The fall felt like eternity. As Tooya felt the speed of gravity pulling his body towards mother earth, he could almost see his whole life flashing through his eyes.
Death… we meet again.
Then he felt as if his whole body shattered as it slammed onto the cold concrete. This pain was nothing like he had ever imagined before. Even the millions of bullets he had taken when Mikage "killed" him did not create this much pain. The vision in his eyes was overtook by a bright light, and he saw the clearest, bluest sky ever. Underneath his feet, was an endless stretch of blue ocean.
His green eyes caught sight of a tall figure floating above the water not too far away. The figure turned around, and smiled as he saw Tooya.
"Aki…?" Tooya called out, when he realized who it was. In a flash, the person was suddenly standing in front of him.
"Iie." The young man smiled as he shook his head gently. "You remember me, don't you?"
"Akira…!" Tooya exclaimed in surprise. "What is this place? Why are you here? Am I dead?"
"Hardly." Akira smiled in amusement.
"Where am I?"
"Look… Tooya…" Akira said, as he motioned towards the ocean water. Tooya saw a soft glow emerging from the deep blue abyss, and slowly, a mana surfaced, and it ascended right in between them.
"The mana…" Tooya muttered softly. "Ceres' mana?"
The mana drew closer to Tooya, and then in a flash, it surged into his body, merging with him. Tooya closed his eyes and felt his body re-energized. When he opened his eyes, Akira was still in front of him. And to Tooya's surprise, he saw another mana glowing inside Akira's chest.
"You and I… are the same, Tooya…" Akira smiled. "Your body has been regenerated back to life by the mana… go and return to Aya…" he said softly, and his figure slowly faded away.
"Wait!" Tooya exclaimed. "What is the meaning of this!?"
"Help her, Tooya… help my Sayaka…" Akira's voice echoed in the blue vacuum. And then, suddenly Tooya felt a force pulling him down into the ocean. As his body splashed into the cool water, suddenly the blue faded into darkness, and the serene silence was crowded again with noises, familiar, earthly noises. He felt the hardness of the concrete under his back, and his body slowly registered the feel of pain that was still there. His arms felt like it had been held down by a thousand tons as he tried to lift it up to touch his forehead. His mouth still tasted of blood, and he could not mouth a single word. But, yes, he is alive, and will live. For now.
"TOOYA!" Yuuhi's familiar voice was heard following the sound of a creaking door.
Yuuhi? Tooya was confused. Was he home? How did he get there…?
* * *
Mikage stood silently, feeling the hot water pour on him from the shower head. Slowly, steam filled the room. The water ran around his foot, red with blood off his skin. Tooya's blood.
There was no sign of the usual vicious glow that's always gleaming in his eyes. They were just blank, and he was staring at both his palms, feeling the surge of endless energy that is flowing to the tips of his fingers. The images of the encounter he just had with Tooya suddenly found its way back into his memory.
Ceres…
The image of Ceres danced in his mind. So beautifully and so gracefully. He lifted up his hands and placed it flat on the walls and leaned his head forward on it. He closed his eyes. Glimpses of his happiness flashed one by one. He remembered now that he loved Ceres.
What happened… to me?
Ceres…
The image of Ceres suddenly faded away. He felt a stronger force rising up in his chest, taking over his thoughts and feelings. As he tried to fight it, suddenly a force of pain took over his head. A fiery violet glow started to emerge in his eyes. Then it faded… and then glowed again… as if the two forces in him were fighting each other.
"Ce… Ceres…!"
Then the battling pain stopped. And there was silence. The water was still pouring on his body, washing all his memories away. Then Mikage opened his eyes, glowing with hatred and evil. The tennyo crest on his chest started to glow brighter, and brighter.
"Ceres… betrayed… me…" The words escape Mikage's lips softly. "I… will… destroy… her…" Then his eyes narrowed in anger. "…and… Tooya… the next time we meet… will be the end of you…"
* * *
"Why didn't you kill him?" Freya asked, as she lied in Mikage's arms. Her finger was toying gently on his chest, where the tennyo crest is emblazoned on.
