“That Egos was under the effect of magic hypnosis. I don’t know how that happened, but it really threw everything into chaos.”
“…Yes, what a troublesome guy.”
Late at night with the lights out in their room, Yuugo laid down and spoke to his partner.
He tried to act as normal as he could, but Ryuuga’s indifferent response gave him an anxiety he could not shake off.
His father’s killer, the mad loong, was actually Raiha, and the Yamato government was scheming behind all this. What could he be thinking?
Yuugo had the bad feeling that Ryuuga’s target of revenge evolved into a whole country, and let out a small sigh as he looked at the communication device given to him by Angel.
(There hasn’t been any contact from Setsuna… I’m sure things are rough over there.)
Surely Setsuna did not do anything that led to Koumaru and the others taking it away.
That meant it was highly likely they were being watched and she could not carelessly call him.
Yuugo thought back to how shocked Setsuna and Sakura were when Melt and the others questioned their friendship, and wanted to talk to them and cheer them up a little, but… No such chance presented itself.
He was worried about Ryuuga, but the girls as well, and Ryuuga spoke.
“Yuugo… I’m glad I met you here. I wouldn’t trade my time here with you for anything.”
“That’s sudden. It’s like you’re saying goodbye forever.”
Yuugo was both confused and embarrassed about Ryuuga’s sudden words, but Ryuuga continued with a serious tone.
“You heard Koumaru, right? I’ll be forced back to Yamato soon. We are going to have to say goodbye.”
“That’s not true! We’ll figure something out, right?”
“Sorry, but those hopes are slim. I’m a liability to Yamato. They can’t just let me run free. I’m getting sent back to Yamato and placed under house arrest so the government can watch me.”
Ryuuga spoke quietly, almost as if it was about someone else.
Yuugo clenched his fists tightly in frustration over not being able to do anything, and Ryuuga continued with a quieter tone.
“…Yuugo, I’ll tell you, and only you, how I really feel. I… Hate Yamato. That includes the Utsusemi family who caused this, and Raiha for taking my father’s life.”
“…!!”
Yuugo jumped up and looked at Ryuuga.
He was sitting on his bed with his arms crossed and his forehead on them as he looked down. Yuugo gulped, and Ryuuga continued.
“I became an exchange student to look into Raiha and what really happened that day. And now that I know the Yamato government’s secret operations led to my father’s death, I think they should all pay for it.”
There was a dark aura of hatred in the darkness, as Ryuuga spoke with his head still down.
This dark spirit was much darker than the night, but Yuugo spoke without hesitation or looking away.
“But you didn’t cut Raiha down, even though you had the chance to get revenge. You let it get away because you hesitated.”
“…Yes, I think so. I may have gotten emotional because of all the time we spent together.”
Yuugo wanted to deny that, but he figured he did not have to. Ryuuga knew that was not so deep down.
But he knew that was not what Ryuuga wanted to hear, and spoke after thinking about it a little.
“Ryuuga, I know this is just a selfish desire of mine, but… I really don’t want you to take revenge.”
“…I figured you would say that. I knew you would think what I’m doing is wrong.”
“No. I dunno if your revenge is right or wrong. I just don’t want you to abandon your heart.”
Ryuuga’s shoulders trembled a little, and Yuugo pictured a certain hero in his mind as he looked directly at him.
“I know someone who was in the same position you are right now. Losing family, burning with vengeance, gaining power for revenge, and traveling to a distant land. Fighting with hatred in heart.”
“…I’m surprised. That’s just like me.”
“Yes… But as he interacted with friends he met during battles, his heart swirling with hatred and vengeance began to change.”
“…!”
Ryuuga’s shoulders trembled again.
Yuugo knew there was something on his mind, as he continued.
“He said revenge was a word of the devil. This word and the feelings that came with it led people to throw away their hearts and commit cruel actions. Even the kindest of people… No, especially the kindest people can have their hearts trapped in hatred and turned into demons of revenge.
I don’t want you to become like that.”
“You don’t want kind people to throw away their hearts…”
Ryuuga figured Yuugo would say revenge was bad, but was surprised by his answer.
He knew Ryuuga was kind, and did not want him to throw that away… It was not about what was right, it was about Yuugo not wanting Ryuuga to abandon the way he was, that Yuugo liked. Ryuuga thought this was naive lip service.
But he also thought this naive way of thinking and foolish honesty were comfortable.
Knowing someone cared about him that much warmed his heart a little, and Yuugo continued.
“It’s not just me, Yui and Phi, Marcos, Melt, and An… I’m sure they all feel the same.”
“…”
Not mentioning Raiha and the others was Yuugo’s way of being considerate.
Ryuuga smiled, while still facing down, as he heard Yuugo say he was not the only one concerned about him, and asked him a question.
“…Can I ask something? What happened to that person… You know, that was like me?”
Ryuuga had no idea what this person was called or looked like, but wanted to know how he turned out.
He figured there was a good chance Yuugo made it up as a way to convince him, but still wanted to ask about this guy that was a lot like him. And his partner responded with a smile.
“He led a pretty happy life. Got married, had a daughter, and fought alongside others who came after him as a reliable senior.”
“Fufu…! I see, that’s nice.”
There was no way Yuugo could know that much about someone else after losing his memory, so Ryuuga assumed he really was making it all up.
Still, he thanked Yuugo for telling him something this nice to encourage him, and raised his head to speak while looking at him.
“…Thanks Yuugo. I feel a little better.”
“That’s nice. Let’s go to sleep then! Don’t worry… I’m sure it will all work out.”
They smiled at each other in the darkness, and laid in their beds.
Ryuuga slept with his back turned to Yuugo, but spoke to his partner about a weight that remained in his chest.
“Yuugo… If I stay trapped in hatred and turn into a demon of vengeance… Stop me. I’m sure that’s something I can only ask of my partner.”
Would he be able to remain the way he was if his friend Yuugo and sister Yui were taken from him?
Hatred, revenge… And the past. If he became trapped by them and lost his heart, he wanted Yuugo to stop him.
“It’s okay, I’m sure you can set yourself free from all that hatred, suffering, and the past.”
Said Yuugo quietly but strongly, and Ryuuga exhaled.
He did not say it, but… He was deeply thankful for having a partner who cared about him and trusted him all the way.
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It’s nice that Yuugo is trying to reassure Ryuuga by telling him the story of Ryu Terui/Kamen Rider Accel.