This Is My Letter To You

Dear Hitoki,

I was discovered again later than many of the rest of the other Voids. Thus, our acquaintanceship towards each other wasn't given the development it could have had for me to feel more towards you. However, you are just like me, a parasitical darkness. To me, that is more than enough for me to know that you are interesting and relatable in such a strange world. You realized that you possessed humanity, and now you push to see us obtain our own. To be on the same level as humans, our natural opposition. I do thank you for that chance. Other Voids are probably already saying everything I'm saying. Sorry if this is seemingly another mindless repeat of it all. Have a happy birthday.

Maybe I'll bring a gift, Yomi

HITOKI!!! In the face of opposition, it's our nature to fight! Survive war! WIN! I don't know what a birthday is maybe this'll spark motivation in you. Thanks for stuff though! (Like, humanity and all I think. my host is helping me write this I'll be honest) Oh! Thank you for killing Noriko too! You're awesome for that. Or was that Nodo-chan? I don't know, one of ya's! -WAR ARTISAN KUMAKO

HITOKI!!!!!!!!

ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!! I GOT YOU A GIFT I THINK YOULL LOVE IT NODOKA TOLD ME ABT UR FAVORITE STUFF AND I CONVINCED THE KFC TO GIVE ME THE TIRAMISU ONLY FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! IM SURE SHE MIGHTVE GOTTEN YOU MORE EXPENSIVE BETTER TIRAMISU BUT!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU LOVE TO GIVE ME SHIT FOR IT BUT I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT THE WORLD IS FULL OF LOVE AND THINGS N YOU MEAN EVERYTHING TO OUR LITTLE GROUP OF GUYS SO!!! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO DO BESIDES THANK YOU 4 BEING OUR FRIEND AND HELPING US REALIZE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN AGAIN! WELL NOT HUMAN WE’RE FUCKING SHADOW PEOPLE BUT WHATEVER ITS THE HUMANITY ASPECT ANYWAY >:-P

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! HITOKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -TETSUO

To whom it may concern,

I will never understand the human concept of celebrations. I assume you feel the same way. Maybe even you think them as useless, just like me. You're really into humans and human stuff, though, right? So maybe you do like this more than I. That's the thing, Hitoki. You find so much worth in the most useless things. I will never understand it at all. I'm not sure if I want to understand or never want to at all. You polarize me. Though, I suppose that is what makes you yourself, Hitoki, and the only unique Hitoki, in a population where 10,000 more or so also have your same name. (I just learned that a lot of people have the same name as you yesterday, I never knew any of this before.) The concept of celebration is silly, but if the idea of a birthday celebration is just me telling you that you are alright to be around, then…I suppose you are. You're interesting. Ah. Nao wants to write something too…I am sorry in advance.

HI HITOKI!!!!!!! HIIIII :3 YAYYY!!! BIRTHDAY TIME

-Ohtsuki Furumaki (and Nagashima Nao)

Dear Hitoki, On the behalf of Ouka and Hime, they told me to say thank you for believing that they are worthy of humanity. They felt like a trapped monster, being two parasite voids fused together. They felt so unworthy and undeserving of anything. But you and that girl, Nodoka, showed them they're not. They are fine just the way they are. They are the Hime Project, and even though they know of their past atrocities, they can now fix that. Together. Now in newfound harmony. Ah, and they hope you have a good birthday. -Aoki (Ouka, and Hime)

Hiiii!!

Hi Hitoki-san!!! You're my most favoritest old man in the whole wide world! When you told me about the different kinda stars I was so so so happy!!! I didn't think you'd know so much!!! It made me smile really wide! And when you and Miss Nodoka uhm uhm took me stargazing! I wanna go again! You both make me feel so so so happy! I love you!!! I don't know what a birthday is!!! I didn't want to bother Miss Nodoka again so I am pretending I know what it is! I think it's good though! Happy birthday!

-Hotaru ☆

Hitoki, I will forever thank you for finding my baby…I bet you were a lovely father before your demise… And happy birthday. Don't splurge too much. You won't have anything for the rest of the week! ;) -Suzume

My dearest and only Hitoki,

I remember the day so so so very fondly. You and Nodoka found me in the Hollow Night. When I heard you spoke to me, I was shocked! Parasite Voids are quite the rarity, you know! We're like needles in a haystack. When you promised me a life better than this, I was incredibly skeptical! I was already used for experimentation, you know? My raw EXS is permanently damaged from it. (But I guess the new effects are funnier now! Noriko did something nice after all, hehehe) Anyways, I thought you were manipulated and bested by Nodoka! She looks so much like her mother, I know you see it too, don't you?

I gave the benefit of the doubt though, only because her words and yours seemed so genuine. My judgment was correct, as always! When you let me manifest and told me you were going to find a way to let me stay this way…to stay as Wakadori, I was so happy. I felt my sense of nobility come back. I never liked the survivalist world of the Hollow Night anyways, you know? Now look at me. I have everything I could ever want. My old friends are still alive, my host is the best family I could ever have, and most importantly…I have you and the rest of the parasites! I still don't know how all of us are in one place! It's truly a miracle!

