He brought me here.

I wasn't sure if he was deceiving me or whether he was just lonely. I know I was being used, but I wasn't quite sure for what at the time.
But even after everything thing that's happened, even after everything I've heard, I cannot truly hate him.

He's the one that brought me here. Maybe not directly, but I feel like he's the one that brought me. But for whatever reason I am here now, fate or destiny may it be; he gave me adventure, he had found what I had lost.

I still remember those days clearly. The days before I came here. The way the sun would shine through the leaves of the tree outside my window, how it would dance along face of water. The symphony of crickets on midsummer nights. The small things are what I loved most.

I loved the pain when I scraped my knee. The comfort of my mother's hand on my back as she wiped away my tears. The sound of her voice as she welcomed me home. Her expressions when she scolded me.

I loved the small things the most, but now they are the things I miss the most.

The only one I ever truly loved was my mother. But that Monster took that away from me.

"Ah! Hanae-Chan! Back so soon?"
"Tsubaki-San, yes, I wanted to say goodbye."
"Eh?! You're leaving?"
"Yes, it's time I move on."

I always hated that place, at first I thought it was the colour, but then I realised how much I liked white. I never had a reason for hating it, I just… did.

"Mama, it's me again. I've come to say goodbye, I'm moving. I've already filled out my transfer papers; I also managed to save up a lot of money from that job I told you about. I brought you some flowers, your favourite. They're from Kanazawa-Kun's garden. I didn't steal them. He saw me admiring them and gave them to me."

"…"

"You're probably not too comfortable with me leaving, but you promised, that I could leave when I got into high school. It might be a little later then what I'd hoped though, but at least I get to go…"

I always talked to myself like this while walking around the room fixing things up. I could never look her in the eye, because whenever I did, there was nothing staring back.

The sun always was brighter in this room, that's how I could see it. The thin line of liquid running from her mouth, dripping off her chin and pooling at her collarbone. Usually I'd wipe it away thinking things like "Her beauty is all she has left", so I did exactly that. I decided I would pamper her for our farewell. Brushing her hair, a bit of make-up, a single flower behind her ear.

"I should go, my plane will leave soon."

I remember walking to the door, thinking there was nothing left.

"Oh!"

I turned back.

"Mama, I've always loved you."

I always hated that place, but that hate felt so dull without anything to balance it out. As I walked through the halls, I could still her it ringing in my ears, even though I was so far away. I don't regret anything from my time in that town, even though that day was the day my love died, taking my mother along with it.

I knew that if I said those words, she'd die. But I don't regret saying them. I didn't want to have anything left to bind me to that town. She knew that too. I knew that she'd die if I said those words because there was more meaning then just a simple 'I love you'.

"Mama, I've always loved you. Don't blame yourself anymore, I forgive you…"

"Oh! Hanae-Chan! I forgot to ask! Where is it that you're going?"

Neatly tied grey hair, slitted eyes, wrinkles in her smile. I really was going to miss the small things. I must have cried, or smiled, maybe even both, because I still remember her surprised face.

"Ikebukuro!"

I have no regrets.