Gingerly, I take her hand. With all the delicateness and caution of setting a table with fine china, I help her to the ground. While she empties the basket, I can't help but notice that she does even the most mundane task with resplendent grace. After quickly surveying our lunch - a small assortment of sandwiches, fruit, and chips - we dig in. Unable to speak with her hands full, she tries to finish as quickly as possible. Without Misha here to provide noise, it's actually pretty peaceful. She's soon done with her first sandwich and looks up at me.
        [So, how's your day going?], Shizune asks.
        [Not too bad, actually.] I notice she's still chewing and add, [And it's impolite to speak with your mouth full.] She finds this hilarious for some reason, and is soon quaking with her silent laughter.
        Her hands shaky and bouncing from giggling, she jokingly fumbles out [Hush, you. Besides, you aren't even halfway finished!]
        [Well, apparently unlike you, I prefer to taste my food.], I jest. She smiles lightly and we finish our meal in enjoyable silence.
        The sun begins to set as we're packing, and the sky explodes into colors, the clouds seeming more like cotton candy than water vapor.
        [Shizune, look at that sunset.] She audibly gasps, one of the first times I've ever heard her make a sound. Even though it was as quiet as a whisper, her sudden intake of breath seems inexplicably cute. I scoot closer to her, and we lean against the fence in awe. After a while, she releases my hand to speak.
        [You know, Hisao, it's moments like these that should never end. Good times with friends may bring happiness for a moment or two, but once that moment's gone, it leaves behind an exponentially stronger feeling of longing. I don't want to feel that longing, Hisao. I want this to last forever. Me, you, Misha, all together, all happy.]
        She looks as if saying that has made her realize even more that graduation is fast approaching. Suddenly, her eyes well up with the oncoming onslaught of tears. Her shaky hands move so fast I can barely keep up.
        [Oh, Hisao! I don't want to leave you all behind! I don't even know what I'm going to do afterwords; all I know is school. To be thrown so suddenly into such a harsh and unforgiving world terrifies me. I just don't know what to do.] She shoves her head into my chest, narrowly missing my scar. I hold her tenderly while she quivers, sobbing silently into my shirt, quickly soaking it with tears. We stay like that for a while, just laying together on the roof.
        Nightfall comes upon us, and I realize Shizune is asleep, carefully waking her up, I let her know.
        [Hey, we should head back. It's getting pretty late.] She wipes the sleep from her eyes, and a slight yawn escape while she's stretching. She glances up slightly, letting the moonlight hit and reflect off of her glasses.
        [Hisao, the moon... It's so beautiful.] She gazes for a few more seconds before adding, [The sky is as pretty as it was earlier...] It seems remembering those candy clouds has caused her to remember her outbursts earlier, as she winces and softly signs.
        [Oh, and... Sorry about earlier. It all kind of hit me at once, how important this year is.] Her face seems genuinely sorry, so I try to reassure her.
        [It's fine, Shizune, there's no need to be sorry. I feel the same way about the end of the school year, too.] She smiles weakly, but in a way that let's me know I've given her some small comfort.
        [Well, Hisao... What do you plan on doing after school?]
        The question hits me like a ton of bricks.
        [I've never really thought about it. I mean, I don't have any sort of hobbies beyond soccer, which I can't even play now with my condition. I don't have any real skills. I guess... I could be a teacher? Or something like that.] Such a lazy answer shows just how unprepared I was for the question. I try and think of one that will catch her off guard.
        [What will we do after graduation?]
        She looks at me quizzically.
        [What do you mean, Hisao?]
        [I mean... What will happen to us when we leave school? Will we just say goodbye and never see each other again, or will we try and keep in touch through email, or what? Because I... I...]
        [You what, Hisao?] She cocks her head as she signs it out.
        [I think I love you, Shizune Hakamichi... I just can't stand the thought of losing you.]
        She immediately understands. Her inquisitive look quickly drops into a slight, pained grimace.
        [I think I love you too, Hisao...]
        I can't think of anything to say, and I don't think she can, either. We sit there for a good minute, looking at each other, saying more with our eyes than we could ever say with our hands, neither one of us wanting to break the silence. It's not an awkward silence, more of an intimate one. Shizune looks up timidly, with a look on her face that says she's more scared than sad.
        [Well, we could always try and stay together somehow. I mean, you can find an easy job in my town that isn't too hard on you, and you can rent out a cheap apartment... Or something... I just don't want to completely leave you Hisao. You don't know how much the thought of that hurts me.]
        [I might have some idea, Shizune. Don't worry, we'll figure it out.] Realizing that we've been out here for a while, I glance at my watch. [Jeez, it's almost 10:30. We really need to head back and get to bed.]
        [Oh my, is it really that late? I had no clue.]
        We gather up the basket and head back down the staircase. While walking Shizune to her dorm, she taps my shoulder.
        [Thanks for today, Hisao. It was really nice. I hope we can do it again sometime.]
        [Yeah, me too, Shizune. Well, here's your room.]
        She suddenly pulls me toward her and kisses me deeper than she ever has before, as if she'll never get to kiss me again. We stand in the hallway, embracing each other. I can detect nothing but love emanating from Shizune.
        [Goodnight, Hisao. Thanks again.]
        [My pleasure. See you tomorrow, Shizune.]
        I watch her walk into her room and close her door. I stand there for a minute and think about today's events. What am I going to do after I graduate? How will I keep in touch with Shizune? Will my heart stop me from doing anything I find I love?
        As I crawl into my bed with these questions on my mind, all I can remember is the kiss Shizune gave me. It felt real, more real than anything I've ever had to feel before. I hope someday I can return the favor to her.
        Today was a good day.