Episode 13: Sayonara

[Hayate]

Power of Love

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~ Episode 13: Sayonara (Goodbye) ~[/u]

Act 1: Loyalty Over Love

“…Hello, Emiri.”

These were the words the man standing just a few feet away from Emiri – her own father Isshin Sakurai – had uttered to her. The redhead with wide-open eyes simply stood there with her lower lip trembling. Before her were loved ones that she hadn’t seen or spoken with in months. Her first reaction? “…Otou-san… Otou-san!!!” With her arms spread to her sides, Emiri runs up and tightly embraces her beloved father.

And, as expected of him, the girl’s father does the same, wrapping his arms around his daughter. “Oh, Emiri… I’ve missed you so much…”

“Watashi mo…”, says Emiri, tiny tears trickling from beneath her eyes. Loosening her embrace ever so slightly, she looks up at her father’s manly facial features. “You came out all the way from Kyushu to see Ayu-nee and me?”

“Mm-hmm.”, says Emiri’s mother Ayaka Sakurai, sitting over on the couch with her legs crossed. “It’s been almost a whole year since we’ve seen our two precious daughters. It isn’t a crime for parents to miss their children, now is it?”, she continues with a sly grin.

As Emiri meets her mother eye-to-eye for the first time in months, her cheeks flush with a faint shade of pink. “Hehehe…”

Just then, feeling it necessary to interject, in jumps Ayumu with a stern “Why don’t you stop beating around the bush and tell her the REAL reason you’re here!?”

All of the eyes in the room were then focused on the pink-haired girl. “Ayu-nee? What’s with you?”

“It’s otou-chan and okaa-chan, Emiri! They… They want to--!”

“It’s okay, Ayu-chan.”, says Ayaka, cutting Ayumu off as she rises to her feet. “It’s better if…she hears it from us.”

“…Hear what…?” The redheaded girl could feel a chill run down her spine.

“You see, Emiri…”, starts Isshin, looking down at his daughter intently, his hands firmly grasping her shoulders. “…We’re making plans for your grandmother to be placed into a retirement home. She’s really getting on in years, y’know, and we feel it’s in her best interest to be in an environment where she’ll be well taken care of.”

“I…guess that makes sense, but…if obaa-chan goes away, what’ll happen to this house?”

Her head lowering just a bit, Ayaka picks up where Isshin had left off. “Well…that’s the other reason we’re here, sweetie. Before we relocate your grandmother…you and Ayumu will be…coming back to live with us in Fukuoka.”

“!!! …W-What…!? I have to leave Sapporo!?”

“We know this is rather sudden, dear, but you know it’d be impossible for the two of you to live here all by yourselves, don’t you?”

“…” In that instant, Emiri knew how it had felt for Kyosuke to leave his island home of Miyako-jima. “But…I can’t just…!”

“We understand how you feel, Emiri--”

“No! No, you don’t understand! I don’t wanna leave! I…I can’t!”

Isshin and Ayaka were quite taken aback by their daughter’s profound objection to the idea of leaving Hokkaido. “Emiri… We really do understand your attachment to this place, and we’re sorry for forcing it upon you like this, but…this isn’t something we can just…undo.”

“…Sou na…”

Reaching into his pocket, Isshin pulls out and hands to Emiri a plane ticket. “…But just to show we’re not completely heartless, we booked you a flight for 6:00pm this Friday so you can finish your final exams and…y’know…say goodbye to your friends.”

“…” Gazing down at the ticket in her hand, Emiri’s overcome with grief. How would she break the news to her friends? To Kyosuke?

Even Ayumu was quite downtrodden about the situation. After all, leaving Hokkaido meant leaving Ryuta behind. “…”

…The following day, at lunch hour, Kyosuke and company assemble in their usual circle on the school rooftop. Beads of sweat could be seen dripping down Chiaki’s temple as her eyes frantically dash along the pages of a textbook. “Ohhhh… Man, I hate finals week! It’s gonna take me forever to memorize all this!”

