Kira’s sitting at home in the darkness, pondering the fact that Kirishima’s left the psych hospital and is at home resting. She recalls the phone call she’d had with the police officer that day, when he’d told her that Kirishima went home. When she asked him whether the doctor had given Kirishima permission to leave the hospital, he gave her a vague answer and said that none of them were experts and didn’t know Kirishima’s plans. Kira remembers Kirishima telling her that if she disappeared, Rei would become the way he’d been three years ago, when his brother Sei had died.

Rei comes home to find Kira sitting in the dark and wonders about it. She springs up, and says she’ll start dinner.
Rei: Kira, do you still remember what I said that one time? That no matter what, I want you to stay by my side?
[Kira turns to look at him]
Rei [grave, but embarrassed]: How should I say this... Lately I’ve been concentrating so much on my own affairs that I haven’t really paid as much attention to you...And after this, I’ll probably continue rushing forward...Even though I said “I’ll protect you,” I just selfishly think of my own affairs first. Would you still be willing to be with a horrible person like me? [pause] You won’t do as my mother did, will you?
[Kira doesn’t speak, but grasps the cloth of Rei’s jacket and hugs him close.]

The two of them are up on the roof, recalling the first time they met. Kira finds it really amazing, how just a year ago neither really knew the other’s name, and yet here they are sitting together and watching the night sky. They both recall a lot of those old memories, and Kira says that Rei’s good-looking, but the reason she is attracted to him is his way of living, not his looks. She thinks that a lot of people must have been attracted to him because of his way of living, too...she recalls Harumi, Shiori, Takemura, Tatsuya, Hamazaki...and suddenly, Kirishima. Her heart beats loudly, and she stops with a shocked expression on her face. Rei notices, and asks her what’s wrong. At which point Kira asks Rei whether it’s too early for them to get married, and whether they should wait a little until they’re both stronger. Rei asks her what brought this up, since she’s still a student and has to worry about the exams and everything (so now wouldn’t be a good time to get married anyway). At this, Kira asks Rei whether he still wants to get married at all. He does, of course, but wonders at the rush she’s in to get married. Kira tells him it’s because she wants to be the first one to know if anything happens to him. She says that she wants to have courage and strength, and even though them getting married will only mean a piece of paper, she still wants the courage that little piece of paper could give her. She says that even though Rei’s always said he’ll protect her, and even though he always takes care of her, she has really always wanted to protect him.

Rei and Sonoko have met up at some café. Rei tells Sonoko once again of his intentions to marry Kira. She says it should be okay with the school, since Rei’s father will take care of it. Rei is grateful that Kira can graduate from high school, and Sonoko tells him that he ought to go tell his father that, especially since they haven’t seen each other recently. She offers to drive him there. On the way, she says that Rei should go to school and talk to the teachers. As they’re driving along, Rei suddenly sees Kirishima walking by and yells for Sonoko to stop the car. He takes off running but loses Kirishima in the crowd. Just then he turns suddenly and sees Kirishima standing right there, staring at him. The two of them end up at a café (seriously, these cafes all look the same..) and talk for a bit. Kirishima says that being in the hospital and out of it is pretty much the same, and that having to stay there was just a formality. Rei says that he’d just gone back there a while back, and Kirishima tells him he saw him from the window. He asks Rei whether he needs to have any treatment again, and Rei just brushes it off, saying of course he doesn’t, he just went to say hello to one of the doctors who used to take care of him. Kirishima agrees with this, saying that Rei wouldn’t need help anymore, since he’s about to get married. Rei’s impressed that Kirishima found out the news, and Kirishima asks him whether he’s trying to have something he loves once again...and whether that feeling of losing something he loves would be uncomfortable...
Rei: You want to kill Kira?
[Kirishima doesn’t say anything, but has the shadow of a smile on his face. Rei looks at him intently, then looks down.]
Rei: Even though I don’t really know the meaning of “loss”...but I think if I lost Kira, I would definitely kill you. Even if this is wrong—no matter how long it would take me, or what I’d have to do, I think killing you would become the purpose of my life. But--
[Kirishima glances at him]
Rei: What then...?
[Kirishima looks really startled, and not necessarily in a good way]
Rei: If, because I lost Kira, I killed you, but then I had to go on living, wouldn’t that be tragic?
[He laughs]
Rei: How tragic...It sounds so simple.
Kirishima [biting his lip, looking down]: Why do you sit there and say all this bullshit, and pretend to be a grownup. [he’s looking at Rei with this scary glare]
Rei: I’m not purposely pretending to be a grownup. I just think that no matter what kind of troubles I come against, they’re unavoidable parts of reality. [A picture of someone standing over Sei’s fallen body] You can’t not face them, no matter how much you blame other people... every night when you’re lying on your bed alone, with your eyes closed, you get this weak feeling rushing through you...
[Kirishima slams his hand on the table. He looks really upset]
Kirishima: Shut up! What’s wrong with you? I would never have thought those kinds of words would come out of your mouth!
[Rei looks nonplussed]
Kirishima [angry now]: You weren’t like this before! Has your brain gone stagnant? Speaking of those strange philosophies!

