Clannad
The Lost Girl
Note: Not much to say here anymore...But please do enjoy this chapter and the final chapter! :)
Note Note: Actually, there is something to put. For those of you who don't know Japanese(Like me), Aikou translates into 'Love'. (Just a heads up xD)
ALSO: Sorry if the way this chapter looks is kinda weird...The Fanfiction New Documents thing is terrible, and always does what I DON'T want it to. -_-
Please Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy!
Chapter Nineteen – The Lost Girl
Where am I?
What...what happened?
Am I still...
"Aikou!" came a familiar voice. I quickly sat up, and looked around. "Ushio..." I said, standing and looking towards the doorway just in time to see it open...
But it was a little boy whom came in. He was probably six or seven, and something about him looked...Familiar...
Then it hit me. That short, jet-black hair...Those glowing, amber-colored eyes...A smile that warmed my heart...
This was my son.
"Aikou..." I said softly as he closed the door and backed up, snickering. I reached out to touch his shoulder...But found myself going straight through him. It was as if...I was a ghost.
However, he must have felt something, because he quickly spun around, and looked straight at me, confused. He squinted his eyes, and was obviously trying to figure out what he had felt...
And then, the door swung open, and Aikou turned around. "There you are!" came Ushio's voice, and I stood up and...There she was.
She still looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was a bit longer than before, and was tied back into a ponytail. She was wearing an apron, and looked as though she was pretty angry.
"Come on Aikou! You're going to school, and that's that!" Ushio said. I was surprised to hear her talk like that, and found that the shy girl I had once knew was no more...
But I guess I could understand. If I really am dead...There probably wasn't any other choice for her.
"But-" Aikou began to say, but Ushio interrupted, "No 'buts'!" Aikou sighed and slowly walked up to Ushio, hanging his head in defeat. "You need to hurry up now, or you'll be late"! Ushio told him, and he muttered something, then ran past her down the hallway.
Ushio sighed, and I walked up to her. "Ushio?" I said. She obviously different hear me, but she turned and looked around the room, and, for the first time, a look of sadness came onto her face.
"Tokoi..." she said, "This was supposed to be our room." I raised an eyebrow, and wondered if she could see me...But Ushio let out a small laugh, and said to herself, "Look at me...Still talking as if you're right here..."
But I am right here! I thought irritatedly. I reached out for her, but she turned and left. I'm...I'm right in front of you! I... Then, suddenly, I blacked out, and stumbled over. What the hell? I thought, my vision returning, but my legs feeling weak and wobbly.
What's going- I began to think, before slipping into the darkness once again...
"Are you going there today, Ushio?"
"Yes...everyone else is coming today too."
"Everyone? I thought most of your friends moved away?"
"They all really wanted to come...After all, it's the sixth anniversary since that day."
"That is true...Well, tell that brat I said hi for me, alright?"
"Okay, I will!"
The conversation echoed through the darkness, and I recognized the voices to be Ushio and Akio. Sixth anniversary...It can't be...
And then, suddenly, a bright light erupted through the darkness, making me flinch. I held my hands out in front of me, and then, after my eyes adjusted, I saw a scene in front of me that took the breath right out of me...
Ushio...Yurino...Risha...Nyou...Dr. Chaan...My grandmother(whom had Mr. Koumura in front of her in a wheelchair)...Kyou...Sunohara...a woman with long, silver hair whom I didn't recognize...And many, many others...They were all crowded around something.
Stepping through the crowd, I saw three gravestones. And, seeing what was written on them brought tears to my eyes.
There was one for my father...One for my mother...And in the middle was mine.
R.I.P - Byuka Konoda
1986-2023
A kind and graceful man
R.I.P – Nanami Konoda
1987-2008
A beloved mother whom was lost before her time
And then, in the middle, the one I had dreaded to see...
R.I.P - Tokoi Konoda
2006-2022
A loving and caring father, who put others' hearts before his own
Everything was deadly silent. My dad passed away just a year later...? I thought, mixed emotions spreading through me...
Only then did someone suddenly clear their throat and say, "Well, who would like to say something first?" I turned and saw that it was Yurino who had spoken...But his voice was unrecognizable, as it was a little deeper and much rougher, which matched his looks.
Beside him was Risha, who was looking down at the ground, clutching his hand tightly. Nyou was beside her, obviously fighting back tears from the sight in front of her. Then...there was Ushio, who stepped forward.
She looked down at my gravestone for a few moments, then turned towards everyone and opened her mouth, as if about to say something...
But, instead, she merely broke down.
Falling to her knees, she brought her hands to her face and wept. Nyou quickly ran over to her side, and tried to comfort her...But it didn't work.
I clenched my fists tightly. No...Ushio...This isn't what I wanted...
I didn't want you to feel any pain...
I wanted to be by your side...
I gave you a promise...
"USHIO!" I yelled, and she looked up, and turned her head towards me.
"I'm here, Ushio! You don't need to shed anymore of your tears for me. I love you. That's all you need to know! My heart was in two...And you made me complete! Please Ushio...This isn't how you are. You're passionate and caring...And I want you to raise our son to be that way as well!"
There was no doubt about it to me now. Ushio could see and hear me now.
I walked up to her, and Ushio stood. She reached out to me, and I grabbed her hand. "Tokoi..." she said softly.
I moved in close to her, our faces touching, and I whispered into her ear:
"Thank you, Ushio."
And something warm began to grow my heart...But it continued to grow warm, and eventually became burning hot. I stepped back and clutched my chest, wincing. "Tokoi?" she exclaimed worriedly...
And we both watched in awe as a small, glowing orb emerged from my chest. "What..." I trailed off, and Ushio held out her hands, and the orb gently settled down onto them...
Then she smiled warmly at me, and said: "Tokoi, this-"...But she stopped, seemingly frozen in place...
And everything began to give way to a flurry of white. "Ushio!" I said, reaching out towards her, but passed straight through her. She was the only thing left in the middle of the whiteness, but she too slowly disappeared...
And then, a soft, gentle voice suddenly began to sing:
"Dango...dango...dango...dango...dango daikazoku.."
"Ushio?" I said, and, in the blink of an eye, I found myself looking up at a white ceiling, with Ushio leaning over me, her eyes closed..
I was in the hospital.
She opened her eyes, and looked down at me. She smiled, and said, "Hello, Tokoi."
I quickly sat up, looking around wildly. I brought up a hand to my head, which was throbbing intensely, and wondered if everything I saw before was real...
Then I set a hand gently onto Ushio's cheek, and couldn't help but grin.
Even if it wasn't...This is definitely real, I thought, and she brought me forward into an embrace, and began to sob.
"Tokoi...I thought you were gone..." she said. I held her tightly, and told her:
"I'm not going anywhere...I gave you a promise, didn't I?"
She nodded, and we moved back, staring at each other for a few moments.
"I love you, Ushio."
"I-I love you too, Tokoi..."
To be concluded...
Last Chapter – Smile(The End)