Taking another bite out of her lunch, Misuzu gives the anxious green-haired Osakan gal a rather cynical look. “I’m not one to say ‘I told you so’, but…”

Clapping her hands together, Chiaki turns to Misuzu in a begging position. “Onegai na, Misuzu! Could I borrow yer notes from class? Please? I’m desperate over ‘ere!”

“O-Okay, okay, sure! I’ll help you out anyway I can, Chiaki! Just please, no begging!”

“Yokatta!!! Oki ni arigatou, Misuzu-chan!!!”

“Aah! C-Chiaki, get off of me!”

The humorous back-and-forth between two of her friends had brought a smile to Emiri’s face, accompanied by a short giggle. But despite her outward display of joy, the redhead was slowly breaking inside. ‘…What am I gonna do…? What am I supposed to say to them…? I tell them now, they’ll worry over me nonstop… I tell them later, they’ll hate me… Either way, I’ll end up hurting them… And what about Kyosuke…? We finally get together, and now we have to say goodbye…? …It isn’t fair…’

…The days go by like years, each passing longer than the last. The day Emiri would have to leave Hokkaido inches closer ever gradually. A clock in Emiri’s mind ticks away every excruciating minute.

Friday, June 20. 12:07pm.

This was the group of friends’ last day of school, as well as their last day of final exams. At lunchtime, Chiaki – much to the shock of her friends – didn’t have the stomach to eat, as their last exam of the term would come in just a couple of hours. “Ohhh… Man, I hate finals week…”

“Yes, Chiaki, we heard you the first 12 times…”, comments Rudy as he casually eats his lunch. “Think of it this way: It’s the last day of school! Tomorrow…we hit the shores!”

“Yeah! I can’t wait!”, exclaims Yuzu, almost unable to contain her child-like excitement.

Meanwhile, Emiri could be seen floating in her own little pocket of space: bento in one hand, chopsticks in the other, and a blank expression on her face. “…”

“…Emiri?”, Kyosuke calls out to the redhead concernedly.

“Oh! …S-Sorry, you say something, Kyo?”

“You feeling okay? You barely touched your food.”

“…Oh. …I guess I don’t have much of an appetite today. Heh.”

“…!!! Emiri, you’re crying…!”

“Huh?” Touching her hand to her face, Emiri notices that tears were trickling forth from her eyes without her realizing. “…N-Nani kore? W-What’s wrong with me?” The girl quickly wipes her tears away, rises to her feet… “Uh… Sorry, I need to be alone for a minute.” …and returns inside the building.

Needless to say, the circle of friends was quite surprised by their redheaded friend’s sudden exit. “…Emiri…”

12:09pm.

Fleeing to the girl’s restroom, Emiri hovers over the sink, splashing cold water on her tear-streaked face. After patting herself dry with a decorative hand cloth, she gazes at her reflection in the mirror intently. “…What the hell am I doing? I had all week to tell them, and I couldn’t. They’re my friends; I should be able to tell them anything… Right?” And before Emiri knew it, the tears came streaming down again. “…”

“…Emiri?”

“Ah!” Wiping the tears away again, Emiri turns to her rear to face… “…Oh. Misuzu.”

“There’s definitely something bothering you, isn’t there? Please tell me. I want to help.”

Emiri couldn’t take it any longer. The pain was too unbearable. She had to tell someone. So she told Misuzu everything: Her parents’ sudden arrival in Sapporo, their plans to put Emiri’s grandmother in a retirement home, and her leaving Hokkaido later that evening.

“…Uso… You can’t be serious…!”

“…I wish I wasn’t, Misuzu…”

“No way! You’re leaving!? And you didn’t even tell us?!? Why would you keep this from us, Emiri?!?”

“Gomen nasai… I didn’t mean to--”

“Does Kyosuke know anything about this?”

“…No.”

“You kept it from him too?!? What’s the matter with you?!? You have to tell him!!!”

“I CAN’T!!!!!”

“!!!”

