Closure

Chapter 1

Shuichi looked at the grand piano and felt his heart shatter. It was her piano, Kaede's piano. It was the exact one that was in her lab. The same one where they both sat and practiced.

He walked over to the piano and sat down. He idly played a note. The tune floated through the empty room, filling him with a feeling of nostalgia and pain. Even so, he played another note, and another, until he played the song Kaede taught him. He tried his best to remember everything, but some notes sounded wrong. Even so, he could feel her beside him. He felt her hand brush against his and lean on him, watching him play. He could hear her correcting him and telling him he was doing a good job.

He would give anything just to hear her voice one more time. Just a second, a word even. It didn't matter what it was. She could tell him to leave for all he cared. He just needed her voice.

He could rewatch the season a million times, but it wasn't the same as hearing her voice in his ear. It would never be the same.

He looked over at the bench. Sure enough, Kaede was sitting there. His heart ached, seeing her there. His throat tightened, and his eyes burned with tears. He stopped playing to stare at her.

"You've been practicing." She said with a smile, "And you don't have your hat."

He almost cried. Kaede was there, right in front of him.

He reached out to her, expecting her to vanish, but was pleasantly surprised when his fingers met skin. He held her cheek tenderly, out of fear that she'd disappear. It was freezing, and it felt lifeless, but it was her.

"Kaede," He choked out as a few tears slipped out, "Is it really you?"

She smiled at him and nodded. "It's me."

He let out a shaky breath and hugged her. He pulled her close and rested his head on her chest, sobbing.

"I missed you so much, Kaede." He sobbed.

She tensed, "Why? I'm a murderer."

"N-no, you're not," He shouted as he picked his head up to look in her lifeless eye, "You didn't kill Rantaro, Kaede. You were framed! You didn't deserve to die. You didn't deserve any of this."

"Maybe, but I set it all up," She said in a calm tone, "I planned on ending the killing game, but I set it all up."

Shuichi held her cheeks and shook her head, "You just wanted to save us. You didn't know-"

"Shuichi," She began in a serious tone, "Stop."

He shook his head and pulled himself closer to her, staring her dead in the eyes. "No, you shouldn't blame yourself when it wasn't your fault! You shouldn't have died. If I had been quicker, I could've saved you from the execution."

Kaede smiled and chuckled before reaching out to touch the top of his head. "You can't blame yourself you that."

"YOU WERE HANGING THERE FOR HOURS, AND I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU!" He shouted at her knocking her hand away. Tears were streaming from his eyes, and he tried to pull himself back together with a deep breath. "I could've saved you. You reached out to me, and I almost had you." He was left breathless. His outburst took more energy than he expected. "You were the first person I felt I could trust, Kaede. Then in the blink of an eye, you were gone. We didn't know each other for long, but I..." He couldn't say it. "Forget it."

Kaede pressed her hand against his cheek, "No, it's okay. What were you about to say?"

Shuichi tensed. It was just three words—three little words. It was just like ripping off a bandage. He just needed to say it quickly.