LITTLE BUSTERS: PARTING OF THE BOYS (REFRAIN) ☑

[periko]

I have so many more things that I want to tell you guys...
But I think I won't...
I should stay the way I always am until the end...
I give Kengo and Masato a look.
I lift one finger.
One ball for each.
Both of them nod.
Rin winds up.
You're not throwing a pickoff throw this time.
That's going to be a little cruel for his last ball.
*Throw*.
She pitches toward Riki.
*Clang*!
He hits a fly.
The ball glides towards first base.
It's going to be a foul.
But Masato runs for it.
Riki: Watch out!
*Wham*.
Although he trips over and rolls on the ground, he manages to catch the ball.
I see... You stayed true to yourself until this very moment.
I'm impressed. I applaud you from the bottom of my heart.
Riki: Masato, you all right!?
Msato: I'm fine.
He stands up, covered in mud.

Masato: Well... I caught this, so it's time for me to go now.
Riki: ... Eh?
Masato: It's our time to part, Riki.
Riki: ... What are you talking about... Masato...?
Masato: Um, Riki.
He starts speaking what he has on his mind.
Masato: It was awesome being your roommate.
Masato: I'm happy to have spent all this time with you.
Riki: Hold on. Masato, are you... going somewhere?
Masato: I'm really glad that I have gotten to be with you.
Masato: And, well...
He seems hesitant to ask something.
Masato: ... What about you, Riki?
Riki: Eh?
Riki: Of course... So am I...
Riki: Thanks to you, my life in the dorm has been so much fun...
Riki: It was only possible because I had you as my roommate...
Masato: Okay...
Masato: What should I say...
Masato: I'm so happy...
Riki: Eh...
Riki: Hey, Masato, you're not going anywhere, right?
Masato: ... that you have been sharing your time with someone stupid like me.
He throws the ball back.
His gigantic frame...
Masato: Thanks a lot.
... vanishes.

Riki: ...!?
Riki: Eh, what!?
Riki: What happened!?
Riki: Ma-Masato, he just disappeared!
Riki: Hey, everybody look for him!
Riki: Masato is gone!
Kyousuke: What's wrong, Riki?
Riki: But, Masato, he's...
Kyousuke: This is the place you've reached with your strength.
Riki: ... What are you saying...?
Kyousuke: You're now coming back to "the world where something happened."
Kyousuke: And that's the real world.
Kyousuke: This world is a fake.
Kyousuke: It's something we built.
Kyousuke: Listen up.
Kyousuke: Riki, you and Rin will be the only survivors.

