Keyaki Short Stories

1 - TechiNeru

Two years passed since the war against other county stopped after they dropped a nuclear bomb that killed many people. A sigh got out of her mouth as she look outside through the window of the apartment she's living in at the 4th floor. The building was already abandoned and that was the safest place she found that she can live. Looking at the place she have lived for years, the known lively town turned into a ghost town. The explosion was far from where they were, but the shock wave and radiation killed many. She sipped the hot chocolate she was holding while looking outside the window, Hirate Yurina, one of the few that survived the attack.

"You're awake already?" a girl with black long hair asked, softly, rubbing her eyes. It was unusual, because she's always the one who first got up the bed, waking Yurina up.

Yurina turned her head, "Do I look like I am asleep?" She coldy said, she finished drinking the hot chocolate and she stood up, "I'm gonna take a shower, the food is already at the table." She went to the bathroom to have a shower when the long haired girl hugged her.

"Eehhh, let's take a bath together~"

She just removed the hands around her neck and proceeded to the bathroom.

"Hmp, so cold." The long haired girl named Nagahama Neru said, pouting. She sat at the table and ate the breakfast Yurina prepared. She is a cute girl, but also a mysterious one, with a lively personality despite the situation they are in.

Almost a year when they started living together. Hirate Yurina, who was wondering into nothing after losing all of her families. She know nothing, the new world of nothingness that was ahead of her. A year of wondering, she thought her life has no meaning, she was just waiting for her to die. 

She wanted to die.

That experience drained her, tired of crying and made her become a cold person she is now, an emotionless human. Until one day, she found Neru in the same situation she was, crying. Out of curiosity, she went to the place where she heard the crying. She saw Neru sitting in the middle of the road. She looked at the girl with her dull eyes, she didn't went closer, she stood in a distance where not so close but not so far either. She asked the long haired girl,

"What happened?"

The girl looked up, sobbing, "I don't deserve to live.."

"I want to die."

The words echoed in her head, she stayed silent and stared at the girl. She felt a pain in her chest just by looking at her, somehow, she also know the feeling that the girl has that time.

They wanted to die.

She went closer to the girl and stretched her arm, "Come with me."

Let's die together.

The thought she has back then.

The girl wiped the tears, she looked up and stared at the person standing in front of her.

Someone is not scared of me.

She moved her hand upwards and reached for her hand. 

She smiled.

A sunlight stroke her face. The girl was glowing. A glow that can lit up the cruel world they are in. Despite how messed her face was, she was still so beautiful. Yurina was stunned by the sight in front of her. She felt something inside her, something that she haven't felt for a long time.

Hope.

Yurina pulled her, the girl stood up and made an eye contact, "My name is Nagahama Neru."