Epilogue

A photo of four women raising their hands to the air stared at her like a ghost from the past. One of them visibly pale and thin but on their faces, a genuine smile was forever caught in the photograph for the world to remember their last concert.

Under the photograph was the article about SCANDAL's sudden announcement of disbandment and the last concert they've done at the Tokyo Dome. An incredible feat but at the same time regretful for the band.

The woman kept hold of the book, staring at the photo intently. She smiled at the thought of that day but her reverence was cut short when her doorbell rang.

"Coming!" She shouted before shoving the book to her bag and answered the door.

When the women opened the door, she was expecting movers to greet her but instead, an envelope was lying on the ground. She looked around but there was no one in sight so she picked it up and closed the door. The woman moved to her living room and curiously looked at the envelope.

Suzuki Rina...

It addressed to her but to whom it came from was not written outside the letter. Without thinking much anymore, she opened it and read a not-so good handwriting.

Her hands shook when she realized to whom it came from and the contents of it was something she never thought of.

~*~*~*~

"Alright. You're on in five minutes. Don't forget to smile while you're on stage. Kaori, don't forget your cue after Hinata's solo. Show them some diversity," Haruna muttered as she looked at the band in front of her.

"Now, just enjoy the show and everything will follow through," She told them with a smile.

"On three!" Haruna shouted and they formed a circle. They did their shout and the new band went to their places besides the stage. When the crew indicated for them to go up already, they waved to Haruna first and went to the stage.

"You're doing great as their manager," someone from Haruna's behind said. She turned around only to see Eisuke.

"Hello, Haruna. It's been a long while," he spoke.

"Eisuke! I haven't seen you for a long time," Haruna gave her former manager a hug before staring at him.

"Wow...You look old – but still good-looking and great," Haruna gave Eisuke a mischevious smile which was only answered by a hearty laugh from Eisuke.

"Well...that is something I can't stop...the good-looking part." Haruna shook her head and laugh at Eisuke's words.

"Anyway, how are you? Are your new acts doing great?" Eisuke asked.

Haruna looked at the four teenagers that's under her wing and gazed at them like a mother do when their children were on stage.

"They're still rough on the edge but we'll manage. They have the potential," Eisuke nodded his head and also watched Haruna's new band play on the stage.

"That's good then..." He said.

"Oh by the way, before I forgot..." Eisuke suddenly said and started rummaging his coat before taking out an envelope from its inside pocket.

"Here...someone drop this letter at the studio for you. Since I know we'll meet here, I've brought it with me." Haruna took the letter and studied the white envelope. It's been a long time since she gotten a letter and most of it was from Tamotsu.

"Thank you. I wonder who's it from?" She asked as she looked at the envelope. Only her name was written there.

"I have also no idea but maybe it's important. It's not your typical fan mail anyway," Eisuke said.

"Okay. Thank you again. I'll just read it later."

"Then I'll leave you to your own now. I've got to catch the producer regarding some stuff. See you around, Haruna." Eisuke said and waved his hand to her before leaving.

Curiously, Haruna examined the envelope for any signs of its sender but no such luck.

I guess I'll know later...

She thought before putting the envelope inside her bag.

~*~*~*~

"You're doing great!" A chipmunk-voice filled the room with such vigor that everyone looked at the person who said it.

"Sorry..." Feeling that she brought the attention to herself, warmness filled her cheek but that doesn't stop her from smiling at the little girl in front of her.

"See, I told you that was not so bad, is it?" She asked and the little girl gave her a shy nod before casting down her eyes.

"Hey! Come on, we've still got some work to do. Next up, we're doing some leg exercise," The woman said and the little girl only gave her a shy smile.

"Tomomi, why are you still here? Isn't your shift ended two hours ago?" A woman dressed in comfortable blue scrub suit said as she made her way to Tomomi.

