Teddie's bright blue eyes had clouded over.
"I wonder… what heaven is like?"
The cold November air stung his face, making all his nerves numb.
"Nana-chan…"
The human world was cruel.
He could clearly picture Nanako's face, round and happy, beaming up at him… it made his insides churn.
He'd broken his promise… those smiles he recalled shouldn't have been for him.
The dark clouds overhead began to pour, and the blanket of fog lingering over Inaba shrouded the night sky, shunning out the stars. This, indeed, wasn't the first time Teddie had felt so empty… so alone.
"Nana-chan…" he choked out, tears rolling down his face.
He collapsed onto the roadside, burying his face in his hands as he cried; the rain pattered noisily around him.
~~~ "Are you going somewhere, Teddie?" Teddie turned toward the young girl, her brown eyes bright and her expression soft. He gazed at the grass, seeming to lose himself. Nanako tilted her head. Teddie's eyes widened as he looked again at the young girl. She gave him a big, adorable grin. He was one lucky bear. ~~~
He sighed, "Everyone kept their promise to me… so I should be going back to my world now…"
"Would you be able to stay… if you made a promise with me?"
"Promise that you'll play with me next time, okay?"
"N-Nana-chan…"
She continued to beam, and behind her Souji was smiling at him too.
"And you, Sensei…" Teddie heard his voice falter, and he blushed with embarrassment, "Hehe… thank you…"
Nanako giggled, before delving once again into her slice of watermelon. Souji nodded, and Teddie was washed with glee. He gazed skyward at the beautiful blue summer sky.
"I… I'm sorry, Nana-chan… I broke my promise…"
Nanako was gone.
Forget that Namatame. It had been his world that had taken her life… and now he would never be able to play with Nana-chan like he had promised.
Maybe if he had figured it out sooner… no, if only he were smarter… then maybe this never would have happened.
Yosuke had been right that one time: he really was useless.
He remembered Nana-chan telling him about a place called Heaven.
Was Nana-chan with her mother right now?
"I… I'm so sorry…" he repeated, over and over again.
…
"…Te…ddie…"
With his blonde hair soaked over his ears, he couldn't at all hear Souji's voice calling him.
"…Ted… Teddie?"
"Dammit… where did that dumb bear get to?"
"Teddie! Please answer us!"
"I'm worried about him out here…"
There were other voices too… everyone was looking for him.
"Teddieeeee?"
"Yo, Ted! Where you at?"
"He couldn't have gotten far from the hospital…"
"Look there… is that him?"
"TEDDIE!" everyone cried.
The blonde boy lifted his head; the gang had been unable to recognise him without his bear suit on. Souji's shoes pounded quickly through puddles, and his figure flew out of the darkness.
"Teddie! You have to come back to the hospital!" he yelled, "Nanako is awake!"