(Disclaimer: I don't own Haibane. If I did, I would probably be sitting in a nice large house with lots of money, not a trailer on my nights, guarding a constuction site!)
A couple of weeks later, Old Home was decorated somewhat sparsely, but still looked nice. Reki had smuggled in a cake and they were cooking beef ramen. It took a bit of work, but they finally got Yami to the eating room. He looked around for a second.
"What the hell?"
"It's for your birthday." said Gin, cheerfully.
"You shouldn't have wasted your time. Another birthday means one year closer to the day of flight, for those of us who get it." Yami stated, darkly.
Gin didn't know what the day of flight was, but he knew that Yami had said something hurtful.Gin stood up, knocking over the empty glasses on the table, and ran out the door. Reki and Oki gave Yami a cold look and Oki ran out the door, hoping to catch Gin.
Gin had made it all the way to town before Oki caught upwith him.
"Don't listen to what Yami says. He has a a dark opinion of things. I guess you could call him a pessimist."
"A what?"
"Someone who has a dark outlook on life."
"Oh." said Gin.
Oki glanced at Gin's wings by chance and noticed the black spot had grown.
'Oh no...' thought Oki to herself.
Gin caught her staring.
"Yeah. It's spread. Yami's a no good self indulgent prat!"
"Gin, you have to forgive Yami, or you won't achieve the day of flight."
"How do you know it's not a myth?"
"So many Haibanehave already left. The most recen ones being Rakka and Kuu. Rakka left just before you arrived."
The stain stopped growing, but it didn't shrink, either. When they got back to Old Home and Gin was asleep, Oki let the tears fall.