"Hiromi, hi. Uhm, well I promised little Eri here that I'll help her walk before her mom's birthday and pick some flower's for her mom," Tomomi mumbled and looked a bit flustered to be seen by Hiromi.

Hiromi only shooked her head but smiled anyways to the little girl who looked wide-eyed between them.

"I-I don't want to be a trouble to someone. I'm s-sorry if Tomo-nee is in trouble," Eri said while hanging her head low.

"No! I'm not in trouble. Right Hiromi?" Tomomi quickly countered and looked at the woman beside her.

"Of course she's not in trouble, Eri. I was just surprised to see her here because she was supposed to be at home now," Hiromi said and patted the little girl's head.

"Then I'm troubling Tomo-nee?" She thought with a realization but Tomomi shook her head vigorously. "Nope! You're not. I want you to walk as soon as you can so I'm here. No trouble there." She assured the little girl which in turn the girl smiled to her.

"We're still doing the leg exercises right?" Tomomi said and the little girl answered with the cutest okay that Tomomi had seen to anyone.

"Well I'll leave you to that Tomomi and since you're busy, I'll let you know that someone left you a letter by the station. I've placed it to your locker." Hiromi told her.

"Thanks. To whom it came from by the way?" Tomomi asked but Hiromi told her that she didn't know. Without further ado, the older woman said her goodbye and went out of the door.

"Hmm...I wonder who it came from?" Tomomi asked loudly.

"Maybe from a secret admirer," Eri said which Tomomi chuckled at the idea.

"Maybe...maybe not...but that can wait. We still need to finish those exercises so we need to hurry up before your mom comes." She told the little girl which was answered with a nod.

The letter was forgotten for an hour but once she is able to read it, it will be something she wouldn't have expected.

~*~*~*~

Rina stood motionless at the rooftop where it all started. Caless Vocal and Dance School had changed so much since they have started but somehow, the view from the top remained as what she had in her memories. Who would have thought that from being an inexperienced 16 year old girl, she would have bloomed to be a part of a very successful band just because of a teacher telling them to form a band.

A bittersweet memory that has her in tears both from sadness and joy that she will forever keep with her as long as she lives.

She sighed, remembering the last time she came there with her band. It was the end of their last concert at the Tokyo Dome and feeling nostalgic, they've agreed to go straight to the school where it all started and for the last time, see the view from the top of it.

They were so lucky that the one who was on duty that night was someone who knew them when they were still teenagers studying there. He let them in the instance he recognized them and let them stay for as long as they can.

They've stayed until the wee hours of the morning and kept them warm by just sitting close to each other, waiting for the sun to shine and for a new day to start the change in their lives. They've cried most of the part but they were smiling knowing that they will be alright.

It was the most beautiful sunrise that they have ever experienced and they've felt more alive even with the lack of sleep. They couldn't help but wish to stop that time at that moment but life must go on...even how hard it could get.

"Care to share that view?"

Someone called out and instantly, Rina was back to the present. She whirled around to see Haruna and Tomomi standing just a few feet away from her.

She couldn't help but smile and walked over to them just to be met halfway and engulfed the two with a hug.

"Oh God! I miss you guys so much!" She breathed out and let go of them just to stare at them in awe.

"Wow...it's been so long since I've seen you two." Rina let out.

"Tomomi, how's your work at the hospital?" She asked and was answered with a chuckle.

"Hectic as hell. I've never thought it would be that busy..."Tomomi answered but then a wistful smile graced her face. "...but I enjoyed the job so much that I've never notice the hardwork."

Rina smiled at that and thought that she surely had found her place after their band was gone.

She let her eyes on Haruna and asked her how was the new band she was managing.

"Still young but there's still a lot to be done for them," Haruna said and Rina agreed. She also monitored the progress of the band whenever she can and she knew that Haruna will be a great manager.

"Oh my Gosh!" Tomomi suddenly squealed while looking at Haruna's hands. She suddenly took it and looked at the ring in her hand.

"Is that...what I think it is?!" She said and looked at Rina with the same face.

