Isabella sat at the work desk in her room, pouring over the letter she had written to her parents. She could already see their reactions to the news it contained, her father's stern eyes betraying his inner grief, while her mother falls to her knees, unable to believe what she had read. Part of why Isabella wanted to send a letter rather than use a more instant form of communication was because she wanted to forestall her parents' heartbreak. Their last child, their beautiful daughter, was going to die to pancreatic cancer.

Staring at the pages she had written, the words all began to blur together, with only a few retaining their dreadful form. 'Pancreatic cancer'. 'Terminal'. 'The New Year'. She slouched over in her chair, her long, blonde hair unbound. Her throat felt as heavy as iron and burned like a fire.

The sweet memories she had of her mother's kind, doting nature, and her father's stern but protective austerity flashed before her as she closed her tear-drenched eyes. She recalled jovial scenes of family dinners, gatherings by the fireplace consecrated with various snacks and desserts, and simple moments of hugs and kisses shared between kin and loved ones.

Most of all, she thought of her late brother, Huxley. His face and warm smile silenced all other memories. All Isabella could hear now was the sound of her own sobs, and her flood of tear drops slamming against the pages of her letter.

Isabella continued to sit in silence for what felt like an eternity. She took deep breaths, as if each would be her last. She turned her attention to the sounds in the house, or the lack thereof. Everything and everyone inside the house had gone quiet. Isabella knew exactly why. How could anyone eat or converse or laugh after what she had told them today?

Satisfied with all that she had written, Isabella turned off the lamp on the desk and exited the bedroom. She sauntered downstairs to look for Osamu, finding Yoko drinking a glass of white wine at the kitchen island.

"Where's Osamu?" Isabella asked.

"He just went out. I have no idea where. He's determined to make you better and he won't listen to anything I have to say." Yoko groaned.

"...I'm going after him." Isabella declared. She wasted no time getting her shoes on by the door. Even though her body was in pain, she moved with speed and determination.

"Wait, you shouldn't just go roaming around at night with nobody accompanying you!" Yoko warned.

"I'll be fine, Yoko. I'm not dead yet and I can still walk. I'll find him and I'll bring him home. "

Her smile reassured Yoko in that moment. "All right. Call me if you need anything."

Osamu had just arrived at Izanami's shrine. The pagoda lanterns led him right down the courtyard and to the main house of the shrine, where the Shoku Twins were sitting on the front steps, watching the moon. The stars were dazzling tonight, much like the flames that illuminated the shrine. Upon seeing Osamu, Omagatoki immediately let go of her sister's hand and ran towards him with open arms and a bright smile.

"Big Brother Osamu!" Omagatoki cheered.

Osamu gave her a half-hearted smile. "Hey there, Omagatoki."

(At the very least, seeing her still cheers me up.)

"Gosh, you're getting cuter by the year, you know that?" Osamu chuckled.

"R-really?! T-t-thank you very much, Osa!" Omagatoki sang.

Akatsuki also walked up to Osamu, the seemingly emotionless little bundle of joy. "Welcome back, Osamu. What brings you here at this hour? Surely it's not so you can molest me again in front of my dear sister, right?"

"Don't think so lowly of me please..." Osamu sighed.

Akatsuki pressed her cheek against Osamu's and hugged him like she did with her sister. "Apology hug~"

(She doesn't know how much I actually needed that just now.)

"Actually, there's something I need to ask you two. Can you take me back in time?" Osamu asked.

"Back in time? What for?" Omagatoki questioned.

Omagatoki grew worried when Osamu only lowered his head and gave off a saddened gaze. "Isabella is sick. She might not make it through her illness. I was wondering if I could go back and do something to change that. I was hoping there was still a way to fix it."

"It's terminal, isn't it? Otherwise, you wouldn't think of doing something so drastic." Akatsuki examined.

Osamu nodded. "Yeah, it is."

