Uhh so the plot could've been even deeper, because I wanted to dive deep into the history of this world and how Alexei ceased power, or why there isn't the Second World War but still there are west and east Germany and the US-Japan Security Treaty and the history and the philosophy of Regenism. But uhm, since it's getting too long, I will trim everything short and get to the main points of the story only.

Anyway, let's continue! This part of the summary largely focuses on Asano x Arina relationship, which is closest to the title of this book🥺 (Edit: used to be)

***

They illegally snuck into the Orlas territory by bus so they had to fly to Kazakhstan and then from there rode a bus to Belaya Posadka. When they arrived, Asano was hit by the freezing temperature almost immediately. For Arina, since she thought to herself that she was accustomed to dealing with cold already, she only wore a puffy jacket and wore no gloves.

But Asano, who came out of the bus first, didn't allow her to come out unless she dressed more warmly. In the end, he went to fetch his suitcase and wrapped her with so many layers that she ended up walking like a duck. He didn't bring an extra glove, so eventually Asano wore his on the left and Arina the right, then he held her hand and shoved it into his pocket.

See, Arina wasn't used to being treated nicely at all; so whenever someone was a little nice to her, she would begin to sniffle in tears, but silently.

Her hair was all covered up with a balaclava hat, and even though it was a gloomy winter, she was wearing sunglasses regardless. The purpose was just to conceal her identity, after all.

Before coming, Asano had heard that the Orlas was famous for its 'soulless' architecture. But it wasn't quite true in his opinion. Arina became his tour guide and showed him around.

'This is a typical Khrushchova,' she said, 'and this is a Brezhnevka. These model series are the most common here. Ten of millions of people were left without housing after the Great War and the Revolution. These standard designs of houses had to provide housing for tens of millions of people in the shortest possible time. Oh, Asano-kun! See? This is a typical residential Mikrorayons!'

Asano only thought of them as 'functional', 'rational', or 'efficient' but not quite soulless. Maybe it was just in the eyes of the perceiver, because Arina would prefer beauty over functionality at any time given.

Across the street they were standing Asano could see locals lining up to receive food with ration stamps clutching in their hands.

Wow, it was truly a different world. Since it was his first time there, Asano was having his best time as a tourist, while Arina just sighed in distress thinking about the mission she set for herself.

Seeing him so excited everywhere, she led him to the ice cream truck she used to be obsessed with when she was still a kid. For her it was the best ice cream in the world, and nudged him to try it.

But it was then that Asano figured out that Arina...had turned vegan...

Actually, she had been a vegan for a while now. After reclaiming her memory, every time she looked at meat she would throw up instantly. Why? Because it reminded her of years of living as a cannibal, feasting on human meat. And after reflecting on society as a whole, she had come to the conclusion that the food industry is against nature, too immoral, and the impact it has on the environment is detrimental. She had decided that her own pleasure for taste wouldn't be significant anymore. And if needed, she can just take supplements.

Even if she now couldn't eat ice cream anymore (cries).

Asano respected that she had the self-control to do so.

Suddenly, the locals rushed toward the Square to witness something. Asano didn't know why, but Arina knew. She just quietly prompted him to leave, but he didn't listen and followed the crowd.

Turned out it was a public execution. Alexei usually did this to set an example for those who intend to commit crimes. Arina just wanted to run away, but Asano was so fascinated with how they were going to it.

The sounds of gunshots rang in her ears again, thus triggering Arina's trauma as she hyperventilated and dropped to her knees while covering her ears, while Asano looked like he regretted what he had seen.

He apologized and tried to console her but she just picked herself up and ran away.

Maybe she was running away from the crowd because her trauma only got worse when around other people.

But Arina accidentally bumped into a military patrol on the way... and her sunglasses fell out of her face.

Well, let's just say that the scene was really intense, because Arina actually got caught and almost was captured and brought back to her father. Luckily, a nearby middle-aged man pulled her into an alley amid the chase and offered to help her hide from the government. Asano ran after them and joined the man.

Why did he offer to help them? Well, maybe he just had a heart of gold.

He really did. He took them back to his house which was nowhere near the center. Arina and Asano were suspicious at first, but they soon dropped their vigilance as soon as the man's wife came out to greet them.

And she was pregnant. Arina couldn't stop asking about the baby. What gender is it? When will she give birth?

Apparently, very soon. Arina couldn't stop smiling. She circled the woman to watch her belly. For her, the fact that having another soul living inside you is something really sacred.

