When it was finally over, when Daichi stood there panting and the spirit was nothing but a fading wisp in the dark, Yui was quiet. Too quiet.
Daichi approached slowly. "We have to go," he said. Not harsh. Not cold. Just… steady. Like the words cost him something to say.
Haru agreed softly,
glancing down at the girl who hadn't looked away from Ayumi's body once.
"Yui," he murmured, "we can't stay here." His voice cracked a little, but he didn't cry. He hadn't cried since Haruka.
Yui then whispered "Give me a moment."
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Ayumi's cold hand. Her tears started falling then, dripping onto Ayumi's arm, running down her pale skin.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I'm so sorry," she said, louder now. Her voice cracked on the last word. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
"Ayumi?"
she asked softly. Like maybe, if she said it enough, Ayumi would just… wake up. Her tears came harder, all at once, breaking past the wall she'd been holding up since she saw the body.
She bent over Ayumi's chest, shaking as she cried, ugly, hysterical sobs wracking her body.
Haru and Daichi heard her from outside. Haru clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding so hard it hurt. Daichi just stared at the ground, fists tight at his sides.
Yui's breath came ragged when she finally lifted her head again.
Her eyes were swollen, her cheeks streaked with dirt and tears. That's when she noticed it—still clasped in Ayumi's limp hand.
Her emerald.
The one in her transformation ring.
The Watcher hadn't taken it yet.
Yui slowly pried it from Ayumi's hand, her fingers shaking as she slipped the chain into her pocket. It felt heavy there, like it carried the weight of Ayumi's entire life. Maybe it did, she stood, wiping her face roughly with her sleeve, smearing tears and blood alike,when she stepped out to where Haru and Daichi waited, neither of them spoke.
"Let's go," she said hoarsely.
And the three of them walked on.
Yui hadn't said a word since they started walking. Her steps dragged, uneven, like she wasn't fully there anymore. The blood on her hands had dried now, faint streaks on her palms and under her fingernails, but she hadn't tried to wash it off.
Daichi kept looking ahead, face grim, like he was forcing himself to stay focused. Haru walked on Yui's other side, quiet, shoulders tense. He wanted to say something—he hated seeing her like this—but the words just wouldn't come.
Finally, Yui spoke, voice low and rough.
"I killed her."
Both boys looked at her.
"I killed Ayumi," she repeated, louder this time, like she wanted the words to hurt her. "It doesn't matter if it wasn't me. It was my hands. My—" Her voice cracked hard, breaking off into a choked sound she tried to swallow down.
Haru stopped walking. "Yui…" His voice was gentle, steadier than she expected. "It wasn't you. You didn't—"
"But I did." Yui's voice rose, sharp, desperate. "I saw her face, Haru. I saw what I did. I saw it—" She stopped herself, shaking her head like the memory was something she wanted to rip out of her brain.
Haru didn't argue.
He just reached out and touched her shoulder lightly, the same way you'd calm someone who was about to collapse. His voice softened even more.
"I know what it's like," he said quietly. "Losing someone like that."
Yui glanced at him. She knew he meant Haruka. He didn't talk about her much anymore.
"I can't take it back," Yui whispered.
Haru's hand lingered on her shoulder for a moment before he let go. "No. You can't. But you can keep going. That's what she would've wanted, right?"
Haru's hand was still on her shoulder when Yui's voice cracked out again, bitter and trembling.
"But you didn't kill your sister with your bare hands."
The words cut the air in half.
Haru froze. His hand slipped away slowly, like he didn't know what to do with it anymore. He just stared at her, jaw tightening, no words coming out at first.
Daichi finally turned around at that, his expression unreadable.
Haru opened his mouth, shut it again, then finally forced something out.
"Yui… that wasn't you."
"But it was!"
Yui snapped, her voice breaking at the end. "It was my hands. My voice. My face she saw when she—" Her breath hitched.
"Do you think she even knew it wasn't me? Do you think she knew before I killed her?! no! what she saw was her best friend trying to murder her!!"
Haru's eyes softened like someone had punched all the fight out of him.
He looked down, ran a hand through his hair, then said quietly, "No. I don't think she knew. But I do know she wouldn't blame you, I bet if she were here right now, and we told her everything that happened, she'd forget about it, and forgive you, because she loved you."
Yui stood there trembling, eyes red, shoulders hunched like she wanted to curl in on herself and disappear. Haru stared at her for a long second, his own throat tight, before he finally stepped closer.
"Yui," he said softly.
She didn't look at him.
"Look at me," he tried again, a little rougher this time.
"Ayumi wouldn't want this, and you know that…"
Something inside Yui gave way all at once. The tears came hard and fast, her whole body shaking like she couldn't hold it together anymore.
Before she even realized what she was doing, Haru was there, arms around her. He caught her like she weighed nothing at all, pulling her against his chest.
Yui buried her face there and sobbed, her fists weakly clutching onto him.