Akatsuki, with her small and cute hands, patted Osamu's head and ruffled his hair. "We can't. I'm sorry. Though we have the ability to go back and forward in time, we have strict instruction by Amaterasu herself not to use those abilities unless a catastrophe of some sort happened. Even if we took you there now, I doubt it would magically stop Isabella from being ill. If I may ask, what exactly is Isabella's affliction?"

"Pancreatic cancer." Osamu answered.

"At her age? That's not very common." Akatsuki said. "It could've been because of some underlying health complications, or perhaps it was genetic. In that case, going back through time wouldn't yield any results. And besides, when you return to the present, Amaterasu would be furious with you and with us."

(Of course...it's impossible, isn't it?)

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"I'm sorry, Big Brother. I wish we could help..." Omagatoki lamented.

"No, it's all right. I was half-expecting a 'no' anyway. Thanks, you two." Osamu said.

A sudden shout from behind grabbed Osamu's attention."Osamu!"

A gasping, breathless Isabella stood by the shrine gate.

"Izzy? What are you doing out here?! How did you find me?" Osamu asked.

Isabella smiled and held up her phone. "This app lets me see where all my contacts are!"

"That sounds like a stalker's dream!" Osamu yelled in shock.

"Sorry. I wanted to stop you before you did something reckless for my sake. Am I too late?" Isabella teasingly asked.

"Brother Osamu asked if going back in time would help prevent your affliction. We've already answered him with a stern no." Akatsuki answered.

Isabella fell to her knees, her eyes closing halfway. "I see...that's good..."

Exhausted from running all the way there, Isabella fell over on the floor and blacked out. The next time she awoke, Osamu was carrying her on his back as they walked through the neighborhood. Isabella's groans let Osamu know she was waking up.

"Hey there. You all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Isabella yawned.

A quiet walk through a quiet neighborhood, under a peaceful moon and dim streetlights. It was exactly what they both needed after such a stressful day.

"You know, you didn't have to go running through town like that. If you fell or hurt yourself, there wouldn't have been any around to help you." Osamu scolded.

Isabella giggled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I was just scared you'd do something terrible if you were asking the Shoku Twins for help. It evens out, doesn't it? We were both being stupid."

(She can still laugh and speak so brightly when she's like this.)

"Osamu. There's nothing you can do." Isabella said. "Don't drive yourself mad trying to fix something that can't be fixed. I'm happy I was born as the person I am. I've had a fantastic life, especially in the past two years. I'm ready to die if that's how it has to be."

"I saved Aika. I saved Tsukiakari. I saved the Shoku Twins. I even saved Heaven itself." Osamu said. "So why can't I save the life of just one girl?"

"Because you can't save everyone." Isabella responded.

Of course, that was why Isabella's announcement drove him so mad. He knew he couldn't save her, not like he did with Aika or Tsukiakari. This time, he was powerless to do anything.

"...Did you write that letter to your family?" Osamu asked.

"Yeah. Yoko is going to send it out for me tomorrow."

"Good. I know they'll do their best to support you."

"Just like you, right?" Isabella said.

"What are you talking about? I've failed so far." Osamu quipped.

Isabella shook her head, resting her chin on Osamu's shoulder. "All you need to do is be with me until the end. There's nothing else you can do."

(She's already accepted she won't make it. Considering everything we've been through until now, it makes sense she's not going to underestimate death...)

"All right." Osamu said.

On their way home, the two spotted a large crater in the neighborhood. It looked like a house was once in the area, but was destroyed by something.

"What happened here?" Osamu recoiled.

Isabella started laughing, her voice echoing through the streets.

"What's so funny?!"

"You really don't remember? I called an airstrike on your home, remember?" Isabella giggled.

"That's right! That was the very first day I came back here!" Osamu recalled.

"Back then, I let my bitter feelings take over. Ever since you've come back though, we've all grown close to each other. I want it to remain that way, Osamu. So, when you get back home, apologize to Izanami. I don't hate her or blame her for any of this. She's still a valued member of our household. She's done and sacrificed so much for us, you know?"

