I appreciate your patience.

read.

Kotonoha stared blankly out at the passing scenery. Her eyes still lifeless; her thoughts still on Makoto-kun. At long last, after two of the longest, hardest months she'd ever had to go through, she was finally going to see him. Her worried parents, her failing grades, the girls who would constantly picked on her; they all meant nothing now. She was to be reunited with her one true love. The only boy she could ever love. It was just a matter of time. All she had to do was wait for her stop and get off the train. It wouldn't be a long walk form there. Nothing would take that long if it was to see him.

She could see the fear in his eyes. He knew this was it. It couldn't have lasted for ever. Nothing ever does. There had to be a hole somewhere, a fault in the plan. There always is, and there it had been; staring her dead in the face. One word that tore asunder her plans, hopes, and dreams as well as their future.

Condemned.

How could it be that one word could hold such power?

Why was it that that word alone caused a complete overhaul of everything she had worked towards? The answer was simple.

Description.

On one of her usual trips to visit her captive lover she spied a notice depicting the condemnation of a certain place she held dear.

The warehouses were being torn down; All of them.

All to make room for more houses. The beach was a good location for summer homes. People would pay top dollar to have a place so close to it, and Katsura Real Estate intended to cash in. It was fitting that her family would lead to this kind of misfortune. Katsura had already taken so much from Sekai, and now, remorselessly, Katsura takes away the one person she fought so hard to keep.

No. If she can't have Makoto, no one can. Besides, if Sekai was caught, who'd raise their child? She knew she had only one option:

Get rid of the evidence.

Only two stops left. It wouldn't be long now.

Her beloved Makoto-kun; so close and yet so far away.

The train stopped by a familiar place. She and Makoto-kun got off at this stop every day to go to school.

"Hagasira Harami! Hagashira Harami!" The announcer chimed.

People got off and even more got on. All of these people had their own places to go; some to work, some to the bars, some to their families. Everyone had a place to be; just like her. Her place was with Makoto-kun, in his arms where she could be safe and stop worrying about her troubles; where she felt at peace.

"You were right. They will find you." She quickly admitted. "Unless there's nothing left to find."

Sekai grinned as she pulled a can of gasoline out of the bag. She began to pour it out all around the empty warehouse. She covered the piles of rotted wood and pipes, she doused every box; emptying the can everywhere only to pull another from the bag to repeat the process.

Makoto was now frantic; trying harder than ever to cut the ropes on the shears lying on the box behind him. For such a long time he'd made little progress. For all that effort he'd get nothing. His only reward an untimely death. He watched as Sekai covered everything; everything but him.

"Mmmhm! Mmmmm!!!!" his muffed voice uttered as tears slid down his cheeks.

Sekai walked slowly toward him; her expression as cheery as ever.

"Make your last words good ones, Ma-ko-to." She said in a sing-song voice as she removed the tape and cloth from his mouth.

"I hope they fry you, you crazy bitch," Makoto said calmly. "but not before our kid's born. That way it can hate you for what you did to me and you can die with everything you've ever loved hating you and without a damn thing in this world ever loving you. God knows I never did."

"Makoto, you don't really mean that." She said before kissing him. "Besides, if you have anyone to blame it should be you." Tears began to form in Sekai's eyes. "You were the one who played with my emotions." she sobbed "You were the one who took advantage of my love for you. You even took advantage of Katsura! Why couldn't you just love me?! Or why couldn't we have just stayed friends?! It hurt, but I didn't want to hurt her for me! You're too indecisive! You've always been! You love Katsura! You love me! You love Hikari! You love Katou! No, I'm wrong." Sekai sighed. "You-you don't love me! You didn't love any of us! You can't love any of us! The only thing you loved is what we let you do to us! You're a monster! You've turned me into a monster! I'm glad you're dying here and now! I'm glad this ends with me!"

Sekai's words were like daggers. Each one of them pierced Makoto's heart; each one so true it hurt. He looked down at his feet. All this time he'd hated Sekai for what she did but the truth was that he deserved it. It was an appropriate end for such a vile creature.

"I'm sorry." Makoto whispered. "Kill me."

"I'm glad, Makoto." She replied, wiping her tears. Sekai made her way to the door, spreading a trail of gasoline as she reached it. "Good bye." She pulled a match from her pocket and lit it. With one last smile she dropped the match and closed the door behind her.

As she continued to walk along her path, she saw her destination in front of her. It wouldn't be long now.

Makoto saw the fire get closer and closer slowly. He wasn't sure if it was really moving that slowly or if it was just his near-death reaction. Whatever the reason, it wasn't coming fast enough. Makoto was tired of living. He was tired of hurting people. Sekai was right, he was a monster. The fire crept along its path and began to engulf the piles of wood and pipes.

Just a little longer.

Wait. What was he thinking? He wanted to die? No. Sure, what he did was wrong, but that didn't mean he deserved to die. If he lived he could make things right. He could make up for all of the bad things he's done. Death can't ever make up for any wrongdoings. Only right actions can. He had to survive. He couldn't let it end like that.

Kotonoha was closer. She was almost there.

"Makoto-kun, we'll see each other soon."

Kanashimi no mukou e to tadoritsukeru nara

Makoto struggled fiercely against the ropes that bound him.

Boku wa mou iranai yo nukumori mo ashita mo

Smoke quickly filled the room and entered his lungs. He didn't have much time. The pain around his wrist got sharper and tighter as he pulled against the rope. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and temples. Heaving and coughing he pulled harder and harder until finally…

SNAP!!!

The bond was broken.

Seijaku no yami ni maiorita yume wa

An exasperated Makoto quickly used the shears to cut his legs free before attempting to stand.

Who...? tsukanoma koboreta oou no hikari

Makoto quickly fell to his knees and began to crawl toward the one door he knew was open.

BOOM!!!

Why...? morosugita sekai todomeru sube wo shirazu ni

An explosion sent debris hammering against Makoto's back.

Tada boku wa negatteta sou boukyaku wo

In terrible agony and inhaling toxic fumes, Makoto continued his trek to the door. He felt his eyes begin to close, but quickly willed them up to about half way.

Kanashimi no mukou e to tadoritsukeru nara

Fatigue was setting in. He began to quicken his pace, knowing well his fate should he stop.

Boku wa mou kore ijou nani mo kanjinakute ii

While nearing the haven he so desperately needed, he noticed his cell phone on his left. He quickly crawled to it and picked it up. That was a mistake.

KRAKOOM!!!

Makoto was pelted with more debris. He could feel his back and feet burn. The sickening scent of burning flesh joined with the smoky atmosphere that made his eyes burn and his throat itch. His arms began to give out. He could feel them quiver under his weight as he continued on. At last, Makoto reached the door.

"Thank goodness." Makoto wheezed as he took one more attempt at standing up. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier; his body, weaker and weaker. He shakily put his hand on the doorknob. His eyes closed. He could feel himself being swept away; away from this hard world, away from all of the pain and problems he and everyone else had to endure. Makoto fell to his knees.

No more suffering, no more pain, peace.

Kotonoha walked toward the boat ready to board it. There, at sea she could die slowly. There was no way Makoto-kun was alive. Everyone knew. It was obvious. Not after two months. He was dead. She had to see him, even in the afterlife; even if she had to die to see him, they would meet again and he could spend eternity with him.

Kotonoha took one more look back at the life she was leaving.

No more suffering, no more pain, no more life, peace.