The Flower of Memories Part 3

When the light vanishes, Kasumi is on the ground in seconds. It can't be. She always thought that he simply stopped liking her and that he was tired of being tied down. After all, their parents decided on their engagement at a very young age.

She just assumed that he no longer liked her.

'I was so stupid, and I avoided him for so long. I didn't see him for two years after that, and it was awkward when he came to Star Town,. Even when Lila went to Light town, I still tried to dodge him. I wasn't sure.'

Her thoughts broke off when Kumi-senpai spoke up.

"It's nice that you are still young; you have plenty of time to make up for your lost time."

"Kumi-senpai."

"Kasumi-chan, can you hear it? He is singing so desperately for you."

Kasumi watched as another image appeared before her. It was the image of Mikami singing on the rooftop of a clock tower surrounded by a forest.

He was looking towards the sky desperately.

"The gap will not last long; you should go now."

"But--"

"Kasumi-chan, go first. There are already others. Yumeko-chan and I will stay behind."

At those words, her eyes widened. "B--but Kanehera should--" Her sentence fell short when Kumi pushed her.

"Go, and tell that idiot to sing himself if he wants her to come."

..

The next moment she opened her eyes and found herself on the rooftop of that clock tower. She could hear several voices. But the one that stood out to her was the person's voice holding her so tightly.

"Kasumi? Can you hear me?"

"I know the truth now," Kasumi mumbled.

For a moment, he seemed stunned but then slowly nodded.

"At the start, if I kept kissing you, I thought it would be fine. But after a few days, I realized that Mother was right. I needed a variety of energy sourced to sustain my power."

"If I let you do more that time, would you not have had to?"

He smiles weakly, "I couldn't possibly ask that of you. Every time we kissed before, you were always shaking."

That's right; she didn't understand it. Even though it felt so sweet and romantic before, is it because he changed his look? No, it was more than his appearance.

His personality and that look in his eyes. It frightened her. But even so, she should have looked at those eyes carefully. Kasumi could no longer hold back her tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Kasumi felt his lips on her eyelids.

"Your tears are salty."

"Stupid. Touching me so easily, what are you doing."

Mikami's lips brush across her neck. "Kasumi. I really wanted to tell you personally. I wanted to use my words to explain. But even if I did, it may have just caused more misunderstandings. I thought you'd be angry at me for not telling you."

"Angry. I can't get angry. Why did you have to suffer so much? How come I didn't notice? I'm sorry, so so sorry."

Why did he have to suffer so much? Why was it him? It really doesn't make any sense at all to her.

Kasumi wasn't quite sure what happened. One minute she was apologizing to Mikami for everything, and the next, she found herself firmly encased in his embrace.

The moment he kissed her, she felt so very happy, and before long, she was crying.

Mikami kissed her tears like she was somebody precious. "It's okay now, from now on. I will never let you go."

Their moment was interrupted when her brother hit them both across the heads.

"A bunch of morons. It's obvious what's going to happen here. Anyway, Kasumi. Since Mikami's distracted you so much. You didn't notice that Lilas been crying over there this whole time."

Lila? Kasumi turned her attention to the direction her brother was pointing at, indeed to confirm his words. There was none other than Lila crying buckets.

Ah, was she worried about her? Kasumi pulls away from Mikami and rushes over.

"Lila? I'm alright now, so don't cry anymore."

"Uwaaahhhh, I'm so glad. Even though I wanted to help you, Kiryu was being a dummy and trying to flirt with me so much -- and yet he told me you'd be fine and to believe in you. I, even though I believe in you Kasumi. I still wanted to do something for you."

Whenever Lila cried in the past, it would break her heart. She always had a soft spot for her. Even though at the start Lila turned her away.

When they were young, Lila still didn't have control of her hanyou powers. So she couldn't attend school and couldn't go outside. But that didn't stop her mother from being concerned.

'You two are the same age, and Succhan is my best friend. I am sure you two will get along just as well as we did.'

Her mother's logic made sense, but the first time she met Lila. She got a door slammed in her face.

To think that very same girl who looked at her with such cold eyes is now clinging to her tightly.

But something seems wrong.

Kasumi looked over at Kiryu, who nodded. Is Lila's condition that bad now? Is it truly okay for her to sing?

"Kasumi, let's sing together!"

Her gaze softened once she saw her friend's bright expression. She always feels silly whenever she worries about Lila. This girl is always so cheerful.

Before she could respond, somebody called out to Lila. It was a woman with short grey hair.

"Jae-hee?"

"Come over here."

It seems amongst those who got out the first time Yori too. That's right, Yori- Kasumi looked over at Lila's expression. It seems like she figured it out from Jae-hee's grim tone. But she still went over.

Yori was in the makeshift coffin they made for her. She still looked so peaceful. But her entire face was cold.

Lila stared for a few minutes and didn't say anything.

It was truly scary; after all, to Lila- Yori is very important. The other dream stars tournament participants looked like they wanted to say something too, but Kanehera Kouta held them back.

"What are you doing sleeping for you, dummy? Didn't you say you were going to beat me? How could you do that in your state." Lila bent down and opened the coffin. She grabbed hold of the girl's hands and sobbed. "I understand, your messing around again, aren't you? You'll spring up and joke anytime."

There was nothing but silence, Lila kept talking to Yori, but there was nothing.

Jae-hee couldn't take it anymore and cry out. "That's enough. She's dead; it's been so many days- she isn't-"

Lila turned to her with a furious look on her face. "Yori isn't dead. She won't die like this, she-"

Right, at that moment, she hears a faint giggle. Huh?

'So this is how she reacts when I am half dead. Lila is so cute.'

Kasumi froze when she heard that voice. H-huh? Wait, that is-

'Can you find me on time? If you can, I have a surprise for you.'

At that moment, Lila stood up and slapped her cheeks. "I see how it is. Fine, if I find you. We are going to compete right away."

Did Lila hear that voice? Then she wasn't just imagining it?

"Kasumi, Rinna. Let's go."

Rinna sighed deeply. "Look at her raring to go, well shall we? We still need to drag the last one out."

"That's true."