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winglian

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Aine: "Huh? Naruko-san did not confess her feelings to you?" *Aine said condemningly. We'd just finished dinner, but when I talked about Nakizaki, she got a dissatisfied look on her face.* Tomoe: "That's obviously not my fault." Aine: "I know, but why is Naruko-san keeping her emotions bottled up inside?" Tomoe: "Who knows? Don't ask me." Aine: "That is strange. She looks like she is suffering so much..." Aine: "To me, it looks like she is desperate to get it off her chest." Tomoe: "Maybe she _does_ have a crush on someone else?" Aine: "Do you really believe that?" Tomoe: "..." *The only way to answer that question was with silence.* Aine: "Tomoe-san, have you truly never noticed how she feels? Not even once?" Tomoe: "Not at all." *I really couldn't tell.* *When had Nakizaki... fallen in love with me?* *Could it have been... because of "that"?*

*Oh no. What should I do?* *Kirinokojima was all I ever thought about lately. My head was filled with nothing but him.* *As a result, I acted like a total weirdo when I was around him.* Naruko: "He _must_ think I'm acting really strange..." *Why had I gotten this way?* *When had I... fallen so deeply in love with him?* *Things had been going so smoothly all this time. What had sparked this sudden attraction?* *It hurt to hold my feelings in, but...* Naruko: "I definitely can't tell him..." *Yes, I couldn't ever say it. If I did, I wouldn't be able to be with him any longer.* *However, I may not be able to hide those feelings away in my heart for much longer, either...*

Naruko: "Sorry to make you tag along with me." Aine: "Not at all. You can count on me anytime. You even went to the trouble of treating me to cake." Naruko: "It's all on me today, so eat as much as you want." *Keeping it all to myself was painful.* *Even so, I couldn't tell Kirinokojima, and there was no way I could tell Yuri-san or Minamo-chan, either. Kiyohito would be even _more_ ridiculous.* *I couldn't tell these feelings to any person alive...* *But maybe I _could_ tell an angel... With that thought in mind, I asked Aine-chan to meet me here.* Aine: "So, what is it you wanted to talk about...?" *Aine-chan seemed a little nervous.* *It finally hit me when I noticed how odd she had been acting. Aine-chan knew how I felt, didn't she?* Naruko: "Could it be... you know? That I, um..." Aine: "That you love Tomoe-san?" Naruko: "Ah..." *First came the feeling of vindication, then of hopelessness. A jumble of those two emotions rose from the depths of my heart.* Naruko: "So you _did_ notice. Um... What does Kirinokojima think?" *Since Aine-chan knew, did that mean Kirinokojima had also realized how I felt? If so, I...* Aine: "I... do not believe Tomoe-san has noticed." *Aine-chan replied while seemingly picking her words very carefully. I was relieved to hear her say that, though.* Naruko: "Really?" Aine: "Yes, probably. At the very least, he has not told me otherwise." Naruko: "He hasn't? Thank goodness..." *To be honest, I was both glad, yet disappointed that he hadn't noticed.* *If that _were_ to happen, then I'd really have to...* Aine: "I think it would be best if you were to tell him how you felt yourself." *Aine-chan said, which further stirred my emotions.* Naruko: "I-I can't do that. If I do that..." Aine: "If you do that...?" Naruko: "I won't be able to be with him anymore..." *Yes. If he found out how I felt, I wouldn't be able to stay with him. That was why I couldn't speak a word of it.* Aine: "Why is that? No one could hate someone for confessing their love to them." Aine: "Tomoe-san has said that you are an important person to him." Naruko: "Important... Me?" Aine: "That is right. I think Tomoe-san does love you, too, Naruko-san." *Kirinokojima loves me...* *That accidentally made me happy, but I knew...* *I knew that my "love" for Kirinokojima and his "love" were different.* Aine: "So I am sure it will be all right. Why not try opening up and telling him how you really feel?" Naruko: "..." *Aine-chan said that one more time to encourage me.* *I appreciated the sentiment, but that was a separate matter.* Naruko: "Like I said, I can't do that." Aine: "But why? Why are you so opposed...?" Naruko: "I told you, if I open up and tell him how I feel, then I won't be able to be with him anymore." Naruko: "I've only been able to be with him for all this time because I've always made sure to hide how I feel..." Aine: "I-I do not understand. Why do you think that way?" Naruko: "That's just how things are. You don't understand... You really don't know how much he hates love." Aine: "Hates love..." Aine: "Why does Tomoe-san hate love so much?" Naruko: "That's because..." Naruko: "He had a sad experience with love a long time ago. A very tragic one..." Naruko: "Someone really important to him got hurt because he loved her, and he's regretted it ever since." Naruko: "That's why he's decided to never fall in love again, and why he avoids getting involved in anything love-related." Naruko: "That's how he's lived his life. Until you came, Aine-chan." Aine: "Me..." Naruko: "In my opinion, Kirinokojima helping out an angel is nothing short of a miracle." Naruko: "I can't believe Kirinokojima is actually going out of his way to help people with their love troubles. You're truly amazing." Aine: "Tomoe-san had such a sad experience with love?" Naruko: "Yeah..." Naruko: "Even I don't know all the details, but he apparently had a girl he really liked. But then, something really sad happened..." Aine: "Something sad?" Naruko: "Yeah, very, very sad." Naruko: "So then, all sorts of things happened, and that girl... passed away." Aine: "Huh? Passed away... You mean, she died?" Naruko: "Yeah..." Aine: "That is terrible..." *Aine-chan's face warped with agony, almost like she was in pain herself.* Aine: "So, what happened to Tomoe-san?" Naruko: "Kirinokojima was taken to the hospital and was saved somehow. But..." Naruko: "After that happened... he didn't sleep at all. Yeah, not a wink for about a week." Aine: "Huh? No sleep at all for a week?" Naruko: "Yeah. He also hardly ate, so he was on an IV drip at the hospital for a long time. They gave him medicine to help him sleep, but I heard it didn't help much..." Naruko: "The IV replaced his food, so he managed to get by, but I guess his doctor was worried since he wasn't sleeping." Naruko: "I think at the time, he was most likely doing that to punish himself." Aine: "...To punish himself..." Naruko: "When sad stuff happens to a person, they usually feel better after they sleep, right?" Naruko: "Crying and sleeping really does the trick to improve your mood." Naruko: "Kirinokojima's heart and body should have wanted sleep more than anything else back then." Naruko: "Despite that... no, _because_ he knew it, he didn't even try to sleep. He purposely avoided the thing he desired most on his own." Aine: "And that was... his punishment?" Naruko: "Yes, punishment. Not taking hold of the thing he wants most. I'm guessing it was a simple thought process since he was just a kid." Naruko: "That's why he avoided anything to do with love or romance... why he made it so he _couldn't_ approach those things. He's believed that's what he deserves." Aine: "Ah... Naruko-san, could it be that is why..." Aine: "You cast aside your own loving heart... so that you could stay with Tomoe-san?" Naruko: "Cast it aside? What's that supposed to mean?" Aine: "N-No... It is nothing." *Aine-chan kind of mumbled out an answer, then went pale. What was wrong with me, exactly?* Naruko: "Anyway, Kirinokojima couldn't see the world around him back then." Naruko: "His eyes were open, yet he was blind. No matter what you said to him, he acted like he couldn't hear you. He was breathing, but he may as well have been dead." Naruko: "Despite all that, he wouldn't sleep all through the day and would stare at the ceiling or the wall. His expression was stationary like a doll's, just staring straight ahead..." Naruko: "Just watching him made me feel like my heart was going to break." Aine: "Tomoe-san had something like that...? Someone he loved that much?" Naruko: "...Yeah, I believe so. That's why I..." *It was then that I had a sudden realization.* *I see. So that's it...* Naruko: "I already loved Kirinokojima, even way back then." *I remembered. Being with Kirinokojima after he had become like a doll, the hopeless suffering, and realizing I had feelings for him.* *I couldn't tell whether I had liked him before that, or if that was when I fell in love.* *I had probably liked him even sooner, but was too young to realize what that feeling meant.* *Yeah. After all, he already had someone he liked.* *That may be why I tried to convince myself that I didn't love him.* *But I _had_ known it. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did.* *At long last, the realization came when he became numb to the world.* *And by the time I noticed, it was too late.* Naruko: "I missed my chance by the time I figured out how I felt. Kirinokojima had already rejected the concept of love by then." Naruko: "But I still wanted to be with him _because_ I loved him." Naruko: "If he ever found out I cared for him, he would leave me. That's why I thought I needed to hide it." Naruko: "That's why I never, ever wanted him to know." Aine: "So, that is why you..." Naruko: "I decided we should be 'just friends.' Best friends, regardless of our genders." Naruko: "That way I could be with him forever. I would stay by his side and watch over him..." Naruko: "Thanks to that, I'm able to come wake him up every morning, make him meals, walk to and from school together, and even tell him jokes so he'll smile." Naruko: "But... he rarely smiles." *Something hot had brimmed to my eyes. What was this? Aine-chan's figure was distorted.* Aine: "Naruko-san..." Naruko: "Since we're friends, he calls me 'Nakizaki,' and I call him 'Kirinokojima'..." *A long time ago, I had called him "Tomoe-kun." Up until the incident, anyway...* *Afterward, I decided to call him by his last name, 'Kirinokojima.'* *It was long-winded and hard to say, but that seemed like how "just friends" would do it.* *Aine-chan was looking more and more distorted by the second. Why was the world so bent out of shape?* Naruko: "I... I'm..." *I tried to speak, but it turned into sobs. I was apparently crying...* *I remembered the first time Kirinokojima cried in front of me.* *I decided we'd be just friends, and went to visit the doll-like Kirinokojima as his friend every day.* *It was like he was staring at a wall whenever he looked at me, and he didn't react in the slightest. Despite that, I continued talking to him... as his friend.* *During this time, Kirinokojima started opening up to me bit by bit.* *It was in small increments, but he began talking more. I went from being a wall to a human, and then a friend.* *One day, Kirinokojima, who had been staring into empty space in his room for ages, suddenly burst into tears.* *The quiet flow of tears gradually gained momentum, and once he started crying, the tears wouldn't stop. In the end, he cried and wailed like an animal.* *When he got like that, I just kept on rubbing his back.* *After that, Kirinokojima slept for three days straight.* *I was worried when he wouldn't budge, but the doctor told me not to. He explained that it was due to him being so sleep-deprived.* *Just as the doctor said, Kirinokojima suddenly woke up after three days.* *And when he did, his expression seemed slightly more "human," and I was incredibly relieved.* *I couldn't forget the sense of relief I felt at that moment. I thought to myself, "Thank goodness I stayed just friends with him."* *And I decided to stay friends with him forevermore.* Naruko: "I have to be friends with Kirinokojima. Forever and ever. Otherwise, he'll end up all alone." Naruko: "So then, why do I love him? Why do I love him so much?" Naruko: "Why did I fall so deeply in love with him?" *I couldn't see anything in front of me, but I could tell an indistinct figure resembling Aine-chan had drawn close.* *A warm strength enveloped me. Aine-chan was hugging me.* *It was a tender, mild sensation, like being wrapped up in huge wings.* Aine: "Naruko-san..." *The moment she called my name, an intense feeling welled up inside of me. I couldn't hold it back any longer...* Naruko: "Ooh... Ooh..." *That violently furious impulse exploded from the depths of my body.* Naruko: "O-Ooh... Waaaaaaaaaah!!" *A wail gushed forth from my mouth.* Naruko: "Wah, aah... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" *A voice which didn't seem to be mine erupted loudly from my body.* *I couldn't see them, but everyone around me must not have known what to think. We were in a cafe, too. I was so pathetic...* *Still, I couldn't hold back the torrent of wails.* Naruko: "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" *I wondered why I was wailing when it hit me that I was sobbing uncontrollably. All the same, this wasn't the way a girl my age should act...* Naruko: "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" *Aine-chan rubbed my back as I cried out like an child...*

Naruko: "I'm really sorry!" *I put both my hands together and bowed my head.* Aine: "Ahaha, it is all right." Naruko: "That was totally embarrassing, though. There were other customers in the cafe, and I cried like that..." Aine: "No, no, I am an angel. Appearances do not concern me." *Aine-chan smiled wide for me. Even if you were an angel, would you really not get embarrassed at times like that? That might make me jealous.* Aine: "Do you feel a little better now?" Naruko: "Yeah, much better." *After sobbing like crazy, my eyes were puffy and they felt heavy.* *How long had it been since I had cried so hard? Still, I might just feel a bit refreshed for it.* Naruko: "Maybe now I can try my hardest again." *I did my best to fabricate a smile. Yeah, if I worked at it, I could smile again.* Naruko: "I did cry an awful lot. Now I can smile again." Aine: "Even in front of Tomoe-san?" *When she asked me that, I couldn't form an immediate reply.* Naruko: "Yeah. I can smile, even in front of Kirinokojima." Naruko: "If I don't, there's no point in me being here." Aine: "That is not true..." *I shook my head slightly side to side.* *I was well aware of what my role was. I was the one who had decided upon it, after all.* Aine: "Do you intend to keep your feelings from Tomoe-san like you have been?" Naruko: "Obviously. Telling him would end our friendship." Aine: "I do not believe that..." Aine: "Besides, is it not possible Tomoe-san already knows?" *What she said startled me, but only for an instant.* Naruko: "Maybe." *Kirinokojima could read people well. He had spent his life avoiding them, but for some reason he seemed to understand their feelings better than they did.* *It could be because he had experienced extreme emotional trauma first hand.* *It would actually be bizarre if he hadn't pieced it together. Especially considering how well he knew me since I was always with him.* Naruko: "But if he won't mention it, that's fine by me." Naruko: "The fact he lets me stay by his side without saying a word just goes to show how much he depends on me." Naruko: "If he's come to rely on me, then I want to live up to that. I don't want to betray him." Aine: "B-But..." Naruko: "What's with the gloomy face? There's no reason for you to look that way, Aine-chan." Aine: "But, but...!" Naruko: "It's all right. We've managed up until now, you know." Aine: "But, that is..." Naruko: "Yeah?" Aine: "Ooooh..."

Aine: "But Naruko-san has already recovered her shard!" Tomoe: "..." Tomoe: "What's with you all of a sudden?" Aine: "I could not say this to Naruko-san, so I am getting it off my chest here and now." Tomoe: "You met up with Nakizaki, huh?" *She evidently had a ton of complaints ready for me the moment she walked through the door after seemingly meeting with Nakizaki.* *In any case, her cheeks were so puffed up with annoyance, she looked just like a squirrel.* *Was this a collection of comments she had wanted to give off her chest, but couldn't?* Aine: "What is with the nonchalant face?" *She glared at me.* Tomoe: "Saying that won't help anything. What did you two talk about?" Aine: "Well... I cannot say!" *She shouted furiously. She was mad at me?* Tomoe: "In that case, there's nothing I can do." Aine: "You _do_ understand you are the one responsible for this, right, Tomoe-san?! You are the one who returned the shard to her, you know!" Tomoe: "I'm aware." *Of course I knew that, but what did she expect from me? She hadn't developed her thoughts any further.* Aine: "It does not matter even if it is a lie. Please tell Naruko-san that you love her." Tomoe: "...You're sure that's for the best?" *If so, it wasn't an impossible task. It was for Nakizaki, after all.* *I felt like I would be betraying her in the process, though.* *Our relationship would never be the same again.* Aine: "Why... Why is Naruko-san not good enough?" *Aine looked like she would burst into tears at any moment. I didn't know what sort of conversation she and Nakizaki had, but I could imagine it was the cause of that broken expression of hers.* Tomoe: "It's not that Nakizaki isn't good enough. _I'm_ not good enough." Aine: "Aw... But what is so bad about you, Tomoe-san?" Tomoe: "Keep the spiteful looks to yourself." *I didn't hate Nakizaki. I loved her, in fact, and didn't want to hurt her.* *So then, why was it I didn't seem to love her "that way"?* *No. In truth, I probably did love her, but I had convinced myself I shouldn't.* *But because I thought that way, I couldn't control my own feelings.* Tomoe: "I just think I'm incapable of falling in love with someone. I don't have the right." *Me, falling in love with someone...? The very thought scared the hell out of me. I was so terrified, my body refused to move.* *The problem lay entirely with me. It wasn't Nakizaki's fault in the slightest, and yet, she was the one suffering for it.* *Aine had criticized me for acting "nonchalant" earlier, and she had a point.* *Nakizaki was suffering, and here I was acting like it had nothing to do with me in a safe, secure place.* *I was such a coward.* *I knew it, but I couldn't move forward no matter how hard I tried.* Tomoe: "I'm sorry..." *Those words slipped out unintentionally.* Aine: "Tomoe-san..." Aine: "I heard a little bit from Naruko-san. About how you went through a painful experience with love." Tomoe: "I see... Nakizaki told you about that?" Aine: "Ah, I didn't hear the details, though." Tomoe: "No, that's fine." Aine: "So, _is_ that why you cannot fall in love?" Tomoe: "I don't think it's so much 'can't' as 'shouldn't.' But... that's no different, really." *That was just how cowardly and unfair I was.* Aine: "Tomoe-san, I knew it..." Tomoe: "Knew what?" Aine: "...No, it is nothing." *Aine swallowed her words mid-sentence. I was curious what she was going to say, but didn't dare to ask.* *Nakizaki was more important. What could a powerless guy like me do for her? _Was_ there anything I could do?* *I sensed just how helpless I was, and it made me sick.* *I guess I haven't changed since back then, huh?*

Tomoe: "..." *The arrow flew far off target and stuck into the firing mound.* *I had been practicing for around an hour, but every shot was badly missing its mark. It was proof my heart was in disarray.* *Even if I went to bed, there was no chance I would actually fall asleep. I was too emotionally agitated.* *I endured it for who knows how long, but it all came to nothing. I decided to draw my bow in an attempt to calm down.* *My sour mood remained the same, though. Archery would normally make me feel better, but...* Tomoe: "Phew..." *Unsurprisingly, I was mentally exhausted and lowered the bow.* Rios: "I'm impressed you've played make-believe angel all this time with skills like those." Tomoe: "Hmph..." *A darkness deeper than the night appeared midair. They were the jet-black feathers of a black angel.* Tomoe: "Rios..." Rios: "You look quite distraught. Enough that I wonder if it was a mistake to entrust the shard to you." Tomoe: "..." *I couldn't argue. Not after how emphatically he had insisted I "think it over carefully."* Tomoe: "Sorry." *I accidentally blurted that out. Rios looked completely stunned.* Rios: "This is rare. Who'd have thought you would apologize so sincerely." Tomoe: "In this instance, there's no way around it. It may have been best if I had left it in your care." Rios: "Hmph, gone completely gutless, have you? You returned the shard to that woman, didn't you?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I did." Rios: "Then what happened?" Tomoe: "That shard contained feelings for me. Nakizaki recovered them, unfortunately." Tomoe: "Did you know that the shard contained Nakizaki's feelings for me?" Rios: "I did." Rios: "'For you to get better soon.' That was all her prayer entailed." *Nakizaki had prayed for me at that church. I had no idea...* Rios: "She incessantly said she didn't care what happened to her if she could make it happen." Rios: "Without hesitation, she said she would discard her own feelings if it meant she could stay by your side as you despaired about love. As you can see, she did just that." Rios: "That is a moment not even I could forget. A human severed away her dearest wish, her own feelings." Rios: "No, 'tore' might be more accurate. That woman tore off her feelings for you, tore away half of her own self, and threw it all away." Rios: "People often speak of 'setting aside their feelings' or 'giving up,' but discarding your feelings to the point your heart fractures isn't normally possible." Rios: "That woman managed to pull that off. As a young child, no less." *It pained me just to listen to this. Nakizaki had imposed that excruciating deed upon herself for my sake?* Rios: "No, she may have been able to do it _because_ she was a young child. That was a selfless act; one which sought no reward, done purely out of consideration for the person she cared about." Rios: "It may have been a miracle _only_ an innocent child could perform." Rios: "'Infatuation' or the multitudes of words for lust may not be appropriate to describe this." Rios: "That was 'love.' That woman must have loved you dearly." Tomoe: "Nakizaki..." *...Loved me. I felt helpless, like I'd been abandoned somewhere unfamiliar.* Rios: "Humans are pure as snow the moment they're born into this world. However, throughout the course of their long lives, they become polluted, covered in worldly filth." Rios: "As humans age, they can only survive by protecting themselves with cunning, self-interest, and similar. Their feelings will completely vanish when that time comes." Rios: "But, for better or worse, that woman's love was perfectly preserved and resurrected in the here and now. Those pure feelings are surely being directed at you once again." Rios: "No, not 'again,' but for the very first time. In the past, she discarded them before she ever got the chance." Rios: "They are feelings she herself never realized she had, ones which were never requited." Rios: "How do you intend to respond to those pure feelings?" *Rios confronted me with that devilish question. Had I ever been capable of responding to feelings like that?* *Considering I was the prime example of the sort of "polluted human" he was talking about?* Tomoe: "But... If you knew all that, why did you entrust the shard to me?" *I asked, feeling a bit oppositional. This black angel _must_ have known I would end up returning the shard.* *Wouldn't that mean he left it in my possession knowing full well what would happen?* Tomoe: "You want me to respond to Nakizaki's feelings... Are you suggesting I'm actually capable of that?" Rios: "That doesn't matter. Whatever becomes of human love and romances is of no concern to me." *Rios arrogantly declared.* *Was this something an angel would say? If Aine heard him saying human love and romance didn't matter, I bet she would faint.* Rios: "I'm only interested in seeing the result." Tomoe: "The result?" *I asked for clarification, but Rios didn't answer. He stayed completely still and looked down at me with piercing eyes.* Rios: "Can you change fate? Can you break the curse imposed on mankind?" Tomoe: "Fate? Curse? ...What in the world do you mean?" Rios: "..." *As expected, he made no move to answer my questions. He simply said his piece and left it at that.* Rios: "Well, I don't care what happens, personally. Fight against it as much as you can." Helen: "Please think of this as Rios' way of encouraging you." *The black angels disappeared. In the end, they were simply self-serving creatures, saying only what they wanted to say and disregarding others.* *What could they have meant by "fate"? Were they still hiding something from Nakizaki and me?* *My heart spontaneously jumped at the thought of Nakizaki.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki cast aside her heart for my sake?" *I felt a jarring sensation in my chest.* *How great was the pain Nakizaki had felt? My chest throbbed when I thought about Nakizaki, but it probably couldn't even begin to compare.* *How could I possibly respond to Nakizaki's feelings?* *_Should_ I reciprocate them?*

Naruko: "Morning!" *I awoke to a cheerful voice. It was Nakizaki.* Tomoe: "Yeah, morning." *She had apparently come in through the front door again today. She was far more energetic than yesterday, but she had this undeniable aura that suggested she was doing so with great effort.* Naruko: "Breakfast is ready, so hurry down!" Tomoe: "Yeah, thanks." Naruko: "..." Tomoe: "..." *It was this silence. This silence had never existed before, and it made me realize that our relationship really had changed.* Naruko: "Uh, okay, I'll be waiting!" Tomoe: "Yeah..." *Nakizaki left. She was quieter, and vaguely more feminine than the Nakizaki in my memories.* Aine: "Pii... Puu... Pii..." *She was so quiet that Aine hadn't woken up yet, either. No matter how she might cover it up, Nakizaki's actions were oozing with femininity.* Tomoe: "...Oh?" *Then, I realized it.* *I had been watching Nakizaki walk away until she was no longer in sight.*

*Nakizaki and I were walking home alone together.* Naruko: "We got a lot of homework today, huh? This sucks." Tomoe: "It does." Naruko: "..." *There had been many occasions lately where we tended to go silent like this.* *Normally she would prattle on while I gave brief replies, but there never used to be any pauses in conversation.* Naruko: "Let's see... Oh, did Aine-chan have class duty today?" Tomoe: "Yeah. That's why she said she couldn't join us." Naruko: "For an angel, Aine-chan sure is fitting in at school now." Tomoe: "Not that she seems like an angel at all." Naruko: "You've got that right. Ahaha..." Naruko: "..." *Silence again. Being alone together had never caught my attention before, but now I was _strongly_ aware of it.* *Only because I could sense how self-conscious it made Nakizaki.* Naruko: "..." Tomoe: "..." *No, it wasn't just Nakizaki. I was completely wary of it myself. I had to admit that.* Tomoe: "..." *I could see how nervous Nakizaki looked as I snuck a peek beside me. I was shocked to find myself thinking how pretty her face was.* Naruko: "...Hm?" *Nakizaki may have felt my eyes on her and looked this way. She realized I had been watching her and acted shaken.* Naruko: "Wh-What?" Tomoe: "Oh, it's nothing, really." *I couldn't say, "I thought you looked pretty," but no other reason came to mind.* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." *As a result, silence fell once more.* *What did we used to talk about before this? No, maybe it had just never felt this unsettling even if it fell silent and neither of us spoke.* Naruko: "..." *I ended up stealing another glance at her profile.* Kiyohito: "Oh, still hanging around here~?" Naruko: "Wah?!" *Nakizaki jumped at the sudden voice from behind us. I was also surprised by it, but managed to keep it inside.* Naruko: "O-Oh, Kiyohito?" Kiyohito: "What're you so surprised for? I was just calling out to you!" Tomoe: "Your voice is loud, Kiyohito." Kiyohito: "I was just talking normally. Forget all that; did something happen between you two recently?" *Kiyohito was staring hard at Nakizaki and me.* *This was always the case, but his look was presumptuous. I usually disregarded it, but now it bothered me.* Kiyohito: "You guys should just get married already." Tomoe: "Huh?" *Kiyohito was being nonsensical again. His comment was referring to me and Nakizaki.* Naruko: "Wh-What're you talking about?! You're a total moron!" Kiyohito: "Oh come on, you two have been acting like an old married couple." Naruko: "An old married couple... You're not making sense." Tomoe: "You said it." *How could a relationship that had never even begun grow old?* Kiyohito: "But y'know, you two have kinda gotten your liveliness back lately, haven't you?" Naruko: "Liveliness..." *Nakizaki blushed. That must have struck some emotional chord. Definitely a "lively" reaction.* Kiyohito: "I mean that in a good way. It wouldn't be bad at all if you two started dating." Tomoe: "Suggesting we date is a bit much..." *Nakizaki and I couldn't hide our confusion. This was the first time Kiyohito had ever said something like this to us.* *He'd poked fun at our relationship before, but never said anything this serious.* Naruko: "Wh-What's with you? Where's this coming from all of a sudden?" Kiyohito: "It's not sudden. I've been thinking that you two should hurry up and go out already." Tomoe: "You felt that way?" *It wasn't as if he'd never said it before, but ninety percent of what Kiyohito said were jokes, so I never paid much attention to it.* Kiyohito: "Personally, I don't believe in friendships between men and women. That's why I've never been able to understand your relationship at all." Kiyohito: "You're hardly saints, so your well-mannered relationship is just plain uncanny. If I were to describe it, it's kind of twisted." Naruko: "You thought all that?" *Nakizaki suddenly perked up. Kiyohito sidestepped Nakizaki's agitation with a nihilistic smile.* Kiyohito: "No matter how well you seemed to get along on the surface, to me it always looked like you weren't being honest with each other." Naruko: "..." *Unsurprisingly, Kiyohito's sharp observations left Nakizaki speechless.* *Yes, maybe that was the case. He may have hit the nail on the head.* *Both of us may have been subconsciously choreographing distance between us so that our relationship would never go beyond a friendship.* *If that was what he was referring to, then he might be right.* *But the real surprise was Kiyohito noticing something we ourselves hadn't. There was a limit to how closely you could observe other people.* Tomoe: "Either way, isn't it illogical to tell us to go out all of a sudden?" Naruko: "Th-That's right! It's totally illogical!" Kiyohito: "There's nothing illogical about it, especially when it comes to love. By the time 'logic' comes into the mix, it's not love anymore." Kiyohito: "Love isn't rational. It's pure emotion! Acting according to your emotions is what _makes_ it love." Naruko: "You act on raw emotion too much!" *Kiyohito responded to Nakizaki's resentment with a frivolous smile, but his face quickly became serious again as he looked at me.* Kiyohito: "Hey, Tomoe. I don't know what happened to you in the past, and I'll never ask, either." Kiyohito: "Forget about the past. How do you feel right now?" Tomoe: "Right now?" Kiyohito: "I'm asking if you're okay with things staying this way. Are you okay with being bound by your past?" Tomoe: "My past..." *Yes, I _was_ bound by my past.* Tomoe: "But I can't forget what happened." Naruko: "..." Kiyohito: "And that only proves my point. Wouldn't it be okay to finally set yourself free?" *Kiyohito's words resonated in my heart, and a searing pain came along for the ride.* Tomoe: "If I could do that, then I wouldn't be going through so much trouble." *Yes. If I could do that, I wouldn't have to make Nakizaki sad. _If_ I could.* Kiyohito: "If that's how you feel, then just do it. That's all there is to it." *Kiyohito's comment made it sound like he had no part in this. Now I was irritated.* Tomoe: "Don't make it sound so easy. You don't have any idea what's going on." Kiyohito: "I'll say this _because_ I don't know. Forget about the past already. Forget the past, and date Nakizaki." Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "Wh-What're you saying, Kiyohito? I'm not interested in..." Kiyohito: "You love Tomoe, right? Why don't you just say so, then?" Kiyohito: "Hiding how you feel and being indecisive isn't like you, Nakizaki." Naruko: "Th-That's not... What do you know about it?" *Kiyohito's expression didn't change.* Kiyohito: "I may not know everything. Unlike you guys, I haven't known you two as long." *Undaunted, Kiyohito stared us down and spoke.* *He shouldn't be so calm after such a harsh question, but even then, he stared at us, his expression unfazed.* Kiyohito: "I care about both of you, so I don't want your relationship to be so strained." Kiyohito: "If you're not going to date, then that's fine. But it's really stupid for you two to not date when you have feelings for each other." Kiyohito: "Especially when there are so many other cases where people can never be honest, no matter how much they love a person, since it's all one-sided." Naruko: "Th-That's..." *Nakizaki was all shaken up. After getting involved with the work of angels, we had seen numerous heart-breaking, unrequited loves.* Tomoe: "..." Kiyohito: "Hey, Tomoe." *Unable to reply, Kiyohito spoke to me in a soft voice.* Kiyohito: "I'll say this since I don't know anything. I think it's okay for you to forgive yourself." Tomoe: "Forgive myself..." *Me, forgive myself? Was such a thing permissible?* Kiyohito: "I don't know what for, but I do know you've always blamed yourself. But is it okay for you to make someone else unhappy due to your own circumstances?" *I knew that "someone else" was referring to Nakizaki.* Kiyohito: "Don't you have it rough since you feel the same way?" *Kiyohito really had seen through everything.* *Him guessing everything about me so accurately left me utterly drained. I'd lost the will to fight him.* Kiyohito: "If you just can't forgive yourself..." Tomoe: "If I can't...?" Kiyohito: "I don't care if you can't, so make someone else happy to make up for it." Tomoe: "Make... someone else happy...?" *I turned my attention to Nakizaki.* *She looked like she had started watching a movie she didn't know the ending to midway in, and was eagerly awaiting the outcome.* *Me, make Nakizaki happy... Would such a thing be allowed?* Kiyohito: "Living solely to punish yourself is nothing more than a nuisance to everyone else around you. If you're going to do that, try and make at least one person happy instead." *His words pierced my heart.* *Living solely to punish myself was nothing more than a nuisance, huh?* *It was totally obvious now that he had said it, but this was the first time I'd heard or ever thought the idea.* Naruko: "Th-That's not true! What are you saying, Kiyohito?! How can you call Kirinokojima a nuisance?!" *Nakizaki objected, but Kiyohito stared back at her without any signs of dismay.* Kiyohito: "Are you really okay with the way things are? With Tomoe the way he is? You really think that?" Naruko: "W-Well..." *When he threw that back at Nakizaki, she became unnerved.* Naruko: "But it's because he's the way he is now that I..." *However, she couldn't finish her comment.* *Which meant she couldn't completely deny what he had said, either. She probably believed it somewhere inside her, too.* *Try and make at least one person happy instead...* *That _was_ how his mind would work.* *Me, make Nakizaki happy?* *Could I do that?* *It wasn't a matter of being able to or not; I just had to do it?* Kiyohito: "Well, that's all I wanted to say. Hey, there's something I wanted to watch on TV today! Okay then, I'll be heading home first." Tomoe: "Ah..." *Kiyohito ran off with the same abruptness as he'd appeared.* Naruko: "There he goes." *Nakizaki was astonished, too.* Tomoe: "That's just like him." Naruko: "It really is." *Even after Kiyohito had disappeared from sight, his comments lingered within me.* *"Make at least one person happy."* *And that person was right by my side...*

Naruko: "Hah..." *I sure had gotten used to sighing.* *This may have been the first time in my entire life I had ever sighed this much. It was enough to make me wonder how I'd gotten this far in life without sighing at all.* *My conversation today with Kirinokojima and Kiyohito had been on repeat inside my head ever since.* Naruko: "Damn you, Kiyohito. Calling Kirinokojima a nuisance!" *Just thinking about it pissed me off.* Naruko: "Kiyohito can only say things like that because he doesn't know the full story." *Then again, he did mention he said that _because_ he didn't know anything.* *He used it against us, but I had a feeling he was trying to say what we couldn't for us.* Naruko: "I couldn't argue back." *The whole "nuisance" topic wasn't what made it impossible to talk back.* *It was because he asked, "Are you okay with Tomoe the way he is?"* *I definitely couldn't argue "He's fine this way!" very strongly.* *I wanted to accept everything about Kirinokojima, and to be his only ally now and forever.* *I alone wanted to be on his side, even if the entire world turned on him.* *Or so I believed... but when asked if I was okay with how things were, that was where I drew the line.* Naruko: "Of course it's not okay..." *How _could_ everything be fine this way? Kirinokojima didn't seem happy at all.* *If something didn't change, he would never be happy. No, it actually seemed as though he thought he _shouldn't_ be.* *Nobody could find happiness with that mindset.* *Not only did I want Kirinokojima to be happy, I wanted to be the one to make it happen if at all possible.* *But, if he didn't want it for himself, there was nothing I could do for him.* Naruko: "What am I supposed to do, then?" *I let out another sigh. This room must have been full of sighs I'd breathed out by now.* *In place of air, this room was no doubt packed with my sighs.* *There was a knock on my window. For a second, I thought it might be Kirinokojima, but there was no way he would come looking for me via this route at this hour.* *Which left only one person.* Naruko: "Aine-chan?" *I asked through the curtain.* Aine: "Yes, it is Aine." *I knew it was her. I opened the curtain and window, and invited Aine-chan into the room.* Aine: "Good evening. Sorry to come in this way. It is getting late, so it was difficult for me to come in through the front door." Aine: "Were you still up, Naruko-san?" Naruko: "Yeah, it's totally fine. I couldn't sleep, so your timing is perfect." *Aine-chan smiled. I had a feeling she came over to check on me since she knew I was having trouble dozing off.* Naruko: "What about Kirinokojima?" *As I asked, I looked out the window to find the light in his bedroom was already out.* Aine: "Yes, he is already asleep." Naruko: "Seems like it." *What did Kirinokojima think about what happened today? He fell asleep without trouble, so maybe he didn't think much of it?* *It was fine if that were the case, but this was Kirinokojima we were talking about, so I couldn't trust everything at face value. He didn't let his emotions show on the surface.* *He could just be wide awake and lying perfectly still in his bed right now.* *He had always been a light sleeper. I went to wake him up every morning, but he would be able to get up just fine on his own if I didn't.* *For that matter, I doubted he slept deeply enough for sleeping in to be possible.* *This was a significant improvement compared to when he couldn't sleep for days on end, but something told me he hadn't been able to sleep soundly ever since.* *That was why he followed my lead every morning. For my sake.* *Knowing that to be the case, I kept waking him up every morning without saying a word.* *"No matter how well you seemed to get along on the surface, to me it always looked like you weren't being honest with each other."* *I had expected as much from Kiyohito. Just like Kirinokojima, he really did watch people like a hawk.* Aine: "How are you doing, Naruko-san?" Naruko: "How am I doing?" *Her question seemed so sudden to me that I parroted it back to her.* Aine: "Like with Tomoe-san, and with your feelings for him." Naruko: "Oh, that's right. Sorry for suddenly crying the other day." Aine: "N-No! That is not your fault, Naruko-san..." Naruko: "Hm? What do you mean?" *I was the one who suddenly became emotionally unstable and burst into tears, so what did she mean it wasn't my fault?* Aine: "Oh, no, I mean, uh..." *Aine-chan looked like she was having a hard time talking, like there was something that was difficult for her to tell me...* *Knowing Aine, maybe it had to do with angels?* *Angels...* Naruko: "...Ah." *I just had an epiphany... Yeah, that's it. I think I managed to figure it out. Going with that logic, everything made sense.* *Why Aine-chan was having a hard time talking to me. What was going on with me and Kirinokojima lately. My feelings for him...* Naruko: "Could it be... that my heart fractured?" *Had Aine-chan and Kirinokojima then returned my shard? I just had this feeling...* Aine: "Ah..." *Aine-chan looked startled, like a kid who'd been caught pulling a prank, then hung her head.* Aine: "I am sorry..." *She apologized with her head bowed. Looks like I was right. My heart had fractured.* *And that shard had contained my feelings for Kirinokojima...* Naruko: "That's what it was?" *It really was a lighthearted realization.* *I had been perplexed by my case of emotional whiplash, but if that's what happened, I could wrap my head around it. Now that I understood, I felt refreshed.* Aine: "Um, I am really sorry!" Naruko: "Why are you apologizing? There's no need to feel so sorry." Aine: "But... are you not mad?" Naruko: "Hm, I _do_ have some mixed feelings about it..." *I wouldn't say I felt angry or anything. In fact, now that I understood why things had changed, I felt a strong sense of relief.* *But it still left me with mixed feelings regardless.* Naruko: "I assume Kirinokojima's the one who returned it to me?" Aine: "Yes, Tomoe-san did." *That made sense. Aine-chan still couldn't use her guitar, so only he could return the shard.* *Which means...* Naruko: "Does Kirinokojima know how I feel...?" *Had he returned that shard to me knowing how I felt about him?* Aine: "No, he does not. We figured out that your heart was fractured, but did not know what feelings fractured off with it..." Naruko: "I see..." *I felt a mix of both relief and disappointment about that, too.* *If he had known how I felt and returned the shard, then that would have been the same as him accepting my feelings.* *Some part of me had been hopeful at the prospect.* *Even though there was absolutely no way he would ever accept my feelings...* *Love truly was a selfish thing. That desire to be reciprocated meant putting yourself first, without concern for the other person.* Aine: "Um... I am really sorry! I did not think things would turn out this way..." Naruko: "You don't have to apologize so much. I'm not mad, really." Naruko: "I'm well aware that you two did it wanting what was best for me." Aine: "But..." Naruko: "Besides... I'm glad I was able to remember these feelings. These feelings of love for Kirinokojima." Aine: "Huh...? Really?" Naruko: "Really." Naruko: "There are times where it's incredibly painful and agonizing, but now, I understand that loving someone so much is an irreplaceable feeling." *My chest grew warm just thinking about Kirinokojima. With it also came pain, but even then, it did nothing to change how priceless these feelings were to me.* Naruko: "So, I'm glad. Thank you, Aine-chan." *I hadn't put much thought behind it, but now that I had said it out loud, "thank you" was surprisingly fitting.* *Those two words primed the well, and afterward, a steady stream of gratitude came gushing to the surface.* *I truly felt happy that I was able to remember my love for Kirinokojima... that I had been made to remember it.* *How had I been able to forget these precious feelings and lead my life like nothing had changed?* Aine: "If you would say all that... do you think it would be best to tell Tomoe-san how you feel as well?" Naruko: "Huh? Tell Kirinokojima?" Naruko: "I can't do that! Never!" *I was shocked and refused it strongly. That was the one thing I couldn't do.* *These feelings were important to me, and Kirinokojima would only be bothered by them.* Aine: "But Tomoe-san has already realized it. Would it not be better to tell him outright?" *When I asked her before, Aine-chan had been vague, suggesting he "likely hadn't" or "may have" realized it, but it appeared he actually had.* *A small part of me had known that.* Naruko: "But he's pretending not to know for me, isn't he?" Aine: "He is... which is why you should approach him instead..." Naruko: "If he's pretending not to notice, then that's just his way of being nice." Naruko: "By pretending not to notice, he's allowing me to stay by his side." Aine: "But that would mean that your feelings would be..." Naruko: "I'll be okay. Loving him is enough for me. That way, I can stay with him." *That really was all there was to it. I shouldn't wish for anything more.* *Wishing for anything more would only cause Kirinokojima pain... him, and myself.* Naruko: "That's all I need." Aine: "Is this really what is best for Tomoe-san?" Naruko: "Well..." *Kiyohito had asked the very same.* *Was I okay with Kirinokojima the way he is? Kiyohito asked me if I believed that, too. It was a question I couldn't answer.* Aine: "Will Tomoe-san be okay how he is now? Are you okay with things staying this way the rest of your life?" Naruko: "The rest of my life..." *That was a dizzying concept. Kirinokojima staying the same "for life"... The very thought overwhelmed... suffocated me, even.* *According to Kiyohito, Kirinokojima was "living only to punish himself." I didn't believe his observation was far off the mark, either.* *Could I really stand by and watch Kirinokojima go on like this his whole lifetime?* *Could I really keep quiet and watch from the sidelines as he continued to punish himself?* Naruko: "That's..." *Was that truly best? The choice I was meant to make?* Aine: "I want Tomoe-san to be happy, too. I have not known him long, but I have found myself wishing for that more and more by the day..." Naruko: "Aine-chan..." *Something told me I understood how she felt incredibly well, and when I realized what that meant, my heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Aine-chan also...* *...No, it couldn't be. She was an angel after all.* *Still, I felt the same way as Aine-chan.* *I wanted him to become happy, too.* *But it didn't seem as though there was anything I could do for him...* Aine: "It has to be you, Naruko-san." *Aine-chan said that flatly, like she'd read my mind.* Naruko: "Huh? What do you mean...?" Aine: "Are you not the only one who can make Tomoe-san happy, the only one who can save him?" Naruko: "...Huh? Me?" *_I_ could make Kirinokojima happy? ...That had never occurred to me.* *All I ever thought about were ways to keep him from suffering, and to lessen his emotional burdens.* *Making him "happy" was a new concept. I never thought I was capable.* *And that was because... I wasn't the person Kirinokojima fell in love with.* *However, could I... actually make him happy?* Naruko: "That's imposs─" Aine: "It is not impossible. After all, you are the only one there is." Aine: "Could Kiyohito-san do it? Will Minamo-chan or Yuri-san do it?" Aine: "No. I believe that they are all kind people, but that it would be difficult for them." Naruko: "What about you? You _are_ an angel..." Aine: "I am not confident I could do it, either..." *Aine-chan cast her eyes down sadly.* *But it was only for a moment. She immediately pointed her eyes, filled with an intense light, at me.* Aine: "I think it would be different for you, Naruko-san. You have stood close by Tomoe-san and watched him all this time. You know him better than anyone else." Aine: "If Tomoe-san can be saved, I think you are the only one who can do it." Naruko: "I'm the only one..." *Only I could save Kirinokojima...* *It was true; I couldn't just leave Kirinokojima this way. I wanted him to forgive himself and be happy.* *If I could really lend even the slightest helping hand in making that happen...* Naruko: "Can I really do it?" Aine: "Yes!" *Aine-chan's reply was reassuring. It filled my heart, which remained cowardly in spite of regaining its shard, with courage.* Aine: "Everyone is born to be loved. I am positive the same goes for Tomoe-san. I want you to teach him as much." Naruko: "...Yeah." *As I nodded and replied, I was overcome with dizziness.* *I felt excited and nervous that I would confess my feelings for Kirinokojima, anxious that I might be rejected, and terror that I may not be able to save him after all.* *That jumble of varied emotions made my head spin. My legs became paralyzed, and I thought I might drop to the floor.* *Then I thought, "Wait."* *Practically every emotion I felt revolved around me. My nervousness about confessing, the anxiety about possibly being rejected...* *Even my fear of "not being good enough to save him" was half my own ego talking.* *If Kirinokojima could be saved, then it should be fine if it wasn't me who helped him.* *What made me truly terrified and anxious was whether he could be saved in general. When I realized that was all I was afraid of, I felt some relief.* *I didn't care what happened to me.* *I would simply tell him how I felt. Aine-chan's words gave me courage.* *I would be honest and tell Kirinokojima straight to his face that I loved him.* *That was all I _could_ do.* *And if my feelings could save Kirinokojima, then nothing would make me happier.*

*I was called to the roof in a rare change of pace, and when I arrived, Nakizaki was waiting with a nervous look on her face.* Tomoe: "Is something wrong?" Naruko: "Yeah..." *Nakizaki seemed very nervous for some reason─nervous enough that even I could sense it.* *My guess that she had something important to discuss had been on the mark. What's more, I had a vague idea of what that something might be.* *Especially considering I knew how she felt about me.* *The tension I felt escalated, and my mind was positively buzzing.* *What should I say when she confessed her feelings to me? How should I answer her?* *"Living solely to punish yourself is nothing more than a nuisance to everyone else around you. If you're going to do that, try and make at least one person happy instead."* *I could hear Kiyohito's voice saying that in my head.* *But was I capable of that? Wouldn't history just repeat itself?* *That thought made me freeze in place. My body felt completely paralyzed. Nakizaki seemed like a terrifying creature standing before me.* *Why was I standing here? Was there some meaning in it? What would "she" think if she saw me right now?* *It suddenly felt as though "she" was looking down on me, and I gazed up at the sky. I could see something white fluttering down the from the sky... Feathers?* *I remembered when a certain angel had descended.* *However, it was snow that fluttered down from the heavens, not feathers. A flurry began within moments of me noticing how chilly it was.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima, listen..." *Nakizaki braced herself and called out to me. My heart had grown calm the moment her voice reached my ears. I no longer felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.* *Suddenly relaxed, I waited for Nakizaki to speak.* *However, she hardly moved. As the snow continued to flutter down quietly, I waited in silence for Nakizaki to finish her thought.* *"When she says it, I'll just nod..." That's what went through my head. Then, at the time, I will...* *Creeeeeak...* *Just then, I heard a metal door creak open.* Naruko: "Ah..." *Sensing somebody was there, Nakizaki choked down the rest of her comment.* Naruko: "Oh, Kayo." *Nakizaki greeted her. It was Kayo Ukutsu who walked out onto the rooftop.* *However, Nakizaki sounded puzzled because from what I could see, Ukutsu looked depressed.* Naruko: "Is something wrong?" Kayo: "Yeah..." *Ukutsu had been distressed when we mediated in her relationship with Hashiguchi, but my perception was that she was otherwise an energetic, lively girl.* *I got the impression she was always running. She continued doing so even after her heart had fractured.* *However, _this_ Ukutsu couldn't look any more different from the one I had seen before.* *Her stride seemed very heavy, like she was dragging her feet, and she didn't seem like she could burst into a sprint at any moment like in my memories of her.* Naruko: "Did something happen? Does it have to do with Hashiguchi-kun?" Kayo: "..." *Ukutsu remained silent and hung her head, but I could tell by how she was acting that Nakizaki's question wasn't wrong.* Naruko: "What happened? Do you want to talk about it?" *Nakizaki had switched into advice-giving mode. Any self-centered thoughts had likely left her mind. That was so like her.* *The way Ukutsu was acting worried me, too. I could only imagine that something had happened with Hashiguchi.* *Those two were supposed to be joined by the red thread of fate now. What in the world could have happened?* Kayo: "Hashiguchi and I..." *She forced those words out.* Naruko: "You and Hashiguchi...?" Kayo: "...Broke up." Tomoe: "Huh?!" *I cried out in surprise. That shouldn't be possible! I returned Ukutsu's shard, and they were joined by the red thread of fate! I had seen it with my own two eyes.* *The red thread was supposed to join them for all eternity.* Tomoe: "That can't be right." *I said unintentionally.* Kayo: "It's true. We really did break up." *She didn't look like she was lying─not that she would have any reason to do so.* Naruko: "No way. Why...? It hasn't been that long since you first started dating, has it?" Kayo: "Well... Hashiguchi apparently found someone he likes over there..." Naruko: "Huh? What's up with that?" Tomoe: "You're kidding, right?" *I couldn't help but ask her that. How did that happen?* Kayo: "There's no way I'd lie about something like this. It's true." Naruko: "It can't be... Why?" Kayo: "I guess dating long-distance just didn't work out. Besides, that's not all..." Naruko: "There's more?" Kayo: "Well, you see... My family is going to be moving, too." Naruko: "Huh? Really? So you're transferring? Where?" *Nakizaki asked her in rapid-fire.* Kayo: "America." Naruko: "A-America?" Kayo: "So, you know, this may have been for the best..." Naruko: "No way..." Tomoe: "..." *I was speechless. Why were two people joined by the red thread of fate going through such turmoil?*

Aine: "That is strange!" *Aine stood up like she was angry. No, not "like"; she was _definitely_ angry.* Aine: "Is that story true?" *She was talking about how Ukutsu and her boyfriend had broken up.* Tomoe: "There's no way I'd lie about this. Ukutsu said it herself." Aine: "It cannot be... That is definitely weird!" Tomoe: "Calling it 'weird' won't help anything. It's the truth." Naruko: "What does this mean?" *Naturally, Nakizaki couldn't really tell Ukutsu anything. All she could do was listen and comfort her. That probably just made her want to know why they had broken up even more.* *We all wanted to know why two people bound by fate had broken up.* *Even _I_ wanted to know. This wasn't how she said it would be.* Aine: "I do not know..." *However, the angel's reply was as unreliable as it could get.* Tomoe: "What do you mean you don't know?" Aine: "I just do not. It should not turn out this way..." Naruko: "People joined by the red thread of fate shouldn't separate, right?" Aine: "Yes, they should not. So why...?" *If an angel didn't know, there's no way I would, but we couldn't afford to ignore this.* *All of a sudden, the other couples I'd gotten involved with came to mind.* Tomoe: "Are the other couples all right?" Aine: "Huh?!" *Aine lifted her head in surprise.* *The importance of what I'd just happened to mumble sent shivers down my spine. Were Ukutsu and Hashiguchi an exception? That thought made me go pale.* Aine: "I-It could not be... There is no way that could happen..." *She desperately denied the possibility, but her expression was clearly frightened. The color had faded from Nakizaki's face as well.* Naruko: "Should we check up on them?" Tomoe: "Yeah." *We... no, I had bound them together. It appeared I needed to confirm what had become of their relationships.* Aine: "I am telling you, it cannot be. It simply cannot..." *Aine's frightened expression made me uneasy. An unfamiliar dread threatened to consume my heart.* *What in the world had I done?*

Aine: "It is strange! Definitely strange!" *Aine was shouting, but her voice sounded somewhat distant. The news had shocked me as well.* Naruko: "I can't believe they've all broken up..." *We immediately checked in with all the couples we got involved with afterward, and discovered they had all broken up.* Tomoe: "What does all of this mean?" Aine: "I do not know. Actually, this is impossible." Tomoe: "You can call it impossible all you like, but this is the reality." *The three of us spent the day going around and seeing everyone together. This was the result we witnessed with our own eyes.* Aine: "What in the world is happening?" Tomoe: "That's what I'd like to know." *What had I done?* *If this was how it was going to turn out, then all of my efforts were utterly meaningless. No, worse than meaningless. Maybe everything I did was better left undone.* Naruko: "Aine-chan, you really don't know what's going on?" Aine: "I do not. This is truly impossible." *Aine repeated that phrase over and over again. She really did seem perplexed by it all. What was all this about?* Aine: "I really do not know, but this is not possible. I will discuss this with the others!" Erich: "What's with that?! How does that even happen?!" *Erich exploded with rage when she heard the news from Aine. Menes and Licha couldn't hide their astonishment, either.* Menes: "I've never heard of such a thing before. Do you know anything about this, Licha?" Licha: "Mnh, mnh" *Licha shook her head. All four of the angels had gathered together, but none of them had ever heard of this happening before.* Menes: "I guess it's less that, and more that I've never even considered the possibility. I've never worried about what happens after two people are joined by the red thread." Erich: "Come to think of it, neither have I..." Licha: "Mhm." *Apparently, none of them had ever followed up with the couples they helped.* Aine: "I always worry about them for a little while, but this has never happened until now." Naruko: "Then why did it only happen this time around?" *It was a situation the angels had never experienced before. If I had to guess what was different between then and now, it was...* Tomoe: "Could it be..." *One terrifying thought popped into my mind, and I went pale.* Aine: "Did you come up with something?" Tomoe: "Could this have happened because I, a human, got involved?" *A human getting involved with angelery was probably the one and only unique aspect about this scenario. If so, wasn't I to blame for all of this?* Aine: "That is not..." *Aine was at a loss for words when she realized the possibility.* *If I was right, then I was responsible for everyone's misfortune.* Tomoe: "..." Aine: "Y-You are not responsible for this, Tomoe-san!" Tomoe: "But no other reason comes to mind, right?" Aine: "If... even in the one in a million chance that were the cause... it would be because I asked you to do it." Aine: "I am the one who forced you to do it even though you said you did not want to. That makes it my responsibility." Menes: "Yeah, I guess so. If that were the reason, you would be responsible for it, Aine." Erich: "Angels should be the ones to bear the responsibility of all angelery." Aine: "That is right. It is my responsibility." *Aine's expression warped in pain.* *She thought about humans more than anyone else. It would surely be a major shock for her if she had caused unhappiness for a number of loving couples.* Licha: "Um..." *Just then, Licha spoke up softly and raised her hand.* Menes: "What, is something wrong? Is it important?" Licha: "One more thing is different..." Tomoe: "Really?" *There was something else aside from me, a human, getting involved?* Licha: "The broken strings..." Aine: "...Ah!" *I realized what she meant the moment she said it. The other irregularity was the strings of Aine's guitar being broken?* Erich: "True. That is the entire reason she asked a human for help." *Yes, that _was_ why I originally ended up getting involved.* Menes: "It's funny that her guitar strings broke to begin with." Tomoe: "The broken strings. My involvement in angelery. The use of a bow instead of a guitar." *Those should be all the unique factors that were likely to have caused this.* Naruko: "Hey, didn't she gain a guitar string every time we helped a couple get together?" Tomoe: "What about it?" Naruko: "Kirinokojima got involved with four sets of couples. In doing so, we gained four red threads. So that means..." *Nakizaki's face lost its color as she spoke. I was startled once I figured out what she was implying.* Erich: "...All four of those couples broke up." Aine: "Huh? What does that mean?" Menes: "The number of red threads we gained, and the couples who broke up..." Licha: "...Are the same." *That simple, mumbled phrase from Licha made me feel as though my legs were giving out from under me.* *Had we accidentally done something terrible?* Aine: "Wh-What should we do?" Tomoe: "...All right, let's confirm it." *We couldn't leave things this way, but we couldn't do anything about it unless we made the cause clear, either.* Erich: "How do we do that?" Tomoe: "He's still here, right? The most knowledgeable guy around." Aine: "A knowledgeable guy..." Tomoe: "That black angel."

