And Hope Finally Bloomed | Hiroha | Epilogue
Hiroha lets herself get helped to her feet, and before she’s prompted to leave, her eyes turn to the closed pods. She can’t quite see Shou or Megumi clearly behind the glass. Sure, that’s probably for the best, but she’d hoped to see them one last time, for real. Megumi, who’d been so kind to her, cared about her enough to sacrifice her life, and Shou, the woman she loved, still loves, even knowing everything. She won’t forget them. She’s not going to be able to forget anyone here, really.
“...goodbye.”
She walks out, following behind the group, and she can’t help but glance at the unconscious Neo Resurgence members behind her. People who had set all this up to kill them and broadcast it, because they believed in the concept of despair, or at least in its entertainment value. If things had gone differently, maybe she would have been one of these people. Hiroha would hardly call herself lucky with all that’s happened, but at least she didn’t become like that. Noticing she’s lagging behind, she starts to pick up the pace to stay with the group.
Seeing the sun feels strange after all this time, like her body’s forgotten how real warmth feels, and her eyes are remembering how the real sky looks.
[ ♪ ♪ ♪ ]
Hiroha is quiet as they all board the boat, listening to what Keiji says. Right, she’ll have to call her aunt as soon as she can, she knows she’s probably panicking right about now.
Then, with all of them just sitting there, all she can manage to do is just stare at the people around her. They made it out. She feels a strange uncertainty about ‘what’s next’ really, and there are still things she doesn’t know if she’s processed completely.
The woman she loves is dead after all, and there's still the reality about Shou she hasn't quite accepted yet for what it is. At least she knows what they felt for each other was real love, and she'll treasure that forever.
Ua still probably hates her, maybe rightfully so with why Megumi gave up, but that’s something they’ll probably be processing with a lot of therapy. That’s ok.
Then there’s Suguri...Suguri betrayed her in a way Hiroha doesn’t think she can forgive after she’d trusted her like that, and she doubts that she actually saw her as anything more than another plaything to bolster her ego with. That’s ok, too. Hiroha’s determination to change is still her own, and she doesn’t owe Suguri anything. When she looks at everyone else that’s encouraged her that’s still here, her determination only grows.
Kita, Hana, Ken, Mugen, Adam, Kensuke...and Atsushi. Atsushi has a similar uncertain path, with what will likely happen to Bellamy, but whatever it is, Hiroha is going to support him. They’re like siblings to each other now, she wouldn’t dream of doing otherwise.
The future is uncertain for everyone, and that’s alright. The fact that there is a future at all is enough for her. Not a future that’s paved with the ashes of despair like Bellamy planned, and not one with death on a loop like Yuichi wanted. A future of hope.
“Ihi...we made it…n-not bad for a bunch of weird college kids, huh?”