・・・ lxxxiv ・・・

Ame.

Ame is—

—A black ocean suddenly appeared around him, making it difficult to breathe properly.

It suffocated him.

It choked him.

Wake up.

He thought as he held her frozen hand, refusing to accept what he faced.

Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.

Ao did not even realize when he had started crying.

The next thing he saw were the tears falling on the floor.

Ao gently cradled her body in his arms,
looking at her face, shaking her.

Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.

Ao's tears fell on her pale face, trailing down her cheeks.

She didn't stir.

Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.

"—Ame."

He whispered her name again and again and again.

"Ame. Ame. Ame. Ame. Ame. Ame."

Wake up, Ame.

Wake up.

Wake up.

Wake up.

He sobbed, hugging her tightly so that he couldn't let go and she wouldn't go away.

But she already did.

As he held on to her,
Ao whispered another word.

"—Nee-chan."

  ・・・ lxxxv ・・・

Ame's eyes were closed.

They would always be closed now.

She will never open them again.

His chest ached with every ragged breath.

Ao heaved and trembled.

Her happy smile.

Her cheerful laugh.

Her gentle voice.

Her comforting embrace.

They were all gone now.

  ・・・ lxxxvi ・・・

Please let this be a dream.

Let this be just another nightmare.

Please, even if I was just granted this single prayer.

Take it all away.

Mom.

Dad.

—My happiness.

Just not her.

Not Ame.

Please wake up.
Please wake up.
Please wake up.
Please wake up.

—It's all my fault.

  ・・・ lxxxvii・・・

It's all my fault.

It's all my fault.

It's all my fault.

It's all my fault.

Because I said those words.

Because I wanted her to die.

I killed her.
I killed her.
I killed her.
I killed her.

I—

  ・・・ lxxxviii ・・・

Ao didn't know how long he stayed there,
hugging Ame's cold, dead body and repeating her name under his breath.

The tears didn't seem to stop as he cried.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't.

Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up—

Someone screamed.

Ao looked up.

Through his watery vision, he could see Monica standing outside the door, looking terrified.

She screamed again.

  ・・・ lxxxix ・・・

Everything that came after was a blur.

Suddenly, his father was at the doorway.

Suddenly, his parents were beside Ame, pulling her away from him.

He lost his grip on Ame's lifeless hand.

No. No.

Ao's father looked at him with pure anger.

His eyes were red.

"What did you do to Ame?" he demanded scathingly. "What did you do?"

Ao was shaking.

I–

I—

He whispered his answer, fear lacing his tone.

"I— It was my... f—fault..." he said through his tears, voice cracking. "Because of me— Because of me she—"

Ao didn't finish his sentence.

Before he could, his father suddenly grabbed his head and slammed it on the wall.

  ・・・ xc ・・・

The impact caused Ao's head to bounce off.

When it did, it was as if something inside his skull had broke.

He lost his balance and collapsed on the floor.

He blinked, dazed.

The world was spinning.

There was a sharp pain in his head.

A loud, ringing static deafened his ear.

Ao blinked again.

He raised his hand slowly and touched his right ear.

Warm blood trickled on his fingertips.

Ah...

The edges of his vision started to darken.

Slowly, he looked up one last time, seeing Ame's face as his father picked her up in his arms, yelling something.

Monica was already calling someone on the phone.

Everything was wrong.

It was all wrong.

It's all wrong.

He looked at his bloodied fingers.

Ame...

Nee-chan...

Please... Don't go...

I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.

He coughed.

The throb painful throb in his head was the last thing Ao remembered before he lost consciousness.