𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐒 - 𝐒. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐀

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄

THIRTY-ONE
_____

Months ran by as the month of March approaches with a cool welcome as the third-year's graduation ceremony arrives. Students wore smiles that naturally spread across their faces as their relatives stood to watch in a separate space away from their, proud expressions adorning their features upon seeing their children on-stage.

And it has also been months since the burial of her mother, though would rather not allow her negative thoughts to cloud her mind at this moment.

They all had their parents or guardians except for two people – Sayo and Shinsuke.

The day before this very day, Sayo found herself smiling at all of the different things that she had gone through as well as created the friends that she did not know she would have. She visited the familiar spot where hues of soft lilac scattered over the vibrant grassy grounds, before her eyes averted to the damaged wooden bench that they always used and fortunately did not break as they did.

She could feel her heart beat rapidly for a moment upon reminiscing about all of those times, with vivid images projecting through her mind that she clearly saw with her own eyes that imagined. She imagined the way her own eyes widening in shock when the familiar boy landed a soft kiss against the top of her hand, that felt like soft flower buds pressing against her skin.

Everything was soft and gentle, but at the same time, it temporarily overlapped the dark reality of how complicated everything truly was – with the series of problems that hindered them from realizing their own honest emotions, they slowly drifted away.

Soulmates are two souls that were meant to connect with other, but it never guaranteed that it would be connected for eternity. Perhaps it was the reason why it was lost in the first place, perhaps it was because it would have to pull itself away at some point to find its other half once again in the future.

It was a cycle similar to how light could grow within the dimmest of darkness, and darkness could grow within the brightest of lights. They coexisted to fulfill each other's differences and fill each other's holes to cover up the empty void, similar to the night and day, and the Moon and Sun.

Sayo sighed when she stood up along with her fellow classmates that were sat in a cluster of arranged seats, lining up to head towards the stage to receive their diplomas. She grinned when she made eye contact with Gian who had now turned to someone that she could trust, before her eyes stopped when she her eyes wandered over to the other side.

        Dark golden eyes.

        It's been months since they last spoke as they drifted away from each other along with their souls that slowly disconnected. So, as she stared longer, all she could muster up was a small curl of her lips to acknowledge the fact that he was there and nothing more. He responded with a short nod as she tore her gaze away when Gian called her.

        "Sayo-chan, come take a picture with me right after this, okay? Let's take a picture with my parents so you can hang it up on your wall." Gian told her excitedly as they walked over to the side of the stage to begin receiving their diplomas one by one. Sayo nodded wordlessly with a cool smile while Gian continued to rant, "Ugh, I'm so nervous! University is already scaring me and I'm not even there yet!"

        Sayo nodded in agreement before pointing out, "Hey, it's almost your turn."

        Gian shivered and began mumbling repeatedly, "Oh shit, oh shit. Don't trip and don't forget to bow. Shake with your right hand and receive the diploma with your left-"