Disclaimer: As much as I want to say I do, I still don't own Kagerou Project or the characters.

Enjoy!

The dullness in the atmosphere suffocated the room, floating and spreading slowly, heavily, that it was almost unbearable. The day drawled upon them, shedding only weariness of such lost hearts. None of them understood, but everyone awoke in their own beds only to find themselves in low spirits, as if all the burden, all the exhaustion had finally weighed them down. As if it collected itself, stretched their containers until there was no more to expand, and now, they felt all the sorrow, all the pain. Like how one feels when all adrenaline is gone, and you just want to pass out, be unconscious and drop dead.

Maybe it was because there wasn't much to do these days that everyone felt so empty. The group still met, of course. They all come, open the door, head inside and feel the contagious depressing air surrounding the place. None of them came in better moods, and perhaps they all keep coming hoping to cheer themselves up, kill the down feeling and be with their friends. It hasn't worked.

The leader, Kido, merely sat on her corner, barely using her abilities to reduce her presence, even just to hide that lack of intensity in her face. She looked barely herself. No sign of arrogance, or annoyance. She barely glared or complained when Mary broke a vase earlier this morning.

Kano, too, hasn't said a single joke, or at least, tried to but failed. He had been quiet, mostly. Though he will smile when he talks, who knows if he's merely deceiving you and the smile wasn't after all existent?

Everyone was the same. Seto wasn't his usual cheerful self. He only sat next to Mary, who had her head leaning on his shoulder as she slept. Momo was staring at her phone, dragging her thumb across the touch screen with no objective in doing so. Konoha and Hibiya were sleeping next to each other in their side of the sofa.

It must be the haze, Shintaro told himself. He gazed out the window, staring at nothing but an empty view. It's been a long time since he'd had a hazy day. He thought those days he'd passed by were long gone and forgotten. Not that he ever forgot. He couldn't ever forget that smile at all, that beautiful, carefree smile... No, it has always haunted him. In his sleep, in his wake, in his visions. She wouldn't leave him then, but he almost could blur her away when he was with them. But not right now, not when they were all here with nothing but a sad atmosphere enveloping them.

He sighed to himself, not the first time in this long, seemingly unending day. He could feel his heart tightening at his thoughts, and there was nothing to distract him with anything today. Not when all of them were drenched in their own rains.

Strangely, even Ene had been quiet these past few days. She wasn't into her pranks, or her teasing. She would only greet him with forced cheeriness and become silent again. He's not sure any of them knew what was happening, or what started such a depressing week. But they were all just trying to cope with it.

Weirdly enough, it seems as though they were all waiting for something. Nothing in particular, nothing they were certain of, but just... something. Maybe it was what troubled them so, that heavy feeling of waiting yet not knowing what to wait for. Like you have a clue of what it actually is, but can't seem to find the words to merge it together. So you just sit there and wait.

Shintaro kept his stare fixed outside, as if searching, or reaching something. Despite this, his mind only seemed blank. Filled with thoughts, with sorrow, but blank. He never understood, but there was no point in finding answers to questions with no solutions. Even ten or twenty seconds of thinking couldn't get him anywhere this time.

His eyes had already made up visions. He could see things, see figures. A blur of shape, a hazy figure. Figures. There were two of them, a boy and a girl. They were talking and they were familiar, but he couldn't find who they were in his brain. He could almost hear what they were saying, but they were too far. He couldn't reach them. He wanted to walk towards them, find out who they were.

But before he could put any more thought into it, the figures had started walking towards him. Slowly, and barely any more visible each step closer. Another step and the boy had already vanished. But the girl kept walking, closer and closer. She was so close now, yet it seemed as if she was also too far.

He could almost make out who she was, but it was too blurry now. She took another step and smiled, making the boy's heart jump, his head jerked up to get a better look. Another step, and the smile fades and she too, like the boy, vanished.

"It can't be..." The boy muttered to no one.

"Shintaro?"

The boy averted his gaze from the window and turned abruptly to the speaker. Kido gave him a questioning look, mildly concerned despite her own troubled mind. Everyone else- who weren't in deep sleep- was looking at him too.

Momo asked, "What's wrong?"

Shintaro shook his head, barely convincing anyone that nothing was indeed wrong. He gave an awkward laugh and waved his hands as a gesture. The group left it at that, making the boy gulp in slight relief.

His hands found their way at the end of his jacket and unconsciously fidgeted with the fabric. What was that? He swore it was her—that smile of hers; it was definitely her wasn't it? She was the only one capable of giving such a bright smile. But why was he seeing her again?

