[This is a fan-made, transformative work inspired by the anime Angel Beats! created by Jun Maeda and P.A. Works. All original characters, locations, and concepts from Angel Beats! belong to their respective creators and copyright holders.
This story is part of The Voidwalker Chronicles, a multiverse-spanning series featuring Nero Angelo, an original character created by the author. This work is intended purely for tribute, emotional storytelling, and entertainment. It is not for commercial gain or intended to infringe on any copyrights.]
The Rooftop, Still and Silent
Yuzuru Otonashi stood alone on the rooftop.
The courtyard was empty. The air, unmoving. The twilight sky bled into hues of gentle orange and lavender. It was peaceful.
It was finished.
Everyone else had moved on.
All the laughter.
All the tears.
Gone with the wind.
He remained.
Hands in his pockets, eyes half-lidded, he stared at the horizon, unsure whether he stayed for a reason—or because he was afraid he no longer had one.
Then the world rippled.
A low hum buzzed through the silence like a heartbeat behind reality itself. The air split down the middle with a thin black line, widening into a vertical tear that shimmered like oil on water.
And out stepped a figure.
Tall. Lean. Quiet.
He wore a long, charcoal coat, the lining glinting silver in the fading sun. Black gloves covered his hands, his boots made no sound on the rooftop tiles. His silver-white hair caught the breeze as if it, too, belonged to another world. And his eyes… haunted, distant—like they had seen too many endings.
Otonashi tensed, instinct taking over. "Who are you?"
The man stopped a few paces away. "Just a wanderer."
Then, softer. "Name's Nero Angelo."
There was no malice in him. But there was something else. Something deep.
Otonashi studied him. "Why are you here?"
Nero tilted his head, glancing at the empty school below. "To fix what regret left behind."
The words hung in the air.
And then, Nero raised a hand. No light show. No spell. Just a quiet, deliberate motion. The veil between worlds peeled open once more—and through it, laughter poured.
They came back.
One by one.
Yui. Hinata. Naoi. Iwasawa. Shiina. TK. Noda.
Even Yuri, her eyes wide with disbelief.
None remembered the moment of departure.
Only the bonds they shared—and the weight that had kept them there in the first place.
Otonashi dropped to his knees, breath hitching in his throat.
"It's real…" he whispered.
Behind him, Nero nodded. "Just for today."
The Day That Shouldn't Exist
The school burst to life again, but this time… no battles.
No Guild. No monster teachers.
Just life.
Yui tackled Hinata in a bear hug. TK spun across the halls quoting lyrics no one understood. Yuri organized a game of capture-the-flag with more stakes than most wars.
Otonashi laughed until he cried. He cried until he smiled.
Nero watched from a distance, arms crossed as he leaned against the courtyard's edge.
The Final Sunset
The day faded.
The sky turned gold again.
They gathered in the auditorium, standing together under the warm lights. Everyone knew what came next—but this time, it wasn't a goodbye born from sorrow.
It was full.
Complete.
True.
One by one, they walked toward the light, smiling through their tears.
Iwasawa waved, her voice strong.
Naoi gave Otonashi a quiet salute.
Yui threw herself into one last chaotic hug.
And then… they were gone.
Only Otonashi remained.
Again.
He turned to Nero.
"You knew I'd stay."
Nero stepped forward, hands in his coat pockets. "You weren't ready. Not until now."
Otonashi looked down. "They were my reason."
"And they still are. But it's time to let them go."
There was silence.
Then Nero added, "You stayed behind to help others move on. You carried every goodbye like it was your own punishment. But you deserve peace too."
"…I'm afraid I'll forget them."
"You won't," Nero said. "Because they changed you. That kind of change doesn't fade."
Otonashi looked at the sky one last time.
Then he smiled—really smiled.
"Alright… I'm ready."
He stepped into the light.
And for the first time, he was free.
Epilogue: A Walk Through the Empty School
Nero wandered the halls alone.
He stepped through classrooms, the field, the old music room where a guitar lay untouched.
Every corner whispered a memory not his—but still sacred.
He paused on the rooftop, staring out across the world they built.
"… You did good, Otonashi."
Then he turned toward the sky. The veil opened once more. The stars shimmered.
Nero Angelo vanished, leaving only a breeze and a story that would never be told again.
(The End)