Haruna's face blushed a thousand shades before looking at the two with a small smile in her face.

"I was about to tell you guys, but I haven't gotten to it," She said and watched as the two shrieked in delight as they've hugged her.

"Congratulations Haruna!" They've said and hugged the vocalist a lot harder.

"Thank you," She muttered and let them go before looking at the ring.

"That ring...it was the same as someone I knew..." Rina said as she looked at Haruna's ring.

"It is...it was a promise ring you see..." And looked at the simple ring.

"I'm glad you're finally settling down. You're already old, you know!" Tomomi burst out and they've all laughed.

"Shut it, you're also old already and just a couple of months or years, I bet you're the next one getting married." They've laughed and smiled at each other. Silence ensures after as the subject they were trying to escape even for a minute was finally making its presence know. They couldn't stall on it even if they want to.

"So..." Haruna started and pulled out an envelope to her bag.

The two understood and also showed their corresponding letters.

"How..." Tomomi started but couldn't continue what she was about to say because the thought was still boggling.

"I also don't know..."Rina muttered and looked at the letter, still trying to decipher its contents.

"Do you know who sent them?" Tomomi asked but the two only shook their heads.

"She couldn't have written this...but here it is," Haruna muttered until the door from the rooftop opened. They all looked at the direction and saw someone they didn't expect.

"It's good to see you guys again," The woman said with a smile on her face.

"Naoki..." Rina said and watched as the woman came to their direction.

"Sorry to suddenly brought you guys here..." She said and gaze at the letters in their hand.

"...and to send those letters just now," She finished and watched as the three looked at her wide-eyed.

"You sent them?" Haruna asked and moved forward. "And what do you mean by just now?" She asked.

"I have them for the longest time. Back when Mami could still write..." Silence filled the space around them at the mention of Mami's name.

"She..."Naoki suddenly stopped and swallowed the growing lump in .

"She wrote that days before the Tokyo Dome concert," she said and watched as the three remembered that day. They've remembered Naoki sitting next to Mami and hiding something to her bag before facing them with tear-stricken eyes.

"She told me to give them to you at the right time. I don't know when was that until now..." She said and looked at a parcel she was carrying. Naoki took a huge breathe before staring at the women in front of her. Tears were already running to their eyes.

"Here's the last gift...from her..." She said and handed the parcel to the three.

Haruna took it with shaking hands and ran her hands over the smooth parcel. Rina and Tomomi took a moment to just gaze at the small parcel and touched it just to make sure it was there.

"I'll leave you girls to it," Naoki told them and headed back to the door to give them space.

"Thank you..." The three muttered and was only acknowledged with a smile before Naoki went back in the building.

No one moved for a moment. They don't know what was inside the parcel.

The letters were already a form of gift from Mami as it contains her personal feelings to the women who had shared most of her life with. A second letter was in the envelope but it was not from Mami telling them to meet at Caless with a specific time and date. Naoki, being the good messenger that she was, has given them another gift. It was already too much for the girls to receive the letter but now that there was physical thing that Mami had left for them, they don't know what to feel about it.

"Open it..." It was Tomomi who spoke first. The other two looked conflicted so Tomomi took the parcel from Haruna's hands and carefully peeled the brown paper. Her hands shook but she kept the steady pace of unwrapping the box until all that was left was an mp3 player.

Rina touched it, overwhelmed of what it may contain. They were a bit nervous on what they would hear but once looking at each other reassuring that it will be alright, they've pressed the play button, embracing themselves from what would they hear.

Static started first and someone grunting while fixing the player was heard on the background. A loud thump followed by rustles of clothes followed before someone breathed in and letting it out slow.

"Hello..." It started and the three was transported at the time the recording was made.

