Naegami-Eyes in the shadows

«21-the final chapter»

«Makoto Naegi»
The weekend. Finally.
For some reason, it seems this week has stretched out for miles, everyday like a million years. Fortunately, the students of hopes peak have moved onto there new obsession- Sayaka's upcoming party, the biggest of the year. It's almost depressing how quickly they've forgotten about Toko Fukawa.
I walk through the town centre, the cold autumn air brushing the pavement, teasing the leaves crumpled on the pavement. I hurry forward, snuggling into my coat.
"Hello Makoto!" I turn around. Nagito is with another boy with brown spiky hair and a tired face, just coming out of one of the shops.
"Oh, hi Nagito! How are you? Who's this?" I ask.
"Oh, this is my friend Hajime Hinata." Hajime nods at me. "We're working on a school project together."
"Cool! I'm just meeting someone up here." I reply.
"Oh, well we won't keep you!" Says Nagito. "See you soon, Makoto." They meander off.
Checking the time on my phone, I bounce forward. Byakuya wont like it if I'm late.
I tramp down the stairs to the riverbed, skirting round the brook to the coffee shop. It's quicker than going through the centre, and I like looking at the swans and cranes mulling around in the water. I make a mental note to save some cake and feed it to them.
The aroma of fresh coffee hits me as soon as I walk in. I stare around for him- there he is, sitting in the corner, surreptitiously looking at the door.
I slump into the seat opposite him.
"Hey!"
"Hi. What would you like to drink?" He asks.
"Probably hot chocolate."
"As per usual." He chuckles. He makes his way over to the counter. I lean back in my chair: what a perfect morning. Spending it all with my boyfriend in my favourite café.
Clink!
"Here you are." Byakuya clinks down two cups and two plates of cake: red velvet for him and vanilla for me.
"Yay! You remembered my favourite flavour!" I squeal, taking a bite eagerly.
"You order it every time you eat out." He laughs.
"Maybe one day I'll try something different, but today is not that day." We laugh, and the conversation dissolved into discussions about everything from school to food to films. The conversation flows naturally, like we both know exactly what each other is thinking, just like...soulmates.
"Do you believe in soulmates?" I blurt out abruptly.
Byakuya looks up, startled.
"That's an odd question." He muses. "No offence, but I don't. That doesn't make relationships any less meaningful though. Do you?"
"Yeah." I reply. "And I know who my soulmate is. You!"
He goes crimson, looking determinedly at the floor.
"Uh, Makoto, Don't say mushy stuff like that in public." He scolds.
"It's true though!" I protest giggling.

Half an hour later, we stand outside by the lake. I hurl another crumb out to the birds, and they snap it up, squawking happily. Byakuya watches, amused.
"What's your favourite animal?" He queries.
"I love all animals, really. Cranes are my favourite though." I respond between squawks from the birds. "I saved one in elementary school. Maybe I should have been ultimate bird superhero." I laugh.
"That sounds like something you would do. The most compassionate person I know." He adds sheepishly.
It's my turn to blush this time.
"Aww, really? Thank you."
After a while, we trail back to our dorm rooms. I stand outside Byakuya's door, like I did two weeks ago- but this time, the serial killer is gone and I've found my soulmate.
Byakuya Togami.

The end