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Ayano noticed that the pain she'd been feeling for months now had gone away. This could mean only one thing.

"I'm not sure what we'll be doing for our anniversary," said Minoru, "but we can discuss is after I get back from work."

"Please don't go," Ayano said.

"I didn't catch that."

"If it's at all possible, could you not go to work today?"

"Are you sure?"

Come on, Ayano, don't be selfish.

"I've never been more sure about anything." She decided that this, of all days, was her time to go ahead and be selfish.

"I'll see what I can do." Minoru spent a few minutes on the phone. "Good news; Kagami's agreed to give me the day off."

"Thanks. I… well, I just don't want to be left alone today."

Minoru smiled sadly at her, as if he somehow realized what she'd already sensed.

"It's been a long year, hasn't it, Minoru?"

"I'll say," he replied. "It's amazing how much has changed since then. I still sometimes think back to when we all worked on that asteroid."

"I just can't believe we still haven't worked up the nerve to be open with all of them about what's been happening."

"I was thinking I could tell them all tomorrow."

Ayano noticed that he'd said "I" rather than "we".

Yeah, he's definitely figured out what's happening.

Ayano felt her legs beginning to buckle, so she quickly sat down on the floor. The skirt of her wedding dress spread out, bunching up against the wall. She was still able to see over it, once she'd pushed some of it downward.

"Are you okay, Ayano?" Minoru asked.

Ayano couldn't bring herself to answer, and instead decided to change the topic.

"I've heard stories online that they're about to mount another intersphere expedition."

"Yeah," said Minoru, who'd apparently taken the hint, "that's what I've heard too. There's even been talk of possible diplomatic relations with other worlds."

"That sound like a noble goal."

Several minutes passed by in silence before Ayano spoke again.

"I think it's time we both admit the truth," she said.

"I know," Minoru said.

That truth being that today would be Ayano's last day alive. She could feel her systems starting to give out, and he somehow picked up on that.

"I thought I'd be ready for this."

"I don't think anyone is ever really ready for this."

Minoru didn't have a response to this.

As the hours wore on, they gradually confronted all the emotions they'd held back during this last year. All the while, Ayano could feel herself getting weaker, with her sight having failed in her right eye, and her left eye starting to lose color vision.

Who am I kidding? I'm not looking forward to this, anymore than he is.

"Ayano," Minoru said, "if there's anything else you want to say, now's the time."

"I love you more than I can possibly express in words, and I wouldn't trade in day of this last year if it mean not being with you. I'd take even one day with you than a thousand years alone."

May as well let it all out.

"My only regret now is that we insisted on hiding what was going on from our friends. Whenever Misao or Konata would come over, that was the highlight of my day. It would've been easier on them if they didn't have to lie about where they were going."

Ayano was finished, and not just because her vocal system had failed.

Minoru looked like he was trying to say something to her, but at this point she could no longer hear anything.

Well, it looks like that's it.

She could no longer sit up, and she fell backward onto the floor. As she looked up and the ceiling, the last of her eyesight faded away.

Most of all, I owe an apology to you, Minoru, for all the heartache you no doubt had to endure the whole time we were married. At least now you can get on with your life.

Just then, she felt her soul losing its connection to her body.

Finally, I'm free...