"Uhm...yeah...I think I'm getting dusty with this but to hell with it. Sorry for the poor quality of sound but this is the closest recorder I could get my hands on right now. Well you must be wondering why am I trying to find and use a silly recorder in a hospital if I could just ask my brother or you guys to get a better one from my house but you see...when I woke up this morning, I feel much better. Not the I'm-cured-type of better but since most of my days right now I felt really sick, it was just today I felt so light and vibrant that I want to do the things I couldn't normally do already.

And having that energy back, I will not waste it in my hospital bed waiting for my body to deteriorate again. So...I got a really nice nurse to get me a recorder if she could find one and looked! Here I am! I'm so grateful to her. Anyway...here's my thoughts to everything. Sorry if I'm mumbling because seriously (chuckles) I didn't rehearsed this. I apologize for the silliness of this. Oh hey! I got some tinkering things from the old man next to my room and it was fun playing at them. I don't know what they were called but it was fun fixing them and then looking at my finished product, I think I did great. Too bad I couldn't show him what I've made since he was already moved out of the room...I think he was already discharged...good for him. (Silence for a few seconds)

Welp! I have some other things to share with you guys...Oh, and my brother dropped my guitar this morning. I'm glad he did because I was able to play it and I've missed the feeling so much that I haven't noticed the time. I wonder what you guys be doing now? I guess you're busy preparing for the concert. I'm really sorry I couldn't be there but still, I'll be always by your side cheering...(A sniffle was heard)

Gosh! I'm a nostalgic fool right now...Let's forget about that and let's rewind for a bit. (A huffing sound) Okay! So I was practicing some riff and I want to record it...It's really messy since I've only got a couple of hours to do it...and uhm...because...you know...(Silence)

Here it is! I hope you'll like it..."

It started with a clean, crisp sound of the bass followed by a tender high note that filled the entire space. Even if the recorder being used was bad, it still captured every sound that the guitar was making. It was a simple riff at first; showing a person taking a baby step first. Mami's fingers glide to the neck of the guitar, plucking her fingers to the well-worn strings. Making small mistakes here and there but she would easily recover from it. It was a sad one. The mellow tune was pouring the player's feelings with every sound it reverberated. The notes started overlapping until the player resolved to playing power chords. It stayed like that for a minute until it turned heavier. The riffs started getting complicated, the sound getting a lot more cheery than when it started until at the very end; the sound seems to explode and the player was left breathless from the sudden effort of the song. She didn't mean it to turn that way but once she played the song like it has the life of its own. She felt much better. The player was breathing heavy...The sound of the guitar still ringing to her ears until a hiccuped broke free from . Surprised with the sudden sound, she didn't know what to think.

It followed by a small stream of tears to her eyes...The recorder may not have captured the sight but the sound she made was the one that made the listener knew what was happening.

Her sobs followed through before it was muffled by her hands as she cupped her face not believing the tears running to her eyes. She tried to talk but the tears and the lump on made her unable to. She stopped trying and let the tears flow for a while until she felt she could finally say a word without bursting to tears again...

"I-I'm sorry...You must be worried that I've suddenly cried like that... (Silence and then someone snorting)

Don't worry about me...It's n-not that I'm s-sad that I've suddenly cried...but because all of this is too overwhelming for me, you know?...(Pause.)

I told myself I will not cry but look at me, I still did. (sniffles) 

Like I've said, please...stop worrying about me...I'm perfectly fine even with all of this disease that was eating me. I've already accepted it and whatever will happen to me in the future. My days maybe shorter than I've thought of before but at least, I've lived my life to the fullest. I will not regret anything that has ever happened because with all of that, I've learned and see life as it should be. It is very interesting and I'm glad that I've got to find and meet the most awesome people I've known in my life.

It's time to face yours and move forward. I have just one wish; please take care of my brother and parents for me when I will not be able to. I love them just as much as I love you guys. I wish that you'll still stay contact to each other. I'll find peace in that. (Another pause)

I'm really getting sleepy now. I guess it's time's up. (Exhaling so loud before someone moving covers and taking the recorder with her)

Be happy and stay healthy...(a chuckle)  Man, I'm really nostalgic right now...(Silence)

I'll see you around guys...Love you...(click)

~*~*~*~

Silence drag for the longest time. Even after the women left the building and rode a taxi to some place, no one dared speak. Only a few words were exchange if necessary but their minds were distant.