Then suddenly she was hit with a revelation! If she, Arina herself, were to give birth to another being, then that means she could have her own family! She could make her dream come true. And if only the father is Asa—

She slapped herself on the face. No! In fact, she couldn't make her dream come true. Her life circumstances won't allow her dream to come true. With what she already had in her mind for the future, it couldn't be. Her baby would suffer if their mother was her. Asano deserved someone like Liliana, not her. She wasn't even sure if she could live for long...

And the fact that someone who had such a deep sense of trauma like Arina didn't consider the process of making a baby only made it clear that her dream wouldn't come true.

They stayed at that place for a while, with Arina going back to the experiment camp daily while Asano trailed after to ensure her safety.

She would get flashbacks and echoes in her mind whenever she went back to observe and collect data on the working hours of the NKVD guards and the scientists, but she had to keep this up, for the sake of humanity.

Finally, after two days, the woman gave birth and came back with a healthy baby girl whom she named Adeliya just like Arina suggested.

Arina was THRILLED. She couldn't stop holding Adeliya in her arms and tickling their noses together. Actually, she was too thrilled that she stopped her mission for a while just to take care of the baby while the mother was still in recovery.

Asano, seeing so, briefly imagined Arina nurturing his future child, to his embarrassment at himself, and slapped himself inside his head.

Arina took care of Adeliya as if she was her biological mother. It was just that she really, really adored children for their vulnerability and innocence. She changed Adeliya's diapers. She fed her. She played with her. She singed her songs. She didn't go to sleep at night just to sit beside her cradle and nurture Adeliya whenever she cried or needed something.

Her mother must have done this too. Arina supposed she was also nurtured like this by her mother when she just come to earth. But if she didn't, then it made her feel ten times better now that she could give away her love to another soul that just come into this world.

If little Adeliya could grow up to be and experience what she couldn't, then that would make Arina the happiest person on earth.

One day after coming back with another information about the camp, Arina and Asano were surprised that no one came out to open the door after they rang the bell.

No way. The lady was still in her state of recovery, and their baby couldn't be left alone. They went around the house and climbed in through the window in the kitchen. Luckily, it wasn't locked.

But what they saw after that would forever, forever, unable to leave their minds.

The living room was smeared with blood. The husband and his wife who were kind enough to help them regardless of their own safety now lay dead on the floor. Apparently, it seemed that the man had tried to fight back with a kitchen knife, which was tossed across the room. In a corner of the room, a baby girl was stomped to death by someone's boot.

The terrifying sight along with the fishy scent of blood was enough to make Asano feel dizzy and blacked out eventually.

When he woke up, in his blurry vision, he saw Arina cleaning up the blood by moping the floor.

However, her trauma had finally reached its peak by this point. She had reached her breaking point.

Arina was too desperate at this point, to see everyone — everyone — everyone that she loved kept dying. Even worse, they died because of her. This hopelessness drove her crazy for a moment, and out of desperation, she laughed like a maniac, which terrified Asano.

After a series of madness, she just collapsed on the floor and cried her eyes out, followed by confessions of her powerlessness, and the fact her presence kept killing people off. Her hallucinating version of her father's voice echoed back into her fragile mind.

'Arisha, you might be carrying the most unfortunate energy one can't ever explain. You shall be isolated from the rest of the world, to keep humanity away from you. They don't deserve it.'

'And you don't deserve them.'

'Can I call you my Papa?' queried the twelve -year-old Arina, blinking her sparkling eyes.

'Papa is too informal, my Arisha.'

'But Papa sounds so much ever intimate! Oh, I love you so much, Papa!'

Compared to the universe, how small and insignificant are we? Dreams of the youth, hopes of fathers, loves of mothers, in this universe, if so, aren't they all insignificant? Right now, they were breathing, blood was flowing through their veins. A human's blood vessel can travel two times around planet Earth; how can it be insignificant?

'And you're undeserving of love, my Arisha.'

Trembling, she silently made it beside the baby's dead body and pulled it into an embrace. Her eyes were empty. Her breath was slow, but heavy.

How long does it take to create a life, but how quick it is to take it away?

Asano looked at the scene before him and raised his palms up into his line of sight, just to realize he was trembling as well. He wanted to take a step toward her, but just when he lifted his foot, he now knew, what was the true definition of being petrified.

They didn't even have time to calm down before the military barged into the house and captured them.

Before tossing Arina into a cell, she was tied up and exhibited around as a traitor to the nation on a tank. Feel free to throw rocks at her, and they did.

But during the whole thing, Arina just kept a blank face. Her hollowed eyes stared into the void. Throwing — were they throwing stuff at her? Her body was too numb to feel anything, as well as her soul.

For Asano, because he was partnering up to help Arina, the traitor to the nation, he was counted as a criminal. Alexei ordered him to be executed in the exact way grandpa Tsu died.

