I'm finally back with the final chapter of Crystal Tears! Phew! Really, I'm so sorry that I haven't beem updating lately. I was busy studying for my upcoming exams which will take place next week. Still, I wanted to finish this fic before I go anywhere. I know you all have been waiting for this, So I've been try to make time to get this done asap. So please do sit and enjoy the final chapter of Crystal Tears!
It has been a week. The atmosphere in the Karasumsa Residence was somber as the family are their breakfast. The residents in the house had kept this behaviour up throughout the week, and none of them had barely spoken to each other despite them living together.
Of course, both Karasuma and Irina had tried talking to their teal headed child. As the situation depicts, their attempts were in vain.
It seems that Nagisa had yet to recover from the death of the yellow octopus who was his homeroom teacher for nearly a year. Then again, Koro-sensei's departure from Earth had left a really big impact to the students of Class 3-E. The lively class became subdue, and the two remaining teachers found it hard to cheer the students up.
A distinctive "meow" was heard. Karasuma looked up from his meal to see Kuroh padding up to the black cat purred as he handed it a small slice of his fish to it. Kuroh took a glance at Nagisa, who was silently eating his breakfast. Before Karasuma could react, Kuroh took a leap into the tealnette's lap and curled up into it.
For a moment, Nagisa looked startled. Then his eyes softened and he lifted up his hand and started to pat the black cat, drawing a contented meow from it.
For a brief second, a brief smile flashed across the tealnette's face. His eyes closed as he enjoyed the comfort the old black cat gave him.
Karasuma had searched up the internet about Nagisa's condition. It was found that abused children normally cope with a company of a pet, prefarably a dog or a cat. Kuroh had taken upon himself to be with Nagisa around the clock, though the cat still preferred to roam out at night for mouse hunts.
The two unofficial parents were still worried. The school did give the E class students a week to recover from their loss. But it was time to return to school, and they were not sure whether Nagisa would be up to it. The young assassin may be the one to deal the final blow, but he was also the one who was affected the most among the students.
The clock struck seven. Karasuma for up with his empty plate in his hands. "Irina, the car will be ready in fifteen minutes. Do wash your own plates and leave them to dry beside the sink before leaving."
Nagisa sat under a tree in the E class compounds, absent-minded as he stared at the far distance. It's not that he was lazy, or that he had nothing else to do. He just... felt... empty.
He had realized it long before then, that Koro-sensei had spent so much time in his life. Now that the yellow octopus was no longer in the world of the living, he felt really empty.
His ears picked up the sound of rustling leaves. He knew someone was nearby, and he did not wish to see whoever it is.
And so he got up and ran.
He ran.
"Nagisa!"
He ignored the familiar voice calling out to him, and just kept running.
Tokyo Newspaper XX September 20XX
DEATH BY...?
A few days ago, a body of a woman was found in Minugawa forest. Doctors and surgeons found no signs of external and internal injuires. Upon further investigation from the ministry records, it was found that the woman goes by the name of Shiota Hiromi. After examination, she is proclaimed dead. As it was found that she has no relatives, surgeons were given the permission to perform an autopsy on her. There were no signs of drug intake, nor any signs of SIDS. This is truly puzzling to many doctors around the world, as this woman certainly showed no signs of a heart attack either. Could it be that there is a new sickness plaguing the human race? This is the first case of someone found in this incident. Until further incidents of this kind happens, this case is unclear as of now.
If incidents like this happens to anyone, please do inform the Touou Hospital as soon as possible.
-Katugawa
A few days passed with Nagisa constantly running from any sign of anyone approaching him. It might seem like a very cowardly thing to do but Nagisa was desperate for solitude.
Then it happened.
Koro-sensei came back into existence.
He was not sure when it happened, but everywhere he went, Koro-sensei followed.
When he felt down, he could hear the familiar soothing voice of his homeroom teacher cheering him up, soothing away his worries.
When he went to sleep, Koro-sensei was there, his tentacles wrapped around him in a comforting embrace.
And when he went to class, Koro-sensei was there, cracking jokes and playing tricks on his own students.