Completely overwhelmed by heartbreak, Emiri collapses to her knees, the cold porcelain floor stroking her lower legs. “You don’t understand, Misuzu… I can’t tell Kyosuke… I don’t want to say goodbye… I wouldn’t be able to handle it…”

“…” Though it was out of character for someone like her, Misuzu slowly approaches Emiri, kneels down beside her, and wraps her arms around her. The gentle warmth of a close friend was what someone in Emiri’s position needed right now, she thought. “You have to say something to him, Emiri… If you don’t, you’ll spend the rest of your life in regret… And what about Kyosuke, huh…? How do you think he’ll feel if you just up and leave without saying a word…?”

“…Oh, Misuzu…!” Emiri tightly wraps her arms around Misuzu as well, letting the tears fall by themselves. “…I don’t… I don’t know what to do…!” Rent apart by indecision, all the redhead could think of doing at the moment was burying her face into her blonde friend’s shoulder and having herself a cry.

…3:32pm.

In just a matter of hours, school lets out for the last time, and the students of Sapporo South High pour out into the courtyard and sprint for home, eager to start their summer vacation. Some would go away for vacation. Some would stay at home and goof off. Whatever their plans were, they were content with the simple fact that school was finally over.

Kyosuke and his closed group of friends (sans one Emiri) can be seen taking their time in walking off school grounds. “Ohhhh… Thank God that’s over…”, Chiaki groans, making a spectacle of herself in front of her friends. Then, turning to face them, she asks, “Hey, you guys know where Emiri went? She left th’ classroom pretty quick after th’ last bell.”

“Maybe she had somewhere to be after school?”, hypothesizes Rudy. “Or maybe she just wasn’t feeling well. She did say she didn’t have much of an appetite today.”

Keeping silent throughout their walk, Kyosuke was deep in thought. If Emiri did indeed have somewhere to be, why didn’t she tell him?

“… Nanbara.”

“Huh?” Facing his rear, Kyosuke sees Misuzu looking intently at him with stern eyes. Granted, it was common for Misuzu to look at Kyosuke in such a way, but this look was different. “…W-What’s up, Misuzu?”, the boy asks uneasily.

“… We need to talk.”

“…”

Meanwhile, at the Sakurai household, Emiri is seen standing outside with suitcases in her hands, giving one final look at her Sapporo home. “…”

Outside the front gate, Emiri’s mother Ayaka calls out to her daughter from a distance. “Emiri! It’s time to go, honey!”

“…Hai.” Turning 180 degrees, Emiri walks in the direction of the rental car. She places her luggage in the trunk and climbs into the passenger-side back seat. Through the car window, she looks at her home one last time…just before the car pulls away from the curb and drives off.

4:13pm.

The streets of Kita-ku were eerily quiet today, even with the mild hustle and bustle of the city folk. There, amidst the crowd, a certain black-haired teen could be seen shoving his way through towards the residential block. With a glazed look in his eye and beads of sweat covering his face, Kyosuke Nanbara sprints for his life towards the house of his girlfriend, the conversation he had with Misuzu earlier the only thing on his mind.

“…Nan de sute!? Emiri’s leaving!?”

“She’ll be leaving for Fukuoka with her sister and parents in just a couple of hours!”

“W-Why didn’t she say anything before?!?”

“…Isn’t it obvious…? To spare her friends the pain of having to say goodbye.”

“…”

“What are you just standing there for, Nanbara!? Go after her!!!”

“N-Nani…?”

“I know that it’s not my place to say this, but…you can’t let her leave like this! Chiaki, Beaumont, Yuzu… They’ll all be crushed! Besides, you don’t want her to go either, do you?”

“…Of course I don’t…”

“Then get going already. Let Emiri know that her friends won’t let her go that easily. …Please, Kyosuke. Don’t let things end this way.”

“…Hmph!”

On his final approach to Emiri’s house, Kyosuke’s running speed increases to the point at which he nearly stumbles. Dashing through the front gate, Kyosuke halts his sprint before the door and, without even stopping to catch his breath, starts pounding on the wooden veneer with his fist. “Emiri!”, he calls out at the top of his lungs. “Emiri, open the door!!” Alas, the boy wouldn’t receive a reply. “…No… She left already…?” But the boy refused to give up hope just yet. New Chitose Airport. That was where Misuzu said Emiri’s flight would take off from. Motioning a swift 180, Kyosuke bolts for Sapporo Station.

