Finale Chapter: Since I Fell in Love with My Best Friend, the Magical Girl, I Decided We’d Stay Together Forever End

"Minami got her memories back. And if Youta turns back into a boy, Hagino can go back to being your best friend too. The only thing that’ll disappear is the person known as Kurosaki Haruto. …So don’t make that face."

——My mind was hazy as I listened to Haruto’s words.

Turn back into a boy?
He’d just… disappear?

……The way he said it was so absurd that my head burned with fury, my teeth grinding together.

"Hoshiko, your parents… There are other people who’ll support you, Youta—"
"……Haruto, you idiot!"

Before I realized it, my hand had already struck out.
With a sharp smack, Haruto stared back at me in stunned silence.

A bright red, maple-leaf-shaped mark bloomed on his cheek. Snapping back to my senses, I rushed toward him in a panic.

"S-sorry, Haruto!"
"……I-It’s fine."

Completely caught off guard, Haruto’s reaction was sluggish. He seemed dazed, like he had no idea what had just happened.

……Maybe it was cruel of me, but I saw this as my chance. In one swift motion, I tore off my apron.
Then, gripping the pendant I’d kept close to my chest all this time, I began my counterargument.

"Haruto, I need you to listen to me."

He stayed silent.
Was he willing to hear me out, or was he too confused to speak?
Either way, it didn’t matter.

I remembered that day in the Ferris wheel.
Back then, I couldn’t say anything because I thought Haruto was just trying his best for me.

But that wasn’t enough.
I had to say what I felt—otherwise, I’d regret it.

Reona-san told me too.
"If someone’s doing something you hate, don’t hold back just because they’re recovering from something…"

"First of all… I’m not turning back into a boy. I decided that back when I started going to school again."

"……Youta."

"Nope."

When Haruto called my name, I shook my head.

"I’m not Youta anymore. I’m going to live as Luna. …So I want you to call me that too."

"……Are you sure?"

I’d said it with conviction, but Haruto’s expression was still clouded with doubt.
So I took a deep breath and laid everything out properly.

"Half a year ago, I hated that I’d turned into a girl. So when I found out you were trying to turn me back… I was really happy."

I smiled at Haruto, pouring all my gratitude into it.
I wanted him to know—I’m okay now.

"But in those six months… I made up my mind to live as a girl. Sure, part of it was that I didn’t think I could go back… But even if I could, I’d be lost. It’d just be the same thing all over again. I… won’t ever go back to being him."

"……But what about your family? Minami’s case was a fluke—a bunch of irregularities piling up. There’s no guarantee they’ll ever fully remember Youta."

Haruto’s concern was valid.
He’d seen me lash out at Hoshiko and the others more than once.

"I think it’ll be okay. Remember what I told you before? Mom’s been remembering bits of the past lately. And… I’m fine with it now."

"Fine…?"

Haruto tilted his head, and I nodded in response.

"Yeah. It hurts when they talk about things I don’t remember… But the memories we make from now on will definitely be mine. So it’s okay."

Saying it out loud made my resolve feel even firmer.

Even if I fully became Luna, Hoshiko would still tease me like always. Mom and I might even get closer.
As for Dad… Well, he’d be outnumbered in a house full of women, but I wouldn’t push him away. I’ll always be grateful for how he raised me.

——Yeah. I don’t have any regrets.

"Second… I refuse to let you disappear. ……You told me I was 'the most important person in the world' to you, right?"

"Yeah. That’s why I—"

"—Stop. Let me finish."

I cut Haruto off before he could argue.

He was really trying to stick to his stubbornness for my sake.
So for his sake, I’d push through with my stubbornness.

Besides, if I stopped to think about what I was about to say, my heart would pound so hard it might burst.
If I hesitated even for a second, I’d probably crumple to the ground from sheer embarrassment.

I wouldn’t let anything stop me.
Desperately, I forced the words out.

"That hasn’t changed for me, either. ……Haruto, you’re 'one of the most important people in the world to me.'"

——I couldn’t say the most important.
Because my family matters just as much.
If I had to choose, I couldn’t.

But Haruto was just as important as them—no, maybe even more important from now on.

That’s why the thought of him disappearing was unthinkable.

"I’m not as strong as you, Haruto… I can’t just smile and be okay with losing someone I care about forever."

"But you can’t just leave the 'Dark Seed' as it is, can you?"

