My last chapter in this story. I was hoping to end this the same way I had started, but over the time, my style of writing changed, as did where I wanted the fanfic to go. This is probably the fifth or sixth version of this final chapter, and this is the only one I've felt anywhere near comfortable posting. So, here it is: the conclusion.

Final Chapter: Sakura

We come and go, inevitable as the dawn. The United States President, Abraham Lincoln, once described a story in which a ruler asked his wisest men to create a sentence which would always be true. The statement was "And this, too, shall pass away." Nothing in this world lasts. Everything dies. Even the mountains, with all their pride and majesty, shall eventually be worn down by the winds and rain.

It is for this reason I find nostalgia such a curious feeling. We often classify it, lay it out as such, and move on. But if we waited a few minutes and let it wash over us like a warm summer breeze, would we see something new? Would it be pure and innocent and hopeful? Would it be something so utterly despairing that it would break us completely?

Truth be told, I don't have the answer, any more than I could answer that question so often asked, 'what if…?' I just know that each time I look back and remember that day and night, I will remember those three hearts. And as I gaze at the twilight outside my window, I remember my own.

Takaki woke up with a headache. He was, amazingly, in his own apartment. He sat up and instantly regretted it. His headache seemed to redouble, becoming a pounding throb. He also felt as though he needed to throw up quite badly.

He arose and went to the restroom. He looked in the mirror and saw a sagging face with sunken eyes. He must have hit the bottle harder than he had thought. Turning the faucet, Takaki felt his face for the stubble. He felt some slight growth, but nothing more than a day or so. He splashed some cold water on his face and felt his blood start to flow a little bit more.

A knock came from the door. Takaki contemplated not answering it, feeling that he had a perfectly good excuse for not satisfying this particular person's interest. The knock came again, and Takaki continued to splash water on his face. However, in the end, he could not just leave whatever poor soul it was out in the hallway waiting for him to answer before leaving.

He answered the door and was surprised to see a hand holding two cups of what smelled a lot like fresh brewed coffee. Attached to the hand was an arm covered in a business suit. Staring further up to the face found the man he had been drinking with last night. He stood with a small grin on his face.

"Glad to see your landlady is an understanding woman. I was a little worried that she was just going to leave you outside in the cold," he said. He held out one of the coffees. "For the headache. I am not entirely sure if you even drink it, but this and a lot of water normally help with the hangover."

Takaki was not entirely sure what to say. He was guessing that he had gotten quite drunk and that Damien had needed to drag him back to the apartment. He had never lost himself like that, not through college or hard jobs. He fished in his pocket, trying to find money. Cabs were practically extortion in Japan, and Takaki felt bad about it.

He hoped also that

Damien smiled knowingly. "I did some dumb things in college. I can normally tell when someone goes overboard."

"I didn't…do anything stupid, did I?"

Damien gave a small smile. "Don't worry. I got you home before you did anything too strange." He leaned in a bit closer and held his hand to the side of his mouth in a conspiratorial manner. "But for future references, if you're going to drink to forget, pay in advance."

Takaki felt a bit of color rising to his cheeks. He wondered how much he had drank last night. It was true, though. He had been aiming to simply slip into a silent oblivion where he could lose the world, not think about truth or consequence.

Damien took a sip from his coffee, raising his eyebrows at Takaki, who did the same. Damien talked some more, but it was mostly wasted. Takaki was still dealing with his headache, but moreover was worried about what had happened. He had wanted to just slide away, not worry about anything. In the last few moments, he brought up memories of Akari from his childhood. As Damien continued to talk, likely more for practice than anything, his mind wandered.

He wondered what she was doing. As pretty as she had been as a teenager, he was sure she had become a beautiful woman. She had probably settled down, found a good life, and was enjoying peace of mind. The question that haunted him, of course, was 'what if.' He had wondered for a long time whether or not he should have tried harder to keep in touch with her. And then another face edged its way into his mind. Kanae. She had been a good friend. He felt a slight edge of sadness that he had never been as good of a friend to her. He wondered about her, as well. She had been a cheerful and comforting spirit. He hoped she had followed whatever road in life she had eventually chosen for herself.