But as things happened so rapidly, Asano, too, had kept a soulless attitude like Arina's while being tied up to the stake.

While Arina was locked up in a cell, mentally fighting with herself, waiting for the final judgment to be made, she was surprised by a sudden visitor, General Fedorov.

He scolded her for her impulsiveness, but deep inside he was so worried that he nearly fainted. Careful he helped her out of the cell, regardless of what might happen to his fate as well, and also informed Arina about Asano's situation.

And then it snapped. The world was no longer hollow. Asano — Asano! He was still in danger! Arina's face paled, she immediately ran up to where they were going to execute him. While running, she kept praying and praying. Please, God, she couldn't lose anyone because of her anymore. She had had enough of it, especially if it was Asano. He was the person who had the brightest future ahead of him. If anything, she was the one deserving of dying, not him.

Arriving at the scene, she gasped for air, looking up to witness Asano's torso tied up to a stake, exactly, just like how grandpa Tsu had endured before.

Upon seeing her, Asano yelled at Arina to not come close, but she didn't listen. Her feet instantly moved on their own toward him.

However, what she didn't know was that her father, the Comrade Chairman, was right behind. He withdrew his pistol and—

'Bang!'

Arina's right leg dropped, and red liquid poured onto the snow beneath. He had purposely shot her in the leg.

The sound of the young soldiers whispering blew the air. Some laughed, some bet if she could survive today.

Asano, at this point, was begging her to not risk her life coming close, but still, Arina, always as reckless as she was, refused to listen.

She winced out of pain, but even if so, she picked herself up and staggered with her remaining leg toward him.

No, she wouldn't give up on him. Never. If anything, she would rather lose every parts of her body to save his life.

Her eyes, arms, legs — everything, to trade for his future.

'Trust that I will protect your dream, Asano-kun.'

'Bang!'

Another loud shot blasted the area. Birds departed from the tree branches to escape to the sky. Arina, now, was lying face down on the snow. Her other leg was also leaking red.

Some soldiers had already demanded money from the bet. To see Arina's own father shooting her down like that, suddenly, for the first time ever in his life, Asano burst into tears of empathy, let alone publicly. He had always been tough, but to endure this much trauma within a day was beyond a human being's limit.

But still, keeping that promise to herself, Arina again picked herself. Snow had melted wet on her face, her hair. She stared at the white ground for a moment, and began crawling with her arms toward Asano.

Hardships always occur in winter. Always. A tear dropped on her curled-up hand against the chilling snow.

'Bang!'

Another shot. This time her father had aimed at her face, but it hit her forehead instead. She was lying aside for a moment. Blood was trailing from her forehead to her eye and cheek.

Fear stabbed through Asano's heart that within the moment, he had to shut his wet eyes. Love always hits the hardest when you realize you're about to lose it. His mind directed him toward their past memories.

She and him walked in the woods together. She always talked gibberish. He always told her to shut up. They had their ups and downs. Arina wrapped his arm around her shoulders, saying:

'Cheer up, Asano-kun! I'm going to get you home.'

'Trust me, I'm going to get you home.'

And she kept her promise.

Arina, for a moment, was lying in a pool of blood for too long that they thought she had fainted away. But she moved her left arm forward, and pushed herself up from it.

7816 kilometers away, Washington was coming up with a weapon powerful enough to deal with the Orlas biological experiments. 3627 kilometers away, their friends were laughing out of pure joy, biting on their street food. 155 kilometers away, the kind husband and his wife were lying dead on the floor along with their baby, in the comfort of their home, uncleaned. 8 feet away, the Comrade Chairman was marching up toward his daughter. Not a single word did he say, not a single twitch of expression.

A parent can choose to discard their child, but a child can not choose their parent.

'Arisha—' he reached his hand out to grab her.

'NO!'

At that moment, Alexei's eyes widened, was the moment his child rebelled against him, directly to his face.

She briskly propped her arms on the ground to support her body and whirled around, flinging her arms out, concealing Asano in the back.

'NO! I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM!' was her fierce defiance.

Excited roars of disbelief from the soldiers flooded the moment. Alexei was so stunned that he froze in place for a moment.

Asano jerked up and opened his eyes to see Arina fiercely defending him against her father. Hate. He could feel the hatred burning inside him. No. It wasn't directed toward her father, but rather, at himself. Just how useless he was to let her end up in this situation.

Blood was escaping her body with no end. Still, her stern expression against the Comrade Chairman remained firmly. Asano gritted his teeth and tried to think of a way to untie himself and solve the problem.