His sudden confession... shocked me.
What's that all about, Kyousuke...?
Riki: What is that...? I have no idea what you are talking about...
Kyousuke: A bus fell off a cliff.
Riki: Eh...
I heard of something like that before...
If I remember correctly, the school made an annoucement about it after the spring break ended...
And I read a newspaper article about the incident in the library afterwards...
According to the article...
Riki: The accident happened to a group of students from our sister school during their field trip...
Kyousuke: No.
Kyousuke: It happened to us.
Eh...
Kyousuke: We aren't going to make it.
Kyousuke: Only you and her. You two narrowly escaped death because Masato and Kengo guarded you with their lives.
Kyousuke: But we couldn't let ourselves die with you two left behind.
Kyousuke: You were both too weak.
Kyousuke: I knew you'd both awaken to a world of despair.
Kyousuke: Therefore, we have created this world.
He was making no sense...
They created this "world?"
But, looking back... there were a lot of things that weren't normal...
In other words...
Riki: Is that the secret of the world?
Kyousuke: Yes.
Riki: I can't believe it... How did you...
Kyousuke: We don't know.
Kyousuke: In the darkness... I shouted.
Kyousuke: And it spread out just like a ripple.
Kyousuke: As if in answer, other ripples came to me.
Kyousuke: And I found everybody else "there."
Kyousuke: I can't tell if it was the world of death or a world of near-death.
Kyousuke: We were simply sharing our consciousnesses "there."
Kyousuke: Even though we couldn't see or hear anything.
Kyousuke: We were able to communicate with one another by spreading ripples of thought.
Kyousuke: And we reached an agreement.
Kyousuke: We all agreed to create a world for you two.
Kyousuke: A world where we'd endlessly repeat the first semester, from the day we met one another to the day of the accident.
Kyousuke: When we decided to make such a world,
Kyousuke: our thoughts all mixed together and one huge ripple spread.
Kyousuke: This is the world that came out of our thoughts.
Kyousuke: Our thoughts create the world, caused its events and made its inhabitants move.
Kyousuke: And we were watching over your two until you would both grow stronger.
Kyousuke: Until you both grew strong enough to overcome the cruel reality.
In other words...
... this is... a world near death...
We were taken in here, dying...
No... we were cocooned here by them...
I'm sure... there's nothing in this world but their kindness toward us two...
Kyousuke: But I failed.
Kyousuke: I tried to force Rin to become strong.
Kyousuke: And she suffered a deep wound in her heart.
Kyousuke: But Riki.
Kyousuke: You cured her and took her here.
Kyousuke: Riki, you are strong enough now.
Kyousuke: Rin has also become way stronger than she used to be.
Kyousuke: So you must get out of here with her.
Kyousuke: That'll be your first step.
Kyousuke: Everything will start from there.
Kyousuke: Time will start flowing again.
Kyousuke: Whatever kind of reality you face...
Kyousuke: Just stay strong.
Kyousuke: Got it, Riki?
Riki: .........
Kyousuke: ... Riki.
Kyousuke: You swore to become stronger, didn't you?
Riki: Eh... When...?
Kyousuke: Even if you don't remember it, you did swear.
Kyousuke: Even if you forgot, you really swore to become stronger...
Kyousuke: And made it here.
Kyousuke: Following your vow, you kept building up your strength little by little until you reached here.
Ah... I don't know why...
But I do feel like I made that oath before...
Kyousuke: That is why you could make it here, is it not?
Yeah, he's right...
I got here with my own will...
Kyousuke: Are you going to stop here?
Kyousuke keeps pushing me on.
Kyousuke: Are you going to play here forever?
.........
Riki: ... It's so sudden...
Riki: Telling me such a truth...
.........
Riki: But...
Riki: I think...
Naturally... you can't stay a child forever...
There comes a time when you have to stop playing...
Riki: I must go...
That is the reason I came all this way...
I should have known...
... how hard and tough the road ahead of here would be...
To honor the kindness everyone has shown us...
I must...
Riki: I must go...
Kyousuke: ... Right.
Kyousuke: Live on with all your strength.
Kyousuke: And no matter, do not ever cry.
Kyousuke: From here on out, you aren't allowed to cry.
Kyousuke: You are not allowed to show any weakness anymore.
Riki: ... I won't.
... I won't cry ever again.
I have already become... strong enough to live without tears.
Kyousuke... and everyone has given me the strength.
Kyousuke: ... Now, Rin, let's continue.
Rin: ...?
I throw her back the ball.
Rin: ... I don't get it, but do we keep playing?
Riki: Go on, Rin.
Riki: Pitch.
Rin: Hmm... I still don't get it, but if you say so, I'll go on.
Yes, you only need to do as I say.
I'll take you out there, Rin.
She winds up and pitches.
*Clang*!
I hit an easy grounder.
The ball hits Kengo on the chest and falls onto the ground.
He learns forward to pick it up, but collapses down on the ground instead.
He keeps gripping the ball.
Kyousuke: You aren't allowed to cry. Chin up and give him back the ball.
He raises his head; his eyes are about to burst into tears.

Kengo: I don't want this...
Kengo... begins to speak.
Kengo: I finally got a chance to play with you guys...
Kengo: I want to keep playing forever...
Kengo: I want to... get back all the time I've lost...
Kengo: I was so desperate...
Kengo: ... to be with you guys...
Kengo: But... now I can't... anymore...
Kengo: I trained so hard, but nothing came of it...
Kengo: .........
Kengo: Tell me...
Kengo: Was my life... happy...?
Kyousuke: No one can answer that.
Kyousuke: Kengo, that's something you decide yourself.
Kyousuke: Kengo, what do you yourself think?
Kengo: .........
Kengo: ... That I wasn't happy...
Kengo: How could I say that...
Kengo: ... when I had great friends like you guys!
Kengo: I was so happy!
Kengo: I can't imagine life without having met any of you!
Kengo: That's how happy I've been!
Kyousuke: I see...
Kyousuke: Good for you.
Kengo: Yeah...
Kengo walks up to me.
He looks as calm and composed as he's always been.
He stops in front of me and hands the ball over to me.
I receive it.
He still holds his hand out toward me.
Kengo: Let's shake hands.
Kengo: For our friendship.
I hold out my hand.
I seize his hand, so big and rough.
But warm.
Kengo: The Little Busters are forever...
He vanishes, and my hand falls limply to my side.

