(Summer is the Springtime of youth. Our hot days slowly got colder and colder, until we finally got our first storm in the middle of August. Isabella was always keen on watching the seasons change, perhaps now more than ever.)

That day was as dark as night. The rain pelted against the bedroom window as Isabella and Osamu sat together, watching the summertime die before their very eyes. The equinox wouldn't be until September, but as Osamu checked the weather forecasts on his phone, it was clear that fall had pretty much already arrived. In a way, it was a relief seeing overcast days and rain predicted for the next two weeks. The summer had been blisteringly hot, after all.

However, the changing of seasons only hammered home time's merciless pace. It wouldn't let them stop and savor a single moment.

"There it is." Isabella said. "The storm that declares that summer is finally over."

"Yep. Looks like we're going back to the groove of our lazy days." Osamu said.

Isabella smiled. "I don't mind at all. I had an amazing summer with everyone. If it really is going to be my last summer, I'm glad I spent it together with you."

Osamu couldn't see Izzy's expression, only the back of her head and her long, blonde hair as she watched the rain through the window. She was the brightest thing in that room, in the whole world even. His heart shuddered and ached inside his chest. He couldn't believe that such an angel could ever die.

(And then September came...)

Fall had fully taken its throne. The sun rarely came out at all, and even when it did, the air was just as cold as the rain itself. With these changes, everyone began wearing long sleeves, sweaters, and hoodies whenever they could. Yoko always had the heat running to keep the house warm and cozy. The cold, dark, and miserable weather of autumn was a thing of beauty to them. It never made anyone feel trapped or depressed.

Isabella marched down stairs to meet Yoko in the kitchen one cloudy, September morning. Yoko could hear her faint and weak voice from behind.

"Morning." Isabella mumbled.

Yoko smiled as she turned around. "Oh, morning Isa—"

One glance at Isabella revealed how pale, slow, and sluggish she was. It was like the life was being drained out of Isabella.

Yoko's smile immediately wilted into a worried frown. "Izzy...you don't look so good..."

"Really?" Isabella said with an exhausted laugh. "I guess. I don't really...feel well either..."

Yoko put down her chopping knife, removed her apron, and approached Isabella. Suddenly, Isabella lost her balance and fell over, falling into Yoko's arms. Frightened tears streamed down Isabella's pallid cheeks as she gripped Yoko's sweater.

"I don't feel well, Yoko..."

"Okay, okay, okay. Listen, don't worry, all right? I'm gonna have Izanami take you to the hospital again, okay? It's going to be okay, Izzy. Just hang in there..."

(And from that day forth, Isabella was no longer healthy enough to remain at home. She had to stay in the hospital for her own safety. It's something we all wanted to avoid for as long as possible, but...even a girl as strong as Isabella is still just a human. And so, you and I continue this story in October. Truthfully, it took me a while to muster up the heart to see Isabella.

(I didn't want to remember her as a frail girl, nor as a dying girl. I just wanted to have the image of the bright and bold Isabella burned in my mind forever. But I suppose, if I kept cowering and refused to face the truth, I wouldn't be a very good adult, nor would I be worthy of being the "hero" of this story. October...that was the month I finally visited her.)

It was a rainy afternoon when Osamu went to the hospital to visit Isabella, like so many other people visiting their hospitalized family and friends. He wore a brown, knit hoodie and black jeans, and he brought some Pocky with him as tribute to Isabella.

He just knew in his heart that the girl would throw a fit at him if she didn't bring her any sweets to eat. His hair was getting a little longer, and started to break out of the wavy lion's mane he had, showing hints of reverting back to the longer hair he had years ago. He was pointed to the right room and knocked before entering.

"Come in!" Isabella answered.

Osamu opened the door and waved the plastic bag full of treats he had. "Hey there. I've got some snacks."

Isabella was looking a little better than before. Still pale, and her weight loss was becoming more and more apparent. Her arms were getting so thin, and her grip was getting weak. And yet still, as she could feel herself withering away day by day, she smiled and invited Osamu in. Osamu tucked in his lips so that she would not see them tremble. Seeing her slowly succumb to her illness was just as heartbreaking as he feared.

"Aww, thanks! Come on in, love!" Isabella cheered.

Osamu sat down and handed Isabella the box of pocky after opening it himself. His eyes were keen to notice Isabella's weakened body and thin arms.

"Thanks, Osa. You're so considerate!"

"Anytime. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come here..." Osamu lamented.

Stolen story; please report.

Isabella shook her head. "It's okay. I imagine you were in one of your infantile episodes where you stay in bed because you're depressed, huh?"

"Hey come on!" Osamu groaned.

Isabella laughed, getting a refreshing kick out of teasing Osamu. "What's a little banter between friends, right? Besides, I knew you'd come, so you don't have to apologize. That's just the kind of man you are. You always come through in the end."

Isabella was pleasantly surprised when she took the first few bites of the pocky. "Mmm! Why do these taste better than usual?! Did they change up their recipe or something?"

"Maybe I just picked out a good box. The same thing happens with bags of chips a lot. One bag could be crap but the other bag could be baked gold." Osamu said.

"Ah, I went through the same thing in every coroner store back home! It was like playing Russian Roulette!

"Yeah...wait, did you just say 'coroner store'?" Osamu recoiled.

Isabella gasped. "Oh crap, I did! Am I cursed now?!"

Osamu laughed. "You've got five seconds to correct it, Izzy!"

"Oh no! Corner store! Corner store! Not coroner!"

"I'm just kidding, they only send you to the coroner if they suspect foul play." Osamu teased.

Isabella threw the box of pocky at Osamu's face as he laughed, thankfully not spilling any on the floor. "Ha, ha, ha. Five star comedian, Osamu Ashikaga."

