"I'm leaving Kouchi…" Mary added.
"And my mother and I are moving to Hokkaido soon."
She then looked back toward the fading sunset.
"And today…"
"…today is my last day here."
A small smile formed on her lips.
"So I wanted to relish it while I still could."
"To take in everything this place still had left for me."
"To replace those awful memories…"
"With happier ones."
Then she turned back toward Urara fully.
"And I'm really glad I did."
Her smile softened further.
"And I'm glad… it was with you, Urara."
For the first time that day, Urara fell quiet.
The energy that had been overflowing from her slowly faded as the words settled in.
"…Does this mean…"
Her head lowered slightly.
"…we won't see each other anymore?"
Her eyes trembled faintly.
"Well… I-I don't know…" Mary hesitated.
Then she smiled again.
"But today was fun, wasn't it?"
"The time we spent together."
"The amount of things we did!"
Urara nodded slowly, but her expression remained downcast.
"But…One day wasn't enough."
She clenched her drink lightly.
"After all…"
"We only just became friends."
"We finally got to spend time together…"
Urara's voice lowered further.
"And yet… it was only for a little while."
"It feels unfair…" Her fingers tightened further around her drink.
At that, Mary lowered her gaze as well.
And a heavy silence settled between them.
As neither wanted to leave the other behind.
Neither wanted this to end so suddenly.
And neither wished for what they had built to disappear after only a single day.
But...
Life must continue.
Whether they wanted it to or not...
And so—
"How about this?"
Mary finally spoke.
"I promise I'll visit you once you reach your finish line."
"Once you finally achieve your dream."
"Once you fulfill all those promises you keep making to everyone."
A faint smile returned to her face.
"Or maybe…"
"The moment you need me the most."
She looked toward the glowing horizon.
"Until then… I'll keep watching you from afar."
"Supporting you through the glass that keeps us close… yet so far apart."
"That way… even if we're not together physically…"
"Our hearts will still stay connected."
"Even beyond where voices can reach."
"Beyond where our eyes can see…"
"But never beyond what we remember."
With that—
Mary rose from the bench.
Stretching her arms upward as she faced the setting sun.
A quiet groan sounded as she stretched against her body.
Then—
Mary glanced back over her shoulder toward Urara.
"So, Haru Urara…"
"Let us meet again…"
"…once you cross the finish line."
At first, Urara hesitated.
But slowly, she rose from the bench as well.
Then nodded.
"Okay!"
"It's a new promise then!"
She beamed brightly.
"And I promise I'll win lots of races and make Mary-chan proud!"
Mary let out a soft laugh.
"Okay, sure."
Then she stepped closer.
Closer enough that her voice softened.
"But even if you didn't, just promise me…"
"Promise me that you'll keep smiling when you run."
"So I'll know…"
"That you're doing alright."
"That my Urara is still doing fine."
"That my Urara is still the same Urara I know."
Urara nodded eagerly.
"I promise!"
Mary smiled warmly at that before pulling back slightly.
"Thank you..." she added as she turned, "Come on, Urara. It's getting late."
"We should head home now."
Immediately, Urara's ears drooped.
"But… I thought we could stay a little longer…"
"…since it's our last day…"
"Well…" Mary smiled sadly, "I wish we could too."
"But I need to make sure you get home before curfew."
"After all…"
"You still have a bright future ahead of you."
"And I don't want to be the reason that gets ruined."
"Besides," Mary continued with a small smile, "I can't wait to become one of your supporters when the time comes."
"And we still have a little more time together on the way home."
She tilted her head slightly.
"So… should we go?"
Reluctantly, Urara nodded.
And together, they headed back toward the station.
Had their final moment one last time together...
...
...
...
A while later...
The two once again sat side by side on the same train.
Only this time, they were returning home.
And eventually...
That energetic pink little critter finally succumbed to exhaustion.
Urara leaned against Mary's shoulder, already fast asleep. Snoring lightly as she did.
Meanwhile, Mary remained awake.
Quietly watching the passing stations, making sure they wouldn't miss theirs.
Then—
Urara stirred slightly in her sleep.
"Mary-chan…"
A soft mumble.
"…please don't leave me…"
With that, Mary briefly startled.
Then smiled faintly.
Delicately, she stroked through Urara's pink hair, murmuring when she did.
"Sooner or later, Urara…"
"You'll probably forget about me."
Her eyes lowered softly.
"You're a magnet for people after all."
"And I know you'll be fine once you reach Tracen."
"You'll meet new friends."
"New people."
"New circles."
"And someone like me will probably fade away from your memories…"
"Replaced by brighter and newer ones. One deserves you more than I."
Then she smiled again.
"But I wouldn't mind that, Urara."
"After all…"
"You deserve it."
"You deserve it more than anyone else... certainly more than I ever did."
"Hopefully, even with new faces around you, the kindness you always showed others never changed."
"And that you stayed the same carefree, happy little menace you've always been."
"So, run free... Haru Urara..."
"Run free from all the pain and trouble you've been through..."