"Ceres' mana is inside him. There is nothing that could kill him permanently at this point." Mikage answered, without even looking at her. After a pause, he glanced at her through the corner of his eye. "Containing him here would be dangerous for us. We must capture Ceres and that child, then lure Tooya for an exchange of the mana."
"I just gave him a little taste of my wrath." He finally said, looking down into her eyes.
"Mikage…" Freya looked up into his eyes. "Do you love me?"
Mikage's eyes looked blank for a moment. But then, the violet glow flickered in his eyes, and he smiled. Suddenly he grasped on her face with his palm. Looking at her, he pulled her face into his and they kissed like mad lovers.
Mikage…
You're finally mine…
* * *
Sitting next to a silent Aya, Yuuhi was silent as well. Tooya's motionless body lay in front of them, unmoving. Aya's tears had flowed until they could flow no more. And Tooya… had not moved since they found him lying lifeless in front of the gate of the Aogiri house.
Tooya… Yuuhi looked at his friend. They had spent a whole night taking care of Tooya's wounds. And Aya had not slept a wink until this moment. And neither has he. Those Mikage bastards… I must do something… He thought again, and got up on his feet.
"Yuuhi…?" Aya looked up at him.
"Those bastards…" Yuuhi's hands started to tremble in anger as he speak. "I have to go there… and take back onee-sama!"
Shocked, Aya got up on her feet. She started shaking her head vigorously. "No!" she exclaimed. "No, Yuuhi!"
"Aya… please…"
"No! Yuuhi…! Onegai!!!" Aya screamed as she grasped on Yuuhi's shirt, her eyes filled with tears.
"I can't just sit here and do nothing, Aya!" Yuuhi exclaimed. "I have to do something!"
"Baka!" Aya yelled. "What can you do?! Don't be foolish, Yuuhi! Just… look at Tooya!!!" she screamed as her fingers clutched tighter onto his shirt, then she slowly sunk onto the floor.
It was then that the horrible realization dawned upon Yuuhi. I am only one man…
One… mortal… man…
* * *
Sayaka…
Sayaka turned around, and found herself standing in pitch black darkness. She recognized the voice. It was the voice of her beloved Akira.
"Oniichan!" she called out as the voice stopped calling, her eyes searching frantically for a visible figure. Then, she saw him emerge out of the darkness, but then he faded away. A moment later her eyes caught a glimpse of him emerging at another direction, but again, he faded away.
Sayaka…
Do you remember… our childhood…? Sayaka…? Akira emerged again from the darkness, this time right in front of her. He was dressed all in white, and he never looked more beautiful.
And before Sayaka's eyes, the darkness slowly faded into a stretch of infinite green grass and blue sky. A heavenly sight for her astonished eyes. She saw a figure sitting under a tree, cradling something in her arms. "Oniichan…?" Sayaka murmured. "Who is that…?"
Akira's body floated gracefully around her. His figure was transparent, almost as if he was just a wandering spirit. He extended his hand to her, and smiled gently. "Come with me… Sayaka-chan…" he said softly.
Sayaka took his hand and followed him closer towards the figure she saw sitting under the big tree. And soon she realized that the figure was a beautiful young tennyo, sitting silently. The face of the tennyo looked familiar, yet Sayaka couldn't make out who it was. In her arms, was a mana that was glowing softly. Somehow Sayaka could feel that both the tennyo and the mana were dying.
"Nee… ojoo-chan…?" Sayaka leaned down towards the pale tennyo. "What's wrong…? Are you all right?" she asked kindly.
The beautiful young tennyo remained silent, almost as if she had not heard Sayaka's voice. A drop of crystal tear rolled down from her gold-tinted eyes.