4:21pm.

Going all the way from Sapporo Station in Kita-ku to the airport in Chitose City would take at least an hour and 20 minutes, but it would still leave Kyosuke plenty of time to find Emiri and stop her from boarding her plane. Returning to the city streets, Kyosuke spots the train station a block away and doubles his efforts…

…Unfortunately, the boy – in his frantic haste – fails to pay attention to a street crossing sign and is met by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. “Aah!!!”

*SCREECH!!!*

The automobile comes to a screeching halt just several inches before colliding into him.

“…Whew… Thought I was done for a second there…”

“Kyosuke-kun!?”

“Huh?” Now paying full attention to his surroundings, Kyosuke comes to the shocking realization that the person behind the wheel of the car that almost ran him over was none other than… “…Kozue-sensei?!?”

Thus, a dialogue is initiated between the student and teacher in which Kyosuke explains the situation to Kozue. “…Hmm… Sou ka… So you need to get to New Chitose?”

“Right! And I’m wasting too much time as it is! I need to get there within the next hour and a half!”

“…Alright then. Get in.”

“W-What?”

“I’ll drive you to the airport myself.”

“B-But--”

“No buts! I’ll get ya there in 50 minutes tops!”

“…” With a deal like that, Kyosuke certainly couldn’t decline the offer. Dashing over to the other side of the car, he climbs into the passenger seat and buckles up. “…Arigatou, sensei.”

Accepting her student’s gratitude with a nod, Kozue firmly grasps the wheel, revs up the engine… “BANZAI!!!” …and takes off like a rocket.

~Sayonara: End of Act 1~

Act 2: The Magic Words

4:48pm.

Upon their arrival to the airport, the Sakurai family climbs out of the car and grabs their luggage. With her bags in hand, Emiri gazes upward until her eyes meet with the large sign reading ‘New Chitose Airport’. “…” If there were ever a time for the redhead to feel regret, that time was certainly now. Is this right?, she kept asking herself. Did I do the right thing?, she kept asking herself. But to these questions and many others, Emiri may never receive an answer. Her head held low, Emiri walks into the airport a short distance behind her parents and Ayumu.

5:24pm.

Kyosuke and Kozue dash clumsily into the main terminal building of the New Chitose Airport, still somewhat disoriented from the ride over. “Jeez, Kozue-sensei, where’d you learn how to drive – a cardboard box?!?”, the whiplash-ridden boy snaps irritably. “And what happened to ‘50 minutes tops’, huh?!?”

“Don’t insult the person who signs your report card, kid!”, Kozue snaps back. “Now shut up and find Emiri’s terminal!”

Desperate to find Emiri, Kyosuke’s eyes dart about the terminal building in search of any sign that would lead him to her – her red hair, her sister’s pink hair, flight schedules to Fukuoka, anything. But after a minute or so, nothing.

“Well? Do you see her anywhere?”

“No, nothing! I don’t even see any scheduled flights bound for Kyushu! Dammit, where could she be!?” In a last-ditch effort, Kyosuke takes out his cell phone and speed-dials Misuzu. “Come on… Pick up…”

Moments later, he hears on the other end, “…Moshi-moshi?”

“Misuzu! Yokatta!”

“Nanbara? What’s going on? Did you find Emiri yet?”

“No, I haven’t! And I’m standing in the airport terminal building right now! You said her flight leaves at 6:00, right?”

“Sou, sou. 6:00pm at the New Chitose Airport…”

“Uh-huh…”

“…in Tomakomai.”

“…Wait, what?”

“The New Chitose Airport branch in Tomakomai. …Why? Where are you?”

“…Chitose.” Kyosuke’s arms fall lifelessly to his sides. Despite his best efforts to find Emiri…he had arrived at the wrong airport.

5:26pm.

As the Sakurai family awaits their scheduled flight time, Emiri can be seen playing with her cell phone. In the past hour or so, she had received four text messages – one from Chiaki, two from Misuzu, and one from Kyosuke. Chiaki’s message had been sent just several minutes after school had let out.

