I flipped through another one of the pages, skimming through it before deeming it useless. The silence of the library almost made me afraid get up and move since I had neared the end of the book.

Useless.

I sighed, running my hands through my brown spikes to move the bangs out of my eyes. But I did shut the book, clamping it tightly in my hands as I moved to the shelf where I had gotten it from. As I did so, I ran my hand across the spine of the others before selecting one and walking back.

"Makoto."

Stopping where I stood, my muscles stiffened at the touch of someone's hand upon my shoulder. "Yeah, Kyoko...?"

My heart jackhammered against my ribcage as Kyoko Kirigiri allowed her hand to drop to her side after spinning me around to face her.

"You're checking out an awful lot of Clocksoul timers books."

"I'm just interested in them! That's all...!" I hastily hurried to tell the lie, but by the way her lips pursed, I could tell she didn't believe me.

"There is nothing to be interested in," she drew out slowly. "Clocksoul timers are objects made by human kind to pull soul-mates together, as foolish as it sounds."

"Er..."

I didn't have a reply to that. I wasn't really surprised at her dry tone, either- Kyoko was the no-nonsense type of person, whose's personality had been almost crafted by her job of being a detective.

"...So, Kyoko, uh....how much time to you have left?"

My purple-haired friend glanced down at the inside of her wrist. I, of course, couldn't see anything. Clocksoul timers were only visible to those the owner allowed them to see and the actual owner. As always, her face was blank as she spoke.

"Three years, three weeks, five days, two hours, eighteen minutes, and...fifty-two seconds counting. I know it's not very much like me to ask such an intruding question, but how much time do you have left?"

I always hated lying. The words were false hope to anyone who heard it. Each time the same lie, each time the same guilt.

Clocksoul timers were the timers on the inside of your wrist, counting down to the time when you're supposed to meet your soul-mate. Well, it's supposed to, anyway. Mine's...mine's been on zero ever since I could remember.

"Couple years," I lied, choosing not to focus on a certain time.

Kyoko just nodded, but I could still see the doubt edging over her blank gaze. "Not exactly like mine, I hope?"

Her last words was like a sword through my gut. I made the act of looking down at my wrist again. "Nope."

Staring up at me, was that tiny, little imprinted zero. The same zero I had been staring at for years, and my inner resentment towards it only grew. Most people would be elated that they had already found their soulmate, but I... I really wasn't.

"Excuse me?"

A rather... Round-bodied employee ran up to us, hastily fixing his glasses as they slid down his nose. I squinted at his tag for a moment- Hifumi Yamada- before he started chattering. "The library is closing, so may you two leave in about five minutes?"

"Uh, sure?" I glanced at Kyoko for confirmation, but she had neared the Clocksoul Timers shelf and too pulled out a book.

"I can leave now," was all she said as she typed in her code on the computer and scanned the book. "I bid you farewell, Makoto."

Just like that, the purple-haired girl was gone, her hair flying out behind her.

With a book tucked under my arm, I headed over to the check-out station, typing in my code. 77431214. The station beeped, signaling I had signed in, and I ran the barcode under the scanner before clicking 'reset' and heading towards the door.

If I had to guess, I would place the time around nine PM. The sun's light had died in the skies long ago, and now the night sky twinkled above me, stars glimmering on the clear night.

The whole setting was a little eerie, with lights flickering on and off constantly, but I was completely fine with walking home along. Sometimes the night would be cloudy and that would terrify me, so I would hurry home.

But on a night like this, with the moon clearly visible, all it did was calm my nerves. I had always liked cool nights like this, where the wind ruffled my hair and allowed me to gather my thoughts calmly.

Kyoko's timer is still ticking.

I hated when my mind decided to hit me with reality. Honestly.

Just like that, my mental gears who were happy just a moment ago came to a stop before backpedalling into the depths of despair.

Under the moonlight, I held my wrist up for me to see, at the zero which had be haunting me.

I had seen my friends' timers tick down. Granted, I haven't actually seen it happen- soul-mates meeting- but...I heard it was an unbelievable experience. But I can't ever experience it again: if I had it the first time, anyway.

I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember if there was ever a spark between someone and me in the days before my timer had ran out- days filled with peaceful memories. Now, my days were filled with a sad type of happiness, the tainted kind.

The kind that is like fine sand, able to slip through your fingers at any moment.

Walking along, I crossed over the bridge. At the sound of tinkling water, my shoulder sagged,

I had no chance with having a 'happy ever after' like they did in stories.

It's because I fell in love with someone whose time is still ticking, who has yet to meet their soul-mate.

I'm a foolish idiot.

Just at the thought of that accursed zero caused my muscles to tighten. Out of all the records shown to the public, there was only one who had the case of the zero: Yasuhiro Hagakure.

The poor guy had died alone at the age of eighty-four and believed in ghosts, zombies, aliens, and told fortunes.

What a truly wonderful fate web I've trapped myself in.

As I walked along, I caught the glimpse of two couples in the park. On the swings, there was a laughing brunette as she swung back and forth on the swings like a child, while her boyfriend (I assumed) leaned on the bars, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her. Their laughs were as clear as this night- cutting cleanly through the air.

I've been in love with Kyoko for a long time. It was sometime after my timer went to zero. Everything was after my timer went to zero.

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of my house. It was nothing much- a family of three with my sister, my mother, and me. My hand knocked without me really recognizing it, and the door swung open.

"Big Brother, you're late!"

"Sorry, Komaru," I laughed sheepishly, shoving the dark thoughts to the back of my mind as I scratched my neck. "I was at the library with Kyoko..."

My sister's eyes lit up. "I told you, it's going to be real! My ship shall sail: Naegiri!"

With that, she bounced away.

Sometimes you just couldn't hate little sisters for embarrassing you in front of basically no one.

A chuckle escaped my lips, but I could tell, as I glanced at the mirror near the shoe rack as I discarded my shoes, the hollowness in my eyes were still there.

But it was time to drown out my thoughts on video games like the typical teen would.