"Hey…" Sayaka called again softly, walking closer towards her. "What's wrong…?"
"Sayaka…?" Suddenly she heard Yuuhi's voice calling her, and the scene disappeared into darkness. Sayaka opened her eyes, and found herself sitting at the Aogiri house parlor. Stunned by her vivid dream, it took her awhile to finally recover from it. She gasped for breath, still in shock.
"Are you all right?" Yuuhi asked, as he caressed her hair gently and sat down beside her.
She nodded as she tried to regulate her irregular breathing. Yuuhi smiled bitterly. Then he looked away towards the garden. His eyes gazed out blankly in silence.
Yuuhi… what's in your mind…?
"How is Tooya…?" she asked softly.
He turned to look at her, quite taken aback at her question. "It will take time for him to recover completely." He mumbled softly. She could almost hear a tone of despair in his voice. "I… couldn't do anything for him…" he said again, as his palm closed into a fist.
But then he felt Sayaka's warm hands around his and enclosed it in hers. Startled, he turned and looked at her. Feeling his despair and helplessness at the moment, slowly, she drew herself closer to him, and enclosed her arms around his broad shoulders. Coiling his arms around her small figure, he pulled her close and closed his eyes. His restless spirit suddenly felt more at ease, and he felt… almost serene.
Sayaka's heart felt as if it had been torn to pieces as she realized that she had caused Yuuhi this much pain. She didn't know why exactly she had picked up that phone and told Mikage Kagami that Aogiri Suzumi is out and guarded by no one, at her father-in-law's home.
"Yuuhi… that boy… He doesn't need anymore pain…!" She remembered Suzumi's words in their last encounter.
"Daijobu… Yuuhi…" she said softly, taking his face in her palms and looking into his eyes. "Everything will be all right…"
Sayaka… Yuuhi looked into her eyes and smiled. Only you… can ease my mind… He leaned closer and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you…" he said softly as he tilted his face closer and kissed her lips.
Parting her lips slowly, she kissed him back and closed her eyes. But… do I really… love him? She pulled him closer into her embrace and guided his head to lean on her shoulder. And as she opened her eyes, suddenly her eyes caught a familiar figure standing in the gardens. It was the figure of her brother, Akira.
Akira stood there silently. Then he smiled bitterly. Sayaka couldn't comprehend what was in his eyes… disappointment? Sadness?
As his figure slowly disappeared from her sight, she could have sworn she heard his voice amidst the cold breeze that suddenly swept the room. Goodbye… Sayaka-chan…
* * *
Tennyo…
Is it a curse…?
Or a gift…?
Suzumi felt a cold hand brush against hers as the binding straps were released from them. The visor headpiece that enclosed around her eyes was slowly lifted up from her head. And the first person she saw as she opened her eyes was Kagami, standing not too far in front of her, watching her intently as the scientists hovered around to check her vital stats.
"Blood pressure is stable… reflex is normal… She's all good and done for today."
Kagami nodded off to his scientists and they retreated, making way for him. His hands pulled up a wheelchair and motioned Suzumi towards it. "Doozo… Aogiri Suzumi-san." He said coldly.
As she lifted herself up towards the wheelchair, she could feel that there was almost no strength left in her body, as always everytime she did this test. She could no longer remember how many times she had been doing these tests. But she knew that if this kept going, it could most possibly cause her death. She leaned back quietly onto the wheelchair, quite puzzled that Kagami had chosen to wheel her out personally today.
The wheelchair glided smoothly on the perfectly leveled floor. The creaks of the wheels could be heard making a rhythmic squeak every few seconds. She remained silent when she realized that Kagami is not taking her back to her room, but has now stopped in front of the elevator.
"You're very quiet today, Aogiri-san." Kagami's deep voice broke the silence.
She paused before replying to his remark. "I'm not sure I have much to say to you, … Mikage-san."
