Finally, the figures arrived at an abandoned car in the middle of a paved road. Emiko watched as the shadowy figure sat in the driver's seat, and the child version of Emiko settled into the back seat. The teddy bear gestured for her to get in as well, and Emiko followed the cue. Once inside the car, seeing the child figure in the back seat, Emiko was left perplexed. It was the first time she had perceived movement and speech from those figures. Apparently, the shadowy figure was taking care of the child, but many questions remained unanswered.
The car began to move slowly down the road as Emiko watched in astonishment at everything that was happening. As they moved forward, the sky darkened, and a heavy rain began to fall. The drops pounded against the windshield as Emiko sat in silence, overwhelmed by what she was experiencing. However, her unease kept growing. She didn't know where they were heading or what awaited them at the end of the road. Questions flooded her mind as the rain struck the outside of the car with increasing intensity.
Suddenly, another car sped toward Emiko's. The impact was violent, and a deafening crash engulfed her, plunging her into darkness and making her lose consciousness.
When Emiko finally came to, she found herself in a deserted, ruined city. Confused and disoriented, Emiko stood up and grabbed her teddy bear, beginning to walk through the empty streets. A strong wind blew, and all the buildings were destroyed and covered in debris. The dark, threatening sky deepened the sense of desolation. Emiko continued walking, struggling against the storm and making her way through the rubble that blocked her path. With every step, she felt a heavy pressure in her chest and an overwhelming sense of anguish. She didn't understand what had happened or how she had ended up in such a devastated place.
As she moved forward, the city began to shake violently, and Emiko lost her balance, falling to the ground. The tremor intensified, and Emiko clung to her teddy bear, seeking protection amid the destruction. Buildings collapsed around her, raising clouds of dust and debris. Emiko fought to stay on her feet, but chaos and fear paralyzed her.
In the middle of that chaos, Emiko saw the streets begin to split open and collapse beneath her feet. A massive abyss formed, swallowing everything in its path. Emiko stood at the edge, feeling the earth tremble and a powerful suction threatening to pull her into the unknown.
Desperate to escape, Emiko searched for any possible way out. She ran and jumped from one chunk of ground to another, avoiding the abyss opening below her. As she moved forward, the teddy bear pointed in the distance toward an old school building.
Emiko ran toward it with all her strength, seeking a safe place, the furious wind lashing her face and debris flying around her. Each step was a struggle, but she couldn't give up.
When she finally entered the school, Emiko found herself in a dark, abandoned hallway. The smell of damp and dust filled the air, while the howling wind and falling debris echoed in her ears. Emiko moved slowly, feeling each step on the creaking floor and fearing that everything could collapse around her at any moment. As she walked, Emiko found a stiletto on the ground and decided to take it to protect herself.
As she explored the school, she noticed the classrooms were empty and completely in ruins. Broken desks and worn-out books were scattered across the floor. A growing unease took hold of her, unable to understand what had happened in that place.
While walking, Emiko felt a strange sense of familiarity, and suddenly she remembered—it was her old high school where she used to study. With a mix of a smile and tears, Emiko murmured, "Kaede must be here. I have to find her."
Desperate to find her friend, Emiko ran with her teddy bear toward the school's rooftop. But before reaching it, Emiko saw a monster appear in the hallway before her. The creature, a beast wearing a teacher's uniform with a face covered in multiple eyes, growled menacingly with a guttural sound. Emiko realized that this monster was the teacher who had once hurt Kaede. A chill ran down her spine at the sight of the creature that had caused her friend so much pain.
Suddenly, Emiko saw the monster begin to grow larger, its figure distorting into grotesque shapes. Fear took hold of her as the creature slowly advanced, threatening. Emiko instinctively stepped back, trembling in terror. She and the bear began to run desperately, trying to escape the monster that pursued them. They ran through the dark hallways full of debris, not knowing where to go or how to get rid of the creature.