*We opened the creaky church door and went inside. Aine walked in first, then me, and the remaining angels followed after her.* *Given what time it was, Nakizaki stayed behind.* *It was deserted inside, and I couldn't sense anyone's presence.* Aine: "Um... Please excuse us..." *Aine said, practically in a whisper.* Rios: "This is an unusual lineup." *A voice said from the shadows. The darkness seemed more dense and stagnant in that specific spot.* *When I focused my eyes on that infinitely dark space, a shade conspicuously darker than the last appeared, as if it were sneaking away from the abyss.* Erich: "There he is!" Menes: "The black angel..." *The white angels gulped.* *The black angel met five sets of eyes head-on and revealed himself in his usual, dignified manner.* *As was customary, the other black angel Helen accompanied him from behind.* Helen: "Welcome to the world where jet-black angels rule." *She spoke in a vaguely dramatic tone of voice.* Rios: "We black angels are beings who gallivant in the darkness. The white ones belong in the light, do they not?" *He glared daggers at the white angels. They remained silent, as if they were overwhelmed by the intensity of his gaze.* Aine: "Um, we came here today because we had something to ask you." *Aine was the only one unaffected by this atypical angel and questioned him in her usual manner.* Rios: "About the red thread?" *Rios had guessed what we had come here for. Did he know that we would eventually confront him about this?* *Coupled with the incident involving Nakizaki's heart shard, something about him really bothered me. Rios seemed to be manipulating us freely.* Aine: "All of the people we returned shards to and joined together have broken up. They only just started dating, too." Aine: "No, time has nothing to do with it! It is impossible for couples fated to be together to break up as if it were normal!" Aine: "If you know what is going on, please tell us!" *Rios listened to Aine prattle on all at once without moving so much as a muscle. He was so motionless, I wondered if he was actually listening to her.* Rios: "Impossible, huh?" *The black angel looked like he was holding back a laugh.* Erich: "What's so funny?!" Rios: "'Impossible'... It is funny that you are all naive enough to believe that." Erich: "What do you mean, naive?!" *Rios glared back at Erich as she indignantly talked back at him. She gulped hard, as though repelled by the pressure of his eyes.* Rios: "What do you all think the red thread is, exactly?" Aine: "What it is...?" Menes: "Isn't it the thread of fate that binds lovers together? Those joined by the red thread will never separate for all eternity..." Licha: "Mhm, mhm." Erich: "That's what it is, right? Are you saying it's not?" Rios: "Such a blissful item only exists in fairy tales." Aine: "No way... Then what _is_ the red thread supposed to be?!" *Aine lashed out at him in response. He stared back at her, his expression unruffled.* Rios: "The red thread is a single form of human happiness. However, there is a limit to the amount of available happiness." Menes: "It's limited? You're saying the number of threads is finite?" Helen: "That is correct." *Rios didn't seem interested in answering her question, so Helen did so for him.* Aine: "What does it mean for there to be a limited number of red threads? Does that mean angels will not be able to make humans happy anymore once we run out of them?" Rios: "You can. As long as you steal them from somewhere else." Tomoe: "Steal them?" Erich: "What does that mean?" Helen: "It is simple. For example, assume there are one hundred red threads in the world." Helen: "Once angels give birth to one hundred couples, all of the red threads in the world will have been conferred to humankind. There would no longer be any remaining threads to distribute." Erich: "Wouldn't that render angels effectively useless?" Menes: "No, wait. 'Stealing them' couldn't possibly mean..." *Menes trembled with fear, and was terrified by her sudden realization.* Menes: "Taking their red thread and giving it to a different person?" Erich: "Huh? That couldn't be..." Rios: "That is it exactly." Rios: "A limited number of red threads exist in this world. That predetermined quantity circulates between various humans, nothing more." Rios: "You angels innocently perform your angelic tasks, unaware of where the red threads come from, but in doing so, you are stealing them from happy strangers." Aine: "No way... I mean, what happens to those people whose red threads are taken away?!" Rios: "You've come here because you've seen their fate, have you not?" Aine: "Ah..." *What awaited couples who had been deprived of their red threads was, namely, separation.* *Despite being promised eternal love at the hands of angels, once deprived of their thread, catastrophe would strike shortly thereafter?* Erich: "It cannot be... Then what are angels... What in the world _are_ we?" Rios: "Nothing but dead weight. Futility incarnate." *All the angels present froze in place, now at a loss for words.* *They must have felt like the meaning of their existence had been turned completely inside-out.* Aine: "If that is what red threads really are... then I refuse to continue doing my job as an angel!" *Aine screamed in response, looking fed up.* Rios: "That option exists. However, what awaits you after will be death." Aine: "Death?" *The heaviness of that word startled me.* Menes: "That means... angels who don't perform angelery will die?" Helen: "The general concept of death does not exist for angels. 'Annihilation' would be more accurate..." Rios: "Those whose existence bears no meaning disappear. That is the principle that rules this world." Erich: "No way! What're you saying we should do, then?!" Rios: "Either suck it up and continue your angelery, or stop and vanish from this world. You may pick one of the two." Menes: "You two... You knew the mechanism behind it, yet kept performing angelery, didn't you?" Rios: "Obviously. We would simply disappear otherwise." Aine: "Does that mean you two have known about this the whole time? What the red threads truly are?" Aine: "Why did you not tell us?!" Rios: "What would telling you solve? Would anything have changed?" Aine: "If we knew, there may have been people who we could have stopped ourselves from performing angelery on!" Rios: "Are you capable of ignoring a human whose heart is fractured, and who is crying right before your eyes?" Aine: "Uh... Well..." *Aine couldn't possibly do something like that. She wasn't capable of ignoring a troubled, crying person.* *So then, what else could an angel do aside from returning shards to humans whose hearts had fractured? Did they have any other option?* *What would Aine have possibly done if she had known the true nature of the red threads? Perhaps nothing more than agonize over it.* Helen: "Returning fractured hearts is all angels can do." Aine: "Ah..." *Helen seemingly complemented my thought, and Aine was yet again at a loss for words.* *Realizing we may not have been able to change anything even if we had known left us with a heavy sense of hopelessness.* Menes: "But, that's strange. If there was a secret to it like that, why didn't any of us ever realize it before?" Erich: "Th-That's right! Aine was watching over the people she helped even after the fact, right?!" Aine: "Yes! Something like this has never happened before!" Rios: "Indeed. The circulation of red threads is generally a slower affair." Rios: "However, there was the unique factor of the broken guitar strings this time." Helen: "We were uncertain what sort of impact the broken guitar strings would cause as well." Helen: "Ordinarily, the red threads are supposed to circulate. When someone is joined by a red thread, that thread is selected and provisioned from somewhere in the world at random." Erich: "When you say 'random,' you mean there's no way of telling which or whose red thread will be chosen?" Helen: "Yes, that is how it works." *She was nonchalant about it, but an unhappy parting awaited those whose red threads were taken.* *One would have to suffer in order to make another person happy. They were essentially a sacrifice.* *A sacrifice would be chosen at random. If you were unlucky... That's how it worked?* Aine: "That is strange! Every last person we bound together has broken up!" Erich: "Yeah, it's not random at all!" Helen: "That is why it is an uncertain element." Helen: "The red threads of the couples you joined together were taken as direct replacements for the ones your guitar lacked. It appears it took some time for you to come to this unfortunate realization, however." Aine: "'Directly'...?" *The strings that had multiplied on her instrument popped into my mind.* *Each and every one of those strings were once the happiness of the people we had brought together.* *We had directly deprived them of their happiness.* *It was mortifyingly graphic. The vivid hue of the red thread was like it had been dyed in blood.* Aine: "It cannot be... Does that mean everything I have done has been meaningless...?" Rios: "Exactly. What we angels do is practically meaningless." Rios: "It's a foolish gesture, no better than piling up rocks from a riverbed, destroying it yourself, then piling them back up again." Erich: "Seriously? If that's how it is, then angels never make _anyone_ happy." Tomoe: "No... Not only do they not make anyone happy, they make people miserable, don't they?" *They would give someone a red thread only to take it away later.* *That wasn't a fair trade. It was like lifting someone up, then sending them crashing down to the ground. That was significantly worse than a neutral outcome.* Aine: "That would make us..." *Aine was completely crushed.* *It was understandable. Aine lived for the welfare of humans. Who could have known she was actually doing the opposite and bringing them misfortune?* Licha: "Reapers..." *Licha's whisper made all of us shudder. That really _was_ true.* *They were only angels in name. Their actions were like that of the grim reaper or a demon.* Rios: "It was a close call for you, too." *With that heavy gloom over us, Rios suddenly addressed me. I didn't get what he was hinting at right away, but his semi-amused tone irritated me.* Tomoe: "What do you mean?" Rios: "The shard you returned to that Naruko woman contained feelings for you, correct?" Rios: "You appear to have turned coward and have yet to accept that woman's feelings, but that is a blessing in disguise." Tomoe: "Huh...?" *I couldn't immediately comprehend what he was saying. No, my brain understood, but my heart was trying to deny the realization.* *What he said made sense. If I were to accept Nakizaki's feelings for me, we would be bound together by the red thread of fate, and then...* *We may have broken up already. Our thread would likely become the replacement for the final broken string of Aine's guitar.* *What's more, we really were right on the verge of that happening.* Aine: "Tomoe-san..." *Aine seemed to realize it as well, and her face turned pale.* *It was clear that Aine was thinking about Nakizaki.* *Likewise, I thought about Nakizaki, who wasn't among our current group, and about her feelings which I'd finally resolved myself to try and reciprocate.* *Was I not allowed to do so? Those feelings of hers never stood any chance of being rewarded from the start.* *If I'd made up my mind a little sooner, we would have been bound together, none the wiser.* *But now that I'd learned this, I could _never_ reciprocate her feelings.* *It was either a moment too early, or a moment too late.* *Either way, the angelery used to return Nakizaki's fractured heart had caused every last bit of this.* *I had angels... no, only myself to blame...* Aine: "What have I done...?" *Aine staggered.* Erich: "Aine." *Aine looked like she might collapse, but Erich stood at her side and supported her. Aine's face was as white as paper.* Aine: "Will Tomoe-san and Naruko-san be all right like this...?" *Aine finally managed to ask only that in a feeble voice.* Helen: "That I do not know. It would be safe to assume that they virtually understand their mutual feelings for one another, correct?" Helen: "If I were to guess, it wouldn't be strange if they were joined by the red thread anytime now." Aine: "No way..." Helen: "If they do not wish to become victims of the red thread, they should avoid contact as much as possible and maintain distance between them." Aine: "But... Naruko-san went through a lot and finally recovered a loving heart... Would that not be an even harsher outcome than before?" *Aine's frail voice resounded desperately within me, and a sad-faced Nakizaki popped into my head.*

Naruko: "It can't be... How could the red thread have been something so horrible...?" *Nakizaki heard everything and was speechless.* *The true nature of the red thread was part of that silence, but she was probably also surprised that she was wrapped up in all of this, too.* *Aine had apparently filled her in on how her shard was returned to her, so she was fully up to speed.* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." *I couldn't speak, and was unable to bring up the subject foremost on my mind.* *I recalled Helen's advice for us to avoid contact and maintain distance as much as possible. Nakizaki had already been clued in.* *My attempt to accept her confession yesterday afternoon seemed like a distant memory.* *If Ukutsu hadn't come along at that exact moment, our relationship would likely be that of "lovers" right now.* *I could only imagine the looks on our faces, and what we might be discussing now. What might we feel as we faced one another?* *We could no longer act out any of those images which came to mind.* *If we did, we would be joined by the red thread, which would then become the last string of Aine's guitar.* *If that were to happen, we would eventually break up. I didn't know how or when, but our separation would be inevitable.* Naruko: "We can be together forever if we stay friends... If we become lovers, we'll be separated..." *Nakizaki idly murmured. That was the situation in a nutshell.* *If we were capable of staying friends, we could be together forever.* *But if we crossed the line and became lovers, we would be torn apart.* Aine: "I am sorry..." *Aine, who had stayed quiet this whole time, feebly hung her head.* Naruko: "It's not your fault, Aine-chan." Aine: "It may be best for you two not to see each other for a while. Your feelings are, um..." *Aine fumbled on her words. She probably wanted to say something about us having feelings for each other.* *However, she had succumbed to the suspicion that saying it may cause a red thread to be born between us.* *What sort of situation would have to unfold for us to become "lovers," and what was there left for us to do to become bound by the red thread? We didn't know.* Aine: "As such, um, you should keep as much distance as possible and avoid talking, too." Aine: "Being together like this might actually be dangerous..." Aine: "I will look into whether there is a way to keep you two from being separated. So, this is just a temporary measure..." *Aine agonized over this and went silent. Having to talk to us that way must have been tough on her.* Naruko: "But... Is it okay for only us to stay this way?" *Nakizaki seemed depressed as she said that, and stared at me with eyes seeking salvation.* Naruko: "Kayo and the others were forced to break up in the most tragic of ways, so is it really okay for us to wish for something so convenient, and for only us to stay together?" *Nakizaki made a desperate plea. The guilt she felt for those people she knew so well must have made her act this way.* *I understood how she felt. We were the ones who drove them to ruin.* *Was it okay for only us, the ones who directly caused this, to shiver in fear and protect ourselves someplace safe just because we knew the situation? Wasn't that something cowards would do?* *I agreed with the sentiment.* Aine: "P-Please do not blame yourselves like that! You are not the ones at fault! It is us angels... It is my fault..." Aine: "You two are victims, too. Victims of... us angels..." *Aine hugged herself tightly, as if she had realized what she had just said.* *The words "victims of angels" did more damage than I had expected.* *Did that just go to show how much I had accepted angels from the bottom of my heart?* *That belief had betrayed me all too easily.* *Still, the nagging feeling that this was my fault wouldn't disappear.* *I believed Nakizaki had nothing to feel guilty for. She hadn't done anything wrong, after all.* *It was different for me, though...* *I was the one who actually fired the bow and returned the shards to everyone. In that sense, I was the perpetrator.*

Tomoe: "Mm..." *I knew morning had arrived by the sound of my alarm clock.* *It had been ages since I'd woken up to an alarm, but Nakizaki wasn't going to come wake me anymore starting today.* *For the time being, we decided to take Aine's feelings into consideration and keep our distance from one another.* *Aine had received a substantial shock from this, and looked like she wouldn't get away unscathed if something were to happen to us.* *As such, Nakizaki and I thought it to be best to honor Aine's wishes for now.* Tomoe: "Okay, breakfast time?" *I'd better wake up Aine and make a meal on my own.* *I didn't find that to be a bother. Toast was plenty for breakfast. For lunch, I could grab bread at the school store, or just eat in the cafeteria.* *Stuff like that wasn't a big deal, and yet, I couldn't help feeling like a massive hole had opened in my chest.* *It gave me this desolate feeling that my everyday life was about to change─a feeling of resignation that my life as I knew it was over.* *Even this supposedly familiar house looked so different. The world had changed so much with the absence of just a single person.* *That lesson had been made painfully clear to me for the first time in several years.*

Aine: "I am sorry I burned the bread." Tomoe: "No, it's fine, really." *Aine must have felt responsible and said she would make breakfast herself, but when I left it to her, she burned the bread to a splendid crisp.* *Still, I didn't think it was worth worrying about. Aine went silent and ate every last bite of that burnt toast.* Aine: "Do you think Naruko-san has left already? ...Ah." *Aine realized what she was doing and covered her mouth.* Aine: "I am sorry..." *It was such an overreaction, you would think she had just spilled some country's top-secret intel out loud. Saying Nakizaki's name likely made her feel guilty.* Tomoe: "Don't worry about little stuff like that. Just act normal. Yeah, just like you did up until the day before yesterday." *The day before last felt like it was in the distant past.* *So long ago that I couldn't remember how I felt about Nakizaki, or how I used to treat her.* Tomoe: "I think it'll be all right if we're just together in the same place. It doesn't concern you anyway, Aine, so why don't you just act like you normally do?" *There was no reason for Aine to keep her distance from Nakizaki, too.* Aine: "But I cannot act normal. I do not know how to face her..." Aine: "Besides, I suspect Naruko-san will think of you and be in pain if she sees my face..." Tomoe: "You're being overly considerate. You should just act the way you always do." Aine: "All right..." *Aine was completely dejected, so much so that I wondered if she had been hurt more by this than us.* *How _was_ Nakizaki doing? How did she feel right now?* *I could ordinarily read her emotions like a book.* *No, perhaps I shouldn't say that. After all, I never noticed her feelings for me. Nevertheless, I did believe I could tell for the most part when it came to day-to-day dilemmas.* *But I had started losing confidence in that ability. Putting distance between us made it harder to understand how she felt with each passing second.* *I was a bit hurt by that fact.* Kiyohito: "Challo~!" Kiyohito: "Hey, something's missing, isn't it?" *Kiyohito looked between Aine and me a few times, then tilted his head.* Kiyohito: "Oh, Nakizaki's missing? What's up?" Tomoe: "She's off doing her own thing today." *Getting Kiyohito, who didn't know about angels, to understand the situation wasn't possible. I had no choice but to dodge the question however I could.* Kiyohito: "Off on her own, huh? That's rare." Tomoe: "Is it? It's happened before, right?" *It wasn't as if we were absolutely inseparable 365 days a year. We came to school separately once or twice a month.* Kiyohito: "Oh, is that right? Something just feels kinda off..." *Then Kiyohito looked at Aine and me again.* Kiyohito: "Aine-chan, are you not feeling well?" Aine: "Huh? Th-That is not... true..." *Despite what she said, her reply was as dispirited as could be.* Kiyohito: "Did something happen? Was it because of my weird comments?" *Curiously, a shade of anxiety was cast across his brow. Kiyohito rarely acted this way in front of others.* Tomoe: "If you mean what happened the other day, I'm not worried about it. I know saying that makes it seem like I'm brushing you off, but that's really not it..." Tomoe: "Anyway, it's not your fault, or anything close to it." Kiyohito: "Really? Hm..." *Kiyohito didn't seem satisfied and grumbled all the same. I doubted anything I could do would help him accept it. I felt bad that I couldn't fully explain, but my hands were tied.* *I _did_ feel sorry about it, though...*

Kiyohito: "All right, chow time~!" Tomoe: "Are you going to the school store? I'll go with you." Kiyohito: "Are you going to get bread? What happened to your loving wife's lunch box?" Tomoe: "Oh, today's kind of..." *Once more I was at a loss for an explanation.* *Just then, Nakizaki happened to walk by. I held my breath and tried to pass her.* Kiyohito: "Uh, hey, Nakizaki!" *Kiyohito noticed, sharp-sighted as ever, and called out to stop her.* Naruko: "Wh-What...?" Kiyohito: "Why doesn't Tomoe have a lunch box today? You two _are_ fighting, aren't you?" Naruko: "Uh, n-no! This morning I just, um..." Naruko: "That's it! I overslept!" Kiyohito: "Hm? Overslept? That's not like you. You pass out within two seconds of getting in the futon." Naruko: "Who falls asleep in two seconds? It takes around ten." Kiyohito: "Oh, is that why you weren't with Tomoe and Aine-chan this morning?" Naruko: "Uh, yeah... That's it..." Kiyohito: "Oh? But Nakizaki, didn't you get here before us?" *Yes, she certainly did. I remembered seeing Nakizaki when we walked into the classroom earlier this morning.* Naruko: "D-Did I? I don't think that's right. You must've been seeing things." Kiyohito: "Was I really?" Naruko: "You obviously did. If you don't need me for anything, I'm in a hurry." Kiyohito: "In a hurry to go where exactly? Going to the roof?" Naruko: "Um, well..." *Now she was flustered. This wasn't good.* Tomoe: "(Let's at least eat lunch together.)" *I casually conveyed that thought with the movement of my lips alone. Knowing Nakizaki, she'd probably get the message.* Naruko: "(But... Wouldn't that be bad?)" *She replied with her eyes.* Tomoe: "(Kiyohito's suspicious of us. Let's keep up the bare minimum of appearances.)" Naruko: "(Hm... Gotcha...)" Kiyohito: "Hm? Are you two being sneaky about something?" *Now that Kiyohito had noticed, our conversation was over.* Tomoe: "No, not really." Naruko: "If you're heading for the roof, I'll head there after. Go on ahead." Kiyohito: "Oh, you'll come? Okay, roger that!" Naruko: "See you later, then." *Nakizaki waved to the seemingly satisfied Kiyohito and left the classroom.* Kiyohito: "Guess it's the school store for us, huh?" Tomoe: "Yeah." *I guess suddenly keeping my distance from her would be a difficult task after all.* *It was too unnatural. We'd have to rethink how to handle this a little.*

Naruko: "It's so hard to tell what's off-limits now." Tomoe: "Yeah, but we can't explain it even if Kiyohito's suspicious of us." Naruko: "That's for sure..." *We were having a conversation from our bedroom windows. We weren't sure whether physical distance was relevant, but Nakizaki was hesitant to come into my room all the same.* Tomoe: "Maybe we should at least act like we always have while we're at school. Just in terms of commuting and eating lunch, anyway." Naruko: "Yeah. We've done that as friends up until now. There's nothing special about it, right?" Tomoe: "I think so." *The part of me that couldn't determine that for certain made me uneasy.* *I had turned into a coward and ended up overreacting _because_ I didn't want to lose her.* *Our exaggerated behavior was better proof than anything else that we mutually treasured each other.* *That made me think that even the less-than-special things might be bad for us.* *I believed it was less _what_ we did, and more the emotion behind it. Whether we could carry on like before was worth consideration.* *When that occurred to me, nothing helped to shake my uneasiness.* *This unshakable apprehension was proof of the magnitude of our feelings for each other...* *Those thoughts ran through my mind in an infinite loop.* Naruko: "It's really cold out." Tomoe: "Yeah." *It was January now, so that was a given. It was probably the coldest month of the year, and it felt like our exhaled breath might freeze before our very eyes.* *Neither of us could say, "Let's go back to our rooms," though. We were scared of getting any closer, but we didn't want to grow apart from each other, either.* *All the same, we kept the conversation subdued. If we said more than necessary and stirred up a hornet's nest, we'd lose absolutely everything.* *We couldn't have fun together, yet refused to be apart.* *...Was feeling that way a sin?* Naruko: "Was this spot always so far away?" *Nakizaki whispered while looking at the distance between the eaves of our houses.* *It was a distance she had easily cleared every morning thus far, yet one she could never bridge again.* *That tiny gap felt like it extended an infinite distance.* *We could easily touch our hands together if we leaned forward and stretched our arms out, but it felt insurmountably far away.* Tomoe: "Aren't you cold?" Naruko: "I'm all right. What about you?" Tomoe: "I'm fine." *I didn't move. Couldn't move.* *Unable to budge forward nor backward, essentially trapped at this exact distance.*

Kiyohito: "All right, lunch time!" Kiyohito: "What're you having today, Tomoe?" *Kiyohito asked from beside me.* Tomoe: "I've got a lunch box today." Naruko: "Here I am; sorry to keep you waiting." *Just as we had planned, Nakizaki appeared with two lunch boxes in hand.* Kiyohito: "Good, good, looks like you two made up." Tomoe: "Like we said, we weren't fighting." Kiyohito: "Really? I guess all's well as long as you're okay now..." Kiyohito: "Okay then, let's head to the roof together again tod―" *Kiyohito started to say, but paused when he looked out the window.* Kiyohito: "Looks like the roof's not happening today, huh?" *I looked outside. It was raining...*

*The rain picked up in the blink of an eye, and had become a strong, unseasonal storm later that evening.* Aine: "The rain is incredible, huh?" *The wind seemed just as powerful, and caused the house to rattle and shake. It was like a typhoon.* Aine: "The roof will not fly off or anything, right?" Tomoe: "This place isn't _that_ worn down." Cat: "Meow, meow!" *Cats were gathering at my feet. It appeared that they had snuck in to take shelter from the rain.* *They may have been hungry, and were constantly rubbing against me and crying sweetly.* Tomoe: "Guess it's about time for dinner." *I doubted Nakizaki would come over in this downpour. She may have been next door, but bringing me a meal now would be unreasonable.* Tomoe: "Aine, why don't we have cup ramen or something for today?" Aine: "Oh, cup ramen?" *Aine promptly got a miserable look on her face. This angel had become a total gourmet.* Tomoe: "Cup ramen isn't half bad these days. I'm pretty sure I had some from a series that reproduced some famous shop's flavors somewhere..." *I scrounged through the shelf that was acting as my pantry.* Tomoe: "I think it was around here..." Aine: "Oh, someone is here." Tomoe: "Can you go see who it is really quick?" Aine: "Sure!" Tomoe: "Oh, is this it? The famous shop flavor series..." *Aine shouldn't have any complaints with this, either.* Aine: "Tomoe-san, dinner!" Tomoe: "I just found it. Ramen-Gorou cup noodles." Tomoe: "...Hm?" *When I inadvertently turned around, Nakizaki was there. Her hair and clothes were soaked.* Tomoe: "Oh, you came?" *However, she didn't have anything resembling dinner with her.* Naruko: "Bringing dinner over wasn't possible, so I'll make some here." Tomoe: "You came over just for that? I was just thinking we'd have some ramen or something." Naruko: "But my mom and dad aren't home tonight. They went to a relative's place." Tomoe: "They did?" *Normally I would have heard about that, but I never caught wind of it since we were keeping such an odd distance between us.* Naruko: "So I thought it might be okay to eat with you over here." *Nakizaki looked helplessly out the window. It was rattling and shaking in place as it was being pummeled by wind and rain.* Tomoe: "What, were you scared being by yourself?" Naruko: "I-I wouldn't go that far... but I guess you _could_ say I'm a little uneasy. It's so loud." Tomoe: "You really can't deal with things like this, can you?" *Nakizaki had been that way ever since she was a kid. She couldn't handle scary stories, either. Typhoons and bad, stormy weather also bothered her.* Naruko: "I'll make something tasty, so what's the harm?" Aine: "If you will make something tasty, you are warmly welcomed!" Aine: "Oh... But will everything be all right?" *Aine recalled our predicament and her happy expression immediately withdrew as she pointed her questioning gaze my way.* Tomoe: "Something as simple as dinner should be fine. It would be a pity to send Nakizaki home as is, anyway." Naruko: "Yay, thank you! Um, do you have anything in the fridge?" *She headed into the kitchen looking relieved.* Aine: "Naruko-san is an unexpectedly lonely person." Tomoe: "Yeah, despite how she looks, she gets lonely pretty easily." Aine: "Are you sure this will be okay?" Tomoe: "...Yeah, I'm sure it will. We're just eating dinner together." Aine: "You are right." *Aine sounded like she was trying to persuade herself with that last comment.* *She was probably more worried about us than even we were.* Tomoe: "Don't worry about it too much." Aine: "It is not like that... Oh, in that case, I will help out, too." *Aine played it off by heading into the kitchen. I was suspicious as to why she was going in there considering she couldn't cook...* Naruko: "Aine-chan, what would you like to eat?" Aine: "Ramen!" Naruko: "Ramen, huh? I guess it's fine once in a while." Naruko: "Why don't I make some pot stickers to go with it, then?" Aine: "Yay! Ramen and pot stickers!" Naruko: "Can you cut onions, Aine-chan?" Aine: "Please leave it to me!" *I could hear cheerful voices from the kitchen. Joyful voices that would give the storm outside a run for its money.* Tomoe: "The mood sure changes a lot with one extra person." *That was enough to make me realize all over again how important her presence was to this household─to me.* *I hadn't realized how true that was until now.* *I always knew she was important, but I never understood to what extent.* *How could I be realizing such a thing _this_ late in the game?* Aine: "Thank you for the meal! I am stuffed!" Naruko: "I'm glad you enjoyed the meal. Did you get enough, too, Kirinokojima?" Tomoe: "Yeah, plenty." Naruko: "You really _did_ eat quite a bit." *I had stuffed myself silly enough to warrant that comment, to the point my stomach hurt. It had been ages since I'd gorged myself.* Tomoe: "It was delicious." Naruko: "I... I'm glad to hear it." *Nakizaki hurried from her seat and fled into the kitchen.* Naruko: "I-Is it okay for me to clean up now?" Tomoe: "Oh, if you're going to clean up, then I'll..." Naruko: "Kyah?!" Tomoe: "Huh...?" *Everything suddenly went pitch black.* Naruko: "Wh-What is it? A blackout?" *I checked the light switch. I flicked it a few times, but there was no response.* Tomoe: "Looks like it. It's a blackout." *Given this wind, a power line may have been severed somewhere.* Naruko: "H-H-H-Hey..." Tomoe: "Wait just a second." *I went to check the breaker, but despite flipping it up and down, there was no response to speak of.* Tomoe: "Looks like it _is_ a blackout. We'll just have to wait it out for a while." Naruko: "I wonder if the power is also out at my place?" Aine: "It looks pitch black outside, too." *Aine said after peeking out the window. Power appeared to be out for the entire neighborhood. Naturally, that included Nakizaki's house.* Naruko: "I'm glad I came over. It would've been terrible if I had been home alone." Aine: "Being all alone in the dark is lonely, huh? This darkness is a little scary even with the three of us..." Tomoe: "You're supposed to be an angel. What're you saying?" *Come to think of it, Aine _was_ enough of a scaredy-cat that she couldn't sleep alone.* Tomoe: "Still, we can't do anything when it's this dark. Didn't I have candles lying around somewhere?" Tomoe: "Maybe on the second floor?" Naruko: "Ah..." *When I tried walking toward the stairs, Nakizaki reached out and tugged on my sleeve.* Naruko: "Uh, s-sorry... but it's so dark in here..." Tomoe: "It's all right. Aine's here with you, right?" Naruko: "Yes, but..." Aine: "Oh, I will go, then. Where on the second floor are they?" Tomoe: "Probably in the dresser drawer in the room next to mine." Aine: "Understood. I will be back!" *With Aine gone, Nakizaki and I were now alone.* *It felt like it had been an eternity since we had been alone together.* Naruko: "Sorry... This is bad, huh?" Tomoe: "It's okay. We're just childhood friends, right?" *I put it into words to persuade myself, and prayed it was true.* Naruko: "Yeah, you're right. We're... childhood friends." *Nakizaki let go of my sleeve.* Tomoe: "Are you okay?" Naruko: "I'm just fine! I wonder when she'll be back with the candles?" *She said with an obviously fake, yet still cheerful tone. Nakizaki then put some distance between us and sat on the sofa.* Naruko: "My eyes are starting to adjust. I think I'll be okay now." Tomoe: "Really?" *Her voice was shaking despite saying so. I could instantly tell she was putting up a front.* *This was likely Nakizaki's desperate attempt to stay "childhood friends" and nothing more.* Tomoe: "Isn't that a little _too_ far away?" *We were nearly on opposite sides of the room.* Naruko: "What, are you lonely?" Tomoe: "It's just hard to hear you." *The storm was making a huge racket, and was loud enough that I found it difficult to hear her unless she raised her voice.* Naruko: "Yeah, I guess it's fine. We're both adults here." Tomoe: "If you say so." Naruko: "That's right, we're adults. Oh, come to think of it, didn't we do this sort of thing when we were kids, too?" Tomoe: "Hm? Did we?" Naruko: "You know, when Auntie was still around." *Her voice turned a bit coy.* *Nakizaki was referring to my mother. She was being considerate of me and was reserved about the subject.* Tomoe: "Oh, now that you mention it." *To be honest, I didn't really want to remember it, but I knew what she was trying to say. That must have been right around the time when I moved here.* *If I recalled, there was a typhoon at the beginning of autumn. It was bad enough that there had been a large-scale blackout across the entire area.* *My mother was away at the time, and I was home alone. As you'd expect, I was young and felt helpless. I was shaking in fear, hugging my knees alone in my dark room.* *That was when Nakizaki came to check on me.* Tomoe: "Looks like we've switched roles this time around, huh?" Naruko: "Ahaha, I actually was scared, but I knew I had to keep it together." Naruko: "You just moved here and weren't used to the city yet, so I may have felt a little bit like a big sister." Tomoe: "Oh, maybe." *We were in opposite corners of the room, but neither of us spoke up. The storm easily overpowered our soft tones.* *Yet strangely enough, our voices reached each other all the same.* *Almost like our hearts were trying to grow closer to make up for how far apart our bodies were.* *It would be terrible if that happened, yet it felt like my heart was being drawn to her all the more.* Naruko: "Remember how we spent that whole time wrapped up in a thermal blanket to keep each other warm?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I do." *When I remembered that time, I could almost feel Nakizaki's body heat as she cuddled up to me all over again.* *We were so close back then, and yet now we were so distant.* *This might be the most distant we'd ever been since we first met. That very thought caused a twinge of pain in my chest.* Naruko: "..." *Nakizaki suddenly went silent, and for some reason, I could tell that she was experiencing the same pain I was.* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." *The impulse to walk up and hug her tightly welled up within me as fiercely as the storm raging outside.* *I bit my lip, clenched my fist, and resisted the temptation.* *I could tell Nakizaki was enduring the same urge herself.* Naruko: "..." *I knew she was watching me from the opposing wall. Her eyes looked like they were sparkling even in this dim light.* *I had no doubt my eyes were doing the very same. I could easily imagine it.* *It was clear as day what Nakizaki wished for, and what she was enduring right now.* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." *I wasn't sure how long we could resist these intense urges if we stayed alone together like this.* *Another ten minutes, five minutes, or maybe...* Naruko: "This is rough, huh...?" *Nakizaki uttered those brief words. Her voice was low, but I definitely heard her say this was "rough."* Tomoe: "Nakizaki..." Naruko: "If this is how it's going to be, I wonder if I shouldn't just be honest with myself at least once..." Naruko: "If I'm going to condemn these precious, rekindled feelings and lie to myself for the rest of my life, maybe I should be honest, just for once..." Naruko: "Even if that means everything will be destroyed and come undone afterward... if that would ease this pain..." *Her voice was trembling, like she was crying.* *No. We were far enough apart that I couldn't see her, but I had no doubt she really _was_ crying.* Tomoe: "Don't... give up hope..." *It took all I had to say that. After all, I felt the same way.* *Was there really any meaning in casually going about life like nothing was wrong, denying ourselves of everything, unable to even say that something precious to us _was_ precious?* *If that was the alternative, maybe we should just be honest with each other and confess our feelings.* *Wouldn't that be better than living our entire lives hiding how we truly felt, even if it meant we would someday separate as a result?* *...I found myself thinking along those lines.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima..." *Nakizaki wiped the tears from her eyes and called my name. I knew she was after something. She was drawing me in like a magnet whether I liked it or not.* *And in response to that temptation, I...* Naruko: "Ah..." *That moment, a light went on in the room. The blackout was over.* Aine: "The electricity came back before I could find the candles." *Aine returned and told us in a bland tone. She saw us staring at each other from opposing walls and stared blankly.* Aine: "What are you doing?" Tomoe: "Oh, nothing." *All my strength left me. When I collected myself, my entire body went pale.* *I had gone completely insane.* *"Whatever happens, happens. Let's just do what we want..." That's what I was thinking earlier.* *I could only imagine a demon had whispered that in my ear. Nakizaki also looked dazed, like she'd also been freed from the same possessive demons.* Tomoe: "Anyway, thank goodness the power is back." Naruko: "Yeah, for sure." *She covertly wiped her face while saying that to keep up appearances. There were undoubtedly still traces of her tears remaining.* Naruko: "Okay, I guess I should be heading home." Aine: "Oh... So you are going back after all?" *Aine made a face that said, "I understand why, but it makes me sad..."* Naruko: "I'll totally drop by later. But it's not like I can stay over or anything." Tomoe: "Isn't it still pretty bad out? Will you be okay?" Naruko: "I'll be fine. It's right next door." Tomoe: "I guess so. Take care, then." Naruko: "Yeah, thanks. Good night." *Nakizaki _looked_ pretty lighthearted as she left, but I was sure she felt internally conflicted.* Aine: "Naruko-san left..." Tomoe: "...Of course she did. We can't afford to be together. You know that." Aine: "I do, but..." Aine: "Naruko-san looked very lonely when she walked away." Tomoe: "..." *Judging by how she slunk away, I could tell she wanted to stay here with me even though she knew the outcome. It was clear a part of her was ready to put an end to it all.* *Those varied emotions had left Nakizaki unstable, and her internal strife had clearly begun to surface.* *That was why her tiny frame seemed even smaller than usual, and looked so extraordinarily far away.* *So much so that no matter how far I extended my hand, I would never reach her...* Tomoe: "..." Aine: "Did you hear that, Tomoe-san?" *Aine's question brought me to my senses.* Tomoe: "Did I hear what?" Aine: "Naruko-san's heart... That creaky, jarring sound." Tomoe: "Her heart creaked? Does that mean... her heart fractured again?" Aine: "I do not think the situation is that desperate just yet... At least, that is what I would like to believe..." Tomoe: "A person's heart fracturing twice..." Aine: "It is possible." *Aine distinctly answered. If that were to happen, then all we had done would just become even _more_ meaningless.* *It would only serve to torture Nakizaki even further.* *Of course, she was suffering quite a bit already...* Aine: "Will Naruko-san be all right?" Tomoe: "Our only choice is to make sure she _does_ end up all right." *Not that I had any idea on how I should go about doing that...* Tomoe: "Anyway, why don't we head to bed?" Aine: "...Yes." *I could avoid thinking about all this while I was asleep, and my relationship with Nakizaki wouldn't deepen, either. If that were true, then maybe I should just sleep forever...* *That foolish idea popped into my mind. It truly _was_ foolish. That wouldn't be any different from killing myself.* *Still, how long could we keep this up? If this was how it was going to be, then I would rather take another way out...* *I heard that devil's whisper yet again, and shook my head firmly.*

Naruko: "...Fwaah..." *Nakizaki let out yet another yawn, her eyes completely bloodshot. She looked very sleepy, and was probably sleep-deprived. Looks like it wasn't just me.* *Despite my efforts to go to bed earlier than usual last night, I didn't get much sleep.* Kiyohito: "You two look awfully tired." *Kiyohito peered back and forth at both our faces.* Kiyohito: "Don't tell me you two spent last night together...?" *His smile was indecent, so I knew immediately what he meant by it.* Naruko: "Wha... O-Obviously not!" Tomoe: "Seriously. What sort of nonsense are you spouting?" *Both of us immediately went on the offensive. Kiyohito stared at us and his gaze went blank.* Kiyohito: "It's not nonsense. What the heck, it was just a joke. Nothing to get all worked up about." Kiyohito: "You two really _are_ acting weird. Did something happen?" *Kiyohito's comment startled me. It would seem both of us were completely unnerved.* *After what happened yesterday, we were both imminently aware of how increasingly conscious we were being of each other.* Naruko: "..." Tomoe: "..." Kiyohito: "Are you guys sure you're okay?" *Kiyohito said with concern, his expression now serious.* *Things must have looked rather grave for the two of us if Kiyohito had noticed.* Naruko: "Wh-What are you talking about? We're obviously fine. There's nothing going on." *Nakizaki answered him firmly. She kept up a smile, but it was awkwardly stiff all the same.* Kiyohito: "Really?" *He asked us again.* Tomoe: "...Really. We're fine." *That was the only answer I could give.* Kiyohito: "If that's true, then great..." *Despite saying so, Kiyohito's expression remained unchanged.* *It felt like our situation was only getting worse with every passing day. This would end up becoming a war of attrition at this rate.* *What in the world should we do...?*

Tomoe: "Phew..." *I somehow managed to get through the day and made it back to my bedroom.* *I was with Nakizaki up until we reached the front of my house. I couldn't forget her face when we went our separate ways.* *She wanted me to put an end to everything with my own two hands and ease this burden... I was left speechless by her tragic expression which practically begged me to do so.* *If this kept up, would Nakizaki break for real?* *My fear was beginning to fester inside of me. It was an emotion I couldn't describe any other way but with "dread."* *It felt like Nakizaki was changing into an entirely different person.* *There was a light on in the next-door window. In that window, Nakizaki's silhouette stood out through her curtain.* *Even her silhouette looked like it was crying. It made my chest hurt.* Aine: "Tomoe-san, are you all right?" *I turned around, and before I knew it, Aine was there.* Tomoe: "When did you...?" Aine: "I called to you many times, but you did not answer." Tomoe: "Really? I didn't notice at all." Aine: "Are you all right?" *Aine gazed at me with worry.* Tomoe: "Please don't look at me like that." *That took everything I had. I couldn't bring myself to say "I'm all right."* Aine: "I am looking into a way of avoiding the red thread's curse..." Tomoe: "And I'm guessing there's no convenient workaround?" *I could instantly tell from her phrasing without having to ask.* Aine: "I am sorry..." Tomoe: "It's not your fault." *I didn't feel any resentment for Aine or angels in general.* *I was the one who had personally returned Nakizaki's shard. I did it with my own two hands, so I couldn't blame anyone else for my actions.* *Besides, the act of being "angry" required energy, and that was something I desperately lacked. I just couldn't bring myself to feel anger; I was far too exhausted for it.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki is a bigger concern than I am at the moment." Aine: "How is Naruko-san doing...?" *Aine gazed at the window next door with a terrified look in her eyes.* Tomoe: "I think she's starting to break. She's trying to smile when everyone else is around, but she looks really depressed when we're alone..." *It was painful to see Nakizaki so upset.* Tomoe: "What do you think I should do for her?" *I asked for no particular reason. It may have been because it didn't seem like I could come up with an answer no matter how hard I tried.* Aine: "I am sorry. I do not know..." *Aine's answer never came. If she had any idea, she would definitely be putting it into action about now.* *I didn't know what would be best for Nakizaki, either.* *Suddenly, I remembered the anthology from when we were in elementary school. About Nakizaki's all-too-ordinary dream to be a bride.* *As long as she was with me, not even that ordinary dream could come true.* Tomoe: "Maybe it would have been better if Nakizaki had fallen in love with someone else." *That thought suddenly crossed my mind.* Aine: "Someone else... What would you do then, Tomoe-san?" Tomoe: "Forget about me. Nakizaki is actually suffering _because_ she's with me." Tomoe: "So if she falls in love with another man, wouldn't she be happy with him?" Aine: "If she fell in love with him... Feelings cannot possibly change that easily, though." Tomoe: "But she would have an actual future if she wasn't so attached to me. Even if she stays, there's nothing here for her. She'll just get emotionally exhausted if this keeps up." Aine: "But..." Tomoe: "I'm grateful for your concern, Aine, but I think this is what's best for Nakizaki. It would solve everything if she learned to hate me." *My thoughts gradually became clear as I put them into words.* Aine: "Tomoe-san..." *Yes, that would be best for her. She should forget all about me and fall in love with someone else...* *She might get angry, but I would sit down and have a talk with her.* *If she got mad and fell out of love with me, that would be even better.* *If she was understanding and it ultimately brought an end to our puppy-love relationship, we could go back to being just neighbors like we used to be.* *If Nakizaki could be happy, then that was my only option...*

