This epilogue is for those who have wanted a sequel to the Tragedy of Chiyo story. I am so sorry for having taken so long to do this but I have had my hands full with another story and I also don't get to have much access to the internet. So for those of you who wanted this story to continue, and if you are reading it for the first time please enjoy and review to let me know what you think about it.

Epilogue

Tomo walked into the funeral home with several things on her mind. The biggest was Chiyo's death which she had witnessed. Looking around she could see the effect on everyone's faces. The room for the wake where they had Chiyo's casket for viewing was full of people that were wearing black. Tomo recognized most of the people there since pretty much the whole school was going to be attending the services for Chiyo. Looking around she saw Kaorin coming towards her.

"Hello Tomo," Kaorin greeted.

"Hello Kaorin," Tomo replied, "How are you doing?"

"Okay," she replied, "But I don't think that the same could be said about Sakaki."

"Where is she," Tomo asked, "I have to talk to her."

Kaorin pointed over to a corner. Tomo couldn't see her because of the amount of people that were in the room with them, but she saw her. The sight of her made Tomo's heart sink. She was completely alone staring down at the floor not saying so much as a word. When Tomo came close to her she raised her head up and Tomo could see the look of sadness on Sakaki's face. Her eyes showed that there were still fresh tears forming and running down her cheek. Tomo pulled up a chair and sit next Sakaki wondering how to start a talk with her. Tomo remembered what happened that made her want to talk to Sakaki for so long.

Several Days Earlier

The school called a meeting of the student body to talk about the suicide. It was to take place at the beginning of the day. Everyone gathered into the gym in shock at what happened just a few days before. Everyone waited for the principal to come into the school. For the first time that Tomo remembered all of the students that were waiting for the principal to show up were silent. After what seemed like hours the principal walked up to the microphone and started to address the students.

"Hello everyone," he started," I would like to greet you today with a smile and a 'Good morning', but I am afraid that I can't do so today. We all know about what happened to poor Chiyo Mihama a few days ago, and I am sure that you are all still in shock about such a terrible event. It really doesn't make much sense for a student with as much promise as Chiyo to jump off the top of the school. By what I have heard this was a suicide, not an accidental death. When I first heard these words I was absolutely shocked. However I had heard reports of Chiyo being bullied excessively a few days before her death, so I want the person or persons that were the cause to have enough courage to see me. We don't know who it was but if you have an idea or are the one I want to see you in my office. Dismissed."

Everyone left feeling no better than they had before. They knew that eventually the person who was responsible would pay, but that still didn't change the fact that Chiyo was dead and that nothing could bring her back. I have to tell the principal that I was in on it, Tomo thought, there is no way that I could ever live with myself if I didn't do this. She decided that during the lunch hour that she would go into the principal's office to let him know what really happened. It seemed like forever but time for lunch eventually came. She walked out of the room and started down the hall making her way to the principals office. When she was almost there she could hear people talking in his office. She stopped outside the office by the door to listen to what was going on, she could hear the principal's voice talking to someone.

"I cannot believe that a student with such a bright future would do something like this," the principle stated with a mix of anger and disappointment, "Well I have no choice. You may come to the wake and funeral, but you may no longer come to this school. Now please get back to class and pack your things."

Tomo got away from the door as it opened and was surprised to see Sakaki walking out of the office. She looked very sad and seemed to be on the brink of tears. What on earth is going on, Tomo thought. She ran to catch up to her.

"Hey Sakaki," she called.

The girl turned around to look Tomo straight into the face. The look on Sakaki's face took Tomo completely off guard. Her eyes were starting to water with tears and it looked like she was biting her lip to keep back crying. Sakaki took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes off.

"What's going on," Tomo finally asked.

"I got expelled," Sakaki answered.

"Why," Tomo asked shocked.

"I told him that I was the one responsible for bullying Chiyo," she answered.

"That's wrong and you know it."

"Not in my opinion."

"What do you mean not in your opinion!"

"I was the one that betrayed Chiyo after helping her so much then I let myself get talked into your group. Poor Chiyo must have been completely devastated."

"That was because of me bullying her."

