[ It feels much, much too much like he's saying goodbye for the last time, like they're never going to see each other again--

and Hana Song doesn't cry even if she wants to -- ]

Takashi...

[ except-- no. She can't do this. The tears well up in her eyes the moment his forehead rests against hers, the moment she feels that whitened hair of his against her own fringe and she's not convinced when he says that he'll be all right. Of course he said he would be, because she made him promise, but there's just something about all of this that she doesn't like. Because when he says 'until my very last breath' he almost sounds like he's expecting that to happen before she finds him in the stars again and she--

she wants him to be all right, so, so badly. She wants him to have nothing but happiness even if it's dawned on her that what she's doing is going to take away from that and

maybe she should just

Her breath shakes with an exhale and her fingers tighten around the hand of his on her cheek and even the thoughtful hum she gives shakes a little. ]

I know I'm being selfish by trying to keep you like this even when I can't go with you. I'm sorry.

[ maybe she should just-- no. ]

But I will come back to you, Takashi. I definitely will.