AKI MAE NO AME (RAIN BEFORE AUTUMN)

After the last chapter

They met under the tree.

Val stood there, her lips are slightly shivering wanting to talk but not knowing what to say. Her dark eyes reflected the smooth figure of Haru, in front of her. 

Finally Val gave up. 

"I missed you.. I was scared, I didn't know what was happening to you or I didn't know what to believe. And- and I don't even know how you are here or where we are.. I'm-"

She relaxed in sudden warmth radiated from Haru's embrace. Her home. 

Haru patted her head smoothly, as she always do.

"Val... It's okay.." Her voice was smoothing. "You were carrying too much responsibility enough.."

"Haru!" Val pulled away from Haru, with a look of scared, confused, disbelief. 

"You can't. You are not going.. to..." Val's words left her mouth to fade away as she finally looked into her girlfriend's eyes. She finally realized the look on those mysterious eyes. It gave the same energy as she felt from this forest, this massive grassland, this old divine tree, clouds, rising sun, setting sun, flora, fauna and everything that flows with a life.

Arguments and terrifying feelings left her mind as those calm hazel eyes pierced through her. Val understood that there's no turning back anymore. There never was a turn back. Everything as it meant to be. Her rightful place.

Val smiled even though tears ran over her cheeks.

"It looks really good on you" 

Haru smiled touching the gold hair pin with the sakura flower that slid through her brown hair.

"Of course, you are the one who chose it for me."

Val remembered how she first saw sudden enchanted image of Haru when they first went to forest. It looked like her hair was tangled with morning sunrays and shinning. The long pale color yukata she was wearing was not as charm as last time but gave her a look of more angelic as in story books as their long ends ruffled smoothly with the wind. Her smile radiated liveliness under the shades of tipuna leaves. 

"That summer festival... It wasn't there, was it?"

Haru smiled apologetically. "It was... and I also just found out that it wasn't.. humans.."

Val sighed looking upward, laughing. "Spirits and demons?"

"Mhm.. for those all years I went as a kid.. And these blue lights are my guiding spirits.. They brough you here"

They both looked face to face, laughing.

"I'm going to miss you.."

Haru smoothly hold Val's face. Fingers smoothly brushing over the cheek. "I'll always be with you, my Val.." Her words were smooth as breeze. She raised herself from toe tips to kiss Val's forehead. "Thank you for everything..."

****

After the last chapter

Val was riding along the road, surrounded by forest. Her GPS was located back to the city, where she lived.

"What am I doing in a country-side village? Did I had any project to complete? Or this is some drunk prank from brother..?" She murmured to herself for the hundredth time.

"I wish whatever Haru wishes to come true"

"Forget about me and live happy, my Val.."

She didn't understand what she was doing, when she found herself waking up in middle of a thick forest, feeling overwhelmed by a strange feeling. Like she lost half of her life or something.. How long has she been there? And then she found her cab few steps away from where she stood, where the forest ended. 

It took her more than 10minutes to get out from forest and notice farming fields and finally houses of a small village. She didn't understand how narrow the roads were until she had to slow down by another vehicle parked beside the road. And she realized she never met a vehicle other than bicycles on the way here, how rural there could be...

"Haruhi...!"

Val shoved the break paddle, causing to cab shudder and stops with a sound.

Her hands on the steering wheel was shivering as something triggered over the cry she heard. She panted at the sudden pressure she felt, not understanding why. Once she collected herself into a calm position, she finally looked where the cry came from.

It was a small hospital. Few people were crowded in a small corner of the veranda. A middle age women was mourning. "My daughter..." She must be the one who cried the name.

Val's eyes turned to the other corner of the veranda, where there was a moveable bed with a body covered by a white cloth. She caught a glimpse of brown hair of the girl who passed away before she turned on the engine again and left the place.

She turned on the radio to calm down her mind. 

At last she came to the final turning to the main road from village. She stopped the cab few seconds to look back from her window. The forest mountain. From a narrow shelf of a rock, a white fox stared down at her. Strange. Val turned her eyes back to the road- just to catch another figure next to the animal from corner of her eyes. But it was too late when she turned her head back to find the emptiness on the rock.

Val sighed. 'What was that girl's name her mother cried?' She thought to herself but nothing came to her mind. 

The phone ranged breaking her through from thoughts.

"Hey bro-  Woh.. what do you mean where the hell I have been? I don't even know!" Then she laughed to the call. "Don't worry, I'm on my way back home."

You are always gonna be my love
いつか誰かとまた恋に落ちても(even if I fall in love with someone again sometime)
I'll remember to love
You taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
今はまだ悲しい(now its a sad) love song
新しい歌 歌えるまで (until I can sing a new one)

The radio played as she turned the corner, entering to main road.

**

The End.