Alexei once again raised his pistol. 'Arina!' yelled Asano from behind. But she remained stern, rapidly moving herself closer until she could completely cover Asano, one of her arms reached out to grab the stake, imprinting him in the back.

'I WILL BE THE ONLY ONE TO TAKE YOUR SHOT!' she exclaimed with the last bit of her strength, 'YOU SHALL NOT HURT ANYONE BUT ME! EVEN IF I WERE TO TAKE A HUNDRED BULLETS, I WILL GLADLY TAKE IT!'

At this moment...right here, right now, Arina was the noblest person Asano had ever met in his entire life.

Tears still flowed from his eyes when he recalled that snowy day.

Arina Avenira, even though she will be the savior of mankind, in her heart, there was always that one person who holds the dearest to her.

Desperate tears burst out of her eyes. Fatigue, pain, coldness. Asano must have felt that way. She knew too well how it felt. It was her fault for getting him into trouble.

'Why, you ask me what's my most desired thing?'
said Arina the night before the mistake she took of bringing him here. 'Oh, my my, Asano-kun! I grew SO bored with this question. I've already imagined you giving it to me when I say it out, no matter how ridiculous it is. But Asano-kun, don't ask me one more time because this will be the final one. Listen, this is my most desired thing in my entire lifetime.'

Her father, as cold-blooded as he was, shot her in the ribs. Regardless, she turned around, and wrapped her arms around Asano, who was also trembling in tears.

'I want you to live your life the way you have always wanted it to be. And to defeat your father! O-o-oh, Asano-kun, how epic is that sound? I want you to continue eating the food you love every day, to surround yourself with people who cherish you from the bottom of their hearts, to get enough sleep, to marry a girl who is fit for you and to love you unconditionally, as you will love her unconditionally. And for me, even if I won't be in your life anymore, I shall always look after you. I will, I promise. And that, is my final desire, Asano-kun. Can you promise me to turn it into reality too?'

Her shriek and cry filled the air. 'Sorry, I just want you to be safe-e-e—,' in her cracking voice, she repeated over, and over again. Her trembling words cut through Asano's bleeding heart, tearing it apart.

Never did he hate himself so much from the moment he came to this life. He hated himself. He hated himself. He was powerless and unable to protect himself, let alone Arina. He wanted to stop crying. He wanted to suck his tears back in, but he couldn't. This was the first time in his life that he cried out so loudly.

Alexei grabbed his daughter by her hair and pulled her face-slammed into the red-dyed snow beneath. With just one command from the Comrade Chairman, one of the soldiers in line hurriedly fetched a bucket and filled it up with water and handed it to him.

Flakes poured from the sky. Alexei, in an imposing voice, announced to everyone in the courtyard that this would be a prime example of what they would end up like if any one of them dared to commit treason against his nation. Most importantly, to dare to challenge him head on.

Asano tried to squeeze his eyes out of tears to clear away the blurry vision. By that time, the Comrade Chairman had doused the first bucket to Arina who was lying lifelessly on her own blood-covered white ground.

Her entire body twitched from the suddenness of the coming water. But the freeze coming up was what had killed grandpa Tsu.

Her blood was washed away from the back of her body, still lying flat on the red ground. Asano desperately tried to negotiate with Alexei with his broken Normadian to trade his life for Arina's.

Alexei, as if deaf to the screaming and begging, proceeded to order another bucket, and another, and another.

With each douse, the cheers of the soldiers only increased. Asano, in his utmost desperation, resorted to praying to God. He blinked down to Arina, the girl he loved dearly.

Please, God, can you tell Arina how much he loved her? He had never — he had never been able to express his love the way he wanted. He was crying for her pain, and she was crying for his pain. If time could ever be reversed, Asano wished he would have cherished her more. 'Don't cry anymore, my Arina, you're safe in my arms', how he wished he could tell her so. How he wished he had let her call him by his name. How he wished he could've done better things for her, better than all his efforts before. How he wished he could've spent more time with her. How he wished he had said less, 'Nonsense,' or 'Ridiculous' to her lovely imagination. How he wished he could've said 'I love you.'

He loved everything about her. Her imagination. Her recklessness. Her sensitivity. Her childishness. Her talkativeness. Her overusage of the word 'Oh'. Everything of her flaws. He loved them all. For him, her flaws are what made her perfect.

How he wished he had let her know the inner workings of his heart.

'Oh, Asano-kun,' in his vision he could see her standing under those great ratchaphruek flowers, clasping her hands together. Everything could really adorn her beauty. Really. She whispered to him, 'oh, when you said I can make you whatever I want, isn't that you must like me a little — I mean, enough for you to say so?'

Arina's flesh began to shift its color. Her hand twitched on the snow and her father stomped on it with his boot.