He felt his nose running a bit and sniffled. He began to look for any tissue that might have been lying around. It took him time to realize that Damien was not talking anymore. He was instead looking at him with a concerned expression. It took Takaki a moment to realize that the reason he needed a tissue was because there were tears on his cheeks. He tried to stammer out an apology.

Damien seemed to ignore him and stared at his watch instead. "I think I am going to be late for a meeting. Thank you for listening to me, Tono-san." He looked at Takaki a bit, and then said "I'll see myself to the door. Take care."

This left Takaki with a great deal of gratitude toward the man. As he left, Takaki managed a smile and nod at him, which his new associate took in stride.

As the door clicked shut, Takaki began to look about, feeling better about what was going on. It was more important that he press on with his life. Something told him that the best way to remember his old friends was to do honor to their memories and see his life through to the end. It was a small voice in his mind, but it was speaking with conviction. After all, what would it say of his past if he allowed his life to spiral down into something meaningless and jaded?

Maybe he could solve it all like he used to do: by writing to Akari. He almost laughed at the idea. He had no idea where she had gone or what it was she was doing. Still, why not? He had read entire novels in which the main characters said not a word save what they had written in letters. Of course, most were confusing, but then it was hard to understand the human heart when it was simply poured onto a page with only thought for what the one person receiving it would think.

He sat at his desk. It needed to be cleaned, but he was able to find a pen among the rubble. He opened a few drawers before finding the stationary he used when writing letters to correspond with his parents. He sat, and for a moment, simply stared. He had heard that some painters could simply look at a blank canvas and see a painting. From that picture, they would simply fill in with paint and color what they already knew to be on the canvas. He looked at the blank piece of paper, and he saw the emotions and desire, but the words were lacking.

Still, the easiest way for him to start writing was to simply start.

Dear Akari…

Akari smiled at the kind old man who told her where Takaki was. She realized she was lucky. There were probably a lot of people who had been trying to find their way to Takaki. It was only by chance that she had a friend who worked at the publishing company who was able to get him the address.

The two women walked into the elevator and waited as it went up. Akari had chosen to wear her green dress today, where Kanae was in jeans and a tee shirt. The contrast between the two was only more evident by how the held themselves. Akari stared wistfully at nothing in particular, while Kanae continually found something to occupy her hands with. The elevator was slow, like it was hesitating on her behalf, or trying to draw out her anxiety. Akari would never admit it, but her heart fluttered as obviously as Kanae's was. It was a chance in a lifetime.

The elevator finally gave its ring. Both women stepped out, Kanae very focused upon her shoes. Akari was smiling as she walked into the hallway, and looked at the numbers, figuring out where to go. Figuring it out, she moved down the hall, with Kanae following suite.

Akari and Kanae noticed that there was a man leaving what they thought to be Takaki's apartment with a clipboard under his arm. He had a small smile on his face, and he shook his head as he left. He was clearly not Japanese, and carried himself in an almost dreamlike state. Akari thought he looked vaguely familiar, but dismissed it quickly.

As he passed the two women, he casually took notice and bowed to both of them. Neither of them noticed him look back as they approached the door, cocking his head to the side, puzzled. Nor did they see him smile and duck into the elevator. Kanae turned, as she thought she heard something he had whispered, but the elevator door closed and the chance was gone.

"Hey, Akari-san…I'm not sure about this."

Akari smiled. In the short time she had talked with Kanae, she had noticed that the woman had a tendency to be shy. It was a small wonder, considering she was a celebrity. She instead held out a hand to the flustered woman.

"Come on. We are both his friends."

Kanae looked at the hand for a minute. She was taken back to where she had sat with Tono-kun under the stars and wondered about her future. She understood now why Takaki loved this woman. She had a way of understanding others that was almost uncanny. She was so caring, even to a complete stranger like Kanae, who she now took in like a long lost sister.

So she did the only thing she could. She grabbed Akari's hand. Together they approached the door. Kanae's breath caught as Akari reached for the door to knock.