"Honesty. I like that in a woman." Kagami chuckled in amusement as he pushed the wheelchair into the elevator. Suzumi's eyes caught him pressing his right palm flat on a small blank scanning screen that was on top of the elevator buttons. A violet ray moved downwards, scanning his palm, then, she saw a tennyo crest symbol glowed in it as he removed his hand. Then the elevator hummed to life an started ascending.
"Where are we going?"
He replied to her with silence. The elevator came to a stop and as the door opened, she found herself being wheeled out to an enormous hall, glittering in all its splendor. Suzumi gaped in awe over the masterful artwork that decorated the hall. Then, her quick eyesight caught a glimpse of a round marble table sitting in the middle of the room. It was then that she realized that the vast space before her was a shrine. And the round marble table in the middle, was an altar.
"What is this place…" Suzumi muttered softly, almost afraid of asking in fear of what answer lies beneath the question.
"I wanted to share my vision of the future with you." Kagami said as he walked off past her, treading on the oddly-shaped carvings on the floor that Suzumi couldn't visualize in its entirety. He stopped in the middle of the shrine, and turned around to face her. "This is where the perfect world will begin."
Getting up on her feet with much effort, Suzumi dragged herself unsteadily across the room. She looked up and saw that the ceiling was lined entirely by a mirror that reflected whatever is underneath it. As Kagami pushed a switch that was in his hand, Suzumi's eyes widened as she saw the violet glow emitting from underneath her foot. And reflected from the mirror above her head, she could now see clearly what the carvings on the floor were.
The tennyo crest.
"The four perfect manas will merge their power in this shrine and break open a dimensional gate." Kagami said, his eyes gleaming lustfully at the ideal idea of his perfect world. "The world will no longer be what it is. We will be united… with heaven."
Kagami's words felt as if it had struck a sweeping blow onto Suzumi's knees. Her body sunk, collapsing towards the floor, but to her surprise, Kagami's arms were fast in enclosing around her, holding her back up.
"You're… insane…" Suzumi uttered with a look of horror on her face. "Why… are you telling me all this?"
Kagami's arm coiled tighter around her body, and then he smiled. "Aogiri-san… I'm offering you a chance to be with me when this world becomes reality." He replied, and then paused. "Tennyo…" Kagami's voice hissed softly as he edged his face closer towards Suzumi's.
Breaking away from his grip, Suzumi slammed towards the glass window, shaking her head vigorously. "The world will come to a tragic end, Mikage! Is that what you call an ideal world?"
Kagami's eyes suddenly gleamed in a strange glow. He was silent for a moment upon her blatant rejection over him. Despite the obvious frustration reflected on his face, somehow he managed to keep his regal figure calm and composed. "Tell me, Suzumi-san…" he started to speak again. "Am I a perfect man?"
Suzumi's eyes glowed in the hue of gold as Kagami's question was tossed at the tennyo self inside her. She replied only with silence, and a fierce gaze in the silent moment.
"AM I NOT A PERFECT MAN!?" Kagami roared at her, slamming both his fists onto the thick glass window, locking her around his arms.
"Physical and genetic perfection is not enough, Mikage-san." Suzumi answered coldly. "A perfect heart makes a perfect man, in which you possess no such thing."
At those words, Kagami's sanity popped. He grabbed onto her wrists and slammed her onto the floor. Horrified, Suzumi screamed as hard as she could, only to find her screams muffled by Kagami's mouth on hers. Completely taken by shock, she sunk her teeth onto his lip and tasted blood.
Kagami pulled back as the sting of Suzumi's bite had made him bleed. "A perfect heart, eh? I'll show you what kind of a heart I have!" he hissed as he pinned her down on the floor and forced her legs open with his knees.
