Chapter 41 – Merry Christmas, Usagi

After I walked Airi home, I stood in front of her house for a moment, staring at the door she’d just gone through.

My brain: Did that really happen?
My chest: Thump thump thump.
My hands: Still warm.

And me? I felt like I’d just cleared the final boss of a game I didn’t even know I was playing.

I let out a sigh and started walking. Snow kept falling, crunching under my shoes. My face was probably grinning like an idiot.

Then my phone buzzed.

Kenta: “WELL?!”
Daiki: “Don’t leave us hanging man, we need DETAILS.”
Kenta again: “Confess or dare results, report NOW.”

I typed back:
“Shut up, I’m busy. Go bother someone else.”

Daiki: “Translation: He’s totally blushing rn.”
Kenta: “Confirmed. Front page material.”

I sighed and shoved the phone in my pocket. Great. Tomorrow was going to be chaos.

“...Man, this feels like a dream,” I muttered.

Then I sneezed so hard I nearly slipped.

“...Okay, definitely not a dream. Just a bad idea to be outside this long.”

By the time I got home, I was half frozen. I dumped myself on the bed without even turning on the heater. My body melted into the mattress instantly.

Eyes closed. Brain shutting down. Sleep mode: ON.

...Until I noticed something on my desk.

A small box. Wrapped neatly with a ribbon.

Right. Usagi’s present.

I sat up slowly. “Oh yeah… she said to open it tonight.”

---

The wrapping was neat. Too neat. I opened it like it might shatter if I breathed too hard.

Inside was her white bunny hairpin.

The one she always wore. Her favorite.

My stomach dropped. “...Why would she…?”

Then I noticed something else tucked inside.
A little origami bunny. On its side, small writing.

I unfolded it with shaking hands.

---

The Letter

“Thanks for everything. And… sorry, for dragging you around so much.
I think you already know. I wasn’t really my own person. I was just a part of Airi that came out because she wanted to talk to you.
I was born from that wish. And now that she can finally do it herself… I don’t need to stay.
Please tell Airi I’m proud of her.
And thank you, Yuuji. For treating me like I was real.”
– Usagi

---

My throat tightened. “What… no. No, no, no.”

Before I could read it again, my phone buzzed.

A new message. From Airi’s number.

But the text said:

> “This is Usagi. It's pre-recorded. Please listen.”

Two voice notes attached.

I tapped the first.

---

Voice Message 1

“Hey, Yuuji-kun. Merry Christmas.
I really like Christmas. The lights, the food, the songs. I wanted to spend it with you so badly.
But I can’t anymore. Airi gets to stay with you. I guess… I’m jealous of her.
But it’s okay. Because she’s also me. So in the end, I was able to be with you too.
Still… I wish I had more time.”

---

I swallowed hard and tapped the second one.

---

Voice Message 2

(She hums a short Christmas tune. Her voice is light at first, then cracks.)

“...Yuuji-kun… I’m scared.
I don’t want to disappear.
But it’ll be alright, right?
You’ll take good care of Airi. That’s enough for me.
...Thank you. And… goodbye.”

---

I dropped the phone. “Usagi…”

My chest hurt so badly I couldn’t breathe. My body moved before I even thought.

I grabbed my coat and ran outside.

The snow wasn’t gentle anymore. It was a storm. My shoes crunched, my breath came out sharp, my legs burned.

But I didn’t stop. Not until Airi’s house.

Halfway there, though, my body gave out.

I stumbled into the snow, my knees hitting the ground. My arms shook. The cold stabbed into my skin like knives.

“Damn it…” I muttered. “I’m… useless…”

The world spun. My body wouldn’t move anymore.

And just before I passed out—

I saw someone walking toward me through the storm.

Then everything went dark.