Chapter Text
Aah, so this is how it feels.
Dying.
I tried to move my arm as hard as I could, but it didn’t work as well as I expected. Takina looked as if she could cry anytime now. Geez, she would be far cuter with a smile though, not that she didn’t know that.
“Hey, Takina.”
“...yes, Chisato?”
“Can you promise me something?”
“I will, I definitely will.”
I gasped for breath, desperately trying to get a voice out of my throat. The reality struck me, that apparently breathing freely was really some kind of privilege for healthy folks.
“Please promise me…that you will be happy.”
“You are being so cruel right now.”
She was right. I was cruel and selfish, despite knowing that I would just fleeting away and leaving her alone with our memories, I placed myself right next to her and also allowed her to stay by my side.
Someone like me really didn’t deserve those pretty tears that welled up in those pretty amethysts.
“Hehe, my bad… So, can you promise me?”
Takina stood still for a few seconds, and then she held my hand stronger than before. With a color of determination in her eyes, she nodded and softly whispered, “I will, I promise.”
Hearing her answer I breathed a sigh of relief. So she will, eh …
“Fufu, Takina’s happy future, it’s fun to imagine.”
“Really? I think it’s not that interesting.”
“Ee~eh, of course it is. After you leave your duty as a Lycoris, getting a proper identity as a legal citizen, what do you want to do? Going to university?”
“I…haven’t thought about it that much.”
“Eeh, you would definitely do well, you’re smart after all. Remember how you managed to turn our business’ horrible deficit into a huge profit in no time? You will do great!”
“Well…I will note down that possibility for now.”
“Good, good.”
I ventured onto another future again with Takina as the main character, aah this is exhilarating.
“And you will land on a cool job, wearing suits like cool ladies we often saw in the city!”
“Eeh…”
“You will look so dashing! Suits look good on you after all!”
“Well, thank you…”
And then after she got a job… After that, the life she would probably have after becoming a full-fledged adult.
“And then you will meet someone special in your life…”
“......”
“You will lead a happy life with that special person, and then get married, and become a happy family.”
“......”
“I bet your children would be very cute!”
“...I wonder.”
“Of course, you’ll be great at it, being a mother I mean. You’re so pretty, you’re good at chores, your cooking is superb. I wish I could eat it right now, ah, can I?”
“No you can’t, and thank you for the compliments.”
“Eeh, too bad.”
It felt so relaxing, having a casual conversation with Takina like this. Aah, how I wish I could live a bit longer. But I already had ten years extra for my life, I couldn’t ask for more than this.
But still, Takina’s future, huh. Takina as a university student must be extremely beautiful, I bet she’d get those drinking party invitations almost everyday. Also I wonder how she’d look in her kimono during her coming-of-age ceremony, aah I bet she would look so dazzling. University graduation, and then she would become a full-fledged working adult, eh. I wish I could see her getting busy with her job and getting depended on by her coworkers, aah I really wanted to see that.
And then.
And then.
“Say, Takina.”
“Yes?”
“You promised that you’ll be happy, right?”
“Indeed that’s what I said, and I didn’t say it out of courtesy, I truly meant it when I said that promise.”
“Yes, of course you are that kind of person.”
But does that mean…did she indirectly tell me…that…
“So one day you will create a happy family, yes?”
“If one day that would be my definition of happiness, then yes I will.”
“That’s…good.”
Huh, wait a minute. So one day Takina would get married with someone I don’t know, not even with my blessing, and they will have children together…? Yes, I can clearly picture Takina with her children, she was unexpectedly good at handling kids after all. She was popular during our side job in the kindergarten.
And that moment, the one who would stand beside her. The one who will share the hardship of life and raise a happy, peaceful family………
“SCREW THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Chisato?!”
I jumped out of my death bed and then shouted out of frustration, ah that felt good, but I’m not done yet.
“As if I can accept that kind of future! The heck am I saying?! Not seeing you drunk on your first sake?! Not seeing your definitely breathtaking appearance during your coming-of-age ceremony?! Not being able to reassure you when you’re having a bad day at work?! I can’t even see you in your wedding dress?!?!?!”
Takina stared at me like she was looking at a lunatic, well it was to be expected since just up until around 20 seconds ago it was difficult for me to even breath.
“No, the worst thing is I’m not the one who made you wear that dress?! Wait, Takina, are you really gonna wear a wedding dress for someone else’s sake?!”
“W-wait Chisato, wait a minute please just calm down your oxygen level is getting dangerous.”
“As if I care!!!! Gaaaahhh!!! How vexing, how infuriating!!!!!! Wait, I said that wedding dress stuff is the worst, but there is something even worse than the worst!!!!!!!!”
“W-what is it?”
“I won’t be the father(?) of your children!!!!!!!! Did you just tell me that someone else will take that glorious, the best role in the world from me??!!?!?! Don’t mess with me, you shitty shinigami!”
“Chisato! Calm down!!”
Takina looked horrified as I moved around in my bed, yes, of course she would look like that. It wasn’t an everyday occurrence to see someone who was already at the edge of Sanzu River suddenly behaving so wildly.
“You too, Takina!”
“E-eh, what is it?”
“Why are you being too calm?!”
“E-eh?”
“You calmly accept all of my selfish wishes, you can be a little selfish too, you know!”
“H-how?”
“You can reject my so-called last wish by saying something like, ‘No I can’t do that! How cruel of you to make me promise something like that! You will be the only one I love in my lifetime!!’ or something along those lines, you know?!”
