“You shouldn’t have come here.” Saki says, not looking away from the moonlit night sky, when Asahi’s footsteps click behind her in the office she has claimed for her own.

“Tsuru-chan,” Asahi’s soft voice calls, so close yet so far, “I don’t want to say goodbye just yet.”

Say goodbye. Tomorrow, Leugocyte will arrive. Tomorrow, Saki is blowing herself, the Earth, and that detestable creature into smithereens. Tomorrow, those pesky brothers of Asahi’s will try to stop her and probably get all of them killed by the monster.

Saki doesn’t want to say goodbye either.

“How come DRLN let you in?” She says instead, and it’s a legitimate question, even if she knows she won’t get a satisfactory answer. Asahi doesn’t understand what happens around her better than anyone else does.

“Because we’re friends, aren’t we?”

Saki sighs.

“If you say so.”

“Would you rather we be something else?” She’s so close now, leaning on Saki’s shoulder by the windowsill. It’s far too much.

“In a softer world, perhaps.”

“Can’t we make it one?” Her gentle murmur right next to Saki’s ear is far too sorrowful for comfort.

“No.” Still she rubs Asahi’s head in a soothing motion. “We can’t.”