What he did not know was that they were just hallucinations, a figment of his imagination... His mind was broken into pieces, shattered from the loss of his beloved teacher.
"Nagisa..." Koro-sensei shook him lightly.
He stared up at his teacher in confusion. "Yes, sensei? Is there anything you need?"
The yellow octopus looked at him worriedly. "You need to wake up, Nagisa."
"Huh?" Nagisa leaned into his teacher's tentacles. "Why? It's better here. There us no sorrow here, no pressure. Nothing is wrong, everything is calm and carefree."
"You still suffer from guilt," Koro-sensei said gently. "You need support, not only from me, but from your friends too."
Friends?
Nagisa struggled hard to think. Who were his friends? How did they look like?
"Remember Karma, Nagisa-kun?" The teacher probed gently. "Remember the red-headed delinquent who is always getting into trouble? Despite his cold and carefree demeanor, he cared for you. He was your best friend."
Karma.
The name rung bells of recognition in his mind.
Who was Karma?
He remembered red hair and equally demonic red eyes.
"Nagisa?"
He remembered a boy with playful behaviour, often playing unsuspecting tricks on his classmates.
"Nagisa?
He remembered the smell of custard and wasabi. It made his yes water.
"Nagisa?!"
He remembered a green-headed girl, accompanied with a blonde and a punk.
"Nagisa!"
He woke up from his slumber. A pair of red eyes staring concernedly at him.
He got up.
"Go away," he said, his voice hoarse. "Just leave me alone."
"Don't run away from me dammit!" The red-headed boy exploded. "Why? Why were you avoiding me the past few days?"
He curled in upon himself. "Please," he whispered. "Just leave me be."
Rough hands grabbed his shoulders. "No!" Karma insisted. "I will never leave you! You are my best friend!"
He shuddered at the tight grip Karma had on his shoulders. He breathed heavily, but somehow still felt suffocated.
"Nagisa..." Karma's voice dropped. "You are not the only one grieving over Koro-sensei's death."
Tears started gathering in the tealnette's eyes.
"I know... you've been having a hard time lately..." Karma said slowly, as if trying not to touch a nerve within Nagisa. "You've experienced something that children like us should not have experienced."
The tears begin to leak down.
"But you have us, Nagisa," Karma said gently. "After you ran away a month ago, Koro-sensei lectures us. He reminded us that we are the E class, that we are not only a class of assassins. He reminded us that as students of the E class, we are a family."
Nagisa buried his head in his hands, trying to stop the tears from falling from his eyes, to no avail.
"So... if you have any trouble, any worries, you can share them with us. As friends, as family, we will help you through them."
Nagisa let out a heart breaking wail. The dam broke and tears fell. A pair of hand embraced him and he leaned into the touch.
"We will always be here for you," Karma whispered. "I will always be there for you... because we are best friends."
"Uwaaaaah! Nagisa-kun~! So heart breaking!" A spectre of a yellow octopus watched the two teenagers from afar. Crocodile tears fell from his face as he observed the scene.
Then he whipped out a large pink handkerchief and wiped his tears with it, a broad smile on his face. "I'm so happy for you, Nagisa-kun. You have a loving adoptive family and caring friends. Live happily, and cherish the love that surrounds you."
It will certainly be a rough path the tealnette is taking. He has yet to recover from his past abuse, nor has he fully accepted the death of his beloved homeroom teacher. But with help from those around him who care for him, there is no doubt that he can go through anything, no matter how hard they seem.
And that's it! The end of Crystal Tears. I may be uploading an epilouge... I'm not sure. Please do understand that I am currently having exams and don't have time to update more. Please do note that after my exams, the only fic I will be updating is When Nagisa Goes MIA. Thank y.k all for supporting this fic, and till then, ja~!
Yours,
BlueSkyBlue,
a.k.a. Otonashi Hayuka
P.S. If you guys want to read a fic similar to Crystal Tears, do check out Assasinated Pain written by DarkSakura. I'm a beta reader for the fic. It's really good, and if I have to admit It, I think it's better than Crystal Tears.