A/N: I have written a new oneshot, but please don't hate me (I'm pertaining to the people who wants updates of my Ongoing stories). I have an update of a story of mine after this, so please. /weird laugh.
I hope this Oneshot would feel different because it'll have an illustration!
Disclaimer: I don't own Kokoro Connect. If I do, then Iori X Taichi it is!
"I like you Nagase Iori, so would you please go out with me."
"W-What the... Are you serious!?" Taichi screamed as Nagase's body took a quick dive down the river.
"I think Iori-chan should die with her own body..." Aoki said blatantly.
"Ah~... I don't want to die yet... I want to live a bit longer... My life just started now! Why... Why... must I... go through such things... What wrong... have I done? Taichi also said that he liked me..."
She cried deep down from her heart... She cried her one and only wish as the time draws near...
The time of her death.
Kokoro Connect OneShot
The Arrival of Death
"Eh... I have to ask now... who do you choose?" Heartseed, who possessed the body of Gotou, stood before them. He was the same as always. The slouching appearance with his irritating monotone always manage to completely build a gloomy atmosphere.
Who will die?
The question that was pretty ridiculous and serious at the same time. Why would somebody die for Heartseed's entertainment?
Nagase [who was currently Inaba], Taichi, Aoki, and Kiriyama all sat in the long bench not so far from Heartseed. After some moments of silence, Nagase [Inaba] stood up and walked calmly towards Heartseed, then began talking.
"It's me... I, Nagase Iori, shall die with my own body, altogether!"
Nagase's firm statement made the group speechless and numb.
"But, may I ask you something before I die?"
It was quite annoying to the group, especially Nagase, that Heartseed enjoyed switching their bodies up for a whole month then letting someone die in the end.
That is plainly ridiculous.
"I don't think you'll answer me directly, but..."
Nagase [in Inaba's body] began to speak once again, the tone of her voice was especially for this situation. It was so serious that her tone was consistently hinting that she was ready to die, but her questions must be answered before so.
"- you won't do this to anyone else, right?"
This was the matter that she absolutely wanted to confirm.
This is the only thing that mattered to Iori right now. What if Taichi and the others experience more phenomena after this one? It might also lead them to their respective deaths if Heartseed continues to play dirty.
A person who's about to face death... was worrying about the future of her friends.
Upon hearing her serious words, Heartseed became static. He still holds his expressionless face, but his unbreakable face hinted that he was a bit shocked.
"...Of course."
His answer sounded honest, even though he spoke through that monotone.
It left Iori [Inaba's body] with a reassuring answer.
"Ahah, the time has come..." Heartseed suddenly said.
Without further warning, Nagase was switched back to her body and same goes for Inaba.
Inaba uncontrollably shook her head to get herself back on what's happening.
"What the..."
Inaba's statement was cut off by the Heartseed, who was directly standing in front of her.
"YOU BASTA-, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IORI-"
Even before Inaba could've spoken a comprehensible sentence, the door of the Intensive Care Unit opened.
At this moment...
The horrible things Heartseed said...
Had already happened...
Everyone held their breath as they gazed at the recently opened door.
Kiriyama had started crying, unable to hold her tears back. Aoki helped to calm her down.
The doctor began approaching the group.
Please do not end now.
Please do not let it end.
Please let us dream a little more that Nagase would not die yet.
But the time passed mercilessly.
Not long, the doctor that approached them said—
"He he he"
Iori laughed weakly. She was walking in an endless white space. She knew what was currently happening to her, or what has already happened to her.
She was already dead.
"I haven't even thought about being the first one to retire in our club... I'm the president after all. Isn't that funny?"
She said her funny statement to particularly no one, then began laughing weakly once again.
Her expression then changed.
"I'm sorry..."
She lowered her head.
"I would've wanted to play with them more, come to the club room even more, have fun with you guys even more, experience even more things with you..."
Iori felt her face was already streaked with her own tears.
"I'm sorry... everyone"
She bowed her head.
"But it's already time"
"I'm sorry, Taichi."
"-I'm sorry, we did our best but..."
The doctor didn't even had a chance to finish his death statement. Before he could even say everything that was needed to be said, Taichi violently pushed the doctor aside making him fall down to the floor.
"This can't be... This can't be..."
Taichi then glared at Heartseed intimidatingly but he only responded with his expressionless face. He then attempted to run towards the room where the body of Nagase Iori resides.
But Inaba grabbed his arm firmly which prevented him from moving. Taichi looked back to face Inaba with an angered face.
"Stop it, Taichi... It's already over..."
The firm and steady Inaba has also broken down. Tears streamed down her cheeks but she refused to look onto Taichi directly.
"Let go!"
Taichi shook of Inaba's hand with intense force, which made her flinch and let go of his hand.
"You're scaring us... Taichi..."
Taichi resumed his dash towards the Intensive Care Unit. His hand recklessly collided with the recently opened door. He ignored the slight pain he felt from the collision then aimed to go directly where Iori was.
"No. No. No. No!"
"Why did you leave us?!"
Taichi seems to have calmed down. He slowly moved towards the bed where Iori was...
There he saw it...
Iori's lifeless body...
But...
She's crying?.. (1)
"Iori..."
Taichi whispered softly. He was surprised by how the way Iori looks. He felt sorry. He felt guilty. He felt all the bad things he could feel right now.
Soon after, he couldn't even hold his tears anymore.
He began crying.
"Ha ha ha. I even said that I will not cry..."
Taichi sobbed, and then took hold of Iori's hand. He then cried his eyes out thereafter. He didn't felt the usual warmth she was emitting, but it was rather cold, empty, and lifeless.
"Why, Iori... Why have you left us?"
"What about the club? You're the president and if you leave us, we might disband!"
"We still have to do lots of fun in the club..."
"We still have lots to discover in our lives!"
"We still need to face Heartseed altogether!"
"We still need to go out together..."
Taichi's voice faded down as he muttered his last statement. He stared at Iori's lifeless tear-streaked face. He let out a huge sigh, then squeezed her hand gently.
"I'm sorry... Iori..."
A/N: (1) Refer to the story's cover image. Credits go to Meicchan (meicchan . tumblr .com) remove the space in the url.
Direct link for mobile users (again, remove spaces): 25. media . tumblr 459bc38b0b2a7d6da6632485366cdc96/tumblr_mn9g30iehG 1r3h8kxo1_400 .png