Chapter 10

Naoko ran up the hill, Mizuki close on her tail. She reached the top, spinning round to yell back down the hill.

"Come on, slow pokes!" She shouted. Mizuki caught up to her, grabbing her and pulling her into a hug.

"You're too fast, Naoko!" Mizuki huffed, "If I'd been able to fly up here, I'd have beat you! Why'd you make me walk?"

"It's more fair that way!" Naoko kissed Mizuki on the nose.

"Get a room you guys!" Nanami teased as she and Tomoe, hand in hand, crested the hill. Naoko grinned at her parents. She couldn't believe that it had been nearly ten years now since her father had come back into her life, and changed everything for the better. Her mother, once so sickly she was just waiting to die, now smiled, her cheeks red with exertion and laughter and her hair long again. Tomoe placed a peck on Nanami's lips, and she smiled up at him. They had gone through with making her immortal; Tomoe had been successful, and the first thing that Nanami had asked for when she had woken was a good meal.

Nanami had been right; Naoko was immortal. She hadn't aged a day since turning twenty-three.

"Come on, it's starting!" Naoko looked out to the horizon. The four of them stood, looking out. A few seconds passed, and the sun began to rise.

"Happy New Year!"

Thanks for sticking with me on this! I have updated the entire story and given it a (brief) happy ending.

Thanks for reading!