Recollections
The following day, Hayate and the surviving members of the Clan that had went with him on the assassination returned to the village, announcing that the runaway had been taken care of. Ayane had been in a strange mood ever since that night, Hayate remembered. She seemed content on the exterior that Kasumi was finally dead, but he saw a different emotion deep within her eyes, whenever he looked at her. Of course, she never showed it willingly, but it was clear to him that she was depressed, secretly. Maybe it was because she'd never had the opportunity to truly defeat her sister in battle, and that fact constantly nagged at her. Or maybe she really did still love her sister, whether she was aware of it or not.
Late in the afternoon, Hayate went into Kasumi's old room, at least, the room she used to live in before she ran away. Taking a large wooden box, he sat it on the tatami floor, then placed a few things inside. A Cherry Blossom, a few cherry blossom leaves, a yellow hair ribbon, her favorite soft pink blanket, some ripe strawberries. He added in some tarot cards from Kasumi's older belongings, a few pieces of pink origami, her decorated summer yukata, a small crystal ball. Her favorite things.
He saw a fairly recent photograph of her, in her early teens, standing before a waterfall. He picked it up, gazing at it for several moments. Then he placed it into the box. Next to that picture, he placed one of himself and Kasumi posing together from only a couple years ago. After he'd placed everything inside, he sat on her futon for a few minutes, and sighed, deep in thought. At one point, Ayane had peeked in on him from a shoji screen held slightly open, but she quickly left before he was able to see her.
Some time later, he finally stood, taking the box under his arm. The Clan Leader ventured out alone to the forest, taking the wooden box to the spot where he'd killed his sister. Sure enough, there she lay, like a sleeping angel, despite her bruises. He sat the box down, gazing at Kasumi for a moment. This was truly goodbye...
He crouched down, lifting her frail, lifeless body in his arms. Carrying her to the box, he placed her inside it. It was just large enough to fit her, and all the items he'd placed inside earlier. He reached over, grabbing the lid, to slide it shut. Before he did, however, he took one last, long glance at her face.
"Sayonara..."
He shut it. A few moments later, he set fire to the box, the twigs underneath igniting. Within minutes, the entire box was consumed by the orange flame. Hayate sat down cross-legged, watching it burn as he spent the last moments he ever would with his little sister. Hayate did not move for hours after that, long after the sun had set. He stayed with his sister until the moon had risen high in the night sky, when the fire finally started to die down.
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-Owari