I updated on schedule for once! This is unheard of! This is also a really short chapter...

Alright, serious now. Next week will be the last update of MCWaMB! That's right, it's coming to an end! And I have no idea when the next story's gonna be!

Enjoy!

Crush Seven: Devored

The boy I had a crush on... was eaten by his monster!

...Come to think of it, today's the last day of summer vacation. I heard your voice. And the monster laughed. Laughing with your voice, it stuck its hand out to me.

"Hey, wait! Is it really you?"

"Yes! It's really me!"

You and I joined hands, ready for our first day of second year.

XXX

Toushirou went flying into the air and was enveloped in Hyourinmaru's maw.

I stood there for a moment, processing what I just saw, before releasing an agonized wail. I collapsed to my knees, holding myself, digging my nails into my sides.

"Why Hyourinmaru?! We cared about you! We never neglected or abused you or anything! We fed you and played with you every day! WHY?!" I howled helplessly. I fell forward, bumping my forehead against the ground but inable to really care.

The dragon slithered over to me, nuzzling my back. I flew up into a sitting position and swatted him away.

"Get away from me, you disgusting monster!" I screeched with blind fury. "How the hell could you?! Why?! Enlighten me!"

The dragon's wings drooped. I raked back my hair with my fingers, a new wave of grief overwhelming me and making tears cascade down my cheeks.

"I don't understand." I sobbed. "Why? Why'd you do that? How could you eat him?"

The dragon purred and approached me, nuzzling my scalp. I pushed him away again, falling onto my back rather painfully.

I stared up at the sunset. I wouldn't be able to do take care of Hyourinmaru, not properly at least. I'd grow to resent him for making Toushirou into dinner. And if there's anything I learned from Toushirou, it was that resentment towards and animal only bred resentment for you. I wasn't willing to put myself in that sort of danger, but I still had the responsibility to take care of him.

I moaned and covered my puffy eyes with my arm. I remembered that it was the last day of summer vacation, and it brought along another typhoon of agony. I'd have to go to school without my best friend.

I thought back to Toushirou's last words and it made me start crying all over again. He liked me too, I think. He wouldn't have gotten so frustrated otherwise, right? And the way he was looking at me-

Kami, Karin. Quit flattering yourself.

"Toushirou," I sobbed, limply laying in the grass.

"Aw, I'm sorry Karin. I didn't mean to make you cry." Toushirou's voice whispered in my head. I moaned pathetically. I was going going mad.

"He's dead, you moron." I sobbed.

"Not really..." said his voice. I moaned and cried. I guess this was the denial stage.

"Karin, humor your insanity for a moment and look up at me."

I did, humoring my delusion.

Hyourinmaru was a couple meters away, half of his huge body partially erect and his wings tucked to his side. He extended one, and with the tip, stroked my cheek. I gasped with surprise.

"O-o-o-oh Kami, i-is it really you?" I choked.

It laughed with Toushirou's voice. "Yes, it's me! I won't hurt you!"

I sobbed and held the tip of his wing. "H-how? How's this possible? You were eaten! You shouldn't be alive, let alone talking!" I blubbered.

"I don't know. I guess it's just part of Hyourinmaru's life cycle. It's not like we know a lot about him." Toushirou said through the dragon's body.

I nodded, raking a hand through my hair. I didn't know what to think about this. On one hand, he was back! My crush was back! He and I could talk and play and be a bunch of dorks again! On the other hand, what would we tell our friends and loved ones? Toushirou would disappear from the public, and he was popular. People would notice. And taking him away from his human life would be cruel. He could become resentful or depressed or something my hysterical mind wasn't thinking of at the moment, and I didn't want that to happen to him. And what if I moved and couldn't care for him? It's not like he can just go to the store and grab a bite to eat!

"Karin, calm down. This isn't your problem." Toushirou leaned his big head forward and pressed his snout against my lips. "If it helps calm you down, I'm still very much infatuated with you."

I hiccuped and kissed his giant mouth.

"This is my problem alright? I'll take care of this. You're free to do whatever you wish. You can run the hell away and you never have to see me again, or you can come and see me whenever you want, or whatever else you think up of. Just don't worry about it." He cooed.

"Are you sure? I'm willing to help you. I'm just worried about a situation that's out of our control." I wiped my wet cheeks.

"I'm happy about that. I really am." He used his giant maw to kiss me. I stroked his jaw and he purred. "You need to go home, though. School starts tomorrow."

I nodded, silently crying.