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Aoi had spent hours in her room crying. The trial had ended but she wanted it all to be a dream, Sakura was gone and there was nothing she could do. It was her fault, if she was there with Sakura, she would still be here. Now, there was nothing she could do, her best friend- no, crush was gone and she did nothing. She wanted to go back to confess that she had loved her since the first day they had met, since they started this horrible school life. Sakura gave her hope, hope that was lost the second she saw Sakura’s body. It was still bright on her mind, sitting there, a sad smile on her face.
Jumping out of her bed, Aoi heard a knock, and rushed to open it, she assumed it was Makato, he had come over a couple of times to talk to her, not that she was ever in the mood. And as she opened the door, her face quickly became blank as she processed just who was standing in front of her door, it was Sakura Ogami. But, she looked very different, her skin was a light grey and she looked extremely tired and her hair was tangled and messy.
“Hina…”
Aoi suddenly lost her voice, what could she say?
“Hina. I’m so sorry.” Sakura replied, she stared at the floor beneath her as she muttered under her breath. She was usually confident, at least from what Aoi saw, so why was she so nervous now?
“Sakura, why- what is happening…”
“Hina, I’m not sure, all I know is that when I drank the poison I woke up, staring at my body, I’m a spirit but I’m still here, I haven’t seen any other spirits and I believe I have unfinished business.”
“Sakura, what do we do, how do we complete it?”
“Hina, I don’t know.” Sakura responded.
Aoi was silent, what could she say? I mean, the spirit of her best friend was here, after death and they didn’t know what to do. “Um, Sakura? I- I’m so sorry for what I did in the trial…”
“What happened?”
Aoi stared down and laughed awkwardly, “I told everyone… That I had killed you. I’m so sorry! Monokuma switched the note- I’m so sorry!” The last part made her burst into tears and the only thing in Aoi’s mind was how pathetic she was acting. “It’s not your fault.”
“Sakura, Sakura I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you.”
“Hina, you need to realize it is not your fault. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you all sooner, that I was the spy.”
Aoi moved to her bed, and asked Sakura to come over. “Sakura, I have so much to say, but I don’t even know where to start.”
“Well, Hina, can you… explain what happened in the trial? It is fine if you don’t want to say of course.”
“No, I can say it… Well, I tried to frame myself. I thought that no one else deserved to live because - because if they hadn’t judged you, you would still be here. And as I said before, Monokuma faked your suicide note.”
“What was written then?”
“Um, okay it was, ‘Such brutality has made me desperate. So instead of waiting to be killed, I’ll do it by my own hand’ I should have checked it. Monokuma was right, there was no proof it was yours, I just assumed.”
“I see…”
Aoi was even more nervous, what would Sakura think? I mean how could she not tell that wasn’t what she wrote, it seemed so obvious now. Aoi couldn’t help but cry, her best friend was going to hate her. Sakura quickly noticed and held her hand, Aoi’s face became bright red and she stared at her feet, vision blurry and tears dripping down her face. It was silent, a deafening silence, before Aoi hugged Sakura and burst into tears, Sakura’s body was freezing.
“I love you…” Mumbled out Aoi who quickly shut her mouth. Sakura blushed and hugged Aoi tighter. “I’m sorry I did what I did Hina.”
The pair stayed there for what felt like hours before they parted. Flustered, Aoi mumbled out forgiveness as she held her hands to her face. “I love you Sakura! And I always have, since the day school began, I have loved you! But I was too much of a coward to confess,” Aoi blurted out, face red and hands outwards. “I love you too, Hina! I’m sorry I couldn’t have told you sooner!”
The two froze, both of them had loved each other since they had first met, they could have dated even! Aoi quickly pressed her face up against Sakura's and kissed her, and they didn’t stop. The kiss seemed to last years but eventually they pulled away. Aoi looked down and saw it, Sakura's arm was fading and so was the rest of her body. “No..! Sakura, don't leave me!”
“I’m so sorry Hina, I love you so much. Spend time with me one last time…” Aoi burst into tears and kissed Sakura, and they didn’t stop, until Sakura faded and said one last thing. “I love you, Hina.”
“I love you too, Sakura.”
Then, Aoi was truly alone.