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“There’s only 10 minutes left…”
“Is he still not out of his room yet?”
“He’s prolly just tired. I mean, I can’t blame him. He’s been working hard ever since the school year started.”
“Aigis, can you go get him?”
“Makoto-san? May I come in?”
Makoto flinched as he heard a knock on his bedroom door. Immediately recognizing the voice as his girlfriend’s, he relaxed, and answered.
“Come in, Aigis.”
Aigis opens the door to see Makoto sitting on his bed, not doing anything in particular. Snow gently fell outside the window, tinting the glass with frost as the seconds ticked by until 2011.
“Are you okay, Makoto-san?”
“Yeah. I’ve just had some things on my mind.”
“About Ryoji-san?”
Makoto’s eyes darted away from Aigis’s. “You knew?”
“… I have been thinking about him too, truthfully.” Aigis walks to Makoto’s bed. “May I sit?” Makoto nods.
And so, Aigis gently rests her mechanical body on Makoto’s bed, the side of her left arm gently pressed against Makoto’s right. A moment of silence passes. Aigis patiently waits for Makoto to say what’s on his mind… But even if he doesn’t, she doesn’t mind just being here with him, to make him feel comforted… Frankly, she doesn’t really mind if she misses the new year countdown.
Regardless, Makoto chooses to speak first.
“I forget he’s gone sometimes…”
“How so?”
“… I don’t know.” Makoto looked at Aigis, expecting some sort of bewildered expression, but she did not wear one. She simply nodded in understanding.
“A lot of things happened last year. I want you to know that you can come to me to talk about anything, I’ll be there for you, Makoto-san.”
He blushed a tiny bit. “Thanks, Aigis.”
“… It is partially my fault as well.”
“What?” Makoto’s head immediately turned towards her.
“In December of last year, I was consumed by my weakness… I was so worried about your safety that I didn’t allow you as much time with Ryoji-san as you should have had… And now, you…” Aigis trailed off. “I’m sorry.”
“Aigis…” Makoto stood up. Aigis looked up at him. “I’m glad you apologized. It’s okay. Don’t be so hard on yourself, you can’t let yourself carry that guilt forever.”
Aigis smiled, and stood up as well. “Of course!”
Makoto extended his hand for Aigis to shake— Aigis took it quickly, shaking it with excessive force that made Makoto laugh.
Makoto gently pressed a kiss against Aigis’s lips, making her blush.
“I love you.”
“I-I love you too, Makoto-san.”
Makoto smiles at her. “Now let’s get downstairs with the others.”
Aigis nods, and thinks to herself: “The Dark Hour may have come to an end, but our journey hasn’t. Every day, I’ll keep growing more and more… Together with Makoto-san and everyone!”