The monster followed closely, faster and more aggressive by the second. Emiko felt time slowing down as she ran, her mind filled with confusion and overwhelming fear.
In a desperate attempt to lose the monster, Emiko took a side hallway and entered an abandoned classroom. She quickly closed the door and hid behind a broken desk, holding her breath so as not to be found.
From her hiding place, Emiko watched as the monster entered the room and looked around relentlessly. The creature's eyes glowed with sinister malice as it searched with determination. Emiko remained absolutely silent, feeling her heart pound wildly in her chest. The monster moved closer and closer to the desk where she was hiding, and Emiko could see every grotesque detail of its distorted, terrifying body.
Finally, the teddy bear caught the monster's attention, and it began to chase the small toy instead of Emiko. The bear ran quickly around the room, jumping over desks and dodging debris, while the monster pursued it closely. Emiko took advantage of the distraction to escape her hiding spot and run in the opposite direction. While the monster chased the bear, the toy slipped into a small hiding place, avoiding the monster's claws. As the monster tried to reach the bear, Emiko fled the classroom and kept running through the dark hallways, searching for a safe place. Terror and adrenaline pushed her to keep running, without stopping or looking back.
The monster let out a furious roar and charged after Emiko at full speed. It chased her mercilessly, its sharp claws almost reaching her. Emiko ran like never before, dodging debris and obstacles in her path, her breath ragged and her legs burning with pain.
Desperately, Emiko reached an empty classroom with no way out and realized she was trapped. The monster approached closer and closer, its eyes filled with malice and bloodlust. Emiko curled up in a corner, closing her eyes and bracing for the worst.
Suddenly, the little bear launched itself at the monster, but the creature easily threw it off and grabbed the bear in its hands, tearing it in half. Emiko screamed in pain and despair as she witnessed the destruction of her loyal companion. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the monster tossed the two halves of the bear to the ground.
Emiko's heart shattered into a thousand pieces at the death of her beloved teddy bear.
The monster then lunged at Emiko and began beating her brutally. Emiko defended herself the best she could, stabbing the monster's eye repeatedly with the stiletto.
The monster screamed in pain, grabbed Emiko by the leg, and slammed her against the floor over and over like a ragdoll, then violently threw her against the wall, causing it to crack from the impact.
Emiko lay on the floor, battered and wounded, bleeding. She looked down in horror to see a long metal pipe impaled in her stomach, blood pouring out uncontrollably. The pain was unbearable. Emiko tried to stand but couldn't due to her injuries.
The monster howled in fury from the attack. Its eyes full of rage and vengeance locked onto her. It slowly advanced toward Emiko, who struggled to get up but fell again and again. Finally, the monster reached her.
Emiko tried to reach for her stiletto, but the monster slammed her to the ground and crushed her arm. Emiko screamed in agony as the monster pressed harder against her arm. A sickening crack echoed as her arm broke under the pressure.
Tears mixed with the blood on her face as she fought to remain conscious.
Her eyes fought not to close as pain and darkness threatened to consume her. Despite her resistance, darkness finally enveloped her, and Emiko lost consciousness.
Meanwhile, Emiko was in intensive care. Her heart rate began to drop, and her oxygen levels quickly fell. Doctors fought to stabilize her, performing resuscitation procedures. Emiko's aunt watched with tears in her eyes.
Back in Emiko's dream, the monster lifted her unconscious body by the foot. It stared closely at Emiko when suddenly a sound caught its attention from behind. The monster turned to see who it was—and realized it was Emiko's teddy bear.
The operating room was filled with tension as everyone waited for a miracle. After several minutes of resuscitation, Emiko's heart rate finally stabilized. The doctors let out a sigh of relief.
In the dream, the monster stared at the teddy bear, who smiled and pointed a paw toward Emiko. The monster turned just in time to see Emiko driving a pipe through its head.
In a moment of distraction, Emiko had regained consciousness. In unbearable agony, she pulled the pipe from her stomach and stabbed it into the monster's head.
