The autumn wind was especially bleak today.
Gray-white clouds rolled across the sky. The setting sun seemed to melt into them before sinking behind the mountains. Kira Nanami looked at Hoshino Ei in front of him and frowned.
For some reason, he felt vaguely guilty.
Seeing that he did not answer, Hoshino Ei leaned forward until her face was close to Kira Nanami's. Her snow-white hair fell over his shoulders as she mechanically repeated,
"How many pairs of hands, how many pairs of hands, how many pairs of hands, how many pairs of hands..."
She raised her head, still wearing that hollow smile. There was not a trace of emotion in her wine-red eyes as she muttered like someone possessed,
"That's right. Kira-kun is just that fickle. I was abandoned ages ago. My hands are so old now, of course Kira-kun must have found new hands outside. It can't be helped... I'm so ugly, after all. Even though I was first..."
The more she muttered, the emptier her eyes became.
She kept talking to herself, over and over.
"So that's how it is. I knew it..."
Hoshino Ei clenched Kira Nanami's collar. A dangerous look appeared in her eyes as she whispered beside his ear,
"There's nothing I can do. I can't win, I can't win, I can't win. Kira-kun can barely even stand holding hands with me... Is it because you hate that I'm a Cursed Spirit?"
The corners of Hoshino Ei's mouth curled upward, her smile growing more dangerous. She laughed. "Maybe I should just turn Kira-kun into a Cursed Spirit too. Then we can be together forever. Then we'll never have to separate..."
"Shut up."
Kira Nanami frowned and stared straight at Hoshino Ei, then said as though he were entirely in the right,
"The moment a woman starts yelling, I get annoyed!"
For dealing with a woman who would not stop talking, this was apparently the height of tact.
"Huh?"
Perhaps overwhelmed by Kira Nanami's sheer momentum, Hoshino Ei instinctively took half a step backward. She froze, then her delicate brows shot up in anger.
"Huh? Huh? Huh?"
Kira Nanami frowned and stepped forward until his face was almost touching Hoshino Ei's. She was so startled that she retreated another half step, even the tips of her ears turning red as her tone softened.
Seizing the initiative, Kira Nanami demanded brazenly,
"Don't you think you did anything wrong?"
"Huh... What did I do wrong?"
Her voice sounded aggrieved.
"Don't answer a question with another question. Is that what your teacher taught you—to answer questions with questions?"
"B-But..."
"Do you even know what you did wrong?"
"I-I don't know."
After being scolded like this, Hoshino Ei looked ready to cry.
"You don't even know what your problem is?"
"But I... I really don't know..."
"Fine. I forgive you."
"Am I supposed to say sorry?"
"It's all right."
Kira Nanami nodded magnanimously. "I forgive you."
Hoshino Ei looked at him. Her expression returned to its usual coolness, her eyes, clear as amber, blinking softly as she asked,
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Haven't you done enough stupid things?"
The autumn wind was quiet.
Beneath the setting sun, the season had been dyed the color of maple leaves. Hoshino Ei looked up at Kira Nanami, and Kira Nanami looked down at her.
They stared at each other for a while.
Then both of them suddenly laughed.
"There's really no dealing with you, Kira-kun."
Hoshino Ei clasped her hands behind her back, turned around, and began kicking a pebble along the road, her snow-white hair swaying from side to side.
The sunset really was beautiful.
Warm evening light draped softly across Hoshino's back, and Kira Nanami suddenly had an illusion—that Hoshino Ei might melt into the sunset at any moment. She seemed as fragile as a bubble beneath the sun, as though she might leave him at any time.
Kira Nanami shook his head and drove the absurd thought away.
He subconsciously ignored one fact.
He was favored by the Goddess of Fate.
"Still, if you want me to forgive Kira Nanami, there's a condition."
Hoshino Ei kicked the pebble as though this were only natural. Kira Nanami was genuinely exasperated.
"Hold my hand one more time."
Hoshino Ei tilted her head and looked sideways at Kira Nanami. Warmth filled her wine-red eyes. The setting sun illuminated half her face, tinting it with a slightly tipsy glow.
"You held hands with so many women. I can't lose to them."
Hoshino Ei turned around and held out her hand.
"Shake my hand."
Kira Nanami perfunctorily extended his own hand, touched hers lightly, and immediately tried to pull away.
His hand did not move.
He raised an eyebrow and discovered that Hoshino Ei was gripping it tightly.
"Kira-kun, promise me. Never..."
Her fingers tightened.
She would not let go.
Tch...
Irritation stirred in his chest. He said softly,
"Let go."
There was no response.
Kira Nanami raised his head and looked at Hoshino Ei.
Then he realized—
she seemed to be crying.
Crying.
Perhaps noticing Kira's gaze, Hoshino Ei released his hand and stepped back. She rubbed at her eyes and felt tears on her fingertips. Looking surprised, she murmured,
"Why am I... crying?"
"Why? Why does my heart feel so sad?"
When she raised her head again, tears were streaming down her face.
Hoshino Ei wiped at her cheeks and forced herself to smile. It was a beautiful smile, a smile through tears, as she said to Kira Nanami,
"Look at me... How strange."
Kira Nanami frowned and looked down at his hand.
Her warmth still lingered there.
"Well... whatever."
Hoshino Ei forced herself to recover, wiped away her tears, and showed a faint smile.
"Let's go home."
Kira Nanami watched the girl's back ahead of him.
The sun had already sunk westward. Twilight deepened. The fiery clouds withdrew, and at the edge of his vision, black night had begun to spread.
Kira Nanami made a decision in his heart.
Bites the Dust.
Done Again.
Plant it. Set the timer by feel.
One month.
"Hey, Kira-kun! Why aren't you coming?"
Hoshino Ei stopped ahead of him, leaned to one side, and waved.
"Coming."
Kira Nanami answered and walked toward the girl.
He followed her back toward the end of the road.
Night had deepened. The evening wind had begun to rise, and maple leaves covered the ground.
He followed her silhouette deeper into the night.
This was the song from this morning:
Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when you said goodbye.