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The rain has gotten stronger than before. Countless people passing by from one another, umbrellas staying high covering them from the sky’s weeping, washing away someone’s pain and tears that weren’t visible thanks to it.
Rio dragged herself to a familiar tombstone, a place where her lover rested for the last time without anything to worry, without having to fear that someone’s going after her and Rio.
“… Sorry I’m late…”
Rio fell on her knees and held onto the tombstone with her hand that she reached out before. Grasping for the air, one hand kept putting on the pressure onto the gunshot wound on her hip, the whole body shivering from the cold.
Sakuramori Kaori , is what is written on the tombstone; the name of the blonde’s lover. Rio smiles in front of it despite the pain being visible from her breathing. She needs to smile and pretend like nothing happened so the other one wouldn’t worry about her so much up there, right ?
Rio dragged herself closer to the tombstone. “I came, Kaori-chan. Sorry for being late, shits happened but I made it here.” Rio said. “I apologize for coming to see you while I got covered in blood, I wasn’t planning to get shot but, you know, they won’t finish what they started ‘till they kill us both.”
Rio leaned herself to the tomb. She breathes in while her mouth mutters a curse as she pressed the wound. The blonde-head slowly raised her hand, only to see red-blood covering her whole palm, shaking non stop as it succumbed to the coldness. “… God curses the Evils” Rio muttered.
The girl stares into the sky. She lets the rain pour down on her. She slowly closes her eyes, wishing for the rain to wash away the pain she carries, while tears that dwell with the raindrops fall from the corner of her eyes.
Old memories start to flood in. In the past, right before all of the bad things one could imagine happened, a loving couple dances under the rain, barefoot on grass, dressed in wine red-colored dress.
They kept dancing in the rain together. The smiles they wore that day made it seem like the world gave these two nothing but happiness; something that they yearned for, that they longed for.
“It’s been a while since we danced carelessly like this,” Kaori said. “I feel… Happy. I feel warm, I wonder if it’s because I’m with you, Rio-chan?”
Rio smiled. She said, “You feel the same as me, Kaori-chan? It looks like our hearts were already in unison, resounding each other’s feelings.”
The couple stares at each other lovingly. From her eyes alone, Kaori could feel the flame of love and desire burning inside Rio. It was burned and it made the silver-head feel safe, and feel warm despite the rain kept coming down onto them both.
Kaori pulled herself closer to Rio, resting her head on top of the blonde’s chest. The warmth spreads to Kaori’s chest, all making her feel safe, so alive, and all calm.
“I could fall asleep inside your embrace, while having my ears listening to the very best of your heartbeat, too…” Kaori whispered. “I’m so glad that I have you by my side. I’m thankful for meeting you.”
Kaori stares right into Rio’s face and smiles. “I love you. Everything about you, your hands that protected me, your lips that kiss mine, your eyes that only stare at mine, and your heart that belongs to me…” Kaori said. “… Thank you for coming into my life, Rio-chan.”
Rio nodded. The other girl wrapped her arms onto Rio’s neck while Rio wrapped hers around Kaori’s hips. They closed the gaps between them and exchanged a kiss. A long, warm, and sweet one. Sweet enough to melt away the sadness and pain they have inside their hearts.
The couple pulled away from each other. Rio caresses Kaori’s cheek lovingly, giving her a smile.
Rio whispered,
“… I’m thankful that we have each other, Kaori-chan.”
Rio slowly opened up her eyes. Right before her eyes could tell her, a familiar figure standing tall right in front of her—Konomi Baba. The blonde-head let out a sigh. “… Konomi-neesan…” she muttered.
“I was about to say that I’m surprised at the fact that you survived those people.” Konomi continued, “But I’m not surprised since you’ve cheated death many times before. You really are one hell of a bloody demon, so to speak.”
The blonde-head laughed, but only ended up with her coughing out blood, making the gunshot wound stings once more. “Yo-you better not say anything that’ll make me laugh. It wouldn’t be funny if I die due to me laughing and losing too much blood from it” Rio said.
Silence filled in. Rio tries to think of another familiar face, someone that she deeply cares about aside from Kaori. Ah , a familiar figure popped out in the back of her mind—Serika. She stares at Konomi once more.