Naruko: "Huh? What is that supposed to mean?" Tomoe: "I told you, I think it would be best if you fell in love with someone else." Tomoe: "I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but I do think working toward it would be for the best. There's no future for us if you're with me." Naruko: "..." *She glared hard at me, her face warped with anger yet also on the brink of tears.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima... Is that what you want?" *She asked me with a forced voice.* Tomoe: "I gave it a lot of thought, and that's the only thing that came to mind. I think it's the only choice we have left." Naruko: "I'm not talking about it being 'the only choice' or whatever. I'm asking you if _you_ are okay with that." *Nakizaki raised her voice. She was pissed. I guess anyone would be, but I couldn't come up with any other solution.* Tomoe: "You get it, don't you? It's impossible for us to keep this up any longer." Naruko: "I'm not asking whether it's impossible! Tell me whether you're okay with it or not!" Tomoe: "I was never meant to get involved with love or romance anyway." Tomoe: "So yes, I'm fine with it. It's no different from how I've been all this time." Naruko: "..." *The intensity of Nakizaki's glare heightened. It almost seemed like a steam-like aura was emanating around her entire body.* Tomoe: "Ah..." *She silently turned her back to me and left the rooftop. She had been so angry, it was actually eerie how quiet she was.* Tomoe: "Hey, Nakizaki?" *Had she fully understood me? I followed after her to make sure.* Naruko: "..." *Nakizaki silently returned to her seat.* Tomoe: "Hey, Nakizaki. At least say something, like whether you're okay or not." Naruko: "'Say something'...?" *She looked up at me. Those narrowed eyes turned misty almost instantly.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki..." *Once the tears began to flow, they instantly gained momentum and wouldn't stop.* Naruko: "What am I supposed to say...?" *Unlike those gushing tears, she practically had to force out her voice.* Naruko: "What do you _want_ me to say, exactly?" Tomoe: "Well, like if you're okay with it or not, or if you understand..." Naruko: "You totally know without me having to say it! It's bad, and I'm obviously not okay!" *She yelled, like something had burst inside her. Our classmates all turned to look at us, having unsurprisingly taken notice of the unusual event.* *It didn't take long for them to notice she was crying, and the room full of students was abuzz.* Naruko: "What the heck does 'fall in love with another man' mean?! What am I supposed to do now that you've told me that?!" Tomoe: "It doesn't have to be right away, of course. But I think it would be in your best interest..." Naruko: "You don't understand anything, Kirinokojima!!" *Nakizaki's voice echoed throughout the classroom... No, I was sure it echoed all the way down the hall, too.* Naruko: "_I'll_ decide what's best for me! Why do you have to be the one to force it on me?!" Tomoe: "I'm not trying to force you, but... hasn't this been rough on you, too?" *This was the one thing she couldn't deny, and she gulped hard. Tears continued to spill from her eyes.* Naruko: "It _is_ rough... Of course it is!" Naruko: "What about you? You're saying you're totally fine with this?" Tomoe: "I'm not 'totally' fine with it... but I'm okay. You don't have to worry about that." Naruko: "'Don't have to worry about it'? ...Why? I _am_ worried!" Naruko: "_Obviously_ I'm going to worry about it!" Tomoe: "And I'm telling you not to. You don't have to worry about me anymore, so please think of yourself..." Naruko: "Don't fuck with me!" *She screamed so loudly that the air around us vibrated. The intensity of that shout made me take a step back, and our classmates began to chatter among themselves quietly.* Naruko: "If you're not okay with it, then of _course_ I'm not okay, either... After all, Kirinokojima, I..." *She quickly swallowed her words. Nakizaki may have been worked up, but she was still logical enough to not say anything definite. That might be exactly why she was suffering so much.* *Her lips trembled, and that trembling gradually grew stronger and spread to her entire body.* *She shook and shivered. Intense emotions─anger or possibly sorrow─gnawed away at her.* Naruko: "After all, Kirinokojima, I... l─ Ooh, eh... Waaaaaah...!" *A strange groan of sorts escaped her.* Naruko: "Oooooh... Oh... Aaaaaaaah...!" *At last, Nakizaki started bawling at the top of her lungs in front of the entire class.* Naruko: "Aaah... oh... wah... Hahh... Ah, aaah...!" Tomoe: "Nakizaki..." *This was the first time she had ever cried while at the academy. In fact, she had _never_ cried, even as far back as in elementary school.* Naruko: "Wah, aaah... But, but..." *For that matter, she was crying so hard that nobody present could deny it.* Kiyohito: "Hey, what're you doing?!" *Another angry voice cried out, and Kiyohito came barreling through the classroom while thrusting desks and onlooking classmates aside.* *When he saw Nakizaki crying, he glared at me, his eyes burning with billowing anger.* Kiyohito: "What's all this? What's going on?" *This was the first I'd ever seen Kiyohito so angry.* *Our peers had been shocked by Nakizaki's sudden crying, but they were now terrified of how menacing Kiyohito looked.* Kiyohito: "Hey, Tomoe. You going to tell me what's going on?" Tomoe: "Well..." *I sensed from how he was acting that I had to give him a serious answer.* *But I couldn't tell him the truth. That just left me even more at a loss for words.* Kiyohito: "Tomoe!!!" *Kiyohito grabbed me by the collar, his unexpectedly muscular arms bulging from exertion. I was astonished by his surprising strength.* Kiyohito: "Say something already!" *Smack!* *A mass as hot as fire suddenly slammed into my left cheek. My body flew through the air like dry leaves before I felt a strong impact against my back.* Naruko: "Kyah?!" *Throat-rupturing shrieks came from all over.* *After being tossed around like a rag doll and landing on the floor, my body felt hot, like a fire had been lit under me. Once the burning subsided, a sharp pain took its place.* Tomoe: "Kuh..." *I stifled back that half-voiced groan and looked up at Kiyohito. It was extremely rare to see him so angry, but he did seem understandably startled by his own behavior and had calmed down a bit.* Naruko: "K-Kirinokojima!" Tomoe: "I'm all right." *I quickly answered Nakizaki in an effort to keep her at bay.* Naruko: "Ah..." *She stopped, almost like she had been repelled. With her face still wet with tears, her expression looked utterly lost.* Kiyohito: "Nakizaki, are you all right?" *Kiyohito asked her directly, and she gave him a stern glare in return.* Naruko: "You should be worried about Kirinokojima, not me! What the hell are you doing?!" Kiyohito: "B-But... Didn't Tomoe make you cry?" Naruko: "I-It's... not like that." *A feeble denial. Nobody would believe such a weak lie.* *I propped myself up from the floor and stood up. It was hard to believe that scary look in Kiyohito's eyes was pointed at me. Sure enough, he didn't believe her.* Kiyohito: "Are you all right?" Tomoe: "This is nothing." *I wasn't lying. Oddly enough, I didn't feel any pain, just a burning sensation.* Kiyohito: "In that case, let's talk after this." *I didn't have time to reply before he faced away from me, seeming unwilling to take "no" for an answer.* Kiyohito: "Nakizaki, let's go to the nurse's office." Naruko: "Huh? Kirinokojima should go instead of me..." Kiyohito: "Just come on." *Kiyohito forcibly pulled Nakizaki along with him.* *Her face was still covered in tears. Considering how much she had cried earlier, he probably wanted to get her away from prying eyes.* *Because of him, all of those prying eyes were now centered on me instead. I wasn't fazed by it, though. I ignored their glares and returned to my seat.* *Despite how he looked, Kiyohito was actually kind, not to mention intelligent, strong, and brave.* *Yes... It would be better if Nakizaki fell for a man like that instead of me.*

*After school, I headed up to the roof as Kiyohito had instructed.* *Unsurprisingly, he was already there waiting for me.* Tomoe: "Did I keep you?" Kiyohito: "No." *He responded with a short answer. We hadn't spoken since the incident in the classroom earlier today, so it felt like it had been a while since we last talked.* Kiyohito: "Swollen, huh?" *Kiyohito suddenly asked me. He must have been talking about where he punched me.* Tomoe: "It's nothing. I'm thick-skinned when it comes to pain. I thought you knew that?" Kiyohito: "I guess so. You didn't complain at all when you fell from here and were hospitalized, either." Tomoe: "Yeah. Hitting me's a huge waste." Kiyohito: "You said it." *If this were just a fight, this would be the part where he would laugh and be on good terms again.* *Granted, we'd never been in a fist-fight before. If this _were_ just a slightly awkward moment between us, that'd be how we'd end it.* *Today was different, though. Kiyohito still had a scary look on his face. Me making Nakizaki cry must have made him extremely angry.* Kiyohito: "What in the world happened?" Tomoe: "Sorry, I can't tell you." *Kiyohito sighed.* Kiyohito: "The same answer as Nakizaki, huh?" *He had apparently asked her the same question. Naturally, she couldn't answer him, either.* Kiyohito: "Am I _that_ untrustworthy?" Tomoe: "It's not a matter of being untrustworthy. But, I'm sorry, I can't say." *I could sense his irritation.* *He must have had an inkling that we were up to something, but had been pretending not to notice.* *Kiyohito probably felt he _had_ to speak up after what happened today in the classroom. That just showed how seriously he took Nakizaki's outburst.* Kiyohito: "Nakizaki crying at school isn't normal." Tomoe: "I know. I was surprised, too." *I never thought she would cry so much. For that matter, I doubt anyone did, not even Nakizaki.* Kiyohito: "You caused this, didn't you?" Tomoe: "I did." *He seemed surprised by my honest reply. Since I refused to explain what was going on, he probably thought I was deceiving him.* Tomoe: "I would tell you if I could, but I just can't." Kiyohito: "Not making excuses, either? That's just like you." *Kiyohito sighed and stared into the distance. It was nearly sunset, so I doubted our conversation could last much longer.* Kiyohito: "I'll ask you point-blank. Didn't you guys start going out?" *He seemed to have come to the same conclusion and asked me directly.* Tomoe: "We're not going out." *I kept my answer short and simply told the truth.* Kiyohito: "You _do_ know that Nakizaki likes you, right?" *He came to this conclusion so easily that I was understandably shocked when he said it.* Tomoe: "You knew?" Kiyohito: "You didn't?" *He asked in response.* Tomoe: "For how long?" Kiyohito: "Since I first met you two." Tomoe: "Huh...?" *I was shocked once more. He knew for that long?* *Was that possible? I mean, Nakizaki had only recently gotten her shard back. How could he have possibly noticed it before that?* *Still, Kiyohito didn't know our situation and wouldn't understand even if I did tell him. I couldn't explain what was going on, either.* Tomoe: "How did you know...?" *I ended up asking him a stupid-sounding question.* Kiyohito: "I could tell just by looking. Nakizaki liked you, but she was trying her hardest to hide those feelings for some reason." *I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was Nakizaki consciously hiding her sealed-away feelings that had fractured from her heart? Or had she done it subconsciously?* *Of course, we had been mistaken for lovers on countless occasions.* *But those were simply misunderstandings. I was positive it was an entirely different case with Kiyohito.* *Besides, his comment coincided with our predicament all too well for it to be a misconception.* Tomoe: "You really... do pay close attention." *That suddenly bugged me. ...Was he really that observant?* *So observant that he noticed how she felt for me when even _she_ wasn't aware of it?* *Was it possible that Kiyohito liked Nakizaki...?* *Had that thought shown itself on my face? Kiyohito's expression also changed, and then he sighed in a self-deprecating way.* Kiyohito: "I messed up if someone as thickheaded as you sensed it." *His intuition really was something. In an instant, he realized I had noticed.* Tomoe: "Then, it's true?" Kiyohito: "It happened at the school entrance ceremony." *He ignored my question and started to reminisce aloud.* *It was before the opening ceremonies, and the room was abuzz with excitement.* *I watched all the commotion and wondered what my classmates, and the place I would spend the next few years, would be like.* *Among them was a girl who caught my eye. That was Nakizaki.* Kiyohito: "Wow..." *It was a little surprising. She didn't seem to be the eye-catching type.* *It's not like she wasn't cute, but she wasn't a flashy girl who attracted attention, either. Still, she leapt straight to my eyes.* *I thought, "She's not half bad to look at." She was plain, but lively. But more than anything else, she looked happy.* *Seeing her smiling face filled me with a warm sort of feeling I'd never felt before.* *Ah, now I've gone and done it. This is "love at first sight."* *It was the first time I'd ever felt so instantly taken with someone, but I knew that's what it was in an instant. And...* Kiyohito: "Ah..." *I also figured out that the happy smile of the woman I instantly fell for was being directed at another, specific man.* Naruko: "Hey, behind you. The hem of your shirt is sticking out." Tomoe: "Is it?" Naruko: "Don't give me that. Come on, fix it already." Naruko: "Yeesh, you never try to do anything for yourself." Tomoe: "Does it matter if my hem is sticking out?" Naruko: "It looks so ratty. You're starting your life at a new academy, so make sure you look nice." Naruko: "Here, I'll tuck it in for you, so turn around." Tomoe: "It's fine." Naruko: "It's not fine! I'm the one who's embarrassed by it!" Tomoe: "Hey, don't put your hand down my pants. That's way more embarrassing." *Those two were practically playing house together.* Kiyohito: "What's with that?" Kiyohito: "...Pfft." *I laughed. I was laughing? Weird.* *Now that I'd fallen for her at first sight, that man had become my rival. It was strange that seeing them flirting so openly made me laugh, though.* *But I figured it out early on. I noticed I'd fallen for that happy girl's smile.* *And that her smile existed _because_ that man was there.* *Once I accepted that, I felt like I could acknowledge that man's presence. At the same time, something about him piqued my interest.* *I wondered, what must he be like for her to smile so brightly?* *In a twist of fate, I ended up in the same class as that man. It was too bad I was separated from her in the process, though.* Tomoe: "..." *He was a strange guy. He didn't care in the slightest that our classmates were frantically making friends with one another. He alone radiated a special aura.* *I thought, "He seems kinda cool." A guy who didn't humor those around him and took charge of his own little world was trustworthy to me.* Naruko: "Hello!" *That girl showed up at lunch break and delivered his lunch. It was homemade, at that.* Naruko: "Why did we end up in different classes? Going out of my way to bring this here is a pain." Tomoe: "I said you didn't need to bother." Naruko: "I did, too. If I don't make it for you, you definitely won't eat." Tomoe: "Because I'm not hungry." Naruko: "You have to eat even if you're not hungry! You need to fill out a little!" Naruko: "Here, today it's pork cutlet!" Tomoe: "Something heavy again..." *He looked fed up, but he still ate it. Despite the face he made, I could tell he valued the feelings of that girl who brought his lunch.* *All the same, they really did look like two kids playing house. They appeared to be childhood friends, and weren't actually dating.* *Their relationship was the shining example of what childhood friends were like, to the point they were frustrating to watch. But...* *It didn't look like they were just flirting. There was a dignified aura between them, and I came to understand they were maintaining that relationship through sheer willpower.* *Making sure not to get any closer, but also trying not to stray apart. It was a distance they maintained and wished for.* *Their relationship wasn't just love or sappy emotions, it was held together by a firm resolve, and the determination to protect something.* *Those two moved me deeply.* *Before long, that guy started leaving the classroom frequently during lunch breaks.* *One day, I discreetly followed him and found he was heading to the roof.* Kiyohito: "Wow, we came out on the roof?" Kiyohito: "Ah..." *He gazed off into the distance from the rooftop. His expression, lifeless.* *I found myself worried. For a moment, I wondered if he planned to commit suicide.* *Despite never having seen it before, that girl's sad-looking face popped into my mind.* *Still, I knew I couldn't just leave him be.* Kiyohito: "Hey, knock it off." Tomoe: "Hm?" Kiyohito: "If you fall from there, it's gonna hurt." Tomoe: "...Yeah." *He looked like he finally understood, and took a peek down below. Then, for some reason, his mouth curled into a smile.* Kiyohito: "What's so funny?" Tomoe: "Nothing." Kiyohito: "Weren't you smiling just now?" Tomoe: "Because, I'm not supposed to die." Kiyohito: "Not supposed to...?" *I didn't know what he meant. Whether this guy was supposed to die or not was beyond my knowing.* Tomoe: "I'm not allowed. At the very least, I can't kill myself. I don't have that luxury." Kiyohito: "..." *I had no idea what he was talking about. I wondered if he was mentally unstable, and thought he would disappear if I took my eyes off him for even a second.* *He also looked so very, very sad.* *Tmp, tmp, tmp, tmp...!* Kiyohito: "Hm?" *Just then, a flurry of footsteps ran up from behind me. A figure came into view in the blink of an eye. It was that girl.* Naruko: "Oh? What's up? A friend?" *She looked at me and tilted her head.* Tomoe: "Yeah, we're in the same class. This is..." *Looked like he couldn't remember my name.* Kiyohito: "Kiyohito Taira. Nice to meet you!" Naruko: "A foreigner?" Kiyohito: "Nope, just a jokester." Naruko: "Huh, you're kinda weird. You'd probably be a great friend for Kirinokojima." *The way she praised me was odd, but her curt reaction made me feel strangely comfortable.* Naruko: "I'm Naruko Nakizaki. I'm Kirinokojima's childhood friend. Nice to meet you." Kiyohito: "Nice to meet you. By the way..." *I whispered into her ear.* Kiyohito: "Is this guy unstable?" *Nakizaki thought about it a second, then smiled sweetly.* Naruko: "It's all right. I'm here for him." *I still vividly remembered Nakizaki's pure smile at that moment.* *That expression alone proved how determined she was to protect Tomoe, no matter the cost.* Kiyohito: "That was when I understood there was no room for me to get between you two." Kiyohito: "But I was okay with that, so long as I could be with both of you." Kiyohito: "That was when I realized I care for both of you. I knew that was best, that there was nothing greater." Kiyohito: "I felt like disregarding you entirely and dating Nakizaki would be like stabbing you in the back, and that was the last thing I wanted." Kiyohito: "If by some miracle Nakizaki and I did go out, I wondered if you'd be sheepish around us. I didn't like the idea of that, either." Kiyohito: "I basically fell in love at first sight with you and Nakizaki both. No, maybe I should say that I fell for you two as a set." Kiyohito: "That was why I truly wanted Nakizaki's feelings to be requited." Tomoe: "So that's why you often poked fun at us?" Kiyohito: "I honestly thought it would be great if you two dated, but for whatever reason, neither of you seemed all that interested." Kiyohito: "Everyone around you thought the same thing I did, but you guys were the only ones who weren't like-minded." Tomoe: "Isn't that just how love works sometimes?" Kiyohito: "Yeah, maybe it is, but Nakizaki _does_ like you, right? So my eyes were correct." *I guess I had no choice but to admit that much.* Kiyohito: "Why can't you accept and return her feelings? You don't dislike her, do you? So why are you okay after making her cry like that?" *Each and every verbal lashing he gave me resonated within my heart. Remembering Nakizaki when she was crying made my chest hurt even more.* Tomoe: "In any case, I can't go out with Nakizaki. She also knows that all too well." *That was all I could say. Uttering those words was the emotional equivalent of coughing up blood.* *Kiyohito glared at me with dreadful eyes.* Kiyohito: "Would someone who knows that cry that way?" Tomoe: "...Wasn't I disqualified the second I made her cry like that? I have no right to date her." Kiyohito: "Are you being serious?" *His voice grew deep. It felt like the surrounding temperature dropped a few degrees.* Tomoe: "I'm serious. Nakizaki will never be happy if she's with me. That much is the truth." Tomoe: "There has to be some other man who's a better match for her." Tomoe: "I know. If you're so insistent, why don't _you_ make Nakizaki happy instead?" Kiyohito: "Do you honestly mean that...?" *His voice was shaking with anger.* Tomoe: "I am. I believe you're fully capable of making her happy." Kiyohito: "Tomoeeee...!" *I thought for sure he was going to hit me again and I closed my eyes on reflex, but the impact never came.* *When I opened my eyes, Kiyohito's eyes were filled with scorn. His narrowed gaze made me feel a pain so intense that a punch couldn't even begin to compare.* Kiyohito: "Got it. If you're going to go that far, I'll go out with Nakizaki. All right?" *There was still a provocative tone in his words.* *If I spoke up now, I could turn back. If I said, "I'm sorry, let's pretend this never happened" right now, he would surely take back everything he had just said.* *But I couldn't do that.* Tomoe: "Yeah. Take care of Nakizaki." Kiyohito: "...!" *For a moment, anger welled up inside him, then withered away without so much as exploding.* *Kiyohito probably just gave up on me. Knowing that sent a sharp pain through my chest.* Kiyohito: "Got it. I'll do that." Kiyohito: "I'll definitely make Nakizaki happy. You won't have to worry about that." Tomoe: "...I'm counting on you." *He didn't answer me. Kiyohito turned his back to me to avoid eye contact, then left the roof in silence.* *I didn't look his way any longer, either.* *Kiyohito, myself, and probably Nakizaki, too, no longer had any sort of relationship. I understood that very well.* Tomoe: "But this is how it should be." *This is how it should be. This was for the best.* *Kiyohito would likely make her happy. It might take time, but he wasn't the sort who would be discouraged by something like that.* *Also, he truly did treasure Nakizaki.* *That's why I was sure, no matter how much time it took, he would definitely make her happy, and she would open her heart to his feelings someday, too.* *Anyone would take one look at them and say they were a good match.* Tomoe: "So, this is how it should be." *But why did my chest hurt so much?* *Why did it ache and throb?* *In that moment, the sun vanished beyond the horizon, and night fell, almost like it was the end of the world...* *It was a night that may never end ever again...*

Kiyohito: "Forget about Tomoe. Go out with me." *Out of nowhere, Kiyohito suddenly called out to me.* Naruko: "Huh?" *I couldn't speak. Kiyohito wasn't the sort of guy who would joke about that, and I could tell from his serious expression that he meant it.* *But why would he say something like that?* Naruko: "Is this pity? Are you trying to console me?" *I couldn't imagine Kiyohito wanting to go out with me for any other reason.* Kiyohito: "It's not pity or consolation. I've always liked you." Naruko: "Huh...?" * He _did_ say, "Go out with me" so naturally that he may have been telling the truth.* *Still, Kiyohito confessing his feelings like that really ticked me off.* Naruko: "Wh-What are you going on about now? You've never mentioned anything like this before..." Kiyohito: "Because I was hiding it. I'm not clumsy enough to do anything that would make you suspect me once I decide to hide something." Naruko: "Wha... Do you think I'm stupid, or something?" *That didn't seem like something someone who just said they liked me would say.* Kiyohito: "I don't think you're stupid. I love that honest side of you, too." Naruko: "L-Love this, like that..." *It felt like he was teasing me every single time he said it. After all, I'd never seen Kiyohito act this way before...* *I didn't know what I should do.* Naruko: "...If that's all you have to say, I'm going home. See you later." *So I decided to run away instead. I turned my back to him and walked away without looking back.* Kiyohito: "Tomoe told me I should go out with you!" *That single sentence stopped me in my tracks. I timidly turned around.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima did?" *Deep sorrow and sympathy rose to his eyes as he gazed at me. The look on my face must have warranted it.* Kiyohito: "Sorry for saying something so cruel, but if I don't, you'll never be able to forget about Tomoe no matter how much time passes..." Naruko: "...I gave up on Kirinokojima a long time ago..." *Or at least I meant to, but before I realized it, those feelings had resurfaced. And now, I had to give up on them yet again.* *It felt like unrequited love for a second time.* Kiyohito: "I know it's no use for me to say this, but I'll say it anyway." Kiyohito: "Forget about Tomoe already. Fall in love with me. If you're with me, I can make you happy." Kiyohito: "No, I _absolutely_ will." *Kiyohito's words touched my heart more than I ever would have imagined.* Naruko: "Telling me that... won't do any good..." Kiyohito: "I know. If feelings were that flexible then nobody would ever suffer." Kiyohito: "People suffer _because_ you can't control them." *Each and every word he spoke resonated deeply within me. It was incredibly painful, but at the same time healed me ever so slightly.* Kiyohito: "If I'm not enough for you as I am now, I'll learn to become your ideal man. I swear that you will never regret it." Kiyohito: "So please, go out with me." *No normal girl would ever resent someone for confessing their feelings, especially when it was done so sincerely, and delivered with such passion.* Naruko: "But I love Kirinokojima. No matter how hard you fall for me, my feelings for him may not change for as long as I live." *When I said that, a mysterious smile crossed his face. This wasn't the right place for a smile whatsoever, but it was wide as could be.* Kiyohito: "That's fine by me. Don't you know? I love Tomoe, too." Kiyohito: "So I'll fall in love with you and the Tomoe you fell for, all in one go. I'll love you both simultaneously." *Kiyohito's smile shined upon me like the moon in the night sky.* *His smile wavered and crumbled like the moon on the water's surface.* *And thanks to that, I noticed that I was crying yet again.*

Aine: "Naruko-san never showed up, did she?" *Nakizaki hadn't come by to pick us up this morning, and Aine had been worried about her ever since.* Tomoe: "I told you, Nakizaki isn't going to come see us anymore." Aine: "But..." *I told her this repeatedly, but she was having trouble accepting it.* Tomoe: "I think she started going out with Kiyohito." Aine: "Huh? With Kiyohito-san...?" Aine: "What is going on?" Tomoe: "It's exactly as I said." Aine: "Wh-What is that supposed to mean?! Why is Naruko-san dating Kiyohito-san?!" *Aine lashed out with incredible ferocity.* Tomoe: "You don't have to get so worked up about it. That's what's best for Nakizaki." Tomoe: "I'm sure she'll be much happier with Kiyohito than if she were with me." Aine: "Do not tell me you provoked them into dating each other?" Tomoe: "Calling it 'provoked' is misleading. I just told Kiyohito exactly what I thought." Aine: "And that was to go out with Naruko-san?!" Tomoe: "Don't shout about every little detail." *People were beginning to stare. There were plenty of students from our school among them, too. This was an unsightly spectacle.* Aine: "So, are you okay with that, Tomoe-san?!" Tomoe: "I've been telling you it's fine. That's what is best for Nakizaki─" Aine: "I do not mean Naruko-san. I am asking if _you_ are okay with it, Tomoe-san!" Tomoe: "Like I said, I'm..." *Now that I thought about it, I wasn't so sure. I did think that she was better off dating Kiyohito. She would never be happy if she were with me.* *But Aine had asked me over and over again if _I_ was personally okay with it.* *"Is this what _you_ want, Tomoe-san?!"* *Did I want this? What was that supposed to mean? I wasn't really sure.* *I believed doing this was best for Nakizaki, so that's how I proceeded.* *Didn't that mean it was what I wanted?* Tomoe: "I'm not so sure." Aine: "Tomoe-san..." *How _did_ I feel? I guess I didn't even understand my own feelings.* *And if _I_ didn't understand, that might mean there wasn't a human left in this world who _did_ understand me.*

Tomoe: "..." Kiyohito: "..." *I stopped talking to Kiyohito outright. Neither of us spoke a single word to each other, which made things pretty awkward considering we sat right next to each other.* *There was no way around it, though. I just needed to get used to it.* Naruko: "Kiyohito, let's go home." *Nakizaki turned up for Kiyohito. They appeared to be going home together.* *I suppose that meant they were getting along well. Just as I hoped for.* Naruko: "..." *I sensed that Nakizaki glanced over at me for a moment, but her eyes instantly turned away.* Naruko: "Hey, let's go somewhere on our way back." Kiyohito: "Sure. Where to?" Naruko: "Anywhere is fine. How about karaoke or something?" Naruko: "Oh, a love hotel would work, too." Tomoe: "Huh...?" *Nakizaki's comment naturally sparked a reaction out of me. There were a number of people whispering around us, too.* Kiyohito: "Huh? A love hotel..." Naruko: "Come on, they've got karaoke there, too." Kiyohito: "Yeah, but..." *I could feel his eyes on me. I looked straight ahead and pretended not to notice.* Naruko: "..." *Nakizaki was watching me. I could sense it.* *I was sure she orchestrated this conversation just so I would hear it. Not a method I'd normally expect from her.* *But once I realized I was the one making her act that way, I couldn't say anything. I quietly left my seat.* Naruko: "Ah..." *I heard her let out a small noise of surprise, but pretended not to notice and exited the classroom.* *I'd better hurry home. Me leaving was for the best.*

*I didn't feel like heading home and wound up at the usual place.* Tomoe: "..." *It was quiet. I doubted Nakizaki nor Kiyohito would come here.* *In fact, I was positive they would never come here again. Was the rooftop always this quiet without them?* *It was mysteriously quiet. Had I ever experienced such silence before in my entire life?* *With that thought, it occurred to me. It was a long time ago, but I certainly had. It was before I met Nakizaki.* *Before I met her, my mother often left me home alone. The world was similarly quiet back then, too.* Tomoe: "This is nostalgic." *I said, not sure if I genuinely missed this or not, but something about it didn't sit right with me.* *Many years _had_ passed, but it was _hardly_ nostalgic.* *Things were always lively ever since I met Nakizaki. At some point, that had become normal to me.* *Even though it wasn't the least bit ordinary.* Tomoe: "..." Yuri: "Would you like a candy?" Tomoe: "Oh, Hisaka-san. When did you get here?" *I hadn't noticed her at all. She was serene enough a person to give me a run for my money.* Yuri: "It is very quiet here today." Tomoe: "Yes, it is. And it might stay that way from now on." Yuri: "Is that right?" Tomoe: "Yes." Yuri: "...Did something happen between you and Naruko-chan?" *She figured it out almost instantly. Hisaka-san was surprisingly sharp for how absent-minded she acted.* Tomoe: "Just a little something. I'm guessing she won't come here anymore." Yuri: "She won't?" Yuri: "..." *I thought Hisaka-san would inquire further, but she showed no signs of doing so. It was kind of a let-down.* Tomoe: "..." *If I was actually disappointed by it, did that mean I wanted to talk to someone about my problems?* Yuri: "Oh... The candy. Here." Tomoe: "Oh, thanks." *I took it from her. Today's candy was Kintaro candy, and it was pre-cut into a bite-sized piece.* *The cross-section was warped, and it kind of looked like it was crying.* Yuri: "Would it be better if I asked you what happened?" *Hisaka-san asked me. She must have been trying to be considerate.* Yuri: "What happened between you and Naruko-chan?" *She posed that question before I answered. She really was being extra mindful of me.* Tomoe: "The truth is... Nakizaki said she liked me, but I told her she'd be better off dating Kiyohito instead." *I couldn't exactly tell her about the part where I had meddled, so that was how I answered.* Yuri: "Oh my..." *Her mouth gaped with surprise.* Tomoe: "Is that strange?" Yuri: "...No. I may have suggested similar." Tomoe: "You would have done the same thing?" Yuri: "After all... Nobody would ever be happy if they were with me." *I was shocked. Hisaka-san and I shared the same mindset.* Yuri: "That means it would be best if they were with someone else who could make them happier." Tomoe: "...Yeah. I agree." Yuri: "It must be rough, then." Tomoe: "Huh...?" Yuri: "Wouldn't it have to be? I am sure you must have wanted to be with her just as much as she wanted to be with you." Yuri: "Right?" Tomoe: "...Yeah." *That sounded about right now that she'd said it. Maybe I _had_ wanted to be with Nakizaki forever.* Yuri: "Were you not aware?" Tomoe: "No, there's no way I wouldn't realize it." *It was mysterious how many gaps there were in my thought process.* Yuri: "I understand how you feel. I cannot speak for others, however..." Yuri: "I am sure Naruko-chan wanted to make you happy as well." Tomoe: "Huh...? Me?" Yuri: "I am sure of it. Don't you think your happiness meant everything to her?" Yuri: "That's how I felt when I saw you two together, at least." Yuri: "That must have been what happiness meant to Naruko-chan. Your happiness, Kirinokojima-kun." Tomoe: "My happiness... was her happiness..." Yuri: "Don't you think your feelings were one and the same?" *Were they really? Why did things turn out this way even though we felt the same way?* Yuri: "I think you should tell her exactly how you feel." Tomoe: "I..." *That wasn't possible. Nothing would change as a result, so it was utterly pointless.* *I wanted to tell Hisaka-san everything, but as you would expect, it was difficult to discuss the true nature of the red thread of fate.* *Wouldn't it shock her to find out its, and the angels', true purpose?* Yuri: "There are times when nothing goes right even when two people care about each other." *Something told me her words came from first-hand experience. It was for that reason they softly resonated in my heart.* Tomoe: "You're right..." *I was fine with whatever ended in Nakizaki's happiness. Everything would be fine as long as we could stay friends like before.* *But, despite my best intentions, nothing was going as I had hoped...*

Naruko: "..." *When I went up to the rooftop, I found Kirinokojima and Yuri-san there. They looked so perfect standing next to each other that I couldn't bring myself to call out to them.* Naruko: "Talking to them wouldn't do me any good anyway..." *We couldn't talk like we used to anymore.* Naruko: "..." Kiyohito: "Hey, Nakizaki. What's up?" Naruko: "Uh... Oh, nothing." *Ever since then, I felt nervous when I was with Kiyohito.* *Were we dating right now? That's how it seemed, but it still didn't feel real to me.* Kiyohito: "What, was Tomoe up there?" Naruko: "Huh?! How did you know?" Kiyohito: "Of course I'd know. You wouldn't make that face otherwise." Naruko: "You can tell just from my face?" Kiyohito: "I can." *He told me point-blank.* *He could tell? Kiyohito must really... love me, huh? I never noticed.* Naruko: "..." Kiyohito: "Don't put so much thought into it! It's not like I'm expecting anything. Just take it easy!" Naruko: "But... Are you okay with that?" Kiyohito: "Fine by me. It's not like I have a tough time with the ladies; I'm just not _that_ greedy a guy." Naruko: "What's that about? You're terrible!" Kiyohito: "Yup, yup. That's the way." Naruko: "Ah..." *With that gentle smile, I realized Kiyohito was being considerate of me. I felt secure, like I was being protected.* *That should have made me super happy, but...* *Why did only Kirinokojima's face pop into my mind?* Kiyohito: "Hey, there's that look again. You should take your mind off all this. Thinking isn't really your strong point, anyway." Naruko: "Wh-What the heck?!" Naruko: "Ah..." Kiyohito: "Yup, yup. That's how it should be. Let's go distract ourselves with some karaoke or something~!" Naruko: "...Yeah. Let's do that." *Falling in love with Kiyohito really would solve all my problems...* *I knew it, but it was no use. I would feel bad if things continued to progress with Kiyohito, especially with him spoiling me like this, but...* *What should I do...?*

Naruko: "You ended up walking me home, huh?" Kiyohito: "Of course I would. It's already pitch black out." Naruko: "It's not that late yet. I would've been fine." Kiyohito: "And I'm telling you, as a gentleman, I couldn't possibly let a lady walk home alone at night." Kiyohito: "Or so I say, but I'm really just a wolf in gentleman's clothing." Naruko: "My dad will murder you with his bow if you said that in front of him." Kiyohito: "Oh, that's right. Your father was an archery teacher." Naruko: "He's so good that even Kirinokojima doesn't stand a chance against him." Naruko: "Ah..." *Kirinokojima's name came up on accident. The mood suddenly turned ice cold.* Naruko: "Sorry." Kiyohito: "You don't need to apologize. I'm gonna head home, so get inside." Naruko: "Yeah, got it. See ya." Kiyohito: "Challo!" *Kiyohito waved goodbye. I saw him off and waved back until he walked past the corner and I could no longer see him.* Naruko: "Hah..." *Why did I sigh? Doing so hurt me.* Naruko: "..." *The lights were on in Kirinokojima's house. If the lights were on, that should mean he was inside.* *That light had always cheered me up before... Now, it had become something distant and lonesome.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima..." *When I absentmindedly called his name, the front door opened. Had my feelings reached him...?* Naruko: "Ah..." *It was Aine-chan who had come, not Kirinokojima.* Aine: "Oh, Naruko-san!" *She rushed over once she spotted me.* Aine: "You came?" *She made an immensely happy face at me.* *I was happy to have someone who would wait for me like this, but it was all the more painful since I couldn't live up to her expectations.* Naruko: "Sorry, it's not that. I just got back, so..." Aine: "Oh, is that so? ...I am sorry." Naruko: "Uh-uh, I'm the one who's sorry." *I had no idea what to say. Things may have gotten awkward with Kirinokojima, but it wasn't like anything happened between Aine-chan and me...* Aine: "Um, Tomoe-san is inside, you know?" Naruko: "I see..." *Giving that answer was all I could do.* *I knew she wanted me to come inside, but that was something I absolutely could not do.* *That seemed to have gotten through to her, and she looked down sadly.* Aine: "I am sorry..." Naruko: "You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault." Aine: "But..." Naruko: "I mean it. I was able to remember my feelings for Kirinokojima, that's all..." *After saying that much, I felt something well up inside me and began to stammer.* Naruko: "I just... remembered my... feelings... Oh, oooh..." *Significantly more inarticulate emotions I never intended to say aloud bubbled up from inside me and spilled out as tears and sobs.* Naruko: "O-Oh... Hyuu, oh..." Aine: "Naruko-san..." *Aine-chan hugged me softly. I realized that my body was trembling as she held me in her arms.* Aine: "Um, Naruko-san... Do you have some free time later this evening? After Tomoe-san goes to sleep, if possible." Naruko: "Huh...?" *She whispered into my ear as she embraced me.* Aine: "I do not think we have any choice but to rely on them now."

Naruko: "..." Naruko: "Maybe they're not here?" *It was empty inside, with no sign of any other people.* *But then, I wasn't expecting to find any _people_, so that was irrelevant.* Aine: "Excuse me!" *Aine-chan called into the darkness.* Rios: "Do you need something?" *A voice echoed from the high ceiling, then the black angels appeared like a gust of wind.* Helen: "It is dangerous for you to be walking around at this hour." Aine: "Black angels are active at night, correct? I figured it would be easier to meet with you at this time of day." Helen: "That must mean you have some business with us." Aine: "I do." *Aine-chan answered directly.* *When Aine-chan said "them," she meant these black angels. They were the ones who told her the true nature of the red thread of fate.* *They were also the ones who originally had my shard...* Rios: "You haven't changed much since you were a kid. Maybe that's because you grew up with a fractured heart?" Naruko: "I see. So you know about my childhood?" Rios: "Your heart fractured right in front of me... No, you lopped it off yourself. It looks like you got your shard back, though." Naruko: "It seems so." Rios: "How does it feel to regain the heart you personally severed?" *After he asked that, I gave it some thought before I answered.* Naruko: "...I don't know." *Thinking about it didn't help.* Naruko: "I don't regret it. I do consider it a precious feeling, but I don't know what I should do going forward." Helen: "I am sure. If you become joined as one, catastrophe will surely follow, but now that your heart has regained its shard, it cannot help but crave him." Rios: "It must be rough." Aine: "Please do not act so indifferent and tell us! Is there some way around this?!" *The black angels fell silent at Aine-chan's question. I anxiously awaited their answer.* *Tortured by the worry that there may not _be_ an answer all the while.* Rios: "...There is one way." Naruko: "Huh?! Really?!" Aine: "How do we do it?!" Rios: "..." Helen: "I will explain." *The short angel fell silent, and the female angel beside him began to speak.* Helen: "The calamity of the red thread is fundamentally unavoidable. There are only a fixed quantity of red threads in circulation." Helen: "Essentially, there is a possibility that the red thread which joins you will someday be stolen away by someone else." Helen: "However, that cycle is generally more lenient in nature. It is unlikely that any such tragedy would occur within days or even months of you being joined." Aine: "That was caused by the strings of my guitar breaking..." Rios: "Yes, that is it." *The short angel said.* Helen: "Yes, it is my assumption that the red threads were recovered directly from the bound couples in order to replace your guitar strings." Aine: "You have said that once before! But what should I do?" Helen: "It is simple. Just replace the guitar string with another red thread before your own red thread is taken." Aine: "Another red thread..." Aine: "How should we do that?" *Baffled, Aine-chan's eyebrows began to droop. She really did seem at a loss.* *But I sort of understood. Basically...* Naruko: "You're saying we should join another couple together before we do?" *The guitar was short a single string. If the guitar's string was replaced with another red thread, it wouldn't take any more threads.* Aine: "That would be... sacrificing another couple?" Rios: "That is correct." Aine: "W-We could not...!" *Aine-chan bared her rage with her entire being.* Aine: "I cannot do something so terrible!" Naruko: "Me neither. I could never sacrifice other people for my own benefit." Rios: "I'm sure you can't." *The short angel appeared to have no issues accepting it.* Rios: "You're the sort of woman who cast away your own heart for the sake of another. There is no way you would ever sacrifice someone else for your benefit." *Finally, he snorted at me. I couldn't tell if that was praise, or if he was speaking ill of me.* Rios: "But what about you?" *The short angel spoke to Aine-chan.* Aine: "Me...? I cannot do such a thing, either! That should be obvious!" Rios: "Are you sure? Then you will have turned this woman into a sacrifice for your own self-satisfaction." Aine: "Th-That is not..." Naruko: "She's right! That's not what I want, and I don't want Aine-chan to do that for me, either!" Rios: "Human assertions don't concern me. I am speaking from the standpoint of an angel." Rios: "All you can do as an angel is to help the troubled humans before you. Will you ignore them when there is something you can do to fulfill that role?" Aine: "But... How can I make someone else unhappy in the process...?" Helen: "That is something which has always been, and will always be. As long as you are an angel, that will be an inescapable fact." Helen: "The happiness angels bestow upon humans is a limited-time affair by the red thread's very nature." Rios: "How long it lasts is merely a matter of probability. It's nothing to worry about." Rios: "Human happiness is ephemeral. Just as humans are creatures who possess a finite lifespan, their happiness also has an expiration date." Rios: "It isn't worth your concern." Helen: "They get to experience supreme bliss, even if for but a moment. Why not be satisfied with that?" *These black angels were the polar opposite from Aine-chan and the others. That much was obvious.* *These angels didn't wish to make people happy.* *Still, what they were saying might not be incorrect.* *It was true that humans had limited life spans, and it wasn't normally possible for happiness to last forever.* *That much seemed natural to me after giving it some thought.* Aine: "..." *However, a "respectable" angel like Aine-chan couldn't accept it and glared at the black angels.* Aine: "I understand. Your feathers are black because you do not wish for the happiness of humans, right?" Rios: "Exactly. It doesn't matter to us whether humans are happy or not." *The black angel declared without hesitation.* *Aine-chan was looking at them with contempt. I'd never seen her look so upset.* Aine: "Black or white angels... I did not think the color of our wings mattered, but it appears there is a great difference between us." Aine: "I hold you black angels in contempt." *So she said, but for some reason the black angel smirked. Even the expressionless, female angel beside him looked like she was vaguely smiling.* Helen: "Anyway, that is all we are able to tell you. What happens next is up to you." Aine: "Up to me...?" Naruko: "Understood." *There was nothing more to do. The rest of this was completely out of my hands.* Naruko: "Let's go home, Aine-chan." Aine: "Naruko-san, but..." Naruko: "That's enough. I'm on your side, Aine-chan." Naruko: "I don't want to be with Kirinokojima so badly that I would willingly make another person unhappy in the process." Naruko: "So, that's enough." Aine: "Naruko-san..." Naruko: "Let's go." Helen: "Oh, one moment." *The moment I turned my heel, the female angel called out to me.* Helen: "There may be one other method." Naruko: "Huh? There's another?" *I spun around. She was testing me with her gaze.* Naruko: "What method is that?" Helen: "That would be, if you were joined with a different person." Naruko: "Huh...?" Aine: "What do you mean, another person? Someone other than Tomoe-san?" Helen: "Your red thread was originally intended to bind you to Tomoe Kirinokojima. However, if you were to be bound to a different person..." Naruko: "If I were?" Helen: "The red thread that was supposed to bind you to him might be canceled out." Aine: "Canceled out... Is that true?" *Even an angel like Aine-chan hadn't heard of it.* Helen: "I have witnessed such a thing once before. A certain human whom I performed angelery upon was bound to a human other than the one they cared for at the time." Helen: "It was an accident of sorts, but in the end, the red thread that was supposed to have bound them appeared to be canceled out." Rios: "The red thread is something which binds in accordance with the special, pure, and earnest feelings of humans." Rios: "In cases where the person has multiple targets of affection, they will not be joined together." Naruko: "So then... what should I do?" Helen: "Before you are bound to Tomoe Kirinokojima, bind yourself to another person first." Helen: "The red thread that is supposed to link the two of you together should be canceled at that very moment." Rios: "Once that happens, break up with the sacrificial man and run back to that man's side." Aine: "Th-That is..." Rios: "If the man you choose can forgive your actions, then it might work out in your favor." Naruko: "..." *Were these people really angels?* *What a devilish proposal. Still, that only made my heart waver all the more.* Aine: "Naruko-san would not do such a thing! She could never become bound to someone she does not love!" Naruko: "...What would I have to do for that, specifically?" Aine: "Huh? Naruko-san?" Naruko: "I assume two or three dates wouldn't be enough to count as a sufficient relationship?" Helen: "Of course. It would be necessary for you to be joined by a carnal relationship at the bare minimum." Naruko: "A carnal relationship..." *That made sense. You couldn't really be "joined together" if you didn't go at least that far.* Aine: "Th-That is too much! Doing something like that with someone you do not even love...!" Helen: "I have no interest in whether it is good or bad. All I wish to say is that there is a possibility a red thread, which is supposed to join two people, could be canceled by such means." Aine: "She will never pursue such a method! Please do not tell her strange things!" Aine: "Naruko-san, let us go already!" Naruko: "Uh, yeah..." *As Aine-chan pulled me along with her, Kiyohito's face popped into my mind.*

Naruko: "..." Naruko: "A carnal relationship..." Kiyohito: "What about a relationship?" Naruko: "Wah?!" Kiyohito: "What're you flipping out for?" Naruko: "B-Because..." *Because he popped up out of nowhere while I was thinking about sexual stuff...* Kiyohito: "You're acting really weird. Your face is red, too. Do you have a fever or something?" Naruko: "I-I'm fine." *Oh no, my face was on fire...* Naruko: "..." *I found myself looking over at Kirinokojima.* *Pain ran through me, like my chest was being punctured by needles. How long would I have to feel this way?* Kiyohito: "..." Naruko: "Say, Kiyohito..." Kiyohito: "Hm? What's up?" Naruko: "...There's something I'd like to talk about after school today. Are you free later?" Kiyohito: "Oh, of course. I'll tag along with you anytime." Naruko: "After school, then." *The pain in my chest just wouldn't go away.* *If this slowly suffocating agony would go on forever, then going through with this might be better...* *Was it a sin for me to think that way?*

Kiyohito: "The sunset looks fantastic from here! That's youth for you." Kiyohito: "So, you wanted to talk?" Naruko: "Yeah..." *When it came down to it, I had already lost my nerve. Even Kiyohito would probably get mad if I talked to him about this.* *Not only could I not tell him the whole story, all I _could_ say was, "Don't ask why, but have sex with me just once! We'll probably break up afterwards, though!"* *He _totally_ wouldn't think I was nuts or anything after saying something like that...* Kiyohito: "Anything's fine. I'll listen, no matter how loopy it is." Naruko: "Huh...?" *He sounded like he was trying to reassure me, as if he knew I was about to say something weird.* Naruko: "Why...?" Kiyohito: "I figured you guys were caught up in something weird for a long time now." Kiyohito: "I played dumb because I thought it'd be better if I pretended not to notice." Naruko: "Oh, really?" *I guess it wasn't so strange that Kiyohito of all people had realized it.* Kiyohito: "You can leave out any details you can't mention. Try me." *Now that he'd said that, I'd finally worked up the nerve to ask him. I may as well give it a shot.* Naruko: "...Got it. Listen up then, okay?" Kiyohito: "Basically, you want to have sex with me?" Naruko: "D-Don't be so blunt about it!" *Now that I had brought it up, it really was ridiculous. I sounded like such a slut.* *Besides, there was nothing ruder I could possibly say to him after he told me he loved me.* *I mean, telling him to have sex with me once so that I could date Kirinokojima...* Naruko: "I'm being terrible, aren't I? Sorry, just pretend you never heard any of─" Kiyohito: "Sure." Naruko: "...Huh?" Kiyohito: "If you're okay with it, then so am I." Naruko: "Huh, you're okay with it... Really?" *He nodded with a smile. I never expected him to agree to it so easily.* Kiyohito: "Whatever the reason, there's not a man alive who would say no to having sex with the woman he loves." Naruko: "Is that how it works? But, I'm doing this so I can get together with Kirinokojima, you know?" Naruko: "You sure you're okay with that?" Naruko: "Heck, do you believe in this whole, crazy story in the first place?" Kiyohito: "I believe anything you say, and I'm okay with it if you are." Naruko: "I see..." *Talk about anticlimactic.* *Still, what was with this sense of security? This feeling that he would accept me no matter what I said or did?* Naruko: "You're like a father, Kiyohito." Kiyohito: "A father? That's a touchy subject." *He was grinning wryly, and that aspect of him was fatherly, too.* Kiyohito: "But are you okay with it? With me making love to you?" Naruko: "Yeah. That _is_ a touchy subject..." Kiyohito: "Touchy, huh? That just plain hurts." Naruko: "Oh, sorry." Kiyohito: "Ahaha, it's okay, it's okay. Why don't we go for it, then!" Naruko: "'Go for it'? Don't say it so cheerfully." Kiyohito: "As long as we're going to do it, we may as well have fun with it. Let's make some good memories!" *Kiyohito was acting awfully cheery. His response seemed to soften how outrageous this whole scenario was, and it reassured me a little.* Naruko: "Thank you..." Kiyohito: "You don't need to thank me." Naruko: "I should have just fallen for you." Kiyohito: "Ahaha, it's not too late for that." Naruko: "Yeah, you're right." *A part of me wished I could, but it was no use worrying about something beyond my control.* Kiyohito: "I'm personally up for it anytime. Let me know whenever you're emotionally ready." Naruko: "Yeah, got it. Thank you." *I made up my mind to tell him all of this, but it required a different sort of determination when it came to performing the actual act.* *After all... It was my first time...* *And I found myself thinking... my first time should be with Kirinokojima.* Kiyohito: "Oh?" *Kiyohito suddenly looked at the sky. I followed his lead and looked too, but there was nothing there.* Naruko: "What is it?" Kiyohito: "It felt like someone was watching us just now..." Naruko: "From the sky? You must be seeing things." Kiyohito: "Yeah." *The sky was stained red by the nearly set sun.*

*I could hardly believe that Naruko-san was prepared to go that far.* Aine: "This is my fault." *This was all my... all us angels' fault.* *All I had ever wanted was to make everyone happy, but that wish was making Naruko-san suffer so horribly...* *No, it was making everyone else suffer, too...* *All of the couples I had brought together may have already met an unhappy end by now.* Aine: "Maybe everyone would be better off without us..." *All of those people might have been happier without us angels interfering with their lives. I was sure that went for Tomoe-san and the others too...* Aine: "I should just up and disappear." *It was not like I was of any use to anyone.* Aine: "...No, not yet." *After what Rios and Helen-san had mentioned yesterday, I realized there was still something left that I _could_ do.* Aine: "If I replace the guitar string with another red thread..." *If I did that, Tomoe-san and Naruko-san's red thread would not be stolen from them.* *And if that did not happen, then Naruko-san would not have to force herself to do something so extreme with Kiyohito-san, either...* *But in order to do that, I would have to sacrifice someone else.* *I did not want to do that. I did not, but...* Aine: "That is all I can do..." *If that was the one and only thing I could do for them, then...* Aine: "I have to do it." *Throb!* Aine: "Haah...?!" *Wh-What... is this...? My back... hurts...* Aine: "...Huh? Is it just my imagination?" *The flash of pain I had experienced for a brief moment disappeared again in the blink of an eye.* Aine: "...It does not matter either way." *Imagination or not, I did not have time to worry about myself right now.* *I had to do whatever I could for Tomoe-san and Naruko-san.* *I picked up the bow I had secretly borrowed from Tomoe-san and checked the area.* *He briefly taught me how to use it, so I might be able to manage on my own.* *No, I _had_ to make it work. I had to do this to replace the guitar string...* Aine: "Someone is sure to pass by here." *It was nighttime, but plenty of people were walking by the station entrance. Many inebriated people were also forlorn.* *There was sure to be someone among them whose heart had fractured, or was nearly ready to.* *If I performed my angelery upon such a person and replaced the guitar string with their red thread, then...* Aine: "Tomoe-san and Naruko-san will be saved." *To do so, I would have to sacrifice someone else. I really did not want to do that...* *But I had no choice.* *That was all I could do to save Tomoe-san and Naruko-san...* Man: "We're through, then!" Aine: "Ah..." *A man yelled angrily. He was enraged, yet his voice sounded very sad.* *The voice likely came from the exhausted-looking man who trudged along the platform. He looked very drunk.* Man: "Shit!" *The man threw his cell phone straight at the ground. The broken phone tumbled forward.* Man: "What the hell...? Damn it all..." *I could hear the sad voice of someone suffering coming from the man sitting in place.* *Something incredibly heart-breaking must have happened to him. So very, very, very heart-breaking...* *I too felt a dull pain in my chest. As if his sorrows were piercing into me.* *Krk, krk, krk...* *I could hear a grating noise coming from my chest.* *...No, that was not it. It was _his_ heart making that sound.* *This was...* Man: "Uuuuugh..." Aine: "Ah!" *Before my very eyes, a piece of his heart spilled from the mouth of the man emanating pure misery.* Man: "I don't... care anymore... Ugh..." *The man staggered to his feet and looked as though he had given up on everything. He took several drunken steps forward.* *He left his shard behind. It flickered violently, as though it were letting out soundless screams.* Aine: "If I return this to that man..." *Tomoe-san and Naruko-san would be...* *When it came time to act, my body would not move.* *This was my chance. This was the one thing I could do for those two, and yet...* Aine: "...I have to do it." *I picked up his heart shard and tightly gripped it in the palm of my hand.* *I would return this to him, then replace the final string of the guitar with his red thread.* *This was not what I wanted... but I would do it.* *I had to!* *Throb!* Aine: "Uh...?!" *My back ached again. It was the same pain I felt for a moment earlier.* *Throb!* *No, this painful, throbbing sensation was far worse than before, and only growing stronger.* Aine: "Aah, ugh...?! Aaaaaah...!" *My back ached enough to make me dizzy. What was this?* *Krak, krak, krak...* Aine: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah...!" *...I knew now. My feathers. My feathers were about to transform into something entirely different.* *Just like those black angels. Those angels' feathers turned black when they accepted how absurd reality was.* *As if it were reflecting how dark this world really was.* *Crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack...!* Aine: "AAAH!!"