Tomo couldn't believe what she was hearing. She never thought that Sakaki would go and take the blame for what happened to Chiyo. She knew that it wasn't right, and that she had to try to stop Sakaki from going.

"You can't do this," Tomo said, "I won't let you."

"It is too late," Sakaki answered, "After today I won't even be allowed in this school."

"But," Tomo tried to say something but Sakaki turned around and walked away to get her things and turn in her text books.

That was the last time that Tomo had spoken with Sakaki before the funeral, and Tomo knew that she had to try to make things right. She didn't know what to say to Sakaki though.

"How are you doing," Tomo asked.

"Okay," Sakaki answered.

"How have you been holding up," Tomo questioned.

"Well my parents were shocked and I really disappointed them," Sakaki answered, "But they had every right to react the way that they did."

Tomo really didn't know what to say. She noticed that Sakaki hadn't even looked at her almost as if she was hiding something. Tomo knew that she had to find out what was going on.

"If you need someone to talk to I could come visit if you wanted," Tomo offered.

"That won't be possible," Sakaki replied.

"Why not," Tomo asked.

"Since I've been expelled my parents had to try to find another school for me to go to," Sakaki answered, "They found one a couple of days ago that would let me in."

"Well that's good isn't it?"

"The school is really far from here so you or anyone else won't be able to come and visit me, not that there is anyone who would want to come visit."

The mentioning of Sakaki having to move so that she could attend another school felt like a heavy blow to the stomach for Tomo. She couldn't even begin to imagine going to school without Sakaki going there too. Then Sakaki finally looked up. Tomo could see the tears start to flow down Sakaki's cheeks.

"I'll be leaving in a few days," Sakaki said.

After saying this she walked off and left Tomo standing there in complete disbelief. First Sakaki took the blame for bullying Chiyo and now she is moving so that she can go to a different school. This was simply too much for Tomo to handle. She covered her face with her hands and started to cry. She couldn't find Sakaki around anywhere after that and spent the rest of the time thinking about Chiyo and the things that they had done together with everyone else. The time finally came for her to leave the funeral home and she went back home.

Several Days Later

Tomo got up and walked over to Sakaki's house and saw that there was a big moving van parked outside their house. She walked up and saw Sakaki carrying a box and putting it on the van. Tomo hurried up to her.

"Sakaki," she called.

Sakaki turned her head and slightly smiled. This was the first time that Tomo had seen Sakaki smile in a long time.

"What are you doing," Tomo asked.

"Getting my stuff onto the van so I can leave with my parents to my new home," Sakaki replied.

"Oh," Tomo replied.

"It will take several hours to get there so we want to leave as soon as possible," Sakaki replied.

"Well then I won't try to take too much of your time," Tomo replied, "But I really need to talk to you."

"Okay," Sakaki answered.

"I haven't seen you since the funeral, and I have been worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"Even though you say that I have a really hard time believing you."

Sakaki looked down and seemed to be keeping back tears because her eyes were watery when she finally looked back up.

"You're right," Sakaki finally replied, "I am not okay."

"What's wrong," Tomo asked.

"Tomo you may be able to continue on after what happened to Chiyo, but I can't," Sakaki replied.

Tomo looked at Sakaki not knowing what to say.

"It is very hard for me to just move on when my best friend is dead," Sakaki stated in tears.

"But it wasn't your fault," Tomo tried to convince.

"As much as I want to think that I know that it isn't true," Sakaki stated calming herself down.

Just then Sakaki's parents called her to go get into the car and that they were taking off. Sakaki looked at Tomo and knew that now she would have to say her goodbyes.

"Tomo you may be a able to forgive me for what has happened but I don't know whether or not I can forgive myself,"

"You've got to," Tomo replied, "I know that you can if you just try."

Sakaki nodded her head and looked at Tomo with a smile that Tomo could see was real.

"I've got to go now," Sakaki finally said.

"Be sure to keep in touch," Tomo replied it was now her turn to hold back the tears.

Sakaki nodded her head and got into her parents car. Tomo watched as they drove off, she waved until they family was out of sight and then wiped off her eyes and headed home.

The End