CHAPTER 6: FAREWELL

The darkness of night enveloped Seimei's apartment, casting deep shadows across the room as he lay asleep in his bed. The faint glow of the streetlights outside provided the only illumination, casting a soft, ethereal light on his sleeping form.

In the stillness of the early morning hours, Seimei was jolted awake by the insistent ringing of his phone. Groggy and disoriented, he fumbled for the device on his nightstand, his heart pounding with a sense of foreboding.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice thick with sleep.

"Is this Seimei?" a voice on the other end asked, its tone grave and solemn.

Seimei's breath caught in his throat. "Yes," he replied, his voice barely a whisper.

"I have terrible news," the voice continued, each word heavy with sorrow. "Your mother has just passed away."

The words hit Seimei like a physical blow, ripping through the fog of sleep and shattering his fragile sense of peace. With a strangled cry, he bolted upright, his heart pounding in his chest.

In an instant, he was on his feet, his movements frantic as he hastily dressed and grabbed his keys. Without a second thought, he dashed out of his apartment and into the cool morning air, his mind consumed by grief and disbelief.

As he raced through the empty streets, his thoughts raced ahead to the hospital where his mother lay. The journey felt like an eternity, each step echoing the relentless ache in his heart.

Finally, he arrived at the hospital, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he burst through the doors. His eyes scanned the crowded waiting room, searching desperately for any sign of his mother.

And then he saw her, lying motionless on a hospital bed, her frail form shrouded in white. With trembling hands, Seimei approached her, his vision blurred by tears.

"Mother," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Mother..."

But there was no response, no comforting touch to soothe his pain. Only silence, broken only by the sound of his own sobs as he cradled her lifeless body in his arms.

END OF CHAPTER 6