"Yeah, you're right. One day, you are going to rebuild this house, right?" Osamu asked.

"Eh?! Seriously? You want me to do that?!"

Osamu was now laughing himself. "No, it was just a joke! You don't have to do anything."

"Hmm...who knows though? Maybe I will have it rebuilt for you."

Osamu and Isabella returned home. Isabella was able to walk on her own two feet as they entered the house. The both of them kicked off their shoes by the door. Isabella, tired by the events of the day, climbed up the first three steps of the stairs before she bade goodnight.

"Well, I'm off to bed now. Go and apologize, all right? Let's try to have a happy day tomorrow." Isabella said.

"Yeah, all right. Goodnight." Osamu responded.

Isabella crossed her arms and gave Osamu a soul-piercing stare. "That didn't sound very sincere..."

"I really mean it! I'll apologize and we'll have a good day tomorrow!" Osamu assured, adding way more enthusiasm in his response.

"You promise?" Isabella pouted.

Osamu knew exactly what Isabella was asking for, their traditional, promissory ceremony. He took hold of one of Isabella's breasts and squeezed it gently. "I promise."

Isabella smiled. "Good. Goodnight, Osamu."

Osamu gave her a cordial salute and bowed his head. "Goodnight, Izzy."

With that, Isabella smiled and walked off to bed. There was just one more thing Osamu had to do before the night came to a close. The girl with the skin of a corpse, but the soul of a rose, needed to be apologized to. Izanami sat by the candlelight of the kitchen island. The gentle flames of the candles let off an aroma of vanilla, and their light sparkled in Izanami's glistening, reddened eyes.

Osamu stood in the darkness of the entrance hall, watching Izanami in silent lamentation. Thinking back to their previous argument, Osamu could barely believe the way he lashed out at her, the woman who helped him save his dear friend, Aika. The woman who protected him from Death itself, further degrading her standing with her fellow gods. The woman who once saved him from the act of suicide. Osamu worked up a tempest of apologies in his head.

He tried to express the shock and confusion that Isabella's announcement inflicted upon him, but no words in any language could convey how painful this day had been. And that was the greatest agony of all, that of all the emotions that flooded through him when Isabella made her announcement, it wasn't shock or confusion he felt the most. It was pain. Helpless, anguishing pain.

Having worked up his courage, Osamu approached the gloomy Izanami, bowing his head in regret. "Hey. I'm...I'm really sorry for being so mean earlier. I don't know what came over me."

"You don't hate me? That was the first time you've ever been so angry at me. It felt like I was falling apart..." Izanami said, wiping the remnants of her tears from her puffy eyes.

"Of course I don't hate you. I'm just...I don't even know anymore."

Osamu caressed Izanami's cheek to calm her spirit. "All I know is that I can never hate you, Izanami. Can you ever forgive me?"

Izanami brought Osamu in for a hug. They held each other for a long time, as if they'd never be able to hug again. "Forgive you? I love you, Osamu. Anything you've done in the past, anything you do now, and anything you will do in the future is already forgiven. That's how much I love you."

"I really needed to hear that. I feel like I'm not even myself anymore..." Osamu admitted.

"Silly. You'll always be you. You'll always be the Osamu we all fell in love with." Izanami whispered.

"You're always my guiding light, you know that?" Osamu said.

Izanami pulled away, and her smile returned. "Yep! Now then, let's blow out these candles and go to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day."

(Early that morning, I was the first one to wake up. Normally, I'd just fall back asleep, but I received a text from Rei, telling me she was waiting by the door. I already had an idea as to why she might've come...)

Osamu sneaked out of bed and quietly made his way to the door. Rei stood outside wearing a camouflage jacket, a pair of red dog tags, and a troubled expression. The sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky was a deep blue color.

(It appears...Rei has a lot of things she wants to get off of her chest...)