Monogatari Series - Volume 31 - Chapter 26

Koyomi History

"Oh silly you, Araragi-kun. Are you studying history? Isn't that nice. I'm sure your personification of the unsightly beauty of pointless hard work will be recorded for posterity."

No holding back right from the beginning I see. Don't you dare record anything unsightly about me for posterity. But now that I think about it, back when I first met Senjougahara Hitagi she was just like this. And ever since then I've met so many different Senjougahara Hitagis.

"Isn't that nice. Actually that's wonderful. It's important to look back on the road you've been walking on to see how far you've come every once in a while, Arasuji-san."

That doesn't mean you should talk about people like the road you've been walking on. My name is Araragi. Don't give me something like "sorry I was just taking a nap". Get yourself a good night's sleep Hachikuji, I'll wake you up.

"What's the problem Araragi-senpai. Leave that autobiography you've been wanting to write to your loyal slave. There's no one else who can recount the tale of our beginning, how we took each other's hands and found true friendship in each other from the moment we met with as great detail as yours truly."

That wouldn't be an autobiography if you wrote it... And don't write any lies about me, Kanbaru. I remember our "beginning" being quite intense and rather unpleasant. Although we really did find true friendship in each other afterwards. But could you please leave out the part about taking each other's hands.

"Koyomi onii-chan... Koyomi onii-chan. Do you still remember me? It's Nadeko."

Of course... I still remember you. The things I did to Sengoku. The things I didn't do for Sengoku. The path of the snake that she went on. There's no way I can say that I never did any of that. And I can't say sorry anymore either.

"That's exactly right. But you shouldn't just be satisfied with yourself because you learned your lesson, Araragi-kun. You have to think about what could come next and apply it to whatever you face from now on."

That's right. And I'm sure it is coming from you. Coming from someone who could bravely walk towards their future all alone. But Hanekawa, try to remember how it was back then every once in a while.

"........."

... Aah, I know. I know. There's no way I would forget you. The wounds that you gave me... and the wounds that I gave you. Actually I'd be in trouble if you forgot about me. Because you were the start of it all, and the end of it all.

And then we'll start again.

We keep coming and going like the seasons. We'll keep walking down our road while things unfold around us and we look to the future. And we'll keep turning the pages on our dazzlingly bright calendar.