[ "We should stop this, Sato. There is no future between us."
"No! I don't want that! Touma, I love you! How can you say there is no future? After all this time..."
"I thought it was possible. I really did, but recently I came to realize that it was foolish of me to believe that. I'm sorry, Sato."
"I... I don't understand. What... What do you feel about me then? Touma... What am I to you?"
"I... I hate you. You're everything that I can never be. Whenever I am next to you, I can see the difference clearly and it's killing me. Whether it's about acting, singing or dancing, even gaining people's acceptance ... You're better at everything. And to top it all off, you are also the son of a famous star. I always end up being compared to you. There's no way anyone could stand that. That's why I'm leaving. I want to break free. Sato, this relationship is crushing me!"
"Touma... That's... Touma, don't go! Touma, wait!"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
Sato's eyes widened and he stared in shock at the person in front of him. The man he used to know so well looked like a complete stranger now.
The next moment, Touma's body whirled around violently. There was a dangerous fury brewing in his eyes, like a tempest about to strike.
Sato let out a choked cry.
A second later, a sharp pain came from his shoulder and, the next thing he knew, his body was tumbling down the stairs.
When he finally hit the ground, he felt a surge of pain around his torso and legs. His arms were also aching and felt like they were full of scrapes.
"To-Touma... Touma..." Sato gasped.
He kept calling that person's name over and over again. It sounded like a chant in his mind. It was as if by calling his name, that person would somehow materialize in front of him. ]
A second later, Sato felt a violent shove and he was instantly jerked awake.
Was it just a dream?
But it was so clear, so vivid. Even now, his eyes simply refused to open. He could still hear Touma's voice echoing in his ears, his words stabbing at Sato's heart.
Nevertheless, despite the heavy mist enveloping his mind, Sato quickly realized that nothing was real anymore. What he saw just now was simply a memory. Just like so many times before, he had dreamed of that night again.
Even after such a long time had passed, Sato could still remember everything so clearly. Every word that was spoken, the way in which Touma had looked at him, and the tone of his voice when he said goodbye.
Why couldn't he forget? Why couldn't he move on and leave the past behind? Why every time he thought he was getting better, he had to have this dream again? It was as if he was being haunted by a ghost. It just wouldn't allow his mind to forget, nor his heart to heal.
Did that mean he will forever remain trapped in this nightmare? Will he forever be unable to move on?
Panic was beginning to surge inside his body, feeling like a shard of ice stabbing at his insides. His chest contracted and he choked, unable to breathe properly.
Through this painful haze, Sato unexpectedly heard a voice calling out his name. It was low and sounded faraway in the beginning, but it gradually reached his ears.
"...ato... Sato! SATO, WAKE UP!"
Kyosuke was kneeling on the bed, shaking his friend in a frenzy. Beads of sweat covered his forehead as he tried to wake Sato up from his nightmare.
"DAMMIT! Sato, if you don't wake up right now, I swear I'll slap you until you do. DO YOU HEAR ME?!"
"Yes... I... I hear... you… Kyosuke."
"You sure?"
"Y-yes. With that loud... voice of yours... it's impossible not to... hear you. The neighbors... must have... heard you as well." Sato struggled to form coherent words.
"The hell do I care about a bunch of strangers?!" Kyosuke threw at him angrily, giving Sato another light shove out of frustration. "Are you awake now?"
"I'm awake. Quite awake…" Sato breathed out wearily.
His chest still felt a little tight, but it was slightly better than before. At least his mind had cleared and he could now open his eyes and see properly.
"Tsk. You scared me to death, you know that?" Kyosuke clicked his tongue in vexation.
"I'm sorry..."
"Did you dream about 'that' again?"
Sato remained silent, but this was as good as a confession. Kyosuke immediately knew that he was right.
"Why? It's been a while since you had that dream, so why now?"
"I don't know. Maybe because I thought about the past recently. Ever since we came back from that trip, I kept thinking..."
Sato's voice trailed off and he remained quiet. Except for the soft pants he let out from time to time and the cold sweat that covered his back, there was nothing that could prove he had just been on the brink of a panic attack.
Usually, that nightmare would only cause heartache and discomfort upon waking up. But this time, it had been more intense than ever. It even caused Sato to almost lose his grip on reality even after waking up. Had it not been for Kyosuke, it could have been dangerous.
"Kyosuke... What time is it now?"
"Eh? It's 5 in the morning."
"So early. I'm sorry for waking you up." Sato sighed guiltily.
"Stop talking nonsense." Kyosuke barked.
Then, realizing he might have been too brutal with an already emotionally shaken person, he quickly changed his tune.
"Do you want to eat something or perhaps take a bath and relax?" Kyosuke asked in a softer tone.
"A bath first." Sato tilted his head to look up at his friend. "Can you help me get there? I don't think I can stand up right now."
"Come on. I'll carry you to the bathroom."
With that, Kyosuke bent down and pulled Sato on his back.