[by Eagle Eye Cherry and his merry band of cohorts and such]
Darling close the curtain
'Cause all we need is candle light
You and me and a bottle of wine
Hold you tonight
Oh yeah
[It's night, with only stars giving light outside. Nuriko slips in behind a door, gazing at Hotohori who is speaking with a few advisors about the next day's trip to Hokkan. A few candelabra illuminate the inside of the room, casting sparkling flecks of gold on Hotohori's face. Nuriko crosses his arms in front of himself, almost in something like a self-hug, gazes at Hotohori a moment more, and then disappears down a corridor.]
Cause you know I'm goin' away
And I wish, I wish it were done
So take this wine and drink with me
And let's delay our misery
[Hotohori is finally in his chambers for the night. He has a cup in his right hand and he is sipping gingerly at it, gazing out the window. The only thing he can think about is Miaka and that she is leaving- and he won't be able to protect her. Nuriko is curled up in his bed, sad and thoughtful. He realizes that the emperor will never love him, but doesn't want to accept it. He doesn't want to leave tomorrow because he'll be away from Hotohori, who he had been spending so much time with recently. He pulls his blankets slightly tighter around him.]
Save tonight
And fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll be gone
[Neither of them can sleep, both thinking about the dearest person to them, tossing and turning in their separate beds. Dawn cracks over the horizon and both groan softly, rubbing their eyes in annoyance, worried about how they'll look today.]
There's a log on the fire
And it burns, like me for you
Tomorrow comes, with one desire
To take me away
You know it's true.
[Nuriko stands up, slowly, unwillingly, getting dressed. He brushes out his long hair and then pulls it back into his typical braid. He sighs softly, only once, and then moves to the door. Hotohori is already dressed and waiting outside Miaka's door, waiting to escort her to the docks. Nuriko stops suddenly as he sees him standing there, and turns the other way before Hotohori sees him, knowing that this day would take him away from the man he loved.]
It ain't easy to say good-bye
Darling please, don't start to cry
'Cause girl you know I got to go
And Lord I wish it wasn't so
[Hotohori is speaking to Miaka at the boat, telling her if she changed her mind that he would still be there and he would love her forever. What none of them sees is Nuriko overhearing this- and crying softly to himself.]
Save tonight
And fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll be gone
[Hotohori is clutching the bear that Miaka gave him as the ship leaves, gazing at her cheerful, smiling face. Nuriko has a sad smile on his face, wondering if this will be the last time he ever sees Hotohori again.]
Tomorrow comes to take me away
I wish that I, that I could stay
But girl you know I got to go
And lord I wish it wasn't so
[Nuriko is climbing Mount Black, panting slightly in the thin, frigid air. He smiles slightly to himself, thinking of Miaka and Hotohori both. He fingers his short hair, having come to terms that Hotohori will never love him, when a low growl sounds from behind him.]
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone
[All of the seishi feel it as Nuriko dies, but Hotohori feels something else - complete love and acceptance- leaving him as well. He starts, knowing exactly what has happened- and finally realizing how much Nuriko meant to him as a friend. A few days later, a purple-haired woman crosses his path... He approaches, calling out his friend's name, praying that the feeling hadn't been true, that he was still alive. All thoughts of Miaka as empress are out of his mind as he smiles sadly, realizing as he sees her face that Nuriko truly is dead and that Miaka will never love him back. With a heavy heart, but with determination, he smiles at her again, asking her to become his empress.]