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The pitch black ceiling reflected on Ema as she stared up aimlessly. How much time had passed since that last trial? Was it too much to ever hope for happiness in this dreadful gaol?
"Ema..." Meruru's sympathetic voice called out to her. Ema turned to see Meruru standing there, holding something in her hands. "Um... This may not be the best time but... I found these when cleaning up."
Slowly, Ema got up and walked over. She took the envelopes out of Meruru's hands. "What's this...?"
Meruru gulped. She had tears in her eyes. "I found them while collecting..." Meruru didn't need to finish for Ema to know what she was talking about. She held what could be her friends' last words.
Looking up, Ema asked Meruru. "...Did you read them?"
Meruru shook her head. "But I thought maybe you'd want to..."
Did Ema want to? She thought to herself. The emotional trauma of the last trial still weighed heavily on her. Meruru quietly left, leaving the choice ultimately up to Ema.
The envelopes were light yet heavy. What could even be in them? Were they words of despair? Hope? Ranting?
But if they wrote it, then surely they were meant to be read. Otherwise, why leave anything at all? If these were her friends last wishes...
Ema took a deep breath and wiped the tears away from her eyes. She opened the first one and the neat handwriting told her that it must've been Hanna's.
"
Dear Sherry,
I hope this letter finds you well. Words cannot express how deeply sorry I am for the unreasonable request I made of you. I can only pray that... That you were successful. And I know that means that at the same time I must be condemning someone else but Sherry if there was one person that I could not bear to lose it would be you.
"
There were some dried marks, and the handwriting got sloppier. Ema's heart twisted in pain as she imagined how Hanna must've felt writing this.
"
In our time together I called you many things. Idiot, muscle brained, a woman without delicacy, and more. I meant every last word. You are a damned idiot! Why did you go to such lengths for me? Why did you want me to praise you so much? Why did you agree to my ridiculous request? What made me special?
But I know you can't answer those questions. At least not to me anymore. Truthfully, there were so many more things I wished to say to you Sherry. I wanted to spend so much more time with you. Maybe if we kept flying we would've escaped. Just the two of us. But I know that's a ridiculous fantasy.
Instead I guess you'll just have to make do with this letter instead.
Sherry, you are stupid. Ace detective? Are you kidding me? You didn't even solve the last two cases! If it wasn't for Ema god knows what would've happened. Fairy was right with how silly and nonchalant you are.
And yet, damn it all! I can't believe it but I love that about you. I love your stupid smile. I love how straight forward you are. And I hate how I can't be and I'm sorry that I can only write this in a letter.
Sherry, I love you. I won't say loved because that would imply its no longer true. I know that I'm being unfair and cruel to tell you this after what I made you do. But it's true. I, Hanna Touno, love you. For all the faults that you have, they're what make you you Sherry.
It's cowardly of me to confess in a letter but I'm scared. Scared of how you'd react. Would you apologize, unable to return my feelings? Would you awkwardly accept out of pity? Or worse... Did you love me too? I'm a coward Sherry. I'm a damnable fool and a coward. I'm not high class, I'm just some girl who tried to fill shoes too big for her.
Once you finish reading this, I trust you know what to do with it. Don't let my words incriminate you, please Sherry.
Hanna Touno
"
Ema's hands shook as she out down the letter. Hanna... She cried as she thought about what must've gone through her head as she asked Sherry to do what she did. The pain she must've felt in her final moments.
Slowly, Ema turned her attention to the second letter. Could this be...?
The handwriting was messy and the paper crinkled from the force of the pen used. Ema took a deep breath.
"
That's not fair Hanna! Writing all this down in a letter instead of telling me face to face, how am I supposed to respond? That's why I'm writing this instead! Maybe this will transmit my responses to you anyways, at least that's what I hope!
First of all, why'd you have to still insult me in your letter! That hurts Hanna! I thought at least when I saw your letter I'd see some praise for my genius or something, things that maybe you were too embarrassed to say to me in person. Instead you still call me an idiot, that's a bit much don't you think?
Second off!
"
There were scratch marks scribbling out words. Maybe scratch was perhaps a bit under selling it as there were deep grooves in the paper from where Sherry had scratched out some words.
"
Oops! I tore through the paper! Second off, don't you think insulting me while confessing is a little weird Hanna? Of course it makes me happy that you love me but why does my smile have to be stupid? Shouldn't it be at least cute?
And thirdly... You're right.
"
The handwriting got lighter, the words written more carefully.
"
If you told me this before I did what I did... Maybe I wouldn't have been able to do it. It hurts me though that you would say this is the worse possibility. Hanna, this detective loves you too. You're not just some girl to me, you're my princess! The way you act so smugly, your delicate needlework, the way you look after everyone in your own way, that's what makes you a princess! Not just any princess, but the one I love!
If anything, I don't know if I even have the right to write that after what I did. Even if it's what you wanted, I can't help but wonder if it was you needed though. Could I have done something different? But selfishly, seeing you in pain and knowing this would...
Lastly, I've listened to all your requests but this is one that I can't. I can't destroy your letter Hanna. I'm sorry. Knowing that this is the last piece of you that you left behind, how could I destroy it? Instead I'll keep it with me always! Or, well, assuming I don't get caught! Which if I do, I guess that makes it two promises that I couldn't keep haha!
"
Ema threw the letter down to avoid dripping more of her tears on it. She sobbed, loudly, not paying attention if anyone would hear her. Once her tear ducts ran dry, she collected the last words of some of her most precious friends in the world and put them in a safe spot. Her heart torn asunder, she curled up on the bed and prayed for some magic to exist to turn back time and remove the pain.