So yeah, I lied. Last chapter, resolution to the story and all bits. It's uh... a bit off from what I had originally planned, but the story writes itself, I don't write it. Just, uh... enjoy it, I guess. I apologize for missing the update over and over again, but with my life returning I've gotten into a new relationship and I haven't had time to do much but make sure that got off on the right foot.

Anyhow, ON TO THE STORY! .

Last time on Love Potion: Koneko survived her sudden fall into illness. Will she fully recover, or does death await our beautiful young heroine?

Chapter 12: "Love"

"Hey, Koneko-chan... Are you feeling better?" I said. I couldn't put my happiness into words. There, sitting in front of me, was a small, white-haired maiden who I had fallen in love with after she had fallen for me by way of a love potion. A tear escaped my eye.

Last night I had sat in a hospital waiting room, scared half to death that my beautiful Koneko-chan had succumbed to the mysterious illness that had taken her. After three long hours subsequent to being informed of her survival, I had been allowed to visit her.

Behind me stood Rias, Kiba, Akeno, and even Asia. Each of them had reacted differently. Rias had been quiet yet protective of her long-time friend. Kiba had been judgmental, but had done his task in researching the potion's effects. Akeno had been surprisingly supportive of the relationship by way of poking fun and encouraging romantic moments between us. Asia had taken it badly, worse than any of the others. She had been attracted to me, unbeknownst to myself, and had almost come to blows with Koneko more than once. Eventually, though, she had come to terms with the situation.

Even as we all stood in our different mindsets, the mutual hope of us all was for Koneko to get better.

"Rias, could you try healing her again?" I asked.

"We both know that if it didn't work the first time it won't work the second." she said matter-of-factly. I felt a little dejected. Even Asia's healing hadn't worked, which meant that Koneko would have to go through a normal human healing process.

"I-Issei?" I heard it, just barely, from Koneko's bed.

"Koneko! How are you feeling?"

"Like... like I just got hit by a truck... and I know what that feels like. But, I'm not dead, so that's a plus."

"Yeah... yeah it is. The doctor said that you healed quickly after you stabilized. You're good to go when you feel up to it."

"Does that mean I can go out and come back for the night?" I nodded in happy response. That had actually been the doctor's recommendation.

I had been fighting tears the whole time, and hearing Koneko talk had set me over the edge. I started crying just a little. Tears of happiness were the hardest to come by.

We got Koneko ready to leave. "Remember, nothing too strenuous." we were told by the doctor.

"OK!" I yelled as Koneko and I left to the park. Thankfully, the park was just a minute walk, give or take, away. We sat in silence for some time as we enjoyed being together again.

"Hey, Issei..." she said.

"Mhm?" I replied absentmindedly.

"The potion..."

"What about it?" I asked after a few seconds of silence from her trailing off. I knew that it was wearing off since she could actively recognize the potion's existence.

"It... it's been work off for about three days..."

"Ah. Oka- WHAT?!" I nearly jumped off of the bench.

"I... I really l-love you. I realized that when I woke up and could actively control myself... and I chose to..." she trailed off.

"Chose to...?"

"I chose to stay in your arms." her face turned the same shade of red as Rias's hair.

"Oh... Well, don't worry. Remember? I love you, and I never fell under the effects of a potion."

She snuggled closer to me with a contented sigh... that quickly turned to harsh coughing. I rushed her to the hospital. The doctor got her to her room as fast as he possibly could.

After ten minutes of frantic medical attention, she was stabilized, and I was wonderfully glad that we hadn't checked her out of the hospital.

"Koneko-chan? Are you OK?" I asked after she was allowed visitors.

"Mhm. Just a little... tired."

"Well, it makes sense." I laughed nervously.

"Hey, Issei... I love you. I really..." she broke off into coughing. "I really do," she continued, " and I want you to remember that. Even if I... don't surviv-"

"No! Don't think like that... yo-you have to live!" I started to cry even at the thought of her death.

"Even if I don't survive, you need to know that, and you need to move on." she continued, despite my consistent protests. The heart monitor behind her bed started to slow down. It continued its descent into dangerously low levels.

"Koneko! Koneko, wake up! Doctor! Someone get a doctor!" I yelled when the monitor didn't pick back up.

A nurse and the doctor rushed into the room and pushed me back a meter or so. They began using a bag on a mask to artificially breathe for her. The heart monitor went flat, and a loud, low beep could be heard above the cacaphony of shouts and frantic doctors.

"Get the AED!" was yelled frantically. Her heart had stopped, and in the deepest pit of my being I could tell that it wasn't going to be restarted. After a solid ten minutes of trying to resuscitate her, her brain was dead, and she was going to remain so.

The doctors left the room, along with everyone else. I approached Koneko's body with tears falling from my eyes. "G... goodbye, Koneko-chan..." I choked out between my ragged breaths, "I loved you, too."

Thanks all for coming along the journey with me. I hope you enjoyed the story and are at least somewhat satisfied with an ending of this caliber. I tried as hard as I could to do the story justice. Please don't shoot it out of the water with some random universe element I don't know about.

Truthfully, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.

Thanks for reading,

-Kyle