Tomoe: "She's late." *Aine had gone off on her own somewhere and hadn't come home yet. She had even left before eating dinner. For her to skip a meal and go who knows where was unthinkable.* Tomoe: "What in the world is she up to?" *Was the curry I made so terrible she didn't want to eat it? Some new type of hunger strike?* *For some reason I had a murky, awful feeling in my chest.* Tomoe: "...She's so troublesome." *Looks like I had no choice but to go check on her. I probably wouldn't get much sleep even if I did go to bed now.* *Besides, something was making me feel uneasy.* Tomoe: "It's quiet." *It was a moonless night, and the area was darker than usual. Most of all, it was strangely quiet.* *Just like that day. It had been quiet like this that night, too.* *Overly quiet nights always spelled trouble.* Tomoe: "Damn you, Aine; what are you up to?" *My apprehension was growing stronger and stronger, and as it did, my pace grew quicker without me realizing it.* *I had to find Aine right away... That feeling only grew more intense with each step. It urged me.* *Before I knew it, I had broken into a sprint.* Aine: "..." *Found her!* *For a brief moment, I couldn't believe it was really her. The feathers spewing from her back were as dark as night. They were jet black, the same color as those black angels.* *Why did Aine's feathers look like that? It didn't make any sense to me. It didn't, but my intuition told me that something bad was happening.* *Aine was there with someone else, a young man. Not so much "together," as Aine was staring at him from a distance.* *Staring with dark eyes, as if she were targeting prey.* *Aine was holding a bow in her hand. It was the same Japanese-style bow I had been using.* *And in her other hand she was holding an arrow. I knew instantly that it wasn't an ordinary arrow; the arrowhead was a heart shard.* *That shard most likely belonged to the man in Aine's sights.* Aine: "..." *She had nocked the arrow and pointed it at the man. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.* *Was she planning to perform angelery on him?* *Wasn't that the same Aine who had learned the red thread of fate's true nature and denied its existence?* *The red thread wouldn't bring people true happiness, and misfortune would surely follow. Especially right now, while her guitar was still missing a string.* *And yet...* Aine: "...!" Tomoe: "Hey... Sto─!" Tomoe: "Ah!" *I momentarily panicked, but the arrow merely grazed the unaware man and disappeared into the darkness behind him.* Man: "Hm?" *He must have heard my voice and looked in my general direction. He spotted me, but didn't appear to have noticed Aine.* Aine: "Huh...?" *Aine finally noticed me and stood very still, seeming utterly bewildered.* Tomoe: "Hey, get out of here!" *I yelled at the man.* Man: "Wha?" *After getting yelled at by some random stranger, a mix of surprise and confusion appeared on the man's face.* Tomoe: "Never mind, just get away from here! Hurry!" Man: "Wh-What's with you...?" *The man grumbled a little, but he obediently ran off. He must have sensed from how I was acting that he was in danger.* *Now that we were alone, I walked over to Aine.* Aine: "Ah...!" Tomoe: "Don't run away!" *Aine was acting like she would bolt instantly, so I called out to stop her.* *She stopped midstep, looking defeated. As she hung her head in resignation, I stood before her.* Tomoe: "Aine..." *Aine was there, her guise completely transformed.* *What in the world had happened to her? Those jet-black feathers stood out conspicuously even against the dark of night.* Tomoe: "What... caused this?" Aine: "P-Please do not look..." *Aine hugged her shoulders and shielded her body from my gaze.* Tomoe: "What happened? You're..." Aine: "I... I... am a failure as an angel..." Tomoe: "A failure as an angel..." *"I knew that already. You're a total quack of an angel." ...I always answered that way, but I couldn't say that now.* *Aine's brooding behavior made me watch my mouth.* Tomoe: "What happened?" Aine: "...I found out." *Aine said feebly.* Tomoe: "Found out? Found out what...?" Aine: "The feathers of angels who no longer wish for people's happiness turn black." Tomoe: "Who don't wish for people's happiness? That doesn't apply to you, right, Aine?" *I couldn't imagine a scenario where Aine didn't wish for people to be happy.* Aine: "No, I am hopeless. I fired that arrow at that person earlier knowing that it would bring him misfortune." Tomoe: "That's..." Tomoe: "Why did you do that?" Aine: "He was a sacrifice..." Tomoe: "A sacrifice?" *I didn't expect such a dangerous word to spill from her mouth.* Aine: "I am... I..." *It was then that some emotion appeared to well up inside her. Aine doubled over and covered her mouth as heavy sobs escaped her.* Aine: "I... I...! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh...!" *Aine's stifled wails echoed into the night sky.* *Those shrieks which trembled with grief were so sorrowful they would taint and sink the hearts of those who heard them.* Tomoe: "Aine..." Aine: "AAAAH...!!" *All I could do was silently listen to those wails of hers...*

*After Aine finished crying, I somehow managed to get her home.* *There were still traces of tears on her cheeks, but now that she'd cried it all out, she seemed to have calmed down slightly.* Aine: "I am really sorry..." *Based on how frail she sounded and was acting, it might be more accurate to say she'd just used up all of her strength.* Tomoe: "What in the world happened? *I asked again.* Aine: "..." *Aine went silent, looking pained. It must have taken some serious circumstances to make her cry like that.* Tomoe: "Does it have something to do with Nakizaki?" *Considering the timing, that was the only thing I could think of that would warrant that sort of behavior.* Aine: "..." Tomoe: "I'm begging you, talk to me. If I'm right, that means this involves me." Aine: "...Yes, you are right. I understand. I will tell you everything." Aine: "Listen to everything I tell you, then please reprimand me." *Aine said, then began her story.* *She explained the situation, and the meaning behind the "sacrifice" had become clear.* *Aine had attempted to replace her guitar string by sacrificing someone for Nakizaki's and my sake. Those warped feelings were what caused her feathers to turn black.* *However, I couldn't even remotely hold Aine in contempt for it.* *Everything she had done had been for us.* *In the end, Aine couldn't stop herself from wishing for people's happiness. I knew that.*

Aine: "Zzz... Zzz..." Tomoe: "Good night." *Before exiting the room, I said goodnight to Aine, who was already so fast asleep she wasn't even snoring in her strange, usual way.* Tomoe: "She was really exhausted." *Aine must have undergone some extreme conflict to become so distraught in such a short period of time.* *I was certain that those black feathers didn't represent an angel's devilish tendencies, but the exact opposite.* *Were those feathers not dyed black at the very moment she wholeheartedly undertook a tremendous evil with her tiny body?* *And that, too, was surely for the sake of humans. Those black feathers were the result of a sort of angelic self-sacrifice.* *I suspected those black angels were beings who had sacrificed themselves for the good of mankind.* *At the very least, I was sure that's how it was in Aine's case.* Tomoe: "Is it the same for them?" *I thought about the angels with the jet-black wings.* *I had always thought they were shadowy figures, but perhaps they had actually sacrificed themselves and bore a deep sorrow in mankind's place?* *I caught sight of Aine's guitar which was seated in a corner of the room.* Tomoe: "Replace the string, huh?" *If she _had_ taken that stranger's red thread, ours may not end up taken directly by the guitar.* *Then, it might be a matter of years before we cycled through the system and our thread was taken by someone else.* *Until that time came, we would bask in the blessings of the angels, and could enjoy true happiness.* *Aine was surely trying to make it so we could personally experience that kind of bliss for as long as possible.* *Instead, she had lost her pure-white wings and heart along the way, all for the sake of our happiness.* Tomoe: "Aine ended up that way to make such a thing come true?" *It felt like something incredibly precious had been defiled for an incredibly silly reason; it was inexcusable.* *But once I realized I was at the root of it all, I was overcome with an indescribable sense of powerlessness.* *Everything that had transpired had been for our... no, for _my_ sake.* *The rage which suddenly boiled within me was shrouded by powerlessness, and I felt drained of energy.* Tomoe: "..." *I looked down at my hands. Why were these hands of mine so totally useless?* *These hands were never capable of protecting anyone. So, then, why was I born with them? For what purpose...?* *I heard a noise that was inappropriate for this late hour; the doorbell.* Tomoe: "Who could it be...?" *Maybe it was Nakizaki? But she hadn't visited since what happened at school.* *Perhaps it had something to do with what happened to Aine today...* *I'd better check to see who it was...* Tomoe: "I'm opening up now." *I opened the door.* Tomoe: "Huh...?" *I was convinced it would be Nakizaki, so I was caught a bit off guard when I answered the door.* Kiyohito: "What? You look like you've seen a ghost." Tomoe: "Kiyohito?" *We hadn't talked since our discussion on the rooftop. This may have been the first time I'd ever felt so nervous around him.* Tomoe: "Anyway, come in." Kiyohito: "No, I'm fine here. What I have to say won't take long." Tomoe: "Really? What's that?" Kiyohito: "I'm going to sleep with Nakizaki." Tomoe: "Huh...?" *I couldn't immediately process what he just said... He was going to sleep with her?* *They... were going to have sex?* *It was so sudden that I lost my composure. I could only control my emotions by breathing slowly.* *_I_ was the one who wanted them to date. It was strange that this would agitate me so much. It was only natural that two people who were dating would have sex.* Tomoe: "I see. If you're dating, then what's wrong with that?" Tomoe: "There's no reason for you to go out of your way to report it to me." Kiyohito: "You're really okay with it?" *Kiyohito inquired further.* Tomoe: "I'm not okay with _or_ bothered by it. This is something you two decided, right?" *Kiyohito sighed when he heard my answer, then glared at me the same way he had when he grabbed me by the collar in the classroom.* Kiyohito: "I love you, Tomoe, but I hate how fake you can be sometimes." Tomoe: "I'm not 'faking' anything. I really think this is for the best." Kiyohito: "Best for _whom_, exactly?" Tomoe: "Well... for Nakizaki." Tomoe: "Doesn't it benefit you, too, Kiyohito?" Kiyohito: "Benefits Nakizaki and me...?" *He whispered, sounding appalled, before foolishly shrugging his shoulders.* Kiyohito: "I'll decide what's best for me, and Nakizaki will decide what's best for her. There's no need for _you_ to decide for us." Kiyohito: "We'll decide how we lead our lives. Tomoe, you should think about yourself, too. About what _you_ want to do." Kiyohito: "What do you want to do with Nakizaki? I'm not asking what you think's best for her, but what do _you_ want to be to her?" Tomoe: "Well..." Tomoe: "I love Nakizaki. She's precious to me." Tomoe: "I'd like to be with her forever, if possible, but there's no way that wish will ever come true." Kiyohito: "And why is that?" Tomoe: "Huh? Well, it's because..." *Why wouldn't it?* *Either way, I couldn't wish for it. It was something I _mustn't_ wish for, right?* *I had no right to expect it.* Kiyohito: "You're probably blaming yourself for something that happened a long time ago that I'm unaware of, but cut the melodramatic hero crap already." Tomoe: "That wasn't my intention." Kiyohito: "Either way, you're practically oozing with that kind of attitude, and are making tons of people unhappy. Wake up and smell the coffee already." Tomoe: "I'm... making people unhappy?" Kiyohito: "Nakizaki made up her mind. She's determined to sleep with me so that she can be with you." Tomoe: "Huh? What do you mean?" Kiyohito: "You don't get it either, huh? I have no clue what Nakizaki's talking about." Kiyohito: "But I _do_ trust what she says. I'll do whatever she wants and not question her motives, so... I'm going to sleep with her." *His eyes were filled with an unshakable confidence. He really had made up his mind about it, and took Nakizaki's words on faith alone.* *It was a very Kiyohito-like way of showing his love. He was trustworthy, just as I had thought.* Kiyohito: "I have no doubts. But, Tomoe, are you really okay with this?" *The conversation looped around again. He didn't look like he would accept it, no matter how many times I said I was okay.* Kiyohito: "Do you think Nakizaki will be happy after sleeping with me? She's letting me make love to her for _your_ sake, because she actually loves _you_." Kiyohito: "Are you _sure_ you're okay with that? That's the kind of happiness you want for her?" Tomoe: "..." *When I imagined Nakizaki sleeping with Kiyohito, I couldn't stay calm.* *For that matter, what the heck did he mean she was doing it for me? It made no sense!* Kiyohito: "If you actually put in the effort, you could make her happy with your own two hands. So why the hell are you acting like this?!" *His voice was steadily growing louder and angrier.* Tomoe: "Well, that's because..." *We were going around in circles. No matter how much I protested, I couldn't get through to Kiyohito, who didn't know that the angel's red thread existed.* Kiyohito: "Just be honest with yourself already. Be honest, and at least make the girl you love happy on your own!" Tomoe: "What do you know...?!" *I shouted back on reflex. I could feel the blood rushing to my head, and my vision was stained red with anger.* *Kiyohito looked absolutely stunned. He must not have expected me to yell.* Tomoe: "You're just going on and on about whatever the hell you want, but you have _no_ idea what's going on!" *I couldn't contain the rage billowing inside me. I had to heave to keep from getting short of breath. Something told me I realized even that now.* *How long had it been since I had gotten _this_ angry?* Kiyohito: "Wow, you get angry, too?" Kiyohito: "But, you know, the only reason I don't know anything is because neither of you will tell me anything." Kiyohito: "I was fine with it, so I kept my mouth shut. But if you're going to talk to me like that, then I'll make you tell me." Kiyohito: "What is this excuse you two are keeping secret from me? ...Speak up." Tomoe: "..." *I didn't have any sound argument to refute him with.* *My claims were mere outbursts of anger. I realized now, a bit too late, that rage makes you forget yourself.* Kiyohito: "That's all I want to say. Ignore me if you like. But if you do, I'll sleep with Nakizaki." Kiyohito: "If she gets hurt as a result, I'll give her my full support. I'm confident I can make her happy." Tomoe: "I'm sure you will." *I knew Kiyohito could protect and support her, no matter how difficult it may be.* *It was something... I couldn't do...* Kiyohito: "..." *Kiyohito stared straight at me. I accepted his gaze head-on.* Kiyohito: "I thought you were a better man than this... Maybe I overestimated you." Tomoe: "...I think so." Kiyohito: "I see." *With that indifferent murmur, he opened the door.* Kiyohito: "I'll head home, then." Tomoe: "...Yeah." *With that, Kiyohito left. It was all very straightforward.* Tomoe: "It's out of my hands now." *I wasn't capable of making Nakizaki happy.* *No, I wasn't capable of making _anyone_ happy, no matter who they may be.* Aine: "Tomoe-san..." *Aine poked her worried-looking head into the entryway. Had we woken her up?* Tomoe: "You don't need to worry about anything, Aine." Aine: "..." *I could tell she was lamenting her own powerlessness.* *That, too, was my fault. Hadn't Aine turned out this way because I couldn't do a single thing for myself?* *This had happened to her because she tried to bear something that was my responsibility, and mine alone.* *"Either way, you're practically oozing with that kind of attitude, and are making tons of people unhappy. Wake up and smell the coffee already."* *Kiyohito couldn't have been more right. It was my fault those around me were unhappy.* *Why did it always turn out like this? I decided a long time ago to never get involved with love, but it happened before I had even realized it.* *Was I cursed when it came to love? Would this curse follow me forever, even if I ran?* *If all hope was lost even if I ran, then...*

*I drew my bow.* *No matter how many times I drew the bowstring, or how many arrows I fired, the idle thoughts would not leave my mind.* *A lone face continually crossed my mind.* *Nakizaki's.* *Nakizaki, who had always thought of my best interests, had severed her own heart for me.* *And now, she had convinced Kiyohito to sleep with her for my sake.* *What could I do for her? _Was_ there anything I could do?* Tomoe: "It doesn't matter whether I think I'm capable." *I _had_ to do something. The powerful determination to spare no sacrifice for Nakizaki's sake tumbled around in the core of my heart.* *The question was _what_ to do for her.* *As I thought about that, my heart grew more and more uneasy. I had no idea what would be best for her.* Kiyohito: "We'll decide how we lead our lives. Tomoe, you should think about yourself, too. About what _you_ want to do." Kiyohito: "What do you want to do with Nakizaki? I'm not asking what you think's best for her, but what do _you_ want to be to her?" *Kiyohito's voice suddenly echoed inside my head.* *What I wanted to be to her, not what's best for her, huh?* *My own wishes were the most difficult for me to comprehend.* *I had no clue what I hoped for or wanted to accomplish.* *Not only had I never _wanted_ to become happy, I never thought it possible.* *As such, that train of thought had ceased to exist.* Tomoe: "I don't know what I want to do." *But...* *The image of Nakizaki sleeping with Kiyohito crossed my mind once more.* *My heart panged, and my emotions were in a state of chaos.* *As perplexed as I was, I couldn't stand the idea of Nakizaki sleeping with anyone else. That alone was absolute.* *Now that I had figured that out, I couldn't sit still any longer.* Tomoe: "Damn it!" *I broke out into a sprint, still unsure of which emotions had been sparked inside me.*

Tomoe: "Haa, haa, haa...!" *I was out of breath. My heart was pounding so hard, it felt like it might rupture. My calves were so cramped, I could fall over at any moment.* *Regardless, I couldn't stop. If I stood still for even an instant, I might not make it in time.* *Was this how Ukutsu felt when she chased after Hashiguchi?* *Those two had endured a rather unpleasant breakup. A different variety of pain ran through my nearly exploded heart.* *When I thought of the people who had met a dire fate at our hands, it felt as though I would be consumed with guilt for daring to try to become happy all by myself.* *Still, I couldn't help but run. I had no idea what was in store for me, nor what I would say once I reached Nakizaki's side, but...* *The urge to run drove me forward.* Tomoe: "Haa, haa, haa...!" *I felt like I was about to suffocate as I ran past the arcade.* *The love hotel suddenly came into view.* *And, in front of that deserted building, I spotted the figure I had been searching for.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki!" *I yelled loudly to Nakizaki at the very moment she was about to go inside.* Naruko: "...Huh? Kirinokojima?" *Her eyes went wide when she spotted me. I quickly closed the gap between us while she was still stunned, and stood in front of her.* Tomoe: "I made it in time?" Naruko: "Why...?" Tomoe: "I came to stop you." Naruko: "To stop me...?" *Nakizaki turned back to Kiyohito with a look of absolute confusion.* *She probably didn't understand how I knew they would be here.* *Kiyohito didn't answer; he only looked at me.* Kiyohito: "Stop her, and then what? Can you _actually_ reciprocate her feelings?" *He asked, as if trying to confirm how determined I was.* *I...* *I...*

Tomoe: "I can." Naruko: "Huh...?!" *Nakizaki's eyes went wide. She hadn't been expecting that sort of response, but I was ready for the worst.* Kiyohito: "You mean it?" *Kiyohito glared at me with critical, dreadful eyes.* Tomoe: "Of course. I would never joke about something like this." Kiyohito: "Has the issue you couldn't talk to me about been resolved?" Tomoe: "Not yet." Kiyohito: "Then..." Tomoe: "But, I won't hold back anymore. We won't lose to it." Tomoe: "Nakizaki and I will definitely show you that we can resolve our issue." *There were no guarantees, and no real hope. In fact, the odds we would meet a tragic end were far greater.* *Still, we would stand and face it. I had Nakizaki here with me.* *Together, just maybe...* Tomoe: "No matter what happens, I want to treasure how I feel right now. I love Nakizaki." Naruko: "Ah..." *She looked like she still couldn't believe it. Tears quickly flooded to her eyes.* Tomoe: "I love you. I want you to be by my side from now on, and forever. As lovers." Naruko: "...Yeah." *Nakizaki choked back sobs as she spoke. Tears welled up and spilled from those eyes which reflected my image.* Kiyohito: "All right, it all works out, then!" *Kiyohito's cheerful voice rang out. He was smiling, and looking as happy-go-lucky as ever.* Kiyohito: "I guess you don't need me around anymore. Good luck going forward, you two." *He turned his back to us with a wave.* Tomoe: "Kiyohito..." *We watched him walk off into the distance until we could no longer see his intentionally foolish figure any longer.* Naruko: "Do you think he did all this for us, knowing it would turn out this way from the very beginning?" Tomoe: "He may have." *I was sure of it.* *Despite being in love with Nakizaki, after all was said and done, he helped me, his rival, in my time of weakness.* *He had some nerve calling me 'dishonest' given his behavior, huh?* *However, I couldn't possibly be grateful enough for that.* Naruko: "It really would have been great if I could have fallen in love with Kiyohito." Tomoe: "Yeah." Naruko: "Isn't this the part where you're supposed to be super jealous or whatever?" Tomoe: "Huh? Jealous? ...Oh." Naruko: "Yeesh. Do you really love me?" Tomoe: "I _do_ love you." Naruko: "Oh... Don't be so direct about it... Idiot." *I answered because she asked, then ended up getting called an idiot. Love was difficult.* Tomoe: "Are you really sure? I talked big to Kiyohito, but the reality is we have no real hope. There's no telling how this will all work out." Tomoe: "We could even end up breaking up as soon as tomorrow." *We couldn't outright dismiss the possibility, and at the moment, it was the more likely outcome.* Naruko: "Yeah, I know." *However, Nakizaki nodded with a calm smile.* Naruko: "I won't regret it. I don't _want_ to regret it. So, Kirinokojima... no, Tomoe, tell me you love me lots." *Nakizaki smiled. In that split second, a trail of accumulated tears streamed from the corner of her eye. She looked incredibly beautiful to me.* *Just then, a man and woman passed us by.* Naruko: "Ah..." *That couple kept walking right into the love hotel.* Naruko: "..." Tomoe: "..." *The mood instantly turned awkward.* Naruko: "Wh-What should we do?" Tomoe: "Huh? What do you mean?" Naruko: "Um... Should we go in?" Tomoe: "Huh? Go in there?" *I hadn't thought it through that far, but given how things were progressing, maybe that was the natural next step?* Naruko: "..." Tomoe: "..." *She seemed to be waiting for me to say something.* Tomoe: "...On second thought, that would probably be bad." Naruko: "Ah..." Naruko: "Y-You're right. Ahaha..." *She looked disappointed, but that wasn't how I meant it.* Tomoe: "Want to come to my place?" Naruko: "Huh?" Tomoe: "Your family is home right now, right?" Naruko: "Huh? Then..." Tomoe: "It's our first time, so wouldn't somewhere that suits us be better?" Naruko: "Y-Yeah... You're right..." *Nakizaki nervously answered. She seemed to understand exactly what I was after, and what's more, she gave me the okay.* Tomoe: "Okay, let's go." Naruko: "Y-Yeah..." *She responded, her voice growing increasingly tense. Oh no, I was starting to get nervous, too...*

Tomoe: "I can't." Naruko: "Huh...?" Kiyohito: "What's that supposed to mean? Didn't you come here because you wanted to return Nakizaki's feelings?" Tomoe: "I didn't, but I do want her to stay with me forever." Tomoe: "Just like she has done all this time." Naruko: "All this time..." Kiyohito: "You want things to stay the same? What's with that?" *Kiyohito didn't hide his anger.* Kiyohito: "You have no intention of dating her?" Tomoe: "None." *I answered clearly. I didn't doubt my feelings any longer.* *I wanted to be with Nakizaki forever. To make that happen, I couldn't cross the fine line known as "childhood friends" for as long as we lived.* *If I did, we had no future together. We might be able to enjoy a honeymoon period of sorts, but that would be all.* *A life where I spent less time with than without Nakizaki likely lay beyond that. That was the last thing I wanted.* Tomoe: "I want to be with her forever, and for things to stay the way they are now." Naruko: "..." *That should be enough for my feelings to get through to her. However, it probably sounded like utter nonsense to Kiyohito.* Kiyohito: "You have no intention of dating her? You want things to stay the way they are forever?" Kiyohito: "You're going to weigh her down forever with those half-assed feelings?!" Kiyohito: "Don't fuck with me!" *Kiyohito was enraged, but that was only natural. I didn't expect it to make sense to him.* Tomoe: "My feelings won't change, no matter what you say. I want Nakizaki to stay with me, and for us to stay the way we are now, forever." *I earnestly pleaded with Nakizaki. She was obviously confused.* Naruko: "I..." *She seemed to be forcing herself to speak.* Naruko: "I love you, Kirinokojima. I also can't pretend not to notice the feelings you have for me, either." Naruko: "So, I... don't want things to stay this way." *Tears welled up in her eyes. In the past few days, I had seen those tears, which she rarely ever shed, more times than I could count.* *That probably just exemplified how very much I didn't deserve to be with her.* *All the same, I wanted her to stay with me.* Naruko: "I want to date you like a normal person. I want us to be an ordinary couple." Naruko: "I want to go on dates together, go on walks while holding hands, kiss... and... I want to make love, too." Tomoe: "But, if we do that... You know what will happen, right?" *She bit her lip and hung her head.* *What did becoming ordinary lovers like that signify for us?* Naruko: "Even so... it was my dream." Naruko: "I'm a girl, too, you know? Doing boyfriend-girlfriend stuff with the person I love is my dream..." Naruko: "Hypothetically, even if it's only once... don't you feel the same?" Tomoe: "I..." Tomoe: "I don't think 'even just once' is enough. If we can't be together forever, then what's the point?" Tomoe: "I don't care what 'ordinary' lovers do. We should just find our own way." Naruko: "Our own way?" Tomoe: "Even if we don't hold hands, kiss, or have sex..." Tomoe: "Can't we become much, much closer even without those ordinary milestones?" *I didn't know if it was possible, but that was the only path we could take where we could be together forever.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki, I'm begging you. Please understand..." Naruko: "Kirinokojima..." Kiyohito: "Hey, knock it off already." *Kiyohito forced his way between us with a scary look in his eyes.* Tomoe: "Kiyohito, move. I'm talking to Nakizaki." Kiyohito: "What did you come here to accomplish? Did you come here to make her cry?" Tomoe: "No, I just..." Kiyohito: "'No'? Nakizaki is _totally_ crying, isn't she?!" Tomoe: "Still, that's not it! Come on, just go away!" *I pushed him away on reflex, but he just staggered a little in response.* Kiyohito: "You need to think about Nakizaki more!" *He swung his dominant hand, and I didn't have time to dodge it.* *Smack!* *My body floated into the air, then my back fell to the ground. My cheek burned with numbness.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima!" *Kiyohito brushed Nakizaki aside as she tried to rush over to me, then straddled me.* Kiyohito: "Everything you say is so damn selfish! Why can't you just be honest?!" *Kiyohito was crying as he hit me.* *There was no other way to describe his expression other than "tragic." It was almost difficult to tell which of us was getting beaten up.* Kiyohito: "Say that you'll make Nakizaki happy, even if it's a single word!" *Smack! Smack!* *Kiyohito's fist slammed into me over and over. With every strike, Kiyohito winced like he was the one being hurt.* *Smack! Smack!* Naruko: "S-Stop it already!" *Nakizaki rushed over. She was the last thing I saw as the world shook and went hazy around me.* Naruko: "Kirinokojima! Kirinokojima!" *Nakizaki's voice faded into the distance.*

Naruko: "Ahaha... How should we do this?" *Her voice was trembling. Nakizaki was always so energetic, but I guess even she could be nervous in this sort of situation.* *I see. Since I was the man, I had to take the lead.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki..." Naruko: "No." Tomoe: "Huh?" *Was she rejecting me? Or so I thought until she pouted with an adorable-looking face.* Naruko: "We're lovers now, aren't we? Call me by my first name." Tomoe: "Your first name..." Tomoe: "Naruko?" Naruko: "...Yeah." *Saying her first name was all it took to make her blush a deep red.* *My heart clenched in the most pleasant of ways. She looked _really_ cute right now.* Tomoe: "Naruko." *I whispered, that sound rolling off my tongue. Today may have been the first time I had ever called Nakizaki, "Naruko."* Naruko: "Y-Yeah..." Tomoe: "Naruko." Naruko: "Wh-What is it? I told you to call me that, but now it's _all_ you're saying..." Tomoe: "It's a great name." *As belated of a thought as it was, I genuinely believed it. Her name had a ring to it that warmed my heart by simply speaking it.* *Perhaps the name had just taken on a new meaning for me. Maybe it hadn't _always_ been special, but had become special today.* Tomoe: "Naruko." Naruko: "That's enough." *Naruko shyly turned away from me.*

Naruko: "Ah... Mmm... So this is what your penis is like?" *Naruko took a good, close look at my dick and said that with fascination. Her breath hit and tickled me down below.* Tomoe: "Don't look at it so much..." Naruko: "Boys get embarrassed when they're looked at, too?" Tomoe: "Well, yeah... Nobody's ever seen me naked like this before." Naruko: "Yeah, you're right... It's a first for me, too." *She sounded so happy. There was faint strength in her hand as it lightly gripped my cock.* Tomoe: "Oh..." Naruko: "Ah... Did that hurt?" Tomoe: "No..." Tomoe: "It felt good." Naruko: "Oh, it did...? Then..." *Squeeze...* *Naruko wrapped her palm around the entire length of my dick and squeezed. It was an incredibly soft sensation. Did it always feel this good to be touched by another person's hand?* Naruko: "I'm supposed to lick this and stuff, right?" Tomoe: "Uh..." *Naruko stretched out her tongue toward my shaft before I could make sure of what she was really after.* Naruko: "Schlp... Schlp..." Tomoe: "Ooh... Kuh..." *I'd never felt this sensation before in my entire life. Soft, moist, warm... It was beyond comparison to anything else in the world.* Naruko: "Slurp, mmch... Mmph, schlp..." Tomoe: "Aah, oh... Naruko..." *I let out a moan on reflex. Who would have thought Naruko would be so assertive?* Naruko: "Ah... Mmm..." Naruko: "Hey, how is it? Does it feel good? Am I doing a good job?" Tomoe: "It's a little hard for me to answer that, but it does feel really good." Naruko: "Really? Thank goodness..." Naruko: "It feeling good makes you happy, right? I want to please you even more, and help you feel even better." Tomoe: "Naruko..." Naruko: "Get turned on more, okay? ...Amph, mm..." *Naruko sucked the head of my cock into her mouth.* Naruko: "Mmchu... Suck, schlrp, schlrp..." Tomoe: "Ooh, aah... it feels good... R-Really, good... ooh, ooh..." *Intense pleasure which threatened to make me explode any second assaulted the lower half of my body, but what I felt even more strongly were Naruko's feelings for me.* *I wanted to make Naruko feel good, too. That powerful impulse surged up within me.* Tomoe: "Naruko..." *I could see the shyest part of Naruko right before my eyes. All I could see of it was a tightly closed vertical strip, but I could also see a clear liquid oozing from its opening.* *I extended my tongue toward it.* Naruko: "Aaaah?!" Naruko: "Yaah, aah... Tomoe, that spot..." *Naruko's hips tried to escape me. I held them down and caressed her slit with my tongue.* Naruko: "Yaah, aah... You're licking, me... Tomoe, you're licking my... vagina... mm!" Tomoe: "You've got a pretty strange taste." Naruko: "E-Enough about the taste. If you want to talk taste, the same goes for you..." *Naruko said before licking me once again.* Naruko: "Schlp... slurp, suck, shlurp..." Tomoe: "Ooh, kuh... Naruko..." *Undaunted, I gave her slit a powerful lick.* Naruko: "Yaan... aah, aah... Your tongue's, going in... mm, ah, aah... Your tongue, went, insiiide..." *When I licked upward with a little more strength, the tip of my tongue dipped shallowly inside. Naruko's tight pussy convulsed around it.* Naruko: "Yaah, aaah, ahh... Your tongue... feels so good... Aamph, suck, mmchuu... Schlp... slurp..." Tomoe: "O-Ooh... Your mouth, is incredible, too..." *We buried our faces in each other's genitals. Mysteriously, nothing about it felt the slightest bit dirty.* *The more I licked Naruko's clit, the closer I felt to her. My adoration for her grew ever stronger.* Naruko: "Aah, aah... your tongue... is filling me... Ah...!" *Naruko's chasm was closed so tightly at first, but now it seemed to have softened up significantly. She was completely wet now, too.* Naruko: "It might... be okay... now..." *Naruko lifted her face from my crotch and said that shyly. The intoxicated look in her eyes made it clear that she wanted me.* Tomoe: "Yeah, I'll put it in, then." Naruko: "Yeah..." Naruko: "Mmm... uh..." *Naruko groaned from deep in her throat as I pushed into her warm, moist pussy. Her entrance momentarily clenched and rejected my invasion.* Tomoe: "Are you all right?" Naruko: "Yeah... I'm okay... I'm okay, so push in..." *Naruko urged me onward. It must have been painful, but she was trying desperately to repress it.* Tomoe: "Got it." *I would feel sorry for her if I dragged this on too long. It would be best if we got the rough part over with quickly.* Tomoe: "This might hurt a little." Naruko: "Yeah, I'll be all right..." *I held Naruko's waist firmly, then pulled her body toward me while simultaneously thrusting my own hips forward.* *Dribble... Slooooosh...* Naruko: "Mmuh... Aaaah...!" *She leaned far back and let out a pained cry.* Tomoe: "Oh, kuh..." *I groaned in response, too. Naruko's insides were constricted around my submerged tip as intensely as a vice grip. It was so tight it hurt.* *I thrust my hips against her even harder, to shake away that intensity.* *Sloosh... Squiiiick...!* Naruko: "Hee... ah, aah... you're going in..." Tomoe: "Just a little more..." Naruko: "Mmm, aah... ah... mmaaaaaaah...!" *Accompanied by the sensation of breaking through something, I closed the distance between us. My member disappeared into Naruko down to the base, and our pubic bones fit together perfectly.* Naruko: "Is it... all... in...?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I'm in. Look..." *I pointed to where we were joined with my eyes.* Naruko: "We really are... That huge thing is inside of me? That's amazing..." Tomoe: "It doesn't hurt?" *That was a silly question. It _must_ have hurt. There were tears welling up in her eyes.* Naruko: "Just a little, but I'm happy. I was finally able to become one with you." *Naruko squinted her tear-filled eyes and smiled all the same. It was touching to see her expression filled with sheer bliss.* Tomoe: "I'm happy, too." Naruko: "Really?" Tomoe: "Really." Naruko: "I'm glad..." *Naruko's smile warmed my heart. Those powerful emotions washed over me, but a fear that we had gone too far to turn back suddenly popped back into my mind.* Tomoe: "Okay, I'm going to move slowly." Naruko: "Ah... Mmm..." *I slowly rocked my hips against her, shaking away the momentary sense of dread.* *Squish... Squick...* *I could hear moist, obscene sounds from where we were joined.* Naruko: "Auuuh... It sounds so dirty... It's embarrassing... mmah, mm..." Tomoe: "Kuh, ooh... You're so wet, but it's still super tight..." *Naruko was slippery to her core, yet she was tight enough for it to both hurt me and make it tough to move.* Tomoe: "If it hurts, be honest and tell me, okay?" Naruko: "Yeah... It hurts a little, but more than anything, it's such a strange feeling..." Naruko: "Auu, mmm... Something that's not mine is... moving inside me... This feeling is... a first for me..." Tomoe: "You can tell I'm moving inside you?" Naruko: "Y-Yeah... After all... you're so... big..." Naruko: "Auuh, mmah... ah... It's rubbing... so much..." Naruko: "Mmuh... aah...! Ah, aah..." *Before I realized it, I started thrusting more quickly. The sloppy, lewd sounds erupting between us were becoming louder, too.* Naruko: "Tomoe, ah... Do you feel good...? Ah, ah, aah... How do I feel... aah... down there?" *She asked shyly, her face now beet red. I couldn't help but think she was adorable that way.* Tomoe: "Yeah, it feels really good. The best thing I've ever felt in my entire life." Naruko: "It's that good? I'm glad... Ah..." Naruko: "Hooooh! Ah... Ah... I think it's... starting to feel... kinda good for me, too..." *Naruko let out intermittent moans of pleasure. Her wet walls squeezed and constricted around me with each thrust.* Tomoe: "Kuh, ooh... Naruko..." *It felt so good that I let out an accidental moan of my own.* Naruko: "The way your eyebrows are scrunching... Tomoe, you're kind of sexy right now..." *By the time I realized it, she was watching me. How embarrassing... Something told me I hadn't felt that particular emotion in a long time.* Tomoe: "I told you not to watch me too much..." Naruko: "I can't help it. You're kind of cute." Tomoe: "'Cute'..." Naruko: "This is a side of you I've never seen before. We're lovers now, right?" Tomoe: "Yeah. I guess this has been a long time coming." Naruko: "It all feels like a dream. A few months ago, I never would have imagined something this amazing would happen..." *Naruko had a dreamy look in her eyes, but the faintest of shadows appeared to be clouding them.* Naruko: "If only this bliss could last forever." *She said in a wishful voice.* Tomoe: "Don't worry. I'm sure it will last." *It was a baseless assumption, but I hoped that by saying it, it would come true.* Naruko: "Yeah, you're right. I know it'll all work out." Tomoe: "We'll be fine." Naruko: "Yeah, we'll be all right." *We reassured ourselves over and over again, almost like we were casting a spell.* *Repeating those soothing words only showed how insecure we felt inside. We kept encouraging each other, fearing we would be crushed by the anxiety.* Tomoe: "It's all right... It'll be all right..." Naruko: "Yeah..." *I hugged Naruko tightly.* Naruko: "Hmmm... aah, aaah... you're going all the way... in... Ah, ah! Mmm!" *I pushed all the way in until the tip of my member hit Naruko's innermost depths. It felt like I was hitting a firm wall. I slowly rocked my hips in order to pry at it.* Naruko: "Yaah... mmah, aaah... Amazing, it's filling... me... Your penis... is filling me..." Tomoe: "Kuh, ooh... And you're... super tight inside, too..." *Her walls surged around the entire length of my dick as if it were alive, and her entrance squeezed tightly around my base.* Tomoe: "Naruko... Kuh..." Naruko: "Tomoe... mmah, aah... Tomoe, I love you... I love you so much..." Tomoe: "I love you, too..." Naruko: "I'm so happy... Ah, ah! Mmm, mhmm... Ahhh! Tomoe... Mm, aah...!" *We nuzzled our bodies together as if something were driving us to.* *Dribble, drip, slooosh...* *Moist, erotic splashes echoed ever louder from where we were joined. Naruko's increasingly sticky insides clung and coiled around me more and more as we became overwhelmed with pleasure.* Naruko: "Waah, aah... It feels good..." *Naruko groaned in delight. The realization that she felt that way because of me made me really happy.* Naruko: "Ah, Tomoe... mm, mm, mm... aah, ah! Aah, aah, ah...!" Naruko: "Tomoe... I, love... I love you... aaah, mm, aaah! Waaaah... aaaah...!" Tomoe: "Naruko... kuh, ooh..." *It was like we were drowning in each other's bodies. The illusion that I was burrowing deeper into her by the second washed over me.* *My connection to Naruko was growing with each and every moment. I could sense our bond strengthening.* Tomoe: "Aah, oh... Naruko... It's almost time..." *What felt like hot magma was rampaging up from the pit of my stomach seeking an exit. I got the telling feeling that I wouldn't last much longer.* Naruko: "Uh, um... Ah... You're going to... come...? Ah, ah, ah!" *I responded to Naruko's question by thrusting my penis powerfully up into her.* Naruko: "Yaah! Yah, aah... You're hitting, deep inside... aaah...!" Naruko: "Huh, ah... Your penis, got bigger inside of me...? Hauuh, ooh... yaan, ah, aaaah..." Tomoe: "Kuh, ooh... Naruko...!" *I hugged Naruko and thrust myself against her with all my strength. The tip of my cock rubbed against her depths, and that stimulation alone brought me to my limit.* Tomoe: "Kuh, ooh... I'm coming...!" Naruko: "Ah..." Naruko: "Ah, mm... ah, aaah... My stomach's, so hot..." Tomoe: "Guh, ooh... ooooh..." Naruko: "Aaaah... Something hot, is shooting into me... mm, aaaah..." Tomoe: "Oh, ah, aah..." *I could tell the semen I'd shot into Naruko was warming up her insides with each passing second. It felt like my dick was soaking in a hot bath.* Naruko: "Aah, yaah... It's still... shooting into me..." Tomoe: "Kuh, sorry... It won't stop... Ooh..." *I emptied my load inside of her as I thrust my cock into her deep folds.* Naruko: "Ah, aah... Is it... all out...?" Tomoe: "Yeah... That's... all of it..." Naruko: "You came a lot, huh?" Tomoe: "You can tell?" Naruko: "Obviously... It's super hot in my belly..." Tomoe: "Is it?" Naruko: "Yeah, very much... Ah..." *Dribble... Bubble...* *My ejaculate foamed back out from where we were joined.* Naruko: "Tomoe, you came too much..." Tomoe: "Sorry..." Naruko: "But... You're still good to go, right?" *Naruko rocked her hips lightly. My member inside her didn't yet show any signs of withering.* Naruko: "Do you want to come more? It's okay if you do." *Her eyes were bewitchingly misty. Saying, "You can come," was as good as saying, "I _want_ you to come."* Tomoe: "Yeah, let's do it one more time." *I lightly pushed her onto her back and inserted myself into her at an angle.* *Squish... Sloosh...* Naruko: "Yah, aah... I can see it... I can see, your penis... going into me... Ah..." *Naruko spoke up shyly at the sight of my cock disappearing into her frothing pussy.* Naruko: "Amaz...ing... It's really going in... This huge thing, is going, inside me...!" Tomoe: "I put it in you earlier, too, didn't I?" Naruko: "But I couldn't see it very well earlier... It's stretching out..." Naruko: "Are you sure it'll go back to normal?" Tomoe: "It's really tight... so you'll be fine. ...Ooh." *Her insides gripped around me firmly as I said that. I was terribly sensitive after ejaculating just moments before, and the pleasure was so intense, I nearly pulled my hips back.* *I withstood it and ventured in deeper.* *Dribble... Sloosh...* Naruko: "Wah, aah... It's going in... Your penis... is filling me... haaah... mm, aaah..." Tomoe: "Gah, ooh... It's incredible, inside you... Gooey, even..." *After coming once already, it was quite syrupy inside. Murky fluids oozed from her folds as my dick penetrated her depths.* Naruko: "No... It's embarrassing... Don't look too much..." Tomoe: "Don't ask for the impossible." *It was practically staring back at me. I began grinding my hips against her as I looked down at Naruko's lewd form.* Naruko: "Aah, ah... Your penis... It's moving inside me... Hoo, aah..." Tomoe: "Oh, ooh... It's really tight..." *She was soaked, yet so incredibly tight inside. The moist, powerful stimulation wrapped itself around my throbbing dick.* Naruko: "Yah, aah... mm, aah... It's rubbing... inside me... Your penis... is rubbing me so much..." Naruko: "Mmph, ah, aah... It feels so good... Tomoe, do you feel good, too? Ah, ah... Does it feel... good inside me...?" Tomoe: "Yeah, a... lot... guh... kuh, ooh..." *I just came, but it seemed like I would come again if I lowered my guard.* Tomoe: "Naruko..." *I reached my hand between her legs to distract myself. I teased her nub, which was far more engorged now compared to earlier, with my fingertip.* Naruko: "Heee?! Th-That spot... Waah, aaaah...!" *Naruko's voice went up an octave before she tightened even more intensely around me.* Tomoe: "Waah... When I touch you here, you squeeze really tight..." Naruko: "That's because, that's... aah, yah, aaah...! Don't pinch it... mmm!" Tomoe: "Kuh... Naruko, you're amazing..." Naruko: "Mmah, hee, aaah...! Yah, aah, that spot's sensiti─ Aah, ah, it feels too good...! Ahh..." *Naruko's dirty cries made my mind go numb. The violent surges of pleasure were becoming quite overwhelming for me, too.* Tomoe: "Does this spot feel that good?" *I asked while teasing her bumpy nub.* Naruko: "It feels... amazingly good... Ah, ah... It's driving me crazy..." Naruko: "Does it feel good for you, too? Make sure to enjoy yourself lots, okay?" *Naruko gazed up at me sweetly as her inner walls simultaneously clenched and convulsed around me.* Tomoe: "It feels... great for me, too... Kuh, oh..." Naruko: "Enjoy yourself... a whole lot more... since it feels... great for me, too..." Naruko: "Hoooh! Mm, aaah... aah, aah, ah... Your penis... feels so good...!" Tomoe: "Ooh... Naruko..." *I put my weight into it and plunged my dick even deeper into her.* Naruko: "Hoooh?! Ah, aah... That deep...?" Tomoe: "Guh, ooh... I'm... really deep inside of you." Naruko: "Mm, yeah, you are... Your penis... is all the way in..." Naruko: "Aah...! Ah, mmm!" *I thrust my cock so powerfully into her that it felt like it was going to be crushed. I put my full body weight into it and rocked my hips relentlessly.* Naruko: "Ah, aah... Yah... Amazing... Ah... It's hitting me... Your penis... is rubbing deep inside me... Ah, oh...!" Naruko: "Hoo, aah, yaah... aah... mmmm!" Tomoe: "Guh, aah... Naruko... Ooh..." *Once again, a foreboding of ejaculation welled up within me. The burning-hot liquid raged at the depths of my belly, seeking a place to go.* Tomoe: "Naruko... I'm going to come again." Naruko: "Y-Yeah, it's okay... Come, lots..." Naruko: "Waah, mm, aah, aah... I think I can... feel it, too..." *Naruko's voice was stunningly high pitched. Could it be...?* Tomoe: "Are you going to come, too, Naruko?" Naruko: "Y-Yeah... Probably... Mmm, aah...!" Naruko: "Ah...! Me too! I'm going... to come... Mmm, hmm, hee, yaaah...!" *Naruko looked like she was on the verge of orgasm. That aroused me all over again.* Tomoe: "Let's do it together, then..." *I readied myself and pistoned against her at an intense rhythm. I wanted the two of us to come together.* *Slosh, bubble, sloosh!* Naruko: "Waah, aah, incredible...! Your penis is going so fast... haaah, aah, waaaah... I-I'm going to..." Naruko: "I'm gonna come... Ah...! I'm... going to come... Ah! Going to come...!" Tomoe: "Me too... Together, just like this... Guuuuh!" Naruko: "Come together... with you, Tomoe... I'm gonna come...!" Naruko: "Aaah, aah, haah... aaaah, aaaaah... I'm coming, coming, coming, coming... I'm gonna come...!" Naruko: "Tomoe, I love you! I love you, love you! Ah...! I love you so much... ah, aaaaaaaaaaaaaah...!" Tomoe: "Kuh, ooh... Naruko... Ooh!" Naruko: "Ah, waah, aah... Come..." Naruko: "Hoo... You're coming lots inside me... Ah, aah... Hot liquid... is filling me... Mmuh, aaaah..." Tomoe: "Ooh... Naru...ko... oh..." *I unleashed everything I had into her as I clenched my anus. I fired such a huge load of semen into her pussy, I felt utterly drained.* Naruko: "Aah... I love you... Tomoe, I love you so much..." *I ejaculated down to the very last drop as I listened to Naruko's comforting voice.*

*When we were done, we flopped down on the bed together. Side by side, we slowly caught our breath.* Naruko: "Haa, haa, mm... It's kind of... incredible down there. It's all mushy..." *Naruko said as she squirmed.* Tomoe: "I'm sure." *I had ejaculated so much inside her, and twice at that. Of course it would be mushy.* Tomoe: "Did it hurt?" Naruko: "Hm, a little." *She smiled shyly.* Naruko: "But..." *She held her right hand out in front of her and stared intently at her pinky.* Naruko: "Will we be joined by the red thread now?" *Naturally, there was nothing there to see.* *I held up my hand beside hers. As expected, I couldn't see anything there, either.* Tomoe: "Yeah, most likely." *I nodded with full confidence.* *I couldn't see it, but I was sure we were joined by the red thread. I'd become strangely faithful it would turn out that way.* Tomoe: "Ah..." *I blinked.* Naruko: "Hm? What's wrong?" Tomoe: "..." *I strained my eyes in the dim light.* *...It definitely wasn't my imagination. I could faintly see something resembling a red thread wrapped around our pinky fingers.* Tomoe: "I can see it..." *It was as faint as could be, but I could see it: a translucent thread shimmering a gentle red.* Naruko: "You can see it? The red thread?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I can. You can't?" Naruko: "...Yeah. Doesn't seem like it." Tomoe: "Really? I wonder why I'm the only one who can see it?" *The more I stared at it, the clearer it became. We really were connected by the red thread. Why couldn't Naruko see it?* Naruko: "I'm not sure..." Naruko: "If you can see it, then that's plenty. That means it's joined us together, just like it's supposed to." Naruko: "This means we're fated to be together, right?" Tomoe: "Yeah." *Naruko smiled, albeit a bit stiffly.* *The word "fate" resonated deeply between us.* *As dramatic as that made our relationship sound, what sort of "fate" was in store for us?* *What sort of "fate" awaited us in the future ahead?* Tomoe: "We'll be all right." *I put it into words.* *I had no basis for it, but a part of me hoped that putting it into words would make it come true.* Naruko: "Yeah, I know we will."

