Three months earlier, on a mild autumn day
"Kagayaki... KAGAYAKI! Are you paying attention?" said a man in his fifties. One of the boys, hearing his name, looked up.
The boy was of average build. His left eye shone with a warm brown color, while his right was nearly hidden behind the strands of his also brown hair that fell to the middle of his neck.
"Asleep in my class again?! Normally, I wouldn't care what you do, but your attitude is clearly showing in your grades!" scolded the teacher. The student, still half-asleep, replied with a sharp glare. Though the boy would have rather been anywhere else anyway, the least welcome question found its way into the room:
"By the way, do you know anything about Aizawa? Her mother said she caught a cold, but I haven't heard a word from her in two weeks. She's been sick a lot lately..."
"Why are you asking me?" the boy snapped with the same piercing glare.
"I thought you two were close," the man replied. The entire class instantly erupted into murmurs.
"I don't know anything," the boy mumbled, then stood up and walked out of the room. The teacher just stared after him in confusion.
"Did I hit a nerve? Maybe it's a sensitive topic."
Ryūta spent the rest of the class on the school rooftop, as he always did when seeking solitude. His consistently excellent grades, aside from recent lapses, allowed him this unofficial privilege. Though not formally permitted, teachers often overlooked it. This time, however, it wasn't dislike of classes that made him skip, but his emotions. Feelings he didn't want anyone to see.
"Only five days left... Damn it. Why did it have to be this way?" he thought, curling up at the base of a wall, clenching his fists, holding back tears.
My name is Kagayaki Ryūta. I'm sixteen years old and live alone in a small town south of Yokohama called Miura. My parents died a long time ago. I never really knew them. The house I've lived in since I was little is in a rough neighborhood where trusting people is a luxury you can't afford. Because of that, I have no friends. There's only one person who truly understands me, someone I can open up to, but soon she will...
Ryūta didn't even realize he'd been on the rooftop for almost two hours. His sense of time was completely off. He might have even fallen asleep, he wasn't sure. He only snapped back when his eyes drifted to his watch.
"It's that late already? I should get going," he muttered, rising to his feet and heading for the door.
As he reached the ground floor, the bell rang to end the last period for most students. The hallways instantly flooded with people. It would've been easy to blend in and slip out unnoticed, unless someone was specifically looking for him. And someone was.
"Ryūta, there you are!"
"Hm?" He turned and saw two boys and three girls walking toward him. He had little desire to talk to anyone, but waited out of courtesy.
"We were thinking of grabbing some dango. Want to join us?" one of the boys asked.
Honshitsu Preparatory High School, which Ryūta attended, was one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. Only the most diligent students were accepted, regardless of status or background. Because of this strict rule, students started their education with strong morals and above-average knowledge, giving Japan considerable influence over the city.
The school uniform consisted of a red blazer, a white shirt and dark brown shoes. Boys also wore red ties and dark gray pants, while girls wore scarves and skirts in the same colors, as well as thigh-high black stockings. The blazer and tie or their female equivalents were trimmed with gold and adorned with the school emblem, which depicted an owl with outstretched wings holding a polished ruby in its beak, framed inside a pentagon standing on one of its points.
Due to the warm weather, the dress code was more relaxed at this time of year. Blazers were left behind by both boys and girls, while the latter also went without their stockings.
"Sorry, I'm not in the mood right now," Ryūta replied, turning on his heel and walking away.
"Leave him. He's always been the loner type," one of the girls said in a neutral tone. Still, the look on the boy's face made it clear he would've welcomed Ryūta's company.
The doctor said I have about two weeks left. But please, don't tell anyone. I don't want them to worry. I just... want to go quietly.
"Hime..." he whispered her name, tears welling in his eyes.
The next three days passed the same. Ryūta came to school, sat through a few classes, then spent the rest of the day on the rooftop. He didn't speak to anyone. He just wondered what he could do. But there was nothing.
On the fourth morning, he left home, not for school, but in the opposite direction. After getting off the train, he walked down a narrow street that opened into a wide square with a grand family estate in the center.
Ryūta knew that the next time he left that estate, his life would be completely different. Steeling himself, he pressed the buzzer on the gate. A gray-haired butler in his sixties opened the door, trying to force a smile.