No! Suzumi felt Kagami's palm choking her mouth. She closed her eyes, and felt everything around her spinning. She has no more strength to fight him. As the pain thrusted again and again into her, tears rolled from her eyes, as she saw her husband's face, looking at her. Kazuma-san…
Kazuma-san…
* * *
Running through the Mikage building's hallways, Sayaka's heart was pounding hard. Not in anything else but fear. Oniichan… what's happening to you…? That was twice she had seen her brother appeared before her eyes in a surreal form. All this time she had held on to the hope that her brother will return to her… that her life will be back to normal, to what it used to. She stormed towards Kagami's room, ignoring the assistant who tried to stop her.
"Where is she!?" Sayaka stormed through the door. "Where is Freya?!"
"My, my, what a fiery temper you have…" the back of the big chair that was facing Sayaka turned around and revealed Freya sitting there with a smile across her face. "How can I help you today, little Sayaka?"
"You promised you'll give me my brother back! You PROMISED!" Sayaka screamed.
Freya stood up, and walked towards Sayaka. "Is there a problem, my dear?" she asked softly.
"Hmmm…" Suddenly Mikage Shiso appeared from behind her. He swung lightly around Sayaka, looking at her intently. Sayaka's eyes was now fixed upon the being whom she used to know as her brother. But now… he is now… "Such a beautiful face as yours should not reflect such agony." Mikage smiled and touched Sayaka's face gently.
Sayaka tilted her face away from his hand. "What have you done to Akira? What have you done to my brother?"
Freya smiled and walked towards Mikage and Sayaka. "Shall we tell her?" she asked as she leaned on Mikage's shoulder, gazing at him with sleepy eyes.
"Tell me what…?" Sayaka asked, her heart beating harder as she heard Freya's mischievous remark.
"Or…" Freya said as she floated up into the air playfully. "Let's have her do one more thing for us… yes… you'd do that for us, won't you, sweet Sayaka?"
"For your Akira…?"
* * *
Alec watched silently as the scientists zipped up the body bag with another C-Genoma subject that failed to sustain her life. As they wheeled the body away, Alec was left in silence. His fists trembled at the realization of how many of the C-Genoma had died ever since the Project started. The one he just saw was the twenty-second.
"Kagami-san! You must stop this! Eighty percent of the C-Genomas have died… and the rest are not showing signs that they will sustain more testing!" Alec had yelled at Kagami as he slapped the report onto Kagami's desk earlier. "You must stop… killing all these innocent women!"
But Kagami remained silent, as he flipped through the pages of Alec's report. "And what of Aogiri Suzumi…?" he finally asked.
"She… she's stronger… than regular C-Genomas. Aogiri Suzumi… is most definitely a type A as well." Alec said. "But… her vitality is dropping as well! She will die just like the rest of them if you don't stop!"
"And her mana?" Kagami asked again.
"Kagami-san!"
"Her mana… Alec! What's the status on that?"
Alec paused for a moment, then finally replied heavy-heartedly. "Ninety… one percent… complete…"
"Make sure she lives through its completion." Kagami replied coldly, dropping the report back on his desk, then got up and exited the room.
Alec walked through the hallways, staring blankly into the air. I can't… live… like this… He felt his head spinning. My sins… are unforgivable… Then, as he felt his head started to spin more and more, and nausea creeping up his stomach, he ran out towards the nearest exit door and dashed towards the roof for some fresh air. He dropped down and leaned back on the railings that faced the cityscape of Tokyo.
Feeling a little bit more refreshed, Alec got up and turned around. His eyes looking at the beautiful city, glimmering in all its splendor upon the glamorous sunset. Then, it all suddenly boiled down into one thought. No one has to die anymore… He thought, as his hands grabbed on the railings all of a sudden. I will atone for my sins… with my life… Then with determination, he climbed up onto the railings, and gazed down below towards what looked like an endless fall unto shattering pieces. He could hear the echoes of the cars honking down below. And the breeze howling at his ears.
"Kami-sama…" Alec closed his eyes and prayed softly. "Please forgive me…"
As he released his balance into a fall, suddenly he felt two little hands grabbed onto him and pulled him back. Instead of falling down towards the concrete, he crashed back onto the building.
