I've never thought of associating Autumn with death, even though it is the time that most trees lose their leaves and so on, I thought that was closer to winter. I'm not sure if its a Japanese or Shinto philosophy.

Well, autumn is the time of rotting, "dying."
Winter is rest, silence, "being dead"

Anelaid said:
I've never thought of associating Autumn with death, even though it is the time that most trees lose their leaves and so on, I thought that was closer to winter. I'm not sure if its a Japanese or Shinto philosophy.

Actually it's pretty universal. Paganism and Druidism were probably the first religions that allocated the seasons with a life cycle.
Spring > Birth/New life. Summer > Living/growing up. Autumn > Growing Old/Dying. Winter > Death/stillness.

beautiful comic and it's fully translated in one day <3

The thing is that Japanese traditional aesthetic prefers ephemeral beauty to "european" one, that has to survive centuries. Because of that spring and autumn were considered most beautiful seasons, with autumn gradually becoming even more appreciated by artists. Therefore, things about to wither were and sometimes still are considered the pinnacle of beauty.

This is one of the few greatest comics featuring Shizuha that has ever existed. *Cries some more*