Jukstapositioned

Okay, so I lost my entire reply to this. *laugh* Let me see if I can remember what I said. Since I was walking into uncertainty towards the end of this story, I actually uploaded one chapter per day. So perhaps it's a good thing that you didn't have to catch with that madness. *laugh* I thought about uploading everything at once, but I worried about AFF and whether it would be killed by me. Now that I am in China, and AFF is working, I sort of regret having rushed everything. If I had more time, I certainly could have editted the chapters a little bit better. Oh well, it is what it is, no one can change the past. In the End indeed does prelude Heaven Far Away after all. Shuusei is a character whom I've been working on for the longest time. I actually wrote Heaven Far Away first as some sort of test, to see if it would work out. And when it did, all I wanted to do was to go back and work on In the End. Shuusei is one of the most interesting characters I have worked on. There is so many layers to him that I feel like I've not properly showed every layer to the readers. At the same time, Chitose and Shuusei are so similar, but Chitose would never reach Shuusei's level. The elder had been through too much to be able to look at this world with kind eyes anymore. With Chitose, there are many things that he does not know, even though he feelsl ike he knows everything; so perhaps there is still salvation for him to get rid of his past and start anew. It is unfortunate that Kirin and Shuusei are in the world they are in, if they weren't, I wonder if things would be different. Perhaps it's because they are in that world that they are attracted to each other. I like to think that both of them genuinely, truly and sincerely love each other, but situational factors deter them. Therefore, to keep their relationship meant keeping distance between them. If Shuusei had stayed, certainly what Shuusei told Subaru would come true and it would truly be a tragic ending. For that world does not allow them any trust, especially now that Kirin has control of Tokyo by himself. Please, stop me. *laugh* I feel like I can write another 40 chapter fiction just explaining Shuusei and Kirin, and each one of them individually. As for Konbayoshi Atsushi, I think he is the most interesting character I have worked with. I really, really want to write his end of the story, but that would mean getting into his head, and I fear that might not be good for my health. *laugh* By writing him, I feel like there will be so many more secrets that would finally see light. However, every story needs a character the readers love to hate, I think he fills this role perfectly. Last but not least, thank you so much for sticking through with this story, even you are so busy already! I really do appreciate your reviews, comments, and feedbacks, they certainly let me know what I am lacking in and what I need to improve upon. I actually had so many ideas for new writing before I came here, but alas, teaching is no easy feat, I don't have much free time. Therefore, I fear they might have to be put in the backseat. As for publishing, I don't think I am good enough yet and I don't think I have a solid story to publish either. Certainly, I would love to publish one day. *laugh* Good luck with everything on your end!

@Gslinger: I'm sorry it made you cry! Eternal love comes in many forms, I'm sure you will find the form you want sooner or later. Thank you for your review!

The last chapter has been posted and thus concludes this story. I want to thank everyone who has clicked, read, and reviewed; I can only hope that it was at least interesting for some of you. I've had this story in my head for a long, long time, even before Heaven Far Away. I'm the type of person who likes to leave the best for last, so perhaps that's why I decided to write this after Heaven Far Away after all. Or perhaps I just wan't quite ready yet at that time. From here on, I'll be going to a different country for work. There, who knows if I'll have reliable internet access. However, writing will never stop, but surely it will be while before I even think about returning to this genre. @Gslinger: I don't think they've ever forgotten that they can't do without each other. Perhaps it's because that knowledge is so strong they can't help but end in such a manner. I've always thought that when something exceeds moderation, love in this case, it just means there is insanity that's bound to follow. Their relationship has been rather unhealthy and detoxification is the best route, no? *laugh* Of course, some would say excess is another way. Thank you for your continued support and reviews!

Chapter forty eight has been posted. One more to go.

Chapter forty seven has been posted. The next chapter is the last chapter, and the one following will be a some sort of interlude/epilogue told from Akira's point of view.

Chapter forty six has been posted. I cannot believe how close we are to finishing this story! For those of you who read Heaven Far Away, this chapter certainly will give you more insight on Chitose's story. If there had been an interlude on Konbayoshi Atsushi, I like to imagine many truths would be overturned. @Gslinger: Yes, that certainly was the intent. If I could give each arc a title, this one would be named "doubt". After all that they've been through, and after they've been filling out their roles more and more, the jobs become them. I like to think of this as my little homage to the famous Milgram Experiment, in a much simpler fashion, of course. Shuusei has been with so many kumicho and none of them was caring; when a tail is put on you, usually, it's to kill you. His instincts are hard trained and after Kirin's outburst the last time they met, Shuusei's instinct told him it was bad news. Actually, as for how they will be "in the end", there were mentions of it in Heaven Far Away, specifically in Chitose's interlude. Thank you for the review!

Chapter forty five has been posted. Just four more chapters to go.

Chapter forty three has been posted. Konbayoshi Atsushi will see more writing time as the next few chapters unfold. @Miko: I am glad that you are enjoying the story! The story is 49 chapters long, so we're reaching its end steadily. Thank you for your review!

Chapter forty two has been posted.

Chapter forty-one has been posted. I decided that was the right amount of Shuusei's past shared for the sake of this story. I imagine I could write another one with his beginnings and all those other relationships. Ayumi and Subaru would have been tremendously fun to write as well; her personality is one I enjoy very much. However, those are only fleeting thoughts between dreams. This marks the end of this arc, if you will; the next one will be shorter but ties up every loose end. The characters will discover some things about themselves that they've not wanted to admit so far.

Chapter forty has been posted. This is certainly the last stretch.

Chapter thirty nine has been posted. Subaru's and Shuusei's joint past will be touched upon more in the upcoming chapters, but there is no extreme details. After all, this is about Shuusei's present and not his past.

Chapter thirty eight has been posted. It was the first time that Shuusei and Akira have faced each other like that, and it wouldn't be until much later would they have such a conversation again. @Gslinger: Eriko is not a tragic character, in my opinion. Even though she might be stuck in an unfortunate situation, but she is her own woman and she is yakuza, so that only makes her half a woman. (laugh) I've always believed that the truth is always better than a pretty lie as well. Thank you for your review.

Chapter thirty six has been posted. It would appear that I really will be updating on a daily basis. The story will have forty nine chapters, and I'm currently working on the last chapter. Please stay with me a little longer and we will see to the end of this together. @Miko: I imagine that is not a good thing? (laugh) Thank you for your review. @Gslinger: Anything is up for exchange, no? (laugh) Besides, it's been a year's pending for this to happen, I think we should praise Shinya for his patience. Thank you for your review.

Chapter thirty five has been posted.