Just then the two of them overhear a conversation between some guys at a neighboring table. They’re talking about how killing someone is the fastest way to become famous. They say that even though it’s an unoriginal method, it’s a sure thing; and that even if you do it, they won’t publicly reveal your face, and that once you’re past the juvenile age limit it won’t work anymore. Kirishima, after listening to them, smiles somewhat and says that nobody knows you after you do it, so you’re not really famous. Kirishima says that living on the same planet with those stupid guys makes him really pissed off. He says that he really can’t stand how those guys can live nicely in the same world as he does, and how he hates that killing these people is considered a crime. He says he has to force himself to live in such a world, and he can’t take it anymore. As he’s working himself into a fury, Rei comments calmly that he never thought Kirishima would get so worked up about something some random people said. He said he always thought Kirishima didn’t acknowledge anyone’s existence besides his own, and that Kirishima’s reaction to what those guys said makes it seem like those guys are "dragging Kirishima by his nose” (literal chinese translation ^_- well, they’re controlling him, basically). He says he pities Kirishima. At this, Kirishima angrily throws the contents of his glass in Rei’s face, and yells at him for “pitying” him. He causes quite a commotion in the café, but Rei doesn’t really react. He just says he wouldn’t have thought that Kirishima would actually yell and get mad, and that now, Kirishima actually seems more like a human being. This really pisses Kirishima off, and he throws his glass against the table. It lands on the floor and shatters as Kirishima walks out in a huff. Rei stares at the broken glass.

Kira’s in studio when Takemura shows up. The two of them chat for a bit, and Kira tells Takemura that she and Rei are getting married. Takemura’s impressed, but says that he expected the two of them to come to this point. He says that Rei’s the type of person who, once he finds the one he wants to spend his life with, will use everything he has to protect that person. He says that this is a good quality that’s attracted a lot of people to Rei, but at the same time it’s one of Rei’s weaknesses. He says that in this respect, Sei was stronger than Rei—he never revealed his heart to anyone. Takemura also comments on Sei’s work. When Kira says that she thinks Sei was a very talented artist, Takemura agreed—but said that Sei’s work was so beautiful that it was somewhat scary. To express the feeling, Takemura just said that “fish never live in still ponds” and Sei’s paintings gave him a feeling of lifelessness. Kira remembers the suicide letter, and Sei saying that he wouldn’t acknowledge anyone’s existence besides his own, except for Rei’s. She’s about to say something about it, but stops and asks Takemura how Shiori is instead. They agree that they shouldn’t let Shiori know about Rei and Kira’s getting married until after they’ve gotten the paperwork done. Kira thinks to herself that she’ll keep the secret of Sei’s suicide letter locked in the deepest recesses of her heart.

Rei and Kira get the paperwork done: They’re married! The two of them smile at each other (awww...so cute ^_~). They go to school and Rei clears it with the teacher, who says he wants to sit down and talk with Kira and Rei’s father about her future. As Rei’s leaving, the other students (who are watching from the windows) all yell down at him—most of the girls are calling for him to not get married and come back to school. Rei tells them all that he’s leaving as a student, but he’ll come back and see them as a man of the world. They tell him to do some motorcycle trick (well, to ride it with one wheel in the air) as a wedding present to them, and he says he’s the one getting married, so why should he give them a present? He does do it, though, riding on the rear wheel, while turning and waving with one hand. The teacher and Kira are watching from the doorway, and the teacher says that though Rei is the same as always, and that Kira will have to go through a lot of troubles with him, Rei’s still a good kid. He wishes them happiness.