Akari herself was not sure what to expect. She had never been sure whether it had been her or Takaki who had stopped sending the letters first. It had been something she had never really forgotten about. They had a connection, but despite that, they had drifted apart. Perhaps distance and time could not make up for emotions, no matter how strong they were. But this was a section of her life she had not resolved, a chapter she had never finished. The letter she had wanted to give to Takaki all those years ago was sitting in her pocket. She fingered it idly, wondering what she would do with it. What were the odds that he had someone in his life right now? Would it just make things worse?

Kanae held her hands together. She wondered idly if she should say a prayer, but then the thought of who she would pray to. She just hoped that if anyone was listening, they would grant her the courage to continue. For a moment, she wished she was out on the ocean. Out there, everything made sense. There was only her and the waves, nothing complicated. She either would catch the wave and ride it to the shore or she would not. In a way, that should have been what she was thinking now, but she knew in some way that it was more important than any wave she had tried to ride thus far.

Neither of the women were entirely sure about what to do, but they had come this far. Akari sighed, then set herself and knocked on the door.

A voice inside came back, saying, "Just a moment, please."

There was a sound of shuffling from inside, and the same voice asked, "Did you forget something, Rose-san?"

And the door opened.

For a moment, none of them said anything, and there was a blank look as each of them looked at each other. Each wore an expression of half reorganization, as though someone coming home for the first time in years. In a way, that is what it was.

Seconds that were minutes passed. As each of the friends regarded each other, the blank looks begot glimmers of recognization.

"Akari…?"

And Takaki looked past her at the other figure.

"Sumida-san...how?"

Akari smiled. He had changed so little. Kanae was trying her best not to look awkward, but the blush on her cheeks was a giveaway.

Kanae managed to clear her throat of whatever was blocking it. "May we come in, Tono-kun?"

Takaki was in sheer disbelief. Here were two of his friends who he had thought lost, and both were standing in front of him. He let them in, and was unsure how to react. He found himself offering them tea and anything he had to eat, which wasn't much. Both of them sat making small talk with each other and occasionally looking his way. He scrambled about to get the things. He wondered how it was they had found him.

"Takaki, we heard you over the newscast," Akari said.

Takaki wondered if she could read his heart. It was like a long time ago, when they were children and they would even be able to finish each other's sentences.

Kanae mumbled something which Takaki couldn't make out. She was still staring at the ground. There was a faint nudge from her side as Akari pushed her gently with her elbow. The surfer glanced up, blushing furiously.

"Thank you for mentioning us. We…I was very appreciative."

Impressively, she turned redder than she had been before. Akari smiled at her, and then moved back to Takaki.

"I enjoyed hearing about your success."

Now Takaki felt himself blushing, but also grinning like an idiot. It had been so long since he had even heard Akari. Now, being with her again, he wondered. He finished the tea and moved over to the small couch and pulled his desk chair. There was a smell of wheat as he poured the tea. He then pulled out a small bit of the coffee drink that he remembered Sumida enjoyed. She looked at it and smiled, glad that he remembered.

Just then, she felt her phone ring. She silently cursed herself for leaving it on. Looking at the number, she saw it was her sister. It was probably better not to avoid this call. Taking it out, she started to talk.

"Yes…hi, sis. Yes…just, hold on a second." She put her hand over the receiver. "Sorry about this. My sister says she needs something. Takaki, do you mind if I use your balcony?"

"No, go right ahead."

Kanae walked out. "Yes, I know, sis. Of course I fed him! I thought I told you I was busy!"

For a few long moments, Takaki and Akari simply sat, staring at everything but each other. It was awkward, having not seen each other in so long, but still feeling a tug of a connection that neither time nor distance would separate.

Akari was the first to speak, and she poured every bit of her will to make her voice not waver.

"I was wondering if we would ever meet up again, you know. It has really been a long time."

Takaki nodded, smiling. "The last time we saw each other was at that train station. It took me hours just to get there because of the snow."

Akari laughed softly. "And when you did get there, they closed the station right away."

"And we ended up under that tree…"

There was a pause as they both remembered. For each, that had been the first kiss they had ever received. It was a fond memory, but as distant in the past as they were now from that tree.

Deciding a change of topic was in order, Takaki asked, "So, tell me about what life is like for you now. Don't leave anything out if you can. I want to hear all about it."

