"Should I stay or leave?"

Alice covered her mouth in shock. "Shun...it is you! You have no idea how hard I was looking for you." She stepped back and stared at the person on the movie screen. "I'm sorry for never asking you for your side of the problem. I'm sorry for running off and giving you the silent treatment. It's my fault."

"I forgive you, but it's my fault, too. I should've told you everything from the beginning instead of sticking around you like a spy. I know we both faced family problems at the same time, and all you and I wanted was to be with our families. Everyone just left me so suddenly that I was scared to lose you, so I pushed you away." He took a deep breath and smiled. "You're still the same little girl that met and fell in love with."

"Little girl..." Alice cried in joy as she heard Shun call her by the one and only nickname that he gave her. It feels like nothing ever happened, yet so much has passed and changed. "You never meant to hurt or leave me in the first place."

"Not at all. From the day I first met you, I knew this was going to happen. It's like something that runs in the family, but I didn't say. All I wanted was to be by your side at all times to protect you. What you went through on this 'day' is only a fraction of what I'm expected to forever do."

Alice couldn't help but blush when she remembered their first conversation. "You wouldn't stop talking about how in middle school, there was a ghost that roamed the hallways to make sure the students are in class. But if your mother passed away and your father left, then who's your legal guardian? And what exactly do you do if the four events I covered were a mere fraction?"

Shun let out a long sigh as he remembered what happened to his father, but he continued anyway. "My grandfather's my legal guardian and retired. Back then, whenever I had spare time, I'd renovate the house. It was until one day when I finished the house that I realized it had supernatural powers."

"Do those supernatural powers include appearing and disappearing out of nowhere and doors that lead to different dimensions? That means that I'm in your house right now..."

"You could say that. With a lot of practice and the materials in the library, I was able to find four people who could help me while finishing what my mother never was able to finish. Those four people are Suguru and the others."

"One perfect family, right? Even if this family isn't real, I envy you for that."

"Technically, we really aren't a family. The first person I met was Suguru, whose former name in a former life was Gabriel Jones."

Alice took out the message from the type writer. "That explains why the message on the typewriter that he preset and mailed to me has that name on it."

"Exactly. His special ability to materialize people, places, and things in his mind. By reading a short article or a long diary, Suguru's able to create a world for those lost souls to get help from. I only call him 'uncle' because he's like the younger brother of my substitute mother...

"Shinji has the ability to create objects that act as a medium between humans and souls. The train set is one of them. He's like my younger brother, but he sees me more like his mentor because I'm the one who taught him how to build things...

"Shiori's a very talented medium who was a former high priestess, with the ability to predict the future. She predicted that I'd visit her in her mansion without anyone telling her, but she also predicted that I wouldn't come because of the snowstorm. I know she's not my real mother, but they look so similar...

"Shona used make paint for paintings for a living. She uses her artwork for communication between the worlds. Impressed by her ability, Shinji and I agreed build her a beautiful house for her to display all her work in, which is why she has those annual art fairs. She's like the older sister that I always wanted."

After hearing everything that Shun explained, Alice was so speechless and shocked. "I'm...amazed. You did all this for me?"

He nodded weakly. "I admit, using this method to apologize and have you forgive me isn't the best, but this is the only way for me to tell you what you're really dealing with. Would you rather live simple life or take a huge risk?" Even for Shun, asking a question like that took a lot of courage, for Alice wasn't just a simple acquaintance to him.

As for Alice, she didn't plan on answering that just yet, for she had a question as well. "Between the two of us, is it still a two-way street?"

"Do you still want it to be a two-way street?"

Alice's eyes filled with joy as she heard Shun's reply and burst into tears. "Thank you, Shun. Thanks for everything that you've-"

Suddenly, a rumbling sound resounded throughout the room and then the entire house. Alice and Shun's communication faced technical difficulties and began cutting off. "Shun, what's going on? Don't hang up on me!"

"Alice, I forgot to tell you that the House is going to materialize in another place soon. You have to decide on whether or not you decide to stay with us or go back home."

Stay or leave? I don't know how to answer that question. Faced with a dilemma like this, Alice felt herself falling apart after things between her and Shun just cleared up. "Is that the reason why you won't be in class on Monday? Why leave at a time like this?"

"Actually, a great-uncle of mine passed away as well, and his will said that my grandfather will inherit the dojo. That means I'm moving away, and I'm really sorry for not telling you this. This time, I agree with Grandpa, because I get to be closer to my extended family. This house has no purpose anymore, but trust me, everything that I did for you wasn't fake at all. No matter where I'll be, I'll still look out and take care of you."

"So you'll still be by my side no matter I stay or leave?"

Shun smiled one last time and replied, "What do you think?"

Debris fell down rapidly on Alice, who finally made her decision. "Shun, thanks for telling me everything that you felt. I wish you could've told me earlier that you were moving so that we didn't have to go through so much pain. These past years together have been really memorable, and I'll always remember you."

Shun took a deep breath, and Alice knew he was expecting her to say that. "I understand. Take care. Maybe we'll see each other again next time."

"Until next time." Once Shun's face disappeared from the screen, Alice took out the memory card and ran outside as fast as possible with the camera, documents, and video footage. However, four people stopped her at the front door. "Suguru...and everyone else. What are-"

"Take this." Shinji put the 'fake' snowflake key chain that he created in Alice's hand. "See you next time." Suguru, Shona, and Shiori waved her goodbye, and Alice was completely touched by their words.

"Thank you...thank you, everyone! I'll miss you all!" Alice made a dash outside and fell down on the grass. She turned around and saw that she was on an empty lot of grass again. I guess they really left...I'll see you all again soon. Especially you, Shun. Until next time.

-x-x-x-x-x-

The next Monday in AP Calculus, Alice sat in her seat as she worked on homework for another class. A couple of minutes later, the warning bell rang, and students immediately rushed to their first period classes. When the first period bell rang, everyone in Alice's class had settled down.

It wasn't until the teacher came in and took attendance that Alice noticed Shun wasn't here. "Over the weekend, Shun Kazami moved away, so he now attends a different school. For those of those of you who had him in your group for the poster project, please see me after class."

Alice looked at her snowflake key chain etched with the characters SK1000. None of this was a dream at all. When will you be back? She stopped daydreaming and looked at the board.

It was all too real to be true. Although she learned her lesson a little too late, Alice learned it the easy way, the way which will make her remember all the bittersweet events that she went through to reach the end. Including forgiving Shun over even the tiniest and not-so-important issues.

But what he's up to is another story.

...

~FIN~