#saddess

Right when he woke up, Hajime Hinata had one thought on his mind. ‘Chiaki…’ Today was the day. Today the gamer AI and him would be reunited.

At least, that’s what was supposed to happen.

“We’re sorry..” The worker said. “Her data is just too corrupted. There’s no way we can save it..” Everyone looked down, realizing this also meant they would never be able to revive their friends. If Chiaki’s data was too corrupted, then surely everyone else’s was as well.

Hajime looked blankly at the worker, completely silent. He blinked once, and then turned around and walked back to his cottage. Nobody tried to stop him. Two days passed before he came out again.

It was now winter. Only in certain areas of the island’s did it snow, but at one area of the main island was a large hill where hundreds of wild violet’s grew, giving it the name “Violet Hill.” On this hill is where it snowed the most, and it hadn’t been included in the simulation. Hajime had been there very few times, but knowing what he did about Chiaki, he imagined she would like it there.

One day Hajime left without a word, only bringing a shovel and some wood, as well as nails and a hammer. Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko were in the lobby of Hotel Mirai and saw Hajime passing by, with a blank expression on his face. Something was written on one of the boards, but Hajime’s arm was blocking it so the boys couldn’t read.

Out of curiosity and worry, the two gathered Sonia and Akane and the four survivors followed Hajime to where he was going-Violet Hill.

“Why is he going there? It is very cold during the winter at the top of that hill…” Sonia wondered aloud. “Maybe he’s buildin’ somethin’..” Suggested Akane, but it was shut down by Fuyuhiko. “If he was building, why the shovel?” “Shut up!” Kazuichi whispered. “We have to keep going, he’s been super weird since…yanno. We gotta make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid up there!” Everyone silently agreed and they continued stalking Hajime.

Eventually they all reached the top of Violet Hill. All the flowers were covered in snow and mostly dead, but some managed to keep growing. Silently, Hajime put everything down, and started digging with the shovel. After a while, he stood there for a few minutes, threw in a handful of dirt, and then waited a few more minutes before filling in the hole again, this time making sure to leave a mound over the hole.

Next, he put the planks of wood over eachother and nailed them together. Standing in front if it, Hajime hammered the wood into the ground just barely on the mound.

And then he sat down, and stared blankly at his work.

It didn’t take long for them all to realize that it was a grave. One by one, they all stood up and walked over to Hajime and then sat by him.

“Why is there nothing in the grave Hajime?” Sonia asked. “Because there’s nothing to put in. Don’t you see the marker?” He answered.

They all looked up at the grave marker and looked at the writing on the planks.