'That's why it takes two to tango, Asano-kun!' she excitedly jumped on a rock and lowered a bit to lock his pinkie finger with hers. 'We must join fingers -- so. It ought to be over running water. We'll just imagine this path is running water. I'll repeat the oath first. I solemnly swear to be faithful to my bosom friend, Asano Gakushuu, as long as the sun and moon shall endure. Now you say it and put my name in!'

In this universe, how do their presences compare? Arina would say all the time, even in the worst of times:

'Dear world, you are very lovely, and I'm glad to be alive in you!'

She flung her arms out with her hair and dress rippling behind by the wind. The brightest smile on Earth would forever belong to her.

'I will forever look after you, Asano-kun. Always.'

After twenty buckets were doused, Alexei stopped and stared coldly at his daughter.

She didn't twitch or tremble anymore. Her legs were damaged. Her forehead, her ribs. Asano's heart.

The Comrade Chairman released a breath. The courtyard, after bursting with cheers, had calmed down significantly.

'Is she still breathing?' Asano could only think to himself. He didn't want to think about it, but somehow, with everything she had gone through, maybe — maybe it would be better if she could finally rest in peace. In a place far away from this cruel world. But why did tears still wet his eyes upon this thought?

It was then, that the monster who blasted the moon the world was speculating about, landed into the scene.

Alexei's eyes widened. Wasn't the Orlas security division managed to capture it?

Its interface, which was supposed to be yellow, had turned black, and its eyes were glowing red. The Comrade Chairman including his men fell into silence.

What happened after that moment Arina never managed to know. After a while she found herself waking up in a hospital.

She had been in a coma for a month, and it was the end of February by now. The end of February, still, this year wasn't her year. Looking around, her body was literally covered by life support equipments.

The nurses rushed into the room to announce her condition to the doctor. But Arina, unexpectedly, jumped out of bed with all the equipment still on and shouted for Asano's name.

She was immediately put to rest by the nurses. They assured her the boy was in a healthy condition and had already been discharged twenty days ago. And Arina, to her relief, realized they were back in Japan.

After receiving a phone call from one of the head nurses, Asano, despite was hosting a council meeting, immediately abandoned it and hailed a cab to the hospital to see her.

Sliding the door open, he was hit with the sight of Arina's bony figure, her arm still trembling so much that the spoon of porridge she was trying to feed herself kept shaking back and forth and dropped some on the quilt.

She looked up and saw him for the first time after a month, and then, tears rolled down her cheeks. With her body still shaking just like it did that snowy day, she raised her arms, dropping the spoon, begging for a hug. 'Asano-ku-u-un...' her trembling cry was painful to the depth of his soul.

He rushed forward and pulled her into the longest embrace. Her tears drove his own to shed. Even if it had been a month, her tiny body was still shaking. It couldn't stop shaking. Asano ran his hand through the back of her head. She cried into his shoulder.

'It's alright, I'm here,' he said, rubbing her back.

After that event, suddenly, Arina's character had changed. She rarely talked anymore. All day, she just spent her time staring out of the window. She no longer hallucinated, which meant her mental state was at its usual. But that was just what she preferred. Maybe she just needed time alone to reflect.

Even when she was visited by her friends or Asano, or even when Koro-sensei had visited her, her demeanor always remained calm, and quiet.

Probably she had heard about the news. A while ago, Alexei sat down on an American television network, and was interviewed about whether the Orlas Union and China were preparing to supply their allies in the Middle East with advanced satellite technology that would enable them to make military targets. Alexei, like what he always had been, laughed it off and declined the rumor.

If that was what the American report claimed to be, then the possibility of it turning out to be real was undeniable. The world was ready to face a new world war made possible by the Comrade Chairman's decision if the monster wouldn't blow the earth up.

Arina was finally discharged. Asano would take her for a walk in the places she loved whenever he could. And he made sure to cut his workload to be with her more from now on. He had made a vow to completely devote himself to her.

But it was an entirely different atmosphere between them now that Arina rarely spoke to him. It felt more awkward than ever before.

One day during their stroll on Arina's favorite hill of flowers he decided to gather the courage to confess the love he had all these years.

It didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter if she loved him back. What matters is that she will know that she is loved.

'I love you, Arina,' he spoke with a surprisingly calm attitude. His gaze was as soft as the swaying flowers in the early spring breeze. 'I have loved you for so long, and I will always do.'

After those three words, there was a break in her calm demeanor. She stared into his eyes for a while, but shut hers right after and turned to look away.

Asano didn't know what that meant. But whatever it was, he was glad that she had at least, heard those three words.

