The room was dark — not a single light on. Taki's trembling hand pulled the key from the lock.
Her pupils refused to focus. She stared blankly into the interior.
"Well, look at you, little small-fry. You've aged quite a bit since back then."
In the pitch-black living room, only the television glowed — looping, again and again, old rehearsal footage of a young Taki from years ago.
And the light of that television illuminated the face of the girl sitting on the sofa.
"You're…"
"To think you'd end up looking this worn and haggard. I'm honestly glad I never got the chance to grow up."
Yoshiiro Chiose turned her head languidly. A flash of gold passed through her eyes — and then Taki saw it. That shade of rose-pink, burned so deep into her bones she could never mistake it.
"Chiose? Ah… it must be the antidepressants reacting with the alcohol. A hallucination. Ha. Ha."
Shiina Taki tried slapping herself across the face to snap back to reality — but it did very little good.
Yoshiiro Chiose, looking no older than fifteen or sixteen, still dressed in her Haizuka Middle School uniform, sat there watching Taki with those same eyes as always.
The light was hazy — but Shiina Taki herself was hazier still.
"This can't be… this can't be… why…"
"Taki, did you bring me the pineapple I wanted? Or are you still the same old dummy who only ever peels apples for other people?"
"Chiose… is it really you? Are you Yoshiiro Chiose?" The cephalosporins slipped from Taki's hand and scattered across the floor. She didn't even glance at them.
"Yeah, it's me. It's me, alright. I'm Yoshiiro Chiose."
Chiose waved a hand with casual indifference, but her gaze never once left the television screen.
"I never thought that after all these years, watching this old footage would still hold the same pull… But don't you feel like something's missing?"
"What's missing?"
"Taki, what happened to the confidence you found back then? Where did it go?"
"I…"
"How did you manage to collapse into such a perfectly mediocre adult? You smell awful, by the way. Is that cigarettes and alcohol?"
"Yeah… yeah, I… "
"You've become someone I barely recognise, little Taki. What did this to you?"
It was you, Yoshiiro Chiose.
You were the one who changed my life.
"Don't tell me — was it me?"
Chiose laughed lightly and pointed at herself.
"Why… why am I seeing you again… it shouldn't be possible. I scattered your ashes with my own hands."
"What's so strange about it? I told you before — as long as this song exists, I'll always be here with you."
"So after all… it really is a hallucination?"
Shiina Taki slumped back against the sofa, drained. Gently, tentatively, she reached out to take Chiose's hand.
She succeeded.
The same warmth. The same texture. So then why — why this overwhelming, bone-deep sense of wrongness?
"Because you grew up, Taki. You and I have been drifting further and further apart."
Of all the things to say — not that. Anything but that.
"You know what you have in common with fireflies? In my eyes, you both glow. And I haven't seen either of you in a very long time."
Yoshiiro Chiose tilted her head and cupped Taki's chin in her hand, just like she had done so many years before.
Her eyes were so red — burning red, like something magical — and the moment Taki looked into them, she couldn't stop the tears.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I've regretted it every day — not going to see you one last time. You must have had so much you wanted to say. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… back then I just couldn't…"
"It's better that you didn't come. It would have been too cruel for you. And all this guilt you're carrying now — that's even worse."
Chiose took Taki's hand and pressed that weathered, worn palm flat against her own chest.
"Do you feel it, Shiina Taki? That's my heartbeat. Remember it. Hold onto it. Yoshiiro Chiose's heartbeat follows the same rhythm as the bass line in our song — and that's exactly why you can see me again."
"It's Taki who gave Chiose a second life. Every bit of longing Taki has felt — Chiose has felt it too."
"Don't say any more… please stop… I can't… I…"
"Weren't you always so curious about whether Chiose resented you for not coming to see her that last time? Well. I'm here now to untangle that knot for you."
[Chiose] shifted into Shiina Taki's arms, just as she had done years ago — nestling in, finding a position that felt comfortable enough.
Taki's tears fell freely down her cheeks, warm and unrelenting, soaking through to Chiose where she lay.
"I already told little Taki a long time ago — someone like me exists to support someone like you. In the end, it was a good ending. Chiose gave everything she had to help Taki become who she was meant to be. To let Taki live out every last dream of hers."
"Wasn't what you wanted most — to surpass your older sister? You surpassed her. So why aren't you happy?"
Yoshiiro Chiose's words landed like bayonets — not soothing Shiina Taki in the slightest, but making her cry even louder.
"I… but… that's not what I wanted. Not this. I wanted to live alongside you, Chiose. I wanted…"
"Taki. How greedy."
Chiose rose and stood beside the sofa, looking down at Shiina Taki.
Their positions had silently reversed.
"Does little Taki not know that everything comes with a price?"
"I regret it… I truly regret it… I don't want to surpass my sister anymore. I just want Chiose. I just want you, I just…"
"Well — Chiose was always going to die. But Chiose doesn't regret dying even a little. Helping Taki was also helping herself."
Yoshiiro Chiose drew close to Shiina Taki one final time. She pressed a small kiss to Taki's worn, tired face — the same way she always had.
The warmth of it shattered Taki's last defences completely.
"These are the things Chiose wanted to say to Taki before she died. Getting to see Taki again and finally say them out loud — that's such a relief. Otherwise who knows how much longer I'd have had to keep it all inside."
"I… I… I don't want to hear this… I don't want any of this…"
Taki reached out desperately to hold Chiose back — but it was too late.
Yoshiiro Chiose had already crossed to the door.
She pushed it open. The white light outside seared through the room's heavy darkness — and made it impossible for Taki to see Chiose's face anymore.
"I've already gone to the Valhalla that was meant for me. You should be happy for me."
"Live on, Shiina Taki. I wish you happiness."
"Don't go… please, I'm begging you. Don't leave me behind again. Please — don't!"
Live on — such a cruel thing to say. What kind of resolve did it take for you to speak those words?
Taki screamed Chiose's name with everything she had left. She rolled off the sofa and onto the floor.
Her legs had no more strength to stand. Taki crawled — clawed her way — toward Yoshiiro Chiose with everything she had.
[Don't… don't leave me! I don't want this kind of success — I never wanted a life like this!]
"Little Taki."
The silhouette at the door had blurred beyond recognition — but the voice was just as clear and pure as it had always been.
"You know, I fell for you the moment I saw you… I never once regretted meeting Taki. Taki, of all people, is my absolute favourite."
Thud.
The door swung shut.
And that brief, fleeting light that had illuminated Shiina Taki — vanished, just like that.
"No — Chiose! Don't go! Don't leave!"
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