"Thanks, I hope you come to my next show!" Osamu tittered.

Isabella scoffed and closed her eyes. "Idiot. But I'm glad you were once my idiot."

(Sweet or insulting? Perhaps a mix of both...)

Isabella continued eating her pocky, sharing some with Osamu and cursing at him whenever he'd drop one on the floor.

"You know, Rei often stops by here during the weekends." Isabella said.

"Oh really? By herself?" Osamu asked.

"Yeah. She always puts up this cold and uncaring front, but that girl is bad at lying. She really cares, you know? She would often just break down in tears whenever she laid eyes on me. It was a little overwhelming."

Isabella stopped eating and looked at her frail, slender arms and hands. "Being hospitalized and seeing Rei cry so much...it just made me realize....'Wow...I'm really going to die soon.' And then, when I think that, I keep wishing I could've talked to Rei more in our school days. I wish I could've been her friend, if that would've lessened her heartbreak back then. Honestly, if I had the chance, I'd give up dating you if it meant Rei could've done it first.

(Even for someone who once despised you, you's sacrifice that much, huh?)

Isabella recoiled. "Not saying that I don't value what we had, Osamu!"

"Hah, no, don't worry. I understand what you mean." Osamu assured.

"I keep wondering if Rei is gonna be okay after I'm gone."

"You don't have to worry. That's what your friends are for. Aika, Myself, Yoko, everyone. We're all going to look after each other and make sure we all carry on. Friends are supposed to decrease your worries, right? Then all you have to do is trust us."

Isabella smiled. "You still have the tongue of a charming prince, Osamu. I think that's the thing I'll miss the most."

Osamu didn't end up leaving the hospital until late. After bidding Isabella goodnight, he walked all the way back to the neighborhood. The scent of petrichor and wet cement lingered from the earlier rain. The golden glow of the street lamps and autumn moon reflected off of the wet roads.

There was a lot he needed to think about. How to be there for Izzy, how everyone is going to get through this ordeal, and how he can do nothing to stop what was going to happen. Seeking some solitude, Osamu marched over to the abandoned bowling alley.

(This old place. I'm surprised it's still here.)

Something compelled Osamu to walk into the bowling alley. As he went in, he saw the light of an electric lantern shining around and casting long shadows on the bowling balls and pins on the floor. The light pointed his eyes to Yoko, who was standing near the bleachers with a red bowling ball in her hands. She wore a blue sweater, scarf, and red winter beanie to match her hair.

"Yoko?" Osamu called out.

"Osamu? Why are you here?" Yoko asked.

"I could ask you the same question."

Yoko put down the bowling ball and shrugged her shoulders. "It's like I was just called here, honestly."

"I see. I got the same feeling."

Osamu walked in and joined Yoko. The two sat together on the lane-side seats with the electric lantern between them.

"Right there." Yoko said.

"Hmm?" Osamu grunted.

Yoko pointed in front of her. "That's the exact spot you were tied to a chair when you first came back."

"Yep, I still remember that. It's hard to forget being kidnapped and waking up in an abandoned building with a sword pointed at your face. But...man, how long ago was that now?"

"Two years." Yoko answered.

"Crap, you're right. It's already been two years..."

"This was also the place we both saw Isabella again. Now that I think about it, she really was crazier back then, huh?" Yoko said.

“Well, of course. She hated us back then." Osamu recalled. She even blew up my house and I ended up staying with you. Then Izzy shot out the window, shot me, and ran up some debt, so she had to stay with us too. Then, Izanami stayed to make sure we didn't all kill each other, and Aika ended up staying as well. Before we knew it, we had a crazy little family."

"So many little coincidences placed so nicely and delivered so gracefully, they almost seem like they were sent from heaven." Yoko said.

"Well...I wouldn't call it graceful. It's been one wild ride up to this point. I mean, I can't even count the times I've almost died. Hell, I actually did die! "

Yoko laughed and locked arms with Osamu. "Yeah, but you love us, right?"

Osamu smiled. "Of course I do."

"But you love me the most, right? I'm the one you're marrying and having strong, smart, and healthy children with, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Why not?" Osamu lazily replied.

"Okay, good. I still want twenty-four of them."

"We really are starting a clan, aren't we?"

"Start? More like reviving! We need to breed healthy seed if we want to revive the Akiyama and Ashikaga clans."

Yoko laid her head on Osamu's shoulder, her eyes staring off at the two moths flying around the electric lantern.

"You're so much warmer than you were back then." Osamu said. "Back then, you were icy, slow to get along with others, and perhaps a bit selfish too. After I saved Aika and she lost her memories of us as a result, you cried for her. You cried for not being able to help someone who was down in the rut just like how you used to be. You and Tsukiakari once fought, and you detested each other at first, but you began helping her. You empathized with Tsukiakari because of her troubled past, and you two were able to find a mutual understanding through that. Now look at you two. You're dating. Now, with Isabella, even though you guys have been rivals for all this time, I find that you two often help each other out the most. You have a really big heart once you get past the unforgiving and stubborn facade. You helped me take care of these people. I couldn't have done it without you."

Yoko bit her lip. "...You and everyone else...you were all the first group of people to see that far into me. It made me glad every morning, to wake up and have people smile at me, and eat with me..."

Osamu knew Yoko very well. He held her tight and kept her close, knowing full well she was about to cry.

"Osamu...this has been the best two years of my life. With you, Isabella, and everyone. I don't want her to go..."

"Yeah, me neither. But still...all things must come to an end."

(All things must pass, and there is a flower in the vast garden of life that doesn't have much time left. So, until the last petal falls, let's watch our little flower. Let's celebrate the spring it bloomed, the summer it shined, the fall it survived, and the winter in which it will die.)