Volume 13 Chapter 199 Never Give Up
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Haa, haa.”
I’ve been running for so long, I’ve lost track of time.
Ever since I joined the filming of “Heaven’s Sword,” I’ve been training my body to break free from my weak past self.
Yet, here I am, not even close to the halfway point.
Two hours have passed since the start, and I finally see the flag ahead.
”Tenga-kun!!”
”TENGA! TENGA!”
”Go for it, Tenga-senpai!!”
”Fight, Tenga-senpai!!”
I wave back at the crowd of fans who have gathered along the street, responding as I imagine my junior would.
Turning back to face forward, I notice two familiar figures standing by the flag.
”Big brother!”
”Hajime-kun, do your best!!”
They are the mother-daughter duo, Minami Haruka and Kana, whom I acted with in “Heaven’s Sword.”
I never expected to reunite with them like this.
”Haa, haa… What are you two doing here?”
”We’re here to support you, big brother!”
”We’ll help fold the flag.”
I lower the large flag to the ground and read the messages written on it.
[Tenga-senpai, we love you! Please let us continue to cheer you on!!]
[I wish I had a senpai like Tenga-senpai! Everyone in BERYL is so envious!!]
[Only Tenga-senpai in the world can handle the diverse personalities of the high school group!!]
[Tenga-senpai, please continue to lead BERYL!!]
[It’s great that Tenga-senpai joined BERYL. Please do your best from now on!]
[Tenga-senpai, thank you for joining BERYL! ]
[Aim for action star!! We will always support you, Tenga-senpai!]
[From Japan to the world, SENPAI TENGA!! Soar, everyone’s senpai!!]
[Whenever BERYL members are in pain, Tenga-senpai is always there!!]
[Keep running, Tenga-senpai! Your fans will always follow you!]
Everyone… everyone!!
My heart swelled with the fans’ words, and I held back my tears.
”Everyone is cheering for you, big brother!”
”Surely, if it’s Hajime-kun or Tenga-kun, everyone believes you can reach the goal.”
I slapped my own cheeks, fueled by their words.
Remember!
Who promised Haruka-nee that he would become a man who could lead BERYL?
It was me!!
If so, I must arrive at the goal before anyone else.
That is my duty as a senior!!
”Big brother, do your best! You’re halfway there!”
”We’re cheering for you too!!”
I had the two of them and the fans in the park help fold the flags.
With that packed in my backpack, I started running again towards the National Stadium from the park at the turnaround point.
”Hah, hah, hah…”
Unlike the treadmill, running on the asphalt was painful for my feet.
An unexpected pain struck my ankle.
”Are you okay!?”
Kaito-san, my manager who had been running alongside me, approached me.
”I’m fine. Just a little pain in my ankle.”
”Let’s stop at the rest point for a moment. Depending on the injury, it might be better to treat it first.”
”…Understood.”
When we arrived at the water station, which was the rest point, Nico-san, my action coach, was waiting.
”Akira-kun, are you okay!? Come on, take off your shoes here! Show me where it hurts!!”
I sat on a nearby bench and took off my shoes and sports socks.
I noticed as I removed my socks that there was blood seeping from the gap between my little toe and nail.
”Did you get hurt during action training…?”
”I’ll give first aid to the bleeding area!”
”I’m sorry. I appreciate it.”
It seems that running had reopened the wound from my previous injury.
I must have instinctively been protecting it while running.
That’s why my ankle got hurt.
”I’ve taped your ankle. How does it feel?”
”Kaito-san, thank you. I think I can manage now.”
It felt much better than before.
My mentor, Nico-san, grabbed my shoulders.
”It’s okay. Believe in yourself until the end! Our training definitely won’t betray us!!”
”Yes!”
I received encouragement from Nico-san.
Somehow, I felt the pain had lessened even more than before.
I responded to the cheers of the fans around me and started running towards the national stadium again.
I ran.
I ran.
I just kept running.
At first, I was concerned about the discomfort and pain, but that began to fade away.
’Tenga-senpai, why don’t you try being in an idol group with me?’
Before I became BERYL, a junior asked me about forming a group.
Could someone like me really do it?
Would I hold back my juniors… Aqua and the others?
Thinking that way, I couldn’t easily nod my head.
’Aqua… why me? You could do it alone without me…’
’…Yeah, I thought that at first too.’
In my memories, my eyes met with the past Aqua.
’Tenga-senpai, I have confidence that I can become the best idol even alone. But with you, with Toa, with Shintaro, I can soar even higher. I realized for the first time while debuting as an actor in Hana-ata that there are limits to what I can do alone. That’s why I noticed during the filming of Heaven’s Sword that with these 4, we can overcome everything and go anywhere. For that, I need you, we need you, Tenga-senpai!! So, will you help us change the world together?’
Changing the world, huh…
I thought he was saying something outrageous.
But still, if it’s my junior, if it’s Shirogane Aqua, I thought maybe he could do it.
When Aqua changes the world, where do I want to be?
Behind the scenes?
Just a fan?
Or will I retreat like before?
I don’t want that.
I wanted to see the same scenery beside my junior, Aqua, and the others.
Moreover, I want to become a strong man like Shirogane Aqua.
I thought that if I took this hand, I could part ways with my past weak self.
’Akira-kun, after I graduate high school, I’m getting married…’
Right now, I remember that moment, Haruka-nee’s deceptive smile!
I realized that shadows had fallen!!
If I were a junior, I would have surely grabbed that hand and said, “Pick me!”
But I couldn’t say it.
I grew big but lacked confidence, I was a coward, unable to take a step forward.
Afraid of getting hurt, I caused pain to the most important person.
’…Grandma’
When I was withdrawn, I found Grandma sitting on the engawa (traditional Japanese veranda) when I stepped outside.
I thought she would say something.
But Grandma didn’t say anything to me.
So I asked her.
Why she wasn’t saying anything.
’That’s because I believe in you, Akira. You’re a kind and wonderful child.’
Grandma’s voice overlapped with everyone else’s voices.
’Tenga-senpai, I always believe in you!’
’With Tenga-senpai, there’s nothing to worry about. Because I believe in you.’
’Worried? There’s no need to worry. Because you’re our Tenga-senpai!’
Shintaro!
Toa!
Aqua!!
Confused memories from the past intertwined.
Among them, I saw my young self being led by mother along a rice paddy path.
’Hey, mom, why is my name Akira?’
’Hehe, Akira noticed something great. I’ll tell you my favorite words specially. Never give up! Absolutely don’t give up!!’
That’s right.
I won’t give up!!
Even if I fail, even if I’m wrong, I won’t give up!!
No matter how much I regret the past, I can’t save Haruka-nee’s heart.
I can’t change my past self!!
More than that, now!
This moment!
It’s about what to do from now on!!
”Uooooooooo!”
I let out a loud cry, like a war cry.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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