I understood Haruto’s concern.

Even if we’d broken away from it, the 'Dark Seed' was something our organization created.
No—more than that. It was the original, the work of our so-called "parents."

He truly believed this was the only way to take responsibility.
But—

"—Haruto, you’re being irresponsible."

"……Me?"

"Yeah. You go and shake someone’s heart like this, then just disappear? That’s too cruel."

Haruto had watched over me, hurt and broken, and healed me.
But after making me love him this much, saying goodbye was beyond cruel.
Sure, the 'Dark Seed' would be gone, and the danger with it—but I know I’d just drown in negativity instead.

What, was I supposed to cry until I had no tears left, give up, and just keep living like that?

Was that his idea of atonement?

No. That’s wrong.

I refuse to let him dump everything on me and call it a day.

"What you’re doing only hurts me… It’s not salvation at all."

Haruto sucked in a breath at my words.

"……Then what should I do?"

The question was wrenched out of him, pained.
But it was exactly what I’d been waiting for.

"Positive emotions can suppress the 'Dark Seed,' right? Like… happiness, for example."

As long as the 'Dark Seed' isn’t removed, I’m still tainted—but even as a remnant, the power of the Silver Witch, the white magical girl, remains inside me.
If I could fill myself with enough happiness, even just a little at a time, I could purify it.

——Last night, in my dream, Youta told me she was a part of me that had been absorbed by the 'Dark Seed.'

Now I understand.
She’s me—the Silver Witch. The last fragment of that power.

And she also said:

"There are things I still have to watch over."

Wasn’t she talking about the 'Dark Seed’s' fate?

If so, then when she said "the day will come when you no longer need that Youta inside you"—that had to mean the day the 'Dark Seed' is fully purified.

It’s almost pure speculation.
But call it a woman’s intuition.

For some reason, I know it’s true.
Of course, Haruto wouldn’t understand if I just told him outright.

So I take a different approach.

"You said it yourself. You have 'responsibility' and 'resolve,' right?"

"Y-yeah…"

I hold his gaze, and Haruto falters under the pressure.

"Then prove it to me."

My heartbeat is at its peak, ready to burst any second. Just a little more—

"—If this is your atonement, then take responsibility and make me happy. Or do you not have the resolve for that?"

"Youta—no, Luna…"

"If you want me to smile, then make me smile. …I won’t let you end things by sacrificing yourself. Don’t throw your life away. No matter how you were born, you’re still you, Haruto."

I press further as he hesitates.

"And if you still refuse and try to discard the 'Dark Seed' alone, I’ll follow you. I won’t let you go by yourself."

That last part was half a threat.
It’d mean eternal separation from my family, and either way, unbearable pain would follow.

Most of what I said was practically a curse.
But it had to be this way.

Haruto undervalues his own life—without something holding him down, he’d choose self-sacrifice without a second thought.

To others, it might seem noble.
But he isn’t thinking about those he’d leave behind.

Just like me, back when I was Youta.
I shielded Haruto and ended up a girl…
I don’t regret saving him, but seeing how broken I became must’ve hurt him terribly.

……I’ve said everything I needed to.
I loosen my grip on the pendant and take a deep breath.

Haruto wavers.
Lost in thought, he presses a hand to his mouth, silent.

Then, at last, he murmurs:

"……You’re right. I don’t want to disappear from this world either. In fact… I’ve always felt at home here. But there’s one problem."

I waited quietly, giving him time to gather his thoughts.

"Do you really think... I can make you happy? I don't even know how."

"...You'll have to figure that out yourself. You can ask others like before if you need to... but I'd be happier if you thought about it yourself."

Honestly, giving him the answer would've been easy.
I could've just told him what to do.

But that would defeat the whole point.

After binding him like this, what I really wanted was for Haruto to find his own answer.

...And besides, I was too embarrassed to say anything more.

Yeah... I'd done my best.

"Hey, Luna."

"...What is it, Haruto?"

A month later, during lunch break.
As I was serving him his usual homemade lunch, he suddenly spoke up.

I'd been feeling a little restless, and the silence was getting awkward, so I was grateful for the interruption.

...Ever since that declaration, I'd fully become Luna.
Not that my way of thinking had done a complete 180—I still held onto my memories as Youta.

But there were some changes. For starters, I was making an effort to adjust my speech patterns.

