Author's Note: 0verflow own these characters. Not me. I am only responsible for this story, a continuation after the events of the School Days Manga, Chapter 12.

School Days
After
Yakusoku, desu ka?

Ten years.

Ten years had passed since his beloved Katsura Kotonoha was killed. Ten years had passed since he handed over the culprit, one Saionji Sekai to the police. Ten years since he broke off ties to the Katsura household.

But still, Itou Makoto had pain in his heart. Kato Otome, Kuroda Hikari and Kiyoura Setsuna tried in their own respective ways to help him recover from the loss of his girlfriend, but their attempts failed. He suffered alone, his heart in a void of sadness and guilt for not being able to stop Sekai from stabbing Kotonoha.

Despite his pain, Makoto managed to gain a job as nurse at the hospital where he was treated for the wound Kotonoha inadvertently gave him when he defended Sekai from certain death. He also visited Otome and Hikari on a weekly basis, and stopped by Kotonoha's grave every day, both on the way to and from work. This was his consistent routine, which would only be broken in the Christmas and New Years holidays.

On one summer's day, however, this was all going to change.

Makoto finished his shift at 6PM and headed to the cemetery where Kotonoha's grave laid. Upon arriving there, he noticed a young woman, possibly a college graduate, standing over the grave, looking down at the headstone. Her black hair fell down to her rear, her body was strikingly familiar, but her face was what captured him. What was once cheery and full of life, was now filled with pain, fear, sadness and guilt.

Makoto approached the woman slowly, until he was in earshot. 'Um, miss?' he asked, to get the woman's attention. When she turned to face him, he took a step back in shock, believing for a second that he was looking at his dead girlfriend. The woman looked at his face, then down his body to his feet, then back up to his face. 'Onii…chan…?' she asked, looking at him in the eye, completely stunned. He took another step back at the name he was called, realising who it was. 'Ko…Kokoro…chan?' He said slowly, trying to take it in.

To them, it felt like hours passed, when in fact it had only been seconds when Kokoro spoke. 'You visit Onee-chan's grave, Onii-chan?' She asked him, having not seen him since the funeral. Makoto nodded, still shocked that Kokoro was there. She smiled at him slightly, walking towards him. 'I've been looking for you for years.' She said, her expression making her look upset. 'I went everywhere…but you were nowhere to be found, Onii-chan.' she continued, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Makoto took a step towards her without realising. By looking at her, he felt the only thing he could do was hug this once cheery and curious girl and apologise to her for not being in contact.

'Onii-chan…Makoto-kun…' she said, looking up at him, as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. She wanted to talk to him about the last ten years, but couldn't. Makoto found the same problem as he couldn't talk to her either. 'I really…wanted to find you…' Kokoro's voice came, weak and quiet, but he could hear it. 'I…love you…Onii…Makoto-kun…' she said, her face going red as more tears leaked from her face. He was taken aback by this, as he hadn't felt anyone love him in ten years, not even Setsuna, Otome or Hikari's love. What also got him was the fact that this wasn't cheerful and joking Kokoro saying this, this was a more grown-up, more mature, more serious Kokoro saying this. 'Kokoro-chan…' he answered, tears forming in his eyes.

Sure, he cared about Kokoro in the past, but after the funeral and end of communication, he did often wonder if she was doing well and if she was coping with her school work. But he couldn't bring himself to face her back then. Now, it was different. Makoto looked Kokoro in the eye, walking towards her. 'I'm sorry, Kokoro-chan…' he said, embracing her into a hug. 'I know I must have worried you when I ceased contact with you…' he continued, not letting go of her. Kokoro cried into his shoulder. 'I won't let you down again, I promise.' He said with a sense of certainty to her, as he placed one of his hands around one of her smaller hands.

She looked up at him as she felt her hand be taken into his. She was the first one he let into his heart since it was broken all those years ago. Makoto smiled at her, breaking the hug and moving to stand next to her. 'Where are you planning on heading?' he asked, retaining his smile as she looked up at him. 'Home…' Kokoro replied, swinging her other hand to his hand, looking at the grave. 'Thank you, Onii-chan…Makoto…kun.' She sniffed. 'Onee-chan…it's okay to take Onii-chan from you now, right?' She asked the grave weakly, but sticking her tongue out and winking at him. He laughed at her, before embracing her again, only tighter, bringing her to a kiss.

In the ten years they lost, the two met. Their relation had been changed in the moment, and turned into a love story.