Once they've reached their destination, they've walked to the hallways with a regained vigor. Every time they go to that place, they always have this sad aura around them that could not be lifted but now it was different. Something changed in them and they knew that finally they could moved forward with no guilt. Sadness will be always be there but now they know they could live about it and know that they were making the right decision.

They've opened the door to the familiar room and was greeted with the sight of a woman peacefully sleeping on her bed. Machines were hooked to her but it did not hide the serenity the woman seemed to be emitting even while she sleep. The three moved to the bed holding the delicate hands of the woman and watched if there was a response but like so many times before, there was none.

"We've got your message..." Haruna broke out and squeezed the woman's hands.

"And we're glad for it." Rina added and watched her face if there's any sign of Mami still in there.

"You've slept for so long now...and we still do wish you'll wake up one day," Tomomi said.

"We're against to what your parents and your brother was planning but now I think we've got it...you've fought so hard in this battle and you've suffered a lot for it..." Silence filled the room.

"We got it now. Even if it's really hard and painful for us...We finally understood," Reaching out, a hand landed on the woman's forehead and it.

"We'll see you soon, Mami. You'll finally going to have your day's off from all of this thing," The tears finally emerged and they knew they couldn't stop it already.

"We're going to do this altogether right? So you'll be free of pain. We'll be here until the end, okay? Don't be scared." Haruna muttered but her tears kept her from saying the words.

"We love you so much," They've said and squeezed her arm to let her know they'll be there.

It seemed a miracle but Mami's lips curled to a smile as the words left their mouth and they can't help but break down. They've hugged the vulnerable woman in front of her until someone came in showing Mami's parents and brother.

No words were needed to be exchanged and they've knew that their thoughts had finally come together. Mami's parents crumpled in tears as they knew the time has finally come.

Comforting each other. They've talked about the happy memories they've shared together. They've laughed and cried but most of it was laughing as they don't want to worry the sleeping Mami at their side.

"I'll be leaving..." Rina broke out after a while and they've stared at her.

"I'll be going to other countries and be a photographer." She said after and the people around her smiled.

"Congratulations. That will be great," Haruna said and held Rina's hands.

"Thank you. I'm a little bit worried and actually, I've only just made up my mind today but I think it's the right decision." She said and glanced at Mami.

Rina then took out a big black book and smoothed the surface of it.

"Wow...Is that what I think it is?" Tomomi said and looked at the familiar book. They've never really saw the contents of it but now they will know.

Rina hugged the book before standing up and placing it at Mami's side.

"This is my masterpiece..." She said and ran a finger to its spine. "I'll give it to you now because I think it is better for it to be in your possession." She added and let the book lie at Mami's side.

"It's perfect," Haruna said and clutched Rina's shoulder which was in turn gave her a smile.

Silence ensues the room and they knew they could not let it last for more. Agreeing on what was needed to do, they've finally called a doctor and a nurse to let them know of their wishes.

Feeling something was missing, Rina picked the book again and looked at the last page she wasn't able to see because she was too absorbed with her thoughts on the last article it contained. She might not have thought about it before when she made it, but there were words that she had left in that last page of the book.

Reading the paragraph, she let a small smile grace her face and made herself remember the words that was written there. With some finality, she closed the book and left it to where it should be before standing with her friends who in turned became her family. Her thoughts, rang the words in the silence...

Those we love don't go away. They walked beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still loved, still missed and very dear.

~*~*~*~

Opening her eyes...all she saw was white...

But then faces she could recognize greeted her with a smile.

Waiting for the pain to come, but found out it was not there,

She knew it finally ended and now she has another chapter to spare.