Rei stumbled in the freezing water, tears just as cool running down her pale face. She stretched her fingers out to Yuu, who was slowly backing away from her, following the shadows into the Sea of Endless Night. The snake tattoo that had been eating her heart had gone, gone with her love. He had taken it for her, helped her. Just like he always had when he was alive. When, but, he was alive now, wasn’t he? Inside of her, as she was living. That’ what he told her.

But Rei didn’t want him to be in her heart, living on. She wanted him beside her, always. Her slender fingers remained completely still, reaching out sadly for Yuu, who was growing further and further away. Rei bowed her head.

‘Should … should I run? Run to Yuu, we could always be together. Either live without him, or go with him? My life just isn’t worth it without him. I need him, to survive.’

He was just an outline now, Rei could barely see his face. She looked into the black-blue water, and for a moment considered drowning herself in its murky depths after Yuu had disappeared forever. Would he be angry? Or would he understand the way she felt, how she had to do it?

Her last chance of seeing Yuu ever again was fading. Disappearing slowly, painfully, just like her happiness and hope after the man she was watching left her life. Last chance, final decision. The last passage …

And then the water felt like air, nothing was restricting her. She ran, or was she gliding? Closer to him, the one she wanted to be with forever. Calling his name, sobbing uncontrollably. She couldn’t see, her eyes were so red raw from crying, her vision appeared blurred. Something guided her to Yuu, something. As she got ever closer, more black shadows materialized behind her, she glanced back at them, and smiled to herself, despite still having icy tears in her eyes.

A man, holding two girls around the shoulders. A small woman, hand in hand with a tall man with messy hair.

She knew. They had gone.

It was her decision, she couldn’t take it back. But as soon as she reached Yuu, Rei knew she would never want to. He wrapped his arm around her waist, but said nothing. He looked down at her, an understanding look on his face.

She couldn’t live without him, she would have died, had he not saved her. Miku would have lost everyone she had ever cared for. Kei, without his sister and nieces, what did he have?

She had made a decision that changed the lives of so many, but she had made the right one.

And they walked together, the man with the snake engraved on his body, and the woman with the holly.

The small woman, desperately happy, at last, and the handsome man, relieved to be reunited with his sister who had been through so much, who had looked for him until she found him.

The twins, the one who had been timid, overpowered by the evil spirits of that cursed village, the one who had fell purposely, the one who had always needed. And the other, the brave twin. The one that had looked for her other half, and never gave up.

And the man who gave everything to rescue his nieces. Risked his life in the Chamber of Thorns to break the curse. With that earring …

Through the sea, eternal darkness. The Rift, endless night.

Cross the Rift to the other side.

Further and further to the other side.

It must sail bearing your tattoos and our offering of tears.

Rei saw the boat in the distance, sailing to the light at the end of the tunnel. To the other side. It was a journey that Reika wouldn’t have to make alone. She didn’t have to be alone anymore. Kaname was with her, like she had always wanted. Finally, they could touch. One last time.

It was a long journey, but Rei would make it. She had everything she needed, and would ever need, right beside her.

She’d made the right choice. She ran after him. Followed him when he told her not to, because she couldn’t live with the pain.

She’d follow him until the very end.

Because, she had to. To survive.

No one awoke in the Kurosawa house.

There was no gasp of air in the quiet morning. No one spoke over the bird’s song.

There was no one to speak.

The Rift was finally closed. The Tattoo curse would claim no more victims.

Black soot covered the Miku and Rei’s beds, as well as the couch.

The ebony cat pawed at Miku’s door, but seemed to sense there was no one there. He climbed out of an open window, to someone else who would feed it. Carefree, disloyal.

The phone rang, but no one answered the call. It echoed around the empty house, before going to answer phone.

“Kurosawa Residence? Kei Amakura is supposedly staying there, if so, could you please inform him that he needs to call Katsuragi Hospital as soon as possible please. It’s very important. I can’t really discuss it over the phone, but he needs to collect some things. Thank you.”

The nurse hung up.

No one would call. No one would ever need to call again. They had everything they needed on the Other side.

Each other, everyone together. Forever.