"What do you think you're doing, Dr. O'Howell!?" Sayaka grasped onto his collar, shaking him vigorously, her eyes wide in panic.
Startled at who had stopped him from his ultimate freedom, he pushed her away and scampered back towards the railings. "Sa… Sayaka…!" Alec exclaimed. "You don't understand! Just… let me die and this will all be over!"
"Baka!!!" Sayaka yelled with tears in her eyes. "How could you even think of doing this? Do you think it will all be over just because you're gone?!"
"Because of my weakness… it's all because of my weakness… I can't fight Kagami… I'm a useless weakling…" Alec's words turned into soft sobs, and he started shaking like a frightened child. "And they all died… because of me… My hands… are evildoers…" Then he buried his face on his knees.
Sayaka looked at the kind doctor. She crawled closer towards him and touched his shoulder. "Who was it that always stood up for me against Kagami…? Who was it that always cared for me and my well-being…? Are you going to leave me all alone now in this madness…?" she said softly, taking both his hands in hers. "It's my hands that are stained with sins and betrayal… but these hands, your hands… possess the power of goodness in them… they are not evildoers…!"
"Don't give up… don't give up yet, Dr. O'Howell… onegai…" she said softly, as she looked into his eyes with tear-welled eyes. "Just as I won't ever give up for my brother… for Akira…!"
Alec stared speechlessly at the person in which he only knew as his C-Genoma subject. A seemingly weak and quiet girl, but yet she possesses such a strong will and belief in her. As he felt Sayaka hug him, he took her in his arms. "I won't give up… I won't give up for you, Sayaka… I promise…"
* * *
Sayaka sat alone inside the living room of the Aogiri house. It was hours past sunset, and it was now dark outside. Her body felt weak, after enduring another test that brought her one step closer to the completion of her cloning. She sighed softly and her mind reverted back to her conversation she had with Kagami earlier in the day.
"Sayaka." Kagami said coldly, as he stood in front of the elevator door that had just parted open..
"Kagami-san…" Sayaka answered his cold greet. "You wanted to see me?" She said as she walked out of the elevator, brushing past Kagami's arms and avoiding his eyes.
"Congratulations." Kagami smiled. "Your mana is one step away from completion."
Sayaka kept her silence and leaned forward towards the glass window. One more step towards my freedom…
"How is he?" he asked, suddenly appearing beside her. His question was referring to Yuuhi.
Sayaka turned around. She looked like she was going to say something, but then she hesitated.
"Don't be foolish and naïve, Sayaka. Falling in love with him will bring you nothing but sadness in the end. Think of your brother." Kagami said, touching her shoulder and guiding her towards his office. "We have some matters to discuss… here's what we want you to do next…"
Sayaka stared into the wall in her silence. Her inner self was struggling with one another of each side. I can't do this… but… She grasped on her skull in frustration. Kami-sama… help me… After a long struggle in silence, she finally opened her eyes. Reflecting a blank stare in her azure-green eyes, she stood up and walked out silently.
…
Setting down the teapot on the table, Sayaka remained silent. Her eyes moved towards Aya, who was finally smiling again after days of nothing but tears. Tooya, who is still in the state of recovery, sat silently, pampered by Aya.
Silently, Tooya noticed the odd glow in her eyes. "Sayaka… how are you?" he asked kindly.
Startled by his sudden question, Sayaka almost spilled the tea on the table. But her hands quickly regained its hold steadily on the cup she was holding, and she set it down gently on the table. "Aa… heeki heeki…!" Sayaka replied. "Tooya-san wa?"
"I suppose I'll manage…" Tooya replied.
Sayaka smiled, but it was a bitter smile. As she set the cups towards Tooya, and another one for Aya, she turned to look towards the other side of the room, where Yuuhi had been sitting by the window silently, staring out into the night. She poured another cup of tea, and held it in her hands for a moment, gazing into it intently. Then she finally stood up and went towards him.
