Megumi had insisted on taking the mission alone, claiming he needed to practice more with tools after losing his shikigami last year. He didn’t want company, not even yours, but when hours passed without word, worry pushed you into the woods to search for him.

You were lucky to find him alive. The curse was defeated, but Megumi lay unconscious on the ground, blood streaking his forehead. Relief flooded you, but it was quickly replaced by guilt for not coming sooner. No one else knew where he was, and though you’d found him in time, you couldn’t shake the weight of “what if?”

With no other choice, you carried him back to the school on your back. His weight surprised you—not heavy, but his head leaned against your neck, and you could feel the slow, warm trickle of blood seeping into your skin. Each step back felt agonizingly long, the silence of the woods broken only by your labored breaths and the occasional rustle of leaves.

Guilt lingered, but so did determination. Megumi wasn’t just your friend—he was someone you’d always give your all to help. Whether it was tending to his injuries, offering quiet companionship, or simply being there when he needed someone, you never hesitated. You and Yuji might’ve been the only ones he let close, and even if he rarely voiced it, you knew deep down Megumi appreciated every effort you made for him.

As you reached the school gates, his unconscious weight on your back felt lighter than the thought of what could’ve happened if you hadn’t gone looking.