When all was said and done, Kanade was almost pleased how few things she had on her bucket list. She'd never dreamed of travel, of riches or of fame. Most of her youth had been focused on art, and on dreams of Yukino, in some form or another. She hadn't reached her professional goals in quite the way she expected, but she wasn't ashamed of the work she'd done, of how she'd spent her time.

And her dreams of Yukino had been fulfilled a thousand times over.

So there were a few last trips around the country - back to Tokyo, and back to Hokkaido, even if returning brought them as much sorrow as nostalgia. And there were long walks along the beach, and dinners at their favorite restaurants, and every kind of treat or delicacy they could think of... although Kanade couldn't help but notice that Yukino's appetite was visibly declining as the days went on.

And at night, most nights, there was being together, making love slowly and gently, recapturing in some small way the white heat of passion they'd had all those years ago.

They bribed the pharmacist for a second dose of the euthanasia pill - it wasn't uncommon for elderly couples to want to go together. And after a bit of research, Yukino found what she thought would be the perfect way to take it.

So as the sun went down one last time, they worked on a final dinner together, with roast duck and potatoes, rich soup and garlic bread, music and wine and candles and stars and a fire in their fireplace.

And at the end of the meal, two perfect chocolate cakes, dusted with sugar and cherry sauce, each containing a ground pill.

They each devoured the dessert, both exclaiming over how delicious and perfect it was, even as they both realized that there was a bitter, medicinal taste that all the sugar and chocolate couldn't quite hide.

The pill was slow acting; they had enough time to change into pajamas and climb into bed, a gradual warm euphoria taking hold and dragging them down towards sleep, and beyond.

And so they found themselves laying together, facing each other, each with an outstretched hand intertwined between them.

A last thought flashed across Kanade's mind as she sank deeper and deeper, and she spoke to Yukino, who already had already closed her eyes.

"Yuki-chan... I don't know what's going to happen next, but I thought... I was thinking reincarnation, with you, might be nice..."

Yukino didn't answer, but smiled and nodded, her eyes still closed.

"But, I was also thinking... perhaps next time we don't have to be sisters? It would be so much simpler if we... just had a normal relationship next time. Perhaps you could just be an ordinary boy and I could be the girl next door and we could meet and fall in love the usual way, and... and that would be nice..." she trailed off, closing her eyes.

Yukino smiled wider, and opened her eyes, leaning across to kiss Kanade one last time before settling back into position. She shook her head.

"Kana-chan... you... you're so silly! Don't you realize that, if there is such a thing as reincarnation, we've already been through this? And you've already asked me that before? And I've already told you what I'm telling you now... if I have any power to change how things go, we'll be together in this exact same way. Forever. Because..." She stopped, and yawned, and closed her eyes again.

"Because I'm just too selfish, and I could never bear to be away from you like that, not for any length of time. If it's up to me, Kana, we will always start together, from the very beginning, and end together, just like this. And everything else... none of it means anything, as long as... as long as I'm with you..."

She stopped speaking, trailing off into nothing.

Kanade kept her eyes closed, and whispered back, almost too low to hear. "Ok... ok, Yuki-chan. Whatever happens, I'll see you on the other side."

And they slept, and dreamed, and waited for what came next.

Together.

End