The monster howled in pain and collapsed to the ground, freeing Emiko. The teddy bear rushed to her side and helped her up as the monster writhed in agony. Emiko, full of determination, took the stiletto and slowly approached the monster. With every step, strength and courage surged through her wounded body.
Finally, Emiko stood before the monster and looked it straight in the eyes. With swift movements, she stabbed it again and again. With each strike, Emiko felt a release of the fear and rage that had consumed her for so long. The monster, weakened and in pain, tried to fight back, but it was useless against Emiko's determination. Her tears mixed with blood as she drove the blade into the creature repeatedly, a fusion of pain and vengeance. At last, the monster collapsed lifeless to the floor.
Emiko stood over it, exhausted but relieved. Her body was covered in blood and wounds, her breath ragged. She looked down at the monster's lifeless body and felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
Then Emiko looked in astonishment at her teddy bear. Tears welled up in her eyes, and with a trembling voice, she said, "I thought the monster had destroyed you."
The teddy bear nodded with a small smile and rushed toward Emiko, hugging her tightly. Emiko felt comforted and protected in the arms of her loyal stuffed companion.
However, suddenly, Emiko remembered something important: she had to find Kaede. Despite being injured and barely able to walk, she decided to head to the rooftop to search for her. Every step up the staircase was a challenge; her aching body could hardly bear its own weight. Yet, the desire to find Kaede pushed her forward.
At last, Emiko approached the rooftop door, staggering and nearly out of strength. With one final effort, she opened it and stepped outside. There, she saw Kaede standing at the edge of the rooftop, her back turned and hands clasped behind her, gazing out over the desolate landscape.
With tears in her eyes and a trembling voice, Emiko called out, "Kaede, is that you?"
Kaede slowly turned around with a warm smile and replied, "Hi, Emi. I see you still don't want to let me go."
Emiko confessed, "I haven't been able to forget you since that fateful day. You're always on my mind, and no matter how hard I try to erase you, your smile keeps echoing in my head. My mind tortures me with the beautiful moments we shared. But I'm here now, and I'll never leave you alone again. I love you, Kaede."
Kaede sighed and said, "Emi, look around you. Your mind is suffering. It hurts to see you like this. You have to accept that I'm no longer in this world."
The wind blew fiercely across the rooftop as Emiko, with tears streaming down her face, shook her head and replied in a broken voice, "I can't accept it. I can't let myself lose you. I know you're no longer physically with me, but I'll always have you in my mind and in my heart. No matter what you say, I'll always search for you, and you'll always be in my thoughts. I'll do everything I can to find you, even if it's only in my memories. I can't let you go."
Kaede looked at her intensely, her eyes full of immeasurable sorrow. Her heart ached with every tear that fell down Emiko's cheeks, and her voice faltered as she tried to find the right words.
"Emi…" she whispered, voice trembling, "I know nothing can make up for my absence. My departure left a void in your life, a void that time will never fully fill."
Emiko could barely breathe, her chest weighed down by relentless pain. The mere thought of moving on without Kaede felt unbearably difficult. Every fiber of her being longed to have Kaede by her side, to share laughter and hugs again.
"It hurts to know that my absence causes you so much pain," Kaede continued, her eyes welling with tears. "There are no words that can take away that pain, but you have to find the courage to face it. Life is fleeting and precious, and you must honor it by cherishing the beautiful moments we shared."
Emiko felt as if the ground crumbled beneath her. How could she survive without the person who lit up her world?
Desperate, Emiko cried out, "I can't accept that you're no longer physically with me. I can't bear the idea of living without you. My mind torments me with thoughts and memories of you. How can I move on knowing I'll never see you again, never hug you, never hear your laughter? I feel lost, aimless, and too weak to go on. The nights are even worse; I can't sleep because the guilt eats me alive. I feel guilty for not helping you. The darkness consumes me, and the pain suffocates me. Every day, when I go to school, I look out from the rooftop and think about jumping, ending it all just to be with you. But fear stops me—this damned fear, Kaede."
