‘It’s here… the Great Kouma… There’s no way to stop it… I can’t even move… They’ve abandoned us… Shinguji-taisa and Yoneda-shirei are exhausted… and Yamazaki-shousa…’ She looked down at his pale face, his long bangs falling into his closed eyes. ‘Yamazaki-shousa...’ She lifted her hand to see it covered with his blood, ‘Why do you always...”
“Ayame-kun!" Yoneda looked over at her with worry. “He’ll be all right. But, let’s get out of here. There’s nothing we can do now, but at least save Yamazaki…”
”But…” She clenched her eyes closed, tears coming out, “Right now…”
The shrieks and sizzling became louder and louder. Another person was killed trying to escape. The Great Kouma started to take steps forward towards the four; it’s baby minions also coming closer to the kill.
Yoneda gripped his sword, getting in front of the two. Kazuma just stood, still staring solemnly. ‘Why…’ Ayame cried inwardly, her tears running down her face, ‘WHY… WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE RIGHT…’
Yoneda’s yelling made her open her eyes. “K-KAZUMA!!!”
“Ta… Taisa…” Ayame stared towards the back of his head for he had moved in front of them. “Taisa!!”
He looked over his shoulder, directly at her. “It’s… enough…”
Yoneda started to stumble forward. ”Kazuma… no, wait…!”
Kazuma just shook his head. He turned away and started to walk on.
“TAISA!” Ayame gasped, as he was walking right into the open of a demon circle. They leapt at him but a power burst from him, killing them all. ‘No…’ she thought as he kept going, ‘He couldn’t be…!’
The majinki took flight, summoned by Kazuma’s spirit. Kazuma stopped right in front of the Great Kouma, staring it into the eye.
‘I don’t want what I love to disappear… even if it means I will disappear…’
One by one the demons burst and the Great Kouma became irritated by the growing power being extracted by the Majinki. As he started to transform into a demon-god, Kazuma could see Sakura’s smiling face in his mind. The little girl suddenly started to run towards him.
‘I know it’s selfish… I know I am not concerning your feelings… But this what I can do… This is how it is… This life was meant for this moment… Only for this moment…’
A voice faintly yelled in the background, “No! Not just one… but every… every moment is… is… precious!’
Kazuma slowly smiled, thinking about all of the people that had touched his life. The many faces, the many scenes… all now blurring into one final moment.
“HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Hepierced right through the Kouma’s head, a loud clanging sound ringing in his ears. He then couldn’t see anymore, nothing but white. All of the feeling left his body, every last ounce of spirit…
“TAISAA/KAZUMAA!!” Ayame and Yoneda watched as their leader crumbled to the ground. Yoneda instantly took into a run to check on his friends, as Ayame recovered from watching the events in front of her.
‘He did it… He used the Majinki… To save Teito… For now…’
She felt stirring on her lap. Looking down, she saw that Yamazaki’s eyes were partially open. “Taisa… he… he did it… didn’t he…?” he managed to say, in his coarse voice. Ayame didn’t reply, she just looked at the suffering face. “He promised… But I suppose… it was just… that…”
”Don’t worry… We’ll get out of here. You and Taisa will be all right.”
“No… It will never be all right… ever again…”
”AYAME-KUN!!!” Yoneda hollered, from where he was kneeling with Kazuma, “Please come over here! We have to move him right away! I’m worried these structures will collapse!”
”Hai!” Ayame said. She managed to get up and looked down at Yamazaki. “I’ll be right back.”
As she rushed over to help Yoneda, Yamazaki looked up at the reddened sky. ‘They’ve all gone and left… After what we did…’ He could feel tears build up, ‘After what Taisa…’ He lifted his hand to wipe his eyes, but instead smeared blood on his face. Staring into the red, his hand started to shake. ‘Taisa…’
“Let’s move him over there – next to Yamazaki!”
“H-Hai!”
’Taisa… it didn’t do anything… It will not end… and yet… Your daughter will lose her father… Those people will continue to live thoughtlessly… This place will always…’
“Hurry, Ayame-kun!’
“I know! It’s very unstable!”
‘For what have you done this, Taisa… You knew and yet…’
Ayame lifted her head and stared towards Yamazaki lying on the ground. “We’re almost there…’
‘For… what…?’
Suddenly, the ground burst open. While there was shaking, the rest of the buildings crumbled down and a great crack snapped down the street. “W-WHAT THE!?!” Ayame cried, she and Yoneda losing hold of the body. They threw themselves over it, shielding him from the falling rubble. Through the strands of her hair and the falling debris, Ayame scanned at the disastrous scene.
“SHOUSAAAAAAA!!!”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
’Once you think one way… It’s hard to forget it…’
Wearing a gray kimono, Kazuma lifted his head and turned towards the boy standing outside. “Come in, Yamazaki. It’s cold.”
”No, I don’t care… I don’t care if I catch cold… I don’t care if I die or anything…”
Kazuma got up and walked over, standing behind him. “Yamazaki,” He put his hand on his shoulder and pulled him inside. “I care… I don’t want you to get sick or die.”
”Then why…” Yamazaki lifted his head and looked him in the eye, “Why do you want to kill yourself?” Kazuma just looked at him, his hand not leaving his shoulder. “Tell me why are you willing to throw away your life. Why do you fight this damn war?!”
”Aren’t you going to fight it too?”
