Chapter 20: Epilogue – Where Our Paths Diverge

When he came to, he was back in the Kurashiki residence.

Hikari, Yura, and Mrs. Kurashiki lay sprawled out on the floor.

The aftermath of the encounter stuck to him like a phantom, remembering how she had looked when he called out to her. She had turned away from him, sparing him a glance from her, and sparing herself from letting him see her bitter, conflicted expression to the very end. There had been sadness in her eyes, a longing for their reunion to have ended on better terms.

In that brief moment he had caught her passing facade, he understood the chaos of her mind. And yet...that was the last he saw of her.

Someone he had considered a mentor. Someone he had considered a reliable ally. Someone he had undeniably liked. And now, someone who was an obstacle that they had to overcome in order to save Sana and stop Izaya's plans.

"Ugh...what happened?"

Kazuki turned to see Mrs. Kurashiki rubbing her eyes, slowly standing as Yura followed. "What just happened?" asked the mother before suddenly remembering that he existed. "Y-you..!"

Kazuki easily ignored the provocative finger pointed at him and instead hurried to the side of his little sister, who had yet to awake.

"Hikari! Hikari!"

He shook her and yet she gave no response. Her eyes did not move and her body stayed limp. He leaned against her, his heart ablaze. He had no clue what had happened. Why was she the only one who was still unconscious?

What was different? Why? Why? Why?

Kazuki's heart bet fiercely as he clung to her. "Why? Why?" Kazuki cried, refusing to let her go.

"H-hey..." Mrs. Kurashiki, starting to sense the mood, spoke in a restrained voice. Concern emanated from her as she saw the scene, her anger blown away like dust, trying to make sense of reality.

"Hurry up! Get help!" Kazuki cried out. He expected her to shout back at him, but it didn't matter. Time was precious, and every second wasted was another second ticking for Hikari.

"O-okay!"

It was Yura who answered instead of the stunned Asuka. The mother, meanwhile, glanced around as yet another realization dawned, her face draining of color. "...where's Sana?" she asked, carefully.

Kazuki's mind halted.

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He clutched onto the reality of his unconscious sister, and the reality of a kidnapped Sana echoed back into his withering mind. His eyes teared, and his voice choked.

"She's gone," he said, voice shaking as he caressed his sister's face. The memories of his reunion with Uehara played like a bullet train, blasting through the membrane of his psyche. "She's gone..."

"Gone? But..?" The mother covered her mouth. "I-I don't understand..? I don't remember much, b-but...what did I do to Sana?"

Yes, and it's all your fault!

Kazuki wanted to snap those words out, but he relented when he saw the mother's tears fall while she stared at the unconscious Hikari.

"And...did this happen to her because..?"

Kazuki slowly nodded. "Hurry and get help. Please, Mrs. Kurashiki."

"It's on the way!" announced Yura.

Nothing relieved Kazuki, however.

Gripping Hikari's tender hand, he searched for a pulse. There was life, but she had no active response. She was slumbering. Unconscious. Comatose.

"Hikari..."

In such a short span of time, he had lost so many people.

Deny it as he could try, reality was often cruel. Tears falling uncontrolled, Kazuki slammed his fist against the ground as he released an anguished yell.

There was only pain.