"Hinata Tachibana and her younger brother, Naoto Tachibana killed in a tragic car accident. Judges have ruled it an accident." Takemichi Hanagaki pauses.
"Hinata Tachibana..." How many years has it been now? Hina... My middle school girlfriend, and my only girlfriend ever. It seems everyone has left me now. Nakano, my sister, a part of me feels so lost without you. We were never blood siblings but... when you left me I felt a part of me slowly die. It turned me into more of a coward than I already was. And I left Hina. The very one I swore to protect. And now... she's gone too.
"Regarding the case of the missing girl, Nakano Hanagaki, today marks the 11th Aniversary since her disappearance, and police have decided to close the case, after not finding any leads. The girl has been pronounced deceased but shall be remembered."
Ah. So they finally gave up huh?
I look over to my own bulletin board. The red string connects pictures and texts. No matter how much I did, I was never able to find anything. The string all leads back to one thing. My sister. Not a trace, or a lead, not a clue or a footstep left behind by them. The ones who took my sister. It's been 11 years. I guess this is closure.
Shut up, Takemichi, this is your own fault.
No matter how much I try to ignore the burning guilt in my chest, I can't. So I decided to go out. The fresh air hits my lungs before I'm even completely outside. Unlike the damp and dark air of my dirty little apartment, the fresh air outside is clean and holds a little hope.
I head to the station, going nowhere in particular. Just to walk around the city I guess. I get a ticket and wait for my train to arrive. I'm lost in my thoughts and I hear the train horn ringing in the distance.
Then a hand reaches out from behind me and shoves me off of the train platform. I feel myself fall down towards the train that is rushing before me. Everything silences and it's all happening in slow motion. This isn't so bad... I'll get to finally be with you guys, Nakano, Hina. I'm sorry. Then I close my eyes and I wait for the pain and the end. I never wished to leave them, Nakano was always there for me, despite being my younger sister. And Hina...the most understanding girl I've ever met. So instead, I picture their bright faces as I brace for the impact and the pain.
But none of that comes. I feel a hand clasp around my own. The warmth and the firmness kept me in between the realm of the living and the void of death. And the lasting thing I feel is. A spark of electricity.