Suddenly, the entire building began to shake and crumble bit by bit. The wind roared as Kaede, through tears, said, "Emi, listen to me. I understand your pain and despair, but you have a new friend now and the love of your mom—something I never had. You don't know how much it would hurt her if you took your own life."
With a heart-wrenching scream, Emiko replied, "She's not my mom, she's my aunt! This whole time she's been lying to me, pretending to be my mother!"
Kaede raised her voice, saying, "But she cared for you, she never yelled at you or hurt you. She did everything she could to protect and love you in your mother's absence. You can't ignore all the good you've had in your life, Emi. Even if the pain is overwhelming, you have to find the strength to go on. There are people who love you and need you here, in this world. You can't let the pain consume you and trap you in the darkness. Your mom has suffered too, Emi, and despite everything, she's kept going with a smile on her face. She's already lost so much in life—think of her, think of how it would feel for her to lose the only family she has left. Don't do that to her, Emi. Don't leave her alone in her sorrow."
Emiko stayed silent, her tears continuing to flow as she processed Kaede's words.
Suddenly, the building began to collapse even more. Kaede stepped back toward the edge and, through her tears, said, "Please, Emi, you have to accept that I'm no longer part of this world. You can't hide in your imagination and pretend I'm still here. That only causes you more pain, and I don't want you to suffer anymore."
Emiko felt her heart break into a thousand pieces as she watched Kaede standing at the edge of the rooftop.
Emiko began running with her teddy bear toward Kaede, desperate to stop her. The building kept crumbling behind her, but Emiko focused only on Kaede.
With every step, Emiko felt her body could no longer bear the weight of pain and despair. Her mind was clouded with suffering.
Kaede looked at Emiko, who was just steps away, and took one step back, letting herself fall from the edge of the rooftop. Time seemed to stop as Emiko lunged forward with her bear, catching Kaede in midair as they fell together into the abyss. As they fell, the world disappeared around them.
In that moment, Emiko held on tightly to Kaede, refusing to let her go.
As they fell, Kaede looked at her with a smile and tears in her eyes. In a trembling voice, she said: "Emiko, I'll always be with you. In your memories, in your thoughts, in your heart. Even if I'm not physically by your side, our love will never die. Promise me you'll keep living, that you'll find the strength to overcome your pain and seek happiness in this life. Don't let the darkness consume you, Emiko. You deserve to be happy."
Emiko held Kaede tightly, her tears mixing with the wind as she whispered, "I promise, Kaede, I'll find the strength to keep living and face the pain I feel right now. Every heartbeat will be filled with the memory of our happy moments, and even if you're no longer beside me, you'll always be part of me."
Kaede smiled as she began to fade into an aura of light that wrapped around Emiko. Emiko looked on in awe as she slowly floated downward with her teddy bear, seeing everything around her turn into a brilliant white, as if suspended in air. A wave of peace and love overwhelmed her completely.
Suddenly, countless images of her memories appeared around her, showing joyful moments from her life. Emiko smiled, though tears still flowed down her cheeks. She saw images of her and Kaede laughing in the park and sharing secrets beneath the stars. Each memory was a reminder of the joy they had shared and the love that bound them together.
Emiko gasped as she recognized one of her memories: her aunt and a man playing with her when she was a child. She wondered who he could be, until she heard her younger self call him "Daddy." Emiko was stunned to discover that the man was her father, who had been absent from her life all that time.
She continued watching and realized one of her memories showed how her father gave his life in an accident to save her.
Emiko was left speechless, overwhelmed by the revelation that her father had died to protect her.
Suddenly, the teddy bear beside Emiko was enveloped in a radiant light, transforming into her father. Emiko was speechless, her heart overflowing with a mix of joy and sorrow. "Hello, sweetheart," her father said, embracing her tightly.
Emiko, unsure how to react, stood there in silence as tears streamed down her face.
