Another long silence fell.
Was this a good ending? Probably not. But they had known all along that they would never get a truly good ending. Perhaps they could only call it one that was not quite so bad?
"The blessing of life, the curse of never dying..." Osamu Dazai sighed deeply and, for the first time, met Ango Sakaguchi's eyes. "I really have to admire you for this. That kind of resolve and willpower."
At the very least, Osamu Dazai knew that, as he was now, he could not commit himself to that path. Ultimately, he was not the child An Xinyi had raised. Too many things remained deeply ingrained in him. That Osamu Dazai would surely have joined his big brother Yiyi without hesitation, but he was only himself: an Osamu Dazai who had never met An Xinyi.
Even if he had been moved, even if he had been shaken, he would not make the same choice.
Unless... Osamu Dazai thought. Perhaps if I actually met Big Brother Yiyi, I would understand.
So on this point, he still had no choice but to admire Ango Sakaguchi.
"You're so damn hard on yourself!" Osamu Dazai felt as though he had lost, and grumbled irritably.
"It must be hard on both of you." Sakunosuke Oda's concern came naturally. "Take good care of yourself, Ango."
"...Thank you, Mr. Oda." And you're still as bad as ever at calling out the absurdity. Of course, given the awkward state of their relationship, Ango Sakaguchi did not say that last part aloud. He pushed up his glasses to conceal his emotions.
He could actually understand why that other version of himself would do this. There was no special reason. He simply wanted to help his friend.
And... he wanted to become his hero, to