Everyone’s at Rei/Kira’s apartment, having a party to celebrate the marriage. Rei’s not there though, as he’s gone to thank all the various people who have helped him and Kira. He calls her, and she tells him their classmates have come over to have a party for them. Rei tells her to get rid of them, since they’re probably just using Rei and Kira as an excuse to get drunk, but Kira doesn’t have the heart. She says it makes her happy and very touched that so many people would come and celebrate for them, and that she feels this is the best present Rei could give her. Tatsuya mentions that they’re out of soy sauce, so Kira tells Rei to buy them a bottle (at which Rei hangs up -_-;;). The classmates present Kira with a piece of antique lace, which they all chipped in to buy her as a wedding present. Harumi picked it, and Kira is really touched.

Rei’s leaving a convenience store (presumably with the soy sauce in tow ^_-) when he comes upon Kirishima, who’s crying. Kirishima says that he’s finally realized what a useless person he is, and how he always gets angry at people, etc etc. A couple walk by on the street, talking loudly, so Rei takes Kirishima to a quiet alley where they can talk.
Rei: What’s happened?
Kirishima: I started feeling scared...All alone...Nobody will ever genuinely want to be close to a person like me. I would never be like this before, but now I’m scared of being alone.
[Rei looks concerned and reaches out a hand towards Kirishima’s shoulder. As he’s reaching, though, he notices that Kirishima seems to be smiling? Out of nowhere, Kirishima draws out a knife and stabs Rei in the abdomen with it. Rei just stands there for a split second, completely in shock. Kirishima’s holding the knife stuck in Rei’s midsection/side, with this creepy look on his face. The blood drips down.]
Kirishima: How come you’re so easy to fool? This isn’t like you at all.
[Rei grabs hold of Kirishima and thrusts him away. He himself falls back against the wall, holding his wound.]
Rei [staring at the blood on his hand]: Why...?
Kirishima [giving him a hostile look while picking up the knife again]: You deserved it, looking down on me.
[He gets up]
Kirishima: Stop acting like you know me so well. [He’s angry] The only thing you have left is strength, nothing else! You have no right to criticize me! [He moves to stab again, his hand thrusting forward with the knife. Rei moves out of the way just in time, as Kirishima slashes at him. He slashes again, and this time cuts Rei’s leg. Rei winces, and then Kirishima takes the opportunity to stab him again. Blood splashes onto the ground, and a basket of cans is overturned.]

Back at the apartment, Kira is thanking everyone for the gift. She’s really moved by the gesture. Everyone tells her to put on the lace, as it’s meant for a bridal veil. They help drape it onto her head, and everyone exclaims at how beautiful and bride-like Kira looks. Harumi has this idea that they have a wedding ceremony, of sorts, right there. She thinks it’s the perfect opportunity, since everyone is there already, and everyone gets excited and wonders whether the bride and groom should dress up, or what. Harumi wonders why Rei isn’t back yet, and Kira says that he should be back any minute.

Rei’s sitting against the wall, holding his wounds, as Kirishima stands there with the knife threatening him and laughing. He seems to be especially gleeful that someone as weak as himself has the power to hold someone else’s life in his hands. Rei merely smiles at Kirishima’s speech, which gets Kirishima even more agitated. He asks Rei why he’s smiling, and demands that Rei plead for mercy like Aoki did. Rei just says that no matter how he looks at it, Kirishima is exactly like Aoki—he always has to get what he wants or he’ll get pissy. Kirishima, visualizing Aoki, yells for Rei to shut up and lunges forward, stabbing Rei deeply once more. He keeps yelling for Rei to shut up, and then takes off running. Rei pulls the knife out of his wound, and tries to get up. He tries to leave, but falls to the ground, feeling like he can’t move. Everything seems to get dark, and he seems to see his mother hanging on a rope as everything fades away. His last conscious thought, before collapsing to the ground, is a call to Kira.