Her father began to sob and said in a trembling voice: "Forgive me, my daughter. Forgive me for not being with you before, for not being there to protect you. I love you more than you can imagine, and I regret not having the chance to watch you grow up and be by your side. But I've always been with you—in your heart and in every step you've taken in life. Now, finally, I can hold you and tell you how much I love you, even in this ethereal form. After the accident, you lost your memory and forgot about me. I've fought so hard for you to remember me, to ask for your forgiveness. I'm grateful that you finally remember and have allowed me to be part of your life this way."
Emiko hugged him tightly and, with tears in her eyes, said: "There's nothing to forgive, Dad. I know you did everything you could to protect and love me, even at the cost of your own life. I'm grateful for this chance to hold you and tell you how much I love you."
Emiko understood why her aunt had kept the truth from her and never told her about her father. Now she saw the pain and loss her aunt had suffered from losing her sister. Emiko felt thankful to have had her aunt by her side, caring for her and loving her in the absence of her parents.
As Emiko and her father embraced, she noticed the surrounding light slowly fading. To her amazement, the once desolate landscape filled with shattered gears was now a clean, harmonious place, the gears turning smoothly.
Emiko's father whispered in her ear: "Emiko, when you wake up from the coma, I want you to forgive your aunt and thank her for everything she's done for you. She's loved you and cared for you like a mother, and she's been a true blessing in your life. Don't let the pain of your loss consume you—instead, take all the lessons and happy memories you have and use them as strength to move forward and find happiness. You're strong, my beloved daughter, and I'll always be with you—both in this ethereal state and in your heart."
Emiko nodded, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and love for her father and her aunt. She promised to forgive and thank her aunt for everything she had done and vowed to live a life filled with love, happiness, and gratitude. With a smile on her face, Emiko closed her eyes and prepared to wake from her coma.
At last, Emiko woke from the coma and saw Azami accompanied by her mother.
Azami hugged her tightly and said, "Hi, Emiko. We're so happy to have you back."
Emiko was surprised and, in a weak voice, asked, "Azami, are you really here?"
Azami smiled and said, "Yes, Emiko. I'll never leave you. I'm here for you—always. We've all been waiting for you, and now that you're back, we'll never let you go."
Emiko asked, "All of you? Where's my mom?"
Emiko's aunt stood hidden behind the door, tears streaming down her face.
Azami's mother said, "Misaki is here. She's been waiting patiently outside, worried about you this whole time. Do you want me to call her in so she can see you?"
Emiko, filled with emotion, nodded, and Azami's mother called in Emiko's aunt. Misaki entered the room, her eyes full of tears and guilt. She knelt beside Emiko and gently took her hand. Between sobs, Misaki said, "Emiko, my dear niece, I want to apologize for not…"
Before she could finish, Emiko hugged her tightly and said, "You have nothing to apologize for. I know you've been worried about me and have done everything you could to take care of me. I'm grateful to have you in my life. You are my real mother. Please, don't call me your niece."
Misaki broke down in tears and embraced Emiko tightly. Tears of relief and joy ran down her cheeks as she said, "Emiko, my sweet, brave daughter, I've always considered you my own. I never meant to hide the truth about your father, but I wanted to protect you from the pain it might cause. I love you with all my heart and will always be here for you, no matter what."
Emiko smiled and hugged her mother tightly. A wave of love and gratitude filled her heart as she realized just how much love and support she'd had around her all along. Time passed, and in the morning, Emiko got ready for her high school graduation.
She put on her graduation gown and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She felt a mix of joy and sadness as she thought of all the happy moments in her life and the people who had stood by her. Together with her mother, Emiko headed to the graduation ceremony.
As they walked, Emiko paused and looked back—seeing Kaede and her father waving goodbye. With a smile and tears running down her cheeks, she said farewell, knowing it would be the last time she saw them, but that she would always carry them in her heart. Emiko felt grateful to have had the chance to say goodbye and was filled with a deep sense of peace and strength.