When she first saw the tree, she felt a strange connection to it.
It was not a particularly big tree, but it stood tall and proud, as if satisfied of what it had managed to accomplish. The trunk was very low, and split into four thick branches that further split into dozens of thinner boughs. These each ended in several vibrant, green leaves that seemed to dance in the wind in joy at the fact that spring has come.
That the time for rebirth and renewal is nigh.
That even if one world has ended, another is just beginning.
The limbs gently stretched out towards her, as if it was prompting her to draw closer, like the promise of a lover's waiting arms.
She walked forward in a daze, hoping against hope that what she suspected was true.
To her, the time as she slowly sat down at its base seemed to stretch out into eternity.
When she finally leaned back against the trunk, she did not feel the roughness of bark.
Instead, she felt something warm and soft, like a lover's embrace.
Kotarou, she thought.
She knew, somehow, that this is how he kept his promise.
To wait for her through the end of the world and after, he changed himself into an entity that could withstand salvation.
Something that could wait for her as long as it needed to.
She stroke the trunk, savoring her first contact in months with him, even if his form is no longer that of flesh and blood.
A memory flares up in her mind: his last request, should he change too much.
Kotarou, I will bring you back, no matter how long it takes.
She channels her healing power into the tree, and it shakes as if it's dancing.
There are no distinct changes, but her sharp eyes notice that the tree has shrunk just a little bit.
She doesn't know what this signifies, but she has faith.
That one day they will be able to laugh together, eat together, and live together for the rest of their lives.
She continues healing the tree until she grows weary, and she begins swaying from her exertion.
The thought of leaving him so soon after their reunion never even occurs to her as she climbs the tree and nestles herself in the branches.
As her eyes drift shut, she can feel the tree wrap itself around her, as if protecting her.
She smiles, content in the knowledge that Kotarou would never let her fall.
After all, they agreed to support each other for the rest of their lives.
When she wakes the next day, she finds herself covered in vines.
They are wrapped around her torso and legs, but did not feel restrictive at all.
Instead they felt like a lover's caress, a sign of comfort and a reminder that she isn't alone.
Not anymore.
She smiles and gently pushes them off, and they slip off without complaint.
She drops down, only to find Imamiya waiting for her at the bottom.
"So, this is where you ran off to eh?"
She silently stares at him, asking him to get to the point.
"What's so special about this tree huh? We were looking all over for you yesterday, and turns out you just ditched us for some tree? Is it your long-lost lover or something?"
He gives a light chuckle at what he thinks is a joke.
But her sharp nod quickly cuts him off in surprise.
"Eh?! This is what has become of Kotarou-kun? I guess that idiot's power was useful for something after all."
He shakes his head in bemusement.
"Anyway, you should probably get something to eat. You won't be much help to Kotarou-kun if you collapse from hunger."
She reluctantly nods and follows him to where they have set up camp.
Again, she wishes that they had saury, but satisfies herself with the homemade bread instead.
As she eats, she fervently prays.
Please Kotarou, come back to me. I want you to feed me again, and talk together about the music we like, and hear you sing again.
But most of all
I want to tell you
I love you.
She settles into a routine; each day, she would wake up and channel as much of her healing power into the tree as she could. Afterwards, she would eat lunch with the others, and then head back to continue her efforts. In the evening, she would eat dinner and then talk to him. She rambles about the events that happened while they were hiding in the shelter, how they were reconstructing civilization bit by bit, and how the baby that was born is growing up nicely.
She likes to think that the gentle swaying of the tree is Kotarou's way of responding to her.
She can see the progress she has made; the texture of the tree looks smoother, the color has faded to a pinkish tint, and the size has shrunk to that of a tall human being.
Soon, she thinks, we'll be together again.
Every day, she wishes for the next day to be the one.
The day it happened began as unremarkably as any other.
She performed her usual daily ritual, and began working on the tree.
She doesn't remember the exact moment it happened; she's done this so often that she had begun falling into a trance of sorts when healing the tree.
She only knows that one moment her hands were on the trunk of the tree, and in the next second, loud cracking noises began emanating from its core.
Its violent shaking pushes her away, and she can only stare in wonder as a human hand pushes its way out of the bark.
The tree splits in two as a human form crawls out of the wreckage of the once proud, tall tree.
She gazes numbly at the sight; her body is frozen, but her mind is in turmoil.
Is this real?
She slowly shuffles over to the emaciated figure.
Is it really him?
She crouches down and lifts the body into her lap.
Is this my happy ending?
She gently takes his head and tilts it up so she can see him clearly.
He looks worn, as if every moment since their departure pained him a great deal.
But even so, he smiles gently and whispers, "I'm so happy to see you again . . . Shizuru."
She can only weep in joy and pull him into a tight hug.
We're finally . . .
Together again . . .