~ Day 12- Second Chances ~

Takane waited anxiously in front of the door. Well, she wasn't waiting exactly- she was just uncertain. If she went in now, what would she do? So much was bound to be different from before. There was no more goofy school live, ignored crushes, belated confessions or even the same worries as before.

After the events of a summer that had, technically, only lasted a few days, Takane wasn't sure if things between them would still be the same as they had been two years ago- after all, they had been living as someone else for that time. But now, Takane just wanted to do it right, to tell him and let him know, even if he disappeared.

She opened the door, feeling her resolve give her strength.

He had only just woken up from the state he had been left in after the events of those days, thus he was still very weak. The thin curtains were dancing above his head as the wind smiled in through the open windows. The smell of freshly cut grass, the green scenery outside and the sound of birds singing made the sterile hospital room seem more alive. The heart-monitor sung along with the twittering outside.

Takane sat down in a black plastic chair. Haruka was snoring lightly, his milky hair rustled by the wind as the warm afternoon sun shone on his almost white face. No, she wasn't hesitating anymore. Slowly, she reached out and ran a hand through Haruka's tresses, gently smiling at him.

He blinked his eyes open at the touch, squinting from the light filling the room. "Takane?", he asked softly and the girl in question nodded cheerfully and went to hold onto his hand.

"Hi", she said and brought the palm (warm, warm palm) to her cheek, nuzzling it. "How are you feeling?"

Haruka frowned a little at that. "I think I'm doing okay", he muttered and moved his hand away from Takane, looking away in shame and guilt.

"Hey", the girl began and turned his face back by placing her hand on is cheek, leaning over him to do so. "Haruka. Look at me", she ordered and reluctantly, he did so, looking close to tears. Takane smiled. "I'm happy you're here. Still, again, whatever", she said and sniffled a bit. "And soon, we'll go see everyone else at the base. They're all waiting for you. You're part of the Dan after all."

"I'm not", Haruka told her with trembling lips as his eyes couldn't handle the tears anymore. "I only allowed him to wreak havoc and mess everything up, again and again and again and then again. And I couldn't do anything and I hurt them and each time they just-"

Takane shut him up by using her hold on his cheek to her advantage, lifting his head so that their lips met seamlessly. Haruka did not respond, simply looking at the girl with wide, fearful eyes. Takane grinned into the kiss as she pulled away.

"You're underestimating everyone", she told him, grinning haughtily. "And mostly, me. You know why?" She leaned over him, straddling his waist with her legs. "Because this is the only second chance I'm getting and I'm not letting it go to waste."

"But Takane, I'm-"

"I love you, Haruka. I've loved you since before we became someone else. I've loved you even when you weren't you anymore. And I'll go doing so for the rest of my life, if you're not opposed", she smiled and ran a thumb over the drying tracks of tears on Haruka's cheeks.

"If you're willing to have me...", he chuckled awkwardly and scratched his cheeks.

"Is that your way of saying, 'I love you, too'?"

"You could say that."

A/N: Tired... I wrote this in, like, 30 minutes. Also, this isn't my headcanon of what happens in the end. But it was nice writing this. By the way, thanks for the reviews, just as always. They make my day!