Kanato was singing that song again. She could hear the haunting melody in the stone hallways. She slipped onto the balcony, finding her brother there once more. "Kanato..."
Her brother turned. "Hello." He patted the spot next to him. "Sit."
Akira did so, staring into the starry night sky. It was just like the last time.
"Ah, I still haven't fulfilled my promise, right?" Akira turned to him, surprise he had remembered. "No, you haven't."
Kanato smiled, the curvature of his lips shadowed by the moonlight. "Okay. I'll do it now."
He opened his mouth and began to sing, the lyrics of the ethereal song flowing from his lips like water.
Are you going to Scarborough fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me, to the one who lives...
Kanato sang and sang until Akira told him to stop, telling him it was enough. He paused.
"Come, Akira. Shall we take a walk?" He offered his hand to her. "Let's jump." She gazed up at him and placed her hand in his. Pleased at her compliance, Kanato patted the crown of her head and pressed Teddy into her arms. "You can hold it." On the count of three, they tipped off he balcony railing, reveling in the feeling of falling.
Strolling out of the mansion block, swinging their clasped hands, Kanato hummed the lullaby for Akira. She stopped by the rose garden. "Can we take flowers for our mothers?"
Kanato obliged, stooping to pluck four of the fresh blooms. The continued on their merry way, all the way to the graveyard. It hadn't been cleaned up in a while, fallen leaves scattered in piles and the smell of earth pungent. Akira squatted to lay a rose on each of the headstones as Kanato stood behind her. Her fingers lingered on Cordelia's grave.
"Ne, Kanato..."
"Hm?"
"Do you think Cordelia's spirit is still out there?"
Kanato's shrugged, holding out a hand for her. "Who knows. Maybe Reiji's potion didn't work, and now both her and Uncle are burning in Hell. And maybe, like them, we'll be burning forever too?" Akira took his hand, a smile gracing her lips. "Okay."
