Childhood Friends

Chapter 26: The New Beginning...

Sorry if this chapter is not that great. It's getting to the end of the story, and I hate writing endings. Not because I'm getting to the end of the story, but because I struggle with writing endings. I know how I want the story to end, it's just getting there that is the problem.

Hope you guys enjoy the chapter.

Maki stood alone in the apartment. She had picked it clean of her clothes, schoolwork and other essentials. All the appliances such as the microwave and small fridge were given away, there was no point in wasting them. She only left behind all of her weapons, she had no need for them anymore. It had been a week since Maki was released from hospital and life was slowly going back to normal. Well, sort of. Now everyone at Hope's Peak knew her as the Ultimate Assassin, which led to a lot of students, and even a few teachers to shun her away. She was grateful that some of her friends stood by her, she didn't want to go down that road of isolation again. She was grateful to the Momota household for offering a roof over her head until she can get back on her feet. After all that has happened, Maki felt like she didn't want to let Kaito out of sight for a long time without knowing he's safe. Maki had sorted her hair out the first night she got out of hospital. After chopping her hair off with her knife, it was uneven and made her look like more of a mess than she was. Now that all the untidiness had been dealt with, the length of her hair rested just above her shoulders. She actually liked it, it made her feel lighter. Also, to her, it marked her having a new start in life, something she truly needed.

Now that Maki was here, she couldn't help but once again think about her life and what she had felt. The sadness of being in the orphanage and separated from Kaito for the first time. The loathing towards Shi and what he forced upon her. And the happiness and love of just being with Kaito and those that she came to love and trust as her true family. It gave her peace just knowing all those feelings. It made her feel human again after so long.

"Maki Roll!"

Maki turned slowly towards the open door, hearing Kaito's voice and his fast footsteps. She didn't tell him that she was coming back here and what she had planned to do. She must have worried him when she suddenly disappeared from his house. She'll have to make up for that later. She turned her attention back to the apartment, hearing Kaito's faint panting and calm footsteps as he approached her.

"There you are. I thought I'd find you here." Kaito said as he laid a hand on her shoulder. Maki made no reaction to it. She was so still that she could've been mistaken for a wax figure. Kaito couldn't help but wonder what had suddenly gotten into her. It was like she had suddenly reverted back to her old self, giving him the cold shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Maki answered, her voice quiet and calm. Kaito's brow furrowed in confusion. There was definitely something wrong here. That's when he noticed it, the smell. There was a strong, heavy smell in the air that resonated around the apartment. As he was wondering what it could be, he happened to glance down at Maki's feet. Next to her was a fuel canister. Looking around the apartment again, Kaito could see some of the furniture and the floor was damp looking.

"You really want to do this?" He asked, his voice sounding uncertain. Maki didn't seem fazed by his tone of voice. Her face was completely stoic, as if she were in a trance.

"Even if I can't erase it completely, I want to burn the past as much as I can." She muttered just loud enough for Kaito to hear. Kaito can almost understand that. While this method was a bit extreme, this could help Maki start her new life properly. The only way she felt to do that was to burn this place to the point where even the ashes won't remain. She felt the need to do this.

"Then I won't stop you." Kaito sighed, his hand unknowingly reaching for Maki's. Slowly, but firmly, his fingers intertwined with hers. Maki returned the gesture by squeezing his hand lightly. She felt his comfort and love through the touch. They stood there for a long time. They were both thinking once again about how they had gotten here. All the joy, the love, the pain and more brought them together here. And they couldn't ask for anything better at this moment.

Kaito and Maki didn't know how long that they stood there for on the street. They watched patiently as the apartment slowly became engulfed in flames. They made sure that no one else was in the building before they set it alight. The bright mix of orange and yellow started small, but it grew gradually. It swallowed the apartment and the floors up like a starved animal having its first meal after so long. The greedy flames slowly started to devour the lower levels, the building now set on being submerged completely in the blaze. The had become almost too intense for anyone to come within metres of it. An endless streak of smoke rose up from the old building. The smoke was so thick that it could almost be mistaken for a rain cloud. The smoke column was so long and stretched so high that both high school students wondered if the how city could see it. The evidence of an assassin having lived there was no more than cinders and ashes. Every trace of Maki or anyone else being there was gone forever.

After a minute, Kaito wrapped an arm around Maki. The former assassin leaned into the touch, not wanting to part from this warmth she was given. They continued to watch the fire. They were secretly worried that the burning building would bring back traumatising memories of what happened at the hotel. Thankfully, they stood firm against that fear. The flames only fuelled their ambition to keep on going with their new lives together. After a long time, Kaito give Maki a quick kiss on the cheek as he started to lead her away from the blaze. Maki gratefully walked beside him. Both walking home, to their friends and family. Both walking towards their new beginning.