A few days passed after the incident with the celestial demon. After Hiraku and Lisa expelled the demon and sent it through the Gate of Damnation, they stayed closer to each other. Lisa was slowly recovering from the shock of the battle. Hiraku, on the other hand, seemed to be in high spirits. His fierce will helped soothe the trauma of the fight, and thanks to his healing abilities, he quickly recovered both mentally and spiritually.
The sunlight streamed gently across the sky, and the chatter of hummingbirds echoed through the mellow trees. Hiraku and Lisa sat on separate swings, both enjoying the serene beauty of nature. Lisa wore denim jeans and a white crop top; her hair danced freely in the wind. While most girls might tie their hair into a ponytail on a windy day, Lisa refused to. Her fair skin and striking blue eyes were mesmerizing.
Hiraku sat quietly, gazing at her. He was dressed as usual: a black sweatshirt with folded sleeves, gray pants, and leather shoes. His eyes caught the bangle on Lisa's right wrist—one she always wore.
"I thought I lost you back there," Lisa said, her voice trembling slightly as she gazed at Hiraku from the left swing. Her blue eyes shimmered, mirroring the beauty of the nature surrounding them.
Hiraku smiled warmly, though her words tugged at his heart. He knew how much she had suffered, seeing him in such a state. The thought of it made his heart ache.
"I'm sorry I made you worry," he replied softly, meeting her gaze. A part of him knew that an apology wouldn't change much—he couldn't predict the tribulations awaiting him in future battles. But another part of him wanted to ease her burden, to show her that her care and trust meant the world to him.
"I can't bear the thought of losing you," she whispered, breaking eye contact as her gaze dropped to her sneakers. Her voice cracked, and her heart twisted with pain. Tears welled in her eyes. She tried to hold them back, but the weight of her emotions was too much.
Hiraku rose from the right swing and approached her. He bent slightly and wrapped his arms around her. Lisa clung to him tightly, her warm tears soaking into his shoulder as sobs wracked her body. Her sorrowful heartbeat thudded against him, its rhythm a painful echo of her anguish.
Tears streamed down Hiraku's face as well. He understood her pain all too well. He carried the scars of losing two loved ones and had never fully healed from that loss.
Kneeling on the grass before her, he gently withdrew from the embrace and rested his hands on her shoulders. His thumb brushed away her tears with tender care. His every glance spoke of comfort and reassurance, a silent promise that he would do everything in his power to stay by her side.
"You have to promise me that you'll never face a celestial demon by yourself. Please, promise me," Lisa said, holding his hands against her face. If anyone else had asked this of him, Hiraku would have refused—but not her.
"I promise I won't face that kind of demon alone. And if I ever have to, it will only be after Zack returns to the physical plane," Hiraku responded calmly.
Lisa wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer, but she took some comfort in knowing she had placed a boundary on how far Hiraku would go to save someone.
*
Lisa and Hiraku lay side by side on the green grass, staring up at the tree above them. The serene atmosphere and their shared closeness felt like an invisible thread tying their hearts together. A fleeting thought crossed Lisa's mind—during the exorcism, she had sensed a benevolent presence in the room. She wondered if it was someone close to Hiraku who had helped him.
"Hira," Lisa began, breaking the silence. "In the hospital, I felt a presence in the spirit realm. Was that your brother?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"Yes," Hiraku replied, a warm smile spreading across his face.
"How does it feel, knowing he's always by your side?" Lisa asked, her fingers absentmindedly twirling the silver bangle on her right wrist.
"Sometimes, I feel a sense of relief. Other times, I feel a deep sense of grief and regret," Hiraku said, his eyes fixed on the sky above.
"Regret?" Lisa echoed, staring at him in surprise. She was startled by his choice of words. She had always known him as someone who seemed free of regrets or past mistakes. But now, with what he had said, she realized he might be harboring a painful secret—one too heavy to share.
"You know I'm here for you, right?" she said softly. "When your heart feels unsteady or when you feel like you're drowning in hell's fire, I'll be your savior." She smiled warmly.
Hiraku turned to her, a look of surprise on his face. "Miss Lisa, is that supposed to be a joke? A dark attempt to make me laugh?" he asked with a small smile.
"It's dark comedy—you have to accept it," she replied playfully.
For a moment, they gazed at each other, and then they both burst into hearty laughter, the sound of it blending with the peacefulness of their surroundings
Hiraku never thought he would once again have a reason to love someone so deeply. Lisa was everything to him and more—a light that cast away the darkness that had long weighed him down. He realized he had taken the first step toward unburdening himself from the grief of losing his brother and father. Yet, the secret of his brother's passing was one he still lacked the courage to share with her. Healing from such deep wounds takes time, but with her love and care, he believed that someday, he would find the strength to share all of his burdens with her—freely and without regret.
Far in the distance, a man wearing a long coat and a dark hat hid behind a tree, his gaze fixed on Hiraku and Lisa. He could hear their laughter from afar. Slowly, he reached into his right pocket and pulled out a small orb. Whispering under his breath, he began chanting an incantation in a language unknown in the physical realm. The orb shimmered with a blood-red glow at first, then gradually shifted to a golden brilliance as he stretched out his arm.
A wicked grin spread across the demon's face, barely visible between the wide collars of its coat. It withdrew its arm, clutched the orb tightly, and vanished into thin air, leaving behind no trace of its presence.