Chapter 27: Epilogue - A Starry Wish
I woke up from a dream, it was beautiful, sweet and bitter. A sweaty pajamas, and a slight fever. I'm back in my world. It was just a little fever, that I could manage to go to school. With that in mind, I washed myself, and changed into my uniform. I headed down to greet my parents. Mom was serving porridge, dad was sitting in the dining room, reading news while waiting for breakfast.
"Rika? Are you going to school today? You have a fever did you know that?" My mother said.
"It's fine mom. I can still manage to go to school." I replied, with a smile. My parents looked at me with surprise. Perhaps they were worried about me because I was very depressed with Yuuma's death.
"Rika, if you have any problems you can talk with us. No matter how, we will try our best to share the pain with you." My mother said, with a worried face.
"Ah... Mom, I'm really fine! Yuuma... I just met him in a dream, I said my goodbyes to him, I'm... All right..." I said, with tears gradually filling up my eyes. My parents came to me, they held me tightly, it feels like months ago since someone held me like this, so warm, so comforting. We had a lively breakfast after that. With the time of a meal, we talked about memories we had with Yuuma's family next door. I swore to myself to cherish these memories forever.
It was time to head out. I put on my shoes and walked out of the house. On the nameplate that writes 'Tachibana', it is Yuuma's house, next to my house. I saw his mother outside, with some cardboard boxes placed outside, I wonder what happened, so I asked.
"Yuuma's mother, what's with the boxes out here?" I asked.
"Ah... Rika-chan, you see... With our only son gone, my husband and I were thinking of moving away to a quiet place. A place where Yuuma liked since he was a kid. Time sure flies, you two were very close when you were young. Yuuma's father and I even thought of a future where he took you in as his bride... Ah, dear me... Rika-chan, I'm sorry for saying such things. Are you fine?" Yuuma's mother said a lot, with all those hopeful words, I found the strength in me to smile, smiling to the brightest as I could.
"Rika-chan, you never know how much it brings me back to see that smile from you... I'm glad that you are now in high spirits again. Please take care from now on." Yuuma's mother said. I nodded and started walking to the school. To think that Ame's method of granting my wish this way were unexpected, for me to be able to let go all those guilt that were crushing me, I'm relieved. I was never as positive like this before. I returned to my original world, remembering all the dreams that I had last night. Every part of them felt real to me. An adventure of clearing a trial from Ame, in which I barely passed. With all those whimsical abilities I had back in the dream, if it was limited, I hope that I could meet with at least a person from the dream...
"Thud!" Someone passed by without me noticing, and we bumped into each other.
"Ah... I'm sorry! Are you okay?" I glanced the person I bumped into. He wore a detective hat, with a weird getup, is he...?
"Jun...?" I asked.
"So, you saw the rainbow huh? A person's death couldn't be reversed. However, cheer up!" Jun said as he walked away.
"Jun! I've been waiting for you! Where have you been for these six hours?!" A blonde girl who clung on Jun said.
"Charlotte, I told you not to do this... It hurts." Jun, who is unable to move said. Charlotte fixed her scabbard, where she kept a sword on her waist. Jun sighed.
"I worked with Ame, it was tiring, I guess I'm going to skip school for today, but for some reason, I felt refreshed. Sleeping in school wouldn't be a bad idea either." Jun said, as he fixed his outfit and turned out that it was his school uniform under the cloak.
"I totally agree! Let's go to school together!" Charlotte said cheerfully.
I smiled and kept on walking. At the traffic light, cars passed, people walked by. To think that people work and think by their own, it eases my mind a little. I raised my head and looked at the morning sky, there is a rainbow over the sky. It's colours were briliant, as if it was a special effect from a movie. It must be Ame's signal to those who receives her blessings.
To think that what Haruko said about the people were actually connected into the dream world, they should be able to remember them. Sometimes, forgetting is the best way of living on, but being able to face them head on is a better way. I took a deep breath, and crossed the road for the first time, since Yuuma's death.
