Eternal Melody

Chapter 367 - Inner Strength

He thought it was all over and that any hope of seeing that person again vanished. That was until he saw it. Sumire had gotten into a fight with some people who had been bad-mouthing Mamoru.

'Ru..is…Ru is alive, he won't die over something like this. To the very last second, that person won't die until his cause is gone. Even then, he will search for another purpose.'

She said that with determination, and he remembered her standing there with a strong look in her eyes, regardless of the bruises and wounds on her.

Despite being surrounded by so many people, there was something different about her. ' That person is interesting.' He had such thoughts.

It wasn't until his second year of middle school where he dared to do anything about his interest.

In the end, it turned out that Mamoru was alive, but his injuries were so severe that he might as well have been dead. After he came back then, his illness grew worse, almost like that incident triggered something.

He leans back on the chair, with his arms folded behind him. "That's no good. Even though Jae still causes us trouble now and Mamoru-San too, just now I remembered them to be beautiful people."

Though he said this rather casually, he watches Sumire clench her fist. "Even now, those two are living how they want to live. Going down their path, that's why I will do the same too."

His gaze turned more serious as he watched her.

"Since others considered me as a strange individual, my life ended up this way. From the very moment I was born, I appeared to be comple—someone different than all the others. I was someone with memories of their past life, someone who has not forgotten their scars. My parents had been concerned and thus named me Sumire, hoping that I would become a beautiful flower one day instead of someone living a cursed fate.

I don't know whether or not it was due to that strange factor. However I became able to see many things. I became able to predict so many events and see the nature of individuals. But that was my limit, and without being able to do anything, time passed by."

"Sumire."

"But now it is different; it won't be like that anymore. I will properly walk in the direction I want to go."

His eyes widened when he saw the sudden aura around the brown hair girl. It's her usual fiery and burning presence, yet there was something about it that seemed rather soothing. Something calming, she continues with a smile on her face.

"Having a large power is too scary. But I'll make this power I succeeded from Ru to hold a meaning. I'll make it into a weapon to protect what is important. And to change things with all my might. If someone encounters a sad fate, I'll change it with my own hands, and I won't let them get hurt."

She's…grown a lot stronger than before.

Though she has always had strength, the power to protect others, though she has always had what most people didn't have, to him, it had always seemed rather superficial. As if there was nothing there, an empty existence. But now it is different, and she isn't fighting without a cause now.

Now in his eyes, she is somebody who could lead them all.

Before he could get a word in edgewise, though, she reached over and patted his head. His eyes widened, surprised at the sudden contact; since he followed her to Tokyo, he has maintained a borderline between them. But the truth is he knew his feelings for her have yet to disappear.

"That's why it's alright now. You don't have to keep on worrying about me, Atushi."

She…once again she noticed it.

Once again, she noticed his worries, his fears, and the anxieties he had all mixed and combined into one. She noticed something even the closest to him didn't. "I give up, and I can't win against you."

Sumire smiles." It's also nice to know when to admit defeat."

"But, this time around, I want to get the last word in."

That's right, and things are different now. They aren't the same as before, and that's precisely why he can try to make a change now. He can try to make a change despite how difficult it is.

Atushi pulled out a notebook from the back of the chair, and recognition filled the girl's eyes. She instantly drew her hand back from his head and tried to grab it from him. "Why do you still have that?"

Atushi grins." You dropped it on purpose for me to see, right?"

Sumire sighed deeply. "Alright, I give up. You win this time."

Atushi blinked, surprised that she resigned that quickly. He searched her expression but could not find anything. Before he could say anything, Yuhi leaned across the counter and grabbed a bottle from the shelf.

"Don't listen to her; she will find a way to trick you again later."

"Yuhi-san, you can't drink so early in the morning."

"It is a bribe for Hino."

"Yuhi-san." Sumire reached over and parted a strand of hair from Yuhis face. "Good morning."

".."

Atushi watched as Yuhi leaned forward and kissed her. He immediately averted his gaze when he realized the kiss wasn't simple. After a few minutes, he hears Sumires soft laughter and judged it was okay again.

They were still rather close to each other, but it was nothing strange. Yuhi brushed his forehead against Sumires. "You haven't eaten yet?"

"Mmm, not yet Atushi was gossiping."

Hey, why is this his fault now?

"Unlike you two, I wake up at a productive time and have already finished cooking." He pointed to the kitchen. "Food is in the usual place."

Yuhi grinned. "See, he isn't useless."

"Did something happen with you two?" Atushi asked as Yuhi went to the kitchen to fetch the food. It was a stupid question; of course, the past week must have been stressful for them both.

Sumire ran away twice to go to Star town; the second time, Yuhi went after her, and when they met up, they stayed for a few extra days. Atushi set up Sumire's meeting with Arashi, but he didn't know what happened. But from the looks of things, it went in Yuhis favor.

"Mm, we got closer."

Yeah, he can see that, but why did they get closer so suddenly?

"Hey Atushi, do you think Yuhi would like handmade things?"

Atushi facepalmed. Why does he have to deal with this silly couple?