"Run free toward the greater world you truly deserve..."
"Run free away from...
"...me..."
With that, the train moved on, carrying them silently back to where they belonged.
As the last traces of sunlight slowly faded from the world outside...
…
…
…
Some time later...
The train's brakes screeched softly as it slowed to a stop.
They arrived.
Mary then gently nudged the sleeping Urara beside her.
"Urara… we're here," she whispered.
As expected...
Urara only groaned.
"Mm… just a little more…"
Then she turned away again, still half-asleep.
Mary sighed softly, knowing that the train doors would not stay open forever.
And that little pink critter clearly wasn't waking up anytime soon.
Then—
An idea crossed her mind.
Carefully, Mary stood from her seat and pulled Urara onto her back.
With some effort, she adjusted her properly into a piggyback carry.
"Honestly…" Mary muttered with a faint laugh.
Then she hurried toward the train doors.
Just in time—
The two stepped out before the doors slid shut behind them.
And the train departed once more.
Mary exhaled quietly as she watched it leave, realizing how close they had come to missing their stop entirely.
But instead of dwelling on it, she turned and continued onward.
Carrying Urara safely on her back.
And by the time they left the station area, the daylight had fully disappeared.
Only darkness remained.
Along with scattered streetlights illuminating the quiet roads.
And beneath those dim lights, Mary kept walking.
One step at a time.
Making sure Urara would make it home safely...
...
...
...
After a while...
Urara finally stirred awake on Mary's back with a yawn.
"Ma-Mary-chan…?" she mumbled groggily, "Where… where are we…?"
"Oh? You're awake?" Mary glanced back over her shoulder.
"Yeah…"
Urara rubbed one of her eyes lazily.
"But I'm still sleepy…"
Mary chuckled softly.
"Well, we did spend the entire day running around."
Urara simply hummed in response, still barely awake.
Then—
Her eyes wandered around the quiet streets as Mary carried her.
Glancing at the streetlights, the familiar dark roads that stretched ahead, and the usual path to home.
Suddenly—
Urara grinned.
"Mary-chan!"
"Hm?"
"This reminds me of last time!"
Mary blinked slightly, taken by surprise, "What? When?"
"When I used to carry you home from school! Remember?"
Urara giggled.
"Except now it's you carrying me!"
With that, Mary, too, giggled.
"I guess that makes us even."
Then her smile softened.
"But still…"
"A lot really happened, didn't it?"
"The time we spent together…"
"The memories we made…"
"The things we went through…"
"And I promise I'll never forget any of it!" Urara declared brightly.
"I promise I'll keep this place in my heart even if I go really far away!"
"After all…"
Urara tightened her arms slightly around Mary's shoulders.
"It's my home!"
Upon hearing that, Mary also smiled.
"Me too…" she added.
"Even if most of my memories here weren't exactly good…"
She lowered her gaze slightly.
"I don't regret meeting you, Urara."
"And because of that, I don't regret staying here..."
Then, a quiet silence followed, with the two simply listening to the distant sounds of the night while taking in the scenery around them.
Trying to remember it all.
Every streetlight, every road, every little detail, and every imperfection.
So that even after they left, they would still remember this place clearly.
Remember the very essence of their origin, the very root that led them here today.
After a little more silence...
"Anyway…" Mary finally spoke.
"Are you okay walking from here, Urara?"
"I'm kinda getting tired of carrying you."
Urara nodded immediately.
"Sure!"
Carefully, Mary lowered her from her back.
Once her feet touched the ground again, Urara stretched lazily, still trying to shake off her sleepiness.
Mary, too, stretched, loosening herself from the tension after carrying this pink little critter for quite a while.
Then—
After their stretches, Mary smirked slightly.
"How about a race back home?"
Urara's ears perked instantly.
"Whoa! Okay, sure!"
"Just don't cry when I beat you," Mary teased as she continued to stretch lightly.
Urara then puffed proudly, striking a dramatic pose.
"Hmm hmm hmm! You have no idea how much I've improved! This time, I will be the one who beats you!"
Mary chuckled.
"Oh? Really?"
"Then let this race settle it."
"Bring it on!"
Immediately, both of them lowered into their starting stances.
Their eyes fixed ahead, and their bodies tensed.
Ready for one final race together.
One final moment before their paths separated.
"On your mark…"
Mary announced.
"Get set…"
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"GO!"
And off they went.
The two dashed down the streets together beneath the night sky, laughter echoing between them.
"It's not fair! You started early!" Urara protested loudly as Mary gained a slight lead.
"I'm pretty sure you're just slow!" Mary shot back teasingly.
And so they continued, running side by side.
Laughing, giggling as they raced their way home.
Slowly approaching the end of their time together.
Slowly reaching the end of Urara's days in Kouchi.
And slowly, stepping toward something new.
Something far beyond her small town.
Far beyond her little happy days.
The journey toward a grander stage.
Toward Tokyo.
Toward Tracen Academy.
Toward her title as The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere.
(End of Volume One)