Do you remember when I came to you, asking about feeling a connection to someone that was so strong you couldn't get it off your mind? You responded, and I quote, "That's literally how love works! That's love! How did you not know what love was until now?" It spoke so many volumes about you, you know! You were so flustered, and you were sweating like crazy after saying it! I know you try to hide it, Hitoki, but unlike the others, I know! You love everything around you! Not only that, but I was so happy to know that there was an actual answer for such feelings. You wanted me to know what love was. Thank you for letting me force you to describe it to me in excruciating detail!

I don't think anything will touch as hard as when you said you were proud of me, though! I don't know every bit of my past, but I have a nagging feeling I was never told that much when I was still with my clan. So…thank you! I'm proud of you too! I'm proud to have you, Nodoka, and Furumaki as my closest friends! Oh, and happy birthday! I learned that they actually celebrate birthdays a week ago, so prepare yourself for all my glory!

Yours truly, Wakadori Shinonome

Oh, Hitoki…

I know we're inseparable. I know you already know all of what I'm about to write because of that. Regardless of that, I'm going to tell you again. I'm going to tell you again how much you mean to me, because it's important. It's important to me that you never lose sight of my feelings…

The chronological order of everything we've ever been through together, good or bad, I would never change any of it if I had the opportunity. Every moment with you has been the most delightful.

I still think about when I was convinced that my life would end when you latched onto me. Even if it did, I would've been okay with it. I don't know if it's because I saw the humanity you possessed, or because I was so used to death as a concept, but I was willing to accept whatever would happen. I like to think it was a combination of both.

Then, you told me, "What? You know I'm slowly killing you, and you act like this? Accepting? What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to be a martyr?" (I think that's word for word what you said) You were so shocked. You never had someone prioritize you like that before, did you? I already knew so much about Voids…I knew you simply wanted to survive. That's why I was okay with it. It shocked you so much that you wanted to coexist with me. I never thought in all my years, I'd have a Void from the Hollow Night itself interested in my ordinary life that much. I was surprised by your resolution, but I was in high spirits about it. Not just because I was going to live, but because I knew you were going to be okay, as well.

I know the first week was rough. Discovering the main coexistence method through my mother's notes and finding a way to give you consistent EXS was quite a lot to take in, wasn't it? Yet, you didn't give up. You still had faith in my methods. You genuinely did care. I know you threw your fusses after everything was done, I would even go to say that some of your behavior was…unpleasant, I won't lie, but I saw through it all. I saw that you would realize yourself that this wasn't humanity. Pain and hurt towards yourself, and towards others.

Now when I talk to you, when I look at you, I can see you've fully realized that, haven't you? You saw that humanity is about unity, and about caring about oneself and everyone that matters. I know you'd never admit it because you're just so adorably pouty about it, but I see it in your actions, and in your words that would seem conflicting to the average person. Everything you've done for me, and sometimes for others…it all meant well at the end of the day.

You were there when I was desperately trying to find a way to break my mother's coma, you were there when I tried to find methods to save all Voids from their endless suffering, and you were there to defend me during the most daunting Nights. You even stood up against...well. Three adversaries that nearly killed me. You never tapped out, you never gave up on me, even when I wanted you to. You…you put me first, just like how I did for you. Even if you were injured or hurt. No words can ever express how that makes me feel. Thank you.

I remember when you first smiled for real at me. The vacation to Fukuoka was worth it for that alone. I'm so happy that I could help you find your resolve regarding your past. No matter if you oppose it or accept it, I will always be right there, accepting every part of you regardless. Though, I suppose your peace with it has already been made, hasn't it! I'm glad you didn't throw it all away, but I'm even more glad you made your own decision on how you want it to reflect on you. To keep it as a reminder of how you passed onto a better life…It touched me. Did I…Did I really do that much for you? I don't know why I ask that, you've already told me so many times before. You've already told me that death needs life, and you were done trying to reject that. Hehe. I guess it's just the shock of it all. The shock that I had that impact on you.

You had such an impact on me too, you know. I remember when you woke up in the middle of the night, burdened with the thought that you changed my life for the worst. That you ruined my normal life. That I could never go back to what WAS my original life before you. You said that I was essentially already dead before actual death itself. Your grasp on humanity was truly at its strongest, wasn't it? But, I was right there, and I told you myself, that if you did change my life for the worst, then why was I so happy around you? You changed my life for the better, Hitoki. You were one of the main driving forces that pushed me to continue my pursuit in all things Hollow Night related. That doesn't even touch upon how great company you are. I was quite lonely, but now I know I'm not. Being with you everyday is the best part of living. I never want that to change. Life and death need each other. You've never been a burden to me, nor will you ever be one. I don't know what I would do without you.

Even though our relationship symbiotically is parasitic, I can't help but feel it's more mutualistic than anything. I only feel content with you. You're so silly, so stubborn, so complex, but deep down, I know your biggest trait is your love.

Well, guess what, Hitoki? I love you just as much, and I always will. Hehe. Happy Birthday. I hope we can celebrate the rest that will come afterwards together, as well.

I love you dearly, Nodoka Watatsumi

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Mr Mikadzuki,

I hope you are alright. Everyone at work still tries desperately to get in contact with you. Everyone says you're dead by now, but none of us have given up hope! Maybe you'll come back to Fukuoka, just to say hi. I wonder if you're in a really pretty prefecture now, like Chiba…

But today is the start of Golden Week, which means it's your birthday! So, happy birthday. We miss you. I miss you even more. I miss our time together.

Sincerely, Watagi