A/N 1: I don't own jack-squat. Especially the anime this story is based on. Also I haven't read the manga (yet). So if this is way off base... oops.
Full Circle
Could it be? Could it really be her?
Kouta's heart was sent immediately racing as he spied the shadow behind the door. He ran up, threw the door wide open, and then... A wisp of breeze fluttered leaves along the pathway. The gentle rustling of the leaves in the trees could be heard in the otherwise silence. As tears started welling up in Kouta's eyes, his downcast gaze spotted a purple ribbon folded neatly on the ground directly in front of the door. The traces of blood spatter left no doubt in Kouta's mind who the previous owner was. Kouta picked it up off of the ground and stood transfixed as he remembered the friend who held his heart as if by one of her invisible hands.
"Oh, Nyuu... I miss you so much."
"We all do."
Yuka's voice from behind him prompted a solemn nod from Kouta. As Kouta turned around, Yuka outstretched her arms and the cousins held each other in a long, comforting embrace.
"We should finish our supper before it gets cold." Yuka whispered as she wiped the tears away with her wrist.
Kouta walked into the room and went to the music box. He would save Nyuu's ribbon with his most treasured keepsakes. Then a thought creeped into his head.
That's odd. The music box stopped.
Kouta closed the lid and opened it again. No sound came out of it. He repeated the process. Still no sound except for the barely-perceptible creak from the lid's hinge. Tears welled anew at the seemingly-random symbolism of the malfunction. Kouta put the ribbon in the box, set it down, and went forlornly back to his evening meal.
That night, a seeming eternity of tossing and turning prompted Kouta to get a glass of water. Upon reaching the kitchen, he noticed Yuka leaning against the counter staring out the window.
"You can't sleep either, huh?"
The visage of Yuka's tear-streaked face told the story wordlessly.
"Kouta... can I sleep with you tonight? The house just feels so lonely."
"Huh? Yeah it does feel lonely here. Sure, Yuka. I wouldn't mind some company."
After their shared water interlude, the two of them walked quietly back to Kouta's room so as to not disturb the others. Sleep came swiftly for both of them in the comfort of each other's arms.
The next day, they went on with their normal lives. Kouta and Yuka went to their classes. Mayu and Nana cleaned the house and prepared the evening meal. Nana even managed to make it through the preparations without loss of life or property. The two adults came home and sat down to the meal. Everything was okay, if not without a melancholy atmosphere. That night Kouta and Yuka shared Kouta's bed, finding that the company allowed their minds to find the rest that aloneness wouldn't afford.
The next day went much the same. And the next. And so on as the routine of life became the way of life. Each night Kouta and Yuka held each other through the night. Each week they would go down to the beach to look to the ocean and reminisce. Each month the fondness the two of them had for each other grew stronger. A year past, they consummated their love for the first time. The year after that, Yuka's aunt sold the house to the recently-graduated and currently-employed newlyweds. The third year...
"We're almost to the hospital! Hang on!"
Kouta almost had to shout to overrule the noise in the back of the ambulance.
"But it hurts so much!"
Yuka's scream had no trouble overshadowing the bustle.
"Five minutes E.T.A., ma'am." The EMT assured her.
Two hours later, the womanly screams gave way to newborn cries. The shock was evident on Kouta's face when he looked from the new daughter in his arms to Yuka.
"Yuka... I think the name we picked out was more accurate than we could have anticipated."
Baby Nyuu was handed from her father to her mother. Understanding crept across Yuka's face as the pink hair didn't tell the entire story, but the tiny horns on her baby's head did.
"But... how?"
"I don't know, Yuka. But one thing I do know is that we are going to have our work cut out for us."
To the doctor: "Sir, I beg you, please don't mention about my daughter's... uh... abnormality. We had a friend who was like this, and some very bad people hurt her. They would do the same to our baby. Please, sir!"
"I've had a run in with the people you speak of. Six years ago, this one couple had a baby in this very hospital with the same... abnormality. The father tried to kill his own child while the mother bled to death trying to stop him. Then these military-types came in and told everyone to shut up about it or else face consequences. I don't need that same thing happening again on my watch. You nurses heard that too. Not a word about this to anybody!"
Acquiescent nods around the room sealed the deal.
A day later, the family was released from the hospital. The trip home in the taxi was filled with joy and parental apprehension as baby Nyuu's big eyes scanned everything they could. She didn't cry though. There was no need for that. Upon entering the family home, one thing became apparent to Kouta; no ticking. Looking at the ancient clock on the wall, he noticed that the time read 1:32:22. The exact time of baby Nyuu's birth. Upon further inspection, he found that the pendulum was frozen in place. It would appear that the clock wouldn't be active for a second time.
Little Nyuu's gaze seemed to be transfixed upon something. Following the path, Kouta's eyes fell upon his old music box.
That's odd. He thought. I thought babies couldn't focus their eyes at this age.
He went over to the music box. Upon opening it he heard the all-to-familiar song emanating from its inner-workings, as if there was never any doubt to its functioning.
It was at that moment that he realized that life would never be the same. Again.
A/N 2: The time 1:32:22 is an obscure reference I feel needs explaining. In episode 2 at 3:17, the broken clock displayed this time perfectly clear. When I first saw this scene I felt that it was a foreshadowing event. I was surprised to see that it was never used in the anime.