“I swear to God that they would’ve sent Serika to end me. But they sent you instead, huh…?” Rio muttered. “… But that would be the best choice. I can’t… I can’t imagine Serika had to pull the trigger, the poor little girl is not strong enough to handle a handgun yet.”
“She told me and Chizuru that she would put an end to this, to you. She said that she’s ready for it all, but no. I don’t want her to ended up hating and blaming herself for doing this to you” Konomi explained
Rio’s hands had gone numb. She couldn’t feel the coldness from the rain, nor the warmth of the blood seeping through her gloves. ‘So this is what it feels like to die slowly like a rat. It’s hurtful, yet it comforts me’ Rio thought to herself. The blonde-head ran her other hand into the suit’s pocket, after a few shuffling, her hand grabbed something and she pulled it out; a cross necklace and a blood-stained wedding ring. The ring that belongs to Kaori.
Rio kissed the necklace softly. She reached out her hand, giving it to Konomi. “I want you to entrust this to Serika. Tell her to hold onto it, to think of it as my dying present for her” Rio said.
Konomi nodded as her hand grabbed the necklace from her best friend’s trembling, cold hand. After she put it inside her pocket, she pulled out her handgun, cocking it and then she aimed it at Rio's chest. She knew she had to do it, whether she liked it or not, for the sake of her friend’s wish.
Rio knew that she would have to face this in the end. She’s been waiting for her turn to return to the place where she belongs right before she was born. “So I guess it’s my turn to go, huh…? I’ve been waiting for this moment to come to me” Rio said.
I can’t feel anything. The cold, the warmth, the rain droplets on my face, the dirt. My heart that once beats for you has weakened. I knew that Konomi-neesan would pull the trigger anytime soon, to put me on a rest for a long time, not going to wake up anymore.
… And yet, I don’t feel scared, nor fear it. I’ve… Been waiting for this. I don’t care about how and by whose hands I’m gonna die, because I know we’ll rejoice again on the other side, my darling.
I missed you. So much.
I want to see you again. Been asking myself when I'll see you again, and I’ve found the answer—today. Dying by my own best friend’s hand, right in front of your grave.
Oh, that’s right… It’s just like what we said during that day, the day when we exchanged vows. We swore that we would never leave each other behind, we would stay together, and… That nothing could do us apart; except for the death itself.
Rio stares at Konomi. She gave the other girl a mournful smile. “Konomi-neesan, can I… Have a request…?” Rio asked, her voice cracked.
“What is it?” Konomi said
“If…,” Rio paused. “If it’s… Possible… Can you bury me next… To… Kaori’s…?” She said. “… And… Let Serika drop the flowers right before they drop the dirt on top of my casket. Let her say anything for me.”
Konomi nodded, tears started to fall. “… Anything else?” She said.
“Please… Please don’t let Serika do anything that she shouldn’t be doing. Don’t let her kill anyone, I’m begging you.” Rio said. “I… I don’t want her to carry the burden and the guilt upon her shoulders for the rest of her life. Just… Just like when I had to kill her parents to protect her…”
“I won’t. I promise you I’ll take good care of her, for you, for Kaori’s sake, too.” Konomi said. She let out a heavy sigh. “… Just as long as you can promise me this.”
Rio stares at Konomi. “… Promise you what?” She asked.
“When you reached the other side, and when you found Kaori,” Konomi paused for a little. Her body starts to tremble. “… You better apologize to her for making her waiting for so goddamn long, and give me that stupid smile of yours when you breathed out your last breath.” Konomi broke at the last few sentences.
The blonde smiled. “Of course. That’s what I’ve been planning all alone” Rio said.
Rio grabbed Konomi’s suit tightly. “… Do it. Before anyone else comes. You’re the only person I allowed to put an end to my life.” Rio said, eyes on Konomi. “You can do it, you HAVE to do it. Now, or never at all.”
Konomi steadies her hands, slowly aiming her gun at Rio’s chest. Looking at the older girl’s painful expression, Rio could feel her heart wrenched and torn apart. She had to be strong. She had to pull the trigger. Now or never at all.
Rio opened up her mouth as Konomi pulled the trigger, putting down the bullet onto her chest. The blonde coughed blood as the bullet pierced through her chest, putting an end to her heartbeat, to her life.