“Emi -
We still on for the beach tomorrow?
Be sure to bring something sexy.
- Chi”

“…” As the forlorn redhead buries her face in her hands, the tears come once again.

5:30pm.

Back in Kozue’s car, Kyosuke and Kozue drive down the highway toward Tomakomai. As Kozue focuses on the road, Kyosuke focuses on the car’s leather flooring. “…”

“…Maybe…”, starts Kozue. “…Maybe we can still make it. Tomakomai isn’t that far from here, y’know.”

“It’s alright, Kozue-sensei.”, replies Kyosuke dejectedly. “You don’t have to try so hard anymore. You and I both know it’s at least a 20-minute drive from here to Tomakomai. Emiri’ll already be on the plane by then. We’ll never make it in time. …It’s over.”

“…Kyo-kun…” It pained Kozue to see her student so disheartened, so defeated. “…” Donning a serious expression, Kozue focuses on the road again, tightens her grip on the steering wheel, and steps on the gas.

“!!!” Noticing their increase in speed, Kyosuke turns with a confused look. “K-Kozue-sensei? What are you doing?”

“Kyosuke… I’ve been your teacher for a whole year now… Sure, you were a handful at first, but I’ve watched you grow into a fine young man. You’ve opened up in so many ways. …That’s why… That’s why you can’t give up yet! If you don’t step up now, you’ll never get a second chance!”

“…Kozue-sensei…”

As Kozue applies additional pressure to the gas pedal, the car barrels down the highway, picking up leaves and assorted debris with its back draft.

5:45pm.

New Chitose Airport, Tomakomai branch. Over the airport intercom, a grainy male voice announces, “Flight 142 for Fukuoka is now boarding. I repeat, Flight 142 for Fukuoka is now boarding.”

Upon hearing this announcement, Isshin and Ayaka rise to their feet with carryon luggage in tow. “Alright. Time to go, girls.”, says Isshin to his daughters.

“Hai…”, Emiri and Ayumu reply in unison. Picking up their suitcases, they follow their parents towards their appointed terminal. It was nearing that time.

As the clock strikes 5:47, Kozue’s car pulls up in front of the building. Kyosuke swiftly opens the car door and dashes inside. Like before, his eyes dart about the building in search of Emiri, until… “!!!”…they rest upon a bundle of red hair. In the distance, Emiri is seen standing in a line of people slowly moving towards the flight entrance corridor. ‘Emiri!’ With his girl in sight, Kyosuke’s feet start to move. With each yard the boy drew closer, his heart doubled in tempo. He was just a handful of yards away. Certain victory was within his grasp…

…when all of a sudden, he’s halted by airport security. “Excuse me, sir, do you have a plane ticket?”

Kyosuke was so close. He absolutely refused to let anything else hold him back. “Get out of my way!!!”, he spouts at the security guard.

“I can’t let you through without a ticket, sir!”

“Tch…!” Looking towards the line of people, Kyosuke watches as Emiri inches further away from him. ‘No! I can’t let this happen!’ And then, in a loud, booming voice, he bellows…

“EMIRI!!!”

Every single eye in that section of the airport was focused on the boy who cried wolf.

Naturally, having heard her name being called out, Emiri freezes in place. Turning her head to the left – almost in slow-motion – she meets the black-haired teen eye-to-eye. A sparkle glimmers in Emiri’s pupils. She was tongue-tied as to what she should say first. Opening her mouth ever slightly, she utters, “…K…Kyosuke…”

A spine-chilling silence ensues between the two. The first to break that silence, Kyosuke starts, “…Were you just gonna leave without saying goodbye? Am I that unimportant to you?”

“…” Emiri couldn’t find the words to respond. It took all of the girl’s willpower to keep herself from collapsing into sadness.

“Okay, so you’re leaving for home. Big deal. But don’t I at least deserve to know what’s going on?”

“…”

“C’mon! Say something!”

“…I tried… I tried so hard to tell you, Kyosuke, but…I just couldn’t… I wasn’t strong enough… The pain was too much for me…”

“You weren’t strong enough? Heh. The hell are you talking about, Emiri? You’re one of the strongest people I know.”

