"The sun shines at day, when humans are most active.

Whereas, the moon shines at night, when humans are unconscious.

For that matter, the sun is more appreciated than the moon.

And for that matter, you are...

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"The tree is blowing the leaves...

The birds fly away...

The tree is blowing the leaves...

Far, far away...

The tree is blowing the leaves...

Is this the sight you sought?

The tree is now leafless-

The sight of utter distraught?

-ruined and empty...

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Where is she?

Did she not recognize?

The words I uttered?

The meaning I convey?

The weight of the words I say?

Where is she?

Why is she not here?

Where are you... nine...

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"Why? Are you crying?"

She looks up to me, the me that looks down on her.

But, I see her on equal grounds.

"Ayanokoji..."

"Why are you crying?"

"I..."

"Why are you crying?"

"I..."

"Why are you crying?"

"I... collapsed again."

"I see."

"My chest hurts..."

"I see."

"It hurts... it hurts..."

"Nine, don't cry."

"Huh?"

"Save tears."

"Huh?"

"Sadness, laughter."

"Huh?"

"Save those tears for the tears of happiness."

"Huh?"

I grab her hand,"I..."

"I?"

"I figured a way. A way to leave."

"You figured out a way? To leave? From here?"

"Yes, far from here."

"Really?"

"Really."

"A place devoid of cameras?"

"Devoid of eyes no matter where."

"You'll... take me?"

"Yes."

"To school?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"Yes."

"You won't-..."

Yes, I won't-

"Forsake me?"

Forsake you.

"No."

"Ayanokoji..."

"Yes?"

"I... can't..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I... can't run..."

"Yes you can."

"I need... time."

"No need."

"I need... more time..."

"We'll leave tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"But... I'm too weak to run... too weak to live...

Yet not too weak to die...

I will die..."

"You will not die."

"Huh?"

"You are not weak."

"Huh?"

"I, too, am weak."

"Huh?"

"All humans are weak."

"Huh?"

"Therefore, I am weak."

"But... the weak falls... the strong stands... it's the truth of this white world."

"That's not entirely true, is it?"

"Huh?"

She finally makes eye contact.

"Weakness does not depend on our strength, it depends on how we view ourselves.

For that, I think I am weak."

"Why? But... you're strong, Ayanokoji. You're... the best specimen."

"I may be strong, but I am still shallow. Therefore, I am weak."

"I see..."

"But, it's not wrong to be weak."

"Huh?"

"I want you to understand, because I pity you."

"Huh?"

"You are weak, and so am I. We are all weak."

"Huh?"

"It is what makes us human after all."

"Eh...?"

"Flaws, mistakes, weaknesses, if we call those sadness, then human lives are truly a melancholic concept.

But, through weakness, there is development.

Through pain, there is improvements .

Through agony, there is adjustments.

Through mistakes, there are corrections.

Humans are capable of tending to their weaknesses, and embrace them.

Nine, embrace weaknesses, do not despise it."

"But... in this place, we are meant to be strong. Bound by wisdom, and if we fail, bound by death."

"..."

True.

It's true...

But...

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"Say, Ayanokoji. When I die... will you remember me?"

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"You won't die."

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"When I die, will you carry on my dreams?"

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"No need, when death is far from reality as of now."

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"What makes you think that?"

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"We will go to a school. We will experience human emotions. Emotions you taught me, I want to experience it for real now."

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"Really?"

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"Curiosity, desperation."

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"I see... you're curious, eh?"

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"Indeed."

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"Even if I'm weak... you'll take me, eh?"

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"Yes. I can carry you far away. In exchange, lend me your emotions."

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"Ayanokoji..."

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"Yes?"

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"Ayanokoji..."

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"Yes?"

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"Aya...nokoji..."

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I crouch, so I do not look down upon her.

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I crouch, so she does not look up to me.

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"Live, nine. Lives are meant to be seen through till end."

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"Live...?"

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"Live. Live life."

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"Life...?"

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"Die not as you are now. Die satisfied of the life you lived."

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"Satisfied...?"

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"You are only one step away from reaching ten, the end."

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"The end...?"

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"Live, nine. Live."

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"Live... live..."

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"Then die... with a name."

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"A... name?"

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"We'll enter the school... and I will give you a name."

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"You'll... name me?"

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"A new name, a new identity, a new smile. A new definition of your reality."

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"Ayanokoji..."

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"I'll give you everything, so live until we win."

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"You... promise, right?"

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"I promise."

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"Pinky promise?"

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"What's that?"

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She holds her pinky out.

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"What's that?"

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She smiles.

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"It's a special kind of promise. We hold each of our pinkies, and promise not to break it."

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"Is that so?"

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"Yes, I read it in a book."

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"I see... then, I shall hold your pinky, as instructed."

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We are not within the darkness no more.

The light shall alight, anew.

Not white, but many others.

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Adorable...

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Pretty...

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Cute...

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That's you, Nine.

That is how I perceive the you that is in front of me.

The you within me.

The you that taught me all about life.

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But-

Just because you taught me how to live,

I will not teach you how to die.

Sadness prevails no more.

It crumbles in the face of our happiness.

So please...

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Don't give up...

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Don't... betray me.

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It's not over yet...

Not until our foot has left,

Not until our foot shall rise,

To greater heights,

To ascending heights,

You showed me the beauty of night,

The moon shining bright.

Now I will show you, the beauty of the sun;

Where you shall see, the brightness of life.

I'll make sure you smile,

In that school with many others.

We'll be happy, right?

Bereft of sadness?

Despite the pain?

Will we gain?

I'll make sure,

The pain we endured,

Leads to the corridor of happiness.

Nine,

Wait longer.

A little more longer.

Wait until the wait shall pay off.

I'll make sure

That our eyes won't see the white light of this room,

But rather, the light of our freedom.

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"EVERYONE, LINE UP! IT'S TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS!"

We all line up, as ordered.

I look to my side.

I see:

Light.

Lightness of not the room,

Lightness of her face.

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It's her face...

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The 'her' that broadened my view of the world.

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..

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"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."

I stand forward.

"Yes."

"You have scored... 500/500, well done. Nothing short to flawless, as always. Your father must be ecstatic right now."

I see...

Full marks once again.

10/10

100%

I guess it was expected.

Nothing that comes in my way will beat me.

After all, even if humans are weak, I am the pinnacle of the weak humans.

"NEXT! CODE NINE!"

"Y-Yes!"

I glance over at my side.

It's her.

She felt love.

She felt feelings.

She has a heart.

She has a personality.

She has flaws, weaknesses.

She is human.

She is nine.

I admire her.

I aspire to be like her.

I... want to be with her.

I...

want to love her.

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"In the exam...

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We will leave this place, and enter a school.

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You scored...

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That's what we promised...

Right?

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You scored 120/500...nine."

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Huh?

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Why?

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Nine...?

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Why... do you look like that?

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"

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Why... do you look disturbed

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""

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You... said you'll live... did you not?

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Then...

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Why...

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Why are you on the ground?

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