Akari started slowly, speaking about her job, her friends, then about her experience in high school and college, not to mention her love of reading. Then, as she went on, they began to talk to each other as they once had. Takaki spoke of how he and Kanae met after clubs and rode home together; Akari spoke of meeting her co-worker Miyuki in college. As old friends do, they spoke of older times, when they were both younger, of people they had both known, and of old stories they both remembered.

"So, Akari, have you met anyone?"

"Huh?"

The question was something Takaki had wondered about. She was a beautiful woman, just as he had thought. Plus she had avoided mentioning anything after he said that he had had no luck with his previous girlfriend.

"Well…I'm married, but we have been…separate lately."

"What? Why? I can't imagine anyone leaving you."

She shook her head, a sad smile on her face. It felt so natural to be talking to Takaki again, almost as though they had never been separated. It was this, she decided, that had been missing in her life. She loved her husband dearly, but with Takaki, it had always felt like they were two parts of the same whole.

"I think I was the one who left him. I didn't even mean to, really. I love him, but I felt there was something missing."

She looked at him. Takaki felt himself go red. He wondered if she was talking about him. He wasn't sure how he could respond to that. In the end, he supposed it was just talk, but it meant something too, didn't it? So he took a small breath.

"What do you think was missing?"

Rather than responding, Akari stood up, moving toward him. She leaned down, and Takaki became painfully aware of just how beautiful she was. She moved until her face was right before his. They stared into each other's eyes, and though neither knew quite why, both came to a conclusion. This was what they needed, more than each other, was closure. Both had tried to move on with their lives, each one looking back at different times, and making them unable to press on. Their eyes both closed, and their foreheads gently collided. Both smiled at the simple sense of completion.

Akari moved back, and kissed Takaki lightly on the forehead.

She smiled at him.

"I think I've been missing my best friend, Takaki."

He laughed a bit at that.

"I think I've been missing mine as well, Akari."

For a moment, they simply enjoyed the presence of the other person in the room. Their friendship would not be the same; it could never be again. That was not to say that something new and wonderful could not come forth from it. In their hearts, they both knew that they could probably move on, having seen each other this one last time, and never need to look back.

Akari, fiddled in her pocket for a moment, then took out a small pink envelope. She handed it to him. He looked at it and recognized her handwriting from a long time ago.

"I wrote that for you before we met that last time."

He hit himself in the head with the envelope with a slightly embarrassed grin. "I wrote one for you too, but I lost it. I didn't think we needed it after that night."

She smiled. "You're probably right. Still, it was for you."

Suddenly, they both heard shouting from outside. Apparently, Kanae's conversation had taken a turn for the worse.

Akari smiled at Kanae. It was her turn.

"I think I should be going, Takaki. I have work in an hour, and I need to get to the station."

Takaki was disappointed, but understood. They embraced before she left, and they both bid the other well on their endeavors, and Akari wrote her number down, telling him to keep in touch. As she left, Takaki smiled, then sighed and turned to Sumida.

She was finished, and looked more than a little annoyed. As she stepped back inside, her annoyance shifted to embarrassment again. She blushed and quickly sat down.

Takaki felt that something was slightly off, so he tried to break the ice a bit.

"So, Sumida, how did you decision go? I remember we talked about what you had wanted to do after high school."

Kanae mumbled something that Takaki could not quite make out. When he asked her to speak louder, she blushed and raised her head to speak.

"I never did, actually. I started doing amateur surfing, and eventually, I qualified to go professional."

"Really? That's amazing. I sort of wish I had kept up with my kyudo. I'm not even sure I could shoot straight anymore."

Takaki began to realize that he never had talked to Sumida as much as he could have. It was harder to find something to talk about, though they did both remember the launch of the space probe, remembering it. He also remembered it was a time he had remembered because of what she said. Five kilometers per hour…that was how fast it moved toward the launch site. He looked at her, seemingly with new eyes. She was certainly attractive. He wondered idly why it was that he had never talked to her before in high school. Of course, the answer had walked out the door before.