Something seems to pierce Kira’s consciousness, and she seems to hear Rei’s voice. (Oh, don’t you love this love telepathy of shoujo manga?) They don’t see him anywhere, though, and people begin to wonder what’s taking him so long to get home. Taking the cue from Harumi, Tatsuya says he’ll go out and look for Rei. Outside, he sees Rei’s motorcycle parked in front of the convenience store, and peers inside but doesn’t see Rei. He wonders where Rei could’ve gone without his motorcyle, and then notices someone lying on the ground in a nearby alley. On closer observation, he sees a knife lying on the ground and blood surrounding the fallen figure. He rushes in and pulls Rei to him, calling out his name.

Harumi gets a call from Tatsuya. Tatsuya’s yelling, as he’s still at the alley but is watching the people load Rei into the ambulance. He says he’ll call them again from the hospital, and that Rei has been stabbed and is going to be treated now. The news hits Kira hard; she stands frozen in shadows.

Kirishima is walking the streets alone, his coatfront covered with blood. He stands there aimlessly, saying to himself that things are boring now that he’s once again alone.

Rei’s rushed into the emergency room. Tatsuya, holding Rei’s bloody jacket, waits outside. Harumi and Kira come rushing in, and Kira is hysterical, demanding to see Rei.

The doctors begin operating on Rei,...something about blood transfusion, etc...

Harumi worries about whether Rei will be all right. Tatsuya glances at her, then indicates Kira and tells Harumi that the person she should really worry about is right there. Harumi wonders what will happen to Kira if something happens to Rei—would Kira kill herself as well? Tatsuya yells at her to stop saying those things, and cries out that nothing can happen to Rei and Kira...

The operation continues.
Kira: I...What am I doing here? I was just with everyone else, laughing and waiting for Rei to get home, wasn’t I? Why am I here now? [View of Harumi and Tatsuya, worried. The image gets darker] What’s happened? Why is everything around me getting so dark, so dark that I can’t tell where I am?

Rei’s father appears, out of breath. Kira sees him and rushes into his arms, crying. He assures her that nothing will happen to Rei. Later on, he brings her some coffee. He asks her if she’s cold, and she shakes her head, replying that she hates the feeling of being in a hospital. It always reminds her of when her father died. Rei’s father comments that this reminds him of the time, three years ago, when Rei had been in the hospital the day after Sei’s death. He relives the memories, the police questioning Rei about Sei’s death and Rei telling them he’d pushed his brother from the roof, and then fainting away and collapsing on the floor of the police department. When he came to in the hospital room, his father had rushed there. He didn’t know where he was, or who his father was. It seems that the impact of Sei’s death was such that Rei forgot everything that happened since he’d come back to Japan. After Sei’s death, Rei’s condition worsened as he went through spells of fainting and then going crazy out on the streets. It ended up with Rei’s father having to go get Rei every day from the police department. The officer advised for him to do something about Rei before it was too late. Though he wasn’t exactly willing, Rei’s father sent Rei to the psych hospital, where he was treated by the same doctor who had treated his mother.
Father (in memory): So you’re saying, Sei’s death is the reason for Rei’s change?
Doctor (in memory): Yes. And so I think it might be best if we made up some memories to substitute those that Rei lost. For example, saying that his mother did not commit suicide, and instead died of illness... or that his brother commit suicide because he was too weak.
Kira (now): So that’s why Rei’s memories are so blurry and fragmented...
[She recalls Rei telling her he doesn’t remember exactly what happened after Sei’s death, because when he came to, he was in the police station]
Father (now) [His head is bowed on his clasped hands]: I just want to protect him. Akihiko died, Shouko died, even Sei died. Rei is the only relation I have left. To tell you the truth, even now I’m still unclear whether I really love Rei as a son. I just don’t want to lose him...I don’t want to lose Rei...

A nurse runs out of the operating room and asks if either of them, being family, could give Rei some blood. Immediately Rei’s father exclaims that since he’s Rei’s father, they have the same bloodtype, and he’ll do it. Kira stays outside and prays.

