Volume 3 – Chapter 31: A Matter Of Time

Date: 1 September

Last 29 Days.

Tension clogged the air of the abandoned building as Kaito, Rika, and the others worked their way through dimly lit corridors; their hearts pounding as they crept into the structure's very bowels. The faint boom of explosions far into the distance had shifted from mere sound to accompany them on their journey like an apparition. Whatever fury was taking place outside was gaining momentum—a fight for survival was not merely the essence of these moments. This was the last call: the beginning of the end.

Kaito finally came to a halt about 20 feet away from the door of the last room on the floor. A young woman submerged in a world of her indifference sat in a broken chair inside as she gazed out into the rain-beaten landscape, which seemed so out of place within the surrounding chaos.

This was someone he did not know, Kaito thought as he appraised her for a moment. It was having that feeling of calmness almost to the point of being unnatural; nothing, it seemed, could disturb her peace.

"You are Kanna," Rika said, breaking the silence, and though she spoke cautiously, her tone was still respectful. "We have heard of you."

Kanna did not turn around to see them right away. After a brief pause, she lowered her head slightly in a display whether it was dismissive or not. Her narrowed gaze then passed swiftly over the trio. At length, she cleared her throat, perhaps assigning some value to the acknowledgment.

"Well, what the hell are you trying to hold on to, though?" Her assertion was quiet but laced with a shrill edge. "This world is ending. You're all dying soon. So tell me, what's the point of holding a wedding? What's the point of anything now? If you really die, what's the meaning behind that?"

Rika furrowed, walked over to Kanna, and spoke next. With her unyielding voice-and still just as quiet-she said: "It is everything. It means we fight for life amid all this chaos. It is not merely survival anymore; it is about making sure the rest of our times on this earth are meaningful. Love, connection-these things make us human. And even if the world is ending, they are worth holding on to."

Kanna's expression slightly softened but still echoed doubt. "You're not going to survive, though. You're grasping at something that's already slipping away. What for-ever and ever, what are you pretending?"

Rika stepped closer. "Because this isn't about pretending. This is about making a choice to live meaningfully, even with the knowledge that the end is soon. We might not have much time, but this moment is now. And now counts. The love we have, the choices we make-they're our strength to face the end, not our excuse to turn away from it."

Kanna was silent for what felt like an eternity, deliberating over Rika's crafted words. Her expression was inscrutable. Finally, she released a deep, drawn-out breath and rose from the chair.

"I… I see your point," Kanna said less harshly now. "Maybe I’ve been too focused on the inevitable; maybe… maybe this truly is something after all." She met Rika’s gaze, her face showing a trace of vulnerability. ""I apologize. I did not intend to take your journey lightly.'" She smiled softly "That's okay. We are all just trying to make sense of this world that is falling apart. But it isn't the end that defines us, but rather what we do with the time left."

Kanna looked away and back out again into the rain, lost in thought. "You are right,' she barely whispered, 'Auntie, I may have been wrong. But... I just don't want to believe in anything that has no future."

Rika walked to her, placed her hand on her shoulder, "We never know what the future holds, Kanna." But we have one another now. And that’s enough."

The storm raged outside, but in those moments, they shared a calm understanding. Kanna’s walls of resistance had cracked, even if fleetingly, and something had shifted inside her.

Kaito silently witnessed the exchange, an oppressive weight settling on his heart. In the end, it will be the ties they formed—the transient moments-that mattered most.