EPILOGUE:

In my entire time in Charanari High, I found out that the hardest thing to say was goodbye. It was a single word, yet under certain circumstances was the most difficult to utter. Somehow, I had concluded that it signified something that ends – something that could not be taken back; something in its last parts, in its final.

Sometimes it's sad, but if dealt with differently, somehow a goodbye could also bring happiness. But, difficult to say, nevertheless.

Saying goodbye could feel like throwing away your favorite dress or losing a pet – a striking, tugging feeling in your chest.

I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have to say goodbye to anyone that night and no matter how much preparation I had in store, no matter how hard I forced myself not to feel anything, in the end, I still felt.

And if I thought it'd get better, I'd be a fool.

Losing that person was hard. Harder even, when I felt like it was me that ended his life even if it's indirectly done. I could still remember his funeral like it just happened yesterday. Not everyone was there, only the Guardians (and the ex-Guardians), the Assembly, and me. It wasn't like we told people about it, anyway.

Everyone gave their respects solemnly. He was to be respected greatly, after all. I didn't go near him, though. I was too afraid I'd be overcome with emotions and wouldn't be able to go back to the way I was. But of course, I was fooling myself for I knew that I was forever changed the moment I knew them. It was them who changed me into a fuller, better person than I was before.

I remembered Rima waking toward me during his funeral.

"You're not going to see him?" Her blonde hair was still perfect as I remembered it.

I shook my head. "I'm good,"

"It'd do you better to see him, you know," she said.

When I didn't move, she dragged me slightly, "Nadeshiko's right over there if you want to talk to her,"

Giving up, I sighed and prepared myself from the onslaught of emotions I was afraid to experience.

The casket was made of a beautiful royal blue varnished wood. It had white fluffy linings inside, creating the illusion of clouds. There was no glass covering him from us. He looked peaceful with his eyes closed. His purplish hair was a stark contrast against his pale skin and the white linings. His lips looked like it had a little smile on them. Why, though, I did not understand until later.

I felt myself gripping on the edge of the casket, fighting the tears from escaping my eyes.

"He wouldn't blame you, you know,"

My eyes gave Nadeshiko a sidelong glance and then suddenly, the dam broke, letting the flood of my tears fall all at once.

"I know," I choked.

"I wouldn't either," she whispered.

With that I faced her, "Nagihiko always said you're too kind for your own good, but thanks," and then we hugged and cried.

If somebody told me years ago that I'd be hugging a girl and crying over a dead friend whom I only got to know for months, I would've laughed straight in his face.

I was wiping my cheeks when Rima came up to us. She held my hand and gave me a tiny squeeze.

"You were so special to him, you know," I silently said.

And then I was surprised when she gave me a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For helping him save me,"

Oh. "He loved you that much," I sighed.

After the funeral service, I had gone straight to the hospital. Both my parents and Ikuto were admitted there and we had had to pay a large sum of money in order to keep the staffs' mouths shut about us.

I checked on my parents first. Ami was there, waiting patiently for them to awaken. Both were still unconscious when I came. The doctor said it was because of exhaustion and that they just had to regain their strengths.

Turned out, my father had escaped first and had been looking for my mother when he saw Ami and the others. With my dad only injured slightly, they went first to the hospital. Utau and Yoru came later to fetch me and Ikuto and followed suit.

After I checked on them, I went next to Ikuto's room. He was sleeping when I entered. Utau was with him but she was at the funeral, too. She just paid her respects and then went away to check on Ikuto.

She stood up from her chair. "I'll just get us some drinks,"

"Okay," I said and sat, wincing slightly at my thigh wounds.

Ikuto was sleeping soundly. As I waited for Utau, I studied his face. He still had the same impossibly long eyelashes; the same straight nose; the same thin, angel-like lips. Then why did he seem different to me?

"Hey,"

I gasped when his eyes suddenly fluttered open, meeting my honey ones with. Again, I was surprised by how dark his eyes looked but they were still warm, nevertheless.

"H-Hey, how are you feeling?"

He looked down at his feet and gave me a reassuring smile. "Surprisingly okay,"

I smiled at him and said nothing. We remained like that for a minute or so until he spoke again.

"You know, I never got to hear what you said back there," he said, referring to his not-so-subtle confession.

My smile grew broader. His eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and curiosity, a silent grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Well?" he sat up at patted the space next to him.

I stood and sat with him. "Well...you'd have to stick around to find out,"

Ikuto gave me one of his signature smirks as he leaned towards me. "Who said I was going anywhere?"

So, I leaned forward to meet him halfway, hoping for a better beginning for the both of us.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

There you go people! Sorry for the wait. Please don't forget to review :) This novel was written for a year and three months. I'm thinking of writing another fanfic. Maybe a Bokura Ga Ita one or a No Game No Life one. It depends :) If you guys have suggestions or requests, I'd be glad to do so.

So there you have it, the end of our story. Again, please don't forget to review! Thanks!

With all the love for writing,

Lace Ashdown

DISCLAIMER: Shugo Chara (c) Peach-Pit