Notes: One last epilogue to conclude the story. I don't expect I'll be continuing the fic any further than this, but considering how essential Himawari was to the premise, she deserved at least a brief chance to weigh in on events.
The first Doumeki saw of Himawari that morning, she was heading away from him down the corridor, and, on a whim or a hunch or whatever you'd call that sort of impulse, he followed her. She wasn't in sight when he rounded the corner – however, the door to one of the empty classrooms in that stretch of hall had been left slightly ajar.
"He's alright now, isn't he?" Himawari asked as soon as he stepped inside, her smile hopeful. "Watanuki-kun, I mean."
"Yeah," he replied without thinking about it. "It was just for yesterday. Things will be… back to normal from now." He couldn't quite make himself say 'fine', because they never really are, but this was as close as they need to be. "It was nothing personal. He never even noticed you realised."
Himawari's smile widened – she has gotten really good at hiding what must be behind it over the years. "I'm glad." Maybe she'd caught something in his face left over from earlier that morning, because she added, "Was there something else?"
"I let him know how I feel about him. Yesterday," Doumeki admitted.
Himawari only looked surprised for a moment before the smile came back. "That's wonderful! What did he say?"
Doumeki recalled the conversation from earlier that morning. "He's still getting used to the idea," he reported, diplomatically. "You don't mind?"
"Why should I mind?" Himawari asked, all innocent puzzlement.
"You're the one he's in love with."
Again, there was that surprise that doesn't last any longer than a moment. "But it's not the same for me – you know I could never…" she trailed off, shook herself, and said her last with an honesty which was heartbreaking to hear. "It's much better for him to have someone else, like you."
She didn't add, "And the more you're around him, the more I can be too," because she wasn't selfish, and he knew she's not bitter. The happiness she already got from being around Watanuki was already more than she ever believed she'd deserve.
Watanuki has that sort of effect on people, Doumeki mused.
Himself as well.