Author's Ideas: I'M SCREAMING I'VE BEEN SCREAMING AND PUTTING ON A POUTY FACE FOR THE PAST TWO HOURS I CAN'T EVEN I'M CRYING WHY DOES THIS SHIT HAPPEN TO ME WHY

But this is just a quickie so if somehow the anime decides to bring Kirigiri back, yay this fic is an AU-

Friendly reminder that the breaks between the sleeping times are two hours. Meaning Naegi's been an emotional wreck for eight plus hours straight. He lost Gozu and Tengan, two of the only members who believed in him, Kirigiri, and thought he lost Asahina all in the same day. PLUS his sister was sent to search for Monaca alongside Fukawa. pOOR AHOGE CHILD-

Also just a warning the town Naegi mentions in the beginning of the fic is just made up. Considering he attended Black Root Junior High, and black root alongside rhizome are used as medicine, I thought it would be fitting. Enough of my rambling though.

Enjoy~

Lavender

"Hey, Kirigiri-san…"

"What's wrong, Naegi-kun?"

"After this is over… would you come back to Rhizome with me?"

"Rhizome… Your hometown? Why?"

"Well… to meet my sister and friends."

"Wait, Naegi-kun-"

Komaru and Fukawa stood by the dock, watching the helicopter slowly land. Waiting for the dust to settle, a bright smile lit Komaru's face as she saw her brother step off the plane.

"Onii-chan!" Komaru smiled. Makoto stopped staring at his feet and lifted his face, giving her a tired smile.

"Komaru…"

She wrapped her brother in a big hug, and the brunette boy laughed.

"Are you okay?" Makoto asked.

Komaru smiled. "I'm fine! Hey, where's the girl you were telling me about last time?"

A tanned girl leapt from the helicopter, running forward to crush Fukawa in a hug. Makoto followed Komaru's curious gaze and shook his head.

"It's not her." He answered hoarsely.

"Then is she on the plane?"

"Not there either."

"Back at the Future Foundation base?"

"Nope."

"Onii-chan! Don't hide your girlfriend from me!"

He laughed weakly, and Komaru looked at him worriedly.

"Are you okay? You look so pale…"

Makoto nodded, and Komaru continued her questioning.

"Is she already home?"

Makoto pondered on that before smiling.

"Yeah. She's home."

"Naegi-kun?"

He blinked out of his daze, looking to see Kuzuryuu staring at him. Makoto scratched his cheek, laughing weakly.

"Sorry, Kuzuryuu-kun."

The blonde gave him a smirk. "What're you thinking about?"

Makoto fell silent, and Kuzuryuu gave him a worried look.

"What's wrong?"

"Kirigiri-san is… no, it's nothing."

"She's dead, isn't it?"

Makoto turned his head to see the green-eyed male standing behind them.

"Hinata-kun!"

"Hey, bastard. What do you mean?" Kuzuryuu snapped.

"I can tell. Kirigiri-san isn't with us anymore, is she?"

Makoto clenched his fist.

"No… that's wrong. Kirigiri-san is… she's always here with us. She told me to never give up hope. She told me to never despair. That's why… that's why she's not dead!"

Hinata smiled and closed his eyes. "I see."

Makoto stared at the pure white ceiling of his room in the Future Foundation headquarters. The fluorescent lights splashed everything with a too-bright glare of white.

"Hey, Kirigiri-san…" He whispered under his breath, fishing through his pockets.

Makoto could see her splayed next to him, an eye opened as she stared at him.

"What is it?"

"Would you grant me… one foolish wish?"

The diamond-studded ring fell onto his forehead, and the brunette raised the simple golden band to outline the circle of light on the ceiling. His eyes blurred as he slipped the ring on, and brought the cold metal band to his lips.

"Could you… marry me?"

He stared at the empty space next to him, imagining her rolling onto her side and smiling, her lavender hair spilling over her shoulders as her lips moved in that quietly overjoyed way, telling him the best answer he'd ever heard,

"Yes."

And then they'd be the dream family.

The family where the parents never argued.

Where no problems befell them.

Where they had the cutest and strongest children.

Where they lived happily together.

"Too bad it's just a dream." Makoto whispered, bringing his arm over his eyes as tears trickled down his cheek lightly.

"Hey, Kyoko… This is my sister, Naegi Komaru."

Komaru continued to sob in front of the marble gravestone. Makoto smiled fondly before turning back to look at the gravestone.

"She can be a bit of a crybaby, but I'm sure you would have loved her."

"Makoto!" Komaru cried indignantly, and Makoto laughed.

"Sorry, sorry!"

Makoto kneeled to gaze the inscribed words on the beautifully polished stone.

Naegi Kyoko

A loving woman who cared for all

Naegi Makoto's fiancé

Died in the Final Killing Game

"No matter what happens, do not give up on hope."

Komaru wiped away the beading tears, smiling.

"Kyoko-nee-san… I won't forget you."

Makoto let out a chuckle. "That's just like you, Komaru."

Komaru glared at her brother before looking at the small silver ring forming the "o" in "hope". "Are you really okay with leaving the ring in there?"

The brunette smiled. "Of course."

"And… are you sure about calling her your fiancé? I mean, you never proposed to her…"

This elicited a painful chuckle from Makoto. He began to walk away before turning back.

"Come on. I'll tell you the story on the way back."

Naegi drew a shaky breath, staring at the tower. "We'll… never be back in there again, will we?"

Asahina shook her head and smiled. Togami scuffed.

The former Super High School Level Swimmer approached Naegi with a shut right fist. "Hey, Naegi…"

"What's wrong, Asahina-san?"

"Um… I searched Kyoko's body and… this was in her pocket."

Naegi opened his hand expectantly, and Asahina hesitantly dropped the golden ring into his palm. Naegi could only stare at the sparkling object, and Asahina grabbed Togami by the wrist, pulling him away.

The brunette held the golden ring in his hand, staring at the engraving on the inside of the ring.

"Flipping the traditions."

The brunette let out a gentle laugh.

"I suppose she always was doing that, wasn't she?"

He pocketed the small object, pulling a similar, silver ring, studded with small diamonds. Makoto stared at the inside of the ring, reminding himself of the engraving inside.

"With hope and love, Makoto and Kyoko."

"Makoto was always a little too shy for his own good, wasn't he?"

"Yes. That's why I ended up getting a ring, because I didn't know if he had the guts to propose or not."

Light laughter filled the golden room.

Kirigiri brought the cup of steaming tea to her lips, her black gloves discarded. Her scarred hands were no more, instead replaced with perfect pale skin that looked exactly like the rest of her body.

Her father sat on one side of her, Kizakura sat on the other.

Across from her were Makoto's parents.

"And what did you say you inscribed on the inside?" Kizakura asked, swirling his champagne.

"'Flipping the traditions'." Kirigiri replied, and was greeted with a chorus of laughter.

"Ah, Makoto is so lucky to have a girl like you!" His mother proclaimed.

"I have to agree. Jin-kun, we're very sad that your daughter has joined you so early."

The purple-haired man smiled.

"I used to want her to join me… but I realized that she was so much more than just my daughter. She was the woman who solved all the mysteries. She was the woman who was able to help others. She was the woman who your son loved. I'm glad that they were able to meet."

"Father…"

Kirigiri smiled, her lavender hair sweeping in front of her face as she leaned forward. As she lifted her hand to brush back the stray strands, she remembered the way Makoto would tuck her hair behind her ear with a smile and a delicate touch.

The detective looked at the silver ring on her right hand, happiness rushing through her as she looked at her reflection of perfect love, a perfect lavender.