"Where am I? Wha- cherry blossoms?" Subaru shook his head, and looked around. "This must bea dream... Seishirou-san? There he is, as always, under the tree with cherry blossoms swirling around..." With a snarl, Subaru shook off the reveire he had been in, and ran toward his sworn enemy. "Even invading my dreams! You'll pay for this..."

But as he reached the tree, the blossoms started to swirl fiercely, becoming a maelstrom, a hurricane... he tried to shield his face with his hands from the force. He felf himself start to slow, and then he stiffened... as he felt arms encircling him, protecting him.

He heard Seishirou whisper, "So, I'm dreaming this again- but somehow, it's different. Subaru is usally younger and wearing his robes..." Subaru lifted his head, looking into Seishirou's eyes, and couldn't move... he was trapped... hating himself for having dreamed of this moment, wishing, wanting... "It must be because of the amusing little fight we had before... or perhaps it's because the final fight will be tomorrow..."

Subaru felt himself stiffen in shock, as he heard Seishiro continue, "Odd, that only in my dreams can I really lift my mask... I know that he's still no match for me... he'll die tomorrow. Will I care? Will I truly feel nothing? I knew that this is what I would be getting, when I killed Hokuto... that Subaru would perhaps turn into someone worthy of fighting. But how was I to know... his innocence never moved me... but the pain in his heart... the conflict... the bitterness... it has reached my inner self..."

Subaru couldn't breath. This dream was too real... It was saying all the things that the part of himself that he hated wanted to hear. He wanted it to stop, but he somehow couldn't help himself. He whispered, "Seishirou-san...I hate you... and I love you. I want you to be with me forever, and I want you to die... to die by my own hand. I want to know that I mean more to you than a rock you would kick out of your way... that you felt something when you saw me..."

A whisper. "I may be able to actually feel something now. When you die in my arms, during the last battle... I may mourn, a little... So little feeling I can have... but to have any means so much..."

The wind drowned out the rest of both their confessions, as they separated and disappeared, both back to their own dreams... and above the tree, Hokuto smiled gently, before she, and the dream, vanished...

---Finis---