“Oh, would you just stop it already, Kyosuke!? I know what you’re trying to do! You’re trying to make me regret what I did! Don’t you think I regret it enough already!?”

“…Emiri…”

“This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, Kyosuke. So, please…don’t make it harder than it already is… ” Turning away from him, Emiri continues towards the flight entrance corridor. Just a little further and she’d be completely out of Kyosuke’s line of sight.

“Emiri, wait! Don’t go!”, Kyosuke calls out. But this time, Emiri wouldn’t listen. What else could he do? He desperately wanted to go over there and confront her up-close, but with airport security barring his path, that wasn’t an option. “…” His face becoming hot with pink, Kyosuke shouts out a second time.

“S-SUKI DAYO, EMIRI!!!!!”

Once again, all eyes fall upon the boy with black hair and red cheeks.

“!!!” This outrageous outburst certainly catches Emiri’s attention. She turns to face him with eyes open wide.

“…Suki dayo, Emiri…”, repeats Kyosuke. “…Please don’t go…”

“…” Emiri’s heart skips several beats. That was the first time Kyosuke told her he loved her. Her eyes start to well up with tears, and she was unable to think straight. “Kyosuke, I… I… G-Gomen nasai!” This wasn’t how Emiri wanted to part with the one she loved. The agony of the two’s separation too much to bear, she swiftly turns away and dashes onto the plane, the echoing of her footsteps fading as she ran.

“…Emiri…” Depression overtakes Kyosuke. He had failed.

…In the parking lot near the airport, Kozue leans against her car with her arms crossed, waiting impatiently for Kyosuke to return with Emiri by his side. This hope, however, would not come to pass, as she sees Kyosuke approaching from her left. A black cloud of despair hung over his head. “…Oh, no… Kyosuke, don’t tell me…”

Kyosuke just stood there a few feet away from Kozue with his head hanging down.

The boy’s depression had now spread to his teacher. “…Oh, Kyo-kun… I’m so sorry…”

“…”

“…C’mon. I’ll drive you home.”

The drive from Tomakomai to Kita-ku seemed endless. Neither Kyosuke nor Kozue said a word. The sun had started to set, beating down upon the vehicle with warm lights of red and orange.

…6:59pm.

Kyosuke and Kozue bid their goodbyes for the summer after she drops him off in front of his house. As his teacher drives away, Kyosuke enters through the gate and proceeds through the front door, letting out a short, melancholic “…Tadaima.” He continues into the living room and plops down onto the couch, burying his face in a throw pillow. Once again…the boy was alone.

Walking in shortly thereafter, Satsuki discovers her miserable cousin lying face down on the couch. “Oh, hey, Kyosuke. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“…”

“…Daijoubu ka, Kyo?”

“…”

“…Hmm…” At that moment, as if to lighten the mood, the door bell sounds. “Huh? Who could that be?”, asks a puzzled Satsuki to herself. The blue-haired girl exits stage right and opens the door for whoever was visiting. “Hello? …Oh, hey! What’s up?”

“Is Kyosuke in there?”

“Uh, yeah, but-- O-Oi! Quit shoving!”

At this point, Kyosuke couldn’t help but wonder it was. He picks himself up and sits upright on the couch. And looking to his right… “…!!!” …he notices an utterly out-of-breath Emiri standing in the living room entryway. “…E-Emiri…!” Almost immediately, he jumps to his feet. “W-What are you doing here!?”

Too winded to form a complete sentence, Emiri says in short breaths, “Kyosuke…did you check…your messages yet…?”

“My…messages?” Reaching into his pocket, Kyosuke takes out his cell phone and finds that he had one message – left to him by Emiri just minutes after he left the airport. “…” Positioning the phone by his ear, he plays back the message Emiri had left him.

“…Hey, Kyosuke, it’s…me. I… I’m sorry for everything I put you and Misuzu through today. You were right – I should’ve told you and the others that I was leaving. If I knew this would happen…”

Brief pause.

“…You said… You said you loved me, Kyosuke… You really meant it, didn’t you? …I couldn’t think straight before because everything was happening at once, but…the truth is, Kyosuke…I love you too.”