Kanae was having trouble. She had never truly gotten over Takaki. It was one of the reasons that she had never dated anyone, aside from the fact that her job kept her busy and moving. Takaki was still handsome, and had the same kind, soft voice that she had grown accustomed to when riding home with 

him. She had never worked the courage to tell him how she felt about him. She was determined this time around, though.

"Tono, I…"

He looked at her, face still so kind. It was that kindness that had frightened her before, but somehow she found it reassuring this time around.

"I was wondering why it was you became a writer. I always loved surfing. When did you decide to write? I figured you would do something technical."

Takaki actually laughed out loud. It surprised Kanae, but she found herself smiling at him. It was nice to see him happy. She was not sure she had ever seen him truly laugh, though he had always smiled nicely at her.

"I don't know that it was ever a choice, really. I did do technical work, but I hated it. I needed an outlet, something to create. Writing just seemed like the most logical course."

Kanae, for some reason, didn't feel as nervous as she had just before. It was the same as when she told him that he was not sure what tomorrow would bring. Somehow, following their dreams made Kanae feel closer to him.

"What about you? You made it to the professional level as a surfer. What is that like?"

The young woman smiled. "It's incredible. You can feel the wave, and when it's just right, it feels like being in touch with God. It's so powerful, and could crush you in an instant, but instead it just pushes you along." She grinned up at him. "I also got to travel the world. I never thought I was going to leave that town."

"It sounds like a great life."

She nodded, then a thought came to her mind.

"There is something missing though."

He looked up at her, curious. It had been so long since they had talked, he felt like whatever she said, he wanted to help.

"I don't really have anyone to talk to. Except my sister, but she has to try too hard to balance me out with school. It's a lonely trip most of the time."

Takaki smiled, but before he could respond, Kanae jumped up, full of the energy he remembered her having.

"Hey, Tono-kun," Kanae said with a casual smile. She scribbled something down on a piece of paper. She held it out to him. "This is my cell number and E-mail. Be sure to keep in touch, ok?"

Before he could respond, she went to the door, her face still red. He looked down at the number. He heard the door creek open. He looked up to see Kanae again. Her head was hanging slightly.

"Did you forget something?"

She started to shake her head, then stopped, and nodded. She walked up to him, head still down, and then grabbed the front of his shirt. He noticed there were drops of water on her hands. He remembered that: tears, like Akari had shed when they met again.

He started to reach for her, to ask her what was wrong, when her face came up. He felt a soft touch on his lips, a feather light kiss. Though he should have, it never struck him as something Kanae would do. She parted, looked at him, with her face still rosy red. He looked down at her, at a loss for words, with more questions than anything. Before he got the chance, she was out the door again, leaving him with his thoughts.

Kanae ran out with a wistful smile. A long time ago, she had thought that she could never be on the same level as the woman who had been receiving those letters all that time. However, she felt that now, after all these years, life might be better for it. It was not where she was, but where she could go. If Takaki wanted to aim for the sky, then she would fly to be that point he would aim for. The kiss had been a sign of her determination.

She mused on that thought as she entered the elevator, then giggled at a thought. Perhaps she should be the one doing the aiming, after all.

At the ground floor, she walked out and saw Akari. She waved as Kanae approached.

"How did it go?"

To respond, Kanae smiled and blushed. "I think well. You?"

Akari smiled as well. "It went well. I need to call my husband. I think I'm ready to move on with the rest of my life." Looking back at the other woman, she smiled. "I hope he is too, because there is a wonderful woman waiting for him when he does."

Kanae's blush grew deeper, but they both laughed as they moved outside. The sakura petals drifted down, and they both looked up and caught a few with their hands.

Takaki sat back down to his computer, looking at the screen where his letter was still sitting. Despite it being only a few minutes, that last meeting had changed so much. He thought about what he would do with it. He had just barely started it, and it looked so very disappointing.

Dear Akari,

Hello. It's Tono Takaki. I'm not really sure why I'm writing, actually. You've probably moved on with your life by now. Maybe you've found yourself a nice husband, settled down, and live a wonderful life. I sincerely hope so.

