Megumi hadn't realized how much she cared for Kiyomaro-kun until he died. While clinging desperately to Faudo's mouth, she hadn't thought about anything else except saving him and Gash. The mastermind behind Faudo's emergence was a very strong demon. Megumi didn't think as strong as Kiyomaro-kun and Gash were, they wouldn't be able to defeat Leo and his human partner alone. Megumi had felt a spark of pride as she remembered Leo's anger towards Kiyomaro-kun. He truly is a genius, she had thought admiringly as the teenager had learned how to read demon writing. In less than an hour, Kiyomaro-kun had debilitated Faudo by impairing his aim and had almost foiled Leo's plan. All of them had been stunned when they had witnessed Faudo swimming. Somehow, though, Kiyomaro-kun had created a timer for Faudo – the time that it would take for Faudo to return to the demon world. "I'll make Faudo's target Japan! It'll be the very first country that I'll destroy!" Even when Leo's words had caused despair to course through her, Kiyomaro-kun hadn't given up hope. He believed they would be able to have enough time to save their loved ones. He had been looking at her when he said this. No one except Tio knew that Megumi's parents had died when she was little. She had no family or true friends like she had now. "You are my family," Megumi had wanted to say. But Kiyomaro-kun had been torn away from her and the others to face Leo. He had always been her inspiration. If Megumi was exhausted from training with Tio or doing her schoolwork, she would think of Kiyomaro-kun and his image made her stronger. It hadn't occurred to her that Kiyomaro-kun might die fighting in the battle to determine the demon king.
She remembered of how her abruptly heart had stopped when her ear heard nothing in Kiyomaro-kun's chest. It was as if she was the one who was dead, and not him. Megumi remembered how she had trembled so much she couldn't even speak. She remembered the blood masking his face and entire body; now she wondered how she could not have known he was dead. I didn't want to, she thought to herself now. I didn't want to believe he was dead. Megumi's voice had been almost inaudible when she found the courage to speak. Inside, she was screaming, but she forced herself to remain calm. "No…" The word had echoed in her mind ever since she found the absence of heartbeat. "His heart…stopped…" Even now the hollow words echoed in her mind. Even as Kiyomaro-kun was alive and whole, the experience caused the nightmare to resurface. Tears that had bottled up inside had streamed down her cheeks as she had desperately tried to heal Kiyomaro-kun with Tio. It can't be real, she had thought. It can't be… "You can't die, Kiyomaro!" Those were exactly my thoughts, Megumi clenched her hands into fists as she remembered the despair that she had felt that day. His voice echoed in her head. I'll never get to hear his voice again. I'll never get to see his smile again. I'll never… For a moment, Megumi would have sacrificed the destruction of the entire world if it meant that Kiyomaro-kun would live. She remembered of how great the inhuman screams from Gash were as he sobbed onto Kiyomaro-kun, and for the first time Megumi understood why people wanted to die.
Now a month had passed since that day, and Kiyomaro-kun was alive and well. From his death, he had gained the ability "Answer Talker," which caused answers to any problem appeared in his head. He was now undergoing training to willingly use this ability to prepare for the battle against Clear Note. Although she wouldn't voice her fears, Megumi knew that Clear Note was much stronger than the demon Leo, who had killed him. I can't face that pain again, Megumi had told herself over and over as she trained. So I'm going to become as strong as I can be. The thoughts didn't help, and Megumi found herself imaging Kiyomaro-kun's death over again in her dreams. She thought of not hearing his voice for a second time, and it seemed as if the world would be without its color.
I can't face that pain again, Megumi thought as she knocked on the door of the Takamine residence. A part of her hoped that no one would answer so she wouldn't confess the weakness she held inside, but the door opened. Kiyomaro-kun was dressed casually in a short blue t-shirt and black pants. His golden eyes widened in surprise when he saw Megumi, but his expression turned into pleasure. He smiled at her.
"Daijobuo desu ka, Megumi-san?" The awkwardness he had with her in the past had disappeared, and Megumi was amused for a moment that he still spoke to her with respect despite what they had gone through. Then her amusement faded and a serious expression marked her face.
"I need to talk to you, Kiyomaro-kun." Kiyomaro-kun nodded and didn't ask a question as Megumi was welcomed into his house. The two bookkeepers were silent as they walked up the stairs to Kiyomaro-kun's room. For a brief moment the boy looked over at her worriedly, but she gave him a smile that she knew he would read through. Megumi sat in his chair and Kiyomaro-kun lied on his bed, looking at the scenery outside his room. He's trying to make me calm, Megumi realized as her muscles loosened their tension as they watched the birds outside sing and fly to the trees above them. He's knows I'm worried, Megumi continued thinking. He knows why I'm here too.
"What does it feel like to die?" she asked. Megumi spoke quietly to the trees outside, not ready to meet Kiyomaro-kun's gaze yet.
"It feels like sleep," Kiyomaro-kun's voice calmed her. She slowly met his gaze and saw nothing but empathy in them. "When I…woke up, I felt as if I was awakening from a dream. I don't know how else to describe it, Megumi-san," he added quietly.
"When you died…it was as if I died too. Only it wasn't the serenity and peace you experienced." Megumi swallowed. The emotions of emptiness were crawling towards her again. "It felt as if…I was slowly being eaten. My heart was beating, but my life was dead." She met his eyes, seeing nothing in the reflection but her own tears. "I was empty, nothing more than a vessel, and I desperately wanted to trade places with you. I wanted you back, even if it meant that everyone in the world died for a moment. I'm sorry that I'm being so selfish, Kiyomaro-kun, but I can't experience that again. You could…" Megumi felt her self-control slipping, but she desperately looked into his eyes to make herself calm. "You could die again. I know I can't prevent you from going; that's how you are, and one of the reasons why I admire you so much…but…onegai...shinanainde, Kiyomaro-kun."
Suddenly Megumi felt strong arms encircling hers, and she fell into them. She felt the gentle hands stroke her face and hair, and felt his warm breathe tickle her ear. He didn't seem to mind that she was crying again and that her tears were sticking to his t-shirt.
"I can't promise that I'll return, Megumi-san," he murmured as he pulled away. His face was etched with sadness. "And neither can you. We could both die in the battle against Clear Note." He cupped her chin with his warm hand. "I promise though that I will fight to live. No matter how many broken bones or ruptured organs I have, I will fight to live. I will fight to return to you, Megumi-san. When I was dying, it broke my heart to not be able to see you again or tell you how I felt about you." A lone tear trickled down his face. "And if I don't live…like before… here's something to remember me by."
His lips were cool and soft as they reached hers. It was quick, and pulled back a second after he was done. They were both furiously blushing, not knowing what to say to each other. Megumi took Kiyomaro-kun's hands in hers and leaned into him. Their lips met again, and this time Megumi deepened the kiss. It was sweet and tender, something Megumi hadn't thought she would experience before. She felt a smile appear on her lips as she kissed Kiyomaro-kun once again.
For once all was right in their world and in their hearts.