ホタルは精霊のようなものですよね？

10.さようなら,  徹

(for the best experience listen to the song in the background<3 )
the festival was ending soon and akeno and toru walked into the forest that was luckily nearby. fireflies lighting up the area around them
"fireflies really are beautiful aren't they toru?"
"mmh, i love fireflies"
"they look so pretty"
"mmh, they look like the stars"
"the stars are pretty tonight too aren't they?"
"mmh, they're bright"
"i've never seen them this bright before"
"mmh, me neither"
"toru?"
"yes"
"are we friends?"
"yes"
"toru?"
"yes"
"are you happy"
"yes, very happy"
"i wish we would be like this forever"
"we will"
"well i'm not going to be here forever"
"you will"
"toru?"
"yes"
"can i hug you"
"yes"
he turned around opening his arms, waiting for akeno to embrace him
badum
what? what is happening?
badum.......
her heart clenched as the pace of her heartbeat increased and slowed down rapidly. she continued to have a series of heart palpitations
"akeno? akeno!"
they both collapsed to the ground akeno laying in toru's arms, her breathing uneasy
toru had finally realised what was happening..

she was dying.

"toru?"
"yes"
"is it okay for me to say i love you?"
"yes"
"toru?"
"yes"
"i love you"
"toru?"
"i love you akeno"
"toru?"
"yes"
"why are you crying?"
"i'm scared"
"because of me?"
"i don't want to lose you, im scared"
"..toru?"
.......badum
"yes"
"goodbye, toru"
..............badum..
a single tear rolled down her face as she exhaled for the last time. no amount of scars, bruises or cuts could amount to the pain toru was feeling in his chest in that moment. for the first time.
he cried.
he mourned.
he felt hurt.
the itching in his throat unbearable, he couldn't even scream. he cried endless amount of tears, as an overwhelming sadness took over him
"goodbye, akeno"

. . .

it been a week since akeno had passed away.
and her funeral was tomorrow. toru had been unable to eat or sleep. and today was the day. toru's world had lost the last of its colour. he hated his father. he hated his life. he hated himself. today was the day.
he was currently in akeno's room staring at the all the pictures she took, they all had something short written on the back.
"toru and i went to the beach today, it was so hot i was melting!"
"toru and i were eating watermelons today! he got the seeds all over his face, he looked funny!>.<"
"toru and i painted his new room today, he spilt the paint everywhere!! he laughed today, his smile is so bright!"
"toru and i went shopping! we bought so many cool things!"
"toru took me to tokyo! it was so fun!!"
he sat there thinking about how she showed him, a completely different side to the world
she looked at him smiling gently as the wind blew her hair
"everything has a spirit toru, even fireflies. say, toru, don't you think fireflies look like little spirits flying around? it's kinda cool if you think about it"
"eh? they say that blue is the colour of trust, and white is the colour of hope, that's going to be your colour scheme for your room!"
"even the flowers are dancing"
"dancing?"
"yes! look at how happy they look"
"mmh, they look bright"
"everything in this world has a spirit even down the grass, and when they're happy, their colours burst and they sing or dance. but, when they're sad, their colours begin to get dull. they become silent, and stop dancing. right now they're happy, it's like you can almost see their smile!"
"toru! how are you meant to live a life full of colour!.."
his world was no longer full of colour..
he was broken. it hurt him to even think about her.
he had finally made a decision.
for him to be happy. and for him to be free.
for his world to regain the colour it had lost. today was the day.
he found himself on top of a building peering down at the ground below. today was the day.
he decided to meet with his beloved.
today was the day. he was scared. but he also felt emptiness. and with that, he let go of the railing he held on to.
falling..
he felt no pain. everything went black. but then small specks of lights started to appear.
like fireflies.
and there appeared a forest. a forest filled with fireflies. and deep within that forest, awaiting him, was a smiling akeno. there was a sense of sadness in that smile but it was a smile like no other.
"come, toru, let's go"
she held out her hand, and he reached for it .. intertwining their hands,
"toru?"
"yes"
"we're fireflies now"