ψ attractor, year 2000.
divergence -1.002278%
A light snow was falling. Snowflakes drifted soundlessly through the still air and found themselves landing in a cemetery in Ikebukuro. In front of a family gravestone, among a fresh array of flowers, a little girl stood silently, unaware of the snow that had gathered in her hair.
The girl's grandmother stepped gently behind her. "Mayuri."
There was no reply.
Mayuri's grandma spoke again, louder this time. "Mayuri, let's go home."
Mayuri still didn't seem to hear.
Grandma sighed and let herself down on a stone bench nearby. She was silent for a moment, then she began speaking to the still air. "Rintaro, don't you think you've kept Mayuri long enough? Why don't we come back another day, when it's not snowing?"
Mayuri looked about, confused, then she turned on her grandma. "He is gone! He's never waking up again! That's what you said!" Tears glistened in Mayuri's eyes. Suddenly, she threw herself at grandma, who held her close.
Mayuri spoke again, choking on her words, "Mayushii… Mayushii made a wish… on a shooting star… why didn't it come true? Why didn't Rinta-kun wake up?"
Mayuri's grandma waited until her sobs had subsided, then released Mayuri and looked into her eyes. "Grandma has something important to say. Would Mayushii listen?"
Mayuri nodded.
Grandma continued, "There's more to this world than we can see. Actually, there are a great many worlds, too many for anyone to count. They are like stars during daytime—we can't see them, but they are there all the same. Okabe Rintaro has gone to one of those worlds. He is out there, somewhere far away."
"Really?" Mayuri looked uncertain.
"Of course. We were fond of Rinta-kun, weren't we? Aren't we thinking of him even now? Somewhere out there, he's woken up from his fever—maybe talking to someone just like Mayushii, this very moment."
"But, I want him to come back to this world," said Mayuri.
"We wouldn't want to keep him all to ourselves, do we? That wouldn't be fair. Now let's wish him well."
With that, grandma stood up and looked toward Okabe's grave, now covered with a layer of soft snow. Mayuri also turned to look, then the two started to walk away. After a few steps, grandma asked, "Hey Mayuri, do you think you can keep Kaichu safe on our way home?"
Mayuri nodded firmly.
Grandma took out an antique pocket watch and placed it in Mayuri's outstretched hands. As the two continued to walk away, Mayuri held Kaichu close to her ear.
Not long afterwards, the figure of a young woman stopped for a moment at the Okabe family grave and left something by the stone monument. It was a small metal pin. Along its rim was engraved "OSHMKUFA 2010".