”Why should I? After what they did to me… to everyone I’ve cared for… Why should I give a damn about them? You too, Taisa! Don’t tell me you don’t hate what they do to you! And for what – so they could go on with their happy lives while we do their dirty work and die for them?! Besides, you don’t live here - It’s not your home. It’s not my home either – It’ll never be my home! I hate this place!!”
”Even if it weren’t my home, a lot of people will suffer if the demons take over…”
”Your daughter will suffer if you die… Don’t you think about her?”
Kazuma finally released him and moved away, going towards the picture on the table. “It doesn’t end… Because there is nothing else we can do…”
”No!” Yamazaki exclaimed, “There’s got to be a way! We’ll find it!”
”This was the reason I was born… To stop time and restart it… That moment alone…”
“NO!!!” Yamazaki now grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer. “It’s not just one… but every… every moment is… is… precious!”
Kazuma’s eyes widened in surprise by the words coming out of his mouth. He slowly lifted his hand onto Yamazaki’s head and gave him a slight smile.
“Heh?”
“Thank you… for that bit of hope shines that your eyes…”
* * * * * * * * * *
”……………………………”
Ayame sorely opened her eyes. It was blurry at first but she focused and recognized the infirmary. “Aa…?”
”Neesan!” Kaede sat at her side, holding onto her bandaged hand. “You’re awake! You’ve been out for hours…”
”Ka… Kaede-san…?”
”As soon as I heard about the disaster in Teito, I got here as quickly as I could… I’m just glad you’re not seriously hurt.”
Ayame felt numb; even though her sister was holding her hand, she couldn’t feel anything, but lightheaded.
“N-Neesan, should I run and get the doctor…?”
”Stay here…” she replied, trying to tighten her hand but lacking the strength. “I haven’t seen you for so long… Kaede-san… I’m really sorry… Please… forgive me… for…”
Kaede’s eyes watered. She held their linked hands to her face, trying not to let her tears fall. “Neesan… I’m sorry too… I just wanted you to know how much I love you… I was never sure if you were listening… I just wanted you to know…”
”Kaede-san…” Ayame watched the strain in the girl’s face and realized that she herself was crying. “It was really… my fault… I…”
Kaede watched her sister cry, the words unable to come out. “It’s okay…” Kaede moved to hug her. “You’ve been through too much… Don’t think about it… I’m not going to be childish anymore… So, don’t worry about me either… We’re going to be all right… so don’t think about those awful things that happened…”
”Kaede… san…”
”Right now, I’m just glad to have my sister back… Even if it’s for a short time… Let’s not think about it… so please…”
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Later, after the doctor came in and checked on Ayame and then left them alone again. Kaede was at her bedside, leaning her head down onto the bed and resting her eyes – having exhausted herself with worry and the rush to get into Teito. Ayame reflected on the day’s events and the stories that she had heard since she had woke up.
‘After Shinguji-taisa used the majinki, his body was seriously wounded. Yoneda-shirei left to escort Taisa back home… They say there is nothing we can do for him… As for Yamazaki-shousa… there is no sign of him…’
Ayame clenched her eyes closed, thinking of the last words she said to him. << “I’ll be right back.” <<
’Yamazaki-shousa... why? Why in the last moments we were together… My thoughts… were so chaotic… I was frustrated… and angry … angry at you… because I failed… because I couldn’t protect what I loved most… and you… I…’
She caught sight of her soiled military jacket hanging on a chair. With every bit of her strength, she reached out and grabbed it over. Then she searched the pocket and sure enough the envelope was there, still in tact. Also…
‘Glass…?’ Ayame stared down at the cut on her hand and the broken glass from Yamazaki’s glasses. She stared at it for a long time, the feeling of ache creeping into her chest. She opened the envelope.
[ Dear Ayame,I know it’s an inopportune time, since we are on duty and everything, but I have to tell you this. Not with my own mouth unfortunately, simply because I will know your face as you learn what I have to tell you – and I cannot bear to look into that face. It’s cowardly… and selfish. Perhaps I am the most selfish of the group. Therefore I think I should go. Even if that is not reason enough, I simply cannot go another day here in Teito. It’s not that I haven’t tried – I’ve tried with every bit of my strength and have gone beyond my patience… But I just cannot love what you love.
Is it all right? Can we continue from there? I thought about it… Me being here… I’m not that useful, am I? If you continue to love Teito, and I continue to hate Teito… how can we love each other? This was a difficult dilemma for me, but this is what I came up with. Hanakoji and Kanzaki both have positions for me to fill, and I think I can do a lot if I go where I’m needed. So, as soon as this mission is over, I will be leaving. Kamisama knows where, but there is a boat with my name on it. I’ve always thought that one of the most endearing sounds in the world was a steam whistle… that is, besides your voice.
Just because I’m leaving you, please don’t take it the wrong way. I’m not giving up, but I’m not going to stay in the way. I know if I had told you this, you might’ve talked me into staying or I would be even guiltier that I wouldn’t want to go. Because this time, I don’t know when or if I will come back. Therefore, I think it would be unfair if you waited for me. You’re welcome to move on; I’m not asking you for anything. And yet, for me, this feeling I don’t think it will ever go away. It came little by little, this overwhelming feeling… for now on, since the day we met, until the day I die - I won’t forget it.
I’m sorry, Ayame.
But I guess you don’t have to listen to my complaining or apologizes anymore.
You are free. ]
A couple of tears splattered onto paper, as Ayame couldn’t believe what she had read. Her head bowed and her body curved down as she felt the pain of loss. “Yamazaki-shousa…!”
