Lame traffic earring- part ten

I remember when

my eyes met his—

the ghost boy with the pink hair and the fake life.

Right, he sighed. Guess we're climbing a skyscraper tonight, you ready, lame traffic earring?

It's the only way home,

I said, a smile fighting its way onto my face.

We left the cell, 

leaving Shijima to her endless art.

The paintbrush glowed in the darkness of the hallway,

showing us to a staircase that spiraled 

up, 

up, 

up,
a shortcut through the false world,

straight toward the moon.

We ran, the three of us, 

a human, 

a girl with ankles like daikons, 

and a boy made of spare parts,

chasing an impossible light,

chasing a way back to a world that was messy, and sad, and real.

The journey, 

was short but difficult.

Hanako-

Daikon girl's beloved apparition-

wanted her to stay,

to avoid the inevitable fate that awaits her,

 when she returns to the real world.

Now I realize,

I wanted- no, 

I still do want-

him to be happy, 

after we leave-

is that possible?

Dear Mitsuba,

my friend,

is it possible,

for me to make you happy,

even if you're dead?

And can't accomplish your dream?

Actually,

you know what I've noticed? 

Apparitions always settle for less,

Because they stumble across something easier,

and convince themselves it's the best they'll ever get.

And he is no different, is he?

Our beloved school mystery, Hanako.

He sees this fleeting moment with her,

the Daikon girl,

 Nene Yashiro- 

this vibrant, living girl,

as his one reprieve,

his only chance at happiness.

He settles.

He settles for less.

He has given in, a long time ago.

Convinced that this is his fate,

his lonely existence redeemed

by a borrowed lifespan,

a few more years of moments,

until her clock stops ticking.

But what if there's more?

What if there doesn't have to be a 'less'?

We found another way.

A way to the moon, they said.

A chance to fix everything.

We went.

It was hard, and dangerous.

But we came back.

We all made it back.

Now, as the dawn breaks

over a real, solid school building,

a real world,

I look at them both,

Hanako and her.

And my friend, Mitsuba,

I think that yes,

it might just be possible.

Maybe we don't have to settle for less

after all.

Maybe it is possible

to make a dead friend happy,

in a world where we all survive.

(Thank you for reading so far! This is based off of TBHk, and I hope you enjoyed this!)