The final chapter.
Warning: No happy ending, but the ending is here.
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It has been years since then. Here I am on my bed with a fever and all I can think of is Asato. Maybe if I did something different, then it wouldn't have ended so tragically. The sisters wanted to send for the doctor but I said no, it would only hurt more to see him.
I must be delirious I see a man standing by my bed... and somehow I know he isn't human.
"Who are you?" I am surprised at how calm I sound.
He comes closer and I see he is not alone, but his companion stays in the shadows unwilling to intrude.
"We are Shinigami. We are here to serve your summons."
He is telling me I must die.
"But I have so much to do... the children."
"I'm sorry. I really am but it is time."
I sign in resignation. "I failed them, just as I failed my dear sweet Asato." Bitterness creeping into my voice. I never thought I could say his name in bitterness but I just did.
"Asato?"
"A boy I once took care off." I release a breathe which takes away the bitterness.
"We should be going." His companion calls and he does bother to hide the irritation in his voice.
"Sister Ruka. you mean Tsuzuki Asato?"
I look at this Shinigami. I nod unable to say anything else.
"Would you like to see him one last time?" He asks gently.
"Would I?... Can I?... Please... Yes!" Please god let me see him.
"Kanoe!" Calls out an offended voice. His partner in the shadows.
'Kanoe' offers me his hand I take it. I will be with my Asato.
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I expected to go to heaven.
I am surprised to find myself in a hospital room. Wait, it's not even a real hospital, this is a house, serving as a clinic.
"He's alive!?" I cry out in surprise, as understanding dawns on me. "Asato- kun!?"
'Kanoe' points to a bed in the far end. I go to see the still figure. Eyes open staring out into space. Eyes I know so well.
He's not aware that I am there.
He's here and yet at the same time he is not.
I hear someone else come, I thought it was Kanoe's companion but I turn to see that it is the doctor.
"Muraki Sensei!?"
He doesn't hear me either. He goes to Asato.
"You told me he was dead!" No wait he didn't. He said that Asato had gone to a place where no one could reach him anymore. I had assumed that he was dead and I thought we would be together, only to find that he was alive. All this time he was alive. All this time...alone.
"There is also a summons for Tsuzuki-san but some power is holding him back."
The doctor turns Asato's wrist over and I see so many scars on his wrist. Scars on scars.
"He's tried to kill himself several times before." Kanoe tells me.
"Oh my Asato!" My heart breaks seeing you like this.
The doctor is writing in his journal.
"Is there nothing I can do for him?" There is a hope in me that just won't die.
"We really should be going now Sister Ruka."
I leave them my poor dear sweet Asato and all the rest of the children. I pray someone else will watch over them with more capable hands than mine. I had once thought the doctor had those hands but now as I watch them...
"Goodbye Asato." I whisper.
Was it just my imagination or did he look straight at me for a moment?
I turn to go, there is no turning back.
OWARI
-------------------
Sorry if you wanted a different ending. You could still write your own story right?
Warning: No happy ending, but the ending is here.
------------
It has been years since then. Here I am on my bed with a fever and all I can think of is Asato. Maybe if I did something different, then it wouldn't have ended so tragically. The sisters wanted to send for the doctor but I said no, it would only hurt more to see him.
I must be delirious I see a man standing by my bed... and somehow I know he isn't human.
"Who are you?" I am surprised at how calm I sound.
He comes closer and I see he is not alone, but his companion stays in the shadows unwilling to intrude.
"We are Shinigami. We are here to serve your summons."
He is telling me I must die.
"But I have so much to do... the children."
"I'm sorry. I really am but it is time."
I sign in resignation. "I failed them, just as I failed my dear sweet Asato." Bitterness creeping into my voice. I never thought I could say his name in bitterness but I just did.
"Asato?"
"A boy I once took care off." I release a breathe which takes away the bitterness.
"We should be going." His companion calls and he does bother to hide the irritation in his voice.
"Sister Ruka. you mean Tsuzuki Asato?"
I look at this Shinigami. I nod unable to say anything else.
"Would you like to see him one last time?" He asks gently.
"Would I?... Can I?... Please... Yes!" Please god let me see him.
"Kanoe!" Calls out an offended voice. His partner in the shadows.
'Kanoe' offers me his hand I take it. I will be with my Asato.
-------------
I expected to go to heaven.
I am surprised to find myself in a hospital room. Wait, it's not even a real hospital, this is a house, serving as a clinic.
"He's alive!?" I cry out in surprise, as understanding dawns on me. "Asato- kun!?"
'Kanoe' points to a bed in the far end. I go to see the still figure. Eyes open staring out into space. Eyes I know so well.
He's not aware that I am there.
He's here and yet at the same time he is not.
I hear someone else come, I thought it was Kanoe's companion but I turn to see that it is the doctor.
"Muraki Sensei!?"
He doesn't hear me either. He goes to Asato.
"You told me he was dead!" No wait he didn't. He said that Asato had gone to a place where no one could reach him anymore. I had assumed that he was dead and I thought we would be together, only to find that he was alive. All this time he was alive. All this time...alone.
"There is also a summons for Tsuzuki-san but some power is holding him back."
The doctor turns Asato's wrist over and I see so many scars on his wrist. Scars on scars.
"He's tried to kill himself several times before." Kanoe tells me.
"Oh my Asato!" My heart breaks seeing you like this.
The doctor is writing in his journal.
"Is there nothing I can do for him?" There is a hope in me that just won't die.
"We really should be going now Sister Ruka."
I leave them my poor dear sweet Asato and all the rest of the children. I pray someone else will watch over them with more capable hands than mine. I had once thought the doctor had those hands but now as I watch them...
"Goodbye Asato." I whisper.
Was it just my imagination or did he look straight at me for a moment?
I turn to go, there is no turning back.
OWARI
-------------------
Sorry if you wanted a different ending. You could still write your own story right?