Naruko: "Tomoe-kun... Wake up... Tomoe-kun..." *I could hear a voice... a voice laden with tears. It was a very young-sounding voice. It was... Nakizaki's?* Naruko: "Hahh... Tomoe-kun... Ahh..." *Her voice was so tragic as she cried, it made me sad just hearing it. This girl surely would not stop crying unless I opened my eyes... With that thought in mind, I grew worried.* Tomoe: "Mm..." *I frantically forced my heavy eyelids open.* Naruko: "Ah, Tomoe-kun?!" Naruko: "You came to?! Are you all right?!" *When I opened my eyes, Nakizaki's face was wet with tears. She was still a child.* *This was when that accident occured─the incident where I lost someone precious to me and was on the verge of death.* Naruko: "Tomoe-kun! Tomoe-kun!" *She called out my name for dear life, and cried all the while. Back then, Nakizaki called me by my first name.* *Hot droplets trickled down upon my cheeks. With each tiny splash, I felt as though my body was slowly being warmed.* *Although I was still cold enough to shiver, everywhere Nakizaki's tears fell felt as hot as fire.* *If not for them, I probably would have closed my eyes once again.* *After all, I didn't want to see anything ever again.* *When I awoke, I felt the hopeless solitude of being all alone in the world. The sheer despair of when I learned the person precious to me was no more.* *I didn't want to experience those feelings anymore. I believed it would be best if tomorrow never came.* *However, I awoke once more.* *If Nakizaki hadn't been there for me at the time, I may not have been able to retain my sanity to this day.* *No, I might _be_ reasonably insane, but if Nakizaki hadn't been there for me when I woke up, I may have broken completely.* *There were times I thought that may have been the better outcome.* *If I had broken, I wouldn't have had to think about anything anymore.* *I never would have had to feel as though I was going to be crushed under the weight of my own depressing emotions.* *Still, Nakizaki was there for me back then.* Naruko: "Are you okay? Nowhere hurts, does it?" *I didn't speak. Nodding took everything I had in me.* *Honestly, I hurt badly, and all over, but I didn't want her to worry about me any more.* Naruko: "I'm glad." *The same went for last year, when I fell from the roof.* *When I came to, I had been put to rest in a hospital bed, and Nakizaki was there beside me yet again.* Naruko: "Oh, you're awake? Thank goodness..." Naruko: "Jeez! Why did you fall from the roof of all places?!" *She got really mad at me for that, didn't she?* *Nakizaki was always there for me.* *No matter what happened, no matter when, she was always by my side.* *Just how much had that saved me?* *And yet, I had tried to relinquish something so very irreplaceable of my own accord.* *No, was it already too late?* *I was sure Nakizaki was already gone...*

Tomoe: "Ah..." Naruko: "Ah, Kirinokojima!" *She was... there again. Nakizaki was by my side once more, just like she always had been.* Tomoe: "Nakizaki, you're here...? I mean... You were here for me...?" *I corrected myself mid-sentence. Nakizaki had a tear-filled smile on her face.* Naruko: "Obviously! I couldn't go off and leave you beaten to tatters in the street!" *I guess I looked pretty battered. Kiyohito must not have held back.* Tomoe: "Where's Kiyohito?" *I didn't see him anywhere nearby.* Naruko: "He told me we couldn't go out, because he couldn't understand." Naruko: "I told him... that I wanted to be with you." Tomoe: "And that's why he said he 'couldn't understand'?" *Nakizaki nodded. I could clearly imagine Kiyohito's face in that moment.* Tomoe: "He was smiling when he said that, wasn't he?" Naruko: "Yeah, he was. He smiled and said, 'You two don't make any sense. Just do whatever you want.'" *I figured as much. I pictured Kiyohito smiling smugly and walking off, along with his invigorating, retreating figure.* Naruko: "He had your blood all over him, especially on his fists. Seeing him smile after that was really scary." *Correction: it couldn't have been more than a small splatter.* Naruko: "That's never happened before." *Nakizaki suddenly said.* Tomoe: "What hasn't?" Naruko: "You begging me to do something for you." *She was talking about what I said earlier.* Tomoe: "I haven't?" Naruko: "That's right. You've never made such a serious request." Tomoe: "...I see." *I was surprised, too. I had always felt like I was incapable of wishing for anything.* *But with Nakizaki, I just barely managed to do so.* Naruko: "You never think about yourself, Kirinokojima. But after talking to me like that, there's no way I wouldn't listen." Tomoe: "I see. I guess I did give it a shot." Naruko: "So, I'll be with you forever." Naruko: "We won't hold hands, won't kiss, and of course won't have sex. We'll never put our true feelings into words." Naruko: "I'll just stay by your side as your childhood friend. I'll stay with you, forever and ever." Naruko: "If I do that, we can be together forever, right?" Tomoe: "...Yeah." *How painful would that prove to be?* *By denying ourselves everything we wanted, we earned the right to be "together forever" in the most minimal sense possible.* *How much would we suffer for it?* *It didn't seem remotely worth the trade-off, but all the same, us being together... being _able_ to be together, was a miracle. I believed it was something absolutely invaluable.* *Nakizaki was worth just that much to me. No matter what sacrifices it took, being together was the most important thing for us.* *After all, we'd always been together. Before we knew it, that had become our treasure.* *Something we could never relinquish.* *And I knew if we lost our grip on it even once, we would never get it back for as long as we lived.* Tomoe: "No matter what happens, I want to be with you forever. That's the one and only thing I wish for." Naruko: "Yeah, I'm here. For as long as we live." *Nakizaki was about to cling to my chest, but then thought better of it.* *Realizing all over again that we couldn't even do that much baffled her, but we forced a laugh together.* Tomoe: "Haha." Naruko: "Ahaha..." *And after that laugh, things felt a little more fun.* *If we could laugh like this together, I was sure we'd be all right.* Tomoe: "Ahahaha." Naruko: "Ahahahahaha!" *For sure...*

*Our new life together as lovers had begun.* Naruko: "It's morning, morning! Wake up─!" *I awoke to a noisy cry.* Tomoe: "Yeah, morning." Naruko: "Come on, it's morning, morning!" Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "What're you spacing out for?" Tomoe: "I can see your panties." Naruko: "Wh-What's it matter at this point? You've seen my panties plenty of times." Tomoe: "Then why do you look so embarrassed about it?" Naruko: "J-Jeez! Never mind, hurry and get up─!" *She tore the futon away from me.* Tomoe: "Ugh, it's cold." Naruko: "Then hurry and get up already!" Tomoe: "What time is it?" Naruko: "7AM." Tomoe: "Just another five minutes, then." *I pulled on her arm and dragged Naruko into bed.* Naruko: "Ah, hey! I told you to get up!" Tomoe: "It'll be fine. Just another five minutes." Naruko: "Five minutes..." Tomoe: "Mm, you're warm." Naruko: "Warm, you say..." Tomoe: "It's just five minutes. Another four or so, now?" Naruko: "Fine, just for four minutes." Tomoe: "Yeah, just for four minutes."

Naruko: "How did four minutes turn into forty?" Tomoe: "Time flies when you're having fun." Naruko: "Don't make it sound like this doesn't involve you. It's all your fault." Tomoe: "I think you're at fault, too." Naruko: "Huh? Why?" Tomoe: "Because you were so warm. It felt so nice that I accidentally fell back asleep." Naruko: "You're turning this back on me? It's your fault for pulling me onto the bed in the first place." Tomoe: "You didn't put up much of a fight, though." Naruko: "Well, that's because..." Kiyohito: "What's up? Having a fight after being thrown out in the hall?" *Kiyohito made fun of us as he approached.* Kiyohito: "You've got some nerve having a lovers' quarrel while standing out here." Naruko: "I could say the same about you. First period started ages ago." Kiyohito: "Ahaha, I spotted this kinda cute girl is all. We swapped emails." Naruko: "You swapped emails with a girl you don't even know? You never change." Kiyohito: "I can't help it. I'm heartbroken. I was dropped like a rock by my top pick, you know." Naruko: "It's my fault again? Everyone is blaming me for everything!" Kiyohito: "I'm not lying. It _is_ true that I was rejected." Kiyohito: "You two _do_ look like you're getting along well, so getting rejected was worth it." *Kiyohito grinned and stared at me. I was mostly used to his teasing, but this was still awkward.* Naruko: "That's enough. Get out of here already. Go get put through the wringer by Yuno-chan!" Kiyohito: "Yeah, yeah. This third wheel's rolling out. Play nice while I'm gone." *With that witty comment, he went into the classroom.* Yuno: "What time do you think it is?! Stand in the hallway!" *We could instantly hear Sensei yell in anger.* Kiyohito: "Oh, but things are gettin' pretty steamy out in the hall right now. If I go out there, I'll get in their way." Naruko: "Ah! That idiot! That wasn't necessary!" Yuno: "I sent the two of you out here, and now you're flirting?!" Naruko: "N-No! We were standing like we're supposed to!" *Kiyohito snuck a peek out from the classroom door and stuck his tongue out at us.* *Even something so pointless might become an irreplaceable memory for us. When I had that thought, so much as blinking felt like it would be a waste.* *It was only now that I learned how radiant a daily life I had truly led.* Yuno: "Carry buckets while you're standing!" Naruko: "Huh?!" Tomoe: "Haha." *Blinking really would be a waste.* *Do people really not notice how dazzling their lives are?* *I couldn't believe it took learning that these times wouldn't last forever to realize something so obvious.* *You never know how good you have it until it's too late.* *Why hadn't I realized it so much sooner?*

Kiyohito: "We'll be third-years soon, huh? Exams are such a pain." Naruko: "You'll be fine. I bet you'll get recommendations and whatever else you need right away. You _do_ have good grades." Kiyohito: "Guess so. You're continuing your education, right, Tomoe?" Tomoe: "I'm not sure. I don't think I'm well off enough for that. I'll probably get a job and build up some income instead." Naruko: "It might be better if you furthered your education, even if you have to force it a little. They say you'll make way less in your lifetime without a proper degree." Naruko: "Is there anything you want to do?" Tomoe: "Hm... Nothing worth mentioning, I guess. If I stay in school, I might do it to figure out what I want to become." Naruko: "There's nothing wrong with that. You won't get in if you apply somewhere that's too difficult, right? Choose a place that I can probably attend!" Naruko: "...Or so I'd like to say, but maybe that's pushing it." Yuri: "Wouldn't that have an effect on Kirinokojima-kun's future?" *Hisaka-san had decided to enter the workforce. She had already chosen her career, and would be a full member of society starting in the spring.* Minamo: "If Kirinokojima-sempai goes to some third-rate school with Nakizaki-sempai, then it'll put him at a disadvantage when it comes time to apply for jobs." Minamo: "Won't that have an effect on your own future, too, Nakizaki-sempai?" Naruko: "On my future?" Kiyohito: "If you get married, his income will affect you, too." Naruko: "M-Married..." *Naruko blushed instantly.* Kiyohito: "If you're serious about your relationship, won't that happen eventually?" Naruko: "I-It could... but it's too far off to think about." Naruko: "Besides, love and marriage are two entirely different things." Yuri: "Are they? What do you think, Kirinokojima-kun?" Tomoe: "Me? If I were to get married, I'd like it to be with Naruko." Naruko: "Huh? Wh-What're you being such a smooth-talker for?" Tomoe: "I'm just saying, _if_ I got married." Naruko: "Well, if so, then the same would go for me..." Kiyohito: "Hyuu, hyuu! It's getting hot in here~!" Minamo: "It feels like they're just going with the flow, though." *Naruko and me getting married...* *Nobody could tell whether such a future awaited us, but since we were joined by the red thread of fate, it wouldn't be strange if it were.* *If not for the hidden underbelly of the red thread, that would most certainly come to pass.* *However, simply imagining that future put me in a cheerful mood.* *All it took was imagining the inconsequential future ahead.* *Which was why we'd made a habit of making promises.*

Naruko: "See you tomorrow. Don't forget, okay?" Tomoe: "We're having lunch together, right? It'll be fine." Naruko: "That works for me!" Tomoe: "Yeah, see you tomorrow." *I was happy that I could say "see you tomorrow" right now. It would be great if days like today continued on forever.* *In the end, there was still so much we, Aine, and the other angels didn't know about the red threads. Our situation hadn't changed ever since.* *As such, I occasionally felt like the anxiety would crush me. No one knew what would happen to us come tomorrow.* *We were smiling now, but tomorrow could be another story.* *That insecurity was always creeping up behind us.* *That only made trivial promises for tomorrow─our dreams for the future─cheer us up all the more.* Naruko: "See you tomorrow." Tomoe: "Yeah." *"See you tomorrow."* *The magic behind those words made us stronger.* *That was why I was sure tomorrow would come...*

Kiyohito: "Did you live it up after I left~?" *He asked jokingly, but we were honest and told him we couldn't.* *I wanted to at least tell him everything we possibly could.* Kiyohito: "You can't have sex?" *Kiyohito's eyes went wide with shock.* Kiyohito: "...Is it ED? You're still so young, though..." Naruko: "What's 'ED'?" Tomoe: "Erectile dysfunction... In other words, not being able to get it up." Naruko: "Erec─?! Ugh..." Tomoe: "It's not 'ED.'" Kiyohito: "And yet you won't have sex? Nothing you guys say makes any sense to me." Kiyohito: "Oh well, if you're cool with it, so am I. Looks like things are going well?" Naruko: "Things _aren't_ going 'well'! We're just childhood friends!" Naruko: "Don't say weird things. What'll we do if we're joined by the red thread?" Kiyohito: "Red thread? What's that?" Naruko: "Ah..." Tomoe: "Nothing. Anyway, we're just going to stay friends from now on." Kiyohito: "It still doesn't make any sense to me." Naruko: "That's fine! We're the greatest childhood friends there are." Kiyohito: "Ooh! The greatest childhood friends, huh? That's kinda nice in its own way!" Tomoe: "Right?" *I laughed with Kiyohito. It felt like it'd been ages since we'd been able to have such a refreshing conversation. We went through a lot, but everything eventually fell into place.* *There _was_ one last thing I needed to say to him, though.* Tomoe: "By the way, one other thing. We made you worry about us a lot, and caused you a ton of trouble..." Kiyohito: "Oh, never mind any of that." *I was going to give him a formal apology, but he interrupted me.* Kiyohito: "I already gave you a good pounding, so let's call it even. I went a little overboard, actually." Naruko: "You really did. Haven't you ever heard of doing something in moderation?" Kiyohito: "The blood rushed to my head at the time. Besides, that was a show of my heartfelt love for you, Nakizaki." Naruko: "Don't just say whatever's convenient for you." Naruko: "Let Kirinokojima take a single shot at you." Tomoe: "No, I'm not really interested..." Kiyohito: "Oh ho, let's do it! That way there won't be any hard feelings down the line!" Kiyohito: "Come on. Don't hold back; come at me like you mean it!" *Kiyohito held his cheek out for me.* *Hitting a defenseless person bothered me, but turning him down now might just make things even more awkward later on.* Tomoe: "If that's how you want it, fine, just once." Kiyohito: "Yeah, don't hold back. Going all out like this is how men clear the air!" Tomoe: "Really? I won't hold back, then." *I clenched my fist. He told me not to pull any punches, so I gripped it as firmly as I could.* Tomoe: "Really for this?" Kiyohito: "Yeah!" *I lifted my fist overhead, then swung at his cheek.* Kiyohito: "Urrgh...?!" *Kiyohito went flying through the air in a gentle parabola before falling to the ground like a rag doll.* Kiyohito: "Guh..." Tomoe: "...Huh?" *He lay there, motionless.* Naruko: "D-Don't you think you overdid it?" Kiyohito: "N..." Naruko: "Oh, he moved." Kiyohito: "Not... bad... Ack..." *Kiyohito croaked... No, he just fainted.* Naruko: "Oh, look. You totally overdid it." Tomoe: "He told me to hit him like I meant it. We're even now, right?" Naruko: "Who knows?" *Like so, we reconciled with Kiyohito (probably?)...*

Naruko: "We've got trouble! It's raining, raining, raining!" Naruko: "The laundry!" *Nakizaki was bobbing every which way in reaction to the sudden downpour.* Tomoe: "Don't worry about it so much. It's just my laundry." Naruko: "I can't have that. You went to the trouble to wash it all." *She barged through the backyard with the momentum of a bulldozer and retrieved the laundry that had been hung out to dry.* *For a while I watched her heroic figure with admiration, then came to and headed out after her.* Tomoe: "I'll help." Naruko: "Th-Thanks." *We took down the laundry hanging from the clothesline together.* Naruko: "All right, we're done!" *After collecting the final article of clothing, Nakizaki struck a victory pose. She was holding my underwear.* Tomoe: "If you squeeze them like that, my boxers are going to wrinkle." Naruko: "Huh? Boxers? ...Wah!" *Shocked, she flung the boxers away from her.* Naruko: "Ah, oh no!" *In a panic, she reached for my underwear in midair as they fluttered down toward the ground.* *She must have been in too much of a rush and lost her balance in the rain-soaked soil in a grand fashion.* Naruko: "Kyaaaah!" Tomoe: "Whoa!" *Without delay, I caught her falling body in my arms.* Tomoe: "You're so noisy." Naruko: "S-Sorry. ...Ah." *Before I knew it, Nakizaki was in my arms. Well, of course she would be, considering I caught her, and naturally our faces would be close, too.* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." *We never would have paid any mind to this sort of situation before, but it was a perilous moment now.* *Nakizaki's face was red. There was a fine, milky aroma in the air, probably coming from her own body.* Naruko: "U-Um..." Tomoe: "There..." *I realized how bad this was and quickly stepped away.* Tomoe: "B-Be careful next time. This happened because you panicked and weren't paying attention. Just try to relax." Naruko: "Y-You're right. Ahahahaha..." Naruko: "Still, I was surprised. I broke out in a cold sweat." *She wiped her sweat with what she had in her hands.* Tomoe: "Those are my boxers, you know." Naruko: "Waaaah?!" *Though it was awkward, we were managing to live our lives.* Naruko: "Here. Eat up." Tomoe: "Thanks for the food." *Times like this where we were completely alone were the most dangerous, and most painful. When we were alone, a good mood _always_ formed between us.* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." Naruko: "H-How is it?" Tomoe: "Huh? O-Oh... It's delicious." Naruko: "Really? I'm glad. Ah..." *Nakizaki reached out and wiped my mouth.* Naruko: "You had something on the side of your mouth." Tomoe: "Oh... Thanks." *See what I mean? The mood always turned mushy and romantic.* *We'd probably kiss if we were an ordinary couple, but for us, that was taboo.* Naruko: "I-I wonder if Aine-chan is hungry, too?" *Nakizaki said to escape the mushy mood we had going. Whenever she was bothered by something, she would bring up Aine.* Tomoe: "Angels can apparently get by without eating." Naruko: "Oh, they can? She's a pretty heavy eater, then." *Talking about Aine like this is what got us through each day a little at a time.* *It was difficult at first, but we had already gotten used to it.*

Naruko: "Kirinokojima! We're going to school!" *We took a fresh step forward, the two of us together.* *This foolish everyday life was exactly how it was before that angel had arrived. Each day was neither special, nor significant. We were simply together.* *But that simple fact was special, and a miracle in and of itself.* *It meant that for now, and forevermore, we could be together. That was the most important thing in the entire world.* *We would protect that treasure of ours together.* *Sometimes the going would get rough, and there would be times where we became faint of heart and wondered how much longer we would have to keep this up, but we would overcome those times together.* *No, I was sure we could overcome anything as long as we were together.* Naruko: "Come on, let's go." Tomoe: "Yeah." *From here on out, forevermore...*

Kiyohito: "Yo, Tomoe. Let's go grab some lunch." Tomoe: "Oh, sorry. I already kind of made plans with someone." Kiyohito: "Plans? That's unusual." Kiyohito: "Okay, guess I'll go to the cafeteria and eat lunch all by my little self." *Kiyohito waved and left the classroom.* Tomoe: "I've got to get going, too." *Once I stood up, a problem quickly came to mind. Where was I going, exactly?* Tomoe: "Um... Oh, lunch was it?" *Time to go.* Tomoe: "Oh?" *Go? Where was I going again? Where had we promised to meet...?* Tomoe: "What promise was it in the first place...?" *Who had I made the promise with, again?* Tomoe: "That's strange. I can't seem to remember..." Tomoe: "I guess I'll go to the roof for now." *That was the only place I ever went.* Tomoe: "..." *Was it always this cold up on the roof? It was winter, so it being cold, and the wind being freezing to the touch was normal, but...* *Something about today just made it seem much bleaker.* Tomoe: "Was I always here by myself?" *I felt as though something important was missing, but what was it? I didn't have a clue what it could be.* Tomoe: "...Huh? What _am_ I doing up here?" *Hadn't I come here to eat lunch? But there was no way there would be a meal waiting for me. Why had I come up here empty-handed?* *Was I under the impression someone would show up if I waited long enough?* Tomoe: "There's no way something like that would happen." Tomoe: "..." Tomoe: "..." Tomoe: "...Something feels weird." *Something just didn't seem right, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact reason.* *I felt like I had come up here quite often, but what was I doing up here by myself? In such a dreary, empty place...* Tomoe: "...I see. Empty is best." *I wasn't a person deserving of fulfillment. What was I rambling on about at this point? Going without lunch of all things suited me perfectly.* *So then, why in the world did I get the feeling someone would go out of their way to bring my lunch if I came here?* Tomoe: "This is stupid." *Coming here just left me uneasy.* *This had been the one place I could relax, so why did I feel so unnerved?* Tomoe: "...Guess I'll head back." *I probably ventured up here to be alone, so why was I so agitated now that I _was_ alone?* Tomoe: "Maybe Kiyohito hasn't made it back yet?" *I returned to the classroom, but I still had time to spare.* *...Wait, Kiyohito was my only friend in class. What was I expecting, and what was I getting disappointed for?* Tomoe: "Today is really weird." *I decided to cool my head for a while by myself in the classroom.* Tomoe: "Huh?" *Walking up in front of me was...* Tomoe: "If I recall..." *...Huh? Who was she again?* Tomoe: "..." Naruko: "..." *The girl passed me by while I was trying to remember her name. She shot a glance my way, but walked past without saying a word.* *I felt like I had seen her somewhere before... but it must have been my imagination.* *And yet, why did my chest feel so tight? Was it my imagination, or were my eyes getting teary?* *Something must have been seriously wrong with me today for me to feel this way.* *I could sense something was missing, but wasn't that only natural? That's the sort of person I was.* *"That's not true."* Tomoe: "...Huh?" *I thought I heard a voice and turned around, but nobody was there.* *For some reason, the face of the girl who passed by earlier popped into my mind. Why did something tell me that was her voice just now?* Tomoe: "I have no idea what that girl's voice even sounds like." *She was just some strange girl who happened to cross paths with me.* *"That's not true."* *I refused to take notice of the auditory illusion I heard once more.* *I deserved to be alone.* *That was why I woke up on my own in the morning, spent lunch alone, and although meals were a pain and I ate as few as I possibly could, I didn't have anyone who forced me to eat, either.* Tomoe: "That's right." *Once I whispered it aloud, everything finally fell into place. Yes, that's the sort of person I was supposed to be.* *That was for the best.* Tomoe: "Now then..." *Better do something by myself to kill what time I had remaining...*

*A cold wind rushed past as I opened the door to the rooftop, almost like it was telling me to keep away. I defied it and stepped outside.* Tomoe: "No surprise it's freezing out." *I doubted anyone would be here in this weather, but I was wrong...* Yuri: "My, Kirinokojima-kun." *There stood Hisaka-san.* Tomoe: "Hisaka-san, you're here?" Yuri: "Yes." *It was so cold, yet she was calmly smiling.* Tomoe: "Aren't you cold?" Yuri: "It really is cold, huh? It feels like winter is finally in full swing." Tomoe: "Yeah. Did you come up here for any particular reason?" Yuri: "No, not especially. I just felt like it." Tomoe: "Okay..." *She was cold, but came up here anyway? What a strange woman.* Yuri: "I could you ask you the same thing. Aren't you cold, Kirinokojima-kun?" Tomoe: "I am. I came here _because_ it's cold." Yuri: "Oh, is that so? You're a strange one." *The woman I found odd just a moment ago called _me_ strange.* *Still, I had the feeling Hisaka-san and I were kind of similar.* *Nothing stood out in particular; I could just sense we were oddly alike.* *Maybe growing up without parents had an impact on our personalities? Something told me that it couldn't be that simple.* *The similarities between us had always been on my mind.* Yuri: "Well, here, for you." *Hisaka-san held something out to me. Candy?* Yuri: "It's a special day." Tomoe: "It's special?" Yuri: "Yes. I have strawberry milk flavor today." Tomoe: "Right..." *How was strawberry milk special? Maybe girls just saw it that way.* Yuri: "This is my last one. Please keep it a secret from Momo. She would definitely want the last piece." Tomoe: "Oh, all right. Are you sure I can have it?" Yuri: "Oh, you have a point." *Hisaka-san mulled over the idea for a moment. It seemed she'd said it without really thinking ahead.* Yuri: "...Yes, today is special." Tomoe: "Is it? I'll accept it, then." *I took it with a nod.* *I found myself unexpectedly charmed by Hisaka-san's happy smile. She really was a pretty person.* Kiyohito: "See? I told you he'd be here." Naruko: "You're right." *I heard surprised voices behind us. It was Kiyohito and Nakizaki. Aine was there, too.* Aine: "Wah, it is so cold!" Naruko: "Seriously, you're a total oddball to be out on such a cold day." Naruko: "Wait, huh? You're here too, Yuri-san?" Yuri: "Hello." *Despite how cold they looked, the three of them still came here willingly.* Kiyohito: "The two of you sure are weird to stand out in the cold like this. Or did you think nobody'd show up? You aren't up to anything naughty, are you?" Tomoe: "What 'naughty' things do you mean?" Kiyohito: "Well, stuff you can't do with other people around!" *A dirty joke? He had some nerve to talk that way to an older woman.* Yuri: "Hm?" *Then again, it looked like it went straight over Hisaka-san's head.* Naruko: "Hey, that's rude." *Of course, Nakizaki noticed and reprimanded him.* Kiyohito: "Oh, sorry, sorry. But they've got this mood going; it wouldn't be so strange if they started going out, right?" Yuri: "Huh? 'Going out'...?" *Hisaka-san's face flushed red. It looked like she got the hint this time.* *All the same, that really was jumping to conclusions...* Yuri: "..." Tomoe: "Sorry, Hisaka-san. Kiyohito's always telling jokes." Yuri: "Oh, no, I don't mind." Kiyohito: "But I wasn't joking. You two kinda take after one another. Don't you think they're a good match?" *Kiyohito bantered on.* Naruko: "Yeah, you're right. The two of them do have a similar vibe." Aine: "They do, they do!" *Whether Hisaka-san and I were suited for each other aside, had everyone assumed we were similar this whole time?* *That was really unfortunate for Hisaka-san. Nobody should ever have to be compared to a guy like me.* Yuri: "Are you sure? It's rude to compare Kirinokojima-kun to someone like me..." Tomoe: "That's not true. I'm the one who should feel sorry for you." Yuri: "No, no. I should be..." Tomoe: "No, I should be..." Kiyohito: "See, they _are_ similar." Naruko: "You said it." Yuri: "A-Are we? I'm sorry..." Aine: "Hm... Oh, that is it!" *Aine clapped her hands together and grinned from ear to ear.* Aine: "You two really _should_ go out!" Tomoe: "...Huh?" Yuri: "..." *What the heck was this angel suggesting? Hisaka-san looked bothered, too.* Aine: "Oh, what is wrong? I think it is a good idea." Tomoe: "The way you tie love into everything never ceases to amaze me." Aine: "Aw, why? Love is a most precious thing to humans, is it not?" Tomoe: "And I'm telling you, that line of thinking astonishes me." *Aine sure was set in her ways. Oh well, she _was_ an angel, so there probably wasn't anything I could do about it.* *Not everyone in the world put importance into love. There were even people like me who actively avoided it.* *Come to think of it, it seemed like Hisaka-san avoided love─and human contact in general─in the same way. It didn't look like she had many friends, either.* *Maybe that was why she felt like such a kindred spirit?* Aine: "I do think they go well together, though. Do you ever worry that Tomoe-san might be alone forever?" *Aine said after looking over at Nakizaki.* Naruko: "Huh, me? Well, I guess so. I do worry..." Aine: "Yuri-san seems like the nurturing, family-oriented type. She would not abandon even someone as hopeless as Tomoe-san, and would smother him with kindness. Do you not agree?" *She was really laying into me.* Aine: "On that note, what do you think about Tomoe-san?" *Aine approached Hisaka-san with a huge smile on her face. She was like some sort of home shopping network host trying to upsell me.* Yuri: "I..." *Embarrassed, Hisaka-san hung her head. I caught a glimpse of her ears, and they'd turned bright red.* Yuri: "...am sorry." Aine: "Huh?" Tomoe: "Naturally." *I couldn't tell why Aine looked so surprised.* *Who would openly say, "Okay, sure," after being pressured into doing something like that?* Tomoe: "I'm sorry, Hisaka-san." Yuri: "N-No... I'm the one who is sorry..." *Her voice slowly faded as she spoke.* Tomoe: "I'm not worried about it. So, please don't worry either, Hisaka-san." Yuri: "...Yes. I'm sorry..." *I tried to reassure her, but she just apologized again. She really didn't have to worry so much...*

Aine: "Is there something about Tomoe-san you do not like?" Yuri: "No, it isn't that I dislike him..." *We ended up walking home together by sheer coincidence. Aine was still obsessing over the conversation we had this afternoon.* Tomoe: "Aine, I told you to knock it off. You're bothering Hisaka-san." Aine: "But..." *Aine's face puckered up like a blowfish. She was making prefectly clear how unhappy she was about all this.* Aine: "Tomoe-san always looks so grouchy that you cannot tell what he is thinking, and is seemingly coldhearted, but underneath it all, he is surprisingly kind." Tomoe: "Now it just sounds like you're insulting me." Yuri: "Yes, he is a very kind person." Aine: "In my opinion, he is fairly easy on the eyes, too." Yuri: "Yes, I agree. I think he's very handsome." *The way Hisaka-san used the word "handsome" instead of "hot" fit her perfectly. Not that I thought either word described me.* Aine: "He is also very studious! Naruko-san always tells him, 'You study even though you pretend not to, you traitor!'" Tomoe: "That just means she should study, too." *I only studied because I had too much spare time. It wasn't like I had anything else to do at home.* *Of course, lots of other things had been taking up my time ever since Aine showed up.* Yuri: "I'm aware that Kirinokojima-kun is smart. I think having intellect is more important than studying, but Kirinokojima-kun is exemplary on both fronts." Tomoe: "Um... I'm average, really." *Her unexpected praise left me understandably shy.* *It sure seemed like she'd been complimenting me a lot since earlier...* *Aine also must have realized this, and was staring at her blankly.* Aine: "Then what _do_ you dislike about Tomoe-san?" Yuri: "Oh, there is nothing really wrong with Kirinokojima-kun..." *Hisaka-san paused briefly, then a sad, painful, and inexplicable smile crossed over her face.* Yuri: "I have Momo, so..." Aine: "Huh? That is your reason?" Yuri: "Yes." *Aine confusedly looked over at me with no idea what to say. Honestly, I was in the same boat.* *It wasn't like I had any objections to not being picked, but...* *Why was she weighing "having a sister" against "having a boyfriend"? That was like comparing apples to oranges.* Aine: "Um, Momo-chan is..." Momo: "Onee-chan!" *Speak of the devil. Momo stood a little ways away with the setting sun at her back.* *I couldn't quite make out her face, but I had a feeling she was glaring at me.* *Momo-chan walked over with the sun as her backdrop.* *Now that I was finally able to make out her face, she didn't look especially angry. Maybe it was my imagination?* Momo: "Are you on your way home? Let's go together, then." Yuri: "Yes, let's do that." Yuri: "Okay, Kirinokojima-kun, Aine-chan, goodbye." Aine: "Yes, see you tomorrow." Tomoe: "Please excuse us." *I bowed my head and said goodbye to Hisaka-san. She and Momo turned around, took each other by the hand, and started having what looked like a fun conversation.* *As they walked away, they looked like the textbook definition of close sisters.* Aine: "Those two sure get along well." Tomoe: "Yeah. Since all they have is each other." *They had been living all alone since their parents passed away. It was only natural their bond would be stronger than that of ordinary siblings. They likely wouldn't have survived to this day otherwise.* *Our circumstances were different, and I was much more blessed in comparison, but since my parents _had_ passed away, I could more or less understand.* Tomoe: "I see. I guess she doesn't have time to date anyone because she's so busy taking care of Momo-chan." *That must have been what she meant earlier.* Aine: "She may have Momo-chan, but I still think it is okay for her to at least love someone." Tomoe: "Hisaka-san has a strong sense of responsibility. If she thinks of herself as Momo-chan's foster parent, then don't you think she'd come to that conclusion?" *It wasn't that strange a concept. However...* Aine: "You think so...? That sounds kind of lonely to me." Tomoe: "You seriously need to knock it off. People can be plenty happy without having to fall in love. Not everyone thinks like you do." Aine: "I know that! Still..." *Aine didn't seem to accept that line of thinking as she watched the two of them walk away happily.* *However, something _did_ feel out of place. It was like her sense of responsibility toward Momo-chan was a bit _too_ strong.* *Was it just my imagination?*

Aine: "Lunch was delicious again today." Tomoe: "Don't you think you ate a little too much?" *I guess it _had_ helped that she had eaten my share too, though. I didn't enjoy eating very much.* Tomoe: "Don't you have to worry about your weight?" Aine: "Ack!" Aine: "S-Setting that aside for now..." *Oh, she changed the subject.* Aine: "What do you think of Yuri-san, Tomoe-san?" Tomoe: "Huh? What do I think of Hisaka-san?" *There were limits to how far the topic could stray. Why did she have to bring this up now?* Tomoe: "I'm not really sure how to answer that. I mean, she's pretty, kind, and is a great sempai." Aine: "Is that all?" Tomoe: "That's all." *After I answered, I remembered the first time I met Hisaka-san.* *I had wondered if yet another angel had appeared. Back then, I had probably superimposed "her" face over Hisaka-san's figure.* *They weren't the same age, nor were they alike at all, but it was still strange. Maybe they felt similar due to how ephemeral they both seemed?* Aine: "She is on your mind, is she not?" *I suddenly came to my senses. Aine was staring at me intently.* Tomoe: "It's not like that. What are you trying to say, exactly?" Aine: "I am not trying to say anything..." *Aine was likely trying to pick back up the conversation from this afternoon.* *Why was she so eager to pair up Hisaka-san and me? Both of us told her we had no interest in romance.* *Did that just make her more stubborn about it?* Tomoe: "Wish all you want, it's pointless. There's nothing like that going on between us." Aine: "Is that right?" *She responded in a suggestive way for whatever reason.* Tomoe: "What do you mean by that?" Aine: "Oh, it is nothing. My angelic intuition is ringing like crazy, though." Tomoe: "Don't try and make it sound like you're some detective." *Aine's "intuition" wasn't at all trustworthy, but unreliable as it was, it did seem to have given her something to think about.* *I just hoped she wouldn't do anything unnecessary.* Aine: "Oh, by the way, Tomoe-san." Tomoe: "What is it this time?" Aine: "They kept on saying 'This and that will be on the test' in class today. Does that mean more tests are coming up?" Tomoe: "Our final exams are soon. We're tested at the end of the semester to see how well we've retained what we've learned so far." Aine: "Wow, is that so? It is a lot of trouble to be human!" Tomoe: "Don't 'wow' me. You study, too, Aine. If you fail, you'll be taking supplementary lessons during winter break." Aine: "Oh, I could go to school during winter break, too? I like school, so that would be fine by me." Tomoe: "Don't be stupid. Nobody else will be at the academy even if you are forced to take supplementary lessons. You'll end up studying the whole time." Aine: "Oh, really? That sounds kind of lonely, so no thanks." Tomoe: "In that case, work hard and study. The rest of us will be cramming before the tests, too." Aine: "Really? You will be studying, too, Tomoe-san?" Tomoe: "Of course I will be." Aine: "So Yuri-san will be studying, too, right?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I guess so? She looks like a diligent girl." *Come to think of it, she _was_ a third-year. How were her entrance exams going?* Aine: "Really, now? I see..." *Aine was contemplating something. The look on her face suggested it wasn't anything good.* Aine: "Then let us study with Yuri-san, too!" *Called it. I knew it wasn't good.* Tomoe: "Motion denied." Aine: "Huh? Why?" Tomoe: "Hisaka-san is a third-year. I'm a second-year." Tomoe: "We'll be taking different tests, so there's no point studying together." Aine: "I do not think that is true. Could she not teach you a lot?" Tomoe: "I can't teach her anything in return, so she'll be spending her time helping me instead. Hisaka-san won't be able to study that way, will she?" Tomoe: "So, that's out." Aine: "Aww, what would it hurt if you were just together while you do it?" Tomoe: "I said no. It'll just cause trouble for her." Aine: "That is not true." Aine: "Hmph, if it has come to this..." Tomoe: "What're you grumbling for? Don't do anything strange, okay?" Aine: "Okay, it will be all right!" *Aine suddenly smiled and replied enthusiastically. That smile was more concerning than anything else...*

Kiyohito: "Okay! Now that school is over, why don't we go do some karaoke or something?" Tomoe: "What sort of suggestion is that right before exams?" Naruko: "Yeah, are you being sarcastic? Or are you trying to say you can handle a little old test without bothering to study?" Kiyohito: "Nah, that wasn't it. But yeah, I guess we _do_ have tests coming up." Naruko: "You're grating on every last one of my nerves. How could you forget about finals? They've totally taken over my mind!" Tomoe: "You should just study a little more often in the first place, Nakizaki." Naruko: "Knowing you should do something but not being able to do it is what it means to be human." *That was a pretty hopeless comment considering the enlightened look on her face. I guess the status quo wouldn't be changing anytime soon.* Yuri: "Kirinokojima-kun..." Tomoe: "Hm?" *Did someone just call out to me? Was I hearing things?* Kiyohito: "Did someone say your name just now, Tomoe?" Naruko: "I think I've heard that voice before..." Tomoe: "Oh, all of you heard it, too?" *I guess I wasn't just hearing things, then. I'd definitely heard a voice, and if I was right, that voice belonged to...* Yuri: "Kirinokojima-kun!" Tomoe: "Oh, I know. It's Hisaka-san." *Wait, Hisaka-san?* *When I looked over, I saw Hisaka-san poking her head out from behind the door.* Yuri: "Oh, you noticed me. Thank goodness..." *Still loitering at the entrance, she held her chest and sighed in relief. It didn't appear she was going to come in, so we walked over to her instead.* Tomoe: "What's up?" Yuri: "I came to pick you up." Tomoe: "Me? Why?" Yuri: "Oh, did you forget? We said we would have a study group today." Tomoe: "Study group?" *I didn't seem to remember anything about─* Tomoe: "...Oh." *Or so I thought until the face of a certain someone popped into my head.* Tomoe: "Was it Aine?" Yuri: "Yes, that's right. I heard you had some things you wanted me to tutor you on." Tomoe: "Damn her. She didn't have to do this..." *If she had asked her that way, Hisaka-san was far too kind to turn down her request.* *That was a surprisingly evil and underhanded play for an angel to make. She'll be going without dinner tonight.* Tomoe: "I'm sorry, you were misinformed." Yuri: "Huh? Misinformed?" Kiyohito: "What's wrong? Fighting about something?" *Kiyohito joined us with a curious expression on his face. Nakizaki followed suit.* Yuri: "I'm going to be holding a study group with Kirinokojima-kun this afternoon." Naruko: "Oh, you and Kirinokojima?" *Both of them took a long, hard look at me. There were scandalous glints of curiosity in their eyes. They looked way too amused by all of this.* Tomoe: "Like I said, you've got the wrong idea..." Kiyohito: "Wrong how? You don't need to act so shy." Tomoe: "No, that's not it..." Yuri: "Oh, I know. Would the rest of you like to join us?" *Hisaka-san invited them along.* Naruko: "Huh? No, we couldn't..." Kiyohito: "We wouldn't dream of being so tactless." Yuri: "Tactless?" Tomoe: "You've seriously got it all wrong. This is all Aine's─" Kiyohito: "Now, now, now! You can stop right there! We get it! It's totally fine!" Tomoe: "What's 'fine' exactly? You're not making any sense." Naruko: "Why _not_ study together? Yuri-san, please take good care of Kirinokojima." *Nakizaki faced Hisaka-san and bowed deeply.* Yuri: "Okay? I will look after him to the best of my abilities." *Hisaka-san's reply sounded a bit confused, as well...* Kiyohito: "All right, go! Get outta here! Go study up on life!" Tomoe: "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Yuri: "Let's work hard together, okay?" Tomoe: "You, too, Hisaka-san...?" *She was airheaded enough that she probably hadn't caught on to the conversation, but that just made it even harder to turn her down. Ugh...*

Tomoe: "Come on in." Yuri: "Sorry to intrude..." *Hisaka-san stepped inside seeming nervous.* Aine: "Oh, you came home? What about studying...?" *Aine came out with a banana in hand and stared blankly at Hisaka-san.* Aine: "Oh, Yuri-san is with you?" Tomoe: "We couldn't study in the library since they were taking inventory. We also considered studying in the classroom, but there were too many people lingering around to really settle in." *That was when we decided to relocate to my place.* Aine: "Is that so? Oh, shall I make some tea, then?" Yuri: "Oh, please don't make a fuss over me." Aine: "Do not be modest. Please, go ahead." *Aine urged Hisaka-san and went back inside.* *She went to make tea? Was Aine actually _capable_ of making tea?* Tomoe: "Anyway, come on in for now." Yuri: "Y-Yes... Please excuse me..." *Leading her straight to my room would be strange, so I had her come into the living room for now.* Yuri: "..." *Hisaka-san was looking around the room with curiosity.* Tomoe: "What's wrong?" Yuri: "Nothing, um... I didn't get a good look when I came the last time." Tomoe: "Huh. I think the place is fairly normal..." Yuri: "Oh, yes... It is normal, and I think it is very nice." *Normal and nice... That was kind of a strange way of putting it.* *But yeah, that made sense. When I considered her current housing arrangement, she might have a special sort of attachment to an ordinary home like this one.* *The building itself may have been normal, but the people living inside of it certainly weren't. There was just a male student and an angel living here, after all.* Tomoe: "Anyhow, please take a seat anywhere here for now." Yuri: "Oh, yes. Please excuse me." *She looked really nervous today.* *Aine was close by, so it wasn't like we were completely alone. I didn't think she needed to be so nervous―or maybe on guard?―around me.* Aine: "Wah! I spilled the tea leaves!" *Aine was making a lot of noise in the kitchen. Was she all right?* Tomoe: "You probably shouldn't expect too much of the tea." Yuri: "Huh? Oh, not at all... You do not have to worry about me..." Tomoe: "Are you nervous?" Yuri: "Uh... Yes, a little..." Yuri: "If I think about it, it has been a long, long, looooong time since I visited someone else's home..." *Hisaka-san really emphasized the "long" part.* Tomoe: "Has it? Are you sure it's not because it's a boy's house?" Yuri: "Your home might be the first I've visited since I started living in a housing facility." Tomoe: "It is?" Yuri: "Momo and I have always tried to keep out of other people's business. It's surprising how tiny of a world I live in, isn't it?" Tomoe: "Oh, not at all. I'm in a pretty similar boat myself." *My only real friends were Nakizaki and Kiyohito, and with the exception of my neighbors, I hardly interacted with anyone. Nakizaki made up the majority of my world.* *Even so, the three of us just barely managed to become friends after they initiated contact with me, so I couldn't say I had built this world on my own.* *My world was just as tiny as hers.* Tomoe: "Don't be modest; please relax. You don't need to be considerate of anyone else here. Think of it as your own home." Yuri: "My own home? ...Okay, thank you very much." *Hisaka-san squinted her eyes in a bedazzling manner and smiled.* *She then looked around the house once more.* Tomoe: "..." *It was so strange, yet refreshing, for a girl other than Nakizaki or Aine to be here.* *In the process of looking around in a daze, our eyes met.* Yuri: "Ah..." Tomoe: "Ah..." *I felt so awkward when I noticed her eyes on me that I winced.* Yuri: "Oh, I'm sorry... I must have been looking around the room too much." Tomoe: "Oh, it's fine. I'm the one who should be sorry for staring." Yuri: "Huh? Staring at what?" Tomoe: "Uh, never mind. It's nothing." Aine: "Are you two having a marriage interview or something?" *Aine came in with perfect timing.* Tomoe: "A marriage interview? Never mind that; is something wrong?" *Aine looked kind of dishearted.* Aine: "Actually, um... I ran out of normal tea. Would black tea be okay?" Tomoe: "You ran out? There should have been plenty." Aine: "Well, I kind of messed up." Tomoe: "..." *There had been an entire canister of tea left. How did she manage to mess up that badly?* Yuri: "Ah, I will brew some, then. Is black tea okay?" Tomoe: "Oh, I'll take care of it. I can't make a guest do it." Yuri: "It's okay, really. You're the man of the house, so please sit." Yuri: "I will be borrowing your kitchen." Tomoe: "Sure..." *Hisaka-san looked like she was having a lot of fun wandering around in the kitchen.* *Despite being in someone else's home, she was moving awfully quickly.* Tomoe: "Do you know where everything is?" Yuri: "Oh, yes, more or less. It's all been sorted in a way that made it easy to navigate." Tomoe: "You think so?" *I mostly kept out of the kitchen. Nakizaki would make something for me once in a while, so I was sure she had arranged it in a way that was easy for her to use.* *If it _was_ well organized, she deserved the full credit.* Yuri: "Hm hm hmm~♪" Tomoe: "..." Aine: "She is humming?" Tomoe: "Sounds like it." *Talk about a surprise. I wouldn't have taken Hisaka-san for the humming type. But...* Tomoe: "It's nice to see her having so much fun." Aine: "Yeah, I think so, too." *I'd never seen her look so happy before. So she can smile like that, too, huh?* Tomoe: "Huh...?" *My sudden sense of relief puzzled me.* *Why did I feel relieved?*

