" If you're so sad that you can't live, I want you to erase my existence. Right now, at this moment, I'm feeling very happy with the fact that you're thinking about me... I want you to grant my wish... so you can smile and laugh in the future..."

Those were some of the last words Yoite said before he closed his eyes.

The thin boy felt as if he had drifted into a deep sleep. His body felt a strange warmth. He could hear nothing. No more shouting. No more gunshots. Nothing. He suddenly felt as if he must awake from this strange sleep. He struggled to open his eyes.

When he finally did, he found himself in a dark place. Not even a tiny sparkle of light was to be seen.

" I see... I'm already dead..." he said softly to himself.

"... That's good..."

He then proceeded to sit down on the floor (which didn't seem like there was one) and curled up to his usual position. Tears suddenly trickled down his face. He didn't know why. He got what he always wanted, and yet... his tears wouldn't stop flowing.

"...Why? Why am I crying?" Yoite thought to himself as he tried to stop.

" Why?"

At that time, something caught his eye. There was a slight glow of light not far from him. He could make out a figure of a younger boy, his back facing him. Yoite stood up and tried to walk closer to the boy.

" Who are you? " he asked.

The boy turned his head slightly towards him and resumed his initial position. Yoite managed to catch a quick glance at his face. He had big green eyes and a feminine face.

" Miharu? " asked the teen, surprised.

This time, the boy turned fully around. He really did resemble Yoite's precious friend. He only shook his head and said nothing.

"Then... who are you? " asked Yoite again.

The mysterious boy remained silent. He lifted his finger and pointed towards the taller boy's heart.

" I am... your heart..." he said in a low voice.

" ... and your hope..."

Yoite listened in confusion.

"...You... actually don't want to die yet... right?" the boy continued.

The older teen was surprised by those words. He hesitated before he responded with a nod.

" ...Do you still want to see him? "

" To be honest... yeah...but I guess it's impossible now..." said Yoite, looking away to hide the fact that he's trying not to cry.

" No... it's not..."

" Huh?" asked the teen, looking up.

But the boy disappeared. Yoite looked around, desperately trying to find the boy. All was in vain. There was not a single person there except for him.

The thin boy fell on his knees. He tilted his head backwards, and screamed. He screamed the name of the person he wanted to see most. The person that was there to remind him that he is not alone. The person most precious to him. Miharu.

He screamed until his throat began to hurt and his lungs felt like they were going to burst. He didn't care anymore. There was nobody there to hear him anyway.

After screaming for what seemed to be forever, Yoite finally stopped. He realized he'd never screamed like that when he was still alive. It felt surprisingly good. He could finally let go of all his sorrows and pain. Tears poured down his face.

It was when he was falling into an abyss of despair, the teen saw a ray of light directly above him. There was a force pulling him towards it. It was then, when Yoite heard a familiar voice. A voice he was longing to hear.

" Come back... Yoite..."

The brightness of the light blinded him so he closed his eyes. When he opened them, there he was, sitting in the same position before he blacked out. It was still snowing heavily.

" I'm... alive? " he thought and checked his body. His leg, which he lost due to the Kira, had been returned to him. He checked his hands. They were no longer stained with black.

He then felt someone leaning on his shoulder. It was Miharu, unconscious. Yoite caught a glimpse of the ancient writings of the Shinra Banshou sprawling back to where they came from on the younger boy's body.

" ... I see..." he said softly and smiled.

" ... you used the Shinra Banshou to save me..."

The older teen then proceeded to place a kiss on his companion's head and ran his fingers through his hair.

" Thank you..." he whispered.

" Thank you, Miharu. "