“...For five years... what happened?”
“Haa... well, I spent some time in the correctional facility too...”
“What...? The correctional facility?”
“Yeah. I was locked up for about two years...”
“Haah...”
“And then I spent a little while at Trinity...”
“And then...?”
“At Abydos... I met Hoshino...”
“...Takanashi Hoshino...?”
“Yeah. That Takanashi Hoshino.”
“...”
“Why?”
Hina thought for a moment, then looked straight at Haruta and asked, “I... can’t become Takanashi Hoshino...”
“? What are you talking about?”
“I tried too...”
“???”
Haruta had no idea what that was supposed to mean.
“...Anyway, we’ve met again, so there’s no need to bring up bad things, right?”
“Yeah...”
“Then let’s go eat something.”
Haruta hugged Hina again and shattered space, stepping through the opening.
“...Haruta, where did you learn that?”
“Huh? This? It just happened somehow.”
In truth, it was a fusion of the techniques written in the Akashic Records and Haruta’s own ability.
It was surprisingly simple: gather the energy of fear and the energy of mystery, wrap them around his hand, then strike through the void with Haruta’s power as if he were tearing space apart.
“...Well, making it wasn’t easy...”
“Yeah...”
Haruta carried Hina to the steakhouse he always went to.
“Hina, order whatever you want today.”
“Really...?”
“No, I’ll just order for you.”
As always, Haruta ordered 200,000 won worth of meat from the menu.
And for himself, he ordered a bottle of whiskey.
“Well, I guess I can drink a little and go back to drink more later...”
“Huh?”
“No, no.”
Haruta waved to a staff member and asked them to bring just one glass.
The food arrived, and Haruta ate with Hina.
“...So, is it good?”
“Yeah... It tastes even better because I’m eating with Haruta after so long...”
It sounded sweet, but it wasn’t fake. It was the honest expression of longing that comes when you finally face someone you truly missed.
Something ran down his cheek. It was hot. Hina, too, had something flowing from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks. It was grief and longing, all tangled together.
“...Hina...”
“Yeah... Haruta...”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you.”
At the same moment, they spoke the same words and poured out their true feelings.
“...”
“...”
--------------------
Twenty minutes later.
“Did you... eat well...?”
“Yeah... The sky looks especially beautiful today.”
The sky shone more beautifully than ever, bright as if the Milky Way had been stitched across it.
They looked into each other’s eyes, thinking the same thing.
“...”
“Haruta...?”
“Haa...”
“Is something wrong?”
“No... I’m just having trouble sorting out my thoughts...”
“...Haruta... are you thinking the same thing?”
“What thing?”
Hina and Haruta were both drunk on the mood, thinking the same thing. If someone brought it up right now, they were ready to respond.
Hina was the same, and Haruta was the same. Sharing the same thought, they were both waiting for someone else to speak first.
“...Hina... want to take a picture?”
Haruta took his phone out and put an arm around Hina’s shoulders.
“Haa...”
Hina leaned against Haruta without a word and looked at the phone.
“...One... two... three.”
Click!
“It came out well...”
Haruta slowly let go of her shoulders and looked at Hina.
“...A little more...”
Hina spoke first, and Haruta moved a little closer.
Just a little more forward, and their lips would touch.
“Hina... are you thinking the same thing?”
“Yeah...”
Haruta slowly moved toward Hina’s lips and kissed her gently.
Five years of sorrow, longing, and love overlapped, and Haruta and Hina shared their first kiss. They were both inexperienced, but Hina was happy even with that.
Haruta was happy too. He was glad to meet again the person he had no choice but to bury in his heart for five long years.
“...Hina... I love you...”
“Yeah... me too.”
And so, for the first time, they shared their feelings.
-----------------------------------
One hour later.
“...Hina...?”
“Yeah...”
“Are you going back to Gehenna now?”
“Yeah... I should head back soon...”
“I love you.”
Hina’s face turned red, and she hid it with her wings.
“...Me too...”
I got a little playful and decided to tease her.
“What was that? I can’t hear you.”
“I... I love you too...”
“What was that?!”
“I... I love you!!”
“All right... get home safely, then...”
“Yeah...”
After seeing Hina off at the train station, Haruta returned to Schale.
“...Akashi, how much time is left now...?”
“Haruta... there’s... a little over a month left...”
“Haa... seriously?”
“Yes... probably...”
“No, don’t say it...”
“B-but...”
“Thanks... Akashi.”
“...”
“Let’s call it a night.”
Haruta turned off the lights and headed for the Schale dormitory.
Then, after sending a brief message to Sensei, he put on his earphones.
With the earphones in, he started the music. Slowly, the song began to play.
Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be?
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go?
And leave my world so cold
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away?
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
But you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone
'Lone, 'lone
Why, 'lone
Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away?
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
But you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register