My dear…
Is this what you felt before you died in my arms? During that supposed to be faithful, joyful day where we started a whole new page in our life?
It’s cold. It hurts. But my dear… This pain that I felt would never be able to hurt me more than the pain when I lost you for forever. If it’s for you, my dearest, I would endure it, and we’ll meet each other again soon.
Ah , I remember now. Right before you breath out your last breath as you die inside my arms, you said something like this to me;
“… Ko… Nomi-neesan…,” Rio said in between her breath. She gave the older girl a warm smile, the same as Kaori’s on that day. “… Thank you…”
“Thank you.”
… Is what you said.
Rio’s head slowly fell and hangs over her shoulder, her hand that she used to put the pressure on the gunshot wound fell. Her face grows cold. Her hands had stopped trembling from the cold.
The wind blew through the curtains from the outside. Is it spring already? But still, it’s so cold.
“Ah, Rio-chan, woke up already?”
A familiar voice…?
As my eyes saw through what’s in front of me, I saw my own hand being held by someone. I tried to remember the familiar warmth through my skin, the gentleness of the hand that held mine as it’s thumb rubbed the back of my hand.
I slowly looked up to find out whose hand it was. The moment my eyes stared at a pair of beautiful eyes, I swear I could feel tears coming down to my cheeks. This isn’t a dream, isn’t it…?
“Welcome back, Rio-chan…”
Kaori…
I let out a sobbed, small laugh. It’s you , I know it’s gotta be you . Someone that I truly love, cherished, and wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
Kaori reached out a hand to caress my hair. I missed her. Her warmth. Her smile. Her gentle hands. I missed all of those.
I put my hand on top of hers. It feels so real. She still has the look from that time, as beautiful as she looked before I lost her.
“… I…”
She pulled me up closer to her, and she gave me a hug that I longed for. “From now on, no one can tear us apart. We will be together forever” Kaori whispered.
Konomi crouched and approached Rio’s corpse. She takes a look at her face. Tears came down to her cheeks. She then understands what it means.
… Rio had found Kaori over there, and thus she smiled.
“Dumbass.” Konomi cried. “… You better have to apologize to her, and don’t you ever let her go again.”
Konomi closed Rio’s eyes. She cried silently under the heavy rain.
———————
“Did I take a long time to come?” I asked
“You surely do,” Kaori chuckled. “But, at least we’re now going back together again.”
I showed her my smile. I still can’t believe that we’ve reunited again, that I can feel her touch again.
I reached out my hand onto her face, caressing her cheeks, and carefully pushed back some of her hair strands into the back of Kaori’s ear.
The heart inside my chest starts to beat again. I’m alive. I’ve never felt so alive before I met her, which is something that I’m grateful for. I thank God and fate for letting us meet.
The wind blows once again. My body shivers from it’s cold, I hugged myself and let out a small sigh.
“Are you cold, Rio-chan?” Kaori asked
“Yeah. It’s so goddamn cold even though it’s spring” I answered
Kaori chuckles. “Come here, darling. I’ll give you a hug that’ll warm you up” Kaori said.
I smiled and let myself pulled closer to her embrace. As she held me inside her arms, I rested my heart on top of her chest. I close my eyes as I listen to the sound of her heartbeat in my ear.
What a beautiful sound.
“Were you always this warm, Kaori-chan?” I asked
Kaori brought one of her hands and patted my head softly. “You once told me that despite having cold hands, I have a warm heart that calms you down. And ever since you said that to me, I feel happy and warm inside” Kaori said. “I know that I’ve said this many times before. But, I’m thankful that I met you, to fall in love with you, too.”
A smile appears on my mouth. She always told me how thankful she was to meet me, to fall in love with me. But, if anyone can be more grateful for those things, that would be. I’m grateful to fall in love with her, to be the one who stays by her side, being thankful for meeting her.
“Kaori-chan…”
“Hmm?”
I pulled myself from her, and stared at her eyes for seconds. I pulled Kaori into a slow, sweet kiss.
I let go of the kiss and stared back at her again. I smiled, and tears of happiness fell from my eyes.
“… I love you.”
—the end.