That was all he had so far. A wind rippled through his window, setting the drapes fluttering. A few cherry blossoms blew in. He looked at them, and smiled, small tears coming to his eyes. He held the blossom, and rubbed the tears away. He looked at the page, and wondered. He placed his hands on the keyboard, and started to type.

Do you ever wonder? Do you wonder about what might have been? I still feel that the connection we had was something that was meant to transcend time and distance. I think it is safe to say that I love you, but I'm still not sure what that means. I feel that what we have is something other than lovers, closer than brother and sister. We are a pair, you and I. Our hearts were one.

But now, things have changed, haven't they? We've changed. Our hearts have grown apart. Mine grew cold. I sought for hope in the wrong places. It wasn't until a few years ago. We did cross paths, didn't we? Those train tracks that had separated us. You didn't wait, but then, neither did I. Our lives have gone on.

Akari, I still care for you. Over the years, that is one thing that has not changed. We have always had something that is difficult to define. I think I always hoped that it would carry me through. I want nothing more than to never again be disconnected from you, and though time may separate us, I want us to be able to remain together through whatever we choose to do. I hope we both find our paths crossing at those tracks again.

With love,

Takaki.

Takaki looked at the letter. On paper, it was short. He felt that it was longer in his heart though. He wondered for a moment, and realized in that solitary moment that he had too long held onto a pain in his heart that served no better purpose than a poison. The happiness he had felt as a child was not gone; it had simply been masked by his sorrow and isolation. This was good, right? He rolled his mouse over the send button, and paused. He moved the mouse over the close button, and hesitated again. What should he do? He looked at the still unopened letter Akari had given him. It had been years since she had written that, but he wondered…

For a moment, his finger hovered over the button. Then his hand came off and instead moved up to make a fist, which he rested his forehead against. He smiled, a tear moving down his cheek.

"I'm an idiot, aren't I?" he whispered to himself. He looked at the screen, then went back to work on the keyboard. As he finished, he took the mouse and moved the cursor back to the send button, hitting it.

The status bar moved and finally, his computer displayed a message. "Mail sent." Takaki Tono, a young man who had spent his time writing e-mails he never sent, stood up after sending his first new letter to Akari. As he stood, he glanced back at the letter Akari had given him. It did not matter in the end, after 

all. Feelings were like people: they changed. In the time of a human life, an empire may rise and fall, but the memories he would make would be eternal. A fluttering caught his eye, and he reached down to pick up the piece of paper with the number Kanae had given him. The touch of her lips against his still lingered.

Perhaps it was time to make new memories, Takaki thought with a smile. Takaki punched in the number Akari had given him, and then saved it. He then entered the number Kanae had given him, and hit the call button.

The phone rang.

"Hello? Kanae? I was wondering if you were free tonight…"

As he walked away, talking and laughing with the girl he had never really known, his screen displayed the last bit of the mail he had sent.

We have drifted apart, falling like those cherry blossoms from long ago at five centimeters per second. I think our lives have been like that. We fall from the same tree, blown by the same wind, pulled by the same gravity, but we drift in different directions as our destiny wills. We never went back to that tree in spring. Would you be so kind as to come with me there? I'll bet it's beautiful, just like our lives have been.

P.S. I think Kanae would like to see it too. We can all go there as friends.

It would be another month before Takaki's book was released. It was a collection of short stories about three friends as they continued their lives. Perhaps you would recognize it if you saw it. Kanae and Takaki ended up traveling together on her next tour, while he wrote his next book. Akari went back to her husband and talked about their time apart, and they both agreed that their lives were only complete together.

The next spring, the three friends met at the cherry tree that Takaki and Akari had seen many years ago. They all agreed that there was never a more beautiful sight. All agreed that they would not forget this moment.

Hold on tight, never let go. We live, we love, and we lose. Time and space have no meaning, and no shadow can conceal a thing when two hearts connect. We all are falling as fast as time wills, five centimeters a second. It will be a lifetime before I forget those three people. A lifetime and more perhaps. One story ended here, but another started right after. And that tale will be for another time.

Well, that's it. Thank you all who read it. I'm still toying with the notion of an epilogue, but I'm calling this the ending for the moment. Hope you have enjoyed it.

-R.S. Pendragon