As Kira’s waiting, she suddenly sees someone come down the hall towards her—someone wearing a school uniform. It’s Sei. They stand there for a moment, and Kira’s fist shakes at her side. Sei smiles softly, then walks past her towards the operating room. Kira begins to scream after him, trying to stop him from going in and taking Rei away. Tatsuya has to hold her back. Neither he nor Harumi know what she’s so panicked about.

In the operating room, Rei’s blood pressure is decreasing rapidly. They try to begin the blood transfusion (Oh, I’m so bad at translating med terms. why are there so many in this series?).

Rei slowly opens his eyes. He’s standing on a ledge, surrounded by darkness. He wonders why he’s there. A hand reaches up and grabs him around the ankle. He looks down. It’s Sei, who’s hanging onto the edge of the roof (that’s the ledge Rei’s standing on).
The doctors in the operating room realize that Rei’s heart has stopped.
Sei’s hanging from the roof, and reaches a hand up towards Rei. He’s smiling. Rei smiles back, and reaches forward to clasp Sei’s hand. Just then, he seems to hear something behind him and turns. Kira bursts out onto the roof, breathing hard. Rei stands still, surprised at her presence, and she smiles at him and reaches out a hand. “Come back!” she says to him, offering her hand. Rei looks sad for a moment, and looks back at his brother. “I’m sorry,” he says, “But I can’t go to you yet.” A few lights glow, and the image of Sei gradually fades away, the expression on his face surprised and a little sad. Rei turns and takes Kira’s hand. The dark sky around them is filled with glowing lights.

A hand clasps another hand’s fingers. Rei slowly opens his eyes. Kira is sitting at his bedside, holding onto his hand.
Rei: I...have I died? Or am I still alive?
Kira [smiling]: You’re still alive...

Rei’s tossing an apple up in the air and catching it. Kira intercepts it, and says solemnly that apples are for eating, not for playing with. As she bends over a fruit basket on Rei’s bedside table, he reaches over and yanks up her skirt. The next square we see is of Kira holding an apple up menacingly, about to hit Rei, and Rei cowering with a hand blocking his head, saying that apples are for eating, not for hitting people with. As the two of them are fussing over nothing, the police officer and Rei’s father show up. The officer says that Kirishima is getting psych treatment, and since he’s only sixteen, he’ll be put in juvenile hall or whatever the Japanese equivalent is. Rei’s father is cautious about this, asking whether Kirishima will be released, and whether this is all right given that Kirishima almost killed his son. The officer says he can’t guarantee anything, but that Kirishima probably won’t come after Rei again because he’s already erased all his memories of Rei. At the police headquarters (I assume), Kirishima is shown a picture of Rei, who he does not recognize.

Rei and his father are sitting on a bench together, probably outside the hospital. Rei’s father says he’s wary of Kirishima’s words, since he’s dangerous and the police are just believing everything he says.
Rei: So pitiful...
[His father looks up]
Rei: I have people who protect me, as well as people I want to protect. But he has no one.
Father [looking sad? thoughtful?]: Consider it as a plea from me—don’t make Kira sad. [Picture of Shouko, lifting the sheet covering Akihiko’s body] Because I saw the same scene as 18 years ago...when Akihiko died, your mother’s crying face...
[Rei looks at his father seriously]
Rei: You’ve gotten more white hairs! [he looks somewhat sad, while his father looks really surprised] Is it because of me? [His father looks really sad] I’m sorry...
[Rei’s father has to take his glasses off to wipe his eyes, because he’s crying]
Father: .........
Rei [shrugging, sort of smiling]: Shoot, I’ve made the old man cry...
[Kira is standing near the wall of the hospital, watching Rei and his father from behind the bench. She smiles as she looks at the two of them, and bows her head.]

The security guard in the office building notices Rei coming towards him holding a flat package.
Rei [waving cheerily]: Hey!
Guard [saluting, smiling]: How are you! Did you come to see the president?
Rei: Yeah! Brought something for him.
Guard: What’s in that package?
Rei: A bomb.
[The guard has fallen on the ground and is sort of scooting away in fear.]
Rei: I’m joking! Would a normal person believe me?