“!!!”

“…Heh. Wow. I really said it. …I love you, Kyosuke. …Oh, God… I wish I could say it to you in person… I just have to see you, Kyosuke…!”

“…” As the message comes to an end, Kyosuke’s arms fall to his sides. “…Emiri…”

The redhead standing before him was blushing deeply. “…After that, I got off the plane before it took off, hopped on the first express train to Kita-ku, and…well, here I am.” For the umpteenth time, water fills Emiri’s eyes. “…Kyosuke…!” Spreading her arms out and running forward, Emiri runs into Kyosuke’s arms, embracing him tightly and crying into his chest.

Openly accepting her embrace, Kyosuke wraps his left arm around her and gently strokes her hair with his right hand. Even as her tears dampened his shirt, he didn’t let go of her. …And from that moment on, he never would.

…Saturday, June 21.

The following morning, the group of friends consisting of Misuzu, Chiaki, Rudy, and Yuzu is seen walking towards Kotoni Station in Nishi-ku after picking up Chiaki at her home. “Awww…”, groans Chiaki with a pout. “You’re really leavin’, Rudy?”

As he shrugs his shoulders, the silver-haired Rudy replies, “It’s not as though I want to, but it’s an exchange program – I have to go back eventually.”

“I’m gonna miss you when you’re gone, Rudy-senpai…”, says Yuzu with a rather cute face.

“Alright, that’s enough of that!”, Misuzu exclaims. “He isn’t leaving until late August, so that just means we have two whole months to squeeze in as much activity as we can!”

“Hehehe… You’re gonna miss ‘im too, aren’t ya, Misuzu?”

The uppity blonde’s face flushes with red. “D-Don’t be ridiculous! Like I’d really miss this over-flirtatious degenerate!”

“Hahahaha!”

“…Hmph!”

…Meanwhile, at Kita-ku’s Sapporo Station, Kyosuke and Emiri are seen standing side by side, awaiting the arrival of their friends from Nishi-ku. Today’s agenda: Hit the shores of Teine-ku. Turning to face his redheaded girl, Kyosuke asks, “So what happened last night after you got off the plane?”

“My folks and I went back to my place.”, starts Emiri. “Obaa-chan got into this HUGE argument with my parents, saying she doesn’t want to be put in a retirement home. And boy, when it comes to arguments, obaa-chan never loses.”

“Hehehe. So I guess you’ll be staying for a while then?”

“Looks like it…” Then, shifting her weight a little, Emiri leans against Kyosuke. “…And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“…Me neither.”, replies Kyosuke with a kind smile. “Hmm? Hey, look, here they come!”

From across the station, Misuzu and company is seen approaching with beach supplies in hand. “HEY, KYO!!! EMI-CHAN!!!”, Chiaki calls out cheerfully in the distance.

Motioning a vigorous wave to the group, Emiri calls back, “Ohayou, minna!”, and runs up to greet them up-close.

Kyosuke, left in Emiri’s dust, pockets his hands and watches the happy scene play out. He couldn’t help but reminisce over the events that led to this moment.

Moving to Sapporo from Miyako-jima…

…Meeting Emiri that fateful September morning…

…Becoming friends with Chiaki, Misuzu, Rudy, and Yuzu…

…And kissing Emiri for the first time. Not a single incident was insignificant. Each event played an important role that culminated in Kyosuke and Emiri confessing their love for one another. “…”

“…Hey, Kyosuke! Quit staring into space and let’s go!”

“…Heh. Hai, hai.” But in spite of how things turned out, Kyosuke was pleased about one thing: He had close friends with whom to share the ups and downs. He had a girlfriend with whom he could share his secrets and affections.

…Never again would he be alone.

~Sayonara: End of Act 2~

~Power of Love: End of Episode 13~

~Fin~

~*~*~*~*~

EXTRA:

Special Ending Theme: “Power of Love” by Yoko Ishida [Full Size]
emasters.co.uk/userfiles/3377/Power_of_Love_Full.mp3[/size][/color][/font]