[Ken laid around all day today, even after that conversation with Kaneda. He's been quiet all month, but quieter even since then, often lying still on his bed and staring at the ceiling, especially at nighttime when he can hide away in space and just get lost in his mind as he wishes. Those times it's impossible to get close to him; Koromaru lies at the door, staring down anybody who approaches. This continues all the way to the evening of the fourth when Ken steps out, and when he comes home that night he's still quiet but in a less troubled way. When asked, he would've responded that he found an answer.
It's a couple days after that that he disappears along with Koromaru. No warning, no announcement. Minato would've dropped by that day to look, but all that's left behind is an empty room and silence. And a piece of paper in Kaneda's room.
Ken didn't intend for this to not be found this belatedly. He actually snuck it into Kaneda's room on the fourth, just before he left to see Shinjiro. It had felt important to him at the time, but his mind was so full of what he must do, he couldn't stop for a chat. So it's been left there, a folded up piece of paper with Ken's careful but still oddly balanced Japanese handwriting lined up on it. It probably falls to the floor when Kaneda sets something down on his desk, or perhaps one of the cats find it first. Either way, it'll be there.]
I had a feeling you weren't too happy about not being the one who got Tetsuo-san home. You wanted to be. Otherwise you wouldn't have been that desperate, right? But I felt like someone had to make sure you remembered so I'm saying it now. Maybe it's unnecessary, so in that case, you can disregard this.
Nobody else can do it but you, Kaneda-san. You're the only one. A lot may have happened between the two of you. You might think it's inevitable, or even necessary, that Tetsuo-san is angry at you. But at the same time, there is nobody more important to the two of you than each other. You matter to him more than anybody else. And to you, it's him.
Please don't lose sight of that. As long as you live, there's an opportunity to stand back up. That's what you said,right? If it's you, it can be done. That sort of strength lies within you.
I hope the two of you are able to find your answer one day, too.
forwarded to after October 6 -- note left in kaneda's room;
It's a couple days after that that he disappears along with Koromaru. No warning, no announcement. Minato would've dropped by that day to look, but all that's left behind is an empty room and silence. And a piece of paper in Kaneda's room.
Ken didn't intend for this to not be found this belatedly. He actually snuck it into Kaneda's room on the fourth, just before he left to see Shinjiro. It had felt important to him at the time, but his mind was so full of what he must do, he couldn't stop for a chat. So it's been left there, a folded up piece of paper with Ken's careful but still oddly balanced Japanese handwriting lined up on it. It probably falls to the floor when Kaneda sets something down on his desk, or perhaps one of the cats find it first. Either way, it'll be there.]
I had a feeling you weren't too happy about not being the one who got Tetsuo-san home. You wanted to be. Otherwise you wouldn't have been that desperate, right? But I felt like someone had to make sure you remembered so I'm saying it now. Maybe it's unnecessary, so in that case, you can disregard this.
Nobody else can do it but you, Kaneda-san. You're the only one. A lot may have happened between the two of you. You might think it's inevitable, or even necessary, that Tetsuo-san is angry at you. But at the same time, there is nobody more important to the two of you than each other. You matter to him more than anybody else. And to you, it's him.
Please don't lose sight of that. As long as you live, there's an opportunity to stand back up. That's what you said,right? If it's you, it can be done. That sort of strength lies within you.
I hope the two of you are able to find your answer one day, too.
[The note is unsigned.]