He went ahead of her, down the hill. The sky was bright blue. 'Why is the sky blue, Asano-kun?' her loveliness always made its way back to his mind. Before them, a transparent lake extended beyond, sparkling under the sunshine.

He tilted his head behind to check on Arina. And there he saw her...the angel in his eyes.

Her white dress fluttered toward the wind's direction, as well as her white blonde hair. The clouds drifted away, letting the sunlight run through the hill where she stood. The white flowers beneath were shaken by the sudden strong wind, and also had their beauty adorned by the shining light where the clouds had been seconds ago. Her calm expression shined so bright under the sunlight, her long hair blowing in the back. She was smiling very gently at him, and then, slowly, pulled up to a closed-eyed smile.

A kind of expression so sweet and gentle, as if a farewell, just watching it from afar already brought Asano to the brink of tears.

Could anyone in this world be more beautiful than his Arina?

After that smile, as if all her original personality had come rushing back after months, Arina took off her mary janes shoes to dive down the hill toward Asano.

She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and laughed very merrily, dangling on him. Asano was so surprised that he let out a gasp.

'I love you too, Asano-kun!' was finally her confession.

She got down on her feet, and Asano, who was still as amazed as ever, turned around to look at her as if he couldn't believe what just happened.

From the confessions on, they said no more words to each other, but still, just by staring into each other's eyes had already spoken more than enough for them. They continued to do so for a while, and Asano took the lead and leaned in. Their lips brushed, and finally — finally, after over two years, after everything they have been through together, the two kissed for the first time.

Although they were madly in love with each other, their love was in the purest of its form. The kind of selfless, unconditional love.

Oh and Arina had, at last, called him by his first name, Gakushuu. The two officially entered a relationship and didn't hesitate to announce it to the public. (A/n: Can't imagine Gakuho's reaction lol)

On top of that, no girl was jealous of Arina anymore, given what she had done to save their country. (A/n: can you believe it? Even Morikawa Mika and Tanaka Sekai have given up by now)

In March when white cherry blossoms bloomed everywhere, Gakushuu took Arina on a picnic underneath one of those trees for their first date as a couple. White cherry blossoms. Its nostalgic beauty reminded Gakushuu of his first time meeting her, which was why he cherished its sight so much.

But suddenly Arina was acting a little weird. She didn't go over-excited about the cherry trees this time. She didn't wander her gaze dreamily all over the place like she usually did. She just stared into one spot blankly the entire date.

Gakushuu asked whether she was contemplating something. Indeed, she was.

'I will join the military this year,' declared Arina shockingly, making Gakushuu draw the longest gasp.

Wait, weren't they just start dating two days ago? Why was this so sudden?

Initially, he wanted to say no. Of course he would want to say no since he worried about her safety. But having known Arina for so long, he just took a deep breath in, and asked why she would want to do that.

'It will happen, Asa— I mean, Gakushuu, no matter what, there will be a war to end all wars.' Arina was so firm in her statement that for a moment, even without any confirmation, he did truly believe her.

White petals scattered everywhere in the air. Regardless of how busy the place was, in Gakushuu's world, there were only him and Arina. She took his hands in hers and raised them close to her chest.

'I won't be able to live in your future, my dear Gakushuu.'

The gentle smile on the hill that day. As if a farewell, had flashed back before his vision.

'After our time is over, I will continue to look after you, forever, and always.'

'But why do you want to leave?' Gakushuu found himself asking. What about her education? What about her future?

'My future doesn't matter,' she spoke nobly. 'It's the world's future that matters.'

'Yes! Your future does matter!' and Gakushuu couldn't help but shout.

'Gakushuu,' spoke Arina. She let go of his hands. 'I have taken too many lives. And if the US report isn't wrong, how am I supposed to breathe, eat, and sleep in peace every day knowing a hundred thousand people will probably get killed out there in the world?  I couldn't — I would be haunted for the rest of my life if I'm ever that ignorant! I can't, Gakushuu, I am Arina Avenira, I AM my father's daughter! It's my duty, to make up for his fault, and for my fault in the past!'

Gakushuu had no words for her. He was speechless. Didn't she just go through such torments? And now she was going to head back in? He couldn't tell her off, because he knew, no matter what, she would be too stubborn to listen.

'You can't protect someone who is blind to your command,' said General Fedorov days later when Gakushuu paid him a visit to beg him to look after Arina.

He was right. Too right. Little did Gakushuu know, Arina was even crazier than he thought.

'And I will fight a war without a weapon,' she declared. White petals kept scattering. But her energy was too fierce for its softness. 'One life for two. I don't care if I will die, I don't care how painful it will be. Even if I have to shoulder the pain of thousands, I will take it. Even if I have to shoulder the misery of millions, I will take it. As long as I save at least two lives before dying or taking away any.'