“Eeh, you want me to say that?”
“No! …well, a little bit, but that’s not the point!!”
I panted and grasped for air, that sure was a lot of shouting. Takina hurriedly sat right next to me again and patted my back, caressed it gently, giving me a soothing sensation.
“...I got too worked up.”
“You sure did.”
With a single cough, I took another deep breath and rested my back on the bed. Takina moved her hand from my back and she held my hand.
We didn’t say anything, just embasked in this transient, peaceful moment with just the two of us.
“You sure are dumb, Chisato.”
“Wow, that's not new.”
Takina giggled, and then strengthened her grip in my hand.
“I will always love you, no matter how long time passes.”
“Even if one day you will meet someone else?”
“I will still love you even during my time with that person.”
“Eeh, isn’t that cheating, then?”
“Apparently it’s not counted as cheating if the other one had passed away.”
“Huh, really?”
“...personal belief.”
Hearing Takina who suddenly answered with a voice smaller than before, I giggled again. Good grief, this girl really intended on cheating on me in the future, huh. Can’t really blame her, though.
“I will definitely be happy, since you are the one who taught me that hiding myself in solitude won’t be the best way to live my life.”
“Aah, I just got bitten back by myself.”
“Fufu, that’s a wonderful thing to do, don’t you think?”
“Wonderful…indeed. It makes me happy when you think highly of me like that.”
This hand that was slightly smaller than me had come this far by herself. I still couldn’t shake off the image from our first encounter. Honestly, Takina from that day really reminded me of a stray cat who was scared of strangers. I secretly took pride in domesticating that adorable stray cat, but I will bring this secret to my grave, definitely.
“...18 years.”
Hearing my mumble, Takina stared at me looking confused, and then I once again opened my mouth.
“Can you wait for 18 years?”
“What for?”
“For me.”
“Eeh…”
“I will soon get reincarnated and I will meet you in 18 years, should keep it legal so you won’t get into trouble!”
“...the concept of reincarnation is pretty sketchy, don’t you think?”
“Takina, that’s kinda blasphemy, you know?”
“I will be 35 by then.”
“I prefer older women.”
“I’m currently younger though?”
“Whatever, you are my preference.”
“You will forget about me, assuming you really are safely reincarnated somewhere.”
“I won’t.”
Takina laughed while strengthening the grip on my hand. Ah, I didn’t notice this before, but her hands felt so cold. Could it be that she was nervous, or scared, perhaps? Aah, I really pushed her so hard, eh.
“Twenty years at most, and if you don’t come even after those wait, I will forget you, erasing your existence from my memory.”
“Eeh, you said that you will love me forever!”
“It’s a price you should pay for getting my hopes high.”
I giggled at her answer while mumbling, “That’s so harsh.”
That moment, I felt it.
That death was just right around the corner.
My chest was in pain, breathing was so tormenting, my eyes started to get blurry.
I could feel that Takina’s grip on my hand was getting stronger. It was really encouraging that the sensation of her touch would be the last thing that I remember.
“Chisato.”
Her voice was calm, it was too bad that I couldn’t see her face clearly though, which was an unfortunate thing to have during my death bed. I wanted to see that pretty face again for the last time, dammit. You shitty shinigami.
It was faint, but I could feel a warmth on my forehead, “Thank you,” she whispered. Ah, she kissed my forehead. It was so gentle that I really didn’t want to leave her like this.
As I drew my last breath, I tried my best to leave her my true, last wish.
“See you soon, Takina.”
Good morning. Tokyo has announced cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The temperature in Tokyo yesterday was 25.7 degrees, the highest so far this year. It's typical for the end of May’s weather. The Meteorological Agency announced yesterday at 2:00 PM that cherry blossoms in Tokyo are in full bloom.
Takina drank her coffee as she watched the morning news before she headed out to work. She checked on her schedule and went pale as soon as she confirmed that it would be a day filled with meetings, which means she would go home late again today. Being one of the executives in her age wasn’t easy and she secretly enjoyed the high-paced life she had, but she still hoped that one day she could have a peaceful day without work, appreciating the blooming cherry blossoms without any worries.
It was a typical morning in Tokyo, the sea of people, the sound of vehicles, people’s chattering. Takina walked down the road from the station to her office, noting down the things she should bring up for the first meeting this morning, also to do grocery shopping once she was done with work.
Haa…how busy.
She checked on her watch and it seemed like she still had some time before the scheduled meeting, so she decided to walk slowly, appreciating the pretty flower petals that danced around the air.
The scene always reminded her of that day, the day when she encountered someone so precious to her even now. Before she got too melancholic with the sudden nostalgic feeling, she took a deep breath and shook off the bad thought she almost had.
That was the moment when suddenly someone grabbed her arm a bit roughly. When she turned around, she found a girl who looked desperate for air, clutching Takina's clothes tightly. Seeing that scene somehow brought her back into the similar scene years ago.
“...I almost proceed with plan B.”
“...forgetting everything?”
“It's almost 20 years after all.”
“Give me a break, things are unexpectedly hard, you know?”
Takina giggled and stared at the red eyes she missed so much, “Good thing I gave you two years extra, don’t you think?”
The girl shrugged her shoulders and smiled, “I really need to get better at being punctual. I kept getting saved by those extras after all.”
“It’s been a while, Takina.”
“Nice to meet you, ───”