-I’M SOOOOOOORRYYYYYYY!- bawled Natsume with all her might.

The girl had reached her limit. Her cries echoed again and again inside the dark cave. For the first time in a long while, Natsume cried as much as her heart desired.

-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!- kept apologizing Natsume while bawling. -I’m sorry for harming you! I’m so sorry! You… you probably think I’m weird or… disgusting, but… but… I just wanted to be with you forever and grow up together and see you every day! I didn’t want to lose you! Aaaaaaaaah!

It took her a lot of effort to calm down, but she kept gasping and sobbing. In her head, all those random pieces fit together. Even if painful, everything made sense.

-Sacchan...- muttered Natsume. -Are you… are you there, Sacchan?

However, the girl heard nothing. There was no answer, just the sound of footsteps. Natsume looked down and smiled with sadness.

-So… you’re gone...- muttered Natsume. -I can’t blame you… you… you think I’m weird, right? It’s OK… you deserve much more…

Natsume took a look around her. She could barely see anything, the lights were too faint. And still, she didn’t care.

-Maybe… this is what I actually deserve… Dying here, alone, in a cave in another world… Nobody will miss me… Everybody will be much happier if I’m gone… especially you…- muttered Natsume sadly. -I hope… I hope you find the happiness you deserve… I sure was happy by your side… Thank you for everything you did for me… Sacchan…

As she closed her eyes and crouched on the ground, Natsume made a resolution: that was the real end for her. But then…

-AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! AT… FLASH!

Natsume opened her eyes just a bit. She heard that sound, but it felt so distant and muffled. The girl closed her eyes again, thinking it was nothing. Suddenly, a big explosion broke the wall and turned the rocks into pure dust. Natsume covered her face to avoid the dust, and when she looked again, Sacchan was standing on the hole, with angry face and blue claws in her hands, bigger than during their battle. Those claws disappeared and Sacchan grabbed her friend by the shirt, making her stand up in front of her.

-Don’t you ever say that! You are not dying here! I won’t allow that!- shouted Sacchan. -Because… because… because I also want you to be part of my life forever!

With tears in her eyes, Sacchan pulled Natsume towards her… and kissed her in her mouth.

-What...- thought Natsume.

Natsume didn’t know what to do… or more like, she didn’t want to do anything as her body fully relaxed. At that moment, there was no cave or rocks around them. Nothing mattered. All Natsume felt was the lips of her friend touching hers. It was a strange sensation, but it was fascinating. She felt a warmth that engulfed her body. The girl closed her eyes and focused on those beautiful sensations. After a while, Sacchan stopped kissing Natsume and looked at her friend’s eyes, which were half-closed.

-What… what just happened?- thought Natsume to herself. -Why did Sacchan come back? Why did she save me? Why did she… kiss me? Why…

As she thought that, it was Natsume who put her hands behind Sacchan’s head and slowly made her come closer, kissing her in her mouth. And then, Natsume thought:

-Why do I want to keep doing this... for the rest of my life?