Under the white cherry blossom that spring day in 2017, Arina solemnly vowed to herself, that she would fight a war without taking away any lives.

'You know, Asano-kun, I've been imagining what you might be wearing today for a whole week long! I've only seen you in photos and I could already tell you are into— well, something formal — something that makes you appear dignified; isn't that we can judge a person also from their style?'

Was this the same girl he used to know years ago? Both standing under the white cherry trees? Gakushuu blinked. No, she was always the same. She was always like this. An idealistic girl.

At last, the day Koro-sensei had to die to protect the Earth had finally arrived.

Since Koro-sensei had revealed his existence to Gakushuu while saving him and Arina, now he had to promise and keep his mouth shut too. On the night when they captured Koro-sensei, Gakushuu actually showed up alongside Arina to also partake in the mission.

He was stunned by how much love class E spared for their teacher. They threw him a birthday, sang him a song. A student recklessly charged forward to save Koro-sensei and actually died, but somehow was miraculously cured. 'So much craziness within a night' thought Gakushuu. But class E must've had so much fun this past year.

When everyone had to hold their teacher's tentacles down, Nagisa, who volunteered to take his life, was clearly sobbing. He screamed while raising his rubber knife, preparing to plunge into his teacher's heart.

A tentacle reached to his neck, calming him down. 'Nagisa,' Koro-sensei said softly, his beady eyes smiling, 'Don't assassinate me with this emotion, let me see your smile.'

That sentence alone drove Arina to tears already. She was the fastest out of the bunch to cry, truly living up to her fame as a sensitive person.

But it was just that, Koro-sensei... wouldn't be around anymore...

He had always saved her life. Without him, how will she end up now?

Gakushuu rubbed her back to console her. Arina, although crying, was forcing a smile. Death isn't the end. He will be reunited with his lover, she sniffed while forcing herself to believe it. No, he will, definitely.

And Nagisa brought the knife down to his heart.

Koro-sensei was always smiling. The love he had for his students was immeasurable.

'Now!! Take a step back! Nyu ru fu fu, that's right!! Happy early sixteenth birthday!!' he had said so while taking her to Burundi. The photo was shot by him with the kids wishing Arina a happy birthday.

He had taken her to sixteen places on this planet, to make up for all of her missing birthdays, as well as this year.

'Coldness, starvation, pain, they won't come for you anymore. Sensei will forever protect you. See? There's nothing to be afraid of.'

'Are you afraid of being alone in this world, Arina-child?'

The whole class burst into tears after the death of their teacher. They cried in agony. The lumps in their throats can't be swallowed.

'Forever,' assured Koro-sensei. Arina's face was poking out from his cloak beneath his face. He smiled down and used a tentacle to wipe her tears away. 'Forever.'

'Thank you for saving my life, Koro-sensei' Still with tears rolling down her cheeks, her smile was firm now. 'And I won't be alone anymore. The world had accepted me now. I will become stronger every single day.'

'What do I want to do in the future?' Arina double-checked Koro-sensei's question after her greatest adventure ended and landed back on Japan's soil.

'Yes, Arina, sensei thinks there's something special in you that has yet to be discovered,' he said. 'If you're to cultivate it in the future, sensei would be so proud to declare to the world that he was Arina Avenira's teacher.'

'You're more than my teacher.' smiled Arina when recalling the memory. 'And I promise that you will be so proud of me, Koro-sensei.'

Koro-sensei forever left this world after that night. But what he had left behind was too much. He had lightened up hopes for his students. He had shown Arina how beautiful the world was, and he had sacrificed himself for this world.

Class E students left the school to embark on their own journeys after that. Each can now walk with their heads up, proud to be raised and taught by Koro-sensei.

The world finally heard about the existence of experiment 1731, in other words, a failed experiment escaped from Yanagisawa's lab. What shocked them most was that this weapon had become a teacher in Kunugigaoka Junior High.

After reconsidering Gakuko's class E system plus the fact that he allowed such a dangerous weapon to teach his school outcasts, the government decided to strip him away from his position. Juria was crying when her father no longer allowed her to attend that school, while Gakushuu was now under training to take control over the entire school the next term. (A/n: that's a factual info lol he's so talented)

And after the death of experiment 1731 reached the Comrade Chairman, which meant that the chance of Earth getting blown up had dialed back down to 0%, the next day he again shocked the world by actually supplying the Middle East to attack their neighboring Western allies and began invading Western Germany without an official war statement.

