Chapter Text
”I want you to keep on living…
The words resounded like a gong in Nene’s head as white noise seemed to fill the eerie silence of the void between them.
He wants me to live? Such an obvious answer to such a dim question, but the disbelief left her flabbergasted. The truth was so simple, so pure, and yet this was the result of it. Hanako didn’t even talk to her, he just thought that leaving her here in this picture perfect world where No. 4 would forever sit in her tower; surrounded by the oil paints to fill in the gaps of this world to be played out like a picture book.
The whispers gently stirred in her head,
It’s like a movie, isn’t it? Yes, a perfect movie where Nene could live out the rest of her days in. It sounded like the perfect solution to her current problem didn’t it? Yeah, it was the perfect solution indeed; and yet it felt so wrong.
Discomfort started to broil in her stomach, twisting and turning like a snake writhing around. The faux light from the moon caught her attention and she turned to look at the full celestial body. Whatever light it was, fake or real, the tension melted. Gently as a fluttering petal in the wind, she touched Hanako’s hand.
“Hey, the moon is at its closest point yet!” She said, her frail voice gained the strength she had so suddenly lost. Fueling her to push forward through the turbulent waters; she wouldn’t leave him behind. They were in this together, after all.
Touched by the words of a dead boy, no more an echo of the distant past, she found the courage to squeeze his cold hand. Nene wanted to bask in this moment forever, where this soft light colored the world before them had been willed to stop, even the clouds stalled.
Here, together in this tiny world, just the two of them were here. Yes, if the oil paints were to fill in the gaps of this picture book it would be wonderful. But it wouldn’t be the same without Hanako here with her.
With a small smile she turned to look at the boy who still sat upon his knees, those eyes that matched the moon were still staring into the cloud at their feet. It was a shame, those eyes who always looked up to the sky in life were now trained on the ground in death. She wanted to see those eyes upturned once more.
“You know earlier… Tsuchigomori-Sensei told me that when humanity first made it to the moon, everyone started to think that everything that seemed impossible could still be achieved.”
Still holding onto his limp cold hand, she turned to face him. The beige skirt of her school uniform swirled around her enchantingly. When carmine eyes found him, Nene felt elated to see his downcast gaze was finally looking up.
But instead of looking at the moon, he was looking at her.
“How about we just go together, to the moon!”
Those amber eyes were filled with awe and wonder once more, but Nene didn’t know it was directed at her.
“I want to keep on living in the real world! Next year, the year after… For the next ninety years!” Her words were filled with hope, hope that he would finally see reason and let them all go back to the real world. That true happiness could not be achieved in this still painting.
“Dear Hanako-san, Hanako-san... “ Nene chanted, clutching his hand between hers as she knelt on her knees with him and bowed her head as if in fervent prayer.
“Would you please grant me my wish?” Her lips nearly brushed against his knuckles, but what she did not see was how Hanako kept his eyes trained on her, as if she would disappear right in front of him, swirled back into the colors of the dirty water of those oil paints used.
Yes, just the two of them in a world that had begun to already crumble. As she slowly closed her eyes in that time, her wish was already granted.