Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume14 Chapter6 (section)

===Part 11===

"What a nuisance thou art! I have already said I have never heard of it before!"

Haruaki could feel his strength rapidly draining from his hand.

The «Returning Kukri of Childbirth» fell from his clutches, striking the ground with a thud.

With that, all was lost.

There was nothing more he could use.

(...Oh, it's over... Right?)

All that was left in his view was her face.

Konoha. Konoha. A nostalgic Konoha, her face in an expression akin to that of a noble wild dog. Beautiful yet terrifying, with eyes that looked very lonely at the same time.

All sorts of thoughts and feelings were overflowing in his heart.

Thoughts recalled in the past. Thoughts that had been recalled to this date. Always together. Together all this time. Really like a true older sister. Like family. A certain existence beyond that.

Starting from their encounter until now, too much time had already passed.

As expected, the images of her face surfacing in his mind were predominantly that of her calling "Haruaki-kun" with a smile.

Therefore&mdash;

(Even if I'm killed by Konoha... I don't... mind at all...)

But I really don't want to be killed by this Konoha who's wearing an expression like that of a stranger... Haruaki thought.

This kind of face as though she had never met him before. This kind of face as though she had never shared the experiences he was reminiscing to this date.

In the end, he still wanted to see her usual face.

(Oh, that's right.)

Because he recalled the memory of choosing Konoha as her name, it also prompted him to remember something else he had forgotten. Now was the perfect moment&mdash;He thought.

In a dream-like state but not a dream&mdash;

With strange, warm feelings in his heart, he gazed at the face of his housemate, his family, his childhood friend, his older sister, the one who had always been by his side, the person whom he believed they would always stay together.

While slightly moving his trembling arm at the same time...

During this time, Konoha's hand pushed harder. As though saying her patience had worn out, she applied greater force than before. In order to declare an end to it all, she twisted the blade deeper into his body, intending to wreck fatal destruction&mdash;Such force.

His mind preoccupied with thoughts of her before his eyes, Haruaki did not even feel the pain.

What time was it right now? Where was this again? He could no longer tell clearly.

"Konoha... Yeah, Kono-nee...? Whatever, I guess any name's fine. I... still remember our promise. We will always... forever&mdash;So you can't break the promise. Hurry... come back&mdash;"

Then he took out something from his pocket. His vision became excessively dark. But still, he desperately extended his hand that was stained red by a certain person's blood, extending that feeble and twitching hand&mdash;


If I'm going to be killed, better be ''that'' her, at least.

Better be her with the usual and familiar appearance.

Hence, he simply performed a simple action.

Then he smiled, apparently.

Thinking&mdash;Yeah, with this, that's the usual Konoha.


With all strength draining from his entire body, all words and thoughts lost meaning.

Finally, what he saw on Konoha's face was&mdash;

The nostalgic shine of transparency on the glasses his trembling hand had put on her face.