じゃあ、僕は二人を必要としているのだろうか？二人は、好きだ。布都ちゃんと一緒にいると賑やかで楽しいし、妖夢さんと一緒に居ると誠実だけど、少しドジをしたりして楽しい。でも、それだけなのか・・・。楽しい・・・良き友人だけなのか・・・？。僕は・・・。僕は二人に駆け寄った。二人は、よろよろと立ち上がり、対峙していた。これから最後の一撃を相手に加えようかとする様に。やめるんだっ！と僕は叫んで、二人の間を割って入り込んだ。「「」殿！」「「」さん！」二人は、僕が突然視界に入ったのを驚いて居る様だった。もうやめるんだよ、二人とも。僕は二人に語りかけた。「そこをどいてくれ、「」殿！・・・妖夢殿を倒せないっ！」「どいて下さい！「」さんっ、布都さんは退治されなきゃいけないんですよ！」と二人は、相手を睨みつけて怒号する。それは、何故、どうしてなんだ？二人の勢いだった声に僕も自然と声を荒げる。「妖夢殿は・・・！太子殿と屠自古の仇だ・・・！！仇なんだっ！！倒さなきゃいけないっ！」布都ちゃんが目を瞑って叫ぶ。「またそんな事を・・・。私だって・・・私だって・・・！自分勝手な人は斬り捨てます！！」妖夢さんは剣を握り直して、歯を軋ませる。もう、やめてくれ！誰かを傷つけたがる奴なんて、僕は嫌いだ！まだ戦いを続けるなら、もう布都ちゃんとも、妖夢さんとも絶交だ！と激しく僕が言うと、途端に二人は「えっ」と呟いて、呆然とした様に僕を見た。「・・・絶交？・・・ぞ？」「・・・・絶交・・・？」二人は絶交という言葉を繰り返している。これ以上続けたら、例え仇でも、異変の原因でも、二人とは絶交だ。と付け加えると、「嫌ぞ嫌ぞ嫌ぞ！！」と布都ちゃんは僕に飛びついた。「待って下さい、絶交なんて、」すかさず、妖夢さんは僕にしがみつく。「何で、急に絶交なんて・・・・違うんですよ！。酷いです！そんな事って酷いですよ。」妖夢さんは首を振って僕を見る。突然変わった二人の態度に僕は驚いた。驚きつつも、あえて、もう二人共、殺し合いはいいの？と聞く。「え・・・？我は・・・我は・・・」布都ちゃんはぷるぷる振るえてどうすれば良いかは分からない様子だった。「・・・違うんです。酷いです。嫌わないで下さい・・・。何で戦っているって。それは・・・それは」妖夢さんが口ごもる。僕のせい・・・かなと僕は二人に聞いて、わっふるわっふる

But do you also need them, I wonder...
I like them.
When I’m with Futo, she’s always energetic and fun. Youmu is sincere and a bit clumsy at times, but that’s part of her charm.
But... is that it?
Do I really only like them as good friends?
I...I rushed up to the two.
They had started to become unsteady on their feet while confronting each other.
As if they was trying to inflict a final blow on my opponent...
"Stop this!" I shouted out to them, forcing my way between them.
"My lord.", "...-San" The two looked surprised by my sudden appearance.
"Stop this already, both of you!" I confronted the two.
"Stand aside, my lord!... I can't defeat Youmu-dono! You must let me do this!"
"...-san. Futo-san must be exterminated!" Youmu yells while the two continue to glare at each other.
"But... why...why are you two doing this?"
In response to their forceful voices, my own voice also rose.
"Youmu is...! Taishi and Tojiko's... foe...! She's an enemy that must be defeated!" Futo-chan called out while closing her eyes.
"Again with that nonsense?! You’re so selfish... I might as well cut you down!" Youmu-san interjected, correcting her grip on her sword.
I grit my teeth. "Stop this already!"
"Stop this idiotic fighting! I hate it!"
"If you don’t stop this senseless fighting, I’m breaking up with both of you!" I yelled violently.
"Eh?" the two muttered, starting at me dazedly.
"Breaking up?" ..."Breaking up?" "Breaking up...?" The two kept repeating those words.
Even if we are foes, even if we have a legitimate reason for fighting... If we continue like this, it will result in a break-up. Futo and Youmu considered this and then...
"Thou disagree... detest... dislike it!" Futo-chan yelled, leaping to me.
"Wait a minute... breaking up?!" Youmu interjected, clinging to me.
"Why? Suddenly ending our relationship like that... is wrong! Doing such a thing is cruel! Very cruel!" Youmu insisted while shaking her head.
Their sudden change in attitude surprised me.
"Would you two really be ok with fighting to the death?" I managed to ask them, despite being surprised at the change.
"Eh? ...I...I" Futo-chan muttered, slightly trembling as if she had no idea how to respond.
"...That's wrong. It’s awful. Please don't hate me... Why am I fighting? Well...that’s..." Youmu-san hesitantly mumbled.
"Was it... my fault?" I asked them.

To be continued...