So now, I (ore)... was I (Watachi).

"...How are things with Hagino?"

"Hmm... still a bit tricky, I guess. He treated me and Youta way too differently. Sometimes he tries to interact with me like he used to with the 'guy' version... It's a little awkward. Not that he means any harm."

We both smiled wryly.

Unlike Minami, Yoshihiro never fully recovered his memories.
But that was fine.
Our relationship had changed—now, I was just one of Haruto's friends—but we were still friends, all the same.

Though I could do without him slapping my back so hard sometimes... Every time he does, he practically bows in apology.

Minami, on the other hand, remembered Youta, so we got along really well.
Maybe it was a little presumptuous, but I'd even started confiding in her about... certain things.

Actually, just yesterday, the two of us had been talking about something secret...

Mmmph.

Just remembering that conversation made my heart pound.

Trying not to act suspicious, I focused on keeping my composure—

"...The karaage is really good."

Haruto muttered it quietly.

"Ah—that was the first time I... I fried it myself."

In my excitement, I accidentally slipped back into my old way of speaking.

—Back when I started making lunches for Haruto, I'd made a little vow to myself.

Once I can make a full lunchbox all by myself... I'll tell him how I feel.

And today was finally the day.

That was the real reason I'd been acting so restless.

Back then, I'd told Haruto to figure things out on his own... but I couldn't wait anymore.
Or rather, expecting him to take the initiative was hopeless.

Ever since that day, he'd been trying—in his own clumsy way.
We'd gone out together, eaten at nice places...
He'd even gotten help from Hoshiko, my mom, Reona-san, and Kongou-san, apparently.

...Not much different from when I was still Youta.
It made me happy, sure... but there hadn't been any real progress.

—So I'd made up my mind.
I would take the first step.

"Hey, Haruto. There's something I decided a while ago..."

"You know… there's one thing I’ve already decided."

Youta—no, Luna—looked at me with nervous determination. But I shook my head, gently cutting her off.

"Luna. Before that... there's something I need to say."

"Huh...?"

I hated interrupting her, but I'd been waiting for the right moment too. I didn’t know what she was about to say, but I had something to tell her first.

It was the exact opposite of our conversation a month ago.

"It’s been exactly one month since then."

"Y-yeah..."

"I’ve been thinking this whole time about how to make you happy, but..."

I’d racked my brain, over and over—

"...I still have no idea."
"Ahh, of course."

Luna let out a wry laugh, though I could hear the faintest hint of disappointment in her voice.

"But there’s one thing I did figure out."
"Yeah? And that is?"

Her tone was almost dismissive, but I pressed on anyway.

After all that thinking, I’d arrived at one painfully simple conclusion:

If something makes me happy... maybe doing the same for her will make her happy too.

Ironically, it wasn’t so different from what I’d tried—and failed—to do when I was still trying to turn her back into Youta.

"Turns out, I feel really happy when you’re around. So if it’s the same for you... maybe we should just stay together forever?"

"Ohhh. Stay together. I see."

Her response was flat, almost monotone.

...Had I messed up again?

Just as I tilted my head, about to backtrack—

"—Wait, WHAT?!"

Luna shrieked.

"If making you happy means staying by your side, then I want to do that. Not just as atonement—but because I want to. That’s my answer."

"W-wait, hold on! That’s way too sudden!"

"...Is that a no?"

I smiled at her, the same way I always did, as she flustered in panic.

Then, after a pause, she mumbled:

"It’s not a no..."

Her voice carried something like reluctant approval.

"Then... it’s settled. Okay, Luna?"

"...Yeah."

She nodded, and a radiant smile spread across her face.

It was the same smile she’d had as Youta—the kind that warmed my heart just seeing it. But as Luna, there was a new softness to it, something gentler.

—I never did get Youta back.

But maybe I never needed to.

She had gone from "boku" to "ore" to "watashi," accepting her own ending—then turning forward and stepping into a future she chose for herself.

What should have been a fleeting atonement, a temporary suffering... had, by her hand, transformed into a lifetime of happiness.

I looked up at the sky. It was a clear, cloudless blue.

Even though it was daytime, a small moon hung faintly in the light.

A sight I’d never seen back in my homeland.

From now on, I wanted to keep supporting her.

And under this sky, with Luna beside me—

—I’d live the rest of my life with her.