Rin: ... What?
Rin still has no idea what's happening.
Rin: Where did those two idiots go?
Riki: .........
I can't say anything back.
I return the ball to her.
Rin: Are we still gonna play?
I nod wordlessly.
The earth suddenly lets out a rumbling along with a tremor.
Rin: ...!?
Rin: ... Earthquake!?
Right now, something is about to disappear.
Kyousuke said that everybody created this world together.
Masato and Kengo are gone...
And there's only Kyousuke left.
As of now... he's supporting this world all by himself.
And it's about to break down... The heavy sound is telling me that.
Kyousuke: Hurry up, Riki.
Riki: Rin, just pitch.
Rin: O-okay...
She winds up.
The last throw.
*Shoo*.
It's a good fastball.
*Clang*!
I make solid contact with the ball.
I swing all the way through.
It's a big pop-up.
I look up.
No one can catch that ball.
It keeps soaring up toward the blue sky.
And soon turns into a whie point and disappears.

Kyousuke: ... Geez.
Kyousuke: You two are already beyond me...
Kyousuke: A game-ending home run.
He puts his glove on the ground...
... and turns around with his back to us.
Riki: Kyousuke!
I end up shouting his name... beseeching him.
Riki: Is there nothing else we can do!?
Kyousuke: No... it's out of our hands now.
Kyousuke: It's nobody's fault...
Kyousuke: Don't blame yourself...
Kyousuke: You're strong enough now, so everything's gonna be all right.
He begins walking off.
Riki: Wait, I want you to talk to me...
Riki: We still have time, right!?
Riki: I want you to talk about something, Kyousuke!
Riki: Let me hear your stories!
Riki: Just the way you always used to!
Kyousuke: Riki, you understand that it's going to be your role, don't you?
Kyousuke: If you're still like this, you can't take care of Rin.
Riki: But I can't accept this!
Riki: I've been following you ever since we met!
Riki: I don't want you to leave me behind!
Kyousuke: Boy, you're such a handful...
Kyousuke: When are you gonna stop making trouble for me...?
Riki: Never!
Riki: I don't give a damn about being strong, or the secrets of the world!
Riki: I just like you, Kyousuke!
Riki: So I wanna be with you forever!
Riki: Is that wrong!?
Kyousuke: Look...
Kyousuke: I want to stay with you so much more than you do!!
Kyousuke: Why do I have to leave you two behind!!
Kyousuke: I want to stay with you two as well!!
Kyousuke: I wanted to be with you two forever!!
Kyousuke: Why's the world so cruel!! Goddammit!!
Kyousuke: I wanted to be with you forever and ever!!
Kyousuke: I like you guys so much more than you like me!!
Kyousuke: But... I have to go without you...
Kyousuke: I just can't... take it...
Kyousuke: Why the hell...
Kyousuke: I just don't get it...
Kyousuke: Hell...
Kyousuke: .........
Riki: Kyousuke...
Kyousuke: .........
Kyousuke: Go...
Kyousuke: Riki... Go with Rin...
Kyousuke: The school gate is the exit...
Riki: S-school gate...
Kyousuke: That's right... Don't look back...
Kyousuke: Just run through the gate...
Riki: .........
Kyousuke: We're running out of time...
Kyousuke: Do you want Rin to get hurt...?

Those words of his finally reminded me of what it is I have to do.
I have to protect her.
Kyousuke: HURRY UP AND GO!!!
Kyousuke: DON'T EVER HESITATE! JUST GO ALREADY!!!!!
His roar pushed my back forward.
Riki: Rin!
I call out her name and seize her hand.
Rin: What's gonna happen!?
Riki: Everything is. All the things that were on hold.
We take off running.

Goodbye
Kyousuke
Goodbye
Little Busters

And we pass through the gate.