Part Eight
story concept: LAREINE
photos by: Hideaki Imamoto
written by: Fuzuki Watanabe
translated by: Bronny
also visit her excellent Plastic Tree site monophobia
Holding Lillie up in his arms, she was far lighter than he could have imagined.
"We never watched the stars together, did we?"
Her lingering words echoed around and around, as if swirled in the whirlpool of Jérémie's heart.
"I'm sorry... I didn't make it in time."
When Lillie had wanted to look at the stars, the dark colour of the sky had completely faded; already, even the studded gems of stars had changed to pale dots.
Lillie had one more ungranted wish. By visiting the Lake of Reminiscence, she had wanted to shut up all her love for Jérémie in her heart, and in that state, settle into an everlasting sleep.
However, that wish deprived her of being reunited with Jérémie; Lillie was tied to both him and to her emotions, and this gave rise to a far greater wish. Whilst the two were blessed in this Lake of Reminiscence, they had pledged their eternal love. Because of this, their separation would only be transient. 'Eternal Separation' was no longer a part of their destiny. Nor were sadness nor suffering.
Jérémie remembered when they had exchanged their first and last kiss. That frangrance, cruelly sweet, still now remained along with Lillie's warmth on his lips.
Embracing Lillie, whose eyes were again closed, Jérémie left the bottom of the lake behind. As the two ascended, countless petals whirled up and encircled them. Washed in the light of the new day, the petals soared up and shone like stars.
Jérémie could feel his consciousness gradually fading. Sensation in his arms was lost, and there was no distinction as to where his body ended and Lillie's began. This vagueness in his mind was only a pleasant feeling. Was Lillie - in his arms, staring at the petal-stars - was she happy?
Nothing could tell him that. Nothing gave him an answer. The spirits of the Lake of Reminiscence remained unchanged; they were just as they had been before the two had visited.
However, the Lake of Reminiscence itself was certainly watching. The guiding spirit, the Messenger of Emotions, the singing voice; they all looked on, smiling. They were watching, in the heavens recoloured by the light of the new day, two content, pale-coloured birds spreading their wings and flying away...
THE END