OKAY. I’m an “I love you” truther when it comes to what Satoru said to Suguru as his last words. It would work in both Japanese and English as three syllables. (大好き “daisuki” is what I think it is, but it could still be 愛してる “aishiteru” simply bc both work with Satoru’s lip movement).
But, in spirit of playing devil’s advocate, I have something else that works.
“I’m sorry.”
In Japanese, the way he would have said it for it to fit would have been a very informal way one uses with close friends/family/significant others.
ごめんね “gomenne”.
I watched the scene in the movie back and the lip movement matches so well.
It would work with the context of the light novel, and Suguru’s reaction too. Something that had never been said before, something that made him blush. Satoru never said “I’m sorry”. He would say “my bad” or “you’re not at fault”, but never “I’m sorry.” The weight of him saying that, of him taking the blame for everything that happened in Suguru’s final moments would cause Suguru to get flustered and feel self-conscious.
Wow.