Aine: "This is so delicious!" *Aine took one bite of the chocolate cake Hisaka-san had made and opened her eyes so wide, I thought they might shoot out of her head. It really did look like it tasted quite good.* Tomoe: "You're amazing for making this in no time flat." Yuri: "It was no big deal. You had the ingredients for pancakes and cocoa powder, so it was easy to make in a rice cooker." *And I thought making something like that so easily with whatever someone happened to have around their house was amazing.* Aine: "It goes really well with black tea! Om, nom, nom!" *This angel had zero intention of studying, didn't she?* Tomoe: "But, it really is delicious." Yuri: "I'm happy you like it." Tomoe: "Do you like cooking, or maybe just baking?" Yuri: "I love it, but I'm terrible at it. We don't get many opportunities to use the kitchen at the facility at all. Not to mention, it costs money..." Yuri: "That's why it was so much fun to bake something for the first time in forever." *She really did look ecstatic. This really must have been one of her true passions.* *I suddenly remembered when my mother made snacks for me as a kid.* *I think she made cookies? I couldn't remember how they tasted, but I knew they were delicious.* *My mother used to make sweets for me when she was in a good mood too, huh?* Yuri: "I guess this was excessive for a study group, though." Tomoe: "Not at all. We're still getting some studying done." *We may have been on a break now, but we studied the whole time the cake was... simmering in the rice cooker?* Aine: "Dah is righ! Mngh, nom, nom!" *Aine had mostly been sitting on the sidelines watching us study, yet she had eaten the most out of all of us.* Tomoe: "They do say a tired brain needs sugar." Yuri: "They do. Sweets are justice!" *Hisaka-san stressed the point with her eyes gleaming.* *She sure did like sweet things. Come to think of it, she always had candy on her.* Aine: "Oh, I know! Why not just make a bunch here, then?!" Yuri: "Huh? Here...?" Aine: "It is okay, right, Tomoe-san?!" *Aine's eyes were sparkling. Those were the eyes of someone who would sell their soul to the devil if it were for sweets. And she was supposed to be an angel...* *However, I didn't intend to fight Aine. Just this once.* *Hisaka-san worried about her sister constantly. It wouldn't hurt for her to take a little breather once in a while.* Tomoe: "If my kitchen works for you, then please use it whenever you want." Yuri: "Huh? Are you sure?" Tomoe: "Yes, of course. Feel free to use whatever ingredients you can find in there, too." Tomoe: "The pancake mix and whatnot was probably close to expiring anyway. You'd actually be helping me out." Yuri: "I would? If you say so, that would make me happy..." Aine: "It would certainly be best if you did!" Yuri: "But... I have Momo at home..." *Her sister again. Why did she bring up her sister so frequently?* *I knew that as Momo's older sister and sole blood relative, she felt like she needed to fill in as her foster mother.* *But wasn't this going a little too far?* Tomoe: "How about this, then? Starting today, study here until exams, and please use the kitchen as much as you want until then." Tomoe: "Since you'll be coming here to study anyway, you can use it as a small breather." Yuri: "That could work... If you are sure..." Aine: "Yay, all right! What should she make tomorrow?!" Tomoe: "Our goal is still to study. I won't let anyone who isn't interested in studying eat." Aine: "Huh?! No way... Seeing delicious food right before my eyes but not being able to eat it..." Tomoe: "Then study like you're supposed to. Don't blame me if you bomb your tests." Yuri: "He is right. If you work hard, I'll make some tasty snacks for you, Aine-chan." Aine: "I-I understand! I will do it! I will study!" *The temptation of snacks quickly motivated Aine to study. It almost felt like I had a hopeless little sister or something.* *A sister, huh?* *Momo-chan popped into my mind.* Aine: "I will go get my study materials right away!" *Aine ran up to the second floor.* Tomoe: "Nobody said she had to study right this second..." Yuri: "Ehehe, Aine-chan is so cute. When I see her act that way, I almost forget she's an angel." Tomoe: "Yeah. It's hard for me to believe sometimes, too." Yuri: "But she _is_ an angel." *There was a sudden, powerful glint in Hisaka-san's eyes.* Tomoe: "Yeah. Without a doubt." Yuri: "Angels bring humans happiness, right?" Tomoe: "Well... As far as I can tell, their power isn't almighty." *That fact had been mentioned many times now.* Yuri: "That is true..." *My answer was always the same, but Hisaka-san made the same face every time she heard it.* *Did she wish for happiness? Did she want to ask that of an angel?* *It was generally a given that people wanted to be happy. It wouldn't be strange at all if Hisaka-san felt the same way.* *Be that as it may, something felt different in Hisaka-san's case.* *She had the same aura I did... An aura that screamed, "This person doesn't wish for happiness."*

*Studying: Day Two.* Aine: "It is delicious! This is the best pudding in the world!" Aine: "An undisputed perfect score of three stars! My compliments to the master chef!" Yuri: "Oh, you're flattering me." *She was blushing after having her dish reviewed so highly. Today's snack was pudding.* *It felt like she'd just used whatever was available yesterday, but today she brought several ingredients and seemed a bit more enthusiastic than before.* *The result must have reflected that, as it was so delicious, Aine was singing its praises.* Tomoe: "It really is delicious. I've never had pudding this good before." Yuri: "You, too, Kirinokojima-kun...?" *Her face flushed beet red, ears and all. She probably wasn't used to this much praise.* *Hisaka-san mentioned she'd had few opportunities to cook, so she rarely received compliments on her food.* *And even when she got the rare opportunity, I was sure only Momo-chan ever ate it. She may not have been used to other people eating her cooking.* Aine: "It is so delicious! It makes me want to become human already!" *She'd quit being an angel if it meant getting to eat pudding? This was why I doubted she was an angel in the first place.* Tomoe: "More importantly, Aine." Aine: "Yes?" Tomoe: "I've noticed this after watching you for a while, but you really don't get what these tests are going to cover, do you?" Aine: "Hah, so true. It is total gibberish to me. Good grief." *Aine was acting completely unashamed. Wasn't this a pretty big crisis to be in?* Tomoe: "Between us all, it sounds like you're the one who needs to study the most." *Hisaka-san and I weren't too worried about most of the material. We called it a study group, but all we seemed to do was solve problems and check each other's work.* Yuri: "I agree. It looks like this calls for a crash course." Aine: "Huh? You mean me?" Tomoe: "Who else could we mean? Don't worry, Hisaka-san and I will teach you nice and gently." Aine: "'Gently'... B-But your eyes are so scary! Am I that hopeless?" Tomoe: "A total lost cause."

*We originally planned to finish sooner, but time flew while we were tutoring Aine.* *I couldn't send Hisaka-san home alone after dark, so I persuaded her to let me walk her home by telling her I had shopping to do.* Tomoe: "I'm sorry we kept you so late." Yuri: "No, it's all right." *Despite her reassurances, she was keeping a hurried pace. She must have been worried about Momo-chan.* *She was only a _little_ behind schedule...* *It wasn't pitch black out just yet, so was it really necessary to rush so much?* Tomoe: "Are you worried about Momo-chan?" Yuri: "Huh? No, I wouldn't call it 'worried,' per se..." Tomoe: "Really? Okay then..." Yuri: "Do I look like I'm in a hurry?" *She realized she had been walking rather quickly. With that comment, she went back to a normal pace.* Tomoe: "Just a little." Yuri: "So I was..." Tomoe: "You _are_ worried, aren't you? About Momo-chan..." *That had to be it. I couldn't think of any other possible reason.* Yuri: "Yes, I'm worried. Worrying about Momo is my duty." Tomoe: "Duty?" *That didn't seem like an appropriate word to use right here. "Duty" gave me the impression she was being forced into it.* *Was Hisaka-san in a position where she "had" to worry about Momo-chan?* *If it were out of genuine concern, I doubted she would use the word "duty"...* Tomoe: "Um..." Yuri: "Uh, I will be fine from here." *She said, leaving little room for debate.* *She knew I was going to say something and had cut me off.* Tomoe: "But, we're still..." Yuri: "No, this is close enough. We don't live in a normal home, so it's a little embarrassing to be seen..." Yuri: "There are other girls there, too." Tomoe: "I see. Got it. I'll say goodbye here, then." Yuri: "Yes, here is fine. Thank you for today. I'm looking forward to working with you again tomorrow." Tomoe: "I'm the one who should be thanking you." *She bowed a few times before leaving on her own.* *I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she walked away.* *What could Hisaka-san possibly be carrying on that slender back of hers? How heavy of a burden did she shoulder?*

Tomoe: "..." *I couldn't forget the sight of Hisaka-san walking away yesterday. Why was she on my mind so much?* Kiyohito: "Hey, Tomoe. How did it go?" *I couldn't think straight when I heard Kiyohito's casual tone of voice.* Tomoe: "How did what go?" Kiyohito: "Haven't you been doing that study group every day?" Naruko: "I heard about it, too! She's been making sweets for you!" *Now even Nakizaki was stopping by. She had this ridiculously gross look on her face.* Tomoe: "Aine, I'm guessing?" *Only Aine would bring up this subject.* Naruko: "She said Yuri-san is a really good cook. Aine-chan also said you were totally in love with Yuri-san's home cooking." Tomoe: "That's a lie. She's never made me any 'home cooking,' only sweets." Kiyohito: "But it was pretty good, right?" Tomoe: "Yeah, it was delicious." *I could answer that instantly.* Kiyohito: "Hoo, hoo! Way to make me jealous!" Tomoe: "Are you? Why don't you two just come to the study group, too? I'm sure Hisaka-san would be happy to have you." Tomoe: "You're right next door anyway, Nakizaki. I'm sure studying isn't going great for you, either." Naruko: "What? You may be right, but I'm not _that_ insensitive." Tomoe: "Insensitive?" Kiyohito: "You'd have to be pretty rude to barge in on two people who've got a good mood going. Watching over you warmly is the friendly thing to do." Tomoe: "I think you two have the wrong idea. We're just studying..." Kiyohito: "Yeah, gotcha, gotcha. Just studying, right?" Tomoe: "...It definitely doesn't sound like you get it." *The way he said it got on my nerves a little.* *Is that really what everyone thought of our study group? Would that bother Hisaka-san?* *Oh well. I guess no one else in class really knew about our study group. The only other person who would know was...* Tomoe: "Ah..." *Momo-chan, huh?* *What had Hisaka-san been telling Momo-chan about our study group? Would she be all right?*

Yuri: "I baked a banana pie today." Aine: "Ooooooh! A perfect three-star rating!" Tomoe: "A perfect score and you haven't even touched it yet?" *Of course, it was such a good-looking pie I knew it would be delicious without having to try it, either.* *The fact it was banana probably made it irresistible to Aine. It also looked pretty stylish, adorned with fresh cream.* Tomoe: "I'm amazed you were able to make this." *Was it really even possible to make a pie in our microwave oven?* Yuri: "I got some help from Naruko-chan today. She let me borrow the oven next door." Tomoe: "Oh, I see." *I thought she'd been hard at work downstairs while I was watching Aine study, but I guess she'd actually gone next door.* Tomoe: "So, where's Nakizaki?" Yuri: "Well, I invited her to join us, but she declined. I shared some of the pie with her, though." *Sounded like she was being oddly "considerate" again. She could have just come over...* Aine: "Delicious! Bravo!" *No matter how considerate those two tried to be, there weren't going to be any erotic developments as long as this fallen angel was around.* *Besides, Hisaka-san and I had no interest in love.* Yuri: "What do you think, Kirinokojima-kun? Does it suit your palate?" Tomoe: "Oh, yes." *I quickly tried a bite. It was exceptionally delicious again today.* Tomoe: "It's really good." Yuri: "Really? I'm glad." Yuri: "Oh, would you like me to make dinner next time? It must be rough on Naruko-chan to do it everyday." Tomoe: "No, you don't have to do all that for me." *That said, I was just letting Nakizaki do it all the time.* Yuri: "Please don't be modest. I'm already at it anyway." Tomoe: "The next time, it looks like we'll be wrapping up early, then." Yuri: "Yes." *She smiled cheerfully. Hisaka-san really was a family-oriented person.* Tomoe: "I bet you'll make a good wife in the future, Hisaka-san." *"Whoops" immediately crossed my mind once I said that. Sure enough, her expression turned gloomy.* Yuri: "No, I wouldn't say that..." *She had no interest in love, so of course that meant she had no interest in marriage, either. At least not for now. I instantly realized what I'd said to her was improper.* *But why did she look so sad?* *If she wasn't interested in that sort of thing, she could have just said so and been done with it. What was the point in looking so upset?* *Sadness was an emotion much more suited for a different situation.* *For example, if you really wanted something but couldn't have it.* *I suddenly had my doubts that Hisaka-san was completely uninterested in love.* Yuri: "Marriage isn't in my outlook for the time being." Tomoe: "We _are_ still students. I was just talking about the future." Yuri: "Yes, I guess so. But um... I doubt I'll get married, period." *I wondered why she felt that way.* *Women who live their lives alone without getting married may not be that rare in the modern world.* *But a woman as family-oriented as Hisaka-san didn't seem like the type.* *What was her reason for declaring that she would never get married?* Aine: "Do you have any dreams for your future, Yuri-san?" *Aine, who I'd thought was completely engrossed in her banana pie, joined into the conversation. With some pie still left over, no less.* Yuri: "Dreams for the future? My dream for the future is..." Yuri: "To join the work force as soon as possible, become independent, and get Momo and me out of that housing facility." *Before I knew it, a strong light was dwelling in her eyes.* Yuri: "It doesn't matter if it's small. I want to rent a normal place and live a normal life with Momo." Tomoe: "A normal life...?" Yuri: "Yes, normal. I want to eat our home-cooked meals together, talk about our day while watching TV..." Yuri: "That sort of ordinary life. I want to give Momo a normal, happy life." Yuri: "She was still little when our parents died, so she doesn't seem to have many happy memories." Tomoe: "Is that so..." Yuri: "Yes... Momo hasn't had a chance to form any fun, ordinary memories." Yuri: "All because of me..." Tomoe: "Huh...?" *It was quiet, but she definitely said "because of me" at the end.* Tomoe: "Why is it your fault, Hisaka-san?" Yuri: "Oh... No, I mean..." Yuri: "There is no deeper meaning to it." *She hung her head and said no more.* *Aine stared at Hisaka-san with a concerned look in her eyes. She even forgot to eat the banana pie.* Yuri: "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just talking about myself. Forget I said anything, and please eat the rest of your pie. It will be tastier if you eat it while it's warm." Tomoe: "...Yes." *A part of me was sure that Hisaka-san was carrying some burden.* *What in the world could it be? Was it something she couldn't tell us?* Tomoe: "..." *It must be. If she could talk about it, she would have ages ago.* *And there was no way she would tell us if it was something she _had_ to keep under wraps. She would lock it away inside of her forever.* *I could tell, because we were alike in so many ways.* Aine: "So, your dream is for Momo-chan, Yuri-san? Is there anything you hope for yourself?" *Hisaka-san smiled slightly when Aine asked. It was the smile of someone with incredible pain in their heart.* Yuri: "I'm content as long as Momo is happy." *She looked very beautiful when she smiled and said that, yet sad at the same time. The saddest things were often very beautiful.* *I suspected Hisaka-san's beauty was rooted in her sorrow.* Tomoe: "..." *I felt kind of irritated looking at her. This was the first time I'd ever felt this way.* *It looked like Hisaka-san was sacrificing herself for Momo-chan's sake. It was like she put herself second or even third, with Momo-chan her sole priority.* *For some reason, her way of life bothered me a little.* Tomoe: "You should really value yourself more." *I found myself suddenly saying that, resisting the urge to yell.* Yuri: "Value myself?" *She stared back at me blankly, almost like she didn't understand what I had said to her.* *Since she had never once given any consideration to her own well-being.* Yuri: "I'm okay. I will be all right." *She said and smiled again. Why was she smiling like that? It had to be unintentional.* Tomoe: "..." *Why did that smile annoy me so much?*

Tomoe: "I'm turning off the lights." Aine: "Sure, go ahead." *I turned off the light and crawled into my futon.* *It was freezing under the covers. The stray cat Aine was using like a mini-heater seemed to quite like her futon.* Aine: "I wonder why Yuri-san is so obsessed with Momo-chan?" *Aine whispered, practically to herself.* Tomoe: "Yeah..." *I answered half-heartedly. The same thing had been on my mind for a while now, too.* Aine: "You and Yuri-san are very similar, Tomoe-san." Tomoe: "Really?" Aine: "Yes. The way she does not seem to care one bit about herself is _just_ like you." Tomoe: "..." *Aine pointed out how little I thought of myself in the same breath. Criticizing us both, huh?* Aine: "Tomoe-san, why do you undermine yourself so much?" Tomoe: "That's not really what I'm trying to do. But..." *A certain scene came to mind. Nearly ten years had passed, but I could recall it clearly, like it were yesterday.* Tomoe: "Well... I guess because I don't have the right to be happy?" Aine: "'The right'?" *I nodded back at her. I wasn't sure if she could see me or not in this darkness, but she seemed to have gotten the hint.* Aine: "People do not need a 'right' to be happy. I would go as far as to say that all people are entitled to happiness from the second they are born." *Aine said without hesitation. That likely proved how deeply she believed in it.* *But she was wrong. There _were_ humans in the world who didn't deserve happiness.* Tomoe: "...I wonder. Does Hisaka-san feel the same way?" Aine: "Yuri-san?" *Did she also believe she didn't have a right to be happy?* *My experiences may not apply directly to her situation, but she might have similar reasons.* *I just had a hunch.* *Something about her behavior suggested she was punishing herself.* *Yes, punishment. That might be why I sensed we were similar.* *But _why_ did Hisaka-san feel that way?* Aine: "Does Yuri-san also believe she is not entitled to love anyone?" Tomoe: "Maybe." Aine: "In that case, I am _sure_ she likes you, Tomoe-san." Tomoe: "Huh?" *Aine suddenly went way off topic. No, maybe not? Still, it had deviated in a way I hadn't expected.* Tomoe: "There's no way it has anything to do with me." Aine: "You are wrong. My angel's intuition says so." Tomoe: "Your 'angel's intuition' is about as unreliable as it gets, Aine." Aine: "That is not true..." *I could sense Aine sulking through the darkness. I was sure I was right, though. It was more of a convenient assumption than "intuition."* Aine: "For the sake of argument, even if it is not love, then Yuri-san is at least worried about you." Tomoe: "Worried about me?" Aine: "Just like you are worried about her. The two of you are very much alike." Tomoe: "..." *Something told me I couldn't deny that one.* *I was always making those around me worry. Like Nakizaki and Kiyohito.* *Was I worrying Hisaka-san, too?*

Yuri: "..." *With my eyes firmly closed, my body shook as that blood-red dream flooded back to mind.* *This was my punishment. Punishment handed down to me by God. No... by the Lady Angel.* *I was grateful to be punished. As long as I could endure the punishment, I was sure the angel would listen to my wish.* *After all, I knew the angel truly existed.* Yuri: "I don't care about myself. So please..." *I prayed for the thing most precious to me with all of my heart.* *Performing my morning prayers here had been part of my daily routine for a while now. When I fell asleep for the night afterwards, I would have that crimson dream. It awoke me early every morning.* *I would want to cook then, but I couldn't use the kitchen in the early morning hours at the facility. I needed permission to use it, and it would be bad if I were loud and woke everyone up.* *That was why I started coming to this church. There were plenty of others in this town, but I sensed that the ambience here suited me best.* *This sense of hopelessness and loneliness in the air...* Yuri: "Ah..." *It was then that I realized that the sun was starting to rise.* *It was time I headed back. Momo might wake up. I was sure she would be worried if she woke up and I wasn't there.* *Since I was her one and only family member.*

Yuri: "Oh, you have a handkerchief, right?" Momo: "Yeah, I'm all set! Look!" *Momo showed me the peach-patterned handkerchief she was quite fond of.* Momo: "You made sure I had it on me." Yuri: "Did I? This morning was kind of chaotic..." Momo: "You said you forgot something?" Yuri: "Yeah, notes to help me study for my tests." Momo: "Studying for tests, huh? You could just study at home, you know." *Momo was sulking a bit. She was probably bored without me around, which was a rare occurrence in itself, so she was probably worried about me.* Yuri: "I'm sorry. I promised some of my friends, but I'll be sure not to come back too late." Momo: "Oh, uh-uh. I'll be all right!" Momo: "Don't worry about me. Be sure to study." *Momo smiled bravely. It was a charming smile, one that hadn't changed ever since she was a kid.* *When I saw her smile, my chest ached.* Momo: "But..." *Momo's voice suddenly lowered. It sounded distinctly like the tone she had when angry, so I was taken by surprise.* Momo: "These friends you're studying with... Are they from your class?" *I wasn't immediately sure how I should answer with Momo staring straight at me.* *She didn't seem to like Kirinokojima-kun all that much. She might be on guard since it was so unusual for me to have a male friend.* Yuri: "...Yeah, that's right. Friends from class." Momo: "I see. So you were able to make some friends in class too, huh, Onee-chan?" Yuri: "Y-Yeah..." *Oh no... Momo knew I didn't open up to the girls in class very much.* Momo: "You should have gotten friendly with them a little sooner, though. It's almost time for you to graduate." Yuri: "Yeah, you're right..." *Graduation was on the horizon. It was now December, so I wouldn't head to the school as often when the new year began.* *I wanted to find a job, but couldn't decide on what career I wanted to pursue. I couldn't work overtime much since I had Momo, and wanted weekends off if at all possible.* *There was also the issue of salary. I had to save a decent amount of money in order for us to leave the facility and become independent.* *I felt as though I would find something even if I didn't choose, but with those conditions in mind, gainful employment wasn't exactly a guarantee.* Momo: "Okay, do your best studying again today. There are three days left until your exams!" Yuri: "Yeah, I will do my best." *While we were talking, we came upon a fork in the road. Momo's school was left, mine right.* Momo: "See you later, Onee-chan." Yuri: "Yeah, take care." *Momo walked off on her own, turning around and waving at me repeatedly. I stopped in place and waved back as she faded into the distance.* *Since I knew if she turned around and nobody was there, she would be lonely.* *After all, the one who snatched that girl's family away from her was...* Yuri: "Lady Angel... Please, punish me."

Yuri: "..." *Hisaka-san was acting kind of strange today. She was less talkative than usual, and seemed kind of spacey.* Naruko: "Did something happen between you and Yuri-san?" *Nakizaki apparently noticed and whispered that question to me.* Tomoe: "No, I can't think of anything..." *I remembered yesterday.* *"You should really value yourself more."* *Was I wrong for saying that? Had I overstepped my bounds?* *She was still smiling after the fact, though. Was that why she was acting this way?* Kiyohito: "Tomoe, don't tell me..." *An exaggerated, shocked expression crossed Kiyohito's face. A sure harbinger that he was about to say something stupid.* Kiyohito: "You didn't assault Yuri-san, did you?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I knew it." Naruko: "Knew what? Don't tell me you really _did_ assault her?!" Aine: "Oh, did you?" Tomoe: "You, too, Aine? You were there at the house with us." Aine: "That is true..." Tomoe: "I obviously wouldn't do that. Nothing really comes to mind, either." *Granted, there was no doubt that she was acting strange. Thinking about it logically, she might be feeling ill or something.* *Instead of guessing left and right, maybe we should just ask her?* Tomoe: "Did you catch a cold or something?" Yuri: "Huh?" *She really did seem to be out of it. She turned around and tilted her head in confusion.* Tomoe: "You just seem like you're kind of spacey today. If you're not feeling well, maybe we'd be better off canceling the study group for today?" Yuri: "Oh, no. I'm all right. I feel fine." *She looked less than spirited even as she said that with a smile on her face.* Tomoe: "...Are you really okay?" Yuri: "Yes, really." *Her smile improved slightly, but her complexion didn't seem all that great to me.* Tomoe: "Excuse me a second." *I warned her before putting a hand on her forehead.* Yuri: "Ah..." Tomoe: "Yeah, you don't feel like you have a fever..." *She was actually kind of cold, but when I pulled my hand away, her face was beet red.* Yuri: "..." Tomoe: "Oh, maybe you do have a fever after all? Can I check again?" Yuri: "Ah, i-it is not like that at all! It is not a fever!" *Hisaka-san shrunk away, flustered. There was a stagger in her step. Maybe she really _wasn't_ feeling well?* Kiyohito: "You're super thickheaded, Tomoe." Naruko: "Seriously." Aine: "That is Tomoe-san all right!" Tomoe: "What do you mean?" *Why was everyone treating me like I was stupid?* Kiyohito: "She says she's fine, so why don't you go ahead and have fun with your study group again today? Right, Yuri-san?" Yuri: "Oh, yes. I really am fine." Tomoe: "You sure? All right..." Tomoe: "Okay, after school, it is." Yuri: "Yes, I'm looking forward to it." Aine: "Ehehe, snacks again today!" *Aine was giggling eagerly. I felt sort of relieved, too.* *Was I really looking so forward to having this study group with Hisaka-san?*

*It felt as though I had gotten much more used to going home with Hisaka-san.* Yuri: "Sorry, but do you mind if we take a little detour?" Tomoe: "Oh, sure. Where?" Yuri: "To score some ingredients for sweets." Tomoe: "'Score'?" *That word felt oddly out of place coming from her.* Aine: "What? What are we scoring?" *The gluttonous angel was more dazed by the menu than Hisaka-san's phrasing.* Yuri: "I was thinking of making rusk today." Aine: "Rusk? What is rusk?" Tomoe: "Not sure. I only know the name myself." Yuri: "It is a sweet similar to a crunchy bread. You can change the flavor a lot with sugar, caramel, or chocolate coatings. It's very delicious." Aine: "Wow! Getting to enjoy all sorts of different flavors sounds wonderful!" Yuri: "Doesn't it? What is even better is we can make it using the free bread crusts from the bakery!" *Hisaka-san emphasized the "free" part. I could see a minute flame in her eyes. Something told me I got what she meant by "score" now, too.* Tomoe: "So, are we heading downtown?" Yuri: "Yes. I often visit a bakery there to pick up the crusts." *Very levelheaded. She seemed like she would make a good wife... but she'd probably deny it again.* Tomoe: "Okay then, first..." Tomoe: "Ah..." *I suddenly stopped in place.* Yuri: "What is the mat─" Yuri: "Ah..." *Hisaka-san noticed and stopped, too. She spotted Momo-chan standing in our path and got a frightened look on her face.* *Why was Momo-chan here? Not to mention, she looked pretty mad.* Momo: "Onee-chan, what are you doing?" *She said accusingly and glared at me.* Yuri: "Um, this is, uh... for studying..." Momo: "I thought you told me you were doing it with friends from class? This guy isn't a friend from your class." Yuri: "Well..." *It looked like she'd kept it a secret that we were having a study group.* *After some thought, I guess that should have been obvious. Momo-chan seemed to hate me, after all.* *I was the reason Hisaka-san was forced to lie.* Tomoe: "I'm sorry, Momo-chan. It's not her fault. I asked her to tutor me." Yuri: "Kirinokojima-kun..." *Hisaka-san looked like she wanted to say something, but I shook my head gently. I had to act like the bad guy right now.* Momo: "..." *Momo-chan was glaring at me with eyes full of hatred.* Momo: "Onee-chan, do you like this guy?" *Momo-chan asked without taking her eyes off me.* Yuri: "Huh? 'Like him'...?" *Hisaka-san blushed faintly. That reaction backfired on her.* Momo: "You do, don't you? Are you already dating?" Yuri: "N-No. Kirinokojima-kun and I aren't like that." *Hisaka-san refuted it as hard as she could, but Momo-chan's face suggested she didn't buy it.* Tomoe: "We really aren't. Hisaka-san and I aren't like that." Tomoe: "She was worried that Aine wasn't doing well with her studies, and was helping her out." *I used Aine as an excuse to resolve their argument. It may have been somewhat of an exaggeration, but it wasn't a total lie, either.* Aine: "Th-That is right! I am horrible at studying, so Yuri-san was nice and has been tutoring me!" Momo: "Hm? Is that true, Onee-chan?" Yuri: "Y-Yeah, it is. That's all it is, really." Yuri: "But if you're worried, we can put an end to the study group..." Momo: "In that case, I'll go, too." Yuri: "Huh? Go where?" Momo: "That study group thing. If you've got nothing to be ashamed of, it should be fine, right? I won't get in your way." Yuri: "Well..." *Distressed, Hisaka-san looked over to me.* *It was probably because it wasn't her decision to make. Coming to the study group meant coming to my place.* Tomoe: "Sure. If that will give Momo-chan some peace of mind, it's fine by me." Momo: "We'll do that, then." *Momo-chan smiled so brightly, you'd swear her prior anger had all been a lie. Was this really the same girl? It almost made me wonder if my eyes were playing tricks on me.* Momo: "Let's go, then. You've got to hit the books!" Yuri: "Y-Yes." Momo: "Which way? This way?" Yuri: "Oh, yeah. That way..." *Momo-chan took the lead and started walking. Hisaka-san seemed worried and looked at me.* Yuri: "Um, I'm sorry... This has turned out sort of weird..." Tomoe: "Don't worry about it. You've got nothing to feel sorry for." Tomoe: "Won't Momo-chan understand that once she joins us, too?" Yuri: "You're right... Okay then, I am sorry, and please take good care of us." *Hisaka-san bowed her head apologetically.* Momo: "Onee-chan, what are you doing? Hurry up, let's go!" Yuri: "Y-Yeah... I'll be right there." *She bowed to me one more time before chasing after Momo-chan.* Aine: "Those two are close sisters. ...Right?" *Aine whispered as she watched them walk ahead of us.* Tomoe: "That's what I thought, anyway..." *When I watched them walk ahead of us, I started to think that wasn't the case. They almost looked like...* Aine: "They are like a master and servant." *Aine put what I was thinking into words.* *Yes. They practically looked like a master and her servant.*

Momo: "Hm, so this is Kirinokojima's house." *Momo-chan looked around the room curiously.* *She looked exactly like Hisaka-san had when she first came to my place. It was a relieving sight that made me think, "They really are sisters."* Momo: "Wow, this _is_ a normal home, huh?" *That was a weird way to show your admiration.* *But I remembered what Hisaka-san had said. Momo-chan's parents had passed away when she was little, and that she'd been living in that facility ever since.* *A home like this was probably unusual for her.* Aine: "Oh, I will make some tea." Tomoe: "I told you to knock it off." *We'd run out of tea leaves again.* Yuri: "Oh, I will make the tea, then." *Like usual, she ventured into the kitchen.* *Momo-chan noticed how accustomed her sister was to this routine and watched with very malicious eyes.* Momo: "She looks kinda used to it." Tomoe: "Well, she's prepared tea for us a few times now." Momo: "Hmm. You call it a study group, but you make Onee-chan do stuff like that." *She sounded kind of irritated. No, she was _definitely_ irritated. She was acting like Hisaka-san and me being together was unforgiveable.* Momo: "She isn't a maid, you know." Tomoe: "That wasn't my intention." Aine: "Th-That is right. She does not make us sweets or anything, okay?" Tomoe: "Oh, you idiot." Momo: "Sweets?" Momo: "Hmph, you made her do that for you, too? This is supposed to be a study group. What do you think you're doing?" Tomoe: "It's not like that. Hisaka-san actually likes cooking and making sweets, right? But she said she can't do it at the housing facility..." Momo: "So you're saying you pitied her and let her do it?" Tomoe: "There's no need to put it that way." Momo: "But it's true, isn't it?" *She glared at me with eyes filled with animosity. I met her stare head-on to show her I had nothing to feel guilty for.* Momo: "..." *However, her stubborn eyes didn't waver.* Yuri: "Momo! Could you help me for a second?" Momo: "Yeah, sure!" *Momo-chan was suddenly all smiles and ran into the kitchen. Her attitude changed awfully quickly.* Aine: "I wonder why she hates us so much?" Tomoe: "'Us'? It's just me." Aine: "You? But why?" Tomoe: "Maybe she thinks I'm going to steal Hisaka-san away from her?" *I wasn't going to do that, of course.* Momo: "This looks tasty~!" Yuri: "Oh, Momo, come on. Don't eat with your fingers." *They really did look like a pair of close siblings when they acted this way. However, once I got to know them better, their relationship seemed kind of twisted.* *Momo-chan's extreme hostility toward me. Hisaka-san's extreme sense of responsibility and occasionally excessive meekness toward Momo-chan.* *It was sometimes so intense that their relationship did a complete one-eighty.* *The dynamic between them felt like it was getting more twisted as time went on.* *Why was their relationship becoming so warped? What could be doing this to them?*

Yuri: "Okay, we will be heading out." Tomoe: "Thank you for your help again today." *Despite an occasional sarcastic remark from Momo-chan, the study group ended without any huge problems.* Tomoe: "Did this put your mind at ease a little?" *I asked Momo-chan. There were plenty of little things she didn't seem to like, but she didn't have any major complaints.* Momo: "Yeah, I guess." Tomoe: "I'm glad. Do you mind if I borrow your sister for the next two days until our exams, then?" Momo: "Yeah, sure." *She gave her permission so much more easily than I had expected that it was a bit anti-climactic. Still, I was glad. Hisaka-san seemed relieved, too.* Tomoe: "Thank you. I'll borrow your sister just a little longer, then." Momo: "Yeah, go ahead. I have tomorrow and the day after free, too, so it's no problem." Yuri: "Huh? By that, do you mean..." Tomoe: "You're planning on coming tomorrow, too?" Momo: "Yeah, why? It shouldn't be a problem as long as you've got nothing to hide, right?" Tomoe: "Well, we don't, but..." *Spending a few more hours being mindful of Momo-chan's watchful eyes, huh? It almost made my stomach hurt.* Momo: "We'll see you again tomorrow. Let's go, Onee-chan." Yuri: "Y-Yeah..." *Hisaka-san shot us an apologetic glance. I nodded back, hoping that she wouldn't worry too much about it.* *They left with Momo-chan at the lead and Hisaka-san following after. They once again looked like a master and servant to me.* Aine: "That girl is going to come again tomorrow?" *Even Aine was a little weary.*

Naruko: "Hey, hey! Kirinokojima─!" Naruko: "Come on, Kirinokojima!" *I awoke to Nakizaki barging into my bedroom, her face red with concern.* Tomoe: "What's wrong? It's so early." *It was thirty minutes earlier than she usually came to wake me.* Naruko: "There's a huge mess outside your place!" Tomoe: "Sorry for making you help us." Naruko: "I don't mind, but I wonder who would do such a thing?" *I wondered what was going on after being pulled out of bed only to find garbage strewn all around the front yard. I got stuck cleaning it up seconds after waking up.* *It didn't look like crows had scattered around trash from the rubbish bin or anything.* *Someone had intentionally dumped it on my doorstep.* Tomoe: "Who indeed." *I quickly drove away the face that immediately popped into my mind. I had no proof, so I shouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions.* Aine: "Tomoe-san..." *Aine probably had the same person in mind.* *I shook my head gently to tell her not to say that name. At the very least, we shouldn't tell Nakizaki.* *If the person we were thinking of _was_ responsible, then it meant she saw me as more of a nuisance than we thought.* *And if she made a move right after what happened yesterday, it meant she wasn't trying to hide the fact she was the offender.* *In other words, this was a warning.* Naruko: "Looks like you got dragged into something pretty nasty, huh?" *Nakizaki said that lightheartedly, but this was serious.* *We very well may _have_ been dragged into something troublesome.* *But if that's how it was for us, how must it be for Hisaka-san?* *I could only hope me being around didn't cause problems for her...*

Kiyohito: "Oh, Yuri-san's little sister was with her?" Naruko: "Yeah, I saw them walking home holding hands yesterday. They seem really close." *Apparently Nakizaki had spotted them yesterday as they were leaving. That didn't leave me much choice but to mention she'd come to the study group.* Kiyohito: "That whole, 'If you're gonna shoot the general, aim for his horse first,' spiel, huh?" *Kiyohito focused on me with a nasty look in his eyes.* Tomoe: "What are you trying to say?" Kiyohito: "Sometimes you've gotta butter up the girl's family, too. You hear about relationships going sour all the time if their families are against it." Tomoe: "Oh...?" *If so, then Hisaka-san and I were already beyond hope. Momo-chan totally hated me.* Naruko: "You're doing the study group again today, right? How's it going? Made any progress?" Tomoe: "I don't think anyone but Aine will have any problems." Naruko: "I wasn't really asking about studying. More like, how your and Yuri-san's relationship is progressing." Tomoe: "You're bringing that up again? I told you, we're not like that." *Momo-chan would be livid if she heard them talking about this. Then again, there was no way Momo-chan would overhear anything we said at the academy.* Kiyohito: "Hm?" *Kiyohito suddenly looked down and out the window.* Kiyohito: "Is that Yuri-san's little sister?" Tomoe: "Huh?" *Standing in front of the school gates was none other than Momo-chan herself.*

Momo: "I'm Momo Hisaka. Thank you for always taking care of my sister." *Momo-chan bowed her head admirably to Nakizaki and Kiyohito.* Kiyohito: "Oh, what a lovely little sister. Super cute!" Naruko: "Seriously, she's like a doll." *Her looks and behavior totally had Kiyohito and Nakizaki fooled.* Naruko: "How nice, Kirinokojima. You get to study with such a cute girl." Tomoe: "What does cuteness have to do with studying?" Naruko: "Don't be like that. It's encouraging, right?" Tomoe: "Hm..." *I still didn't think it was relevant. Besides, we didn't have that sort of bittersweet relationship.* Momo: "If you'd like, why don't we all study together?" *Momo-chan invited them with an angelic smile.* Naruko: "Uh-uh, we'd just be in the way if we did come." Momo: "That's not true!" Kiyohito: "No, no, no. We'll leave this to the young'uns." Tomoe: "We're the same age, Kiyohito." Kiyohito: "Besides, I don't need to study." *That _was_ true. Kiyohito always did well on his tests even if he didn't study.* Momo: "Really? That's too bad. Well then, I will be borrowing Tomoe-oniichan for a little while!" Tomoe: "Tomoe-oniichan?" *A shiver ran down my back. She'd never called me that before...* Kiyohito: "Go right on ahead. Borrow him as much as you want. Take him home with you if you want." Momo: "Oh? Can I~?" *Momo-chan was all smiley and giggly. She really did look like an innocent young lady when she acted this way.* *I wondered which was the real Momo-chan.* Momo: "Shall we go, then?" Yuri: "Y-Yeah..." *Like always, Momo-chan took the lead and started walking.* *Momo-chan was the youngest and tiniest among us, but it always felt like she was between us, nonchalantly taking control of the situation.* Kiyohito: "..." *Kiyohito stared up ahead at her with a thoughtful look on his face.* Tomoe: "What's up?" Kiyohito: "Nothing... Oh well, I guess that's just how kids are these days." *But his smile came right back.* Kiyohito: "Well, anyway, hold it together." Tomoe: "...I'll do my best." *Kiyohito seemed confused by my answer.* *Maybe that wasn't the most appropriate way to word it? It fit how I felt mentally, though.* *Since another few emotionally draining hours were about to begin.*

Aine: "Hm..." Yuri: "Is there anything you don't understand?" Aine: "Anything I do not understand? More like I do not understand any of it. It might be faster for me to tell you what I _do_ get." Yuri: "Oh... That is a problem." Yuri: "Well then, let's pin down the fundamentals first." *Hisaka-san was busy carefully tutoring Aine...* Momo: "..." *...while Momo-chan was standing around idly as could be.* *She had unsurprisingly run out of things to look at after circling around the room so many times and was now bored.* Momo: "Hey, can I go look around the house?" Yuri: "Huh? That's rude." Tomoe: "No, it's fine, I guess. Go ahead and look around if you want." Momo: "Really? Yay!" *Momo-chan immediately left the room. There wasn't any real harm in her looking.* Yuri: "I'm sorry..." Tomoe: "Don't worry about it. I'm sure she's bored." Aine: "Maybe I should go play with her..." Tomoe: "You're studying." Aine: "Aww... I do not think there is any need for an angel to study, though..." *It was a little late for Aine to whine about it. She probably just wanted to get away from here.* Tomoe: "If you skip out now, you'll just have to put in the effort later anyway. In supplementary lessons." Aine: "Ack, I understand..." Yuri: "Now, let's do our best. I will make you snacks after." Aine: "That is my one piece of emotional support. Boo-hoo..."

Yuri: "Thank you very much again for today." Tomoe: "No, thank you." Momo: "..." *Momo-chan had ultimately spent her time looking around the house. She must have been on the second floor the whole afternoon, and didn't return until the very end.* Tomoe: "Did you do anything fun while you were upstairs?" Momo: "Yeah, lots of fun!" *She answered with one of her rare smiles. Was it that much fun?* Tomoe: "Tomorrow will be the last day, but I'm looking forward to working with you." Yuri: "Yes, see you tomorrow." Momo: "Bye bye!" *The two of them waved and headed home. Today sure ended without any problems.* Aine: "It will finally be over in another day, huh? As well as this Hell on Earth..." Tomoe: "If you don't get good grades on your tests after all of this, your living Hell will never end." Aine: "Ack... I will do my best." *Anyway, just one more day. I felt Momo-chan had started to adapt, and could only hope everything would end without incident.* *But that was wishful thinking.*

Tomoe: "This is..." *Shredded pieces of what used to be clothes were scattered all around the front yard.* *It was such a disaster that I didn't realize it at first, but I knew these clothes.* Tomoe: "They're mine?" *I picked up one of the pieces and examined it. It definitely seemed like something I would wear.* *But why were my clothes destroyed and out here like this?* Tomoe: "They really are gone." *Several of my clothes had vanished from my dresser. They were summer clothes, so I hadn't noticed.* Aine: "Hm...? What is the matter?" *Aine, who had still been asleep, woke up. Her sleepy eyes were staring with wonder at the messy room.* Aine: "Are you cleaning?" Tomoe: "I'm not..." *How should I explain this?* Aine: "Why in the world...?" *Aine gasped when she saw the pile of torn clothes.* *There were only so many people who could have accessed my dresser. The only ones who had been in this house recently were me, Aine, Nakizaki, and...* *Hisaka-san and Momo-chan.* *I remember yesterday's events, and the one person who wandered freely around the house without any supervision.* *Of course, it was too soon to jump to conclusions.* Aine: "Do you not think this is escalating quite a bit...?" Tomoe: "Yeah." *Purposely cutting up my clothes must have taken a lot of time. To do all of this was a blatant show of hostility toward me.* *I didn't mind as long as her hostility remained focused solely at me...*

Yuri: "..." *I joined my hands and prayed to the angel with all my heart.* Yuri: "Please watch over Momo..." *Due to her recent behavior, I couldn't help but worry about Momo. She seemed so insecure.* *I knew my increasing infatuation with Kirinokojima-kun was having an effect on her.* *It used to be just the two of us, but now, a third party had suddenly intruded upon our world. A male, no less.* *I suspected Momo was having a strong reaction to that.* Yuri: "It's my fault..." *I had to dedicate my life to Momo alone, and yet... And yet, my eyes were focused on someone other than her.* Yuri: "How could I fall so deeply in love with someone...?" *I had never felt so strongly about a man before. Why was I so smitten with Kirinokojima-kun?* *He didn't mean anything to me at first, but before I knew it, he was all my eyes focused on.* *Whenever he came to mind, I remembered his sad gaze as he looked down at the city from the rooftop.* *Why did he have such a sad look in his eyes?* *What in the world was making Kirinokojima-kun feel such sorrow?* *Like so, thoughts of him had filled my mind.* *Even though I had to think of Momo, and nothing more...* Yuri: "Please make Momo happy." *I put my prayer into words. If I didn't, thoughts of Kirinokojima-kun would permeate into my mind once more.* *I had to fill my mind with thoughts of Momo so there would be no opening for him to slip in.* Yuri: "Please make Momo happy. Please make Momo happy. Please make Momo happy. Please make Momo happy. Please make Momo happy. Please make Momo happy." *I just repeated that over and over.* *So that no other thoughts could make their way inside me...*

Yuri: "..." *It was winter, but these pretty flowers were blooming. What incredible flowers were these? I thought they were very impressive.* *Being too impressive was kind of sad in a way. They didn't have to try so hard... Why did I feel that way?* Yuri: "..." *I looked up at the sky. No... Not the sky, but what was right before it. The academy rooftop.* *He was probably there now that it was lunch break. I could see him if I went up there.* *It wasn't like I wanted to see him for any particular reason; I just wanted to see his face. That was enough to make me happy.* *And yet, I couldn't bring myself to go to the roof.* *I was afraid of becoming more attracted to him, and I believed it would be best if we didn't see each other for a while.* Yuri: "Our study group won't be meeting anymore." *Now that our study sessions were coming to an end, if I stopped visiting the rooftop then I would naturally lose contact with him.* *Then, in three more months, I would graduate. Once the new year began, I would visit the academy less and less, so we really wouldn't see much of each other anymore.* *If I did that, would I forget him, just like that?* Yuri: "I wonder?" *I had no basis for comparison, so I couldn't tell.* *I wondered, just how long does love last? Does it disappear right away? Or does it continue on forever?* *My one regret was Aine-chan. I had thought she might be able to make Momo happy with her angelic powers, but that was far too convenient a thought.* *After all, I was the one who had to bring Momo happiness. That was my duty.* *Ever since that day...*

Momo: "I'll make the tea today." *On the surface, Momo-chan seemed to be in a good mood again today.* *And yet, the mood grew thick the more she smiled. I wondered if she realized that.* Yuri: "Momo, will you be all right by yourself?" Momo: "I'll be fine! I'm not a kid anymore." *Insisting like that only made her sound more childish. Momo-chan didn't notice and was innocently preparing tea in the kitchen.* Aine: "She will not put poison in it, right?" *Aine anxiously whispered to me.* Tomoe: "There's no way she has anything like that." *You could probably kill someone with enough detergent, but I assumed we'd be able to smell it if she did put a lethal dose inside of our drinks.* Momo: "Hm hm hm hm~♪" *Momo-chan was in a good mood. She looked truly innocent when she acted this way, like she was just plain having fun.* *Getting to use a kitchen may have been refreshing and entertaining for her, too.* Yuri: "I'm going to keep an eye on her." *It looked like she'd gotten worried and went into the kitchen.* Momo: "Ah, don't jump in to help, okay, Onee-chan?" Yuri: "Yeah, I'm just watching." *She seemed intent to watch from a short distance away.* Momo: "I watched you do it, so I'll be fine! First heat the water in the kettle, then warm up the cups..." Yuri: "Be careful around the burners, okay? The water is hot, too, so be sure not to scald yourself." Momo: "I know. I'm not a kid." *Momo-chan sulked a bit. It wasn't the wily expression she had when staring at me, but more of an immature, innocent pout.* Aine: "It is kind of charming..." *Aine spontaneously broke into a smile. It would be great if this was how these sisters truly treated each other.* Momo: "Oh, the tea bags. Tea bags, tea bags..." *Momo-chan searched around the kitchen cupboards.* Yuri: "There are fresh dish cloths and paper towels up there, so be careful." Momo: "I'll be okay! You just be quiet and watch..." *Just then, something fell from her hands. It was one of the dry dish cloths Hisaka-san had been worried about.* Momo: "Ah!" *Fire spread to the cloth the instant it touched the burner. The fabric was decently sized, so it threw off surprisingly large flames.* Yuri: "..." *Hisaka-san and Momo-chan were both staring at the blaze in a stupor. Neither moved, like they had a bout of temporary paralysis.* Tomoe: "Look out!" *I ran into the kitchen. By the time I got there, the flame had spread to Momo-chan's clothes.* Momo: "Ah..." Yuri: "Momo!" *Immediately after, Hisaka-san moved quickly.* *She rushed to Momo-chan's side so fast, it was like I'd hallucinated her prior paralysis. She smothered the flames which had engulfed her clothes with her bare hands.* Yuri: "Ack...!" *The pads of her hands and fingers began to sizzle, along with the faint scent of singed flesh.* Tomoe: "H-Hisaka-san!" *I rushed over and tore her hands away from Momo-chan's clothes. Luckily, the fire had already dissipated.* *In return, the palms of her hands were a dark shade of reddish-black.* Tomoe: "Give me your hands." *I got her hands under running water.* Yuri: "Oooh..." Tomoe: "Stay still. We've got to cool them down for now." Yuri: "Yes..." *She suffered for a brief moment, and then the pain slowly subsided as her hands soaked under the water.* *When I checked, the black burn marks had faded, her hands now a beet red.* Tomoe: "They might blister. Let's get you to the hospital." Yuri: "No, I'm all right. The hospital would be a waste." Tomoe: "Absolutely not. You should see a doctor. It will work out cheaper that way in the end." *The word "cheaper" must have caught her attention, and a tinge of acceptance came across her face.* Yuri: "You're right. I understand. I will go to the hospital." Tomoe: "Thank you. Okay, let's put an ice pack on your hands and get going." Aine: "Oh, I will do it!" *Aine prepared the ice for us.* Momo: "..." *Momo-chan was still stunned and frozen in place, her face completely blank. She had received quite a shock.* Tomoe: "Momo-chan, hang in there. We're heading to the hospital. Do you think you could go with us?" Momo: "Huh? Me...?" Tomoe: "Yes. Your sister is injured." Momo: "Onee-chan is injured..." Momo: "Onee-chan, are you all right?!" *She clung to Hisaka-san after suddenly coming to her senses.* Yuri: "I'm all right. More importantly, are you okay?" Momo: "This is nothing. Forget me, you're..." Yuri: "I really am all right. It's no big deal. But, will you go to the hospital with me?" Momo: "Yeah..." *Momo-chan nodded docilely.* *She looked quite rattled after seeing Hisaka-san get hurt right before her eyes, but it was a big help that she was cooperating.* Tomoe: "All right, let's go." Yuri: "Yes."

