(Un)Fortunately the Yandere is Not After Me

While You Were Gone

"Is he going to be all right?" Yogi was asked this, after he and Akaki carried Arata to the nurse's office.

"Nurse Mino said that he just tired himself out. So that he should be fine once he wakes back up." Not that hearing that made any of them feel better about this whole situation. Things were looking bad for this production. The students were kind enough to wait when they heard about a medical emergency.

However, that wasn't going to last forever. And without their male lead, this was beginning to look very hopeless.

"What are we going to do now?" Yuki asked everyone. She could hardly control her heart. Was this her fault, she thought. Now she was without her partner, and she still wasn't sure if she could face the crowd here regardless.

"The show has to find a way to go on." Ichiri was racking her brain, trying to find a solution. "Ugh! But how are we going to find someone to take his spot? Especially on such short notice."

"Um, can't I ask you something?" Yuki tugged on the girl's shirt. "But, I don't know if I can do this."

"What?" She couldn't believe her ears. Now was not the time to be without either of their actors. Not after all the hard work they put in. "But, how can we even pull off the show? If we don't have anyone else that understands the story."

"I'm sorry, but I think you made a mistake when you chose me. I should've told you that earlier." Ichiri couldn't argue against her, because she knew that when she made the casting call. It wasn't to make the best show, but to try and aid Arata.

"What are we going to do?" Akiba asked, hearing about the problems with the production. "There's no way we can just give them nothing." Those students were getting a little impatient.

"Things are looking a bit impossible." Misei analyzed the situation, what could she possibly do to salvage this production. If they failed right here, right now. Then it was over for the library. Not only that, but Arata's goal of aiding the news club might also go down in flames.

"Is this all we're going to do?" Hifumi stood up, looking rather strict. "Just comment on how hard this is when he's out?"

"But-"

"No, this is all our faults." She took off her glasses, revealing just how angry she was. "It's true that he put all this on himself, even resisting some of our advice." Misei and her had discussed what was going on. How he took all this on, the separate and different situations across this group of people. "But-"

"But we're his friends." Yogi cut her off. Understanding what she was trying to say. "And no matter how much he pushed back, we should've done something." Arata was always so good at coming up with excuses with him. Yogi was now wondering, what would've happened with their relationship if he pressed on Arata harder. Would that have been a bad idea?

"I have an idea then." Akiba spoke up, motivated by what they were talking about. "Is it possible if I take Yuki's spot for the play?"

"Are you sure?" Ichiri asked her. She wasn't against the idea, but was unsure due to the lack of practice.

"I'm sure, I know the story already." She understood what Yuki was going through, how she felt before their school play. But this time, she was going to steel herself. For his sake.

"Then, I'll take Arata's position." Akaki followed up. He turned to Akiba. "I... I want to be by your side, if that's okay..." He got really shy once those words exited his mouth.

"It's all right with me." She smiled, unaware of his true feelings. "Just follow my lead then."

"Here, take this." Ichiri handed him the script. "Just skim through it to know the general idea, but you're free to improvise." Meanwhile, as they were getting preparations for the show, another group had their own issues to deal with.