It should be the haze, he told himself once more. There was no other reason. It's been a while since he had imagined her, dreamed of her in his wake. The hazy day was merely playing tricks at him, bringing him back to those times that occurred years ago. It must be that. He should really cheer up, or it might eat him up again.

Knock, knock.

Everyone turned to the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Who could it be?" Seto asked. Everyone was already here after all. Who else would come? Not unless they had a new member they didn't know of. "Newspaper man?"

Kido shrugged. "The newspaper man is you, Seto. And what newspaper man delivers in the afternoon?" She turned to Kano. "Oi, get the door."

The boy obeyed, stretching his arms as he stood. "Ah, ah~ Could it be the police or a killer bear?"

"Don't joke like that!" Momo squealed. Both would've scared her to death. What would a police make out of an idol inside a suspicious looking place with strange people? Her manager would kill her. And the killer bear would've been impossible, but what are the odds?

Kano winked just to make it seem more mischievous, then turned the knob. Shintaro held his breath as he twisted it, feeling his chest rise and fall faster. Why was this so? He can't understand. What was he waiting for?

Finally, Kano pulled the door open. His eyes went wide and he took a step back, almost tripping as he did. Shintaro's heart almost stopped. That flowing hair, that red—that smile.

"Nee-chan?" Kido was standing, shaking. Her eyes were wide, just as wide as Kano's. And Seto's. The boy almost stood up, but stopped when he realized Mary would wake. He repositioned her head in the couch and slowly, uncertainly, rose from his seat.

The girl in the door way smiled. She met them in the eyes. Kano's, Kido's, Seto's. She glanced at Momo and Mary, looked at Konoha and the boy beside him. Then her eyes found Shintaro's.

"W-hat is this?" Kano gasped, seemingly at lost for words. How could this happen? It was impossible.

The girl kept her stare on Shintaro, making the boy tremble. There was no mistake. It is her. But how? Why?

"W-who are you?" He asked her still. He was confused; he didn't know what was happening. That girl was dead, wasn't she? But he can't be hallucinating now. They could see her too, can't they? So it can't be a dream.

The girl's smile hasn't left. She told him, "Have you already forgotten?" That voice.

Shintaro took a hopeful step closer. Just one. "I thought you're-"There was a quiver in his voice. It was close to breaking. "Where... where have you been?"

"Ah," The girl says, placing her hand in her cheek, her feet not moving from her position. "It's hard to say… Hard to explain. There's so much to say but… I hope there would be another time for it." She looked down for a moment, her smile becoming sad. "I'm sorry, everyone…"

It was silent, too silent. No one knew what to do, what to believe. Their hearts were overwhelmed, filled with something they couldn't understand. It was hope and disbelief and something else, something bigger they don't know.

"I'm sorry." Tears escaped the girl's eyes, filling their hearts with more of that unknown feeling. All the burden, all the pain they had in them seemed to wash away. Their eyes were now blinded in their tears, flowing uncontrollably.

Shintaro's body shook. He took a step closer, and another. His feet kept moving and he reached his hands. She was so close, so real. It was as if he could touch her now, feel her in his grasp. Maybe this time, she wouldn't disappear. Maybe this time, he could hold her so.

"Ayano."

He pulled her in, so close that he squeezed her in his chest. His head dropped on top of hers and finally, he felt a wide smile break out. He heard himself chuckle, with what? Relief? He doesn't know. But his heart was filled with happiness. His tears flowed, and so did hers. She was right in front of them now. She was real, alive and he will never leave her his time. There was so much he can't understand. But that can wait.

His grip tightened around hers, and she enveloped him with her embrace. As if they never want to let go. Shintaro was sure he wouldn't let go. He won't let her leave, not for a second time.

"Um," Momo was standing up, confused at the scenario. She raised her hand hesitantly, as if a student asking her teacher. The trio turned to her, eyes still filled with silver tears. Ayano had let go of Shintaro, but she reached for his hand instead, smiling. "What's happening?"

Kido smiled and gestured at the girl beside the Momo's older brother. She said, "This is our nee-chan, Kisaragi. Meet Mekakushi Dan member no. 0, Ayano Tateyama. She's our leader."

Author's Note: Hello, readers~ I haven't watched or listened to Ayano's Theory of Happiness yet, but I saw so much spoilers and it made me cry so bad I had to make a fanfic! This is just me wanting them all to reunite.

Hope you enjoyed it! Suggestions, Comments? Please Review! :D