"Yuuhi…" she said softly as she set the cup in his hand and touched his head gently.
Yuuhi turned to look at her, and smiled faintly, as if he was trying to let her know that he'll be fine.
Something is wrong with her… I wonder… if her brother… Tooya thought. "Sayaka… your brother…" Tooya suddenly said, looking at Sayaka.
Sayaka turned abruptly in shock at the mention of her brother. So did Yuuhi. "Oniichan…?"
"When I fell from that building… I saw your brother… and he spoke to me…" Tooya said. "He showed me things I couldn't understand… I was hoping you could…" but before he could finish his words, suddenly Aya collapsed onto the floor, interrupting his words.
"Aya!"
"Oi! Aya!!!" Yuuhi exclaimed, getting up went towards her. He took her body in his arms and started shaking Aya vigorously. "Aya! What's wrong!? Aya!!!" he yelled repetitively. But then as he was engrossed in Aya's condition, he didn't notice Tooya until he suddenly collapsed as well in front of him.
He turned abruptly to Sayaka. She had gotten up from where she was, and is staring down at him. He couldn't comprehend the look in her eyes. It looked like a cold stare… or… sadness. "Sayaka…!" he exclaimed. But then, a sudden heaviness descended upon his head, and his vision started to blur, and he collapsed face down onto the floor.
"Yuuhi…" Sayaka muttered with trembling voice. "I'm sorry…"
Still conscious, Yuuhi looked up with the last ounce of strength he has. He could only see Sayaka's figure in a blur, but the bitter truth had sank into his knowledge, and it was almost like he heard something broke deep within. His heart. No… it's not true…! Sayaka… would not… betray… me… He reached out his hand to touch her feet, but she stepped back away from him, until finally, he lost consciousness completely.
With trembling hands, Sayaka extracted a cellphone and dialed a number. "It's… done…" she said into the phone. And within minutes, an group of men broke into the house and filled the dining room area.
Kagami walked in after them, followed by Wei. Kagami smiled victoriously at Sayaka. "Good work. For a moment there I almost doubted you." He said. "Take Ceres. Leave the two." Kagami ordered as he used his foot to flip Yuuhi's motionless body around. "And get the child."
As she saw Wei proceeded towards the hallway and returned with a crying baby in his arms, her heart broke into pieces. She sunk on her knees by Yuuhi. Her fingers touch his head gently and ran her fingers in his hair. I do… love you… Yuuhi…
But now…
… it's all over…
"Sayaka." Kagami called out to her. Then he casually tossed a handgun towards her. It clattered as it slid by her hand. "Finish the job." He said calmly, then proceeded out of the house.
Sayaka looked at the gun by her hand. Then she looked at Yuuhi's motionless body. If I do this… Oniichan… will finally be free… She reached out towards it and held it point blank on Yuuhi's head with trembling hands. Closing her eyes, the images of her brother fleeted in front of her. The laughter and tears shared with her one and only Akira. The way his eyes would look at her with so much love everytime she walked in the door, his smile, his dazzling green eyes…
But then, Yuuhi appeared in her vision. And all the memories flashed back before her eyes since the first time she saw him at the station, she had always loved the honesty and clarity reflected in his eyes. His full-hearted laugh, and his kind smile.
Her head started spinning, and she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.
As the gunshot echoed in the darkness, breaking the silence, Kagami turned around. And he waited patiently. Soon, he saw Sayaka's figure emerge from the interior of the house. As she walked towards him, she dropped the gun that was still in her hand.
Kagami smiled, and put his arm around her as he guided her away.
"Good work, Sayaka." Kagami said softly. "I knew you
would come through."
Sayaka's eyes were blank, as if no soul lived in her anymore. And she walked
off into the darkness with Kagami.
Yuuhi...
====================================================================================
to be continued…
