It's not your fault, she had meant to say. Not his responsibility, and not something she wanted him to worry over, not ever.

But she couldn't say any of it, even as the coughing fit petered out. Something seemed to be stuck in her throat, but not flowers this time. All she could do was bite her lip and stare with watery eyes as Kaito sorted through the mess to find her treasure.

And there it was after all. There wasn't enough light to catch all the nuances of its deep blue, but Kyoko knew the shape and the glint of it immediately.

Her head dipped, a shaky breath easing out of her, along with one last petal. "... Thank you."