# 1. Nobara speaks about him as absent, not dead

People usually talk differently about someone who has died.

If a character is confirmed dead, dialogue tends to sound like:

* “If only he were still alive.”
* “If only he hadn’t died.”
* “If only he were still with us.”

But here the phrasing is **“were here.”**

That suggests **location or circumstance**, not death.  
In storytelling language, that often implies the character is **missing, trapped, or otherwise unavailable**, but not gone.

# 2. The statement implies he is still capable of acting

Her sentence only makes sense if **Fushiguro could contribute or help in the situation**.

If a character is known to be dead, people don't normally invoke them as a practical solution to a current problem. The wish only works narratively if the character **still exists somewhere and could theoretically intervene**.

# 3. The dialogue frames him as part of the current team

Notice how the conversation goes:

>

The statement places Fushiguro **within the group dynamic**, as someone who should logically be present during the discussion.

This framing suggests that, from the characters’ perspective, he is **still considered one of them**, just temporarily missing

So the structure of the sentence treats him as a **potential participant**, not a memory. (potential to the end)  


He might not be dead.