pure white.]