But for the UN, the Orlas Union and its allies had officially declared war on the entire Western spheres.

Even though there was a treaty to forbid them from using biological weapon for its immorality, Alexei had ignored it all.

The world's economy had plummeted with no brakes as if there was no tomorrow. Even worse military organizations from the Middle East allie states of the Orlas kept bombing Western cargo ships when passing through their territory.

The Orlas Union was playing things too dirty that the US had no choice but to declare war on them.

Arina's prediction was right, and was more than ready to join the military and become a combat medic.

She convinced Gakushuu to stay calm and live his life here in Japan, where it would be safe for him and everyone she knew. But he was not having it! What kind of a boyfriend would let their girlfriend head into danger while he sits at home living his life peacefully?

It had become so bad that he sought out General Fedorov for help convincing someone as stubborn as Arina.

But it was just that...General Fedorov was on Arina's side. Actually, he didn't give a damn what she was doing and just say 'meh' to everything she wanted at this point.

Gakushuu was very angry. However, after a hours-long talk with Fedorov (he had managed to sway his mind by saying how it was better to fulfill Arina's wish rather than forcing her to not do it out of her own safety, and that she would likely live the rest of her life in guilt and regret) he had finally decided to give in.

She would likely not make it, Gakushuu thought, so he would cherish every minute and second he had with her from now on.

Again, Arina's words flashed back into his recollection.

'After our time is over, I will continue to look after you, forever, and always.'

Even if she will not die, Gakushuu eyed her lovingly when she lowered down to feed a street dog with the food she just bought from the nearby market. Again, her smile will always be the brightest in this world. She and I can never be together anymore.

Arina, like him, also acknowledged it. She also tried her best to cherish every moment, every minute and every second she still had with him.

She would take his hand and make him walk on the lining up tree curb. Who falls off first will lose. She would rest her head on his shoulder before the crackling campfire. She would make sure he would get enough sleep everyday, make sure he would get to eat healthy and nutritious.

And the love Gakushuu would have for her. She was quite sensitive to the three simple words, 'I love you' he realized. Every time her eyes would fill up with tears whenever he said it. So he sat down with her, kissed her forehead, and softly whispered, 'I love you' then kissed her tears, her cheeks, her nose, with every kiss he planted, always came along with an 'I love you'

He will continue to do this every day until she acknowledges that she deserves the best kind of love in this world.

They were each other's first love. Every time winter ends and spring comes, arriving along with white cherry blossoms blooming everywhere, they will recall it.

'Wouldn't it be lovely to be a blossom? Or just a petal of a blossom is perfectly splendid. We will be of the same blossom.'

It was true, that they lived under separate skies. After Gakushuu graduates, he will head toward his own path, and Arina on the other.

'Though we will detach, even though of the same blossom, isn't it, Asano-kun? I wonder where you would ride the wind to.'

'Just promise me one last time, dear Gakushuu,' her gaze had again gone soft after declaring her vow to protect humanity that day, harmonizing with the white petals falling like snowflakes around her. She held his hands up to her chest one more time.

'That you will move on in the future. You will meet other girls that you will fall in love with. And you will love them unconditionally, as they will also love you unconditionally. And then, you will find the one to grow old alongside. My greatest wish right now for you'

'is your own happiness.'

It was that gentle smile again. A farewell. Arina slowly pulled up a closed-eyed smile. Her hair fluttered with the wind, white petals scattering around. She was as pure as a driven snow.

Gakushuu can't help but cried a river that day. He pulled his girl into a tight embrace. His first love will forever look after him, as he will, forever look after her.

She asked him to cut her hair as short as possible the night after going back to her country, and he did. His hand trembled when he cut her long, beautiful hair off with a scissor. In this way, she can no longer head back again.

General Fedorov was waiting the next morning beside a private jet. Arina and Gakushuu hugged for one last time before they were separated forever.

After almost three years of knowing each other, as if a dream, their fights, complaints, happy, sad, loving moments together had now become just a memory.

Arina, with her puffy red eyes, turned around to look at Gakushuu for the last time before she was prodded by Fedorov to enter the plane.

'I LOVE YOU, ARINA!' shouted Gakushuu from below, whose eyes were also puffy red. But he was smiling, as if to say he would support her in every of her decisions in life. 'NEVER FORGET THAT!'

He was her first love and also the last.

Arina sniffled.

'And I solemnly swear to be faithful to you, Asano Gakushuu, as long as the sun and moon shall endure.'

And she stepped into the plane, closing this chapter of her life, to begin another.

~ To Be Continued ~

Yume to Hazakura, a song that had inspired my work (Asano and Arina's three years of knowing each other, as if a dream come and gone)

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]