Tomoe: "I'm glad it wasn't serious." *Her exam results showed she'd suffered mild burns, with no chance of scarring. It was a silver lining.* Yuri: "I'm sorry for all the trouble." *Hisaka-san and Momo-chan looked relieved.* Momo: "I'm glad... It doesn't hurt anymore?" Yuri: "Yeah, it's gotten a lot better. I'll be better in no time; I'm fine." Momo: "Yeah." *The way she was snuggled up close to Hisaka-san was adorable. She didn't seem like the same girl who stared at me with those hate-filled eyes.* Tomoe: "I'm glad your injuries weren't serious, but trying to extinguish fire with your bare hands was completely reckless." Yuri: "I'm sorry... but, I was desperate." Tomoe: "I know that... but you need to take better care of yourself." *I said that in a hopeful way, but a sad-looking smile came upon her face.* Yuri: "Thank you very much, but it doesn't matter what happens to me. I'm not worth much of anything." Tomoe: "Huh...?" Aine: "Yuri-san..." *What did she mean by that? Why would she say such a thing?* *Hearing how little she valued herself shocked me more than anything.* Momo: "Onee-chan..." *However, she quickly put on a gentle smile for Momo-chan, who was understandably concerned.* Yuri: "Oh, it's all right. You don't have to worry about a thing, Momo." Momo: "..." Yuri: "I'm fine as long as Momo is happy." *I knew Hisaka-san treasured her sister dearly, and I believed those feelings were only natural.* *Wasn't she taking those feelings to extremes, though?* Tomoe: "Anyway, I'll escort you home." Yuri: "No, I'm all right now. I already had you bring me all the way to the hospital..." Tomoe: "No, I'll take you myself. It's dark out, and you have Momo-chan with you, too." *Once Momo-chan was mentioned, I could tell she had a change of heart. It occurred to me that she valued Momo-chan's safety above all else.* Yuri: "You're right. I'm sorry, but please do." Tomoe: "Of course." *I knew if it were just her, even now, she wouldn't agree so easily.* *Hisaka-san had no concern for her own well-being. She believed all was well as long as Momo-chan was taken care of.* *As though she were living for Momo-chan's sake alone...* Yuri: "Um..." Yuri: "I know things took a turn for the worse at the end, but thank you very much for hosting our study group." Tomoe: "...Right." *Our exams started tomorrow, which meant today's study session was our last.* Tomoe: "I'm the one who should be thanking you. You were even able to tutor Aine." Yuri: "No, I also─" *She stopped mid-sentence and glanced over at Momo-chan who was walking diagonally behind her.* *I assumed the rest of her sentence would've been something like, "I also had fun," but maybe it was just my imagination.* Yuri: "Please do your best on your exams." Tomoe: "You too." Yuri: "Yes..." *And like so, our study group came to an end. The way it ended left a terrible aftertaste in my mouth...*

Aine: "It is over..." *Aine collapsed to the floor as soon as we made it home. Today was the last day of exams.* Tomoe: "Did you fail?" Aine: "No. I think I somehow got through it safely. Probably." *Looks like our study sessions had helped. I was glad Hisaka-san's tutoring had shown some results.* Aine: "But now it is all over, huh?" Tomoe: "Isn't that a good thing? You hated those tests anyway." Aine: "Not that... the study group with Yuri-san." Tomoe: "Yeah... Considering there's nothing left to study for." Aine: "Winter break is coming up, yes? Will you not be able to see her?" Tomoe: "I guess not. Besides, once the new year starts, she won't be coming to school as often since she's a third-year. I'm sure we'll have fewer chances to meet up in general." Aine: "Is that so? Are you okay with leaving things like this?" *Aine looked at me inquisitively.* Tomoe: "What do you mean by that?" Aine: "I am talking about Yuri-san. I am worried about things between her and Momo-chan, too, but mostly..." Tomoe: "Mostly?" Aine: "Are you sure you will not mind if Yuri-san drifts away from you?" Tomoe: "That's outside of my control. She's her own person." Aine: "Her own person..." *A sad look spread across her face. However, she knew I spoke the truth and could do nothing about it.* *No matter how similar she insisted we were, Hisaka-san had her own life to live.* *As such, we couldn't be together forever. Sooner or later, we would have to say goodbye. All this meant was that it was happening now.* Aine: "I think Yuri-san is lonely, though." Tomoe: "Hisaka-san? No way that's true." Aine: "..." *The one thing that bugged me was how things were between her and Momo-chan. Once I was out of the picture, everything would likely settle down. I was sure it was just a case of jealousy.* *This was for the best.*

*She was there, now a mere shell of her former self.* Tomoe: "Eina-chan! Eina-chan!" *I shook the unmoving girl for dear life. Her body, now ragged as a doll's, jerked in my direction. When I saw her face, my breath was taken away.* Tomoe: "Hisaka-san...?" *The lifeless person was Hisaka-san.* Tomoe: "Hisaka-san...!" *I screamed and jumped to my feet. I immediately realized I had just awoken from a nightmare.* Tomoe: "...Just a dream?" *The air in the room was cold, but my whole body was dripping in sweat all the same. Just like that, the heat had been stolen from my body.* *That was my first time awakening from a dream about "her" in ages. I hadn't experienced these night terrors ever since Aine arrived.* *However, it had ended strangely. Why was her face replaced with Hisaka-san's? I'd never had _that_ dream before.* *It was the worst awakening ever. It may have been a dream, but to see Hisaka-san's dead face of all things...* Aine: "Mm... Mmm..." *When I looked to my side, Aine was stirring in her sleep.* Aine: "Fuah... Ah... What is the matter? You yelled..." Tomoe: "Sorry, did I wake you?" Aine: "No, that is all right. But, did you not just call Yuri-san's name?" Tomoe: "...No, it was nothing. I just had a bad dream." Aine: "A bad dream? That is not good." *Aine sat up and stared at me with concerned eyes.* Aine: "If you had a bad dream, does that mean you are worried about something?" Tomoe: "...Maybe so." *I answered honestly. That nightmare was so fresh in my mind that I must have left my heart defenseless.* Aine: "You are worried about Yuri-san, yes?" Tomoe: "...Yeah." *That would explain everything. Still, Hisaka-san's deceased face was far too ominous.* Tomoe: "I wonder why Hisaka-san trivializes herself so much?" *She'd never be happy if she continued with that lifestyle.* *Hisaka-san wasn't even trying to become happy. It was a way of life which seemed to actively reject it.* Aine: "You do not know either, Tomoe-san?" Tomoe: "Who could know what Hisaka-san thinks of herself? At least, there's no way _I_ would know." Aine: "I do not believe that. I think you would know _because_ of who you are." Tomoe: "Because I'm me? Why?" Aine: "Because, you and Yuri-san are the same." Tomoe: "Huh? We are...?" Aine: "You and Yuri-san are similar. You belittle yourself rather severely, do you not?" Tomoe: "I suppose..." Aine: "That is exactly why I think you can figure out why Yuri-san thinks so little of herself, and how to get her to love herself more..." Aine: "You can tell, right?" Tomoe: "Me?" *I honestly doubted I could figure any of that out. I mean, I wasn't even capable of loving myself.* *No, it went way beyond that. I wasn't capable of loving _anyone_.* *I sincerely doubted a person like me could ever solve Hisaka-san's problems.* Aine: "You cannot leave her alone, can you?" Tomoe: "Well, you're right, but..." Aine: "Then you have to act now." Tomoe: "That's easy for you to say. Is there even anything I can actually do for her?" Aine: "You should go on a date with Yuri-san!" Tomoe: "Huh? A date? How did you come up with that?" Aine: "What is wrong with it? I am sure she will be delighted to join you!" Tomoe: "Of course she won't. She'll think it's a bother." Aine: "That is not true. Okay, are you fine with it if Yuri-san says yes?" Tomoe: "Well, if she's okay with it, I guess..." Aine: "You promise? Please leave it all to me, then!" *Aine's eyes sparkled with a fiery blaze.* *Seeing her act this way made me incredibly uneasy. Would everything work out all right...?*

Yuri: "..." *My joined hands separated and I lifted my head. I was trying to perform my daily prayers, but the crude thoughts in my heart made it very difficult.* *Please make Momo happy... That was all I wanted to wish for, yet various other desires were swirling around in my head.* *No, not "various" others. Just one.* *I looked down at my palms. They were still a little red, but the scald marks were healing much faster than I expected.* *It was thanks to Kirinokojima-kun for pushing me to go straight to the hospital after the incident.* *He jumped to mind every time I looked at these hands. Each time I joined them to pray, I ended up remembering him. I had to pray for Momo, but...* Yuri: "Haa..." *I accidentally sighed. What was I doing sighing in church...?* Aine: "Yuri-san?" Yuri: "Huh...?" *Before I knew it, Aine-chan was there.* *I wondered what sort of face I was making just now? Aine was staring at me and looking quite worried.* Aine: "Were you praying?" Yuri: "Yes, it's my daily routine." Aine: "Is that so?" Yuri: "What about you, Aine-chan?" Aine: "I come here a lot, too. For some reason, I get the feeling that this place is important." *A perplexed expression crossed her face.* *Why did she look that way? It was strange she would look so puzzled despite believing this place was important.* Aine: "Oh, never mind me. Anyway, us meeting here must be a work of fate!" Yuri: "Yes. You may be right." Aine: "Could we talk for a little bit, then?" Yuri: "Huh...?"

Yuri: "I'm sorry we had to go somewhere so modest." Aine: "No, I am fine with it. I do not have much money, either." Aine: "Tomoe-san only gives me a one thousand yen allowance per week. I do not have much to spend, and one hundred yen per day is my limit." Yuri: "Aine-chan, you get an allowance?" *Even though she was an angel, Kirinokojima-kun gave her an allowance? He really was incredible.* Aine: "Here you go." *Aine handed me a warm can of red bean soup.* Yuri: "Is it okay for me to have this?" Aine: "Please go ahead. They are eighty yen in that vending machine over there." Yuri: "Oh, I know. That one sure is cheap." *I would never buy anything from a vending machine since it was cheaper to get it from a supermarket. For that matter, I made a point of not buying canned drinks, either.* Aine: "I did quite nicely on the exams thanks to you, Yuri-san." Yuri: "Did you? That's great." *It made me happy to see her report that so proudly. It was rare for someone to be this grateful to me.* *So even I can be useful to someone, huh?* Yuri: "Um... Is Kirinokojima-kun doing well?" *I hadn't seen him since the study group ended. I thought my feelings would fade after not seeing him for so long, but my desire to be by his side only grew stronger.* Aine: "Well, he does not seem to be doing so well..." Yuri: "Huh? He isn't? Why? Did he catch a cold or something?" Aine: "Are you worried?" Yuri: "Of course I am. Kirinokojima-kun is... um... a dear underclassman of mine." *Yes, an underclassman. Kirinokojima-kun was a dear underclassman. _That's_ why I was worried. Nothing more.* *It was normal for me to be worried.* *...Normal? Shouldn't I just be worried about Momo? Shouldn't I think of Momo, and Momo alone?* Yuri: "..." Aine: "Yuri-san?" Yuri: "Ah..." Yuri: "I-It's nothing. Please say hi to Kirinokojima-kun for me." *Was it weird to ask that of her? I made it sound like it was all but certain we wouldn't see each other anymore.* Aine: "Um, may I ask you something?" Yuri: "What is it?" Aine: "What are you always praying for at the church?" *An angel asked me what I wished for. Did that mean my wishes had never reached _any_ angels? That was kind of sad.* Aine: "Should I not have asked?" Yuri: "No, it is okay. My wish is obvious." Yuri: "It's for Momo to be happy." Aine: "Is that all? Do you not have any wish for yourself?" Yuri: "Nothing for myself, no. As long as Momo is healthy and happy, I'm fine." *That was my only wish. That _had_ to be my only wish.* *And yet, Aine-chan's expression turned sad.* Aine: "I want you to be happy as well, not just Momo-chan." Yuri: "Huh...?" *Aine-chan's sentiment gradually spread through my heart.* *What she said wasn't particularly special. Nor did she say it in a loud, dramatic voice.* *Still, what she said had touched the furthest reaches of my heart.* Aine: "What is the matter?" Yuri: "Nothing..." Yuri: "I am just surprised there's someone who actually wishes for my happiness. I was glad." Aine: "Huh. Is that all?" Yuri: "Yes. That is enough to make me happy." *I considered that to be more happiness than I deserved.* Aine: "Plenty of people feel the same. Naruko-san, Kiyohito-san, Minamo-chan, too, I am sure..." Aine: "And I am _positive_ Tomoe-san also feels that way." Yuri: "Kirinokojima-kun does?" *There was a twinge deep in my chest. I didn't know how I should answer.* *On the one hand, I wondered just how blessed I would be if that were true, but on the other, I strongly believed such a blessing should stay beyond my reach.* Yuri: "That's not true. There is no way he feels that way." Aine: "Why do you believe that?" Yuri: "Because..." Aine: "Tomoe-san wants to do something for you, Yuri-san. He has been trying hard to come up with ideas." Yuri: "Kirinokojima-kun is thinking about me? ...Why?" Aine: "That I could not say. Tomoe-san may not understand why himself." Yuri: "He doesn't either?" Aine: "Tomoe-san is far worse off than you, Yuri-san." Yuri: "Worse off...?" *She made it sound like he was sick. What did she mean, though? I wasn't sick. My health was my only redeeming quality.* *Ah...* *I realized that Aine-chan might be talking about our hearts. In that case, even I couldn't proudly declare I was healthy. But, for Kirinokojima-kun to be worse off than me...* Aine: "Do you not think so? You and Tomoe-san are very similar." Yuri: "...I guess you're right. Something tells me we share similar traits." *We weren't just "similar"; perhaps we were kindred spirits. I sensed we could sympathize with each other, even if we never said anything.* *We could understand one another without words. But...* Aine: "I believe what you have in common is extreme sorrow." Yuri: "...Maybe so." *I _had_ realized it. That the connection we shared was probably based on our sad experiences.* Yuri: "If we spend any more time together, I'm sure it will just cause us both more misery." *Yes, a far too depressing relationship.* Aine: "That is not true. You are both so alike. Do you really think there is nothing you could bond over?" Aine: "Since you are kindred spirits who share common ground, you could sympathize with one another. That would be salvation for the both of you." Yuri: "Salvation?" Aine: "Yes. I think you might be able to save Tomoe-san." Yuri: "Huh?" *Save him? Save Kirinokojima-kun?* Yuri: "That's... impossible." Aine: "No, you can do it. I give you my guarantee as an angel." Yuri: "Well..." *An angel's guarantee was enough to jolt my heart. It _was_ angels I had been praying to all of this time...* *But I had been praying for Momo. She might tell me to wish for more, but I...* Aine: "I believe you are worried about Tomoe-san just like he is worried about you. Am I wrong?" Yuri: "N-No, you're not wrong. I... am worried about him, too..." Aine: "In that case, please go on a date with Tomoe-san tomorrow!" Yuri: "Huh? A date...?" Yuri: "What?! Tomorrow... is it?" *I was more emotionally battered by the word "tomorrow" than the mention of a date.* Aine: "Yes, tomorrow. Please!" *Aine-chan bowed her head again. Tomorrow...?* *My emotions were all a jumble. After all, I...* Yuri: "A date? I mean..." Aine: "You cannot?" Yuri: "Um, well... if it's just meeting him..." *I wound up nodding, still dazed.* Aine: "All right! Thank you so much!" Yuri: "No, it is nothing..." *I couldn't believe I would get to see Kirinokojima-kun tomorrow. The thought filled my mind and heart.* Aine: "Um, Yuri-san." Yuri: "Yes?" *Talk about a surprise attack.* Aine: "It is okay for you to be happy, Yuri-san." Yuri: "Huh...?" *It was so sudden that I couldn't make sense of it. I outright basked in those words.* *"It is okay for you to be happy."* *She couldn't be more wrong, and yet...* Aine: "It is okay for you and Tomoe-san to be happy. I guarantee it as an angel." Yuri: "..." *I couldn't reply. I was at a loss for words, and Aine simply pointed her angelic smile at me.* *It's okay for me to be happy...* *That couldn't be true.* *And yet, Aine-chan's words were forever implanted in my heart. Like some indelible blemish...*

Yuri: "Ah..." *Hisaka-san was waiting in the place Aine had designated as our meeting spot.* *My heart raced the moment I saw her. I never thought I would really go on a date with Hisaka-san.* Tomoe: "She called it a date, but it's just the two of us meeting up..." *That was what I told myself. There was nothing to be self-conscious about.* Tomoe: "Good morning. Sorry to call you out here today." *I greeted her as normally as possible.* Yuri: "No, I'm the one who should be sorry." *Hisaka-san looked just a little more nervous than usual.* Tomoe: "Aine didn't force you into this, did she?" Yuri: "Huh? N-No, I wasn't. Were you?" Tomoe: "No, not at all." Yuri: "Really?" Tomoe: "Yes, really." *I nodded firmly, and she smiled in relief.* *Hisaka-san really agreed to this, and actually showed up? What was this turn of events?* Yuri: "So, what shall we do first? I am not very familiar with any of this." Tomoe: "Me neither." Tomoe: "Oh, Aine gave this to me earlier." *Aine left me a note that contained a schedule she had personally arranged for us.* *I unfolded it and took a look.* Tomoe: "Whoa..." *When I opened it, I was shocked. There was a full timetable for the entire day filled out.* Yuri: "This is... incredible... She scheduled everything down to the minute." Tomoe: "It's like she crammed everything she possibly could from a guidebook for dating." *There were heaps of places and shops that even I knew the names of. It was definitely comprised of most of the primary date spots in the city.* *I knew she was up late reading books and scheming something last night... She must have been making this.* Yuri: "Our first stop is a cafe. I will apparently be having the banana parfait, and you'll get banana juice." Tomoe: "Those are _her_ favorites, though." Yuri: "And after tea, it looks like we will be heading to the arcade to get sticker photos taken together." *After that, we were to go downtown and grab some food, look at the ocean, ride a swan boat together, then have pasta for lunch...* Tomoe: "Everything here costs a bunch of money." Yuri: "Indeed." *Hisaka-san was equally stunned.* *She was being frugal in order to save money, and it would be pretty rough for me to treat her to everything on this schedule, too. I didn't bring that much with me.* Tomoe: "Why don't we just walk around for now?" Yuri: "Yes, I think that would be nice and wholesome." *Her anxious expression turned into a smile. A money-free date would benefit both of us.* *A date, huh? It occurred to me that this was my first time going on one. That was likely true for Hisaka-san, too.* *This was all so new to us. It should probably be common sense, but neither of us knew what a regular date was supposed to entail.* *That just reinforced my belief that we should do whatever we wanted. All right, then.* *Sorry, Aine. It looks like you went to a lot of trouble to arrange all of this, but we're going to put it on hold for now.* Tomoe: "Why don't we head to the beach?" Yuri: "Yes."

*The street vendors stretching along the coastline were flooded with people on dates... or should I say "couples"? Were there really this many couples around?* Yuri: "They are all holding hands and linking arms." Tomoe: "Looks like it. Wouldn't it be hard to walk that way?" *I genuinely thought that.* Yuri: "Kirinokojima-kun, do you dislike that sort of thing?" Tomoe: "No, I couldn't say whether I like or dislike it. I've never done it, so I don't know." Yuri: "Is that so...?" *She stared down at her hand. Then, her face dyed a deep red.* Tomoe: "Hisaka-san?" Yuri: "Uh, um, well... Why don't we try it, too?" Tomoe: "'It'? You mean... hold hands?" *Couples were walking by with their arms linked and hands held. Would we be holding hands just like they were?* Yuri: "Do you think it is a little too much?" *My silence only made her feel anxious, and she replied like so.* Tomoe: "No, let's try it." *She looked insecure, so I took the initiative and grabbed her hand.* Yuri: "Ah..." *Her hand was cold, incredibly small, and really soft.* Yuri: "This is kind of embarrassing, huh...?" *She whispered that with a flushed face.* Tomoe: "I'll join you in anything you want to do today, Hisaka-san." Yuri: "No, there's nothing I really want to do... I will join you in anything _you_ want to do, Kirinokojima-kun." Tomoe: "Well, I don't really have anything in mind, either..." *Ignoring Aine's schedule and coming out here was all well and good, but it was a small predicament that neither of us knew what to do next.* Yuri: "Ehehe. Should we give Aine-chan's painstakingly-designed schedule a try after all?" Tomoe: "No, that's also out of the question. There must be something..." Tomoe: "Are you sure there isn't anything you'd like me to do, Hisaka-san?" *It was a cop out, but I asked one more time since nothing was coming to mind.* Yuri: "Let's see... Oh, in that case..." *It sounded like she thought of something.* Tomoe: "What is it?" Yuri: "Could I get you to stop calling me 'Hisaka-san' for now?" Tomoe: "Huh? You want me to stop? What should I call you, then?" Yuri: "'Yuri' would be fine..." Tomoe: "Yuri..." *Unsurprisingly, I was hesitant to drop formalities with someone older than me.* Tomoe: "Could I add 'san' at the end?" Yuri: "Yes, that's fine. As long as you call me 'Yuri.'" Tomoe: "Got it. Then..." Tomoe: "Yuri-san." *I tried saying her name aloud. It occurred to me that this was my first time doing so, but for some reason, it felt right.* Yuri: "Yes, Tomoe-kun." *Hisa─ I mean, Yuri-san called me by my first name. I guess she intended to do the same with me.* *Was it really this embarrassing to refer to each other more casually?* *That single change made it feel like a date all of a sudden. Now that it felt real, I found myself getting nervous.* Tomoe: "Okay... We will go with that for today." Yuri: "Yes, for today..." *It would be fine if it was just for a day. Hisaka-sa─ Yuri-san looked like she was kind of on board with it, too.* *All the same, it was just for one day... This was like Cinderella.* *Would I be able to make Yuri-san feel like she was living a dream within the time limit?*

Yuri: "There sure are a lot of people here." *As you'd expect, the shopping district was as crowded as ever. It was filled with customers shopping for New Year's.* *Yuri-san was simply bewildered by the crowd.* *I held her hand tightly so we wouldn't get separated.* Yuri: "Ah..." Tomoe: "Hang on tight so we don't lose sight of each other, okay?" Yuri: "Y-Yes..." *Yuri-san gripped my hand back with a tense look on her face. I felt a bit nervous myself, too.* *All of the smiling people around us treated it like it was ordinary, but to us, it was very special.* *And now, we were doing that special something, too.* Tomoe: "I wonder what everyone here finds so amusing?" *The people traveling down this road were only walking, but looked like they were having fun. Why were they so entertained?* Yuri: "Isn't it less what they're doing, and more that they're together? I can kind of understand how they feel." *Yuri-san smiled quietly. Her smile looked less like she was having fun, and more like she was savoring a sense of happiness. That expression fascinated me.* Yuri: "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Tomoe: "No... I was just thinking about how pretty you are." Yuri: "Huh...? Wh-Why would you say that all of a sudden?" *Yuri-san grew embarrassed by my comment. The way her face flushed was incredibly cute.* Tomoe: "I think I understand how they feel a bit, too." Yuri: "Huh...?" *I took hold of her hand once more.* Yuri: "Ah..." *She squeezed my hand in response as her smile returned yet again.* *Mysteriously, that smile gave me a tender feeling inside. When had I started to feel this way?* *Had I been overwhelmed by our surroundings? The smiles of those around us may have been contagious.* *I may have started to feel this way because everyone around was so happy and content.* *For some reason, this feeling was oddly nostalgic. Yes, something told me I once felt this way long ago.* *That was...* Girl: "I wish everyone could be happy." Tomoe: "..." *I stopped in my tracks, and with our hands still intertwined, Yuri-san stopped, too.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun?" Tomoe: "Ah... It's nothing." *I quickly produced a smile. Yuri-san looked up at me curiously.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun, haven't you been smiling for a while now?" *She apparently found my smile unusual.* Tomoe: "Is it that strange? Me smiling..." Yuri: "More like this is the first time I have ever seen it. Smiling like that, anyway." Tomoe: "What way do you mean?" Yuri: "You just... seem kind of happy." Tomoe: "Oh..." *Now it made sense. The reason I could feel so at peace. The reason I was able to wish for others to smile.* *Ultimately, humans cannot wish for others to be happy unless they are content with themselves.* *But, what about back then? We were in the worst possible situation, yet we tried so desperately to wish for the happiness of so many. No, we _did_ pray for it.* *I wonder why that was? We definitely did wish...* *For ***'s happiness.* *Huh?* *What was "***" exactly?* *What sort of happiness did we wish for again?* Yuri: "Oh, you stopped smiling again. Are you tired?" Tomoe: "Oh... No, it's not that." Yuri: "I suppose we have walked quite a bit. Should we stop and rest?" Tomoe: "Yeah, let's do that." *We walked along hand in hand.* *I thought I heard a sound, but it slipped into the northern wind and immediately vanished.*

*We were a bit tired, so we stopped by a cafe.* *I was planning to persuade Yuri-san by offering to treat her to tea if she acted worried about the price, but she joined me without complaint.* Yuri: "Hah..." *For some reason, after looking around the shop, she sighed.* Tomoe: "What's wrong?" Yuri: "I am not used to this, so it is making me kind of nervous." *She sure was innocent to get so tense about visiting a cafe. Come to think of it, her voice was very low when she ordered earlier, and the clerk had to ask her to repeat herself several times.* Tomoe: "Has it been that long?" Yuri: "Yes. I haven't been to a cafe since I was a kid, or after moving into the housing facility." Tomoe: "That long?" Yuri: "Oh, but I do visit family restaurants once in a while. A few times a year, maybe? Momo likes to eat at places like that sometimes." Tomoe: "Is that so?" *She really had led a modest life. Everything was all for Momo-chan.* *She had mentioned that her dream for the future was to become independent and leave that facility. She was being frugal and saving money for that cause. That was for Momo-chan's sake, too.* *Had Yuri-san dedicated her entire life to Momo-chan?* *...No, that shouldn't be. Yuri-san should live her own life.* *But she didn't see it that way. Yuri-san didn't consider her own feelings in the absolute slightest.* Yuri: "Maybe that is why this feels like a dream..." *Her literally daydreaming eyes looked around the room filled with wonder before finally settling their gaze on me.* Yuri: "...I get to be in this cafe with you, Tomoe-kun..." Tomoe: "That's enough for you to call it a 'dream'?" *It seemed kind of funny to me; she must have been exaggerating. Yuri-san smiled slightly.* Yuri: "No, it really is like a dream." *Her comment sounded truly sincere.* *I felt kind of happy, yet sad that something like this was enough to delight her.* *Life definitely had things far, far happier and fun than this to offer...* Tomoe: "..." *But what could those things be? What happiness did life have in store, again?* *I thought about it, but nothing came to mind. As much as I wished otherwise, I couldn't come up with anything I could do for her to make her happy.* *I told her I'd join her in anything she wanted to do today, but she felt the same way I did.* *Nothing would likely ever stick out in her mind.* *That was why she was so satisfied just drinking tea in a cafe.* Tomoe: "Is there anything you'd like to do after this?" *I had to ask her all the same, even though I knew what she would answer.* Yuri: "No, not particularly. I'm content as long as we can be together." *I figured she would say that.* Yuri: "Oh, but..." *But she continued, like she had remembered something.* Yuri: "If anywhere is fine, there _is_ one place I would like to go..." Tomoe: "I'll go anywhere with you. Let's go there next, then." Yuri: "Yes, thank you very much." *It hurt to see her smile like that. The happier she looked, the more it pained me to watch.* *It made me realize something else: had I made everyone around me feel this way all this time...?*

*That building towered over us, practically standing in our way.* Tomoe: "This is where you wanted to go?" Yuri: "Yes. I wanted to come here once with you, Tomoe-kun." *I looked up at the church once more. It was fine if this was where she wanted to go, but I couldn't help but feel reluctant. I didn't exactly have any good memories of this place.* *I shook those thoughts from my mind. This was for Yuri-san, and it was no longer the same place it was long ago.* Tomoe: "Shall we?" Yuri: "Yes." Yuri: "It is always quiet whenever I visit here." Tomoe: "How long have you been coming here, Yuri-san?" Yuri: "Let's see... A little while after this place was remodeled, I believe." Yuri: "It was apparently a creepy, dilapidated building beforehand. I can't say I know anything about it from back then, though." Tomoe: "Is that right?" *I knew this place back when it was completely run-down. To me, this place hadn't changed one bit.* Yuri: "When Momo and I were left all alone, we moved into this city's housing, then I found this place..." Yuri: "I constantly wondered how Momo and I would survive. I was lost in so many ways..." Yuri: "That was when I found this church. When I first came in, I guess you could say I felt really relieved, even though it was my first time..." Yuri: "It felt like I was home. I thought, 'What an incredibly calming place.' So whenever something would happen, I started coming here..." Yuri: "Sooner or later, I came here every day out of habit." *Yuri-san smiled. It truly was the calm smile of someone who felt right at home.* Tomoe: "You like this place that much?" *Was this really such a great spot? I was prejudiced, so I couldn't judge it objectively.* Yuri: "Yes, how should I put it...?" *Yuri-san looked around the church, searching for the words.* Yuri: "It just feels like this place is filled with an incredibly gentle atmosphere. Like something massive has me all bundled up inside." Yuri: "It is like... yes, like the inside of your mother's belly." Tomoe: "Wow, really?" *Maybe it was due to my preconceptions, but I'd never felt anything like that. I tried to clear my mind once more.* Tomoe: "..." *A gentle atmosphere, huh...? I didn't get that feeling at all. Was it because I had gotten such a strong impression of this place in the past?* *I kind of understood what she was saying, though. How this place made you feel "all bundled up."* *Churches and the like might be built specifically to give that impression. So you would feel like you're in the womb of God.* Yuri: "I just feel an affinity of some sort with this place. I really like it here." Tomoe: "Yeah. Maybe that just happens sometimes." Yuri: "In all honesty, I don't belong in such a gentle space..." Tomoe: "What makes you say that?" *Yuri-san had a similar gentleness to her. There was no way she didn't belong.* Yuri: "Because I... Because my prayers... are repentance..." Tomoe: "Repentance...?" *Repentance meant showing remorse for a sin one had committed. "Sin" was definitely a completely inappropriate word to describe her.* *However, she had been alluding to this for a while now. Saying things like, "I have no right to be happy."* *What sort of sin had she committed? Was it so nefarious, it revoked her right to happiness?* Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san got down on her knees, joined her hands together, and prayed straight ahead to the angel statue. No, repented to it.* *The sun must have shone through a gap in the clouds, and a pale light from above cast upon Yuri-san through the stained glass.* Tomoe: "Huh...?" *The sight of her praying while basking in the faint rays of sunshine mirrored the image of the girl from my past.* *When I first saw that girl, I thought, "There's an angel here."* *I felt the same way when I first caught a glimpse of Yuri-san on the rooftop; I couldn't help but think that she looked like an angel.* *The girl from my memories and Yuri-san might be very similar.* *They were nothing alike physically speaking, but her transient aura surely resembled that girl's.* *An aura that might disappear any moment...* Yuri: "...Sorry to keep you waiting." *Yuri-san opened her eyes and stood. I was drawn back to reality.* Yuri: "What's wrong?" Tomoe: "Nothing..." *I was suddenly at a loss for words. An emotion that couldn't be put into words welled up within me, and I embraced Yuri-san tightly.* Yuri: "Ah..." *Her slender body fit snugly within my arms.* *She looked so ephemeral, I wondered if she would disappear the instant I let my guard down. So, I put strength into both of my arms and didn't let go.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun...?" Tomoe: "I'm sorry." *I apologized as I held her.* *She stood motionless in my arms.* *I got the feeling of the warmth of our two bodies blending together.* Yuri: "..." *She shyly wrapped her arms around me and clutched my back with her fingertips.* *We hugged each other for a long, long time.* *Until our body temperatures became perfectly in sync...*

Tomoe: "I'm sorry for keeping you out so late." Yuri: "No, it's all right." Tomoe: "And for earlier, too." *I also felt sorry for hugging her. Her face flushed in response.* Yuri: "No... I was surprised... but happy." Tomoe: "You were?" Yuri: "Yes. It kind of feels like I received a wonderful present." Tomoe: "A present?" Yuri: "Yes, um, actually... today is my birthday." Tomoe: "Huh?" Yuri: "To think that on my birthday... I would get to walk together with you, and drink tea at a cafe with you..." Yuri: "Every bit of it just feels like a dream to me." Tomoe: "W-Wait just a second. Today is your birthday? The actual day?" Yuri: "Yes. Did I never mention it?" Tomoe: "This is the first I'm hearing of it." Yuri: "I guess I forgot to mention it. It is, in fact, my birthday." Tomoe: "Really?" *Was that why she'd designated our date for today? Because she wanted to spend her birthday with me? And yet, I...* Tomoe: "I'm sorry. I didn't get you a present." *I resented my two empty hands. If only I had a bouquet of flowers or something...* Tomoe: "Oh, that's an idea. If you have time, why don't we stop in somewhere and you can pick out something you like...?" Yuri: "Oh, it is okay. I don't need anything more. I have already gotten plenty." Tomoe: "But..." Yuri: "Really. This whole day has been like a dream." *Yuri-san smiled, looking truly happy. Once again, I felt absolutely miserable.* *I wished something so simple wouldn't make her happy. I wished she would hope for much, much greater happiness for herself.* *Because I knew far greater bliss existed in this world.* Tomoe: "Isn't there _something_ I can do for you? I'll do anything." Yuri: "Please don't make that face. Knowing you feel that way is plenty." Tomoe: "..." Tomoe: "I don't know how else I can brighten your day. How I can make you feel happy..." Tomoe: "Since I don't know what happiness is like myself..." Yuri: "Tomoe-kun..." *My hand was suddenly enveloped in warmth. The simple act of Yuri-san taking hold of my hand made my heart feel lighter.* *I wanted so badly to do something for her, so why was _I_ the one being healed...?* *I was filled with a sense of powerlessness. It was the same, overwhelming helplessness I felt way back on that day.* *I couldn't protect anyone. In truth, I couldn't even protect the things most precious to me. It felt like my meaning of life had been shaken.* *Why was I alive? I no longer knew.* *Why was I always so powerless?* *...But I guess that was only natural.* *Ever since that day, I had gone through life like a living corpse. Perhaps I hadn't changed in all this time.* Yuri: "If I were forced to say..." *Yuri-san's voice pulled me back to reality.* Yuri: "I felt incredibly blessed earlier when you hugged me." Tomoe: "When I hugged you? Really?" Yuri: "Yes. I learned for the very first time just how much holding your body against another person can put you at ease." Tomoe: "You're right." *I had felt it, too. The sensation of the heat coming from our bodies slowly blending and becoming one. It was a very blissful feeling.* *If that's how it worked, I wouldn't mind hugging her as much as she liked. But, I guess we couldn't do that out here on the roadside.* Yuri: "Could I ask something selfish just this once, then?" *Yuri-san said, seeming to have thought hard about it.* Tomoe: "Please say whatever you like." Yuri: "Well then, um..." Yuri: "Just once is fine, so could you do something that makes me feel even closer to you?"

*It still didn't feel real. Yuri-san and I were alone in my room. What's more, all for the sake of doing lewd things to one another.* *Arousal wasn't even a factor; I was just nervous.* Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san also seemed nervous. Her face was completely stiff.* Yuri: "Where is Aine-chan today?" Tomoe: "She's next door and should be out late. It looks like the Nakizakis are treating her to dinner." Yuri: "She is? ...Um, I'm sorry to be so unreasonable." Tomoe: "Not at all..." *This was kind of a strange conversation. We were about to have sex, but this wasn't erotic at all.* Tomoe: "But... Are you sure this is what you want?" *It probably wasn't something she thought of in advance.* *I suspected she decided on this back when I asked her if there was anything I could do for her.* *Was it okay for her to make this decision so spontaneously?* Yuri: "It is fine. This is exactly the sort of thing I want most from you, Tomoe-kun." *Her explanation had such an obscene ring to it that all sorts of ideas stirred around in my head. A tiny hint of excitement peeked through her nervousness.* Yuri: "I _am_ a woman. I would like to experience this at least once in my life..." Tomoe: "Once in your life?" *The way she phrased that seemed out of place. It was like her mind was made up that this was a one-shot relationship.* Yuri: "Oh, no... It is nothing." Yuri: "But, just for today, I want you to make me forget lots of things." *What was she talking about? What was she burdened with, exactly?* *Could I lighten that weight, even just a little?* Tomoe: "Yuri-san..." *I embraced her tightly. Despite not having showered, she smelled lovely, like soap.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun..." *Yuri-san wrapped her arms around my back and squeezed tightly.* *We stared at each other a moment, then our lips touched.* Yuri: "Mm..." *Our first kiss. It started as a light peck, then instantly grew passionately heavy.* Yuri: "Aah... mm... mmm..." *It wasn't as though we'd ever learned how, but in no time, our tongues were winding together. Her tongue was a bit rough, yet hot and soft at the same time.* *Also, it seemed kind of sweet.* Yuri: "Mmmuh... mm... mmm... aah..." *Yuri-san let out a quiet moan. Her breath was hot, and her body began to burn hot in my arms.* *Mysteriously, the harder our lips pressed together, the closer we seemed. It felt like we were quickly baring it all to each other, like something separating us was disappearing.* Tomoe: "Yuri-san... Mm..." *I found myself touching her body on instinct.* Yuri: "Ah..." *I brushed her plump bottom with the palm of my hand, and slowly rolled up her skirt bit by bit. It was less out of excitement, and more like I was being manipulated by someone other than myself.* Yuri: "Oh, please wait a second..." *Yuri-san pulled away. Had I gone a little too fast?* Tomoe: "I'm sorry." Yuri: "N-No... It is not that I don't like it." *It was her first time. I wouldn't be surprised if she was reluctant about a man undressing her.* Tomoe: "Would you undress yourself, then?" Yuri: "Huh?" *Her rosy cheeks grew darker and darker. Was that an embarrassing request? Should I take it back?* Yuri: "I-I understand. It's embarrassing, so I will take my own clothes off." Tomoe: "Ah..." *While I was busy hesitating, Yuri-san began to undress.*

Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san's clothes rustled together as she undressed before my eyes.* *It was a surreal sight like out of a dream that left me feeling as if I were floating on air.* Yuri: "Mm..." *Her skirt plopped down on the floor, and her modest underwear was now exposed. They weren't exactly ornate, but they were very immaculate.* Yuri: "I'm sorry..." *For whatever reason, she apologized.* Tomoe: "What are you apologizing for?" Yuri: "My panties are really boring, aren't they...?" Tomoe: "Huh?" Yuri: "I bought them on sale at the supermarket in front of the station. They're super cheap..." *Yuri-san felt the need to explain where she had bought her panties.* Tomoe: "No, they're not boring." *Was there anything interesting about panties in the first place?* Yuri: "But... Don't men prefer sexier panties? Like lacy ones, or ones that are see-through... that kind of thing?" Tomoe: "Huh? Uh, I'm not really sure? That might be true generally speaking, but I could go either way, personally." Yuri: "Really? Then... Are these all right with you?" Tomoe: "They're fine. There's something really immaculate about them, so I think they're nice." Yuri: "Really? Thank goodness..." *She looked truly relieved. She must've been worried about it.* Tomoe: "I think what's on the inside is most important." Yuri: "The inside..." *Yuri-san's face flushed a deeper shade of red. Had I said something wrong again?* Yuri: "I'm not too confident about that, either..." Tomoe: "You should be confident. You're very pretty." *Her half-naked body was gorgeous, and undressing only seemed to make her shine all the more brilliantly.* *Almost like she was a sparkling gemstone that had shrouded its radiance all this time. Her innate brilliance was coming to light with each veil that was stripped away.* Yuri: "I'm not pretty..." Tomoe: "I'm serious." *I took a step toward Yuri-san and took a close look at her sparkling-white skin.* Yuri: "Ah..." Tomoe: "You really are incredibly beautiful." *I reached out and touched her.* Yuri: "Ah, mm... Tomoe-kun..." *Her skin had a fine, almost clingy texture. Its luster and feel was just like porcelain.* *The one difference was its warmth. Yuri-san's naked body burned hotter than its sheer whiteness would ever lead you to imagine.* Tomoe: "You're burning up." Yuri: "But... when you touch me... like that... mm... ah, ah..." *She let out an erotic moan and gently shivered as I slid my hand across her skin.* Tomoe: "Does it tickle?" Yuri: "I'm not sure I'd call it ticklish... mmm..." *She twitched and let out a nasal gasp. Her fair skin slowly began to blush the faintest shade of pink.* *At the same time, I could feel her body radiating more heat by the second.* *One spot in particular was emitting a ton of heat: the interior of those modest panties she had been so shy about earlier.* Tomoe: "This spot is kind of..." *Without any ulterior motives, I touched that spot with my finger.* Yuri: "Ah... mmm!" *Her body shook hard. I was left with a hot, wet sensation on my fingertip. Applying a little force only made the sensation stronger.* *Rub...* Yuri: "Ah..." *Her moans grew louder, and that moist sensation definitely lingered on my fingertip.* Tomoe: "Are you wet?" Yuri: "Huh...? I-I don't know..." Yuri: "I have never done anything like this before..." *She wasn't hiding it; she really didn't seem to know.* *Naturally, she had to get wet if we were going to do the deed.* Tomoe: "Um... Could I take off your underwear?" Yuri: "Huh? You can't..." *Yuri-san answered on reflex.* Tomoe: "But you're going to be taking them off after this anyway." Yuri: "Oh... I guess that's true, huh?" Yuri: "...Okay, go ahead." *She blushed a deep red and nodded, seeming to have come to terms with it. Every last bit of her reaction was adorable.* Tomoe: "Okay, then..." Yuri: "Ah..." Yuri: "Ah... It's embarrassing..." *Yuri-san's spread legs were trembling. Her naked crotch was fully visible, and I could see her snugly shut chasm before my very eyes.* Yuri: "Um... Please... don't look so much..." Tomoe: "I'm sorry." *I apologized but continued to stare. She seemed to have given up and looked away.* *It _did_ look kind of wet. The tiniest bit of nectar, transparent like tears, oozed along her slit.* Tomoe: "Let me try touching it a little." Yuri: "Huh? ...Ah!" *I put fingers on either side of her fissure and lightly pulled the lips apart.* Yuri: "Mm..." *Her tightly sealed cleft opened for me.* *Along with it came a pungent and slightly sour smell, but it wasn't a bad aroma at all. Mysteriously enough, it was quite enchanting.* Tomoe: "Looks like you _are_ wet." Yuri: "I... am...?" *There was a tremble in her shy reply. Her cherry-colored walls were squirming within her open chasm almost as if they were alive.* Yuri: "Ah, mm... don't... look there..." *When next she spoke, her pussy wriggled again, and a new transparent liquid oozed from within.* Tomoe: "Looks like you're getting even wetter." Yuri: "Ah... I'm so embarrassed, I could die..." *Yuri-san shivered with shame. The sight fanned the flames of my lust.* Tomoe: "Can I touch you a little more?" Yuri: "Huh? You haven't had enough...?" Tomoe: "I can't?" Yuri: "N-No... Help yourself..." *Only Yuri-san would say something like "help yourself" during such a vulnerable moment. As I admired that about her, I reached toward her core.* *The tip of my finger touched that slightly opened crevice between her legs.* *Schlp...* Yuri: "Mm..." *A muffled short moan. Her tender heat and wetness reached my fingers.* Tomoe: "You're definitely wet, and incredibly hot, at that." Yuri: "Am I? Ah, aah..." *Rub... Rub...* *She gasped once more at the slightest movement of my fingertip. Her voice was sugary-sweet and entirely different from usual.* Tomoe: "How does it feel?" Yuri: "I-I wonder? I can't really tell..." *Either way, it didn't sound like it hurt. Would it be all right if I was a little more forceful? I gave pressing a little harder with my fingertip a try.* *Shcmk...* Yuri: "Mmm...!" *My fingertip sunk shallowly into her crevice as she let out a nasal cry. Her hot, tight opening squeezed my fingertip with intensity.* Tomoe: "Oh... Yuri-san, you're really tight." Yuri: "I-It's not me... I'm not clenching up on purpose..." Yuri: "Ah, ah... Ahaah... Mmhmm!" *Her entrance tightened and twitched around my fingertip with incredible strength. I tried moving my finger slowly as I felt her pressure.* *Scmk, schk...* Yuri: "Aaaah, mm... aaaah, ah..." *She moaned in tune to my finger's movements. Her voice was mind-numbingly sweet.* *The prim and proper impression I had of Yuri-san only made her moans sound all the more obscene.* Yuri: "Ah, aah... your finger, is inside... aaauuh..." Tomoe: "You can tell my finger is inside?" Yuri: "I... can... It's in, deep... aaah!" *It apparently felt like my finger was in deep, but I had actually only put it in up to my first knuckle.* *I was going to stick something several times longer than this into her shortly. Would she be all right?* Tomoe: "Yuri-san, I'm going to push it in a little further." *It would probably be best to get her a little more acclimated.* Yuri: "Huh? ...Ahh, mm... aaah?!" *Schlp... Schlk...* *With that slick sensation, my finger was now halfway into Yuri-san.* *The pressure was incredible.* Tomoe: "Does it hurt?" Yuri: "It doesn't, but..." *Her forehead wrinkled up with both confusion and desire.* Tomoe: "You've gotten really wet." *The transparent, sticky fluid clung around my finger. It felt like she was burning hotter by the second.* *She was also beginning to feel softer and softer.* Yuri: "It feels like... my body is starting to burn up..." *Now that she mentioned it, her once pale skin had flushed a faint shade of pink.* Tomoe: "It's very sexy." Yuri: "No way... ahuuh... ah, ah..." *I could tell I was also beginning to move my finger more and more boldly.* *Little by little, my sense of reason was being driven into the corner of my mind.* *Tmp, mmpch, tmp...* Yuri: "Yaah, aaah... mmuh, aah... Tomoe-kun... I can't... aah, aah..." *She stared at me with a wistful look in her eyes as she cried out in a bewitching voice.* *Her expression told me she was expecting something more.* Tomoe: "Yuri-san... Here I go." *I pressed my rock-hard penis against her wet entrance.* *She silently nodded and closed her eyes tightly, as if bracing herself.* *Schmk...* *After putting some force into it, the tip of my penis went inside. It was immediately met with a frightening intensity.* Yuri: "Oh... aaah..." Tomoe: "Are you okay?" Yuri: "Y-Yes... Mmm..." Tomoe: "Ahh..." *The pressure of her vaginal walls increased every time she moaned.* *Yuri-san was so incredibly tight inside, but thanks to how moist her depths were, I felt as though I could proceed somehow.* Tomoe: "I'm going to press a little harder, okay?" Yuri: "Go ahead... I'm... all right..." *Yuri-san smiled bravely.* *The pressure was intense enough to hurt me, so it must have been even worse for her, and yet, she was still smiling out of consideration for me.* Tomoe: "I'll be as gentle as possible." *I wanted to reward her feelings, so I pressed my dick forward as tenderly as possible.* *Shlick... schmk...* Yuri: "Ahh... aah... mm..." *Yuri-san bit her lip. It was painful to watch how badly she was scrunching up her forehead.* *But I didn't have the luxury of being able to worry about just her, either.* *Schlp... Fwsssh...* Tomoe: "Hah... oh... aah..." *My cock was attacked with furious pleasure as it rubbed against her narrow walls.* *The pleasure was so intense that it was almost painful at times. The extreme friction was enough to make my sensitive glans sore.* Tomoe: "Just a little further..." Yuri: "Y-Yes... Please do... Aaah... Ah..." *Bit by bit, my penis progressed further into her, repeatedly advancing and regressing in tiny intervals.* Yuri: "Aah, mm... Tomoe-kun, it's... going, inside me..." Tomoe: "Y-Yes... just a... little more..." *Then, I instantly filled the final gap.* *Fwsssh... Schlp!* Yuri: "Wah... aaaaaaah...!" *Our bodies fit together perfectly, with no gap whatsoever. There wasn't even a millimeter of space between us.* Tomoe: "It's all the way in..." Yuri: "Ah..." *Yuri-san turned her attention to where our bodies were joined. Her eyes opened wide with surprise.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun, you're... completely... inside me...?" *I nodded back to her question.* Yuri: "That huge thing fit completely inside me? What a surprise." Tomoe: "Does it hurt?" Yuri: "It does... But not as much as I thought it would." *There was no mistaking that she was in some amount of pain. I stayed still inside of her for a while.* Tomoe: "It feels like you're moving inside even while we're still, huh?" *I could feel the sensation of Yuri-san's wriggling pussy against my dick.* Yuri: "It isn't like... I am trying to make it move... Mm... It is twitching... on its own... Aah... aah..." Tomoe: "Oh, ahh... You... feel incredible inside..." *At this rate, it felt like I might come even if I stayed perfectly still.* *But thanks to her pussy's steady movements, I had kind of gotten used to being inside of her.* Tomoe: "Is it okay if I move a little, then?" Yuri: "Yes... Go ahead..." *After getting her permission, I slowly started to move.* *Schk, schmk...* *Lewd squishes rang out from where we were joined with each thrust.* Yuri: "Ah, aah... you're... moving..." Tomoe: "You can tell?" Yuri: "I... can... wah, aah... You are going, to come out..." *I was pulling my hips so far back my penis almost came out, but I reversed direction just before and pushed my dick back into her once more.* *Fwsssh...* Yuri: "Ah, aaaah... it came, inside again... mm... aah... your penis, is rubbing, me inside..." Tomoe: "Y-Yes... gah... it's rubbing, a lot..." *Schmk, fwsssh... Tmp...* *Yuri-san got wetter and wetter with each thrust, to the point where it seemed like she would overflow.* *The severe pressure made her walls feel rough, but I continued to thrust my cock into them all the same.* *Before I knew it, a pleasure so great, it made me want to pull back suddenly ran through my dick and crawled up my spine.* Tomoe: "Ah, aah... Yuri-san..." Yuri: "Ah, mm, mmm... aah, Tomoe-kun... mmm, aaah... aah, aaaaaah..." *Yuri-san's voice grew louder continually, and the noisier she became, the more her natural lubricant began to flow.* *The love fluids I rubbed out of her with my penis created a huge stain on the sheets.* Yuri: "Auuh, mmm... mm, ahaah... mm... wah, haah..." Yuri: "Yaah, aah... my voice..." *Yuri-san sounded ashamed of her cries. She was trying so hard to hold back, but moans continued to escape her with every thrust.* *It actually made her look even more lewd.* Tomoe: "Does it feel that good?" Yuri: "Th-That's... mm, aaah... mmm! Yah, aah, it is going in so deep..." Yuri: "Hmmm, wahah, aaaah... Tomoe-kun, you are, reaching deep, inside... aaan, hyuu, mmmmm!" *Tmp, tmp... Tmp, tmp...* Yuri: "Ah, it's making... it's making, a dirty sound... mmm, aan, yah, aah... It is so embarrassing..." Tomoe: "Hah, ooh... Yuri-san, Yuri-san, you're so, tight... Ahh, ooh..." *With my dick fully engulfed, her entryway squeezed the base of my penis tightly. Her pussy was winding like it was alive, and stimulating me from inside her.* Tomoe: "Yuri-san... ooh!" *I was almost at my breaking point. My member had swelled so much, it wouldn't surprise me if I exploded at any moment.* Yuri: "Ah, aah... Tomoe-kun... ah, mmm!" Tomoe: "Yuri-san, I'm... going to..." *I said aloud as I reached the end of my rope.* Yuri: "Huh, what...?" *Yuri-san didn't seem to understand, but I didn't have time to explain.* Tomoe: "Sorry, I'm going to be a little rough..." Yuri: "Huh? ...Ah, aah!" *I pushed my hips forward powerfully, and my penis was buried all at once. Next, I pulled out in one go.* Yuri: "Aauh, ah, aaaah...!" Yuri: "Tomoe-kun... so intense... mm, aaah, ah! ...Haah, aah, mm... aah, Tomoe-kuuuun...!" *Her voice turned shrill as she was fiercely thrust into.* *Schmk, fwsssh... Tmp, tmp...!* *Nectar seeped out with each mighty thrust. After being relentlessly ransacked, the froth clung to our bodies like grime.* Yuri: "Hahah... oh! Mm, ah! Tomoe-kun... Mmm... Haah, hah... I love you...!" *Yuri-san said in a strained voice. This was her first time putting her feelings into words for me.* Tomoe: "Yuri-san... oh..." *My penis reacted to those feelings and the pressure of Yuri-san's insides.* Yuri: "Ah, mmaaah...! Tomoe-kun... I love you... Ah...! I love you...!" *With that declaration, the floodgates burst open and she continued to say "I love you" over and over again. Every time she said so, she became incredibly tight.* *Her insides grew stickier while I furiously churned her tight pussy with my cock. It felt like her insides were clinging to me.* *Likewise, it felt like we were becoming more connected─like our bond was becoming stronger.* Tomoe: "Hah, aah... Yuri-san... I'm..." Yuri: "Aaah, Tomoe-kun... mm, aaah, mm, wah, Tomoe... kun...!" Tomoe: "Guh, oooh...!" *The sensitive part of my glans rubbed against her textured walls. That was all I could take.* Tomoe: "Yuri... oooh!" *I pulled my dick out of her as quickly as I could.* Yuri: "Ah..." *White fluid gushed vigorously from my uprooted penis. It flew onto Yuri-san from her stomach all the way up to her face.* Yuri: "Aah? Oh, ah... ah, aah...?" Tomoe: "Hah, ooh..." Yuri: "Aaaah, something hot, is... mmm, mmmhm... mmmuh..." Yuri: "Aauh, mm... it's still, coming, out... mm, ah... There's so, much of, it, Tomoe-kun..." Tomoe: "Yuri-san... ooh..." *After collecting myself, I couldn't help but feel shocked. I came a dreadful amount and coated Yuri-san in syrupy fluid, some of which had spewed from her stomach to her cheeks.* Tomoe: "I-I'm sorry..." Yuri: "Not at all... The more that came out, the better it felt for you, right?" Tomoe: "Um... well, yeah. Probably." *I wasn't entirely sure about that, but it _was_ true that it felt really good.* Yuri: "It certainly is an interesting smell..." *Yuri-san smelled the semen I had drenched her in.* Tomoe: "That's... really embarrassing..." Yuri: "Oh, is it? I'm sorry..." Yuri: "This is your baby batter... isn't it?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I guess so." Yuri: "This is..." *Yuri-san scooped up the semen on her chest with her finger and stared, investigating it closely.*

*I suddenly found myself thinking Yuri-san would surely make a good mom and wife.* *Even though she didn't wish for it herself.* *I was sure she could become happier if she only wished for it. After all, she was such a lovely woman.* *However, she didn't even try to obtain such happiness. She had given up on it of her own accord.* *Yuri-san wasn't living for herself, but for Momo-chan instead.* *I wished she would love herself more. I wanted to teach her just how wonderful a person she was.* *How could I do that?* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun?" *She gazed up at me with concern.* Yuri: "Is something wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?" Tomoe: "No, it's not that... Um, Yuri-san?" Yuri: "Yes?" Tomoe: "Happy birthday. Thank you... for being born, and for meeting me." *I wanted to convey how I felt somehow. Those were the words that came naturally as a result.* Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san went rigid as she looked up at me. I said it without thinking, but did she think it was strange?* Tomoe: "Um... Huh?" *Tears quickly spilled from her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks.* Tomoe: "Huh? Um... did what I said hurt your feelings?" Yuri: "No... It isn't that..." Yuri: "Oh... oooh... ooh..." *Covering her face with her hands, she began to cry, sobbing softly. She muffled her voice for what felt like an eternity...*

Yuri: "My eyes aren't red, are they?" *She looked over at me. They _did_ seem kind of red, but it may have just been because of the sunset.* Tomoe: "I think they're probably better than earlier." *She _had_ cried quite a bit. The redness likely wouldn't dissipate for a while.* Yuri: "I am sorry for crying so much." Tomoe: "No, that's all right." *I still didn't know why she had cried so hard.* Tomoe: "Are you sure I didn't say something to hurt your feelings?" Yuri: "No, that isn't it. It's the opposite..." Tomoe: "The opposite?" Yuri: "I was really happy." *Tears began to well in her eyes once more.* Yuri: "Because I never thought anyone would say something like that to me. That anyone would ever thank me for being born..." Yuri: "I never thought anyone would be so accepting of me. So..." *She was on the verge of tears again, and seemed to be at a loss for words.* Yuri: "I'm happy, even if it is a lie." Tomoe: "I wasn't lying. I really do feel that way." Tomoe: "I'm glad you were born, Yuri-san. If you hadn't been, I never would have gotten to meet you." Tomoe: "That's why I want you to know this. You were born into this world to be loved." Tomoe: "You were born into this world to receive so much more love than you know... That's what I believe." *I got everything I wanted to say off my chest in no uncertain terms.* *I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. It was so sudden, she probably thought it was strange.* *But she had heard me out until the very end.* Yuri: "Thank you very much..." *She bowed with a smile.* Yuri: "I am very happy." Tomoe: "It's nothing... I just said what was on my mind." *Yuri-san's smile was so dazzling, I found myself looking away. I suddenly felt embarrassed by what I had said.* Yuri: "Please let me say something, too." Tomoe: "Yes?" Yuri: "You're the same, Tomoe-kun. I believe you were born into this world to be loved, too." Tomoe: "I was...?" Yuri: "Yes. I want you to lead a life brimming with lots of love, too, Tomoe-kun." *I was confused. All she had done was repeat what I told her back at me, but it left me puzzled.* *I was born to be loved?* *I had said the same, but when it was directed at me, I just couldn't wrap my head around it.* *I mean, there was no way I had such a right.* Yuri: "You are the same as me. We're identical. I want you to understand that." Tomoe: "I'm..." *Yes, she was probably right. I felt such an affinity for Yuri-san, and we were so similar. If she was deserving, then maybe I was, too...* *But I honestly just couldn't believe it, no matter what.* *How great would it be if I could believe her? If I could believe the words she spoke, that I was born to be loved?* *Maybe then I might be saved.* *But was I a human being worthy of salvation?* Yuri: "If you are so sure that my life is worth living... then please acknowledge your own worth, Tomoe-kun." Yuri: "If you do, I think I will be able to believe what you said..." Tomoe: "Yuri-san..." *Was she telling me to be a model for her? That I should prove what I'd said first?* *Yes, that might be the right approach. But, I...* Yuri: "It is all right." *She grabbed my hand to encourage me.* Yuri: "I am sure you can do it." *I finally realized she was the one who had supported me.* *Our positions had been completely reversed. I had been trying to support her; what was I doing being supported instead?* *If I were to change, would Yuri-san be able to change, too? That could be what she wished for.* *She may have wanted me to prove that people can change. All the more because she believed we were similar.* *If I can change, she could change, too... That may have been her basis.* *But was I capable of something like that?* *Someone like me...*

Yuri: "..." *I was emotionally shocked. I never thought simply spending the day with Tomoe-kun could jar me so.* Yuri: "I thought it would just be for today..." *We would only meet for today. This would be the last time. That was why I was so bold during our time together.* *Wanting it to be our final memory, we even slept together, but then...* Yuri: "Thank you... for being born..." *When I said it aloud, I felt like I was going to cry again.* *I knew I wasn't worthy of hearing those words, nor did I deserve to be spoken of so highly.* *But...* Yuri: "Having someone appreciate you makes you feel so happy." *I ended up thinking that, and was truly happy.* *Likewise, I knew Tomoe-kun felt equally undeserving, but I felt the same way about him as he did me.* *I wanted to tell Tomoe-kun loudly and clearly, "Thank you for being born."* *I wanted to say it over and over again. I wanted him to know how I felt.* *I wanted him to lead a happy life, beloved by all sorts of people.* *However, as hard as those sentiments were for me to accept, Tomoe-kun seemed to reject them even worse.* *I had been able to cry, but he hadn't shed a single tear.* *His heart must have been scarred far more than my own. I could sense it.* Yuri: "I am sure something really painful happened to him." *There was no doubting that, but he never relied on anyone. It made me sad to see him enduring it all alone. I wondered to myself if there was anything I could do.* *Even though I had to continue dedicating my life to Momo...* *Were these... feelings of betrayal toward Momo?* *I wasn't thinking anything so convenient as wishing for my own happiness. I wanted _him_ to be happy.* *Was that line of thinking in itself betraying Momo?* Yuri: "...I don't know." *What should I do?* *Before I knew it, I made it back home while brooding over those thoughts.* Yuri: "Huh...?" *An unexpected figure was waiting out front. It was Momo.* Yuri: "Momo, what's the matter?" *I trembled in place. All of the blood drained from my face. I turned white as paper, and my lips were deathly pale.* Yuri: "Were you waiting here the whole time? Since when? Why...?" *All sorts of questions came to mind, but I didn't know what I should ask first.* Momo: "Onee-chan, it's your birthday. Where did you go?" *The sound of Momo's quivering voice nearly made my heart stop. Something told me she knew that I had been with Tomoe-kun...* Yuri: "I-I told you, didn't I? That I was going to the school to look into job placement." Momo: "Really?" *Momo's pure eyes stared up at me. I nearly looked away, but endured it for dear life.* Yuri: "It's true. Where else would I go?" *My chest ached with each lie, but I was sure it would hurt Momo if I told her the truth...* Momo: "Yeah, I guess you're right. That's good, then." *A smile returned to her pearly face. She seemed to understand. Thank goodness.* Yuri: "Let's hurry and get inside, then. You'll catch a cold. We need to get you into the bath." Momo: "Yeah." Momo: "...Huh?" Yuri: "What's wrong?" Momo: "Onee-chan... You don't smell like yourself, somehow." Yuri: "Huh? Smell...?" *This time, I nearly wondered if my heart _had_ stopped. I had taken a shower, but the smell from earlier may have lingered. Tomoe-kun's scent...* Yuri: "It looks like I worked up a bit of a sweat. I'd better hop in for a quick shower." Momo: "A sweat? Is that so? You'd better get into the shower right away, then." Yuri: "Yeah, let's go." Momo: "Yeah." Momo: "..."

Tomoe: "..." *Yuri-san had been on my mind since yesterday.* *Specifically, what she had said to me.* Yuri: "If you are so sure that my life is worth living... then please acknowledge your own worth, Tomoe-kun." Tomoe: "That's easier said than done..." *Maybe it really was too convenient for me to tell Yuri-san to admit to something I couldn't even do myself.* *But no matter how similar we may be, she and I were still different...* *I thought that far when I suddenly realized something.* Tomoe: "I wonder what happened to Yuri-san?" *There must have been some reason she couldn't forgive herself, right? I finally hit that wall.* *Without knowing that, I couldn't heal her heart.* Aine: "You have had this serious look on your face for a while now." Tomoe: "Yeah, I guess." Aine: "Did something happen with Yuri-san yesterday?" Tomoe: "Yeah, a few things." *A _lot_ of stuff happened, actually. Including _that_...* Tomoe: "..." Aine: "Why are you blushing?" Tomoe: "...I'm not blushing." Aine: "You are! Your ears are a little red." *Of all people, Aine was surprisingly sharp-sighted.* Aine: "Did you have fun on your date?" Tomoe: "If I had to say one way or the other, then maybe." *Our time together almost felt like a dream. When I thought back on it, it was so surreal.* *But... it really was fun.* Aine: "See? Are you not glad you left it to me~? You should be grateful! A banana will do." Tomoe: "You're an angel, but you're looking for a reward?" Aine: "There is nothing wrong with something as simple as a banana!" *What a difficult angel. Well, I guess if all she wanted as a reward was a banana, I could probably treat her to one later.* Tomoe: "Oh, I wonder who that is?" Aine: "I will go see!" *Aine likely realized she'd be able to score a banana and headed to the entryway in a good mood.* Tomoe: "She's awfully calculating for an angel." Tomoe: "..." *Once I was alone, Yuri-san popped into my mind once more. How could I respond to Yuri-san's feelings?* Tomoe: "How could I have any sort of worth...?" *How could I get into that mindset? To believe it was a good thing I was born...?* *Changing the past was the only way. To go back to that moment with a time machine and do it over again.* *But time machines didn't exist in real life, and I couldn't change what had already transpired.* Tomoe: "Yuri-san, this is difficult..." *Without meaning to, I groaned that thought aloud.* *I quickly looked around, but luckily, Aine hadn't come back yet.* Tomoe: "It sure is quiet. Didn't someone show up?" *Scoot... Scoot...* Tomoe: "...Hm?" *I heard some noise.* *Slide... Slide...* *It sounded like something heavy was being dragged along, and it was getting closer and closer.* Tomoe: "Aine? What's wrong?" Tomoe: "..." *There was no response when I called to her.* Tomoe: "Ai─" *Clunk!* Tomoe: "Urgg...?!"

*...* *...* Tomoe: "Oh..." *A massive headache brought me to my senses. The back of my head was throbbing, and it was so hot, it felt like it had caught fire.* *What in the world happened...?* Tomoe: "Huh...?" *For a moment, I couldn't tell what was going on.* *Before I knew it, the room had gone dark, and the only light source was coming from the TV that Aine had left on.* *Someone stood there with that light shining behind them.* *For a brief moment, I wondered who it was. But I quickly realized it was someone who shouldn't be here.* *Why was Momo-chan here?* *And what was that in her hands? ...A metal bat?* *Was that what hit me?* *But why would Momo-chan do that?* *A dizzying bundle of questions was circling around in my head.* *I tried to stand up, but couldn't. My hands were tied behind my back.* *Come to think of it, what happened to Aine? My head was free, so I turned and looked around.* *Aine was tumbled over beside me and, as I'd expected, was tied up.* Momo: "Are you awake?" *Her incredibly cold voice fell upon me. I could hardly believe it was her, but without a doubt, it was definitely Momo-chan.* Tomoe: "Wh-Why...?" *My voice was hoarse from pain. My head throbbed every time I spoke, but I couldn't help but ask. Why would she do this?* Momo: "Because you committed a sin." Tomoe: "Sin? What sin?" Momo: "The sin of trying to steal Onee-chan from me." *I could see icy flames burning in her eyes.* *When I gazed into those eyes, I realized this wasn't something she had done in a blind rage. She had planned this out from the start.* *She wanted a nuisance like me out of the picture.* Tomoe: "You're the one who tossed trash all over my yard and slashed all of my clothes, aren't you?" Momo: "Of course it was me. Couldn't you tell? I made it pretty obvious." *Yes, I had known all along it was her, but I didn't want to believe it. No, I forced myself to doubt the fact. I convinced myself it wasn't true.* *But it had been her after all.* Tomoe: "What're you planning to do?" Momo: "Good question. I wonder..." *Momo-chan quietly looked down at me.* Momo: "Maybe I'll give you a good beating, just enough so you don't die, so you won't be able to solicit my Onee-chan ever again. Or, maybe it would be easier if I killed you?" *Momo-chan said as she gazed at the metal bat in her hands.* *The look in her eyes was serious. This wasn't a joke or threat. She was really going to...* Aine: "Oh... W-Wait...!" *Aine twisted around and spoke.* Aine: "You are... wrong...! Tomoe-san... did not... solicit her...!" *Still bound, Aine tried desperately to pick herself up. Upon closer inspection, Aine was pretty run-down. It seemed she'd been struck quite a bit, too.* Tomoe: "Hey, are you okay?" Aine: "I am fine...!" *She didn't look fine to me, but she still took a firm look up at Momo-chan.* Aine: "Tomoe-san did not solicit Yuri-san in any way." Momo: "That's a strange story you're telling, isn't it? Then why was Onee-chan sneaking around to meet this guy?" Momo: "I know everything. Especially how those two met up yesterday." *This time, there was a fiery, seething blaze in her eyes. Were those the flames of jealousy?* Tomoe: "Yuri-san... told you?" Momo: "She didn't say a thing. Onee-chan told me she didn't meet you, but I knew better." Momo: "Onee-chan lied to me. She lied and is meeting you in secret. She's never lied to me before now..." *Momo-chan murmured in a quiet voice, one you'd expect to hear when reciting a prayer, as she prodded a nearby table with her bat.* Momo: "Onee-chan has changed ever since you showed up. She used to look at me and me alone. She only ever thought about me." Momo: "Ever since you showed up, she's been fixated on you far more than me..." Tomoe: "That's not true. You're just assuming things." Tomoe: "Yuri-san thinks of you, and only you, Momo-chan!" *So much so that I wished she would think about herself more. Momo-chan was her entire world, but it still wasn't enough for her?* Momo: "You're wrong. She used to think more of me, you know?" *The quiet, disinterested way she replied was eerie and terrifying.* Momo: "She used to give me much more thought, but now, you're all that's on her mind." Momo: "Before, she only had eyes for me. Now, she doesn't even look my way. She's always staring at you instead, isn't she?" Momo: "Why else could that be unless he seduced her?" Aine: "Y-You are wrong! He did not seduce her or anything of the sort! They are dating!" Tomoe: "Aine, stop it." Aine: "No, I will not stop! I have to clear up this misunderstanding or I will feel bad for Yuri-san, too!" Momo: "You feel bad for Onee-chan?" Momo: "Ahaha... If anyone deserves pity, it's me." Momo: "Maybe you don't know? Let me tell you all about it, then. About how much my heart hurts." *Momo-chan raised the bat overhead.* Tomoe: "Look out...!" *WHAM!* Aine: "Gyah!" *Aine took a direct hit from the baseball bat as it swung down, and rolled onto her back.* Tomoe: "Stop it!" Momo: "Silence." *Thump!* *She hit me this time. I managed to twist my body and avoid a direct hit. The bat grazed the side of my forehead, but that was enough to make blood spew from the wound. My vision was stained red.* Momo: "Does it hurt? Well, I hurt even more. Deal with it, okay?" Momo: "Because I'm far worse off than you." *Why did Momo-chan think of herself that way?* *Why did she insist she was so pitiful?* Aine: "Urg, guh..." *Aine was trying to get back up again.* Tomoe: "Aine, stay down." Aine: "I... cannot..." *Aine didn't listen and sat up once more.* Aine: "I-If you think that way... then you, will never... be happy, either..." Aine: "A heart... filled... with hatred and jealousy... will never be... happy..." *Though painfully and in short bursts, Aine desperately pleaded to Momo-chan.* *For her to rise up after such a harsh beating, it couldn't have just been for Yuri-san's and my sake.* *Aine was worried about Momo-chan, too.* Momo: "Who the hell are you supposed to be? What do _you_ know about me?" Aine: "I... know... because... I am an angel..." *Aine willingly revealed her true identity, but Momo-chan only stared blankly in response.* Momo: "Huh, an angel? What're you talking about? Did I hit you so hard you went funny in the head?" Aine: "It is true... I am... an angel..." *Aine clenched her teeth and mustered her strength for dear life.* *Her body was enveloped in a faint light, and she transformed into her angelic form.* Momo: "...What's that? A magic trick?" Aine: "No... It is real..." *Momo-chan touched Aine's feathers timidly at first, then took a firm grip and tugged.* Aine: "Guh... Th-They are... genuine..." Momo: "I can't pull them off. Are these seriously growing out of you?" Aine: "Yes... Do you believe me now?" Momo: "...I can't believe it." *She mumbled under her breath.* Aine: "Why...? This angel's halo, and feathers, are real..." Momo: "THAT'S NOT IT!" *She suddenly raised her voice. Her expression was filled with a fury that hadn't been there before.* Momo: "If angels are real, then why are Onee-chan and I so unhappy...?" *Her voice was trembling ever so slightly.* Aine: "W-Well..." Momo: "WHY DIDN'T ANGELS BRING US HAPPINESS?!" *Thump!* Aine: "Gyaaah!" *Aine's body went flying.* Tomoe: "Aine!" Tomoe: "Stop it already!" Momo: "What's wrong with this little beating? For an angel, she's totally useless." Tomoe: "If you attack her any more, she'll die." Momo: "Oh, angels can die? Maybe I should try it out?" *She lifted the metal bat above her head once more. Then...* Tomoe: "Stop it!" *The bat swung downwards.* Yuri: "Stop, Momo!" Momo: "Huh...?" *Whack!* *The bat swayed and struck the floor beside Aine's head.* *Momo-chan looked up, still in swinging position.* *Yuri-san stood there to meet her gaze.* Momo: "Onee-chan... Why are you here?" Yuri: "It was getting late and I couldn't find you, so I thought, 'What if?'" *Yuri-san looked down at Aine and me crawling around on the floor like caterpillars and grimaced.* Yuri: "This is terrible... Are you all right?" Tomoe: "I'm okay. Forget me; Aine is..." *Aine had completely lost consciousness, and hadn't moved a muscle for some time now.* *If I remembered correctly, Aine once said that angels could die if they took sufficient damage while in corporeal form.* Yuri: "Momo, stop already. Please." *Yuri-san said, standing in her way. No, she was begging.* *Momo-chan watched her beg with a stone-cold stare.* Momo: "Onee-chan, you're protecting these guys?" *The expression that appeared on her face was more of sadness than anger.* Yuri: "Don't call them, 'these guys.' These two are your big sister's precious friends." Momo: "Friends?" *A warped smile crossed her face once more.* Momo: "Onee-chan, you do sexy things with your 'friends'?" Yuri: "Huh...? Wh-What are you talking about?" *She had tried so hard to remain calm, but was completely unsuccessful. Yuri-san was ruffled, her voice shaking.* Momo: "Aha, so I was right? I asked for the hell of it, but anyone could figure it out after seeing you get so flustered." Yuri: "Ah..." *Yuri-san covered her mouth, but it was too late.* Momo: "But I already knew that. You reeked yesterday, Onee-chan. That was the smell of a man, wasn't it?" Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san's face flushed a deep crimson. It must have been humiliating to hear your little sister say such horrible things.* Tomoe: "Stop this. You don't want to hurt Yuri-san either, do you, Momo-chan?" Momo: "What do you know?" Tomoe: "Yeah, I don't know anything. Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to hold Yuri-san back so much?" Yuri: "Tomoe-kun, stop..." *Yuri-san begged me to stop, but I couldn't help myself.* Tomoe: "Surely Yuri-san has a right to live her own life. Not just for your sake; her _own_ life." *That was how things should be. There was no room for argument.* *Or so I thought...* Momo: "No, she doesn't." *Momo-chan answered with a frivolous laugh.* Tomoe: "She doesn't...? Why do you say that?" Momo: "Because it's true. Onee-chan has to pay for the sin she committed against me." Tomoe: "Huh...?" Yuri: "Momo..." *Yuri-san's face went pale. Like she had just realized something that she herself didn't want to believe to be true.* Yuri: "Don't tell me, you..." Momo: "That's right. I know what you did." *Momo-chan sneered back at her. Yuri-san's face continued to turn whiter and whiter, almost like paper.* Yuri: "It can't be... Since when...?" Momo: "I've known all along. I still remember it." Momo: "Uh-uh, trying to forget it just made what happened that night more unforgettable. After all..." Yuri: "Stop... Please..." Momo: "After all, that was the night you killed Mom and Dad!" Yuri: "No!" *Yuri-san covered her ears and crouched to the ground.* Tomoe: "...Huh?" *What did Momo-chan just say?* *That her sister had killed their parents?* *Was _THAT_ what she said?* *Yuri-san was still crouched down and trembling. It definitely didn't look like what Momo-chan said was complete nonsense.* Tomoe: "What do you mean...?" Momo: "Exactly what I said. Onee-chan killed Mom and Dad." Tomoe: "Killed them...?" *I couldn't accept it at face value. That couldn't possibly be true, could it? Yuri-san killing her mom and dad...* Yuri: "..." Momo: "I'll tell you. Exactly what Onee-chan did." Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san didn't raise her voice anymore. She simply held her head in her hands and trembled.* Momo: "It was the night Mom was sick in bed with a cold." *Momo-chan began to tell the story.* Momo: "Onee-chan said she would cook dinner." Yuri: "...Momo, you really remember?" *Yuri-san asked without so much as lifting her head.* Momo: "I do. You were trying to show off for Mom and Dad, huh?" Yuri: "..." *Yuri-san went silent and listened, as if she had used up all of her energy.* Momo: "And when you did, you started a fire." Tomoe: "A fire..." Momo: "The oil burst into flames, and then the whole house caught on fire." *Only when she said "caught on fire" did Momo-chan actually look sad.* Momo: "It wasn't just the house that burned. So did Mom and Dad." Yuri: "...!" *I finally understood what had happened.* *Their parents passed away in a fire, and Yuri-san was the one who caused it.* Tomoe: "That was just an accident. She didn't kill them..." Momo: "IT'S THE SAME THING! Mom and Dad burning up in that fire IS THE SAME THING!" *Momo-chan's cries made Yuri-san shake so hard, it was like she was having a spasm.* Tomoe: "It isn't the same. An accident is an accident." *The result may have been the same, but they were two totally different things.* Yuri: "No, it is the same... I... killed Father and Mother..." Tomoe: "Yuri-san..." *She was crying.* Yuri: "I killed Mother and Father..." Momo: "THAT'S RIGHT! YOU STOLE MOM AND DAD AWAY FROM ME!" *Momo-chan was crying, too. Crying, screaming, and biting her lip enough to make it bleed.* Momo: "That's why you must only look at me. Think only of me; live only for me." Momo: "You have to fill Mom and Dad's place, and you have to do it all alone." Yuri: "Yes... I have to make you happy, Momo. Since I'm the one who stole your happiness away..." *She said in the most tragic way possible, all while looking completely broken in spirit.* Tomoe: "...It's true that you may have done something with permanent consequences, Yuri-san." Tomoe: "But you definitely have the wrong idea. You didn't do it on purpose, so it would be wrong for you to give up on your own life." Yuri: "No, it isn't wrong. Besides, my motives were misguided." Tomoe: "Motives?" Yuri: "Cooking in Mother's place... What she says is correct, but my real intentions were selfish." Yuri: "Back then, it felt like my mother and father were being stolen away by my little sister." Yuri: "They would always say, 'You're the big sister, Yuri' and I would have to make do without, all the time." Yuri: "It felt like their attention was always focused on Momo, and I wanted them to pay attention to me, too..." Momo: "So when Mama got sick, you showed off, huh? You showed off and started a fire." Yuri: "That is correct..." Yuri: "Mother couldn't get away in time since she was sick in bed, so after saving us, Father rushed back into the house to try and save her, but ultimately never came back..." *Yuri-san began to cry. Those tears were stained with blood.* *I wondered just how much she blamed herself, and how much she regretted it?* *The direct result, and the conclusion she reached, likely led to her feeling like she had no choice but to make Momo-chan happy with her own two hands.* *And also in contrast, she'd formed the firm impression that she personally couldn't ever be happy.* *She must have been punishing herself ever since. Nobody would ever absolve her, not even herself.* *At this rate, she would continue to punish herself for the rest of her life.* Tomoe: "Yuri-san..." *I wanted to tell her that all was forgiven. If it were within my power, I would say it a thousand times more if I had to.* *But I knew it would be absolutely pointless for me to forgive her. It was out of my hands.* Tomoe: "Momo-chan, forgive Yuri-san already." Momo: "What the hell are you going on about? You make it sound like she's the one suffering because I won't forgive her." Tomoe: "No, that isn't it..." Momo: "_I'm_ the one who's suffering! _I'm_ the one who's sad! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A DAMN THING!" *BAM!* *The bat swung down and struck my shoulder.* Tomoe: "Guh..." Yuri: "Momo, stop...! I'm the bad guy here, right? It's got nothing to do with Tomoe-kun..." Momo: "Does it _really_ have nothing to do with him? You love me more than this guy, right, Onee-chan?" Yuri: "...That's right." *Yuri-san answered painfully.* Momo: "What was with the pause? Why did you hesitate?" Yuri: "I'm not hesitating! You're the most precious thing in the world to me, Momo... Nothing else matters..." *Yuri-san pleaded through her tears. The very sound of her distressed voice could break one's heart, and made my chest ache.* Momo: "Then why did you have sex with a guy like this?" Yuri: "W-Well..." *There was no way she could answer that question. No matter her answer, I was sure Momo-chan wouldn't accept it.* Momo: "I wonder why? Having sex with someone you don't even like sure is strange, huh?" Yuri: "Well... That's..." Momo: "Oh, I know!" *She suddenly smiled and raised her hands.* Momo: "It's because sex feels super good, right? So anyone would've been fine, right?" *Her voice was so coercing that it didn't allow for any argument.* Yuri: "That's... right..." *Yuri-san hung her head like a wilted flower. It was the very picture of someone who had given up on everything. Just then, a possibility occurred to me.* *Could Yuri-san's heart be fractured?* Momo: "If it feels that great, then I kinda want to try to it too... Sex." Yuri: "Huh...?" *A fiendish glint dwelled in Momo-chan's eyes.* Momo: "I can join in, can't I? I mean, you say it feels so great, Onee-chan." *She said that as she stared at me. I immediately understood what sort of trial I was about to go through.* Momo: "Hey, let's all feel good together. We might just get along better if we do." Momo: "Right?" Yuri: "..."

Momo: "Oh, ugh..." Momo: "Ah... You're a liar, Onee-chan... It hurts...!" *Momo-chan criticized her sister as I penetrated her.* Yuri: "Yah, aah... Momo, you can't..." Momo: "Yah! That's no fair. You're the only one enjoying yourself, Onee-chan. It still hurts for me!" Momo: "Does this spot feel that good?" *She watched Yuri-san's expression warp as she rustled another finger into Yuri-san's core.* Yuri: "Ah, don't... ah, aaah... mmm!" Momo: "You're pretty amazing down here, you know that? It's just oozing... You were this much of a perv, huh, Onee-chan?" Yuri: "No... hmmm, yah, aah... don't do that... so much... annngg, mmm... yah, aaah, aah...!" Tomoe: "Momo-chan, stop it... This isn't going to accomplish anything..." Momo: "You aren't very convincing with that look on your face. Especially when your dick is so hard." *Momo-chan's insides squeezed tight.* Tomoe: "Guh, oooh... Momo-chan... ah, guh..." Momo: "You two look like you're pretty pleased... Seeing those euphoric faces of yours... might be helping me start to enjoy myself, too..." Momo: "Mmm, guh, aaah! Aah, aaah...!" *Momo-chan swung her hips as she tormented Yuri-san.* Momo: "Aaaah, mm, mm, aah... It hurts... mm, but... it might feel kinda good, too..." Tomoe: "Guh, ooh..." *Was Momo-chan so tight down there because she was even more petite than Yuri-san? The pressure was overwhelming.* *She was so tight it hurt. However, she continued to swing her hips relentlessly all the same.* Momo: "Ahh, mm, your dick might feel kinda good... Tomoe, your dick is destroying my insides!" Yuri: "Momo... Ah, mm, yaah, aaah...!" Momo: "Ehehe, you look like you're enjoying yourself, too, Onee-chan..." Yuri: "I'm not... ah, aaah, yah, yaaaah...!" *Yuri-san let out sweet, anguished cries as Momo-chan teased her pussy.* *It was a hellishly immoral and impure sight.* Momo: "I guess you really _aren't_ a virgin anymore, are you? That's why you don't mind me sticking so many fingers inside." *Momo-chan had pushed a few fingers inside of Yuri-san.* Yuri: "D-Don't... do that... ugg, ow..." *She may not have been a virgin, but we had only done it once. It would obviously hurt to have that much shoved into her.* Tomoe: "Momo-chan... don't be so... rough with... her..." Momo: "Aren't _you_ the one who was rough with her, Tomoe? You hurt her, didn't you?" Tomoe: "Well..." Momo: "This is all your doing, so why am I being blamed? Do you want to become the only one special to Onee-chan?" Tomoe: "That isn't it. I..." Tomoe: "Guh, ooh..." *Momo-chan's inner walls clenched around me so hard that it hurt.* Momo: "It's pointless for you to try and preach to someone with that pervy look on your face. Hehe, it's fine, as long as everyone can enjoy themselves." Momo: "Ah, mmhm... It feels good... It... doesn't hurt anymore... mmah, mm, mmah, aaah...!" Momo: "Your dick, feels good... Onee-chan, Tomoe's dick, feels good...!" Yuri: "Momo... Stop it already..." Momo: "Don't worry... I'll make sure you feel good, too, Onee-chan..." *Momo-chan stimulated her sensitive nub as she stirred multiple fingers inside of Yuri-san's pussy.* Yuri: "Ah, guh...! D-Don't... Stop, it... waauuh, mm, aah, kuuuh...!" *It must have felt pleasurable after all. Yuri-san was starting to fumble on her words.* *Yuri-san was turned on... Whether I liked it not, I started to be swallowed by waves of pleasure, too.* Momo: "Ehe, it feels good... Tomoe, you can go ahead and come lots, okay...?" *Momo-chan had a charming glint in her eyes. Next, she started to wildly swing her hips.* Tomoe: "Guh, ooh... Momo-chan..." *Was she telling me to come inside? But I couldn't...* Momo: "It feels great, right? Who feels better, me or Onee-chan?" Tomoe: "I... I can't answer that... agg, ooh..." Momo: "Hehe, you look so happy. I can tell my pussy feels better than Onee-chan's when you make that face, you know." Momo: "I can tell that my pussy... my pussy feels even better than Onee-chan's to you!" Yuri: "Mo...mo... stop... oh, ah... yaaah..." Momo: "Come on! Come, Tomoe! I'll see what sort of face you make when you explode inside of me!" Tomoe: "Momo-chan... aaah, ooh... I, can't... ooh!" *As much as I fought it, my body was becoming more and more excited against my will.* *My dick continued to rub against her narrow vagina, and a gradual pleasure began to well up inside of me.* Tomoe: "Momo-chan... We can't... keep doing this..." Momo: "Aah, gonna come? Go ahead, come..." Yuri: "Momo, you can't..." Momo: "Come lots... Shoot your load inside of me... Get me dripping wet with your come, Tomoe!" *Momo-chan clamped down hard on me once more.* *My tip rubbed her inner walls, and a cringeworthy pleasure drew imminent.* Tomoe: "That's, it... krr, I'm coming...!" *I came full force inside of Momo-chan as my tip nuzzled deep into her womanly depths.* Momo: "Waauuh, aaah...! It's shooting out... Your hot sperm, is shooting... inside me...!" Tomoe: "Hah... ah, aah..." *I told myself to stop, but couldn't.* Momo: "Aaaaah... It's exploding inside of me... So much is going inside... Onee-chan? Lots of Tomoe's baby seed is shooting into me...!" Yuri: "Mo...mo..." Momo: "Wah, ah, it's coming, it's still coming...! It feels like... when I peed in the pool..." Momo: "Mmm, ah, aah...! Your fuck juice feels so good... Tomoe's come is so hot and pleasing... mm, aah, good, aah, aah...!" Tomoe: "Momo-chan... ooh...!" *I shot every last drop of come into Momo-chan as I shamefully thrust my hips upward.* Tomoe: "Oh, oh..." Momo: "Aah... it's over...? Is it... all out?" *She looked down at me with an obscene expression as she clamped powerfully around on my penis once more, almost like she was trying to coax more out of me.* Tomoe: "Oh, ahhh..." Momo: "No more's going to come out now, huh? Well, that's fine. We can do this again anytime." Tomoe: "Huh...?" Yuri: "Again...?" Momo: "We've all gotten a lot closer now, haven't we?" *That lone comment sent a chill up my spine. She planned to do this over and over again?* Momo: "Ah... Your baby seed spilled out of me..." *Drip... Dribble...* *The semen I shot into her was now bubbling back out.* Momo: "Ahaha, you sure came a lot. Now your dick and my insides are all gooey." Momo: "We've got to get you cleaned up. Onee-chan?" Yuri: "Huh...?" Tomoe: "Oh, ahh... this is... oh..." *It was a sight which didn't seem to belong in this world. I couldn't believe this perverted moment was unfolding before me.* Yuri: "Mmm... slurp slurp... lick..." *Her tongue made contact with my penis. As if she were a cat drinking milk, Yuri-san's coarse tongue licked away the semen that tainted my dick.* Yuri: "Mmch, lick... slurp slurp..." Tomoe: "Oh, Yuri-san... hah, aah..." Momo: "Oh, your dick is twitching. Tomoe, did it start to feel good again?" Momo: "Are you gonna come again?" *Momo-chan's voice was jeering. She was the one enjoying and directing this whole situation. How could she do something so abnormal without remorse?* Momo: "I'll lick you some more, too. Mmmbb... Amph... Schmk...!" Tomoe: "Gah, ah, aah..." *I was overwhelmed with intense pleasure as she sucked hard on the head of my penis. It might be more accurate to call it "agonizing" than pleasurable.* Momo: "Show me that face some more. Right, Onee-chan?" Yuri: "..." *This bizarre situation seemed to have made Yuri-san completely lose her mind. She was concentrating on nothing more than lapping away at my penis with a flushed face.* Yuri: "Amph, schlp... Mmph, mmch... Mmmbb..." Tomoe: "Ooh... Yuri-san... aah..." *Yuri-san's hot tongue stickily wrapped around me.* *She wasn't acting like she was being forced into this anymore. In fact, she looked like she was actively enjoying it.* Momo: "You're actually a pretty dirty girl too, huh, Onee-chan? I never knew you were so horny." Yuri: "Schlp, mmmmb... Amph.... Mmch, tmp..." Momo: "Onee-chan, sperm is super tasty, huh?" Yuri: "Mmsuuuuuuuup... chluuuuuurp" *Yuri-san kept on licking without answering.* Momo: "No fair, Onee-chan. You're hogging it all to yourself! Let me lick him some more, too." Momo: "Fuwah... Schmp... Mmmmmmmb... Ehehe, the taste of sperm, huh?" *Both sisters were lapping hungrily at my penis. Being put into this situation made it feel less and less real. It seemed like this was out of some horrible nightmare.* *I was sure hearts would break if this kept up. Not just mine, but all three of ours.* Yuri: "Amphh... Mmmb..." Momo: "Schlp, fuwah... Mmch, aamph..." Tomoe: "Hahhh, oh, ooh..." *I didn't know where it came from, but I thought I heard the sound of a heart creaking. It had to be a heart shrieking out loud.* *At this rate, it would happen to all of us...*

Momo: "Zzz... Zzz..." Yuri: "Looks like she fell asleep." Tomoe: "Let's leave her be." Yuri: "Yes..." Yuri: "..." Tomoe: "..." *We were finally alone. I didn't know what to say after what we had just done.* *Moments ago, I was having my genitals licked by these sisters. Not to mention, I consorted with her younger sister.* *It felt like, in mere hours, I had been hurled into a strange world, far departed from the ordinary.* *We were engulfed by a heavy sense of despair, knowing what we had done was irreversible, and there was no turning back.* Yuri: "...Let's forget this ever happened." *Yuri-san at last said through a sigh. She looked at me.* Yuri: "Let's forget about this. Let's pretend it never happened." *It sounded less like a suggestion and more like she was persuading herself. A desire to convince herself it was true.* Tomoe: "Can you really forget about it?" Tomoe: "It might be impossible for me." Yuri: "No... But..." *I'd love to forget it if it were possible, but something told me we'd crossed that line.* *We could avert our eyes all we liked, but what happened today would probably haunt us for the rest of our lives if we stayed together.* Tomoe: "If we really want to forget it, then we can't be together anymore." *To forget, we had no choice but to separate. We had to completely erase any trace of today's events.* *If not, I was sure we would remember this horrible day over and over again anytime we saw each other.* Yuri: "But... I mean..." *Yuri-san looked like she would burst into tears at any moment, but the tears never came.* *The despair she felt may simply have been too deep to cry.* Tomoe: "Let's stop rushing to conclusions. Momo-chan's probably calmed down a little, so let's take our time and think it over..." Tomoe: "Ugh..." *I was overwhelmed with an intense dizziness, and fell to my knees on the spot.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun?!" Tomoe: "I'm all right... Urg..." *I was terribly dizzy. The bleeding may have stopped, but it was likely due to getting hit by that bat.* Yuri: "You should go to the hospital after all." Tomoe: "I can't. If I go, they'll ask what happened. Then they'll contact the police." *Even if I told a decent lie, the cops would likely figure out what really happened to me. Then, soon enough, they would discover Momo-chan was the perpetrator.* Yuri: "But..." Tomoe: "I'm okay. More importantly..." *I was worried about Aine, who was sleeping on the sofa. She still hadn't regained consciousness.* Yuri: "Aine-chan... I'm so sorry..." Tomoe: "I'm sure she's fine. She _is_ an angel." *But _since_ she was an angel, we couldn't afford to take her to the hospital. What should we do at a time like this?* Tomoe: "Guess we've got no choice but to call for Menes and the others." *Light twinkled inside the room.* Yuri: "Huh...?" *When the light faded, the angels I had just imagined appeared there.* Tomoe: "You came?" Menes: "Because you called for us, Darling." Tomoe: "Huh? Really?" Erich: "Don't get too full of yourself. We knew Aine was in bad shape. Angels have a sort of link between them." Tomoe: "You do?" *They had apparently sensed Aine's condition and came to check on her.* Licha: "Aine..." *Licha peered closely at the sleeping Aine.* Menes: "This is..." Erich: "Terrible." *The sight of Aine left everyone speechless.* Tomoe: "How is she? Is she as bad off as I think?" Erich: "Well, yeah, she did get beat up pretty badly. Even angels aren't immortal. Especially when they take physical form." Tomoe: "She'll get better, right?" *For a moment, my past flashed before my eyes; that feeling of hopelessness was reborn anew.* Licha: "It's okay. She'll recover." *Licha said that with a firm tone. The certainty in her voice was reassuring.* Menes: "Don't worry. Licha has the power to heal angels." Tomoe: "You do?" Licha: "Just a little." Yuri: "So Aine-chan will be all right, then?" *Yuri-san and I were a bit relieved.* Menes: "It'll be difficult to treat her here, so we'll bring Aine with us. We'll dispel her physical form and take it from there." Tomoe: "I see... Got it. Please do." *I felt a tinge of loneliness learning that Aine would be leaving this house.* *At some point, I had taken her being here for granted.* Licha: "..." *Licha stared at me.* Erich: "Licha, we're heading out." Licha: "..." *She didn't move even when called.* Tomoe: "What's wrong? Please take good care of Aine." Licha: "...Understood." *The three angels took Aine and disappeared.* Yuri: "Aine-chan will be okay, right?" Tomoe: "She will. Licha and the others are there for her." Tomoe: "Ow..." *My head throbbed again.* Yuri: "Tomoe-kun!" Yuri: "Please lie down. Let's get you to the sofa for now." Tomoe: "I'm sorry..." *Yuri-san lent me a shoulder and laid me down on the sofa.* Yuri: "It's probably best we cool it down, right? Ah, what should I do...?" Tomoe: "Please calm down. It feels swollen, so let's cool it down first. Could you get some ice ready?" Yuri: "Oh, yes. Right away." *Yuri-san clambered around. She was probably better off keeping active than sitting still right now. It should distract her.* *I'd better rest a little.* *When I checked the clock, it was nearly midnight.* *New Year's Eve. I was about to welcome the last day of the year in the worst spirits possible.*