The Last Goodbye

Her vision returned. She was in a white room, florescent lights above her head illuminating the vicinity. At first, she didn't take notice of the young man standing at the foot of her bed, or the boy soundly sleeping in a chair beside her. But as she realized he was about to leave, she called out, her voice trembling and hoarse, "W-wait..."

The young man paused, not daring to turn around as he heard the girl shift in her bed. Pulling back the pristine bed sheets, Kaori stood up on shaky legs and started to walk towards Natsuno.

He could hear her coming closer and closer, each step mounting him to the spot until there was only a foot separating them. Natsuno glanced at Kaori from the corner of his eye. She looked like her usual self, but the glimmer in her eyes were gone, replaced by a look of worry and her skin was paler than usual.

"... Will you b-be coming b-back?"

"... No."

Natsuno looked away, his hunger growing the longer he stayed close to Kaori. Her scent, her movements, her pulse, was slowly driving him crazy. If he stayed a moment longer, he would lose it. He could clearly remember what Tatsumi had told him: "Us Jinro still need blood to fully function."

Kaori hesitated, but quick and deft, she wrapped her slender arms around Natsuno. He froze upon contact, completely startled by what Kaori was doing as she buried her face against his back.

"... Good luck."

As quickly as she had done it, she pulled back, but was stopped when Natsuno held onto her wrist.

"... Wait..."

Kaori paused, and watched him curiously as he turned to properly face her for the first time that moment.

He was Shiki. That was for sure. But Kaori, even knowing that he could attack her at any moment, felt safe and smiled at him reassuringly.

'Too kind...' he thought, his thumb absent mindedly rubbing the inside of her wrist.

"Can I..." He couldn't finish his sentence, as he looked down in shame and bitter resentment towards himself. He began to pull back.

"Go ahead."

That stopped him. Slowly, he looked at Kaori dead in the eye, and saw sincerity in them. He almost felt guilty, but if he wanted to get back to Sotoba, he needed the energy.

Gingerly, he lifted her wrist to his mouth, and making it as swift as possible, he began to drain some blood. Kaori winced, feeling her arm began to grow weak, then the rest of her body as she continued to smile nonetheless.

Once he had had his fill, Natsuno gently prodded Kaori back into bed. Without another word, just a second of eye contact between the two - Kaori smiling at him sleepily - Natsuno left.

... For the last time.

A/N: I've watched Shiki twice already, and I can never help but be overjoyed every time I see Kaori and Natsuno together.

Scene takes place in the anime, episode 22, before Natsuno leaves Kaori and Akira to fight Tatsumi.