Side Story 2, Chapter 15: Mother
[Side Story 2, Chapter 15: Mother]
Meriku, Raiyumi, and Kang go looking for Kasuri. The first place they decided to visit was Kasuri’s room.
There was no one in Kasuri’s room at night. (Roza and Akaya were having a lovely date with each other.) But Kang was skeptical, so they decided to investigate the room.
They found a diary placed on the table, and it seemed like it was read some hours ago.
The last page with anything written on it, was the one with the most tears. The page was wet from all the tears, but it seemed like it dried out hours ago.
[This is probably my last day of writing this page.
Kang, Meriku, you were good friends, but I’m sorry I had to leave you…
We had a lovely time, I really appreciate that, but it’s about time I wanna stay with my mama….
I hope Naiko’s Chromatia is restored after I leave this place for good.
16 July 2028]
Meriku and Kang cried after reading the letter, even though Kang has been with Kasuri for only one day.
Kasuri died. That’s about it.
Raiyumi read the letter. She shed a tear too, but she read the letter again.
“16? July? 2028?”
After reading this, Raiyumi said she’ll be going.
Meriku and Kang continued mourning for Kasuri, but were sure there was a ghost of Kasuri somewhere.
They ventured into the Bisukan Forest, and there was a distant crackling of fire burning something which seemed to be clothes.
They ventured further, and found 2 translucent figures together.
Those people were Kasuri and Karumi, as ghosts.
“Kasuri!!!” Meriku shouted, as both her and Kang ran towards the tree that Kasuri was sitting under.
“Is that your other friend, Kasuri? They do look nice. They’re both blue-haired!” Karumi compliments Kasuri’s friends.
“Yes, those people are Meriku and Kang!” Kasuri said, and got up.
Meriku and Kang hugged Kasuri, but her body was cold like a ghost.
“I… I thought you were gone forever.” Meriku said.
“I’m gone forever, but I might come back sometimes to haunt you… I don’t want to tell anyone that I died, did someone tell you??? Was it Roza…?” Kasuri asked.
“Who?” Kang and Meriku both agreed on the answer.
“Oh… Someone else might’ve known…”
“I feel better knowing that you can visit us anytime. Do you still have your powers?”
“It’s soul-bound to me, apparently…” Kasuri showed Kang some cards. “It’s a bummer that I gave someone the apartment keycard, though. I can still haunt them, so technically I still own it. You can still visit the room, although there’s gonna be a new person in it!”
“Okay… We’ll go to the room now. See you later!” Kang waved Kasuri goodbye.
Kasuri went back to sleeping on Karumi’s lap as Karumi comforted her.
“Sorry, mama… I just wanted to get back to you.”
“I can understand that! You must’ve missed me so badly…”
“At least you still have your magic stuff, and you can go meet your friends! It’s not everyday you find good friends like this. When I was a kid, no one wanted to be my friend.”
“That’s sad…” Kasuri had no other response.
“That’s just life. You can’t go through life without experiencing bad things. Eventually, someone will want to revive you, and hopefully, you don't want to be dead anymore.”
“I don’t want to be dead anymore, but I want to stay a ghost… I can fly around!”
“Hehe, that’s the good thing you get for being a ghost. You can pass through walls, fly, turn invisible, all that cool stuff. I apologize for hiding from you after they took off the seal…”
“It’s okay, mommy. At least I get to meet you!”
“I’m glad to meet you too, my dear child.”
They both slept soundly under a tree, as the wind blows, and the rain drops.
Kasuri started appreciating the nature around her, and not just the cities around her. She still likes both, though.
Later on, there were supernatural encounters in Apartment 101, which appeared to be Kasuri just hanging out with Roza. Roza felt relieved that she could still see Kasuri, but Akaya was rather surprised.
Some days later, where there was a celebration for the restoration of Naiko’s Chromatia, Kasuri and Karumi sit on top of the apartment building, and watch the fireworks, and once the firework ends, they count the stars together.
Comets fly past the skies, and the cosmos stays intact.
Without any distractions, they count a total of 101 stars. There might be stars that were counted twice, there might be stars that were not counted at all, but it ended up being Kasuri’s apartment number.
As the traffic quiets down and everyone sleeps, the mother and child also sleep.
They spent time together, and ever since then, they have been happy.
Kasuri isn’t very popular among other civilians, but…
Kasuri will be remembered as a friend by her loved ones.
As the sky goes pitch dark, Kasuri looks down at the city, and says, “Thank you for everything.”
No one heard that, except for her mother, but at least the world felt her gratitude.
Kasuri made a promise to herself, to no longer leave her loved ones behind. She hung out with her friends, and often talked to Karumi. It was bliss.
As the clock struck midnight, Kasuri smiled, and greeted the world,
“Good night, and good day. No matter where you are, I hope it’s a happy day too.”