"Oh, Young Master!" said the old man. His smile became more genuine.
"Good afternoon. How is she?" Ryūta asked in a low voice, though he already knew the answer.
The butler lowered his gaze and shook his head, then led the boy into the house and upstairs to a bedroom. Ryūta entered quietly and approached the bed, sitting down on the rug beside it.
A girl lay in the bed. Her long, slightly wavy brown hair, brown eyes, and pale face made her look even more delicate. Her name was Aizawa Himeko, and to Ryūta, she meant more than the world.
"Hey. How are you?" Ryūta whispered, a soft smile on his face.
"Hey. I'm okay," Himeko replied with a smile, though her labored breathing said otherwise.
"Do you need anything? Want me to bring you something?"
"No, I'm fine," she said. They sat in silence for a while, just looking at each other.
A few minutes later, Himeko spoke:
"Tell me, Ryūta... how long have we known each other?"
"Only two years," he answered.
"Right... only two years... Feels like I've known you forever."
"Sometimes I feel the same. You've always been honest and straightforward with me. You saw things in me no one else did. You always knew what I was thinking, even when I tried to hide it."
"You're an open book to me. But you could open up to others too, if you wanted to."
"If that's true, it's only because of you. You saved me."
"No," Himeko shook her head. "You saved me. Without you, my life would have been meaningless," she said, reaching out her hand.
Ryūta took her hand in both of his. Tears finally broke free, and he began to sob softly.
"Why did it have to be like this?"
"Wow... I've never seen you cry. Maybe I didn't know you as well as I thought," Himeko joked, wiping away his tears with her finger.
"I'm not crying! Something just got in my eye!"
"What a coincidence... Mine too," she smiled, tears rolling down her own cheeks as well. After another few minutes, she spoke again: "Ryūta, do you remember how you used to read to me?"
"How could I forget? You always fell asleep before the end," he teased, wiping his face.
"I can't help it, your voice is so soothing," she complimented, then continued: "Could you read to me again? Just one last time?"
"Of course."
Himeko took a small book from her nightstand, no bigger than her palm. She opened it to the final page, pointed to the last paragraph, and handed it to Ryūta, who began to read aloud:
"When the girl opened her eyes, she found herself in a meadow. Wherever she looked, there were flowers and butterflies. The sun shone brightly, and a soft breeze caressed her face. She didn't know where she was, only that it was a good place, and she was safe. Her sorrow faded, and her soul found peace."
"That's beautiful..." Himeko whispered, barely audible. Ryūta looked up from the book.
Her glassy eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. She was slipping away. Ryūta knew it was time to say goodbye. He placed the book back on the nightstand, took her hand again, and finished the story:
"The girl didn't know where to go. Three butterflies showed her the way, leading her to a small stream. In its gentle, crystal-clear waters stood a boy, her long-lost beloved. He welcomed her with open arms and a sincere smile. As their eyes met, their fingers intertwined, and their lips touched. Together, they reclaimed the happiness once stolen from them. Guided by the butterflies, they crossed to the far bank and continued their journey toward the distant horizon, never to part again."
Himeko's delicate fingers relaxed and slipped from Ryūta's hands as she closed her tearful eyes one last time, a faint smile on her face.
"Hime? You fell asleep again, didn't you...?"
Ryūta rested his head on his arm and cried bitterly. Outside, the sky turned gray. Rain began to fall, and everyone in the house knew that the dearest one to them had passed.
My name is Kagayaki Ryūta. I'm sixteen years old, and I live alone in a small town. My parents died a long time ago. I never really knew them. The house I've lived in since I was little is in a rough neighborhood where trusting people is a luxury you can't afford. Because of that, I have no friends. There was only one person who truly understood me, and today, I lost her too. I find comfort in knowing my love for her wasn't one-sided. Though no one will ever be able to replace her, I can try to find new meaning in my life. In her memory. To move on, and live happily. It won't be easy, but I know that's what she would have wanted. That was what I was thinking on that rainy morning as I stepped out of that house, unaware of the horrors and wonders the future still had in store for us.