Deep in the woods of Taka's past stood the magnificent tree Kumo recognized to be his grave. However, no rock stood in front of it. Instead, a lynching rope swung from its branches. Attached to it was no one other than Yuu, golden eyes glaring holes into the ground.

Kumo gasped. The sickening truth forced the once aloof creature to splash nearby grass with black vomit. "Oh dear," he wheezed after wiping his lips, "you all must've had tons of fun with me. Now I get why he's like that."

Taka vigorously shook his head. Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back. "We didn't mean it, I swear! None of us knew about your parents, and―"

"Don't make excuses. What's done is done. Rather than that," Kumo paused, standing up. He offered a hand to Taka and continued, "I want to thank you for telling me this. You must've had a tough time with Casper the friendly bitch hovering over you every night."

Taka smiled, ruffling Kumo's head. "Even if this is a dream, you've grown, Yuu."

"I'm not Yuu." Yet the baku couldn't deny his existence any further. Even Lady Tsuki had solidified the dreaded truth: he was Yuu, and Yuu was him.

They were the same entity, separated by his own lingering vengeance. He kicked a pebble to a tree, gritting his teeth. "Dammit, this is so frustrating! I'm supposed to be Kumo," he grumbled.

But it didn't matter. All of his doubts would soon disperse once he and Yuu became one, if that was even possible. For now, the baku clung to his identity for as long as he could.

"Anyways, my job's done here." Kumo stretched, leaning on his knees. He began to walk away, but halted. "Ah, one last thing."

"What is it?"

Kumo returned to Taka's side, offering a smirk. "I need to get out of here, so think of this as a goodbye present."

He then closed his eyes and focused all of his might on taking hold of the dream. For an average baku, this was simple. It was why Kumo had wings when dealing with Kyou, and why he was seen as a tapir if ever touched.

Yet it took Kumo a considerable amount of time now, most certainly because of the image of his corpse swinging in his head. When he finally felt the dream's essence wrap around him, he used it to grow taller.

Salt-and-peppered hair pooling over his shoulder, Kumo pushed it behind him and sighed. Once he slid his hands up and down his bare waist, he brought them to Taka's neck. If only for a short while, you would think him and Kumo were the same age.

Kumo cleared his throat, voice fluttering from adolescent to adult at light speed. "Oh, and I don't mean for you. This is for Yuu."

The baku didn't give Taka a moment to think before ramming their foreheads together. Somehow, that was enough to pull him out just in time to witness Taka bolting up from bed.

Kumo gently landed next to the vacant seat where Yuu once waited. "See ya," he muttered before hopping out the window. Once landed on the grass, he sprinted to the one place he knew Yuu would be. Even if he didn't like interacting with him, Kumo still needed the guide.

"Yuu!" Kumo yelled, running down dimmly lit streets until he stood in front of trees beckoning him back into the forest. Amidst their howls the baku caught wind of soft sobs. He looked at the moon in all of its crescent glory before dashing forward.

Without Suna by his side Kumo travelled at a much slower pace, much to his distaste. Yet he was desperate to confirm his suspicions. What Taka told him, what Yuu showed him, what Lady Tsuki warned him of―he wanted it all to come to light.

If that meant visiting the remaining adults who pushed him to his death, then so be it. He couldn't let them dwell on the past. Maybe that's why Lady Tsuki erased my memories, the baku speculated, because she wants us to 'forgive and forget'.

Then he reminded himself of their first encounter. Or maybe she wants to get rid of us.

The crying died down. He stopped in his tracks, right in front of the magnificent tree where his grave rested. On the other side rested his other self curled in a ball.

"Yuu," Kumo wheezed after taking a moment to catch his breath. "I'm... I'm sorry."

The ghost dug his nails into his arms. "I showed you everything and yet even you went on their side."

"This isn't about sides anymore! We can't just stay in the past forever. That's not right." Kumo took a step forward, opening his arms in hopes of reasoning with himself.

Yet Yuu refused to budge. He simply burrowed his head further into his lap, muttering, "But t-they let me die. They pushed us so far. How can you forgive them after everything they did?"

For a while, Kumo remained silent. He allowed the ghost to dwell in his complex emotions as he walked closer. Once he kneeled in front of him, the baku looked up. Fireflies chirped above as the insects' bodies offered a warm glow throughout the mass of trees.

Kumo's golden eyes then landed on a nearby cricket. He winced, reminded of how Taka and the others shoved worms down Yuu's throat and vice versa.

After shaking his head of the disturbing thoughts, he gripped Yuu's shoulders. "I know you don't want to, but we have to."

At that, Yuu lifted his head. He watched Kumo's face pale at the sight of his tears. No matter, Yuu had one question in the back of his mind. Voice hoarse, he asked, "Am I 'Yuu', or 'you' to you?"

The baku lowered his hands, then brought them to Yuu's. Their fingers intertwined for a moment. "You're... to be honest, I'm still not quite sure. But I want to find out."

He touched the ghost of his past's forehead with his own and sighed. "Let's become one. Right now. I want us to understand each other."

Yuu's mouth hung agape like a fish out of water. "What? I-I thought you were reluctant."

"Not anymore." Kumo helped Yuu up, then pulled him into an embrace. At that moment he felt more complete than he'd felt in decades.

Suna always told him to take care of himself. Surely, this counted as doing so.