On my way to the school's gate, the girls who I befriended with back in the world came over.
"Rika-chan, were we friends beofre?" One of them asked, apparently remembering whay she had dreamt yesterday.
"It's fine if you don't remember... We can just start over, can't we?" I said. They smiled and agreed. We walked together, my class is in 1-C, while some of them were in the same class as mine, we talked a bit longer. I walked to Yuuma's seat in class 1-B, with a flower I brought along to school and placed it on his desk, along with those flowers which supposedly placed by his fangirls way earlier.
"Yuuma, may you find peace in the afterlife." I whispered.
"You too... May you find happiness." Something whispered to me. I flinched and looked around. Who was that...? Could it be Yuuma? I smiled and nodded. I'll, please don't worry about it. I headed out of the class, apparently I saw Haruno peeking into the class. Following her gaze, I can only see Hikaru. I headed to Haruno's back and decided to surpriced her.
"Guess who's here, Harukon!" I slapped her back.
"Gyaaaaaa!" She cried.
"Ricchan! What were you doing!" Haruno exclaimed.
"Interested in Hikaru huh?" I asked.
"Y-Yes... He was so kind I kinda like him..." Haruno said in an embarrassed tone. She's in the same class as mine, so I dragged her back while sharing stories with her. We became so close since we were technically love rivals before. Yuuma liked me, while she liked Yuuma. I didn't intend to accept him, but now, he's mine. I might sounded crazy saying this, but we were actually together in the dream world. Reminding myself of his true final words gave me a bitter yet sweet sensation, yet the only expression I could make is smile.
Ruri and Haruko walked over.
"Good morning, Rika-san the trials went smoothly. Yuuma will be everyone's heart from now on." Haruko said. I agreed with her, while there is a shaking figure next to her.
"Do you know Kaito much?!" Ruri asked, while shaking.
"Huh, why?" I asked.
"Apparently, she is interested in him now." Haruko said.
"Kyaaaaaaa!!!!" Ruri screamed out of embarrassment. We shared a good laugh, I patted on her shoulder.
"I'm sure things will work out, please don't be worry!" I said. Before heading back to class.
Classes went on, and years moved on. Time over time, we would gather together to reminiscence the good time together. We often hang out all day, eventually, Haruno confessed to Hikaru, and the two started going out. Same goes to Ruri, but it's the opposite. Kaito confessed first, and the only one who is single is me. Upon graduation, we parted our ways, telling each other to gather again and share bits of their life stories to each other in the future, in which we did.
Being 24 years old, Rika lived her life filled with content, found her happiness in her life, married with a normal man when she is 26 years old. The two bore a daughter and lived a moderate life. One day, she stood in front of the grave of her past lover, Yuuma. A promise she finally fulfilled, she answers him what happened over these years.
"Yuuma, I'm fine now. Over these years, I've found my happiness. He's a salaryman, we lived in a moderate lifestyle. He's always busy, but he is always caring towards his family. We had a daughter too. She reminded me a lot of myself. Apparently, there is also a boy next door. They seem to get along... Just like us before huh? I wonder if they will be together in the future? Ah... I felt old saying that. But who knows, I might see you again. Just like what I wished for years ago, to see you again." Yamamoto Rika said, as she walked away, I see a rainbow in a distance.
"Humans were such strongly willed." I lamented... No, it's me, Ryutenji, the head priest in Touna's shrine lamented. Rika lived on over the years, with her daughter and the kid next door wed, she cried out her heart, somehow mentioning something she failed to accomplish in her life, were accomplished by her children. 50 years later, as Rika lying on a hospital bed, she is constantly seen raising her hand to the ceiling, which obviously she couldn't. But this day, she reached something. That is, Yuuma. The two is said to live happily after in the afterlife, with their wish fulfilled by Ame, the Rain Goddess.
=THE END=
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Alcor13
Alcor13 It's the end. Thank you for reading A Starry Wish, see you again in my next story, which probably will take place after a short break.
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