Chapter 7
The Twilight of a Soul

In the twilight air, an atmosphere of tenderness and simple joy enfolds Jun and Komayō. Their game of ōgi is drawing to a close, the last rays of the sun gently caressing the board.

Jun begins to feel a gentle tiredness, his eyes closing in spite of himself. He stifles a discreet yawn, fighting the sleep that is stealing over him.

Are you sleepy? asks Komayō, with sincere gentleness in her voice.

A little... Perhaps I should rest, Jun murmurs, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

Oh, not just yet, Komayō smiles tenderly. We are having such a lovely time together. The game is almost over.

Despite his growing fatigue, Jun looks at her with affection. You play wonderfully well, my dear, he says, his voice slightly hoarse with tiredness.

Komayō's face lights up at the endearment. Thank you, Jun. You are a remarkable opponent.

Jun closes his eyes for an instant, seeking a brief moment of rest. When he opens them again, Komayō is very close to him, her face a few centimetres from his.

With infinite gentleness, she leans in and kisses him. Their lips meet in a kiss full of tenderness. Jun, surprised but happy, returns her kiss with gentle passion. He wraps his arms around her, savouring the warmth of her embrace.

In Komayō's arms, Jun slips peacefully towards sleep. His last conscious breath is steeped in the scent of their shared love, carrying with it the echo of a perfect happiness.

Komayō watches Jun's serene sleeping face for a moment. With gestures of unexpected tenderness, she lays him delicately on the soft grass. Straightening up, she contemplates the ōgi board, silent witness to their last game.

Around them, the garden slowly begins to change. The flowers lose their brilliance, the pond darkens, as if nature itself were accompanying Jun into his eternal sleep. The gateway between the worlds slowly closes, sealing this place and its new guardian in an endless dream.

Komayō remains motionless for a moment, her usually impenetrable gaze betraying a rare emotion—perhaps regret, perhaps a true love. Then she moves away in silence, her silhouette melting into the first light of dawn.

She leaves behind her a garden where time has stopped, where love and dreams mingle in an eternal dance. Jun's soul, now bound to this twilight realm, gently joins the collection of hearts that Komayō treasures in her garden of dreams.