Put to Rights (Part 2) (
Summary[]
The chapter starts with Sakura walking into the broadcasting club room. Disembodied voices in the dark are whispering about the rumor of the Seven Mysteries. They're taking about what happens if you collect all of them, but they drift off before we can hear.
Tsukasa is waiting for Sakura inside of the broadcasting room. He's doing a puzzle, one that Nene had in the previous chapter.
He asks her whether she found No. 6's yorishiro. Sakura confirms that she did, and that she was a girl named Sumire. Sakura says that she was lost, so she sent her back to where she came from.
Tsukasa pats Sakura on the head, and tells her she did a good job. He says that he did what he needed to, as well, and sent "that kannagi" to No. 6's boundary. In a flashback panel, we see that Tsukasa used his Kokujoudai to teleport Nene there, much to Hanako's shock.
Sakura is a bit confused, and asks Tsukasa if his big brother was okay with that. Tsukasa says that Amane "kinda made a face about it," but he eventually agreed to do his job, so there weren't any problems.
Tsukasa says that the only thing they have to worry about now is whether or not Nene will be able to destroy Sumire, who is a yorishiro bearing a human form.
But Sakura says she isn't worried. She says that the only way Nene can extend her lifespan is by destroying all of the yorishiro, and that even if she tried to escape the village they trapped her inside of, there was no way she would be able to do it without Hanako's help. Tsukasa nods along with what she's saying.
Sakura goes on to say that Sumire told her she was okay with being destroyed, and that when the time comes, she won't resist. Before long, the matter of No. 6 will soon be behind them.
Tsukasa puts his hand in Sakura's hair and tells her to look at him. He says that No. 2's, No. 5's, and No. 4's yorishiro have all been destroyed, and that No. 3's will be taken care of some way or another. With those four taken care of, there are only three yorishiro left to be destroyed. Tsukasa and Sakura are on the ground now, with Tsukasa crouching over her on the flooded boundary floor. He says that Sakura's wish will be granted when all of the yorishiro are destroyed, and that she'll finally be able to go outside. She's wished to go outside for over a hundred years, he says.
He surmises that she must be happy that her wish is coming true. Or, he thinks it could be the opposite, and wonders if she's thinking that she should have never made that wish. Tsukasa asks if she regrets making her wish.
Sakura says she doesn't regret it, and that she's happy.
Suddenly, Tsukasa is yanked off of Sakura, revealing that Natsuhiko has entered the broadcasting room. He asks Tsukasa why he's treating a lady like this, and Tsukasa just hums in response. Natsuhiko orders him to get out of here and take care of Mitsuba, and Tsukasa obediently leaves.
Sakura welcomes him back. Natsuhiko gets down on a knee and offers his hand to help her up, but she refuses him and gets up by herself. She asks him if he finished what she asked him to. Natsuhiko confirms that he did, and briefly sports the visage of a gentleman thief, saying he would steal the moon itself if she asked. Sakura thanks him and, as usual, is unimpressed by his display.
Natsuhiko brings up the yorishiro again, saying they only have three left to destroy... but corrects himself, saying they really only have two left. He asks her what'll happen when they're all destroyed, and discovers that even Sakura doesn't know. She says it's never happened before, but guesses that because the yorishiro protect the border between the Near Shore and the Far Shore, that life and death would be no more. She says that the living, dead, and even supernaturals will probably cease to exist. Not that any of that is a problem for her, she says.
Natsuhiko is quiet for a moment, but he turns to Sakura and asks her if she would go on a date with him if that ever happens. Sakura admonishes him, saying he would also cease to exist, so he wouldn't be able to take her on a date. Natsuhiko says she doesn't know that for sure, and hits her with his cutest smile. Sakura relents, and says that she'll go on a date with him if he lives, much to Natsuhiko's joy.
The scene changes, and it's nighttime. Sumire wakes up, and finds that she has awoken in a house within No. 6's boundary. She's visibly disappointed, saying that in the end, she ended up back in this village again.
She hears a rattling noise, and wonders if it's Sakura. Or maybe... just maybe... could it be No. 6?
No, it's Nene! She runs to Sumire, and they have a tearful reunion. They're both happy to see that the other is okay... except, Nene tells Sumire that someone named "Tsukasa-kun" brought her here. Nene is having a hard time getting her words out, and Sumire guesses that Tsukasa ordered Nene to destroy her, and that if she doesn't, Nene won't be able to leave.
Nene confirms this is true, and says she has no idea what to do. But she says that she'll find some other way to get out of here, and rushes away to go scour the boundary. Sumire waves her off with a smile, but monologues about how Nene doesn't have to do that, and that she's fine with things ending this way...
A cherry blossom petal suddenly lands on Sumire's head, much to her surprise. She doesn't remember the sakura trees blooming during this season, and follows the petals to find out where they're coming from. She finds a large sakura tree, and sees that No. 6 is passed out beneath it. Sumire calls out...
"Hakubo...?"
Characters in order of appearance[]
- Nanamine Sakura
- Yugi Tsukasa
- Akane Sumire
- Yashiro Nene
- Hanako (flashback)
- Yako (flashback)
- Tsuchigomori (flashback)
- Mitsuba Sousuke (flashback)
- Shijima Mei (flashback)
- Minamoto Kou (flashback)
- Aoi Akane (flashback)
- Yamabuki Lemon (flashback)
- Akane Aoi (flashback)
- Hyuuga Natsuhiko
- Shinigami-sama