Chapter Text
A girl with a long teal braid and silver headphones over her ears stands in her kitchen, preparing rice balls while humming along to the tune playing from the MP3 around her neck. She fills the last rice ball with some meat and packs it tight before starting on her own lunch, making sure to follow the recipe in the notebook closely. Once finished, she washes her hands and places everything into containers and slips them into her handbag before leaving her apartment, locking the door behind her.
The young woman makes her way through the city streets. Although she’s listening to music, she makes sure to take a look around as she goes, each landmark triggering a memory from days gone by.
The mall—she still remembers the many times she had to make grocery runs back when she was still learning how to cook, and how terrible it tasted at first. She’s glad she finally got over that hurdle. At least, she hopes.
The station—how many times did she ride the train to Gekkoukan High School? She wonders how the old couple is doing, now that the bookstore has closed down. She makes a stop to buy some flowers—Yukari said that bellflowers and white carnations would be best for today.
The dormitory—it was supposed to be demolished two years ago, but the influx of students in Gekkoukan High School forced it to reopen under a new name—one that means a lot to its former inhabitants. Memories of the nights spent in its lounge flood her mind. Some of them are good, and some of them are bad—but they all made her into a better person.
She smiles at each memory, finally coming to a halt in front of a cemetery. She makes her way through the entrance and stops in front of a grave marked with a name and a line from the song she was listening to earlier. She takes off her headphones and looks at the well-polished headstone:
Here lies
Makoto Yuuki
January 31, 1993 - March 5, 2010
“You defended this fragile and fleeting world with your hands
So please, fold your wings and rest.”
She smiles gently as she replaces the wilted flowers with fresh ones, lights some incense and prays. When she’s finished, she tidies the headstone a little and sets down the rice balls beside it before sitting down and taking out her own lunch.
“Here you go, Mako. I made your favorite,” Fuuka says, “Is it any good? I hope so. Yukari-chan has told me I’ve improved, at least.”
“It’s me, Fuuka. I’m doing okay now,” she smiles, “It’s been hard without you, but I’ve been well. I’m going to college now—Computer Engineering, if you can believe it… No, I know you. You’ve always believed in me. It still feels like I haven’t thanked you enough. Let's see, what else… Oh, the old dorm reopened last week! It has a new name now—The Yuuki Dormitory. That's just how much you meant to us, I guess. Mitsuru-senpai insisted on the name. Oh, speaking of Mitsuru-senpai, she put together a new team to fight Shadows! Well, I say it’s new, but it’s really just the old SEES team…”
Fuuka takes a deep breath. “Is… Is it strange to say that I still miss you? I know it’s been two years since… since you left us, but I can’t help but miss you. It’s a little hard, but I’ve been living my life, just like you wanted. I haven’t tried dating at all since we were together, nor do I want to—although I think my parents are fine with that decision for now. As a group, we’ve accepted your death already… But I guess I haven’t completely moved on, huh? I still dream about you sometimes, you know? You still have my heart, Mako. I still love you. I’m starting to think that I will never feel the same way I felt for you. S-So if we meet again someday, in this life or the next, I—!”
Fuuka’s cell phone begins to ring. Caught off guard, Fuuka yelps in surprise and scrambles for the device, sliding her finger across the touchscreen to answer. “H-Hello? ...Oh, Mitsuru-senpai! Is something the matter?”
“Hello, Yamagishi. I know it’s your day off, but could you come in today? We received a large Shadow reading around the Yasoinaba area and I would like you to confirm its validity.”
“Oh, I’ll come over right away then!”
Mitsuru hesitates for a bit. “…Yamagishi?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“…How is he?”
Fuuka smiles. She knows that they neither could nor would ever forget him—not after everything he’s done for them—but hearing someone think of him puts a smile on her face. “His grave is well-maintained, if that’s what you mean.”
“…Good. I’ll send a car to pick you up in five minutes. I’ll see you soon, Yamagishi.” With that, Mitsuru hangs up.
Fuuka places her phone into her bag and wipes away tears, only now realizing that they had formed. She faces the grave one more time. “I have to go now, Mako. I’ll be back next week, I promise. I love you.”
She stands up, dusting the bottom of her dress with her hand. She takes one more look at the headstone and smiles. He’ll always be in her heart, and he’ll always be there to give her strength. She has a future now, thanks to him, and she’s going to make sure she lives it. She slips on his headphones and clicks his old MP3 player a few times, letting it play one of Makoto’s favorite songs— Burn My Dread .